Sai; Book I | A Young Justice AU

Chapter 1; Re-Evaluation ✓

September 17th, 2004

12:16 AM

Vasquez Shipping Corporation

Oakland, California

"Could you repeat your words?" rolled off a thick Spanish accent with an unamused tone. "I'm afraid I did not hear you properly."

"I don't want to be a part of this lunacy anymore, Gabriel." The other man replied, staring down at Gabriel who was sat at his desk with a lit cigar in hand.

"Oh, don't be so rash now Andrew. We have a good thing going for us. And besides.." A sly grin formed on his face before he exhaled his smoke onto the face of the man across from him. "..This is the first time I hear a complaint from you. You've never had an issue with our line of work in the very experienced past we share."

Gabriel Vasquez and Andrew Harrison met over ten years ago, both hired by different parties to coincidentally kill the same target. After aiding each other in finishing the job, they became a renowned mercenary duo working to dispose of the corrupt and the rotten. As their infamy grew, so did their numbers. Under the guise of an overseas shipping company by the name of Vasquez Shipping Corporation, they were able to transport themselves and their increasing number of colleagues abroad to perform their tasks. The band of mercenaries gained the name 'The Wraiths' for their ability to kill swiftly and vanish with no trail of their presence, as if they were never there.

"That was before we started killing innocent people." Andrew replied, his tone much louder than before. "We used to only get rid of people who deserved to be gotten rid of; criminals, abusers, murderers. You name it and we had it handled. But now you accept any offer we receive, no matter how guilty or not the target is. And for what? So you can stuff your pockets with more cash than you know how to fucking deal with?!" He yelled, looking his associate dead in the eye.

"I choose our missions the way I deem best, which you should know very well considering you agreed to let me retire in order to keep up appearances and manage the company while you continue to lead and train the Wraiths." Gabriel's expression barely altered an inch as he put down his cigar and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. "Our job is to fulfill the task, clean and unsuspecting. Whether or not morals come to play isn't any of our concern."

"I agreed to let you retire because you couldn't physically go on anymore." Andrew tilted his head in the direction of Gabriel's cane positioned next to him on the desk, though their eyes never broke contact. "And it most definitely becomes my concern the second it puts my daughter in harm's way."

"Oh yes, your daughter.. How is Amara, by the way?" Gabriel let out a small cackle, leaning back into his seat with his arms crossed.

It was then that Andrew got up out of his seat and with a clenched fist, banged the desk between them. "One of the biggest mafia bosses in the country now knows her by name because of your sloppy ass!" he yelled, causing Gabriel to raise his brows in surprise. "You can't possibly be this blind to the number of enemies we're making with each mission! We started this group on the basis of keeping our and every Wraith's identity safe, but while you're up here running the empire I helped you build all those years ago to the ground with your flawed partnership choices, our numbers diminish. Our secrecy falters. I won't accept risking everything that I hold dear, nor will I let your greed get in the way of my family-"

"I implore you to choose your next move very carefully, Harrison." Gabriel interrupted him as he too stood up, leaning on his cane. The height difference made it easy for him to glare down at the other man. Although he was clearly infuriated, his nonchalant tone remained. "We did not scratch and claw our way to the top for years so that you could suddenly turn all sensitive on me."