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Style walked inside Kant's tattoo studio like he owned the place. His best friend was with a customer... in the middle of an eagle tattoo on the back.
"Hey, dude! How long until you're done?"
"About twenty minutes I think."
"Good. I'll be downstairs. We need to talk!"
Kant raised his eyebrows and watched his friend warily : Style was an easy-going, over-the-top character... he wasn't the serious type. But his face expression at that moment was more than serious. Kant finished tattooing his customer and then, he joined his friend in the courtyard. They drank a beer in total silence : the vibe was very tense.
"So... yesterday, I followed Fadel to a club... a very shabby club, I might add. The clientele was... well... I think that club is owned by a mobster of some kind. Anyway... I started flirting with him... as usual... and he looked pissed."
"Also as usual!"
"Yeah. But... I don't know why... he seemed more annoyed by people seeing us together than by me. He was very fidgetty and very sneaky... like he was checking the perimeters or something. And then, a group of very suspicious people arrived and Fadel went into scary-mode in a snap. He ordered me to stay put and he vanished. And then... the first shocker!"
"What?"
"They had a strip show... and Fadel was the main act."
"Huh?"
"Yeah... bit of a shock! He danced and stripped in front of everyone. He got wet too : he was SO hot! I mean... I've been the one shamelessly flirting and exposing my body until now... and he always acted like a total prude! And now... he's stripping down on stage and he's dancing in his underwear... turning on everybody in that place. A girl screamed and begged him to fuck her. That doesn't make sense."
"It kind of does. Do you know the group of people who walked in at that moment?"
"No... but I took a picture of the guy who looked like he was the leader. Anyway... the second shocker came later on. As soon as he was done dancing, he went backstage... probably to change... and he left the club in a hurry. I followed him but I was ganged-up on by some thugs. I thought I was done for when suddenly, Fadel barged in and beat the shit out of them. We escaped and he drove me back to my place. And then, he went away."
"I see."
"Dude... there's something very fishy about Fadel... he's suspicious... and I think you know why. I don't like being left in the dark... so now, enough is enough! Spill!"
Kant closed his eyes and sighed : he didn't mean for Style to be involved that much. But with the way things were turning up, he couldn't keep it a secret anymore. It took ten minutes for Kant to explain why he was getting involved with those two brothers. To say that Style was shocked was an understatement... he was stunned. He took a minute and then, he closed his eyes and sighed.
"Great! I've been pissing off a hitman! Thank you so much for throwing me to the wolves, dude!"
"Sorry! I didn't mean to get you involved that much."
"Right. Well... that certainly explains a lot! No wonder Fadel is looking at me with killer eyes everytime I come on to him : he's probably plotting my death. And since he knows that you and I are friends, he's probably plotting yours too!"
"Hopefully, it won't be much longer before we can bust them. I need solid evidence if I want Captain Chris to exonerate me."
"That's also suspicious."
"What?"
"You don't find it strange at all? Dude! I thought you were smart!"
"I don't know what you mean."
"That captain person... he's suspicious, dude!"
"He's a highly respected police officer. What's to be suspicious?"
"You're so dumb! Okay... first things first : your criminal record was supposed to be cleared after you busted that drug dealer. The fact that it wasn't is suspicious! He said he'll get rid of the evidences of your wrong-doings but he still has them! It's like he's been lying to you all this time... just to see if you could be useful to him in the future!"
"Well... I did think it was strange... like he was twisting my arm or something."
"It's called "blackmail", dude! And he's using your weakness... your brother! That way, he knows you'll do exactly as he says! Very suspicious!"
"Don't you think people like him... the police, I mean... have to use everything they have in order to deal with some cases? It's not that strange."
"On the contrary... I think it's really strange. Police officers are supposed to ensure the citizens' safety. That includes normal people like you, dude! Just because you used to steal cars, doesn't mean you were trained to go after drug dealers and hitmen! Which brings me to my next question : does he know about me? Did you tell him that you asked a friend to help you out?"
"Yes. I told him I was having a hard time with the older brother and that I needed him out of the way if I wanted to succeed."
"And he didn't object at all?"
"No!"
"Policemen are suppose to protect civilians, Kant! Normally, he would have made a scene... saying that it was too dangerous to involve someone else. Hell! I even think he had no right to ask you that! It's like he doesn't care that two average men are going to be the targets of killers! Don't you see that's suspicious?"
"Yeah... I didn't really think about it before because... well... going to jail and leaving Babe alone is not an option : I was focused on doing what I could to avoid being arrested."
"I can understand that. But this is definitely blackmail... and that's fucked up. Now... about those hitmen... what did he tell you?"
"That they were killing mobsters and rotten politicians and that he needed to know who those killing orders were coming from. He wants the big fish... not the actual perpetrators."
"Do you have a lead on that?"
"No. The only way I can find out about that is if I go to their house... that's what the captain wants... and that won't be easy."
"He wants you inside a hitmen's house? Way to go, Captain! Throwing your subordinates into the wolves' lair!"
"That's what I said! Well... actually I said "tiger's lair"... but... I can see his point : if there is any paper trail, it won't be at the restaurant... it will be in their house."
"Did he, at least, give you a gun so you can defend yourself?"
"No."
"I don't like that captain dude at all! He's putting you in danger and he's not even making sure you can defend yourself! Fuck!"
"What?"
"Dude... it's very farfetched... but maybe he fears for his life."
"What do you mean?"
"Those guys kill underworld moguls and rotten politicians. They are getting rid of evil people who are protected and who nobody can go against. That includes dirty cops who are bribed by mobsters."
"No fucking way! You don't think..."
"I don't know what to think, dude. It's all very fishy. I mean... I'm not familiar with hitmen's modus operanty, but I'm fairly certain the number one rule is to be as discreet and invisible as possible... and to never leave any trace! It's suspicious the captain knows so much about them : that kind of informations is not something you obtain in honest circles."
"Which means... he could have learned about it from someone in the underworld."
"Exactly! And if he has contacts in those circles, then he's probably used to make deals with them. Kant... the captain might be a rotten cop."
"Fuck!"
"Let's say that... someone he knows tells him that a lot of his friends are dropping dead like flies. The captain investigates... and it's leading him to those brothers. But, instead of getting rid of them right away, he sends you to investigate because he wants the big boss... whoever it is!"
"Damn!"
"What?"
"I just remembered... when I was on a date with Bison, he mentionned his mother : he called her "Khun Mae". It seemed weird to me that he would refer to her in those terms : he said it was a family joke. But... now that I think about it... he panicked slightly when I asked that. His eyes... they became worried for a second : I didn't pay attention to it at the time... I just thought he was from a rich background and that he didn't want people to know. But now..."
"Family business? Like... the mother is the one finding the targets and she's ordering her sons to do the dirty work?"
"It's possible."
"If it's true, that mother is suspicious as well! What kind of mother lets her children do something like that? Hey! That's probably the reason those two brothers are not allowed to date and socialize : the mother probably told them to give up their personal lives for the time being."
"And while Fadel seems to be taking her words to heart, Bison... who is a very warm and affectionate person... is dying for some love and affection. Something he probably doesn't have with that cold-hearted bitch mother of his."
"This is just suspicions, dude... we need to make sure before calling her that! Just like we need to make sure that the captain is evil if we want to call him an asshole!"
"You say "we". Does that mean you're still in on that plan?"
"Well... I'm a little bit scared about being killed by Fadel, but, weirdly, just the thought of it is making me very excited. Nothing really thrilling even happens at the garage... so... yeah... I'm still in. But, dude... if we're continuing with that plan, we need to protect ourselves. I'll ask a guy I know to find us guns and if we can practice shooting at his range. And you... you need to tell Babe everything! I know you still see him as a kid but he has the right to know that you're being blackmailed and endangered because of him. Besides, that way, he'll be wary of Bison and Fadel if he meets them."
"Right. Just be careful with Fadel. Bison doesn't represent a threat at the moment... but Fadel..."
"Yeah... he's the physical enbodiement of the word "threat"! But you know what? Deep down, I think he's also dying for a normal life. He might not show it like Bison does, but I think his heart is starting to teach him how to feel. You should have seen him that day... when I followed him to the gym : that look on his face when I touched him smuttily was crystal clear... he was feeling it."
"You dared to touch him that way?"
"What? I'm not a shy person... you know that... which is why you ask for my help. After all... in order to remove the stick up Fadel's ass, you need a very confident and sexy guy who doesn't beat around the bush."
"You're so full of yourself!"
Style went back to the garage... and he almost fell on his ass when he saw that Fadel was waiting for him. He smirked and walked to him seductively.
"That's new! You showing up at my place. Am I the one being pursued now? Are you the stalker now?"
"Dream on! I just wanted to make things clear... about last night."
"Oh! Are you talking about you dancing and stripping in front of mouth-watered people or you beating the shit out of thugs?"
"Both! I'm warning you : you better keep your mouth shut!"
"Now why would I do that? It was so fun! I want to share it with everyone!"
"If you know what's good for you, you better not! And not a word to that tattooing moron! If he knows, he'll tell Bison... and I really don't want that! Are we clear?"
"If I promise not to tell... what do I get in return?"
"You get to live."
"How mean!"
Fadel cursed and turned around... going back to his car. Style waved at him and smirked. He pulled out his phone.
"Kant... I'm doing this for you... but that guy might be the death of me... whether he uses his real gun or the other one that I'm SO looking forward to have!"
The end.