of uncut white powder on
display. “One hundred percent pure,” he said sternly.
“Our suggested retail price is twenty-eight thousand dollars
per kilo with an even split for starters.”
“Twenty-eight is kinda high.” Asa remarked as he eyed the
product.
“We figured you would say that,” Phillip Tran, a short,
well-fit twenty-five year-old, smooth-faced Japanese spoke on
Grover's behalf. “We’ve done our homework, Asa. The going
rate is twenty-five in this area, but it’s stepped on. By all
accounts we should be charging no lower than thirty-two because our
merchandise is the best thing going. You can cut this shit two times
if you want and still compete. We’re giving you leeway for the
time being to allow you to establish yourself. We wanted to show just
how serious we are about this venture.”
JunJie leaned forward at that moment. “You want to open a night
club,” he told Asa. “You need wheels, and a place to
stay. This here is our gift to you to help you and your crew make the
necessary moves you all need to make.”
“I have a base set up in Shorter Arms Apartment near downtown,”
Asa remarked as he rubbed his chin. “We’re set to go on
this end. I just need more fire power. Two AK forty-sevens and a
couple of handguns ain’t gone cut it.”
Phillip unzipped the duffel bag between his feet at that moment and
pulled out a black Mini-14 submachine Uzi. “Will five of these
help?” he asked.
The Asians were dead serious in Asa's mind. They’d flown into
Colorado with ten kilograms of cocaine and six Ruger Mini-14 Uzis and
where ready to make a power move. It was an offer and a role Asa
Spade would gladly take on and ride for as long and as far as he
could.
“Logistics is your crew’s need, Asa,” Finland
stated, removing Asa from his thoughts. “We can make this kind
of trip maybe one or two more times, but after that we can’t
just fly into town with a suitcase full of cocaine and a bag full of
machine guns. I’m gonna set you up a small warehouse. A rental
space so my driver can have a place to drop off. The driver is out of
the loop by the way, so whoever unloads the merchandise should be
aware not to discuss shipment?”
“My guys never discuss business with outsiders,” Asa told
Finland as he turned towards JunJie. “I figure I can move these
in a week. How often you talking about dropping off and in what
amounts?”
“We’re looking at sending you forty kilograms a month for
starters on an even split with the anticipation that you will move
the merchandise in a month’s time,” JunJie answered. “You
stand to make over a half a million dollars a month out the gate, my
friend.”
“We got ourselves a deal.” Asa Spade said as he shook
JunJie's hand.
*******
“You don’t say? And now Spoonie and Tyke are vegetarians,
son?” DeeDee asked through laughter as he sat talking on his
cellphone inside a sparsely-filled Eastside Bar over in
Cicero, Illinois. “And this happened yesterday?” he asked
as Mendoza, Lucky, Coban Benito and Humphrey Gaggi entered the bar.
“That’s funny there. I wonder if they’ll still be
vegetarians come Thanksgiving. I’d put money on the fact that
they wouldn’t be come Thanksgiving. Look son, I have company.
We’ll talk later,” DeeDee said before he hung up the
phone with Doss, still laughing over Spoonie and Tyke's decision.
“These guys here are priceless let me tell ya’,”
Mendoza said as he led the men through the bar towards DeeDee’s
booth.
“What’s the deal?” DeeDee asked as he eyed the men
approaching the table.
“They wanted Eddie and his crew to wait on them while they come
inside and have a drink with us,” Lucky said as he eyed Benito
and Gaggi and shook his head in disbelief.
“With twenty-two?” DeeDee asked dumbfounded as he made a
small square with his hands.
“Twenty-two.” Mendoza said as he eyed DeeDee and through
his hands up like ‘ what
the hell’ .
“Where’s Eddie?” DeeDee