Chapter 106: Fire Birds Vice-Leader!

Chapter 106: Fire Birds Vice-Leader!

The crisp, high-end audio intercept filled the small room, the electronic distortion doing nothing to mask the underlying malice. Kimberly Long had already told this man her thoughts, her voice tense as she warned, [Chuck Ben, I told you pursuing Victoria is fine, but my hands are tied with him. I won't make a move on him, and you better think twice before moving. It is your ship and your problem, I will do nothing.]

The man's response came through with a heavy dose of entitlement, demand leaking into his tone, [Victoria has not been taking my dinner invitations, so will you engage her to me? She and I are already in our mid 20's and we need to marry soon.]

A heavy sigh cracked through the transmission before Kimberly answered, [If Vicky was less successful I could engage you two no problem. But if I force her, she might leave the family and then it would make us look bad. Can you save what little face I still have left, Chuck?]

Chuck sounded instantly irritated, his arrogance leading him to state straight-up stupid things, [Then I will have Rick Tang have an accident at sea. Once in a while, drunk people fall off the side.]

[I am warning you Chuck, do not lay a hand on Rick Lee-Tang,] Kimberly countered sharply, her voice tightening with genuine fear as she laid out the facts. [I heard he is taking over the Fire Birds, does your Ben family want the whole of the Fire Birds down your neck? Have you not seen the condition my sister was left in? You know she was a Master, correct?]

Chuck scoffed at the threat, completely dismissing the danger, [Don't worry, I can handle both removing him and marrying Victoria in one go. I have hired some professionals that will be on the Island. A Master can't dodge a sniper or deal with knockout gas, right? And if I sleep with Victoria after getting her drunk or drugging, she has to marry me. Then our family will be close. We have a Life Statistics office on the island and on the ship, so I will be married to her one way or the other.]

Clattering silverware and the rustle of clothing cut into the feed as Kimberly got ready to leave the restaurant, offering her final terms, [Victoria has already started to do business with the Tang, and she is spending too much time every week with Rick, so marry her and get her out of the main family through marriage but don't hurt her or I will take you down. When you marry her, we can shave off and split her company between Long and Ben.]

[Don't worry Head Long, when we come back from the trip, she will be Victoria Ben and that Bodyguard will be no one's problem,] Chuck promised, his chuckle sending a chill through the room.

Kimberly issued one last grim prediction before cutting the call, [Ben this is my final warning, if you touch Rick Tang, you will not have a good ending. He has strong backers that the little Ben family cannot offend.]

[No, he only has good-luck and got adopted into the Tang and has some fighting skill, I deal with troublesome wannabees all the time when they have a woman I want, he will join them,] Chuck grumbled to himself.

After Kimberly left the table, the rustle of a heavy suit jacket signaled Chuck turning his attention to a subordinate, asking, [Alfred, did the Ace Mercenary Group accept the mission?]

[They took the job for 1 million and you must give them VIP rooms on the Island during their mission,] Alfred replied instantly.

Chuck didn't hesitate to grant the luxury accommodations but added a strict condition, [Sure, but warn them to not make a move when Victoria is around. I don't want her caught in any ambush. If she is hurt, they don't get paid.]

The line went completely dead right after Alfred confirmed, [Understood.]

On the Saturday after the women returned from their spa day, I brought all those involved with the upcoming cruise, including Lucy Shen, into my computer den to listen to this appalling conversation.

So it was me, Victoria, Mei, Lucy, and Mercy gathered tightly around the glowing monitor, Lucy having conveniently joined the other women at the house just in time to catch this news.

Victoria was the most visibly affected by the recording, her shoulders trembling as she realized her older sister basically wanted to cut her out and steal her hard-earned fortune, prompting me to wrap my arms around her and hold her close to absorb the shock. I had purposefully left my pregnant wives out of this meeting to ensure they didn't experience any unnecessary stress.

"Sorry Vicky. But I did not want to keep this from you. I may be the reason she is acting like this?"

Victoria shook her head gently against my chest, her voice steadying as she replied, "No Rick, my sister has been pushing me to be with Chuck Ben before we met, so this was her desire all along, but I don't understand why? I have helped her with her businesses as well?"

Mercy and Mei moved quietly around the small computer den, serving us fresh drinks while the rest of us dove directly into a discussion about these sudden threats. Lucy, who still couldn't reveal her true identity to the household, leaned against the desk and offered, "This recording won't be enough to charge Chuck Ben in court, but I can hack and find out his plans and that mercenary company for you?"

I looked down at the floor, my expression turning grim as I suggested, "Chuck Ben could just trip and bump his head really hard a few times, and that would solve all the problems."

Victoria looked up at me, her eyes filled with concern as she countered, "Then we will not go."

Lucy took a slow sip of her beer, waving her hand to dismiss the safer but less effective ideas, and pointed a finger at me. "Boss, if you don't go, that mercenary group will just come into Star City and be a bit harder to deal with and endanger your new family. But by going and watching their moves, you can bump their heads a bit under your own will and get rid of the problem."

She set the beer down, her eyes flashing with a mix of dark humor and tactical logic. "I watched enough movies, and read forums to know bumping him off early might get you arrested. The best way to solve your Chuck Ben problem and not interfere with Victoria's business, is to let him fall over the rail of the ship on the way back. Heck the sharks might get him?"

I nodded slowly, agreeing with most of the points raised by our resident computer genius, but raised a critical concern, "And the gas and drugging? I will not sacrifice Victoria to that. I was once drugged with hallucinogenic-smoke and it was not a fun experience."

Lucy waved her hand dismissively, completely confident in her tech skills. "Leave it to me, I can order test-strips the professionals use to protect against drugging, it is on the web. Plus I can bug Chuck Ben and find out all his plans for you guys. Also I can try all food Boss Vicky eats first, so no problem."

It looked like I had some inevitable killing to do on this trip, so I turned my focus entirely to the one person I was truly worried about.

"Wife, I will listen to what you want to do? I can deal with the already paid Ace group in both locations, but it is you I am worried about."

Victoria, still held tightly in my embrace, took a deep breath, resting her hands against my chest before she answered, "Rick, I will support you and go. As long as you are at my side, I feel safe. I think no matter what, you will have to deal with Ace, and Chuck, so do it where it is easiest. I think not alerting them like Lucy says, is your best chance to take them out before they set up an ambush. If they know we know, they might take hostages."

Mercy stepped forward instantly, her posture completely rigid as she declared, "Master, leave me to watch Miss Victoria. I promise on my life, I will protect her."

I looked directly into Mercy's blue eyes, seeing the absolute determination burning inside her as she fought to prove her worth and loyalty to me, which prompted me to give her a firm nod.

"Then when I can't see Victoria, be at her side. I will make sure you and I carry enough gear as Bodyguards for this mission."

What the other women in the room didn't know was that Mei was actually just as good, if not a bit better, than even Mercy in a real fight, giving our small group a total of three capable combatants. I turned my attention back to our hacker, adding, "I am not forgetting your safety as well, so I or Mei will be with you in-case something happens."

Lucy immediately placed both of her hands on her cheeks, her face lighting up with a playful, teasing smile. "Oh my, my heart is thumping thinking a young man will protect me, Ufufu. Actually during University, I learned enough Kung-Fu and a bit of handgun use, so I can help if you need me in a pinch, fufu."

I nodded, glad to know she could handle herself, before looking back down at Victoria to address the issue with her family.

"Not sure what I can help with concerning Kimberly but, don't take any business trips she suggests or go to any family meetings alone for a while."Victoria squeezed my hand lightly, her eyes soft with gratitude as she replied, "Rick, I will tell you first if anything is out of the norm so you can guide me, I won't worry you."

I then stood up to officially wrap up our strategy session, laying out the practical preparations.

"I will buy us some compact-gas-masks and the like, as well as charcoal-pills and some possible anti-toxins we might need for the things they might use. I fortunately know my way around pharmacology."

With that, our planning for the cruise was officially set for Plan: Dump the Trash in the Sea. Mei immediately took the driver's seat and drove the two ladies back to the Velvet Tower to make sure they were entirely fine, though she also secretly wanted to talk with May Lee about some behind-the-scenes household things.

So I had mentioned on Monday about Mercy's strange bathroom behavior, right? Well, she has done this shamelessly every single morning after our workout, though she and I have not done anything more advanced than that. She just empties me out using her hands, and I think we both are now fully used to this new and bizarre shower ritual of hers...

And now Sunday has finally arrived, and today is my high-stakes meeting with Daniel Feng and the four state-level general-managers. This afternoon I, Tina, Jenifer, Mercy, and Mei are all traveling together to the exclusive Country Club Resort. It is a massive business owned entirely by the Fire Birds in the southwest area, situated right near the high-end hotel where I and the twins had our very first times.

This specific property is both a light and a dark business. On the surface, it operates as an upscale resort for the most wealthy citizens, but for the right amount of money, the finest women in Star City may be rented for the night in one of the luxury rooms hidden here. This is an exclusive brothel hidden in plain sight as a beautiful place for politicians and celebrities to vacation, and I know for a fact that Scott came here a few times with Alex back in the day.

Tina is wearing a stunning crimson cheongsam dress paired with a thick black fur coat, dressed perfectly for elegance and the freezing cold weather. I am wearing a sharp black suit with a crimson tie along with my specialized slash-resistant black long coat.

Jenifer Han is wearing dark stockings and her black and crimson lady suit, complete with her matching black long coat that perfectly mirrors mine, causing me to sigh internally as I look at our outfits. We fucking look like the real couple here.

Both Mei and Mercy are wearing long winter-themed maid outfits, and both of them are heavily armed to the teeth underneath their long skirts.

As we approach the main entrance to enter the facility, many staff members instantly line up and begin bowing to us in deep respect. The hotel portion of the Country Club Resort is seven stories tall, while everything else on the grounds is a single-floor layout that spreads out wide with incredibly high ceilings. When you enter this fully glass-walled restaurant that sits right near the hotel, it immediately gives you the feeling of entering a classy casino.

The very first thing you notice about this Country Club Resort is that only one in ten employees are men. The few men working here are strictly high-end security or suited Fire Birds members acting as managers. Now, one of the darker secrets of this place involves the female clientele. Ugly, wealthy women frequently come here for the few handsome male prostitutes to get impregnated by, mostly due to the severe lack of available men overall in the region. Life is bitter to unattractive women, and honestly, I do not look down on them at all for wanting kids even if they have to use a loaner to get them. But these male workers make even more money than some of the women here, and there have even been some who get their contracts fully paid off and end up marrying their wealthy clients.

A gorgeous female manager eagerly greets us at the inside lobby, bowing deeply as we step through the doors. Naturally, you can tell who is a member of the Fire Birds by the small crimson ornaments tucked into their hair or worn on their person, confirming she is one of us.

"Greetings Vice-Leader and Lady Feng, please follow me to the Leaders room for your meal."

As we follow this eager woman deeper into the building, I let out a quiet sigh in my heart because I recognize the reality of my situation. With my brand-new position, I can literally point to any of these beautiful women and have them at a moment's notice. What a ridiculous social shift I have found myself in, going from a common place student to a future major power player.

Of course, I would never actually do this, but it is incredibly flattering to know that you could if you wanted to. The women I already have and love are more than this current me can handle, plus I don't think my actual mission in this world is to blindly spread my seed everywhere I go.

As we near our final destination, this excited manager has been talking nonstop, telling me all about the facility and what specific amenities it offers, like premium golfing, horseback riding, and indoor and outdoor tennis courts. Basically, she only tells me about the safe light side of the business. Tina already knows this place inside and out and fully informed me beforehand, but I just let this chatterbox go on for the background noise as we walk.

"Here is the private room for your meeting, and let me lead you in, sir."

The two Master Level security guards, whom I instantly recognized from the tenth floor of the main Fire Birds tower, nod respectfully and open the heavy doors for us. Inside the large private room sit five men of the older generation. The dining table is big enough to seat twelve people comfortably, but only Tina and I will be eating among our group, so we will use only half the table.

Mei, Mercy, and Jenifer take their seats to the side to wait for us to need them, staying quiet so they can listen in while Jenifer pulls out her materials to take notes on the meeting.

The oldest man sitting in the center is Daniel Feng, uncle to Tony Feng, and he is wearing a flashy crimson crushed-velvet suit with a crisp white shirt.

He is in his mid-60s with a mix of grey and red hair, sporting his trademark right-side scar right under his eye. The identities of the other four men are the official Fire Birds regional state managers. Representing the Azure State is Paul Yamaha, the Crimson State is managed by Bill Woo, who happens to be Cat's uncle, the White State is run by Douglas Xi, and the Black State is managed by Randy Lee.

Daniel excitedly stands up from his chair to come straight over to me, patting my shoulders heavily as he beams with pride.

"This old man is proud to have a good seed to take our Fire Birds forward. I knew when I met you it was only a matter of time, now come and meet your new subordinates!"

Paul Yamaha immediately extends his hand, shaking mine firmly as he addresses me directly, "You will see me the most here in Star City, so just point and tell me your wants, and it will be done by hook or by crook!"

Douglas Xi also steps up with a wide grin, happily shaking my hand next to offer his congratulations. "The moment you won your fight, the Crouching Tiger Manager in White state wanted to work closer with me, ha-ha. I had not even met you and things are looking up for me."

Randy Lee takes his turn next, gripping my hand as he shares a quick joke. "All of the groups in the Black State think you and I are relatives now. I just shrug and say maybe! We Lee's have to stick together."

When Bill Woo finally comes up to me, he bypasses a handshake, bowing his head in deep shame instead as he speaks, "My Woo family asked for your forgiveness, Vice-Leader! My nieces soon to be ex-husband has shamed us. I will discipline my niece if that will make amends!"

I see Tina's eyes glint with a sudden, dark light the moment she hears we have an opening to punish Cat, but I instantly cut her off before she can voice it.

"Mr Woo please stop, your family had nothing to do with Steve, and at most Tina and Cat are rivals with harsh words exchanged. Your niece has not done anything directly to us and has remained quiet. She is also our classmate and it would be in bad taste to punish her for her husband. Plus, I would like a good relationship with the Woo family."

All five older men look thoroughly impressed with the mature way I handled that ugly, lingering disgrace of Steve Woo. Even Tina is giving me a funny, pleasantly surprised look from her side of the table.

With the air cleared, our group sits down and trades compliments and standard niceties while the staff begins setting up. Then Daniel signals for us to get to business, prompting Jenifer to pass around copies of the financial books she and I worked on yesterday so the four regional managers can look over the entries. They are incredibly happy to find the hidden discrepancies and the clever legal loopholes we mapped out, which we can easily use to pay significantly less in taxes to the Central Government.

That is right! We, the four main Syndicates, are the single biggest funders of the Central Government for both domestic and foreign activities.

Naturally, the four noble families and common taxpayers also fund the war machine and public order, but hands down, without the Syndicates, the Government would go completely broke. Crime pays for the lawfully common man's livelihoods.

Our food is finally served, and we all raise our glasses to toast my new position, which becomes officially effective at that exact moment. I look around the table and tell them all clearly that what Tina says is what I say, even with me being the real leader behind the scenes. No one opposes me on this rule, especially after seeing the value of the balanced books and how cleanly I handled the Woo Clan affair.

Remembering my buddy from the highway fight, I turn my attention directly to the local manager to settle a debt of loyalty.

"Paul Yamaha, I have a request for a brave man in Star City. His name is Luke Fu and he lacks a bit in the intellectual brilliance, his words, but he is strong and most of all brave. If you can find a brighter position for him, I would be happy. He risked his life on interstate 69, allowing us to defeat the Southern Cross and the traitor Laura Long."

Paul nodded immediately, his expression turning serious as he answered, "I know of Luke, I will send him to the West Side Docks. His fists will be better where we deal with foreign gangs the most, like the recent Mad Hatters. That was the group that attacked the Mall not too long ago. They are branching out from North America and trying to fill the temporary vacuum left by Southern Cross."

"Yeah, I killed a couple of them," I replied, setting my glass down as I recalled the brutal encounter. "Their modus operandi is they all use animal masks and the animal names for their identities."

Paul heard the rumors of the mall fight due to the aftermath of the Woo incident and confirmed the decision. "Luke Fu will then be the West Side manager answering to me, you, and the leader then."

After that piece of business was settled, we talked and drank for another half-hour before the meeting concluded and we all parted ways. Every single branch of the Fire Birds now had my new position officially replacing Tina, with the strict amendment of her still acting as my voice and my hand. Now, every single member would recognize my authority nationwide.

The Mad Hatters may sound comical and lame on paper, but they were about to prove to be a massive, critical stepping stone for me, Alex, and Kim.