Page 42 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16
Jun snorted a laugh. “No. Those conversations between Sathers and I only took place after someone decided to sell me for a sudden paltry sum, rather than calculate revenue based on an entire career and years of investment.”
“Then that was all you.” An assessing tone, almost respectful, but more annoyed. He’d also switched languages again. Jun looked around. More people moving around them, but not right by them. The music from the stage at the end of the street covered their conversation.
He shrugged. “The fact that he kept pushing for more and paying out less was obvious.”
“You realize that we cannot tolerate your proximity to Richard Reevesworth.”
“And you realize that I can’t possibly give up that connection.”
“Then how could we trust you?”
Jun took a step towards the Merchari, so that their faces were mere inches apart. “You should be asking me how I can trust you. You already facilitated the sale of my body once. I’m not so foolish as to think I can go up against the Merchari and win without casualties. That’s not what I’m trained for. What I am trained for is making money.”
“You were becoming a liability. You are a liability.”
“If I was that much of one, you’d have that Russian of yours shoot me.”
“We’d rather sell you and get rid of the issue.”
“Except that Sathers will never let you do that quietly, now, will he?”
The Merchari took a step back, standing taller. “We could always put a bullet in his head.”
“Reevesworth would never let that lie quietly now, would he?” Jun cracked a smile.
The Merchari agent regarded Jun with a crooked smile. “You realize that by utilizing Reevesworth as your shield, you’re threatening us. We can make money elsewhere, eliminate the threat.”
Jun raised an eyebrow and motioned at the crowd and towards the stage where Su-jin was deep in a rousing chorus. “You want payment on your debts and some sort of split from the profits. Profits you’ve not exchanged anything for, in exchange for suppressing murder charges for a situation you crafted.” Jun regarded the Merchari agent with a dark look. “If you’re motivated by money, which you are, and if you’re brave, which seems likely, you’ll understand the better risk. Income from an established and doubly protected source for as long as I’m profitable, or being hunted by someone with the resources to actually challenge you.”
“You don’t know he can.”
“You wouldn’t be talking to me if he couldn’t. You’d have delivered an ultimatum, instead of pretending to. Fortunately, for you, I’ve incurred enough debt to powerful men. I don’t want to owe him anymore than I do.” Jun started to walk down the center of the street. The Merchari kept pace.
“How do we know that you’ll actually pay?”
Jun turned to face the man, waiting until a gaggle of girls had passed. “Unlike you, I have a soul.” His lip lifted with disgust. “I know how you work. You won’t go after Sathers at first. You’ll go after one of my fans, or a distant cousin. You’ll create consequences. I’m the one gambling, after all, that unlike Bak Gyeong, you won’t kill your sheep after shearing them, thinking they’ll never grow more wool.”
“You’re gambling on us being smart and self-motivated.”
“Yes.” Jun watched with narrowed eyes. “I can’t give back the property in my name. And you know that. So that’s a bargaining chip you were hoping to offer back, at least for the moment. Perhaps in five years, I could write those properties over, but right now, no, not with the case going down about my identity and my taxes. I won’t go back to living like a beggar, not if you want our arrangement to be hidden. We can’t go back to a time when the other members of 5N are barely paid. We’ve been too public with that mess. So take a reasonable cut year after year, more than you were getting from Bak Gyeong, or take a loss and make enemies.”
“We could take the loss.”
Jun regarded the Merchari, eyes cold. “You could try. You might be successful. You could also have another dead client. You would lose all of Bak Sahyuk’s U.S. investments. And BBB3, all of SP4700Y. My inheritor isn’t my half sisters in California, nor their mother, not my biological father, or even my missing mother, if you dug that far.”
“Who?”
Jun smirked. “Someone with the ability to make sure no one gets anything. This is my proposal, Merchari, the one I would have given tomorrow. Give me actual numbers. Real ones. Then back the fuck off, drop the charges so I can go back to Korea and clean up SP4700Y and BBB3. Give me time for one concert tour in Korea and beyond. No interference. Then you can run the numbers, decide if you like that kind of payday. You’re getting something for practically nothing, after all.”
“You’re not offering large margins.”
“Five percent is better than many investments. One tour, then make up your mind.”
“What about the protection payments?”
“I can’t pay unless I have a functioning business. Five percent debt payments. Nothing more.”
“I’m still not convinced selling you five isn’t easier. Five birds in the hand, versus a promise.”
