Page 8 of Labria

“Yes, I’m a native.”

“Good. Trying to explain products and places to people appointed from the outside can be daunting. Chicago is violent and changing daily. Most outsiders can’t keep up. We talk fast, we move fast and we handle things before they get out of head.”

“I agree. All those things are true.” I nodded.

After this small talk, I still waiting for the real reason I was hear here? I read Wu’s file on the airplane and remembered a few things when Nicco was teaching me about the Bregoli allies. We had more allies than enemies, which was a plus.

Wu leaned forward. “You can never be too careful over the phone. I know your Don prefers in-person meetings about things of a delicate nature.”

“I agree. Privacy in all matters is important.”

“Nicco can keep a secret. He has another brother. I admire how well they hid you. My sister Ming was tucked away in Hong Kong for most of her life. My father couldn’t risk any of our enemies kidnapping his only daughter. When she finished her studies and her training, she was allowed to come here and be with us.”

“It’s nice to have family around. Sometimes, they are the only ones you can trust.”

“Yes, she’s my family and my protection. My secret weapon. Most men see her and don’t view her as a threat. But I have my own personal assassin in the family.”

His words confused me. Ming maybe weighed ninety-five pounds in clothing. There was nothing I noticed about her that screamed I’m a highly trained female assassin. I wasn’t being sexist. I just didn’t see anything in her that was deadly. A gun seemed too heavy to hold in her small, thin fingers.

“How’s your brother, Dominicco?”

“He’s doing well.”

“I sent my condolences before the funeral of his father, your father. I was very sorry I couldn’t attend in person.”

“All the arrangements were planned quickly. The new Don understood your absence. We all have businesses to run.”

“True. I had a lot of respect for your father. A heart attack, one of the better ways to go in our line of work.”

“I agree.” I didn’t agree, really, but none of it mattered. What mattered was Wu believed the false narrative about the previous don’s cause of death.

“Well. Let’s get to it. Word around town is there is a bounty of one million dollars on the head of someone named Tom Ignacio.”

“This is true.”

“May I ask why?”

“I don’t know why.” I lied. “The previous Don placed the bounty.”

“Your father?”

“Yes. Do you have a personal connection to this Ignacio?” He asked the same question, trying to trip me up, and I wasn’t born yesterday.

“I have never met the man.”

“Well, I don’t know him either. I don’t have any association with the Flips. I was just curious. The Bregoli’s have never had any problems with any Asians, from what I remember.”

“Right now, the Bregoli’s only have a problem with one Asian.”

“Yes, and as you know, we have no alliance with the Filipinos.” He choked the word Filipino out like it was blasphemous. “I’m willing to find this rogue Flip for your Don as a favor.”

“A favor?” I said, with the inkling there had to be a catch to this so-called favor.

“Yes, and you can keep the bounty. Who needs money?” He grinned with a slight gesture of his hands.

“So, what do you want in return?”

“I want the Flip territory all to myself with the Bregoli blessing, of course, and maybe a small hand in the takeover. Just a few men to make sure all things transfer over smoothly without little casualties.”

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