Flip the Colleague [Flip Zimmerman]

Ch 14: Trashed

Ron paced back and forth in the conference room, rubbing his chin.

"So you mean to tell me... that Mandy—the Chief's daughter—is pulling some kind of... Fatal Attraction shit on you?" Ron shook his head in disbelief. Flip hadn't shared much with him about what Mandy had been doing behind closed doors. All Ron knew for sure was that Mandy was a flirt. He didn't even know about the drunken fling Flip and Mandy had a few years back. That secret was still shared only between Flip, Mandy, and now you.

Flip stood across the table from Ron, arms crossed. "Fucking Christ. What I'm saying is that she's dangerous. Far more dangerous than you might think."

Ron's expression remained skeptical. "I don't know, man. If this were anyone else, I'd help take them down with you in a heartbeat. But Mandy Bridges...?"

He mulled it over as Flip stared at him, waiting.

"If I'm doing this alone, just say so, and we can end this now," Flip snapped, irritation creeping into his voice.

Ron looked up at him. "She must be pretty fucking crazy, huh? Or maybe you're the crazy one. Man, I don't even know anymore." He threw his hands up in frustration.

Flip stayed silent, his stare unwavering as he waited for Ron's final answer.

"Alright, listen," Ron finally said. "I'll make sure we keep recording after you guys leave tonight. But if we don't catch anything, I'm out." Doubt still lingered, but deep down, Ron knew Flip would do the same for him.

Flip nodded in agreement.

The event was held at a strip club owned by the organization. It served as a legitimate business front for the illegal activity that took place in the basement. The Chief laid out the plan: Flip would pretend to be a little too tipsy and a little too handsy with one of the strippers, and Mandy would walk in and catch him in the act. They would stage a believable argument about his faithfulness, loud enough for everyone to hear, before Mandy stormed out with Flip chasing after her. That would mark the end of their engagement—and, by extension, Mandy's involvement in the case.

No one would question it. The men in the organization had a long history of adultery. If they were already married, their wives typically ignored it out of loyalty to their husbands and to the organization itself. They were in too deep—bound for life. Girlfriends and fiancées, however, were a revolving door. Some women simply couldn't handle sharing their man, despite the benefits of being part of something bigger.

To Flip's surprise, Mandy seemed completely on board with the plan. She even spoke with the Chief in detail about her next assignment, sounding almost eager. Part of Flip hoped she had found someone else to obsess over, but he knew that was wishful thinking. More likely, she had something up her sleeve. At least this time, he was better prepared—he understood who he was dealing with now.

Flip entered the strip club alone and was immediately greeted by one of the guys, Walter, who clapped him on the shoulder and handed him a beer.