chapter - ix

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There were certain things, emotions, that were ingrained into the psyche of mankind, which would force one to kneel and submit to its forces, like some vice that had a grip, a need that needed to be fulfilled. And in some parts of the world, one's legacy was given utmost importance, a title, a name, held with pride. Wars could be waged for a name, blood could be spilled, and fear could be instilled, all for a name, less for a person. 

The Shens held their pride in their name, in the power that their name held in the underworld, the ego made them believe that truly nothing could shake the grounds of their foundation, no one could dare to, with their connections penetrating through sovereign borders, across nations.

Tasks were delegated, with Chen made to babysit Dr. Kalkan, Ezel, and Mei Ying planning to hit the different businesses that belonged to the Shens, and Sam becoming the virtual eyes and ears that they needed. When doors and windows begin to close, desperation rises, to escape before the walls close in, they are about to attempt something similar with Ezel's intel acting as an anonymous tip-off, a catalyst to begin hitting the Shens where it would hurt the most. The goal right now was to suffocate them before they were able to hit the port.

"There are many MPS members on their payroll, I can get you that intel in the next hour," Ezel said, sitting across Mei Ying in a booth, the thrum of upbeat music reverberated around the club, with loud laughter and shouts, and the odd mix of the stench of sweat, body odor, and alcohol, it created an edge, even more so, when she saw the familiar symbol, inked into the flesh of different bodies whose faces she couldn't recognize in the ever-changing lighting.

"I'm not surprised that there's some of us on their payroll. I probably know who some of them are, but do get me that intel. I'll have a few teams on standby, but I can get them mobile only after I can get rid of those on his payroll." It was preventive, but something that Ezel was able to understand. She was waiting on the text from Sam that would hold the names, a part of her knew she could trust Mei Ying, but with recent developments of how things were, she could delay relaying the list for a while, until she had looked it over herself.

"Got yourself a family, how's that going?" Ezel began, starting up a conversation that could help her deduce where Mei Ying's priorities lay and if she could be trusted long-term, or if she was simply expendable after, "As well as it can be, with both of us working demanding jobs, and my daughter's at that age where she's got a lot of energy to spend, it's difficult to be parents at times," Ezel nodded to Mei's words, able to oddly relate, "what does your husband do?" she countered again, feeling her phone buzz in the meantime, which she pulled out to look through, whilst listening to Mei, "He's a trauma surgeon. When you were here last, he was doing his residency, and we had just gotten engaged." The last time Ezel was here, was when her family was alive, she had celebrated a year of marriage, the thought pulled at something distant in her chest but she didn't focus on it, pushing it down.

Her eyes averted down to her phone screen, dimmed to fit where they were, and she scrolled through the names, first to find if Mei's name was part of the list, but instead found the name of the Chief on it, one who was above Mei in the hierarchy. "Do you need the Chief's permission or approval to carry out these covert operations?" Ezel asked, eyes meeting Mei's, who thought over the question, "Not really, I'm leading the operation against the Shens, and have been for years, why do you ask?" At that, Ezel turned the phone towards her, leaning in to read over the list of names, there were at least twenty names, some Mei knew, others she had only heard of. Mei Ying was relieved to know that none of the members of the team she led were on it.

"Knowing the chief though, he'd save his ass and deny ever having any connections with the Shens, but yes, I can have my team ready, without needing the Chief's approval. Thanks to your tactics," Mei added with a grin, pulling out her phone to communicate and coordinate with her team. A waiter went around with a tray of alcohol, and Ezel observed her surroundings while waiting for Mei to finish what she needed to do. In a split moment, it looked like she caught eyes with someone who had seemed to be already staring at her, before she could focus some more, it was gone. From what she did catch, it was a male, taller than average, Ezel could discern that much.

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