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Bloody Idols: Chapter Two

Chin scratches his head for a moment and says, "You know, the letter we found asked Soo-niang to stay away from the casino in case someone mistook her for this Yu-soo person." He rifles the folder they got from Mr. Fan, and continues, "We can take Soo-niang's picture, fuzzy it up a bit, and see if anyone does mix them up. Frankly, it might be useful to talk to either of them." He smiles as he fishes out the photo, "..and if we get a chance to ask the mysterious Mr. Kai, we'll see who he thinks it is." Glancing from Wu to Shiao-chiang, he asks, "Either of you two any good with artsy computer stuff, or should I give it a shot?"

Wu says, "I fear that I have done more with computers than is good for me. Among other things, I know something about bitmap editing. Let us find a workstation, and make our changes."

Chin says, "I'm sure the hotel has an 'I work too much' mini-office we can use, if we ask nicely." Eventually having found a scanner to borrow, and cleaned up the image to make it less obviously one or the other of the girls, and printing out copies, the three investigators finally make their way to the casino itself.

    Nine Flowers Casino is fast, loud, beautiful, glittering, colorful, exciting -- all the necessary elements to most smoothly separate the breathlessly foolish and hopeful from their money. In the purple-and-gold carpeted main floor is the endless chatter and rumble of roulette wheels and craps tables, with a huge multi-layered fountain plashing and sparkling in the center of the room. Thick golden pillars with esoteric calligraphy hold up the second floor balcony, which looks down onto the main floor and hosts padded purple chairs clustered around dignified, black enamel tables where expressionlessly bored, beautiful young men and women endlessly shuffle and deal cards with blurringly fast hands. Above that is the third floor, also a balcony so the gamblers below can be curiously watched, where expensive drinks can be bought. The crowd is reflective of the atmosphere -- expensive, stylish, exotic, heated, and perilously fast.

The enforcers at the casino door give the threesome an idly curious glance, but wave the group on in without question. Wu looks around curiously, watching the people and their actions. He is aware he is out of place here, and doesn't really care. He knows enough that the house won't care either; his money will be as good as anyone else's. He says, "Shall we start with the bartender? They often know everyone."

Shiao-chiang nods, straightening his jacket with a grin. "Maybe I should do that? I fancy a drink right about now..."

The bartender Chin selects, like all the other non-enforcer types here, is a bored and attractive looking young person. He serves Chin his drink, giving the ex-cop an assessing glance, then looks dutifully at the picture as he polishes a glass. "Mmhmm... nice girl. You a cop? We're paid up, sir."

Chin smiles a bit and says, "This... it's not like this is anything official, I'm just trying to help out a friend. He's a bit of a worrier, and I thought I could take a little time to set his mind at ease." He glances around the room, obviously noticing the type of people working here. "I thought she might be attracted to a job in the city that was... ah... a little less common than a shop girl." He grins at the bartender, "I'm sure she has no idea how hard the work really is," and moves the photo just enough to catch his attention again.

Wu, with a fine instinct for people, notices an empty baccarat table. What makes it interesting isn't that it's empty... but that the girl looks extraordinarily dejected. Wu settles at the table and smiles at the girl, who starts slightly, rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand and chirps politely, "Baccarat, honored sir?"

Wu looks over the table curiously. He smiles and accepts, admitting he's never played this before, which is true, "...so you might have to help me out a little bit." Having gotten her talking about something as innocuous as the game, and remaining casual, he notices his dealer does not look so happy. He smiles easily, "You are very good at what you do. Do you enjoy your work?" At her noncommittal agreement, he adds, "Is there something bothering you?"

Shiao selects a pretty bartender and smiles at her. She gives him a faintly amused glance as she serves his drink, and raises an eyebrow at the picture, then looks back at Shiao, "You need to raise your DPI when you make your copy, honored sir, to get rid of all that background fuzz." She grins and winks at him.

Shiao-chiang laughs, and chats with her briefly about it. He has a strong interest in all aspects of entertainment, "...knew it was a bad copy. But it's all we've got at the moment. I'm working with," he slightly inclines his head towards Chin off somewhere, "to find this girl... her dad hasn't heard from her recently and is a bit worried. Seen anyone who looks like her?"

The bartender smiles lazily at Shiao, "Don't know, handsome. I'm temp help, called in 'cause they're short tonight. You doing anything later tonight? Might be able to remember then...?"

Over at the other end of the bar the 'tender murmurs casually to Chin, "Yeah, they all think that when they start... and the girls are looking to catch a rich guy. Guess they don't know most rich guys consider working girls trash." He pointedly doesn't look at the photo, but murmurs half under his breath, "...like her. Poor kid. Working name was Willow Down." He nods to the baccarat girl Wu is chatting with, "That was her best friend."

The baccarat girl in question is dutifully dealing out cards for the game, although there's a lackluster quality to her performance, "Oh, no, honored sir." That... was patently a lie. She could have screamed 'YES!' and not been clearer. The fact that she suddenly starts crying -- huge, silent tears running down her face -- confirms Wu's suspicions there's something truly wrong here.

The girl fumbles the cards, almost hiccupping in her efforts not to cry, her voice low and tight, "S-so s-s-sorry, sir -- I m-mean... oh, why'd they have to kill her?!" Across the room, Shiao sees an enforcer watching the girl steadily... then start walking towards them.

Wu says, "That's a terrible thing to have happen," and asks as gently as possible, "What's happened?"

Shiao-chiang grins at the female bartender, "If checking out the band 'Monkey Pants' is your thing, I'm headed that way tonight." He just as lazily passes her a card. Glancing around, he comments, "Such a classy place, I find it hard to imagine they'd have problems keeping people. Somebody out sick?"

The bartender girl grins at Shiao, accepting the card and tucking it into her shirt. She shrugs, "Guess so, handsome. So... you come here often? Maybe I'll try for a full time gig here, hm?"

At the other end of the bar, Chin's eyes narrow as he says, "You say 'was' her best friend."

The male bartender nods once at Chin's comment, then murmurs with that deceptive casualness, "Yep, Willow Down was being courted by someone who tangled with someone he shouldn't have... Kai was always too big for his britches, from what I heard. Hey, don't get her friend fired, you know? She doesn't need that."

The baccarat girl sniffles, collecting up the cards, "It w-was... it was Djang... he was bragging earlier, they said -- damn him!" There's a flash of heat in her words, then she goes quieter again, "He... he blew half her face off, they told me... but they wouldn't let me see her." She sits, holding the cards in her lap and head hanging, and adds dejectedly, "Didn't matter... I already knew. I saw her ghost this morning. I think she's haunting us... we deserve it, for not stopping her, I guess."

Wu says, "I'm so sorry, my dear. What was her name? What would you have stopped her from?"

"W-willow Down, honored sir..." The baccarat girl sighs, then puts the fumbled cards down and picks up a fresh pack, "Please don't tell, sir. I can't afford to lose my job for being clumsy."

The pretty girl bartender smiles and leans towards Shiao, revealing rather nice cleavage. The enforcer heading towards Wu's table is talking firmly into a headset. Past the girl, Wu notices also that several enforcers are starting to look this way. Chin, more experienced with this sort of behavior, notices also that many enforcers seem to be casually heading this way... and there seem to be a few more than before, although the gambling clients haven't noticed anything yet.

Shiao-chiang catches sight of the enforcer, starts slightly, and puts down his drink with a cheery, "Oh, gotta go..." Shiao-chiang walks swiftly and purposefully over to Wu's table. His voice is strong, paternal, carrying, "There you are, niece!" He strides right up and puts his arm around her. In a swift undertone he says, audible to her and Wu, "Enforcers; this way; what's your name, hon? Pretend you're my niece, please, we don't want to get you in any trouble."

Wu very carefully doesn't notice anything about the cards, and says, "Oh, you've nothing to fear from me." Seeing the large, well-dressed men looking intently at him, he comments, "I, on the other hand, may be in trouble." He leaves a large tip, along with a business card, and a copy of the photo, saying, "Be careful." When Shiao-chiang arrives, Wu says under his voice, "I noticed. Catch up with you in a moment." He collects his chips, smiles, and turns to make his way back across the room.

Nodding slightly to the male bartender, Chin says, "You've been very kind. I'll see if I can have word with her friend. Can you tell me when the shift changes?" Noticing the gathering clouds, he says, "Excuse me, I have to get my dry cleaning undone." He leave a nice tip, picks up a random drink from the bar, and rushes off to collide with a server with a platter full of drinks...

The male bartender discreetly scoops up the tip and smiles quietly, turning away to polish another glass with a faintly pleased look on his face. The female bartender rolls her eyes and grins at being so abruptly abandoned, then simply turns to another customer, "What'll it be tonight, honored sir?"

Several things all happen at once. Chin, not so far away from the baccarat table, inspires one hell of a kerRASHHHHH! as drinks and glasses go flying everywhere. At the same time the baccarat girl shrieks, yanking back from the man apparently groping her -- then slaps him as hard as she can, "Pervert!" The enforcers pause a moment, as if re-adjusting their mental view of what's happening, or listening to voices on their headsets... then change their apparent plans. Several of them head far more swiftly towards the baccarat table -- and several more seem to be effectively blocking easy exit.

Various well-dressed clients raise their heads, looking up at the third floor with mild curiosity. Shiao-chiang sighs and shakes his head, letting his hand fall away from her, eyes going flat. "Can't say I tried," he mutters under his voice.

Wu turns back to the table, and casually picks up his card and the photo, dropping another bill instead. He then turns and looks at the mess Chin has made, saying loudly, "Oh, my goodness, let me help you with that," and moves in closely. It isn't clear who he's helping or how.

An enforcer appears next to Chin, and another next to the baccarat table. Smoothly and politely -- and very firmly -- they both insist that since the gentlemen are so curious about the employees... perhaps they should all come speak with the Grandfather?

"So sorry!" Shiao-chiang says loudly, "You look just like my niece..." He smiles politely at the enforcers. "Oh, no, I'm so sorry, no time for grandfather today. I mistook this girl for my niece... ha ha!"

Wu says to the enforcers, "What? Whatever are you talking about?" and tries to look indignant. He also tries to make sure he can see both of the people he came in with.

The enforcers are expressionlessly unamused... and insistent. Wu says, "Now, why would you say something like that, hmm?" to the large, expensively dressed man who is accosting him. He stops backing up and rests his hand on the back of a chair from the baccarat table. Shiao-chiang will back away politely, and move towards his friends. Still smiling, of course.

Chin holds up his hands and says, "Now, fellas, we're quite happy to leave without making a scene, but unless you're going to man-handle us and risk an assault charge or two, or ten, do you really want everybody running for the exits? That'd ruin the whole day's take, wouldn't it?" He smiles benignly, but keeps his eyes on the thugs.

The enforcers are still unamused, and more are closing in. One of them reaches for Wu, the least imposing looking individual, "This way, please."

Wu says, "Would you like this dance?" and swings the chair up from next to him, trying to help the enforcer sing the high notes again, aiming the leg at the encroaching enforcer's crotch. The results are satisfying, and leave the enforcer doubled over and moaning unhappily, and probably serve to irritate all the others a good one.

Shiao-chiang's hand catches the stool as he goes by, and he effortlessly flips it upward and hits it with an off-hand fast spike - catching the enforcer's head between the legs of the chair and sending him reeling to the floor. Under his breath, he'll mutter to the girl, "I really think you might want to think about leaving with us, NOW." and start jauntily walking out after the faintest hesitation to see if anybody's following.

Wu continues to use the chair on the one he's already whacked once, raising it up, and then bringing it down hard on the back of the doubled-over enforcer's head. That drives him headfirst in to the floor, which knocks him out. Fang looks about to see where others may be.

Things get, if possible, even louder and more exciting. The baccarat girl's eyes widen in shock at the sudden flurry of violence, and she takes the better part of valor -- she scoops up her tip and runs! Clients start to peer interestedly upwards; goons are jabbering into their headsets, and many, many more of them start flooding upwards to the third floor. Several run for our heroes -- it looks like there are many 10 or 20 of them closing in.

Shiao-chiang grins. "Hey, 20 of them, 3 of us; the odds are almost even."

Shiao's words seem to be like magic -- a large group of them head directly for him! In the span of a moment, Chin takes the measure of their opponents, and knows they will not be able to harm him. He grins just a bit, as he know the reverse isn't true at all... Shiao-chiang weaves through the crowd of enforcers rapidly swarming his table, using the remaining chairs as batons, flaming swords and pig-stickers. Pieces of wood fly everywhere as he tries to clear his way towards the exit.

Wu sees men all around him, and frowns just a little bit. The first swings and misses, the second comes up from the side with a huge roundhouse blow, which Wu leans back to avoid, and then steps in close behind before he can recover. This means the lunge by the man on the other side misses badly enough to knock the fourth man's arm -- just enough to make his jab miss as well. Wu's frown begins to fade just a bit.

The goons are impressively unable to connect with Shiao -- until one of them gets in a lucky shot, his fist connecting as the young man dodges another attacker. Shiao-chiang winces, rolling with the blow and still trying to get clear.

Not bothering to get up, Chin sweeps the legs out from under the enforcer, bouncing him off one of the gaudy pillars. He rolls to his feet, and helps the stunned waiter up as well. "Sorry about that, son." Wu swings his chair around and tries to mow down his attackers! While he smacks three of them pretty good, none fall down and stay there. His frown comes back a little.

Shiao-chiang swears under his breath, figures they're about as conspicuous as they're going to get anyway, and... scoops up a baton from a fallen guard, launching himself full forward to knock three of them backwards into each other like bowling pins.

The goons attacking Shiao redouble their efforts, encouraged at seeing one of them successfully connect, even though three of them are practically arse-over-tea-kettle. It's like watching a wave of dark suits bound over and pounce! Once again, with cat-like grace, Shiao emerges almost unscathed from the heap -- and then, at the last second, a flying foot smacks sharply into Shiao!

Chin kicks one of the thugs, doubling him over. Stepping from a chair, to the poor guy's back, and to the top of the bar, Chin grabs a handful of those HUGE beer mugs. Even though the thugs dodge madly, he bounces a mug off the noggin of one. "Two more down, only a hundred or so left. How far away is the door?"

Wu is smacked in the side of the head by one of the three goons he's facing. He mutters, "Fall down already!" and swings his chair mightily. They comply with his request.

The goons shout to each other as several of their number go down, and predictably react as violent, angry men have always reacted -- a wide variety of pistols and tiny machine guns seem to almost bloom in their hands or out of their suit coats! At sight of the guns, there's immediate reaction -- people scream and start stampeding for the exits, or at least the stairs down to the first floor. Trays of gambling chips and drinks crash to the floor, and chairs are tipped over in the stampede. The male bartender rolls his eyes resignedly and just ducks down behind the bar, but most of the rest of the employees react much like the customers. Some of them are savvy enough to scoop a few chips, but on the whole it's mostly deafening sound and panicked people!

Shiao-chiang's eyes widen as the thugs whip out guns and start firing, and he grins, diving to the floor! He scoops up two metal serving trays, spinning them like giant wheels as he runs forward, bullets spanging and shredding chairs on all sides. Miraculously he is untouched, except for the scrape on his cheek where the enforcer kicked him.

Dropping behind the bar to avoid the hail of gunfire from the well dressed slabs of meat, Chin manages to bounce three more mugs off the three last mugs, leaving his attackers lying in a pile of debris. A bit surprised at the sudden lull, he comments, "Nice mugs," and hangs on to one, for good luck.

The male bartender looks momentarily surprised and guilty, trying to hide the bottle he's sipping from -- then grins at Chin and reaches out to pour some into the mug, "Celebrate." The rich scent of the expensive stuff reaches Chin's nose.

Chin mumbles, "One of the advantages of being off-duty," grins, and hoists the mug.

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Last modified: 2003-Oct-05 22:37:15

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