"...The August Massacre, the Internet nickname for the terrorist attack that took place at the Stark Expo on the thirteenth of August. No terrorist organisation has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. - The young girl was professionally reciting a pre-learned text. The terrorist attack that took place in New York has stirred up the whole of America. At the moment the bloody event at "Stark Expo" was the most discussed topic not only in the USA, but also in a number of neighbouring countries - Canada, Mexico, Brazil. - Captain of the New York Police Department, George Stacey, gave a speech on the thirteenth about the intolerance of the American people towards terrorism. He urged U.S. citizens to be observant and report any suspicions to a nearby police station. Our country still remembers the September events of the year two thousand and one....
"CNN is as late as ever. Whichever channel you turn on TV nowadays, they're talking about this terrorist attack," a large woman sipped tequila from a cut glass. - Bartender, say that again!
"They say that the FBI is running around like a pissed-up man, they've got the whole New York City on its ear," said a girl sitting next to her at the bar.
"What's the use of looking for them? Where does our money go? The FBI hires idiots by adverts, and this Stark, the rich bitch, couldn't provide proper security at the exhibition..." she said. - the bartender interrupted the big woman and put a glass in front of her. - Listen bartender, change the channel, I'm tired of these losers in New York.
The front door to the bar creaked open. Two women in black suits with scowling faces walked in. All the bar patrons stared at the Italian women who entered.
The large girl, who had previously spoken disparagingly about the terrorist attack, trembled. Quietly she stood up and tried to leave the bar through the back door.
"And you told us, Vella, that you're broke now," grinned an Italian woman, heading towards the large woman who was hurriedly leaving. - Stop you cunt! I'll catch you, I'll break your knees!
Vella's face filled with terror and she ran. Those Italian women were after her! Once upon a time, Vella was a businesswoman who owned a large construction shop. Every month the income from the shop was growing and business was booming. Success in the field of business turned a woman's head, she felt chosen. Vella distanced herself from her past friends and began to look for new friends, friends of her level. This is how she met other businessmen and prominent political figures.
Communicating with new friends was not good for the woman, she only began to believe more in her chosenness. Vella began to disdain people who earned less than she did. Alcohol, drugs, men, and later gambling all became the downfall of the once successful businesswoman.
The final point of no return was the "big game" - a high stakes poker game. It was overseen by the Italian Soprano family and was very difficult to get into. You had to be invited by one of the current players, and you had to pay an entry fee of twenty thousand dollars. That's a lot of money.
When Vella got to the "big game" at first she was winning, but after that she had a string of big losses. Overwhelmed with arrogance and a sense of being chosen, Vella kept playing and losing, hoping to win back and take the big score. Her unwillingness to finish and admit defeat played a cruel trick on her. She was left owing over a million dollars. The Soprano family cashed in the contestants' winning chips and took a commission from the game. But here's the problem, Vella didn't have a million dollars in her account. Not even half a million. The Soprano family paid from their own wallet and Vella remained indebted to the Italians, they gave her exactly one month to collect the money and return the debt.
Vella decided to rely on her new friends and tried to borrow money from them. But they all refused her with disdain, not considering her an equal and therefore a friend. Finally, a month later, a man from the Soprano family arrived to collect the debt. Vella began to argue that her debt was not officially documented anywhere, so she owed nothing. If they continued to bother her, she would file a police report. At the threat, the man from the Soprano family just smiled and left, and the next day a group of men broke into her private home at night, beat her severely and reminded her of the debt.
Vella sold her cars, home, business and all her personal belongings. The debt was reduced to one hundred thousand dollars. Vella didn't know where else to get the money from, so she decided to flee town and lay low. But were the Soprano family new to the business? They found her easily and reminded her of her debt again.
Two young Italian women threw Vella to the floor and started kicking her.
"Jesus, Cristina, I told you to take matters outside my bar. You're scaring away the customers! - protested the barmaid, calmly watching the beating of her recent customer.
"Hold that cunt," the older girl turned to her partner and pointed at the beaten Vella, then walked over to the barmaid. - Sorry, Aunt Polly. As compensation, here's five thousand dollars. Is that okay with you?
"Oh, Christine-Christine. Just solve your affairs outside my bar and you won't have to give extra money, - the barmaid shook her head and took the envelope with money. Meanwhile, the second Italian woman dragged the beaten Vella out of the bar and into the street.
"Lady! - Cristina loudly addressed the bar patrons. - The Soprano family apologises for the incident and as compensation gives everyone a glass of excellent Italian Grappa, have a good evening.
The bar customers cheered Christina's announcement, the past tension from the scene they had seen was gone. The Italian Soprano family was known on every street in New York and New Jersey. The members of this family were gangsters, but they always acted justly, and never harassed ordinary people for nothing. Everybody knew that.
"Listen, Aunt Polly, I've got a thing for you.
"If Jersey wants to order a big batch of liquor again, I've told her I need to be told in advance!
"That's not what I mean, do you know anything about these people? - Christina pulled out her phone and showed the pictures on it.
"Jesus, these are the people who went missing in the terrorist attack. When did the Mafia start doing FBI business? - the bartender grinned.
"Aunt Polly, for our boss, and not only our boss, the search for people involved in the terrorist attack has become a matter of honour. We've even teamed up with the local police.
"I don't know anything about the missing, but if anything turns up, I'll let you know," the woman nodded gravely.
(Cristina, a capo (middle rank in the Italian Mafia) in the Soprano family)
...
"Andrea, Andrea, open the fucking door! - a young black girl knocked hysterically on the iron door.
On the other side of the door there was a fuss and the sound of a deadbolt being unlocked. The door was opened by another black woman, a dozen years older than the first.
"What do you want? Why are you banging on the door so early? You know we only sell at night.
"Fuck you and your merchandise! Narrow-minded people are coming here! Up your black arse! I told you the triads are no joke, why are we running heroin into Chinese neighbourhoods?
The sleepy black woman was struck by lightning and turned around and ran back into the room to collect the merchandise and money. The Triad was a mafia from China, the Chinese were second only to the Russians in their brutality. The only reason Andrea had gone into Chinese neighbourhoods was because there was no competition here. The Yun clan wiped out all the drug dealers selling hard drugs, and took the rest into circulation. Andrea's low-grade heroin in Chinese neighbourhoods was expensive due to the lack of competition, she was making many times more money than in other areas. Realising the danger from being detected by the triad, the woman had prepared a safe getaway just in case.
"Damn it, why are they so active?! Before, they didn't go into the poorer neighbourhoods, but now they've gone off the rails! - Andrea said in between, collecting money and pre-packaged bags of drugs in a black rucksack.
"I heard they are looking for people who disappeared after the terrorist attack... - the young partner replied.
"Fuck the Chinese don't give a fuck about those people!
"大姐姐,你看这个,是不是和我看到的一样呢?(Big sister, look at this, do you see what I see?)-a cheerful voice came from the open door, making the two black girls wince.
"无所畏惧 (Fearless)," the first voice was echoed by the second.
The black girls dropped the bags they were packing and fell to their knees in front of the crowd that had appeared. The triad women looked impressive. Their miniature bodies from head to toe were covered with coloured tattoos, their hair was arranged in neat hairstyles, and their faces were covered with expensive cosmetics that emphasised their Asian beauty. From the outside it seemed that these petite girls with pretty faces carried absolutely no danger, but it only seemed so. In fact, underneath their beautiful Asian appearance there was real cruelty, for which the Chinese triad was famous.
The two captured black girls already understood their fate - they would be killed. One could only hope that the members of the triad were in a good mood today and would not agonisingly delay their murder.
(Triad)
...
Fifty kilometres from the US-Mexican border. A small border village in Mexico.
A black Mercedes drove past rutted thatched houses. The locals came out into the street, seeing the German car with their eyes. It was the first time the villagers had seen such an expensive car, they didn't even know what brand it was. The only thing that was clear was that the owner of such a car definitely had money.
The village children wanted to earn some money and ran after the car. They hoped they could beg some money from the newcomers.
The Mercedes stopped in front of the headman's house. An obese old woman in overstitched robes stepped out of the village's only brick house and stood near the porch.
The front doors of the tinted Mercedes opened synchronously. Two twins in white-and-silver suits and leather shoes with skulls on the toes stepped out. The begging children running towards the car saw the twins come out and stopped in a daze. Adults ran up to the children and picked them up.
Locals did not know who the two girls who appeared were. But there was a suffocating deadly aura emanating from these two that frightened and overwhelmed everyone around them. It seemed that only the village chief was unaffected by the aura swirling around the girls.
Maria smiled broadly and greeted the arrivals:
"Greetings Solomanko family members, what can I do for you?
"Let's go inside," one of the twins said unfriendly, as if to spit out of her mouth.
The village chief smiled and invited the two girls inside. There she quickly organised a vacant table for negotiations.
"We came here for information.
"I will gladly tell you everything I know, but what kind of information are you interested in? - Maria folded her hands on the table in a businesslike manner.
"Your cartel is involved in the surveillance and transport of people across the American border, we need information on the latest transports.
"Rest assured, the Pancho Villa cartel will never betray the Solomanko family's trust. We have always had friendly relations with you and have always paid our share," Maria said nervously, rubbing her palms.
The twin who hadn't spoken before tilted her head, her impersonal dead eyes meeting Maria's. A wave of goosebumps ran down the woman's back. The position of village chief was just a front. In reality, Maria was a member of the largest Mexican cartel responsible for smuggling people across the border. She was responsible for scouting the border and creating safe routes for the cartel.
Her cartel, like every other cartel in Mexico, reported to the Solomanco family, giving them a share of the proceeds. In exchange, the Solomanco family provided protection, weapons, and useful connections in the U.S. for quick and safe distribution of smuggled goods.
To carry out such a dictatorship, the Solomanco family had enough power to keep all Mexican crime under its control. The family had several tens of thousands of heavily armed, specially trained fighters under its command. In addition to the usual soldiers Solomanco had punishers. Ruthless killers with unusual abilities. The strength of one Punisher was equal to that of a thousand soldiers. It is not known how many punishers are in the care of the Solomanko family.
Sitting now in front of Maria twins were the most famous liquidators Solomanko family. According to rumours, the strength of these two was equal to the strength of ten punishers.
"We are interested in these people, - after her sister's words, the silent twin with dead eyes took out printed photos and put them on the table in front of Maria. The woman looked at the photos carefully.
"No, our cartel hasn't seen such people at the border, and we haven't transported them either. I can verify the information with the Mexican and American border guards, but it may take some time," Maria exhaled with relief.
"We'll wait.
...
"Come on, load, load, - Nadezhda waved cheerfully to the crane operator and sipped an open bottle of rum.
"Nadia, you're like a pirate.
"Yeah, I don't need a fucking leg, I don't have any teeth, - Nadezhda answered her sister and handed her a bottle of rum. - Here you go.
"You know Nadya, looking at us now, it all looks like a fairy tale, - Anna took the bottle of rum from her sister's hands and took a sip.
"A couple of street kids from the orphanage in thirty years could make a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars, even now go to Hollywood. "Dirty Business", do you think, a normal title for an autobiographical film will be? - Nadezhda joked as she watched the crane load heavy containers onto the ships. They contained modern American weapons - assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, even a few tanks. A complete set to equip a pocket army of several tens of thousands of people. In five days, these containers of weapons will arrive in an African country and fall into the hands of the local ruler, who has only recently been elected. He needs the weapons to consolidate his power and suppress the guerrillas.
The US government has promised to provide the necessary weapons at the end of the year, Hope hears about this and decides to outwit the Americans. It can't get any worse anyway, the CIA, SVR and other unsavoury personalities have been running after her for a long time.
"It's a good name, I like it," Anna smiled and took another big sip. The workers were running around the harbour like mad, trying to load the dangerous cargo into the container ship and send it away as soon as possible. If they got caught by the FBI or the police with a bunch of American weapons in crates and a few fucking tanks! It's not just the organisers of the loading, it's the movers too.
"Listen Anya, you're in charge of our girls in America, have they run through American ports yet? Any information on missing Americans or terrorists?
"Nothing at all. No similar people have turned up at the ports. No suspicious containers where people could supposedly be smuggled inside, either. They probably haven't left US soil and are hiding somewhere right now.
"Yeah, well, okay. Don't abandon the search in any case, let the girls continue patrolling the ports and return the rum to its place, I didn't give it to you to drink, but to taste!
"Is there any difference? - Anna grinned and gave the bottle back to her older sister. - By the way, what about the Chinese? The Yun clan seems to be planning to expand its influence and for that it will need to transfer people from China to the USA. Why don't you call the matriarch of their clan? So we don't waste fuel on the ship, but we can taxi back and make some money on the way back.
"Yeah, I'll give him a call.
(Anna, Nadezhda's younger sister. In charge of cargo security)
...
The dark night sky was lit up by the sound of thunder. It was raining a dense, impenetrable downpour. Grass rustled in the darkness of the forest thickets.
Peering through the scope of his sniper rifle, August looked at an abandoned meat packing plant on the edge of New York City. There was no one outside the abandonment, giving the impression that the mercenary had made a mistake.
Putting his sniper rifle aside, August drew his automatic and checked the time on his wristwatch.
"Two twenty," the mercenary whispered aloud and got up from the dirt. Just as he was about to begin the assault, he slumped back and reached for his sniper rifle.
A couple of vans pulled up quietly to the edge of the abandoned meatpacking plant. From there, soldiers dressed in the most advanced gear unloaded. The scope of August's sniper rifle pointed at the head of what appeared to be the captain of the squad. His finger slowly began to pull the trigger, the mercenary was about to fire, waiting until the most opportune moment, when all the soldiers were fully unloaded.
"What's she doing here? - His finger stopped pulling the trigger and August looked in shock at the familiar girl, surrounded by the soldiers who had got out of the vans.
...
"Madam, should we start the assault? - Vanessa was politely addressed by the captain of the first squad. The one August was aiming at.
"Wait, someone's watching us. Apparently, these cockroaches have a sniper somewhere in the woods. Search her immediately.
"Yes, sir! You heard Madam's orders, split up! The first squad stays here to avoid spooking the sniper, the second squad goes round and looks for the sniper's hideout! In case the shooting starts, follow plan B!
***
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