The rest of the night was a blur, we went back downstairs and wake Vera up, Viv apologized to lev and got her gun back. Then the three of us drink like there's no tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I blackout at some point. Because the next thing I know everyone's gone and lev is shaking my shoulders.

"Morning lee. I'm about to close. It's time for you to leave." Every single word that came out of his mouth feels like a rusty nail drilling my head. The hangover is kicking in.

"Oh. Fuck. Uh, what time is it?"

"6:30."

"Okay, I'll just...... get my stuff and.... uh how much is the bill?" I try to stand up slowly to not worsen the headaches. I failed.

"No need. The cleaners took care of that for you. Here. A little something on the house for you to hit the road." He hands me a weird-looking drink. To be honest I can't even be sure it's a drink. I look at Lev, frowning.

"It's for the hangover. Trust me it works even better than Bloody Mary."

"......There's a raw egg floating on it."Floating on what looks like someone's hematuria.

"Yes, it is necessary for prairie oyster."

"Ah! Fuck it." It's probably gonna taste like piss but at least it's free. I finish the whole thing in one go. Pepper. Salt. Chili. Egg yolk.

Then. I'm awake.

"Motherfucker!"

"Glad you like it," Lev says with a devilish smile. "Alright, now you finish your last drink it's really time for you to hit the road."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going." Standing up now is not as painful as before. I check my clothes and belongings to make sure there's nothing missing, and if I got hurt during the blackout. In the process, I find a crumbled-up note in my right pocket.

Opening it up, it reads: Figure it's only fair that you get mine too. (A serial of numbers) We will be in touch. -Vera

On the opposite side, it reads.

ps: Viviane insisted you have hers too so here it is. (Another serial of numbers) then at the bottom of the note, there's the slightest hint of a red lip print. pps: I haven't had this much fun for a long time. -Viv

What a night.

"Goodbye, lev."

"Goodbye lee, and I hope I'll see you around. Anyone that could handle those two is worth my respect."

***

The rising sun reactivates a part of my hangover symptoms and also makes it hard for me to open my eyes. Some poor grassroots office workers are on their way to work. Most of the shops aren't open yet but their Neon signs shine like always. Two fire trucks rush past me and make a left turn towards the smoke about two blocks away close to desalos.

Since the metro is in that direction too, I decide to check it out. A few minutes later. I see what used to be a car burning, its parts scattered on the pavement some parts of the skeleton are melted. A small group of firefighters and bystanders forms a semicircle around it.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

It's the car Viviane stole last night.

Vera really doesn't like loose ends huh?

***

After that night I started working with vel and Vix from time to time. Sometimes they outsource the more 'delicate' work to me, sometimes I hired them as a 'last resort', and other times we do joint operations together for the same employer. Me and vel are on the frontline and vix is our guardian angel.

I find myself in stynx more and more after I met them. For taking jobs and celebrations. Me and lev got acquainted after a while, but deep down, we both know that neither of us will be honest with the other.

Vel was right. The power struggle in Chinatown ended in the next 7 months. The initial families that built piao jie and all that comes with it, rival each other for control, there once was a time when Chinatown is like the western frontline in WW1, fighting for a few inches of dirt on the table or off the table. New Betrayals and alliances happened every day.

This 'warring states' goes on and on for at least two decades, no families or gangs were able to gain the upper hand, and even the ones that did were soon crushed by the others in union. Until now.

That night at the plaza wasn't the only failed 'negotiation' that happened. Instead of trying of fighting against the others in town, they planned to create confusion and anger among everyone. And their goal is to make every single faction in Chinatown declare war on each other so there will be no alliances. Just conflicts. 8 months of bloodbaths and assassinations later (Vera told me the job opportunities in piao jie during that time is like none other)

In the end. The smallest family in piao jie, the one that orchestrated everything took over. Chinatown is United. And they're not stopping. The manufacture of self-made firearms didn't seize. It grows, and some speculate that the guns were made by that family even before they took over.

The Russians and the Chinese are now in the blink of a war, over the past few years nochnaya to the Chinese is like a death zone and so is piao jie to Russians. Both sides are just waiting for an excuse.

Nowadays I strap an armpit holster on my right collarbone to hold my second pistol every time I go out. For my own safety and to make sure the bus stop situation won't happen again.

———————————————————

Smoking on the used-to-be empty pool table, Vera raises her glass to me.

"Old pal for my next drink, please." I turn my head back to lev.

"Sure thing." Lev takes a quick glance at the pool table confirming where he will be giving me the drink.

Through the crowd, across the room, to the blind spot of everyone. She's still the same, hiding in the corner, even after knowing her for so long I still have no idea how a beauty like her can goes under everyone's radar.

"Been a while. Old friend." She smirks. I return her with the same. Nowadays her smiles and smirks no longer make me paranoid. It's a welcoming sight.

"A while indeed, sorry about the radio silence. My phone was off during vacation."

"So, you were on vacation?"

"Yeah, is it really that hard to believe? You and Viv should try it too." So, is that oblivious huh?

"Lee, neither of us are the 'vocation' type. And the next time please give Viv a call first. She's been thinking about all kinds of explanations for your missing. She even thought you got killed." She emphasized the word 'killed' like it's the punchline of a joke.

That's who we are.

We're the type to Believe we can cheat death. Not the 'vocation' type.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing this again soon. It was pretty boring anyway." My thoughts drift to Viviane. She called me at least 20 times in the past few months. I thought about returning the call but never actually do.

"Lee, your old pal." Lev came out of nowhere with my drink and then vanish in the crowd again. A busy night.

"Anyway, enough about me. You said you have a job for me?"

"I do. In fact, my employer designated you for the job. But since no one could reach you, the person came to me and ask me to find you and inform you of the job opportunity."

Not good. Proxy of a proxy.

"And is there compensation on your end?"

"We wouldn't be talking if there isn't."

"As your usual rate of charge?" Vel smiles in silence. I take a sip of my drink. Cleaners aren't cheap. Especially an experienced one like her. Why would anyone pay that much money just to ask me about a job?

"Look, I know this whole thing is insidious as hell, but can you reject after I tell you the job?" Why the hell not? It would hurt to hear her out. The illusion of choice fools me again.

"Fine, what is the job?" Vel smiles and passes me her half-burned cig.

"Delivery."