Black Market Merchant

Saul couldn't understand it, his best Fighter gone. Golem had utterly lost and was now dead at his feet. Golems body had been collected from the busted-up stage and covered up with a large sheet. Several fellow gang members had assisted with removing his huge bulk and even removed all the armor. Though he was a mute bodyguard for the boss and aggressive at times, he wasn’t exactly hated by the gang members.

"The Boss is going to fire me for this." Saul grumbled. "Why did you have to go and flake on me like that? Golem, turns out you were a waist of my time." He looked up at the gangsters around him. "Go burry him already. I got to go see the boss."

Turning to go, he then hurried off angrily. Ignoring the boos from the receding crowd he disappeared under the stands and headed down the hallway to the passages used solely by the gang. What he didn't expect to see was Jackson was already waiting for him.

"Jackson. What do you want?" Saul called to Jackson. He stopped a cautious few meters away and crossed his arms. Jackson might just oversee financial stuff for the gang, but he's still a lieutenant and dangerous.

Jackson had just lit a cigarette and let out a big puff of smoke before replying calmly. "Pretty sure the boss is giving you another shot. So, no need to worry, just yet. He wouldn't waist our best Manager over a loss like that."

"You’re not messing with me?" Saul asked seemingly unconvinced.

"Naw, there's no need for me to do that." Jackson replied putting the cigarette into his mouth and turned to go down the rest of the hallway. "Come on. Let's go talk to Rickshaw about the next fight against Queen. You're going to be working with the triplets."

Saul was surprised hearing this and quickly followed after Jackson. "The triplets? Those three are a hassle. Last time I tried doing anything with them they just messed around. I told them what to expect when fighting their opponents, but they did their own thing. If they hadn't won every time they fought, I would take them for complete fools!"

"Ya, they are a handful." Jackson said giving a grin. "You better learn to handle them anyway. They are probably your only hope this time."

"D***, this just sucks!" Saul uttered angrily. "I should have learned more about Queens skills and technique. I just got too cocky and didn't think about it."

"Hey, stuff happens." Jackson replied while puffing another puff of smoke.

Just then they arrived at the entrance to the Training Room. Opening the door, they found that no one was working out and so they headed straight for the offices in the back. They found Rickshaw in his office, buried in paperwork.

The glass door to the office was propped open and Jackson gave it a quick rap as he entered. "Rickshaw, I take it you heard the news?"

"Heard it? I watched the whole thing." Rickshaw said glancing up from his desk. "That was quite the show. Pity you waisted Golem like that Saul. I expected better from you."

"Whatever, Queen was simply better than I thought. Won't happen again and that's a fact." Saul replied hotly.

"The boss wants him to pair up with the triplets to fight Queen. You think it will work out?" Jackson cut in before the two could argue.

"Ah, it's hard to say. Those three aren't even here in the compound anymore. They been living in some mansion down by the south eastern golf course." Rickshaw replied. He stood up and arched his back and a few stifled pops and cracks could be heard. "I hate doing all this paperwork. I would rather be doing Manager stuff right now. Training, sparring and working out, now that suits me much better."

"Well, you're not anymore. I am doing that job now." Saul said with a smirk.

Rickshaw might be old, but the look he gave Saul made his smile falter slightly. There was a growl in Rickshaw's voice as he spoke. "Shut up punk. Either I help you or you fail, and Martinez will see you finished. Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

"Whatever…" Saul said looking away. "I’ll listen to your advice."

"Good, now take a seat." Rickshaw said grumpily motioning to the seat in front of him. "Jackson, anything else you need from me before I start talking?"

Jackson took the cigarette out of his mouth and snuffed it out into an ash tray on the desk. "No. I think this about covers it. I'll leave you two alone."

"Alright, see you later then. Oh, and close the door on your way out. Don't want to distract the others working outside." Rickshaw said as Jackson was turning to go.

Jackson waved over his shoulder to him and closed the glass door softly behind him.

"Now listen carefully." Rickshaw said to the huffy Saul. "Here are some tips for you to try and teach the triplets. No matter how cocky they are. I watched Queens fight and saw something's that would make her vulnerable in a fight."

Saul perked up hearing this. "Like what?"

"I tell you, so pay attention. They were subtle, but I saw them." Rickshaw said leaning forward to rest his elbows on the desk.

Saul leaned forward as well, while thinking to himself, "Alright! Now to get my chance to get some real revenge on the Queen! Like they say, ‘Third times the charm!’"

…

The door closed behind Jackson and he let out a sigh. Saul was definitely acting the fool lately; a screw up like this was bound to happen. Jackson was then about to leave the office room, when one of the workers in the room approached him. It was Nicky.

"What's going on in there?" Nicky asked standing slightly in Jackson's way and passively forcing him to stop.

Jackson looked down at the blond woman in front of him. Normally a bold, pretty woman like this would be rather attractive to him, but he knew that Nicky was someone to be careful of. It wasn't any secret that Nicky's rival managers had all succumbed to some unfortunate accident or mishap that ruined their careers. Nicky had uncanny ambition.

"Nothing that concerns you. Now excuse me, I have work to do." Jackson said trying to step around her.

"Awe, don't be like that. Just tell me." Nicky said making a pouty face. "You know that if something happened to Saul, especially after that lose, I am going to be his replacement. No one else here is as good as I am."

"That remains to be seen." Jackson said with a sigh. "There are plenty of veteran managers that can fill the position."

"Pfft, as if." Nicky replied flipping her shoulder length blond hair out her face. "My record speaks for itself. Not one of my Fighters have lost a Match yet. I know how to set up the fights, so I will come out on top. Saul, he just sends out the strongest guy every time to pound out his competition. He's got no strategy."

"Perhaps, but Queen was a special case this time." Jackson said with a shrug. "If she keeps up her winning streak than it's going to make her Manager, Sadie, look good. She might attract some attention away from you."

An angry expression danced in Nicky's blue eyes, yet her face remained pleasant looking. "That little mouse is nothing. Sadie probably had nothing to do with that win and just got lucky with a capable fighter. If, and I mean if, anyone wants her as a manager, they will lose for sure."

The door behind Nicky opened up and Jackson looked over her to see that Xander was coming in. "Hold on, Nicky. We will have to discuss this later."

Nicky turned around to glair at Xander. "Fine. You will see I am right in the end." She said giving a huff and walked back to her desk. She then sat there in her seat and eyed the two men suspiciously.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Xander said coming in and giving a glance at Nicky.

"No, it was nothing." Jackson replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Just came to ask you some questions is all. Nothing serious." Xander replied spreading his hand out dismissively. "Should we talk here or somewhere nicer." He gave another quick sideways glance at Nicky. "We wouldn't want to interrupt those working here."

"Let's go elsewhere." Jackson replied.

The two men left the office room and slowly walked alongside each other in the hallway. Behind them, two of Xander's security detail followed closely behind. Jackson paid them no attention as they talked.

"So, what do you know of this Queen?" Xander probed. "I know you spoke with her before, has she got any plans or something? I am sure you offered her something and she turned it down."

"Why are you asking?" Jackson replied feeling annoyed already. Xander was always too intrusive, watching everything anyone did around here.

"Oh, just to be sure of her intentions. I caught her peeping at a gentleman's purchase in the Market. Normally a Match Fighter wouldn't pay any attention to something like that. I don't want her to turn out to be a spy from some organization that's trying to shut us down." Xander said casually with his seductive scratchy voice. "It's not often a woman of her type shows up around here. At least not without a reason."

Jackson mostly knew the reason why Queen was here. To fight Martinez and supposedly make money. Her mentioning of it last time when they spoke almost sounded like she was holding back on something, but he didn't know what that might be. However, if he did know what it was what she truly wanted, then he surely wasn't going to tell Xander.

"She talked a lot about how she wanted to be rich or something like that." Jackson replied after a momentary pause. "Though she didn't like the offer I made to her. Seemed like she had some plan for the future."

"Hmm, interesting." Xander said tapping the side of his head as they continued slowly walking. "She did also talk about buying things from the market to me as well. Perhaps her motives are just as simple as that."

"If you say so." Jackson replied.

Then he recalled that a few days before Golems fight that Saul had mentioned that Queen was staying at the old dam. Perhaps she intended on getting that worthless place working and somehow make electricity. What she was planning to do with it was beyond him. This, along with the information about her fighting Martinez, he decided to keep to himself.

"Do you think she still has any chance of joining our side?" Xander asked changing the topic.

"Not likely. She acted like she wanted to do things on her own." Jackson replied shaking his head. "I gave her the Manager, Sadie, to try and deter her, but it seems like that idea was a bust."

"Ah, yes, Sadie. That woman is most unreliable in my opinion. From the security footage I have seen of her, she is clumsy and forgetful at times. I would have done the same." Xander replied giving a sly grin.

"So, is that all you wanted from me?" Jackson asked. He was ready to get away from Xander. Every second was stifling to him.

"Yes, for the most part. Thanks for your help. I was simply curious about what Queen might really be doing." Xander replied and he abruptly stopped walking.

Jackson took a step past Xander and turned around.

"Though my curiosity has been quelled, I still feel like she can't be trusted." Xander said to Jackson. "I'll leave her to you though. She has lost my interest, for now."

"Alright then. Later." Jackson said turning sharply around and walking away.

Xander watched him slowly recede down the hallway. Then thinking to himself as he too turned to leave the opposite direction, "You were hiding something, Jackson. I wonder what it could be. You dodged my first bit of questions with that pause before you replied. A tell tail sign of a lie. Don't worry I'll learn what it was."