𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

11 | Step Right Up! Step Right Up!

Y/N

Driving slowly and scanning for a parking space in the outdoor carpark, gravel and rocks crunch under the wheels despite how slowly I'm driving. It was 7pm, dozens of people crowding through the car park as they left their cars. The mix of people was as you'd have expected; parents with kids in tow, teenagers with minimal money and maximum sex drive and the standard adult coming to the local carnival for a fun night out.

Me? I'm not here for a fun night out, I'm here to track down the Triad members discussing their meet up. According to my data wipes, two Triads are meeting up to plan the actual meeting in which our client wants information about. Of course they wouldn't discuss such a high stakes meet via the internet.

Ever since Haz and Robyn's wedding in Italy, I have learnt to always keep a weapon on me. In this instance, I had my trusty 19mm with a silencer on the barrel which I put in the inside sleeve of my jacket. I've never liked guns, but I learnt that they were a fast way to protect myself in the event of danger.

Buying an admission ticket at the front gates with cash, I kindly took a paper map from the volunteer guide at the entrance which I unfolded. I need to know the best way to get to the meet up spot, and I need to my closest exit routes. I do have a soft spot for carnivals though, I was always dazzled by the music and colourful lights drowning my senses.

It would be a cute date idea.

In my other pocket, was a phone I used solely for work purposes. It was untraceable, uncrackable and unusable to anyone but me. This phone, was used to hack into my trusty little Triad members phone and locate him in the carnival. Walking through the bustling crowds lining up for various sideshow games where they shoot ducks or choke clowns with ping pong balls, I weaved my way to a clearer area.

The emails I had hacked into said they were meeting somewhere in the fast food area, so I looked at my map and followed the main thoroughfares towards the various food stands. It wasn't as crowded as I had imagined which was refreshing.

My phone vibrated in my pocket which alerted me to pull it out and see a notification that the man I was stalking was within a ten metre radius. I looked around discreetly to try and spot anyone acting peculiarly or out of the ordinary. A carnival is definitely a smart area to blend in, every type of person can be found here.

Look, what I'm about to do could look severely racist, but I need to see for myself. Seeing an Asian man at the front of a food truck line, I walked closer to him to see if my phone would pick up on the GPS. Bingo, the metres are decreasing as I get closer. This is our guy.

He was buying one of those spiral looking potatoes on a stick, greeting the other Chinese worker who was wearing a dorky potato hat. The worker responded in Mandarin and he told his manager he was going on a cigarette break. He then left the line without buying the cholesterol drenched potato on a stick, met up with the worker around the side and they both walked into the crowds.

I followed them both from a distance, eventually getting to an area in which only staff entered. This was towards the back of the sideshow games and thrill rides, where the staff parked their cars and quite often camped out for the duration of the carnival. Carnival staff, commonly known as 'carnies' are weird ass mother fuckers let me tell you. They're basically like modern day gypsies who don't have homes because they travel around all year.

They're also commonly made up of a community criminals who don't want to be tied down to one location. They are known to bribe police officials to be allowed to run dodgy bets and fuel some underground gambling from time to time. Amongst extorting children to spend twenty dollars for a teddy bear that cost less than two to buy, they're usually making the majority of their money by running dodgy businesses behind the scenes.

Carnies have their own language, and it's creepy as fuck. If you're running one of these illegal games, you're called a flattie. If you're new to being a carny and therefore haven't earnt their trust, you're called a gazoonie. If you're a local person who they think will spend a lot of money at their games and easily taken advantage of, you're a cake eater. Half the time, I can't even tell if they're speaking plain English because they're living in an entirely different world.

Walking past two stoned carnies having sex in the back of a van amongst a cloud of marijuana smoke, I watched the two Triad members weave further into the darkness. They finally got to a smaller, quieter area to talk, although I couldn't see who was saying what from the angle in which I was standing. I needed higher ground.

Seeing a nearby truck, I slowly and quietly climbed up the metal ladder attached to the back, crawling across the roof on my stomach to try and see the two men from a distance.

I pulled out my work phone and activated a live translation application, because surprise surprise, I can't speak Mandarin nor Cantonese. As they spoke, I saw the translation pop up on my screen. It wasn't entirely accurate nor did it make sense, but it was good enough.m to grasp the conversation.

Do you think this is
the best position?

The best position
is the one we are in.

What will occur however
the business goes badly?

Do not stressful.
We are safe.

Have we received
an agreement?

I have received one
message of agreement.

Do you possess weapons
at this time?

Yes.

Good job.
We will remove the business
partner when the
agreement time is ready.

Now, from what I could interpret with this subpar translation, was that they were definitely armed with weapons, and potentially planning on meeting another Triad member. Now, seeing that the translation then said 'remove the business partner', I was kind of reluctant to jump to conclusions and assume they were going to kill someone tonight. They probably meant that once they would meet up, they would leave this area with the business partner. But I need to cover all of my bases.

Moving as quiet as a mouse, I pulled my gun from my pocket and lined it up towards them, in the rare case I was compromised and they started shooting towards me. I was a good distance away, but you can never be too careful.

"Hello my good friend!" One of the men called out in a thick accent, outstretching his arms towards another masculine figure emerging from the darkness to meet with them.

A figure who revealed himself to be none other than Tom Holland.