A Girl's Turmoil

Chapter 16 - A Check-Up

Somewhere in the forest, outside of Toyama.

The sight of the city, blistered with lights shining through the windows of the dark skyscrapers and the evening light setting behind the buildings, is nothing short of a mesmerizing and picturesque sight. That is, if one could see from afar and unobstructed by bloody leaves. However, that is not the reason why people would come here, especially in the dark evening, where people will be easy to get lost in the maze of woods.

A shady, illegal business is going down in the middle of the woodwork. Three certain men with their guards stand firm in front of two vans and a car, which left their headlights. They are meeting up with another party, nothing more than a handful of illegal dealers. The three men in leather jackets walk over to the only dealer they'll be talking with and begin shaking their hands. Some guards the dealer brought, but they understand it's for security reasons, given how easy it is for a shady and untrusting business to go south.

"So, you have what we asked?" the leader thug, having his silver right earring shining by the headlights.

"Sure thing, pal," the dealer motioned his boys to bring the crates and open them up. "A bunch rifles and pistols, and I got three crates of meth over there."

"Nice," the afro tan man grinned. "Where the hell are the booze?"

"You'll get 'em tomorrow."

The confident pixie-haired man furrows his eyebrows. "Tomorrow? I thought you promised us we get them today."

"Well... we had to halt that shipment for a moment," the dealer shrugged as he leaned onto the opened crate.

"Why?" the leader gangster asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Remember that cartel guy down at that factory?"

The leader recalled as his eyes looked away. "You mean that Spanish?"

"He's dead, Sashiga."

The leader expresses his surprise, nothing more than slightly widened eyes, though, his silly afro buddy asked. "Wait, how's that asshole dead?"

"I thought you knew everything that's going on around town."

The man with the thin mustache counters the statement. "We had to stay low for a while after-"

"Yeah, yeah, you do. Don't tell me about it," the dealer cut him off. "Your shipment of booze was supposed to go through the factory first to see if it's legit or broken. The next thing we know, there were police all around the place. There was a shootout that happened there."

Sashiga wasn't so surprised or even didn't care. But yet, odd. "That doesn't sound like a hit."

"That's because the police came late."

The three fugitives deadpan at him, but they didn't show their surprise. It's normal for them.

"Some gangsters finally got the drop on him?" the afro thug just grinned. "That dick is sloppier than I thought."

"It could be anyone," the dealer responded. "It looks like some of his guards don't seem to see that hit coming. Doesn't look like mercenaries did that hit either."

"What did you even expect from someone like him?" the pixie man asked with a deep tone. "He's a greedy bastard, and he made a lot of stupid risks. His cartel was like that, but they pay too well."

"Tell me about it," the dealer huffed. "I'm surprised he wasn't shot in the head. Whoever killed him must be so polite."

Sashiga didn't say a word, but the dealer continues. "Anyway, it would be 20k bucks for this whole thing."