Happy pt.4

In the past, Lobert almost never went to the inner districts, but he was no stranger to them either.

Reiko landed the car on a deserted street and opened the door for Lobert.

It didn't look particularly run down here, compared to the outer districts it looked maybe 100 years further in the future; but compared to the central districts it was still 200 years behind.

The car flew away and Lobert walked a bit along the streets, closely followed by Reiko.

"Where do you live, anyway?" he asked Reiko, a little curious.

"I used to live alone in the inner northeast district, but now I live with you."

"Ah, then you lived near the lake. Is it nice there?"

"Not really."

That was all Lobert could think to chat about, so he walked on in silence.

"Lobert, isn't this the kind of person you're looking for?"

She pointed to a suspicious looking person in a dark alley, very cliché.

It was worth checking out, so he walked in a direct path to the man; the man didn't really look very threatening.

The man had a metal jaw and his hair seemed to be falling out, truly not a pretty sight.

Lobert got right to the point.

"Hey, do you sell drugs?"

"You're really going about this with a lot of finesse." Reiko said sarcastically over the directocom.

"What are you, cops?" the man asked in a less than friendly manner.

"No." Lobert said not very convincingly.

"Wait...I recognize you." the man remarked.

"You're the arbiter!" he exclaimed.

"If you don't want the dear lady here to break all your bones then you will answer my questions now."

Lobert wrapped his arm around Reiko.

"Okay okay, I get it. What do you want to know?"

It didn't take much to intimidate him; after all, messing with rich people never did any good.

"Do you have Happy?"

"Yeah, you want some?"

"Who'd you get it from?"

"Some weird man in a gray suit is selling it to me at a stupidly cheap price; I think he calls himself Sirius."

"Is he the top boss?"

"I don't think so, when I asked him how he can sell it so cheap he told me because Vinganca can make it that cheap."

"And where does this Vinganca live?"

"I don't know man! How should I know?"

Reiko grabbed him by the collar and threatened a punch.

"Don't hit me! I don't know where she lives but I believe she's in the outer southeast district."

Reiko let go of him again.

Satisfied with what he managed to pry out of the man, he left the dealer alone.

Reiko retrieved the car and they headed for the outer southeast district.

Once there, it looked as dilapidated as Lobert's old home, but the lights shone just as beautifully.

On the street, they repeated the same procedure again, picking out a suspicious person.

It really didn't take them long to find someone who fit that description.

The man was as thin as a leek and he was a little dirty.

Now that Lobert had a clean, affluent lifestyle, he became a bit more sensitive to such things.

Lobert liked the direct way, so he used it again.

"Do you know Vinganca?"

The man's eyes widened and he dashed off.

Reiko and Lobert took up pursuit.

While Lobert was just a smidge faster than the man, Reiko had the man on the ground in no time.

Lobert crouched in front of the man and asked him again, "Do you know Vinganca?"

"I won't tell you anything!" the man shouted out.

Reiko twisted his arm and he cried out in pain.

Lobert had little sympathy for drug dealers, so it didn't help that this one was uncooperative.

"You don't want to sacrifice your life for someone who fills his pockets with your work, do you?" Lobert threatened him.

Of course, Lobert had no intention of killing the man, but in order for the man to talk, he would have to be a little scared.

"Try it. I wouldn't hesitate to throw my life away for Vinganca. I, everyone here owes her a lot." the man said without hesitation.

This level of loyalty was a strange one, and what did he mean that everyone here owed her.

Perhaps a different approach was in order.

"I think there is a misunderstanding. We're just here to talk to her. We heard she produces the Happy." Lobert said a little more friendly.

He signaled Reiko to let him go.

"You guys must be stupid, she would never do that."

The man seemed to hold this Vinganca in high regard.

"Why?" Lobert asked.

"She's banned the sale of the more harmful drugs around here."

The matter was a bit more complicated than Lobert first assumed.

Why would this Sirius claim that Vinganca manufactures the happy?

If his boss wanted to remain anonymous, he could just not name anyone.

It had to be directed specifically against Vinganca.

These questions demanded answers, but one thing at a time.

It seemed worthwhile to have a word with this Vinganca.

"If she doesn't make the Happy all the better, she doesn't seem to be a bad person. Can you lead us to her? We just want to talk."

The man seemed somewhat accepting of this explanation.

"You guys wait here, I'll tell her about you."

The man sprinted away.

Reiko looked at Lobert with a questioning look as to whether she should pursue him, but Lobert shook his head.

Waiting here seemed pretty dangerous, but that was the way Lobert investigated.

If they would come back with more, armed men they would be pretty screwed. Reiko couldn't be of much help then.

For such investigative actions he should create a dedicated unit, Lobert thought.

The longer Lobert waited, the more he questioned his decision to trust the man.

An unassuming car pulled up beside them and the rear door opened.

"Get in."

Lobert and Reiko got into the car, the queasy feeling not getting any better.

No one said a word during the ride, and Lobert tensely awaited what was to come.

"Get out."

The car stopped in front of a run-down hospital.

Whether people were still being treated there was hard to tell.

The driver got out and showed Lobert the way.

Until now Lobert couldn't get a good look at the man, but now he could see that he was a tall man with a muscular build. He wore a field tunic with a belt and cargo pants in a dull olive green along with black boots.

These people did not look like a simple criminal bunch, more like a well-structured group of armed revolutionaries.

Before they entered the hospital, the man demanded Reiko's weapons.

"How am I supposed to protect you without my weapons? That's a bad idea." Reiko said over the directocom; her qualms obvious.

"You still have your muscles...but don't worry, I don't feel like we're going to die today." Lobert assured over the directocom.

Reiko reluctantly gave the man her weapons and thereupon the man led them inside.

Inside were more men and women in the same uniforms. Most of them seemed to be busy with making phone calls or doing bureaucratic work, but some were amusing themselves with card games; a rather classic method of passing time.

The man led them up a few floors until they finally stopped in front of a door.

He knocked on the door and a "Come in." sounded from the other side.

Inside, a woman, about in her 30s, sat behind her office desk. She had long black hair and a tired look.

In front of her in the middle of the room was a large holographic map of Central City, but strangely enough, it was not focused on the center of Central City, but rather the eastern part; you could almost see more of the mountains than the city.

"The arbiter, huh? Tell me what you want and be brief; I don't have time to listen to a rich snob's worries." The woman spoke.

This woman had to be Vinganca; when she spoke the whole room belonged to her, she radiated an authority like no other.

"Are you making the happy?" Lobert asked directly.

"Do have any idea how much that costs? Whoever makes that sells it at a loss."

"A certain Sirius claims you make it, though." Lobert countered; he had long stopped believing that Vinganca was behind the Happy, but this accusation offered him the opportunity to tease some more information out of her.

"I know. I don't care. Is that all?" Vinganca asked, she didn't seem to like Lobert all that much.

Lobert was a bit surprised at this statement.

"Then who makes it?" Lobert asked brazenly.

"I don't know that, but I know where it's being made. Do you intend to put a stop to it?"

"If possible." Lobert answered truthfully.

"And how are you going to do that?" Vinganca spoke, seeming to be amused by Lobert's naivety.

"With your girlfriend here?" she added.

"I'll just call the police on them; I should still have enough clout for that."

Vinganca could only laugh at that.

"The police? They won't help you. Maybe the Kombattanten, but they'll be expensive, too expensive for you."

The Kombattanten were willing to do anything, provided they were adequately compensated. As a result, they practically had a monopoly position as private police in the private districts; entirely at the will of the highest bidders.

"For a small favor, I would be willing to help you."

So that's what Vinganca was getting at.

"What do you want?" Lobert inquired.

Owing her a favor didn't seem like a good idea, but if it was something too outlandish he wouldn't have to keep his word, after all.

"When the time comes, I'll let you know." Vinganca spoke.

Lobert briefly considered whether he should really agree to this, but he had already made up his mind.

"I accept your terms."

At Lobert's go-ahead, Vinganca immediately proceeded to make a few calls.

Lobert stood in the room for a while, but the conversation had already ended.

Vinganca noticed that Lobert had not yet left and spoke, "Wait downstairs, someone will come to get you in a minute."

Down in the hospital parking lot were three vans and another car.

Lobert squatted down and waited for about two hours, during which time armed men in uniforms and balaclavas occasionally arrived, making themselves comfortable in the back of the vans.

"Over here." a man said standing next to the car, he was the guy from before.

Lobert sat down in the back seat with Reiko.

"My name is Fuse Ikeda and I am responsible for making this operation a success, you can leave the matter to me without worry."

He stepped on the gas pedal and the car took off, the vans following.