could never release his lover because, once they did, Tyler would simply kill them all. Even if it meant the Japanese yakuza could come after him. Tyler could probably work something out where that was concerned, too. Again, his control was so far-reaching he could set up a meeting, even if only by phone, with a Japanese crime lord, a fucking yakuza, who had direct ties to human trafficking, within hours of being told to do so. Being capable of that… It'd be small stuff to sniff out those who were certain to defy him, and then dispatch them as if they were mere bugs; something the man had been doing for years.
As much as Lucca hated the man, he also had to admire him. He had a sneaking suspicion that the things Max was capable of had truly yet to be challenged, because even this—a line of business Tyler himself refused to delve into—he could so easily navigate and manipulate. So it was vital the blue-eyed Max Tyler had to die. He was just glad it was Jackson who was the one taking care of that little detail. Not that he wouldn't savor the victory when he knew the deed was done—he'd be all over it—but to actually kill the bastard the way Jackson insisted it be done? No, thank you. Way too messy. He preferred a nice quiet poisoning or a drowning. Gun shots and explosives, knives and fists? Well…just too much blood, that's all. Oh, he could hold his own if necessary. Again, that was not an issue. But if he had his choice, blood and gore weren't high on the list. It was good to have a partner, at least for the moment, who didn't mind such things.
But, obviously, first things first. He had to make sure he could maintain the Japanese contact, even without Tyler. It was vital he had to make that kind of a deal. If he didn't, the whole thing was going to collapse and he had spent too much time, too much money, and too many sleepless nights, trying to put this thing back together and he had people he needed to answer to, as well. Meeting Jackson, teaming up with the Red Dragons—yes, he knew, basically a gang of kids—could be his last hope of making any of this happen.
Not to mention tasting sweet revenge against Max Tyler.
If he failed this time… Well, he just couldn't. But was this Jap guy open to the idea of Tyler not being around? Lucca had to tread softly until he could figure that out. He wasn't sure why the guy was calling him out of the blue, but he wasn't passing up this golden opportunity to make the connection happen right now. Lucca motioned for his man to bring him the phone. He'd first see what this contact had to say then take it from there.
"Lucca speaking."
"Hello, Lucca. My name is Takahashi Kyo. I understand you and I might have an opportunity to do a little business together."
"You are the Japanese contact Max Tyler told me about?"
"Actually, I work for the man Mr Tyler contacted."
Oh, Lucca started to see. "I'd really like a more secure way to actually talk. We need to meet." Lucca was a little surprised at how fluent in English this Takahashi Kyo was. He wasn't an expert, and there definitely was a heavy accent, but luckily for him the yakuza's ability with the language was very good. And for some reason, the name did sound familiar. Takahashi, Takahashi…where the fuck had he heard that name before?
"Well, that would be fine except you are in America and I am not. Don't worry about the line. It's secure—at least it is on my side."
"Look, as much as I want to trust you—"
"It doesn't matter whether or not you trust me. I'll get right to the point. I don't like Mr Tyler. Neither does my boss. Mr Tyler's a dangerous man so he's the difficult one to trust."
He didn't like Tyler? "Wait just a minute here, if you don't trust Tyler then why are you contacting me? He's the one who gave you my name, isn't he?"
"No, he's not. He is just the one the information came from—that's all, and I trust my source. The way I see it, this deal could be sweet for all of us. If we can do this, we all
As much as Lucca hated the man, he also had to admire him. He had a sneaking suspicion that the things Max was capable of had truly yet to be challenged, because even this—a line of business Tyler himself refused to delve into—he could so easily navigate and manipulate. So it was vital the blue-eyed Max Tyler had to die. He was just glad it was Jackson who was the one taking care of that little detail. Not that he wouldn't savor the victory when he knew the deed was done—he'd be all over it—but to actually kill the bastard the way Jackson insisted it be done? No, thank you. Way too messy. He preferred a nice quiet poisoning or a drowning. Gun shots and explosives, knives and fists? Well…just too much blood, that's all. Oh, he could hold his own if necessary. Again, that was not an issue. But if he had his choice, blood and gore weren't high on the list. It was good to have a partner, at least for the moment, who didn't mind such things.
But, obviously, first things first. He had to make sure he could maintain the Japanese contact, even without Tyler. It was vital he had to make that kind of a deal. If he didn't, the whole thing was going to collapse and he had spent too much time, too much money, and too many sleepless nights, trying to put this thing back together and he had people he needed to answer to, as well. Meeting Jackson, teaming up with the Red Dragons—yes, he knew, basically a gang of kids—could be his last hope of making any of this happen.
Not to mention tasting sweet revenge against Max Tyler.
If he failed this time… Well, he just couldn't. But was this Jap guy open to the idea of Tyler not being around? Lucca had to tread softly until he could figure that out. He wasn't sure why the guy was calling him out of the blue, but he wasn't passing up this golden opportunity to make the connection happen right now. Lucca motioned for his man to bring him the phone. He'd first see what this contact had to say then take it from there.
"Lucca speaking."
"Hello, Lucca. My name is Takahashi Kyo. I understand you and I might have an opportunity to do a little business together."
"You are the Japanese contact Max Tyler told me about?"
"Actually, I work for the man Mr Tyler contacted."
Oh, Lucca started to see. "I'd really like a more secure way to actually talk. We need to meet." Lucca was a little surprised at how fluent in English this Takahashi Kyo was. He wasn't an expert, and there definitely was a heavy accent, but luckily for him the yakuza's ability with the language was very good. And for some reason, the name did sound familiar. Takahashi, Takahashi…where the fuck had he heard that name before?
"Well, that would be fine except you are in America and I am not. Don't worry about the line. It's secure—at least it is on my side."
"Look, as much as I want to trust you—"
"It doesn't matter whether or not you trust me. I'll get right to the point. I don't like Mr Tyler. Neither does my boss. Mr Tyler's a dangerous man so he's the difficult one to trust."
He didn't like Tyler? "Wait just a minute here, if you don't trust Tyler then why are you contacting me? He's the one who gave you my name, isn't he?"
"No, he's not. He is just the one the information came from—that's all, and I trust my source. The way I see it, this deal could be sweet for all of us. If we can do this, we all
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