Viviane turns right and gets off the Interchange entering the financial district; this place and moclea to its north is the safest area in the city with the shortest police response time (it's not like they have the guts to patrol other areas) even at this hour you can still see people working at their cubical farm through French widow, working on re-export trades and keeping this citys' malevolent heart running.
I remember a joke between two office workers that goes like this.
: do you know who's the big shots in this place?
: who?
: the ones left office before 6.
Both of them laugh while the clock on the wall hits 12.
***
With another left turn, we leave the skyscrapers and business buildings at the city center and financial district behind.
In the middle of the main road, desalos, the business center is 'the lanes.'
The lanes is located on the eastern side of desalos but since it's too close to the city center and business area the cops are still responsive in this area.
On paper, la vina still controls this area but they're putting little to no focus on this part because there aren't many business opportunities in the lanes, only suits who worked overtime trying to get back to their small apartments. So, considering the pros and cons are not difficult to understand there's no point in stationing here.
Between cops and Latinos, the lanes became a gray area of the city, a neutral ground with no affiliation or occupation forces.
Heaven for mercenaries and freelancers like me.
Dark Allies, empty restaurants, unlicensed clinics, and of course, bars. The lanes have many places for people like me to take jobs from their employers or their proxies (or their proxies' proxy) so this place isn't the best for wandering in the night ether.
And because of the characteristics of the lanes; freelancers, gangsters, and criminals of all races and gangs come to this place from time to time just to chill and conduct business without having to worry about the agendas of different factions.
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Is not like the area is free of conflicts, but people here are more lay back than in other places.
***
The car stops in front of a featureless dark alley next to the main road.
Viviane leaves the car to open the trunk and retrieve a soft rifle case to conceive her gun while I and Vivian lean against the wall to wait for her.
"You know, when you said having a drink, I thought you mean somewhere more public."
"Wait, you don't know the place?" Viviane jerks her head off the trunk and stares at me in disbelief.
"I take jobs at the lanes from time to time but usually I do that at noch." I shrug and add. "And I have never been to this alley before."
Viviane finished packing her gun and went downstairs while murmuring "Boy, your horizon is about to be expanded" Vera follows and motion me to come with her.
Oh, what the hell
The wooden stairs make a little cracking noise with every step I take. probably just because it's old.
On the first floor underground, some Russians are playing pokers, one of them glances at us before shifting his focus back to the last two cards in his opponent's hand. Another dozens of stairs down, on b2 there's an elevator (who the fuck would of build an elevator at b2?) next to a giant steel gate.
"Welcome to the market! " Vera turn around and open her arms like a child showing off her secret base. " That elevator can go down to b8. B3 is owned by the Russians to sell guns, b4 is a clinic owned by a Norwegian but.... a word of caution, he charges a lot; b4 and b5 are owned by the Chinese to sell trinkets and use as opium den respectively, b6 is own by the Italians as an exclusive club, b7 and b8 is the casino own by the Japanese. I'm pretty sure there is more but the rest is inaccessible by the lift."
My horizon indeed expanded, such a facility with so many different people in the same basement without starting a war with each other is only possible at the lanes.
"What about this floor?" I point at the steel gate curiously.
"You will see." Viviane knock on the steel gate (three short, one long, three shorts. I made a mental note on that.) A peephole on the gate slides open, warm light cast on Viv's face. She gives whoever is on the other side a big smile.
The peephole closes, and the gate opened. A Latino hombre stands tall, blocking the entrance.
La vina owned this place?
"Vix. Vel." He gives both of them a nod.
"Business or celebration?"
"Celebration and induction." Vera takes a step closer and signs at me with her left hand.
I take a step closer too and stand within arm's reach of the Latino.
He sizes me up and down, burning the image of me deep into his mind.
"You vouch for him?" The hunk asks.
"I do too. Don't worry this one's not gonna cost trouble." Viviane joins her sister too to reassure the gatekeeper. He takes a second to look at me again with a small trace of respect on his stoic face.
"What's your name, lad?"
"Lee"
"You kill anyone in there on accident, the consequences of killing and cleaning fees are on you; if you kill anyone on purpose, you lost your token to enter this place. We clear?"
"Cristal."
"Welcome to Stynx, lee."