Daiki Uchida
“I know your ears are probably still ringing, but listen close because I’m only going to say this once. Payment is required when services are rendered, and not a moment later.”
I stood up and nodded to the rather large individual to my left named Kraig. He enjoyed hitting people, and he was quite good at it. I let him do the talking most of the time.
Money is power. Anything in the world can be bought for the right price. The only question one must ask, is how far are they willing to go? It’s all about how you exercise the power afforded to you by the wealth you’ve accrued. I, for example, have decided to invest in the one business that will never go out of style: war.
I lifted a hand to stop the relentless punching. The conviction in his eyes told me he still hadn’t learned his lesson.
“Listen, I get it, I do. You want to forge a better life for yourself and your people. I want to help you do that, but I’m not a charity,” I said.
I motioned to the hulking man beside me and he resumed his duties.
Whether it’s a border skirmish in a third-world country, or a full-scale rebellion against the local dictatorship, I’m always there product in hand. I’ve been accused of prolonging conflict and increasing death tolls, but I would argue that these conflicts would rage on regardless of my presence or lack thereof. If people want to kill one another, they will find a way.
Of course, a weapons dealer isn’t the public face I want to wear. No, my “day job” is running a dummy corporation designed to launder the funds and put on a pretty face for the world to see. We specialize in private security solutions, the perfect cover for purchasing weapons and ammo. Some of our clients are very important people after all, but most are angry refugees determined to overthrow the governing body of their choosing.
I stopped him again.
“Untie him, I think he’s learned his lesson.”
The man could barely stand. His emaciated body stood like a rickety tree in the dimly lit room.
“Now, you’re going to find a way to pay me for those weapons and ammo within the next twenty-four hours, or my face is going to be the last thing you’ll ever see.”
It’s all money to me. So long as they pay, we don’t have any problems. But then, of course, you run into situations where we disagree on the speed at which payment is rendered. In those situations, I like to take a hands-on approach.
“I don’t have any money,” he babbled.
“Figure something out!” I shouted.
I motioned to Kraig, and we the left the room. I walked out into an abandoned bunker that this particular resistance was using as a base of operations. The armed men in the halls regarded me with blank stares, but I saw the hatred in their eyes. I was both their savior and their vanguard of destruction. They needed me, but ultimately my services would send them deeper and deeper into the maw of war.
Such is the way of the world, I was simply providing supply to meet demand. We reached the surface and emerged onto a makeshift helipad where my chopper was waiting. The pilot had been standing at attention in the freezing cold with a fur-lined hood over his head and thick goggles over his eyes.
He pulled down the bandana over his face as I approached. The icy snow-filled wind cut right through my trench coat and bit at the skin beneath. I was ready to leave this cold hell and get back.
“Everything fixed sir?” he asked.
“He has twenty-four hours. I’m not coming back to this ice box, though, send one of our own to collect.”
“Very good, sir. Where to now?”
“Back home, I need a drink.”
I climbed into the chopper. Kraig slid in beside me, taking up almost two seats on his own. It was all muscle, though, he was truly a powerful weapon.
“Do you love your job, Kraig?” I asked.
He looked over to me as he polished the blood off his fists with a dirty cloth he kept in his jacket.
“Yes, sir,” he said.
I leaned back and closed my eyes.
“Me too.”
As the helicopter’s blades picked up speed, I felt the entire machine lift itself off the ground and ascend toward the sky.
My phone started ringing and I felt my fists clench. It was probably my wife, calling to remind me that I should be at her beck and call.
I pulled the vibrating device out of my pocket and saw not her name, but the name of a contact I had in Africa. I couldn’t remember which country. I looked at his name on the phone and focused on how to pronounce it when I answered. I set the headset I was wearing to Bluetooth from my phone and picked up.
“Babatunde, what can I do for you my friend?”
“Went to collect Mr. Uchida, Baako didn’t have the money. You said to call.”
I really needed to get better at delegating these things.
“One moment, Babatunde.”
I turned to Kraig.
“Are you able to do more negotiating today?” I asked.
Kraig flexed his thick hands and nodded. I switched back to the phone call.
“Thank you, we’ll be there soon to take care of the situation.”
I hung up the phone and sighed. Looks like we were going out of the freezer and into the frying pan.
I turned off the Bluetooth and radioed to the pilot.
“Change of plans, it seems we have another debt to collect.”