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episode 10- underground

A hooded man came to a warehouse with two heavy set guards. One of them put a hand on his chest. “ Password and scan?” The hooded man lifted his hand to the other and showed a rare card and a couple of hundreds. The guard takes the bribe and scanned his wrist unit. “ He's clean.” The first guard marks the card with a symbol of a pitchfork and signals for the other to enter. As he entered he was scanned two more times before coming to a gambling din with dozens of creatures and near a hundred Terrans. Most of the creatures were on display and odds were on bulletins above them. The cloaked man moved to one of the gambling tellers. He puts the card and a roll of fifties and pointed toward a red true formed dragon posing proudly. The teller counts the money and hands him back his card and a wager ticket. The whole transaction took less than a minute and went wordlessly. The cloaked man turns revealing his face. (Hammer)

“ All right ladies and gentlemen for our next bout we have the red striker up against the cabal charger. All bets are now locked and the cages are opened.” The red dragon looked around the battle arena quickly before he jumped to the side to avoid the cabal's rush. He whipped his tail to swipe his arm and leave marks there as he started to turn as the cabal turned as well. He looked at the charger trained to avoid the charge. Including the one to follow. This time he turned much quicker and jumped on the cabal's back and went for his knees. In an instant the cabal started reaching for his neck and the dragon barely got away before his own weak spot was exploited.

The cloaked man watched the fight and had to admit his red friend was fairly strong. After a few more seconds the fight was over and cheers were being raised. He got his winnings and left. Outside he went near a mile of alleys and back ways and stashed both the marked card and the money in a safe drop before moving on several more blocks and meeting a beastman lion. “ So?” The cloaked man took off his cloak and a union officer uniform was under it. “ This unit of Jake's worked perfectly. They probably figured I was a cop on payroll. I saw a few in there. Is everything ready partner?” Leon smirked. “ He is a clever one. Letting us use a prototype model recognition system like this. It is not against the rules as the model can not have any personal data in it.” Hammer looked at it. “ A unit records KS battle record, employment history, even blood type and medical history. These things have made lives in this city much easier in both daily life and the rebuild. Every resident, visitor from another world or not, has one of these. To think they are using something that is meant to do so much good for crime.” Leon looks at his own as well. “ Where there is good intent the corrupt have a way of making misery out of it. This is true to any world you go to.” Hammer sighs. “ Shall we get started?” Leon nods.

Redstern returned to the underbelly of the fighting pit and returned to the area he was meant to be in as Jake in a cloak came to him. “ You did well.” Redstern bowed his head. “ I do not like fighting in this form. I am much slower and heavier than I like. I much prefer a blade to my claws.” Jake looks over him and his injuries. “ They will heal. Are you ready for the second portion of the plan?” Redsern nods as he is covered in fire and goes to his wrist unit. “ Import of armor ready.”

“ Tell me the turnout?” A man in a suit beside the other one that gave the order lifts a clip board. “ We are at about two hundred and seventy five boss.” The man takes his cigar in his mouth and taps it into an ash tray. “ And the payoffs?” The man looks at the board again. “ All but two paid. One refused to take it after we threatened his family. He will not be a problem. The other wants a bigger cut.” The boss takes his cigar back in his mouth. “ Give him half and make sure he understands he will be doing more for us now instead of giving tips.” The man with the clipboard lowered it to his side. “ Understood boss.”

One of the maid dressed fae then drifted over and poured some wine into his glass. “ Ah a nice vintage.” He sniffed the glass before raising it up high and drinking the whole thing in one go. As it was coming back down two in dragon armor suits were in front of him. His guards were pointing guns. “ Don't shoot you fools. Those armors have reflector shields that will send the shots all over the place.” Without invitation the one in white armor took a hold of a seat and ripped the back out of it before sitting. “ You are well informed Mr. Token. Few of us outside the union know this fact.” The man looked at the other seriously as he sat the glass down and blew some smoke toward him. The shield shimmered as it blocked the smoke and the guards looked surprised. He then took his cigar and put it on the ashtray. “

They however do not stop slower weapons.” A few of the guards bring out some blades or clubs as the white armored one crossed his legs and arms. “ Still we have weapon systems of our own as well. If you wish this to be a bloodbath then that is one way to handle things.” Mr. Token looks at the white armored one then at the red armored one. “ Scan them.” Suddenly a couple of scanners appeared in a few hands and they each started reading error messages. “ Come now. Did you really think I would not know about your tracking methods. I invented the wrist units. Still your use and ingenuity has intrigued me.” Mr. Token leaned back and crossed his arms as well. “ I see. The mysterious Ambassador. The go between between the dragons and the union.”

The white armored one nods. “ That is correct. I am the Terran ambassador to the world of Dragakana. Of course if I really wanted you destroyed for breaking the rules and laws I so passionately help make. I would have, but as I said you have intrigued me. In truth a martial combat system between races has been a hot debate between the Terrans and non-Terrans in the union for some time.”

Mr. Token hmm to himself. “ Yes, I know this as well being the controller of the only battles.” The Ambassador gave a quick 'HA!' before uncrossing his arms and legs. “ I could destroy this corruption completely but I know eventually some other plague will enter my heart and dreams. So why not use you?” Mr. Token cupped his hands together in front of him. “ You want to legitimize me.” The Ambassador nods again. “ Yes, of course most of what you have been built here will be destroyed. Most of the money and assets will be seized but the core of your personnel will be spared due to lack of manpower and planning. This is nonnegotiable. If you have trouble with that the future prospects you are likely imagining right now will be a fare compensation. However the second part of the nonnegotiable end of your deal is the crime element relating to the visitors. I understand some of them are under your employment. Likely because the life of crime suits them. They came here to have a clean slate. That was their one time shot. Any visitor from another world that had been deemed a criminal of the most heinous crimes will be punished if they continue their behavior. The very method you made will tell me of this. If they clean up their act in your organization when you come into the fold they will be given a free pass as you and your Terran subordinates have.”

Mr. Token gave a hmm as well and thought about it. “ And what exactly are you offering in return?” The Ambassador stands and takes a memory card out of the pouch on his belt. “ The stadium has been unused for over two years now sense the dimensional barrier broke in our world. No professional company has even tried to renovate it after it became a spot for temporary housing. So you will be getting the stadium and the responsibility of renovating it. If this is done, and by legal means, then you will become a large shareholder into the stadium. This has been agreed upon by the union as the stadium is in default theirs now. Now with support of the union in this you can turn the stadium into an official gladiatorial ring, which has also been approved by not only the union but three of the four visitor worlds as well. In which they too will have a say in the organization but this is the Terran home world. The importance of something like this should stay with the Terrans.”

Mr. Token gave a hmm again. “ Your offer is tempting and not to be taken lightly. You are not only offering me money but power, a lot of power. I assume with an offer like this there are deal breakers.” The Ambassador moves around the table and looks at the fae. “ Of course. All the details are on that memory card. Including deal breakers. Officially the only laws you have broken is illegal gambling. Which your organization will receive a slap on the wrist but within days new laws against these fighting rings from appearing. Think of it as upgrading from the ancient gladiatorial fights to something like boxing. The fights will be real. Just more controlled.” Mr. Token picks up the memory card. “ I will have to bring this to my associates.” The Ambassador starts to walk away. “ If you have an escape route threw the sewers I suggest you implement it. The union's special enforcement unit will be here in about two minutes.” The red armored one moves to follow the white one as they start walking down the stairs.