Page 37 of Forge the Blade

Sevastyan leaned back in his seat and waved his hand above his head, listing off concerns. “For recouping the debt he owes, restructure his company. Clean house. He has too many hangers-on that add nothing to the bottom line. His personal expenses drag down the entire organization, because he uses it like his own internal household, not a separate entity. Whoever takes it over should run it clean. Skeleton crew, select trainees. No more trafficking trainees, which means no need to pad the trainee rolls, just keep the best. Give creative direction over to Gang Junseo. His group and his leadership are the reason BBB3 hasn’t gone under. There’s another group under BBB3 that would be more profitable with better direction, but they don’t have a Gang Junseo making up for Bak’s lack of leadership. They’re young. BBB3 should debut two more groups from among the trainees, though they may or may not have the talent left after this public fiasco. I don’t know which trainees have been pulled by their families.”

Alexi threaded his fingers together. “All this seems to hinge on Gang Junseo and 5N returning to the fold. How would you do that?”

“Gang Junseo cares about his members. If he has a path forward where he can protect them and they’re not sold, he will take it.”

“You’re sure of this?”

“Yes, but Bak would have to be removed. Non-negotiable. That’s the man who abused Gang. The rest is just a business deal for debt that is being held against the company with which Gang has a contract. He never has to know it is more. In the end, the point is the money, not the breaking of a single man. Gang hasn’t openly defied us.”

Alexi rubbed his hands together slowly, thinking everything over. “And some disagree with your proposal?”

“They’ve forgotten the point. They want revenge for a dead husband or business partner, or to see Gang Junseo’s fear or submission. I saw him, crouched over the bodies. He would have kept going if I hadn’t offered him a way out. As long as he has something to protect, he can be reasoned with. If he has nothing to protect . . .” Sevastyan let his voice trail off. “Without 5N, there will be no recouping the debt, not through BBB3. And without Gang Junseo, there is no 5N. It’s cold hard math. Gang Junseo can be used, so use him. Just know what kind of tool he is.”

“And the most significant obstacle to this solution is?” Alexi inquired, eyes careful.

Sevastyan grimaced. “There are multiple individuals in leadership who feel insecure. Gang Junseo not only resisting but killing his buyer has brought too close to home the truth that they are vulnerable. Their pride, but even more their sense of security, depends on seeing Gang Junseo on his knees, submissive, penitent, and above all, helpless.”

Alexi tilted his head. “Then why not just give them what they want? The money can be made elsewhere.”

“Technically, as a Hand of the Yadro, I’m still tasked with finding a way to recoup the debt from Bak, even though I’ve been pulled from direct oversight. Second, Damian Sathers and Richard Reevesworth. Have you seen the profiles on them?”

Alexi shook his head. “It hasn’t concerned me.”

“Richard Reevesworth walked into a hostage situation last fall with a flash bomb and set it off while holding it. His household is known as The Residency by those close to him. He allows only a select few inside. It’s anchored by him and his husband. Damian Sathers has been part of the Residency for more than a decade, and last year a Collin Ryker was added. All my surveillance confirms that Gang Junseo has been accepted as a member of The Residency. During the initial incident in South Korea, while Gang Junseo was being sold, Damian Sathers and Richard Reevesworth were on the ground. Why, I’m not certain. But they brought the full force of Reevesworth Industries to bear on the regional economy. It was significant enough that the sale was ordered to be stopped and Gang returned unharmed by the Yadro itself. By the time I arrived, it was too late to fully fulfill those orders. The best I could do was return Gang and let it appear that it was an isolated incident between the dead buyer and Bak Gyeong.”

Alexi sighed. “Mismanaged from the beginning.”

“Very much so. Bak Gyeong became desperate. And those around him and above compounded the problem.”

“Who sent you in?”

“The Yadro, technically the directors themselves. It was a direct order after they lost confidence the situation was going to be handled. Which is one of two reasons why I arrived too late to stop the sale before it went through.”

“You still think Gang Junseo can be convinced to pay back Bak Gyeong’s debts with as powerful a patron as Richard Reevesworth?”

“I think it’s a possibility,” Sevastyan said carefully. “With the right carrot and stick. Not foolproof, but more than a forty percent chance of success.”

Alexi nodded. “You should be running the operation, maybe the region. It sounds like a mess.”

Sevastyan shook his head and groaned.

“It could come to it,” Alexi prodded. “Bak Gyeong has been allowed to reach this point because others were benefitting. From numbers I’ve seen, that goes up to the regional level, right below the Yadro itself, if not into the Yadro.”

Sevastyan kept his thoughts about Bak Gyeong’s connections to himself. He couldn’t say what he knew without revealing sources.

“You’re bringing moral clarity and business sense to criminals,” Alexi said, after a short silence. “Your logic is sound. It’s not even naïve. It’s cold and hard. But the kind of people who base their lives on shadows and the illicit have egos. Egos will eventually cease to speak with logic.”

“Is that why you half retired?” Sevastyan stood and went to the bar, waving towards the alcohol.

Alexi nodded, accepting the offer of a drink.

Sevastyan busied himself pouring.

“You’re not drinking?” Alexi asked.

Sevastyan raised the glass tumbler meant for Alexi to his lips and sipped, then brought it over. “Alcohol will mess with the meds, and I have to be in shape soon.”

Alexi raised an eyebrow.