Present Day

I had somehow made it back to my place last night and crashed. My body cashed the cheques I had banked up while my mind shied away from any form of coherent thought. The pain, guilt and shame I had felt left me with fever dreams, reliving memories I had long since buried or in same cases thought I had made peace with.

Upon waking after midday the inside of my mouth tasted like the Barley Boys had partied in it, my ribs were still creaking in pain and all I wanted was a drink. The case of room temp beers spent the afternoon calling to me, their siren song almost impossible to ignore.

I fled.

My place didn’t have any food, my only choices were liquids. How long had it been? How did I let it get this bad? Roaming the streets to find food I had to fight deeply entrenched habits as I found myself heading to the Loaded Run. When I caught myself with a shake I was halfway to the Rusty Duck instead.

My mind was trying to sort out what I had learned, to see connection between the Boys, the White Hands and the Seeker. However running on autopilot was a dangerous thing for me now. ‘Make your choice’ kept floating up into my thoughts and I would find myself physically flinching away. I looked like a crazy person, shaking my head and muttering to myself as I wandered aimlessly.

Finally accosting a street vendor for a sloppy meal that sank into my belly like a fist, it was time to give up and disappear into a bottle or find Bronski.

The docks at night were a darkly beautiful place. The towering machinery of the day was silent and still. The maze of shipping containers dominating everything. The occasional cry of the gulls echoing off the sea. The fire in me had burnt away the pain, the decision to confront one of the most secretive, psychotic men in town was leaving me lightheaded or maybe that was still the aftermath of the booze.

Loitering by the opening in the chain link fence I found myself swallowing uncontrollably. There we no guards, no watchmen, no boom gates; it was wide open and empty. Everyone knew Bronski had his headquarters here although no one dared to go directly to him. He worked through a network of underlings and minions. I needed to go to the source.

The stories of the man were surely embellished for the sake of his reputation.

Surely?

I shrugged deeper into my coat as the wind ripped into me temporarily whipping away the stench of dead sea life for a moment. Rattling the fence and giving a mournful counterpoint to the emptiness ahead of me.

I touched the peacemaker which was the token of last resort. Token being the word. Taking a deep breathe of the now fetid air I descended into the maze.

There was no point in trying to be stealthy, Bronski would have known I was coming before I even reached the Docks. I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew I was coming before I had met the Barley Boys. Wandering between the slumbering stacks of containers, trailing my fingers across the cold metal, the night got darker. Taking turns at random as I did not know where I was headed I made my way to what felt like the centre of the darkness.

Wandering for a long time I couldn’t take it anymore, I was going to break under the pressure. “Bronski!” my broken voice split the night and to my surprise didn’t crack. A shadow detached itself from one of the containers and a faint noise sounded. I was staring into a dull vision of a man for whom violence was an old friend.

“What is your business here Sol?” the voice sounded muffled coming from where I assumed his face was.

“Run and tell your master that I need to speak with him.” My bravado echoed away into the night. I stood there waiting, expecting the feel of oblivion. The moment stretched in time. A faint rustling. “Follow me.”

Trying to follow the gliding shadow we slipped through the darkness until we were standing at a container mountain that looked like any other. The front whispered open and I blinked into the sudden glaring light. The motionless guard to my right barely nodded forward. I figured that was the best invitation as I had not been warned off yet and these were the kind of men who used something a little sharper than words.

I stepped in like I was going to meet my maker.

The inside stretched out in front of me, no way the inside of one of those dinky little containers, this was a penthouse apartment. There were no visible guards here but I was not dumb, going for my piece was an effective way to commit suicide.

In the middle of the room was a mahogany desk that presidents dream of. The kind that looked like it had enslaved kingdoms. As I walked in further my feet sunk into a rug that you could hide small animals in. The smell of whiskey and money dominated, making me think he piped it in specially.

So entranced by the opulence I didn’t even notice the bookish little man sitting behind the monstrosity, looking more librarian that had gone to pasture than underworld kingpin. The bowler cap perched ridiculously on his head like a dead fish did not help with this image.

“Sol. You have a few short moments to convince me why you are trying to die and why I shouldn’t be the generous soul to help you with this.”

Taking a few quick breaths of the rich air, relaxing into the moment. I nodded to the cabinet on the side wall which held in liquid more money than I had ever possessed.

“If I am to die could I at least count on your hospitality?”

Bronski stared at me. I am not sure if he thought I was incredibly rude or brave. I was not sure myself.

The stare stretched, I held his gaze somehow. A grin started to play around his mouth. With swiftness he was out of the depths of his chair and returned with two tumblers and a glistening bottle of goodness. Watching as the amber liquid swirled into the glasses, I breathed.

Stepping up and taking the gestured tumbler I realised I had asked for liquid out of habit, without thought. I could not return it now, my choice made. I tried to forgive myself. I let the liquid settle before allowing some to drift into my mouth. Exhaling with pleasure I saw he was doing the same.

“I have been watching you Sol. That hit was not from me although I must admit I was glad to see you survive it. Was interesting to see you managed to survive it without showing your Super either. One day now, you are going to slip up and show the world just what you are made of.”

This was not a man to accept spittle so I decided to nod and move on. I ignored the Super question, everyone thought they knew what was going on with me and it got tiring fast.

“I need your help, you must know what I am trying to achieve.”

The grin came back.

“Yeah, running around town, calling in favours and making a bit of a scene. Burnt some good will with the Barley boys although shame about Alren. He was a good lad, just didn’t know the stakes of what he was playing with.”

I shouldn’t be surprised he knew about that. I was on a short clock, the dumb luck that had allowed me to survive this long wouldn’t last.

“I need something from you and I can pay.”

A twitch of the eyebrow. I had managed to surprise him.

“Come now” Bronski chided. Seriously, I thought? He was totally a librarian. Bronski continued “What could you possibly pay me with? I am interested in your Super but not that badly. That information is not worth much anymore.”

I had spent the afternoon trying to think my way through what The Seeker could have done. What he had been trying to do. How he was linked to the gangs and why. Pretending I was him was easy and I think I saw a glimpse what he was after. It was time to toss the dice.

“I know who is knocking off your shipments, the ones that don’t exist on any books, even yours.” A blind shot, please hit.

He swished some more of the amber and continued to stare. I felt the rug under my feet as I tried not to shift. I was bluffing and he suspected it but he didn’t know it for sure. I waited.

“Sol” he breathed out “You better have some proof of this ghost of yours.”

Rocking back slightly, I let go of the tension I had been holding in all day. I had him. Then I realised that he was after proof and I didn’t have any of that. The tension returned requesting interest payments. I tried to not let any of this show on my face and busied myself with another sip.

“I know who it is Bronski, it’s the man I am hunting. I am looking to take care of it for you.”

The little man frowned at me. “Sol, come now.” He almost slumped back in his chair. “You disappoint me. The ghost you chased all those years ago. Those were my diamonds he nicked so I was very happy to see the Boys trying to find this man. They failed, he was gone. Then you came along full of piss and vinegar. Stomping around the town, making a scene and swinging your dick like it was going out of style. You blue balled me Sol. Just like the Boys you came up empty. Now you want me to believe you have found him.” He exhaled sadly. “Sol, coming all this way just to die, I don’t want to be the one to do it.” He looked up at me. “But, let me be clear. I will kill you Sol.”

Trying to not shudder I return his look.

“What you say is true Bronski. I hunted him for years, I dug every where and couldn’t find him. I gave up. That’s because I was always looking in the wrong place. Look, think about how long you have been missing shipments. Last, what, four years?” I looked at Bronski for confirmation but he just dead eyed me.

Pushing on “I know what his plan was now. I know what he was trying to achieve. He had the Powers of a Super. He joined the Boys to get the lay of the land and how a crew is run. He made contacts with the other crews to understand them at the same time. He stole the diamonds for seed money.”

Bronski interrupted me “Seed money? For what? His own crew?”

I was shaking my head at him, my thoughts running away from me. “No. Not his own crew because above all he wanted to hide. He didn’t know exactly what would happen if he was found out but he didn’t want to risk the confrontation with Levi Prime. Think back, all the different crews were scrapping the streets. No one getting too far ahead of any of them as they kept killing each other! Hell, the Finches were almost wiped out. Now? Each one has their own piece of the pie and leave the others alone. No in-fighting, no broad daylight murders. They respect the boundaries.”

Bronski was nodding along with me, I continued.

“Using his seed money and his Super, he didn’t want a crew. He wanted to be the top dog. Bring all the crews together and rule from on high without the lower circles aware there was a change of leadership. Sitting at the top now, The Seeker. He owns almost the whole pie. He couldn’t or wouldn’t touch the Barley Boys as they already knew him and don’t trust any Super. You? I would pay good money to be on the sidelines of a fight between you two. That is also why the White Hands tried to stop me, they were doing a favour for the big boss.”

Bronski flashed a grin at me, I continued “But your special shipments? Too good for him to pass up. I knew that from the Barley Boys. It would have taken him some time to get set up. The time line works. That’s who has been knocking off your goods.” I ended triumphantly but tried to not think about the fact that, yes it was a good theory. I have not found shit yet.

Bronski toyed with the glass in front of him and leaned back in his chair.

“This all sounds great Sol. What do you want from me though?”

I had hoped that he would jump out of his chair, shake my hand and give me all the details I was missing. Of course he had nothing otherwise he would have handled it himself. Bronski would not try to pump any of the heads of the gangs either, they had a good thing going. Sure, whatever was going missing for Bronski was painful but he probably saw it as the cost of doing business now he knows who is behind it.

I just needed to know where the Seeker was running the whole show from. I slowed my thoughts down and tried to refocus. It had to be somewhere that all the gangs could reach without crossing each others territory. It couldn’t be near the Barley Boys at all in case they tried to expand. The heads of the gangs had to be able to get there without raising suspicion. It can’t be shit either, no way would he be living in a dump.

I relayed all this to Bronski, we sat there in silence for a while. The swish and hum of the container filling the air, the whiskey keeping me company. He finally surfaced and levelled a look at me.

“I think I know where he is Sol.” My heart skipped a beat. Then he continued. “Now why the hell should I give you the information, you have already done all the leg work. I can send my lads to take care of it and before you give some impassioned speech just remember, I don’t give a shit about you.”

I grinned, I was back on familiar ground. I finished my glass before replying. “Because Bronski, you know that I am the only one who you can trust to not fuck this up. He is not just any Super, he is another Levi Prime. With all the history and mental hangups that entails. You know I can do it quietly and will not leak what I find out. Besides, if I do screw it up you have lost nothing because as you said, you don’t give a shit about me.”

Bronski grinned back.

“Deal.”