It was a relief to Ahan when the deliveries resumed. A few days after the meeting with the Greenbacks, Ora had sent a runner telling Nero that they were going to need security to handle the replenishment. As well as an eye watering cash amount to cover the wholesale price of the new shipment.

Even with the ransoms, Nero had to approach the elders from his plaza to push him over the limit. It was a discussion, but Sherry, ever the cheerleader brow beat them into ponying up. The alternative was taking the drugs on credit, something Ahan had done often, but Nero was wary of owing even more to the Greenback juggernauts. They already were providing him their name for protection, some legitimacy, any more help and he'd almost certainly lose all ability to govern.

Regardless, margins were great in the drug business, even with his deal with Maria limiting the call girls to soft drugs and weed, he'd gross more than triple what he was putting in. And he was charging Ahan security as well.

Nero himself showed up for the first delivery. Ahan's boys were already at the dispensary. There was some enmity, but Nero ignored it. He separated his men, put each of them in charge of a group of Ahan's. He chanelled as much of the feeling he had when he was driving the Taliban boy into the ground, nobody challenged his orders.

With a sufficient lookout and backup nearby, they waited. He sat with Ora at a bench, she told him about the exact structure of Ahan's operation. All his men were mercenaries, apart from an old girlfriend, who ran the local clinic they used as a delivery point, and an old classmate who controlled the actual distribution of the product. There was a small 3 story high rise at the center of his territory that was the base of their operations. They'd hardened it, barricading all ground and first floor windows with planks of wood and adding reinforcement on windows and doors.

Customers would climb to a second floor apartment, it changed every so often, show their money, pick up the product, to use it in a large apartment on the ground floor, or pick it up for use at home. They primarily had a smokable crystalline product, common for use among the day workers. It gave them a burst of energy that could have them going for an extra shift after a day of backbreaking work.

They also sold a paste, injectable when melted, or smokable, but it was more expensive, and it would leave the user insensate for about 45 mins after use. It was a newer product, but so intensely addictive it was the fastest growing product category.

A staple of the region was hemp blunts, only nominally illegal, they were distributed to boys in the neighborhood for distribution on credit.

There were also small amounts of prescription painkillers and antibiotics, but those strictly depended on availability.

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An ambulance picked its way through the muddy, narrow streets, forcing men women and children to move their stalls and flatten themselves against the walls. A man stepped out once it reached the dispensary, holding a checklist. Nero made to step forward, but Ahan grabbed his wrist, shaking his head. Ahan's girl walked out, exchanging a few words with the driver and his companion with the checklist. All supplies in the ambulance were carried in too heavy boxes into the dispensary proper.

The superintendent, Ahan's girl, walked out with a bag of medical waste, presumably filled with the cash Nero had raised for the product just received.

The ambulance drove away.

A groups of Ahan's boys lined up in front of the only medical office. Suddenly sick. Every minute or so, they walked out, carrying brown pharmacy bags. They dispersed on their motorbikes presumably heading to the headquarters.

Nero was surprised by the sophistication, and cloak and dagger nature of the operation, and it showed.

"I'm not stupid, flaunting what we do here will just make the public pay attention to us. And with them, the police might have no choice but to act," Ahan answered the unspoken question.

"They didn't count the money," Nero said, Ahan laughed, "they know where to find you".

All in all, Nero's first drug deal was smoother than anything he'd imagined. Ahan's men behaved.

Ahan himself still walked with the affect of a man beaten down by life. He'd have to work on that. Ahan needed to be convinced that life under Nero would be better than under anybody else. Or else he might ask for help from someone Nero could not negotiate with.

On that day, they parted ways relatively amicably, and Ora informed him that the drugs were as ordered. They'd even gotten some extra strong prescription painkillers on the government dole. Those sold for a premium if they could get them to the central business district.

The next morning, he was summarily summoned to Sherry's cafe by phone. Scared, he rushed, the phone call had been cryptic. But outside the cafe was clean, if a little deserted, it was quiet.

He walked in almost on tiptoes. He was taken aback to find Sambi, the Greenback's man at a table, amicably chatting with Sherry herself. They noticed him almost immediately.

"Aah! just in time," Sambi exclaimed, he pointed at a TV mounted high onto the wall and caged in steel. For safety from grabby hands.

On the screen, the news was playing, "Municipal Council Member Joseph Al Njiwa, presiding over the Infamous North Western Town, was yesterday evening embroiled in a car accident. He unfortunately, died at the scene, despite the efforts of our brave emergency responders." The female announcer paused.

"This of course reignites last years hotly contested race to acquire a majority in the Municipal council of the most heavily populated and diverse city in the country!"

The news faded into the background as Nero snapped his eyes to the man in front of him, shocked.

"You made some promises. This is an opportunity to show us you can do what you said you will."

Sambi continued, "If you can't bring us a majority, we have to start a dialogue with one of the other groups in this place, We'd have to give them something in good faith, if its the Taliban ..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. Nero's head would make an excellent good faith gesture. He motioned for Nero to join him at the table

Nero took a heavy sip of the coffee that had somehow appeared in front of him, like a lifeline.

He breathed in, dug thorough all the plans he'd made over the years, "so this is how we start ..."