Blow Them Away

Dante

“No,” Wing says. “We’re not getting involved.”

I scowl at the four other half-lit men in the back of the mahjong house in Chinatown. “What, does he have you all by the balls?”

“No,” another triad leader, Chan, replies. “We talked before you arrived. He speaks our consensus. It’s too dangerous.”

I turn to Tony, expecting him to be just as shocked as I am. The fucking triads, backing down? Tony looks back at me evenly. Fuck, he’s right. I need to keep goddamn cool.

“What changed?” I ask.

Wing sighs. “The feds leave a wide trail.”

I grimace. “Don’t tell me this is about the deaths in Brighton.”

“What else?” Chan slams his hand on the table. “Feds raid the Russians, get you your girl back, and who feels the pain? Russians. You know who will hurt if we help you?”

“The triads.” Wing’s voice holds an air of finality.

I shake my head. “They’re eating into your territory, aren’t they?”

“Territory can be recovered.” Chan folds his arms. “Lives, not so much.”

I stand. “Call me if you ever