MC fought nightmares and kept up on his regular fitness routine. Seeing Jin and feeling as powerless as he was, ignited the flames inside him. It’d been about a week since he’d fought Jin and he was back on his regular nighttime routes looking for information. He retraced his steps and interrogated Black Diamond members, but continued to come up empty handed.
Sora and MC hung around the clubhouse that evening. MC felt restless with so little to do, but knew it was good to just rest once in a while. He was still nursing his injuries as well. It would be several weeks before his broken ribs fully healed, but there wasn’t much he could do to protect them or speed up the process.
GM had just left and didn't say where he was going. It was a usual occurrence with him. He would often leave saying, “I’ll be back eventually.”
MC finished a workout and thought deeply as he did. He glanced over at his lists tacked to a large map on his bedroom wall. It showed several dozen names that had been crossed out. All dead leads.
After a while, MC came out to the living room. “Sora I don't know where to look for Jin anymore. I’ve run out of all the leads I had and recently there hadn’t been many to begin with.” Sora didn't say anything. She just stared at the tv screen and furiously mashed buttons on a game controller. “Oh come on Sora, aren't you listening?” She continued to play the game for a moment until her character died.”
“Gahh you're so distracting. I couldn’t focus with you talking to me,” said Sora. “Anyway, have you tried working with the information brokers?”
“What do you mean?”
“The information brokers often hang out in The Demon’s Lair. I heard they just started coming around again. Seems like the media talking more about the yacht incident and other major conflicts spurred them to start coming around again. There used to be more of them, but for the last while they’ve been sparse.”
“What’s an information broker anyway?”
“It’s just how it sounds. People that deal in information. I doubt there’s any information about Jin, but it might be a place to check out. The Demon’s Lair is a popular nightclub. Lots of people from the underground hang out there. On a regular day you might see a few Black Diamond and Organization members mixed in with the bunch since it’s a neutral hangout. Overall it’s just a regular nightclub where people go to have a good time and dance.”
“Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I’ve been hunting Jin for months.”
“Like I said, the information brokers just started coming around again. We used to work with them a lot, but for a while nobody needed them. Since nobody needed them they all skipped town or started doing some other sort of business. Now that the newspaper headlines are screaming again, I heard a few of the brokers have come back.”
“Send me the address for that nightclub. I’m heading there now,” said MC determinedly. MC felt frustrated that there was a resource like this that he’d never heard of. Especially one that seemed this promising. It was hard for him to admit to himself that he didn’t know everything.
After making his way to The Demon’s Lair, MC discovered that it was literally an underground nightclub with a staircase leading from the sidewalk down to the entrance. The stairs were illuminated by a red neon sign on the wall that read, “The Demon’s Lair.”
MC opened the door and took in his surroundings. Speakers were blasting upbeat dance music through the large square room. Purple and blue lights illuminated the entire room, but it was still fairly dark. In front of him was a thin walkway that separated the dance floor and the rest of the establishment. To his left were tables and booths. Along the side, a set of open stairs connected an upper floor to what looked like expensive private parties. Some people were even standing around the tables for lack of seating. The house was packed. To his right was the bar area. Stools lined a dark wooden counter where people watched the bar workers shake and pour fancy drinks.
Stolen story; please report.
MC walked up to the counter and ordered a ginger ale in a glass. His drink was quickly prepared and slid over to him on the counter. He passed the bartender a couple of bucks and started walking around the bar. He didn't know what he was looking for, but before long, a man approached him. He was quite large and wore a stunning white suit.
“Ay, my boss wants to see you,” said the man just loud enough to hear over the music. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.
“Your boss wants to see me?” asked MC.
“What are you deaf?” replied the man.
He was surprised by the man’s rudeness, but figured it would be best to play along. “Alright, lead the way,” he said. The man led MC through the bar to a corner table. The table was filled with a large circular booth. A short man with tan skin and a white suit even more stunning than the first was seated there with beautiful girls on either side of him. The large man motioned to MC to sit down and he plopped down into the booth.
“MC, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” he said with a spanish accent. “The name’s Carlos. I’ve been waiting for you.” He took his arm off the girl’s shoulders and held his hand out at MC. MC hesitantly shook his hand.
“How did you know I’d be coming?”
“I know lots of things,” said Carlos as he stroked his mustache. “I know that you have come here looking for certain information. I just might happen to have the information that you are looking for.”
“And what information would that be?”
“Hold on now. Before we talk business I want you to drink with me. Let’s calm the nerves a little. See, look around you. Everyone has a drink.” The girls next to him giggled. Carlos grabbed a tall bottle from the middle of the table and filled a shot glass. He then slid it across the table. “Drink up.”
“I think I’m good. I don't really…”
“I said drink with me,” Carlos said sternly.
“I guess if this is the only way I’m going to be able to get information then I don't have a choice.” MC downed the drink in a single gulp and exhaled loudly as the liquid burned his throat. “Good my friend,” said Carlos, smiling, before downing a shot himself. Then he refilled the shot glass in front of MC. “Now we are having a good time. You see, I just like to have a good time and if others are not on my level. I cannot speak with them. This is the way of my business.” MC grabbed the glass and downed the second shot.
“So MC, I believe that you are here to ask me about a certain person.”
“Jin.”
“Precisely,” said Carlos as he leaned back and confidently stroked his mustache.
“Do you know where he is?”
Carlos was quiet for a moment and carefully thought out his sentence. He leaned a little closer and said, “I can tell you where he is going to be.”
MC’s eyes opened wide. “Tell me where.”
“Hold on now, hot shot. This kind of information is not free. I need something from you.”
“What do you want? Money?”
“No, I do not want your money. Your measly chump change is no good to me. What I want is for you to fight.”
“Fight? Fight who?” It became apparent to MC that Carlos might have had this plan all along.
“There’s an underground fighting club. I want you to go there and fight. The weekly matches are best of one. The Champ, as people call him, has been undefeated for the last five weeks. I want you to go there and beat him. The odds will be stacked against you, but I know you will win. When you do, I’ll rake in some actual dough from the betting counter. Much more than the pennys I’d get from you.”
“And how do you know I can beat him?” asked MC.
“You ask a lot of silly questions, my friend. As I told you earlier, I know lots of things,” Carlos said with a smile as he refilled MC’s glass once more. So, do we have a deal? You win the fight next weekend and I will tell you the information you seek.”
“Yes, we have deal.”
Carlos reached out and shook MC’s hand then called over to a passing server. “I want to buy everyone at the table a drink to celebrate our deal.”
MC was beginning to feel sick to his stomach already. Carlos had everyone at the table tell the server what they wanted. At this point MC ordered something just to wash the stale burning sensation out of his mouth.
Carlos went on to tell MC that the fight would take place exactly a week from today on a Saturday night. He conversed with MC charismatically and explained how it was only a boxing match and that he really had nothing to lose. The night grew late and MC lost track of how many drinks he’d consumed. At a certain point he ended up with a can of beer. When the conversation finally wrapped up MC felt an uncomfortable tug at his lower stomach.