America" on the labels. They know all the right officials to pay off, including key congressmen and law enforcement officials. Hell, they've even got their own lobbyists in Washington. And why are they so well funded and organized? Because they have so many investors.
"Company X sells bonds to investors to cover their costs and purchase their slaves. Oh, you couldn't call up your broker and order some - they're only offered to a few thousand select customers who care a lot more about profits than about where those profits are coming from. The bonds have a phenomenal rate of return, sometimes as high as 50 percent for a short term investment. Most of these investors don't necessarily know they're supporting slavery, but they do know that they're turning a blind eye to something shady. And it's that kind of behavior we're going to punish."
"Punish how?" asked Eddie.
"By taking them all down and raiding them for every cent they have. Between Eddie's contacts in the shipping and finance, Winston's contacts with various crews across the country and the extensive penetration my Crew has achieved into their systems, we have more than enough ammunition to fire through the cover of our shadow corporation. We become investors, offer them a better way of doing things, then take them down from within, draining their accounts even as we expose their rotten investors to the law and the media."
Eddie opened his eyes and slapped his hands down on the table. "Hot damn, it does sound tempting, don't it?"
he said. "You've got a way with words, I'll give you that."
Chapter 09
57
"So you are interested," said Isaiah. It wasn't a question.
"Sure, sure," said Eddie. "Hearing it for the first time, I gotta admit it's a hot idea." He clasped Marco's shoulder. "We'll have to talk it over some first. You know how it goes. Hash some things out. Come up with a list of questions."
Marco finally spoke up, saying, "I've got about a hundred off the top of my head. I'll type em up for you."
"That's why we're all here," said Amelia. "To answer your questions. Do you have anything I can help you with right now?"
Eddie and Marco stood up. "Not right yet," said Eddie. "We need to get settled into our rooms and all that shit.
Get a drink and relax."
"What about the dead woman?" Marco asked.
Eddie snapped his fingers with a sharp crack. "Right! Raquel! Yeah, what's all this corporate mumbo-jumbo got to do with Raquel getting fragged?"
"Maybe nothing," said Isaiah.
"We're looking into it," Paul reminded Eddie yet again.
Eddie looked down at him and smiled. "Right, right. Sure, I forgot." Then, to Isaiah, "Well, before we commit to anything, we'll wanna have all the murder shit sorted out, right?"
"Of course," Isaiah agreed. "Is the contact number you gave us still valid?"
Eddie turned to Marco, who nodded. "Yep," said Eddie.
"We'll contact you through that number and tell you where the next meeting is going to be."
"It's not gonna be up here?" asked Eddie.
"No. We arranged this place only for tonight."
"Just as well," said Eddie. "What's the point of meeting in a rooftop room if you're gonna keep the fucking curtains closed anyway?"
Isaiah didn't have an answer for that. Eddie waved to the table. "Later," he said.
"Have a good night," said Amelia, who was the only one to respond. A few seconds later they were out the door and on their way to wherever it was they were staying. Paul hoped the cameras in the lobby caught some good images. Maybe they could trace Eddie and Marco back to wherever they were staying through Bee's network of cameras. It should be easy if they stuck to the more crowded streets, but if these guys were pros, they probably wouldn't do that. No more than Paul would have if he was worried about being followed.
"I suppose that means we're done for the evening?" asked Winston once Eddie was gone.
"Looks like," said Isaiah. He turned to Paul. "You'll let us know what your investigation reveals about Raquel's
"Company X sells bonds to investors to cover their costs and purchase their slaves. Oh, you couldn't call up your broker and order some - they're only offered to a few thousand select customers who care a lot more about profits than about where those profits are coming from. The bonds have a phenomenal rate of return, sometimes as high as 50 percent for a short term investment. Most of these investors don't necessarily know they're supporting slavery, but they do know that they're turning a blind eye to something shady. And it's that kind of behavior we're going to punish."
"Punish how?" asked Eddie.
"By taking them all down and raiding them for every cent they have. Between Eddie's contacts in the shipping and finance, Winston's contacts with various crews across the country and the extensive penetration my Crew has achieved into their systems, we have more than enough ammunition to fire through the cover of our shadow corporation. We become investors, offer them a better way of doing things, then take them down from within, draining their accounts even as we expose their rotten investors to the law and the media."
Eddie opened his eyes and slapped his hands down on the table. "Hot damn, it does sound tempting, don't it?"
he said. "You've got a way with words, I'll give you that."
Chapter 09
57
"So you are interested," said Isaiah. It wasn't a question.
"Sure, sure," said Eddie. "Hearing it for the first time, I gotta admit it's a hot idea." He clasped Marco's shoulder. "We'll have to talk it over some first. You know how it goes. Hash some things out. Come up with a list of questions."
Marco finally spoke up, saying, "I've got about a hundred off the top of my head. I'll type em up for you."
"That's why we're all here," said Amelia. "To answer your questions. Do you have anything I can help you with right now?"
Eddie and Marco stood up. "Not right yet," said Eddie. "We need to get settled into our rooms and all that shit.
Get a drink and relax."
"What about the dead woman?" Marco asked.
Eddie snapped his fingers with a sharp crack. "Right! Raquel! Yeah, what's all this corporate mumbo-jumbo got to do with Raquel getting fragged?"
"Maybe nothing," said Isaiah.
"We're looking into it," Paul reminded Eddie yet again.
Eddie looked down at him and smiled. "Right, right. Sure, I forgot." Then, to Isaiah, "Well, before we commit to anything, we'll wanna have all the murder shit sorted out, right?"
"Of course," Isaiah agreed. "Is the contact number you gave us still valid?"
Eddie turned to Marco, who nodded. "Yep," said Eddie.
"We'll contact you through that number and tell you where the next meeting is going to be."
"It's not gonna be up here?" asked Eddie.
"No. We arranged this place only for tonight."
"Just as well," said Eddie. "What's the point of meeting in a rooftop room if you're gonna keep the fucking curtains closed anyway?"
Isaiah didn't have an answer for that. Eddie waved to the table. "Later," he said.
"Have a good night," said Amelia, who was the only one to respond. A few seconds later they were out the door and on their way to wherever it was they were staying. Paul hoped the cameras in the lobby caught some good images. Maybe they could trace Eddie and Marco back to wherever they were staying through Bee's network of cameras. It should be easy if they stuck to the more crowded streets, but if these guys were pros, they probably wouldn't do that. No more than Paul would have if he was worried about being followed.
"I suppose that means we're done for the evening?" asked Winston once Eddie was gone.
"Looks like," said Isaiah. He turned to Paul. "You'll let us know what your investigation reveals about Raquel's
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