Description: When Nagase had come to Li for business, the ninja found herself thrown out, being told that the Serpent only wanted to see the big man personally. Insulted by how his agent was rebuffed, a furious Duke comes down to the Capital 7 himself, ready to break Mr. Li over his knee. But Li knows how to sooth even the most violent of titans, and perhaps even the Man that Hell Spat Out has a few weaknesses that can be exploited...
It's been some time since the 'visit' from Nagase, and the security forces of the Capital 7 were properly chastised for their inability to stop, or even detect, the ninja... not that Li particularly punished them. He understands, after all, that his forces, while adequately trained to handle the small-time thugs, cannot be expected to truly handle a skilled opponent. Still, measures were taken--additional security, of course, and... other preparations. Chiefly among them were preparations in case Duke -did- decide to pay a visit.
If Li's regular forces couldn't be expected to handle Nagase, there's no way they'd handle Duke, and while the Chinese gangster doesn't mind spending lives, he doesn't like wasting them. So there were standing orders--if Duke arrives, treat him with all possible respect--if he wants to see 'the boss', well, he is welcome to. If he just wants to play some games, he's certainly welcome to do that, as well, with an opening stake on the house. But do let Li know if he -does- show up.
The owner of the Capital 7 is behind the large desk that fills the back end of the room, working at his computer--running an enterprise like this, both legitimate and criminal, requires more than just muscle and ability to intimidate. Li actually had to learn the ins and outs of accounting, and that's what he's doing now.
It was only a matter of time, wasn't it.
The black limo pulls itself up to the atrium of the casino, right up to the front steps. There was no need for a valet, there was no need for proper parking. As the vehicle comes to a park, the chaffuer exits from the driver's seat, and steps to the passenger door. The valet does not have the chance to open it; the man within is already emerging.
And the look of his face had already run out of patience.
Duke was dressed in his three piece suit of black and red, his uniform, so to speak, of the Syndicate. Armed with an iron-shod cane of black mahogany, he shoves past the chauffer. "Park the car. I will call you when I need you." The crime lord rumbled curtly. He had no intention to be here. Nagase was sent in his stead to collect tribute from Li, manpower and money. She was rebuffed, under the claim that Duke had to see him personally? That Li had no intent of dealing with minions? Well, The Duke had arrived.
And he had expected payment in blood.
For the insult that was given to Nagase, to the whole of the Syndicate, and more importantly, to himself, Duke had every reason and right to simply tear down this casino to the bare, concrete foundations. But his business with Li was manpower, was support. He couldn't make use a dead man. As the looming figure works his way up the steps, the limo pulls away. His yellows eyes were furrowed as barges through the front doors, scanning his contemptable eyes over the slot machines... before settling on the front desk. Striding towards it with more than a hint of swagger, he speaks directly to the person manning the desk."I've come to speak with the management." Was the barely restrained roar.
"Tell him that Duke has arrived."
Credit where credit is due; the receptionist/hostess doesn't bat an eye, though she can clearly see the man's rage; her voice is smooth, controlled, utterly cool and calm as she looks at the suited man, and merely nods. "Of course, sir," she says, turning on one elegant heel--this one is a dark-haired, pale-skinned Caucasian in a smart suit and knee-length skirt--and gestures to two of the security guards, dressed out in typical security garb, which is to say, black suits, white shirts, jackets, and sunglasses. "These men will escort you to the office; please follow them." Those two men--large but, to Duke's trained eye, obviously chosen for size and look rather than actual martial skill, though they are armed with nightsticks as well as pistols, rather subtly hidden--both nod and one says, "Right this way, sir," as he turns, pressing a button which, within a good five seconds, summons the elevator down.
The hostess is already picking up the phone as the elegantly gilded doors close, no doubt relaying the message: Duke has arrived.
Inside the elevator, the first security man slides a keycard into a slot, waits for a light to turn green, then punches for the top level; the ride is smooth, whisper-quiet, and neither man is inclined to talk to Duke. Instead, on the twenty-second ride up, they merely wait, only to gesture politely as the doors hiss open, opening onto the hallway, the doors to the office already open, revealing Li inside, standing in front of his desk. They're so well-trained they don't even offer to step out after him; they know Li would just dismiss them.
Li is also calm-looking, in the face of Duke's obvious anger. Does he have any intent of needling or baiting the man? Probably not--he does know the power that Duke holds, personally as well as 'professionally'--but now it's a matter of face...
Credit was due.
Duke is cooperative, for now: Li either knew exactly what he just did, or he did not know the extent of what he did. If he didn't turn Duke away, then he at least knew that Duke was someone to take seriously. But what degree of seriousness would Li take him. Cutting throwing the crowd, Duke's grim demeanor poisoned the high spirits and high stakes of the casino. As he enters the elevator, he looks away from the crowd on the two security guards, focusing on them. There was one clear look in those yellow eyes.
He could kill these men instantly.
Duke had no reason to speak with these minions either. As they reach the office floor, Duke steps forward, his cane tapping as the tip snaps to the ground. The crime boss swaggers into the gangster's office, face utterly unamused. He does not mince words as his escort leaves, the Don standing firmly in place as he brings all his furious gaze down upon Li. "You wished to speak with me in person." Duke halts for a moment, before barking with restrained fury.
"Well then!?"
Duke could kill them. It would take relatively little effort. And they know it. Men and women in Li's organization are well-trained, and good operatives are treasured things, because Li hates wasting time and money on acquiring -new- good workers. The last thing either of the men do is to close those doors; they swing shut, sounding heavy and solid, cutting off all but the near-silent whirrs of the computer at the desk, and the air conditioning.
Li regards the angry man calmly, deliberately not giving any read at all to the Duke. He does take some time to answer, the silence pregnant with anticipation. Surely someone, somewhere, is recording this. For posterity.
"Duke. Welcome to the Capital 7. As I'm sure you saw downstairs, we're doing quite well... even on the legitmate side of things." He pushes off the desk, walking not -quite- past the man... not within arm's length, even... going to a side table, whereupon sits a silver platter with a cut-glass decanter and a pair of glasses, as well as a bucket of ice. Four ice cubes in each glass, a splash of what would, if Duke takes it, prove to be a -very- good cognac.
With his own glass, Li returns to his desk, leaning against it again. "Well. I suppose you received my message. You must understand, of course, that I couldn't simply... -acquiesce-... to your messenger. That isn't how things are done, is it?" Li's eyes hold a question--would Duke submit so easily to one of Geese's flunkies? Would Duke have respected Li if he had?
There is no initial response from Duke.
He just stands there, looming fiercely, those yellow eyes locked on every movement of the chinese gangster. Li was dealing with an angry devil. It was as if the longer the The Serpent took in drawing out this meeting, the angrier the Duke became. The cognac is prepared, and it is offered, but the giant does not react yet. Only listens, only stews.
And then, he finally speaks.
"General protocol is that the lower ranking defers to the higher ranking, Mr. Li." The crime boss rumbles, his grip tightening on the cane. "I sent an agent to talk to you. You rejected her, and insisted to speak with me. As the lead enforcer, I would only expect that action from a superior, or an equal." The dark-skinned man reaches out for his own glass of cognac. Duke rolls his neck, letting loose a loud crack as he turns to face Li.
"We are not equals, Mr. Li."
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A sip of the cognac, the amber liquid rich, incredibly smooth, warming as it goes down, and then Li sets the glass down on the desk, atop a soft paper napkin. "So it is." Li considers his words carefully, gazing into those yellow eyes.
"And yet your messenger showed me great disrespect, Duke. She did not announce her presence; she felt it necessary to try and -humiliate- me, before even delivering her message." Li's voice holds a touch of heat now--not directed at Duke directly, but it's there nonetheless.
"If -that- is how you expect to treat me and expect me to quietly submit to your designs, then you are mistaken on who and what I am." Li straightens his back, the slightest of frowns tugging the corners of his mouth downwards.
"Had she followed proper protocol, then perhaps we would not be here, today, at this juncture. I might have greeted your proposition with more enthusiasm. So you can lay this at your messenger's feet. Perhaps we are not equals. But I am not your minion to be ordered around."
Breaking point.
Duke downs the glass swiftly, letting it sit in his mouth before swallowing. And with the crude grace of a thug, simply throws the glass against the wall, letting it shatter."Maybe you are misunderstanding me." Comes the low growl. "I am not required to show you any respect. Any respect I show you is mere formality. If I do not show you respect, then you are expected to take it with a smile." Duke tosses the cane aside, as he rushes towards Li. Driving two massive hands into the desk, he gives it a violent heft.
To flip the desk aside.
It was like batting away a fly. Duke would ripping from fixtures if he has to, and effortlessly if he did. He wouldn't go so far as smash it into the wall, or more accurately, through the wall. But he was going to destroy any barriers between him and Li. "If she came in here naked, took a shit in your office, and rubbed it on her chest, you would treat her like a god damned princess because she came from -me-. That, Mr. Li, is proper protocol. I don't know what those soft-hearted cowards told you when you joined our family, but if you do not treat MY people with respect" Looming astride, he glares down at the chinese gangsters with burning yellow eyes. And he takes a long, harsh breath in, before exhaling his threat.
"You are not treating me with respect."
Shoved out of the way by Duke's charge, Li watches dispassionately as his desk is flipped over. It's heavy enough that -throwing- it would probably be a feat, even for Duke, but the way he tips it over is quite impressive. Li doubts he could pull off quite the same feat, but physical strength isn't his forte, certainly not explosive physical strength like Duke's. He remains calm. "I am. But, no, I wouldn't treat her like that if she did what you said. I freely admit you are a powerful man, Duke. But you will not -cow- me." His voice is quite firm.
"I made my entree into the Syndicate at the invitation of Geese Howard, Mr. Duke. I am not afraid of stronger men." Wary, yes. But not afraid. Will he be beaten tonight? Quite probably. But Li assures and insures his people's loyalty through a number of methods. If Duke eliminates him, he will simply have eliminated a resource, rather than having taken it--the Capital 7 aside, of course. That is just... property. But everything that comes -with- it, that would be harder to obtain.
Li looks into the yellow eyes again, his voice soft. "You want to be treated with fear, not respect... and that is something I simply will not do."
He would not kneel?
Duke rubs a fist into the palm of his hand as he looks down on Li. Throwing the table helped. As furious as he was, there WAS a degree of business he needed to conduct. And with it, a thin veneer of restraint films over his anger. "Really, Mr. Li, I think you misunderstand. I firstly apologize that you had Geese induct you into the family; he has grown soft and grey in his long years. Perhaps that why he asked for a businessman of your caliber to join us." The Duke states with a sneer, dismissing the 'high' roots. "You may not be acustomed to dealing with enforcers like myself."
"But do you sincerely believe you are coming out on top here tonight?"
Duke crosses his arms, looking around the room, inspecting it. His attentions shifts to the desk, his brow furrowing as he locks golden eyes on it. "You know what is coming. Your men are out of the way, you aren't even risking them to be fodder. You truly do not fear. But my question is why not? Why do you hope to gain by standing up against me?" Duke finally focuses back on Li, waiting for a response.
"What do you even hope to prove?"
"My men are not here, Duke, because I value their skills and their knowledge. You know, as well as I, that they would be no match for you at all. It would be nothing more than a waste of lives. I didn't get to where I was by wasting resources." He makes no comment at the slight to Geese Howard, but wonders, privately, whether Duke would be bold enough to make that same claim in front of the man himself... and whether he would survive the doing so, if he did.
"Perhaps there is a misunderstanding, Mr. Duke," the man replies, mildly, drawing back just a step or two--without looking like he's retreating. A tricky thing to manage, but he does it. "I am not looking to 'come out on top' here. I simply want you to understand who I am... who I could be for you, and who I will not be. I harbor no illusions; you could destroy my office, attempt to force my hand with violence, and I would be forced to respond in kind. But it would be wasteful. You, and I, both have enough cowed yes-men at our fingertips; that is not what you need. They are a dime a dozen."
Li's eyes meet Duke's. "I am not."
Li was still conscious.
In most circumstances, this was not unusual. In most circumstances involving an angry Duke, this was highly unusual. The crime boss was used to dealing with upstarts. He was used to dealing with groveling fools. BUt the trouble was with those inbetween. Li knew exactly what was coming, and was not even looking apologetic. That in itself demanding retribution in blood.
So why was Duke restraining himself.
It was how he didn't sacrifice his men. Li had a choice: Hide up here, and let Duke rip apart his men, or let him come. He practically laid himself down at Duke's feet. He had a certain arrogance of it, but he had a choice between himself, and the casino. And he picked the Casino. Unfortunately for Li, he wasn't completely correct. "You are more valuable than your men, that so much is true. But you have only proven yourself to be a dog. I wish to make a push into Southtown, Mr. Li. I considered you worthy enough for the endeavor."
"Can you prove me now that you are truly worth my time?"
"Can I? We've already established that I'm not your equal in physical power. You are my superior in the Syndicate as well." He lists these things calmly. "If you want to fight me--if you feel that you absolutely must have physical vengeance in order to satisfy your bruised ego--then I can almost guarantee you'll get it.. but I wouldn't make it easy. But your messenger told me what you want to do. You want to take over Southtown. Certainly you yourself can dominate the underworld elements... unify them. I can give you the legitimate elements as well. Smoothly. You deride Geese Howard as soft... but he was able to remain in power for many years, and he didn't only rely on fear to control that city." Li fixes himself another drink, taking a long sip of the cognac, setting the glass back down on the side table.
"You could be greater than Geese."
Greater than Geese.
The rage across Duke's face suddenly fades. A wicked, self-assured smile replaces it. The man was a weasel, no better than Hyena. Well, in some ways better than Hyena. Duke knew people like Li on the streets of Moscow. They were shiftless shysters, cowards that couldn't stand up to an enforcer like Duke. He knew he was better than them. But that was the problem. Duke knew he was better than them. He adored that feeling.
And those kind of men knew that.
Li's attempts to feed the crime boss's ego, and as Duke's anger dies down faster and faster, the brutish enforcer begins to grow drunk on the flattery. "I -am- greater than Geese." Duke insists, suddenly turning the smirk into a scowl. "But you see it too? The opportunity of power? How I am more worthy of the city than Geese ever was?" Duke's body relaxes in pieces, his pride overtaking his rage.
Li might have found the immortal crime boss's true weak point.
Someone once said to Li something that was a very good piece of advice. 'There are two parts to never losing a fight. One is to make sure you always win the ones you start. The other is never to start one you know you'll lose.' It was good advice, and Li thanked him for it--after he'd crushed the man. One of the secrets to Li's success is following that rule. Of coures he's also amassing power--one day, he'll be able to challenge Duke openly, and Duke must understand that, just as Geese's day in the sunlight has passed, according to him, it will be his turn... in time.
But Li is patient, and the groundwork he lays here, now, will be of use in the future. "Geese treated the city as a plaything. It can be so much more. The armies of the Syndicate are strong, but they can be even stronger... instead of simply paying off the police, why not own them outright? There are many opportunities. Many possibilities. I would like to be there when those opportunities come to fruition; I won't deny that."
That was very wise advice;
And a very deserving response.
Duke crosses his arms, the anger fallen away to intrigue. Li was talking fast, slippery like a snake. Certainly, at some point Duke will be old and frail. A tired dinosaur in the face of a new criminal world. And then, maybe Li will find the chance to shake off the shackles, to truly be free away from the Syndicate. Or perhaps even control the syndicate himself.
But that time was long off.
Duke is gaining a glimmer of patience as well. Those honeyed words, he knew he should reject them. He should simply beat him down. But how could a lie sound so sweet? All those opportunities, yes. Owning the police! Li would make an invaluable officer. Duke nods along warily. "I agree, Southtown was squandered in Geese's hands. But, Li, I must ask you directly." Duke down with grim yellow eyes, stern, but the aggression had long since faded.
"What can you, precisely, offer to my army, in my conquest of Southtown?"
Duke thinks Li afraid--afraid to fight? That's certainly not the case. He is a man who has had to fight since he was born. "I can offer my skills. Not only on the business end, but in the fighting to come. I think you will find I am capable enough in that regard--if not your equal. And, of course, my own forces... including not only the regular forces at my disposal but more... elite forces." Li smiles, slightly.
"But why should Southtown be the end of it? Mr. Duke," he says, "Southtown makes a fine base of operations. The sheer number of fighters that flow through the city makes it like a sieve--to catch the men and women of most use to the organization. But we can think bigger. The Triads... the Yakuza. Why settle for a citywide crime empire when you could have the world?"
Difference between Duke and Li may prove problematic later on.
In Duke's mind, if you weren't muscle, you were a desk jockey of the criminal world. A planner, not a doer. Duke was a doer. That was ultimately why he spent so much of his criminal career as an enforcer. As 'muscle.' He had a vision of greatness, like so many of the the 'smart' muscle when compared to their dumb muscle peers. Duke resented how he viewed that his superiors saw him as nothing more as a glorified hitman. He started as a ground guy, and that was what he was still. As Li describes the new scope of the conquests, it appealed to his dreams of power.
But Duke had limits to his vision.
"I am a many of broad ambitions, Mr. Li." Duke begins calmly, his dour expression unchanged. "But where I come from, ambitions are not built by dreams. They are built on foundations, on action, not on words. Southtown shouldn't be the end of it. But. Before we talk about lofty goals of controlling the world, or even the region, we have to take the first act. Controlling Southtown!" Duke gives a stomp, raising an arm up from his cross. "With Southtown and Metro City in our grasps, then we can cast our gazes to new targets." Such as Sunshine City. "But we cannot let our reach exceed our grasp."
It was we now, it seems.
Duke approaches the corner of the room, where his cane laid. "But you prove that you have a sense of the long-term, a sense of the future. You were... not a waste of my time." Duke tries to downplay how he came here ready to snap Li over his knee. "But let me make this clear. If I sent an agent to speak with you, it is because I have pressing business at the time. I expect a minimum of 50% of your forces ready at disposal. Including your elites. You will be well compensated, of course, for the loss of manpower during that time.... and if they are further indisposed. When we succeed in seizing Southtown back, Mr. Li...." The crime boss retrieves his cane.
"Expect to have a second foundation for your expanded kingdom."
Li inclines his head to Duke. "Of course. Certain operations here will be suspended for the time being to ensure that those forces are ready for action when you call for them." Li walks to the doors, keying them to sliently swing open, for when Duke should wish to leave.
"I look forward to the opportunity to expand the empire, Mr. Duke." And then, of course, to take it over. Someday. But those thoughts are completely hidden behind the mask of his blandly pleasant expression. "Until you call for me, then, Mr. Duke?" he says, making it a question--in case, of course, Duke doesn't want to leave.
As an afterthought, Li adds, "Of course all Syndicate members are welcome to avail themselves of the facilities here. We are quite well-prepared here."
In the end, Li won.
Duke had come here ready to crack open Li's skull. And now? He was appeased, fat from flattery, and now with a partner. A partner that, for all purposes, only lost a cup and a desk to the crime boss. And in exchange, he earned opportunities, and more importantly, a sense of respect from the boss. For now, he could play poodle. But for the Duke? He had only this to say.
"Excellent."
The crime boss turns his back to Li, as he had no reason to fear him. "Until I call for you. I am sure my associates will be happy to... explore your services. I have heard you had an arena, yes? That will serve my purposes well. But for now, Mr. Li." The don heads to the doors, to head to the elevator, to head out of the casino. As he leaves, he gives the last word.
"I will bid you adieu."
Log created on 19:28:19 06/01/2013 by Duke, and last modified on 23:54:51 06/03/2013.