[All4BigGuns]

"Don't know what meeting you're referring to," Serge replies simply, "The only people I don't know who attempted to contact me since you left this office were rather shady individuals who tried accosting me at a club or tried to intimidate me through tailing my vehicle."

He takes a breath and adds, "I don't respond well to such tactics."

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1105; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

Gatling pursed her lips in sympathy. "When he really wants to help someone, he can be...Listen, i went to Yale, and I know you're an Ivy Leaguer yourself. So you know how we have to make allowances for those that haven't had all of our advantages. Realize they're doing the best with what they have. People skills may not be his strong suit, but I guarantee you that he and his people are top notch at what they do. And since we still have some distance to cover, I really do think it would be constructive for you to meet with him before you and I continue our discussion on closing your gap. As I said, his unique business model is such that he would pay you for the opportunity to provide your security, so you'd benefit on both sides of your cost-benefit profile. And," she added consiratorially,"I'm not sure how keeping these gang members around all the time will affect your insurance eligibility."

She leaned back and crossed her slender legs. "What do you say, Doctor? Can I have my contact swing by your place this evening?"

[All4BigGuns]

"The man can come to this office for a meeting," Serge responds.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1106; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

"He might not like that," the woman simpered and then there was a knock on the door and it opened before Serge could respond.

Two middle-aged men with conservative suits and more conservative haircuts walked in. Outside the door, there was no sign of the Wolverine officers that had accompanied Gatling and Sandstede.

The men held up badge/ID combos accompanied by official-looking AROs. "Pardon the interruption doctor," one smiled briefly, then continued, "I'm Smith, FBI."

The other said, "And I'm Smith, SEC. Ms. Gatling, Mr. Sandstede, you'll come with us please."

Gatling attempted to come off nonplussed. "Of course. I'll just need to check in with my office. Do you have some documentation I can show them."

Smith said, "Just sent it to you. Please keep your communications on speaker." His tone was that of no-nonsense command.

Still fairly confident, the woman made the connection, and was immediately answered by a male voice. "This is Smith, Justice Department. The operation at this commcode has come under the jurisdiction of an interdeparmental UCAS task force. How may I help you?"

The woman simply cut the connection and stood quietly, followed by her associate.

"Apologies again for the interruption, Doctor," said Smith as they ushered the prisoners out of the room.

[All4BigGuns]

As the purported FBI agent escorts the pair from his office, Serge looks to the man and says, "Agent...Smith was it? Will this have any effect upon my practice here? Apologies, but it does tend to make one a bit nervous when federal agents come into one's office and take people away."

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1108; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

The agent turned and faced Serge. "Doctor, the Federal Government of the UCAS is here to protect you. No good citizen should feel nervous in the company of its agents. Good luck with your practice here. If you have any questions, please direct them to the local FBI field office's non-emergency line, open ten to two Monday to Thursday, with an hour off for lunch and subject to the usual charges. Wait time averages seventy-four minutes. Have a great day, sir. We know the way out."

And with that they were gone.

Almost immediately Serge's comm beeped an incoming call. Answering it, he heard a familiar voice: <<Well, that was a show. I'd heard that might happen, which is why I was reluctant to meet at your practice. But that problem seems to have resolved itself. i still have a very attractive proposal for improving your security arrangements if you don't mind me stopping by for a longer conversation.>> It was the man from the club the night before.

[All4BigGuns]

Clicking the comm, Serge sends back <<This is a slow day for medicine, so you can come by to speak any time between now and shortly before the clinic closes for the evening.>>

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1120; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

Ten minutes later the man from the club was sitting in Serge's office.

He was wearing a much more expensive suit than he had at the club.

After sitting down, he made a show of reaching for a business card, but then smiled in self-deprecation and put it back, his face saying - I guess I already gave you one of these.

Serge did not offer pleasantries, so the man spoke his mind. "My name for you will be Rafferty. I imagine you are paying these gangers something to protect your place here, be it cash or trade or both. Whatever it is, it's too much. They're as much a liability as a help. Their colors attract random violence from rivals, if anything goes down they're as likely to shoot some patient as put down any threats, and they're scaring away in customers that might actually have money to pay you. Not to mention the way they've alienated the pawns, and that's the overarching security we all rely on, isn't it? So what I'd like to do is offer you reliable, professional security services twenty-four hours a day at a cash cost of exactly minus one-thousand nuyen a month."

[All4BigGuns]

Serge nods and says simply, "They're not paid in money, but rather that they receive a fifty percent discount on treatment in exchange for keeping the area around the clinic safe be it from members of their own number that get too rowdy or the worse case of other, much worse, gangs roaming in to create mayhem."

He gives a sigh and says almost with the air of a professional politician, "Assuming that I can manage only continuing to pay, in rent on the place, what I am now, I think I could manage an extra thousand per month especially if more well-off people start coming in to the clinic. The only issue would be reneging on the deal with the gang, and they're leader is very touchy on those matters. If you can deal with them without much increase in cost and keeping my involvement on the down low, then I think we can strike an arrangement."

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1121; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

The man smiled. "Just leave your pet gang to me. I can make them leave the place in peace and make them think they're the winners. But I fear I was not clear. I would be happy to pay you one thousand nuyen per month if you'll let me provide this service to you."

[All4BigGuns]

"My mother didn't raise a fool," Serge says, leaning forward and steepling his fingers in front of his face, "A deal like this sounds too good to be true, so I have to ask. What's the catch?"

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1121; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

"Nothing much different from the deal I imagine you have with your street gang friends. Occasionally people I represent are injured, but find hospitals and even private services such as Doc Wagon or Crashcart inconveniently public. They need a safe place to go where they know their treatment would be competent, discreet, and, above all, prioritized. Such places already exist throughout the metroplex, but most are unhygienic at best. We are looking to change that."

He paused to gauge the young doctor's reaction.

"Also, occasionally, for very special tasks, a fully-trained physician is required for work...on-site...if you will. As such, it is in our interests to maintain relationships with such individuals so that they would be available if called upon. I should stress, however, that such, um, field services, while expected, would receive generous additional compensation - generous enough to, say, hire additional staff or buy needed equipment for a struggling charity clinic."

[All4BigGuns]

Being no fool, Serge cracks a bit of a grin and says, "Given that info, I think I know the sort of people you represent, and I do imagine they would be a bit less rowdy--for the most part--than Bruiser's boys are."

He leans back and continues, "I think that we can come to an arrangement on that end, though, I would need to be able to decline if one of these 'on-site' endeavors went too far against my conscience. I'm certain it wouldn't happen often, but it is enough of a possibility that making the stipulation is prudent."

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 1121; Touristville, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex

"Excellent. Excellent. Give us just a couple of days to transition your gangers out - don't worry, the way we'll handle it, they'll like you more by the time we've eased them back into the gutter."

He laid a black certified credstick on the desk."That covers our first month payment to you, plus you'll find quite a bit more on there. Because there's one thing I need to let you know before I leave. The first on-site job will be this Friday night. It's a big one, as you'll see from the amount on the stick. And it's strictly a defensive job, so absolutely no moral considerations. As I understand it, you'll be there in support of a group of security specialists protecting a major smuggling transaction that's been under some hostile pressure lately. You'll get a call tomorrow with more details. The caller ID will show a Red Ribbon Productions. That ends my involvement with that operation - I know nothing else about it and you'll receive your back-end payment on site once the transaction is concluded. But if you have any other questions for me about our ongoing arrangement..."

[All4BigGuns]

Picking up the cred-stick, Serge looks it over before saying, "I think this should work out well. Though, at some point, your associates may think it prudent to spring for a second medical vehicle for me that is solely for use in backing them up 'on the fly'. Can't really have the clinic's being seen near endeavors like what you say is coming on Friday."