Deadeyes #3: Get Deadeyes Previously, in http://www.chillwater.plus.com/HH/hhstories/deadeyes%201.htm">Boss Deadeyes #1 and #2: Antony “Deadeyes” Ventredi, a 1930s gang racketeer, has been raised from the dead and has reclaimed his place as “boss” of Gothametropolis York’s criminal underworld. He possesses the supernatural ability to kill with touch, but can delay the effect for as long as he likes. He has recently arranged for the animation of his formerly-dead comrades-in-crime: dapper hit man Emilio Cacciatore, accountant Ishmael Levi, and nightclub singer Myra Mason. ***     The old Turpin Brewery had been much repaired. The rambling redbrick structures that had once been filled with beer-making and bottling apparatus then later with derelicts and drug-addicts had been transformed into modern offices and a penthouse suite. The cobbled courtyard was now a car park.     Jay Boaz had every opportunity to admire the site from the air as he flew in from above. The capped crusader of the Lair Legion swooped down beside the new glass reception atrium and pulled off his Eagles hat, replacing it with his more regular blue cap stencilled with the letter H.     He stepped inside the brewery and went to reception. “I’m here to see your boss,” he told the attractive brunette behind the desk.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Who shall I say is calling?” she asked, looking at the muscled man in the t-shirt and jeans with the red cape pinned to his shoulders.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Say it’s Hatman, leader of the Lair Legion,” Jay told her. “Say I’m here to battle for truth and justice.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Do you have an appointment?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I think your boss will see me without one.” ***     Ã¢â‚¬Å“What do we know about Antony Vendredi, then?” demanded Velma Klein. “I mean, apart from the fact he’s about a hundred-odd years old and he’s come back from the dead, and he’s got some spooky death touch.” Her fingers strayed to the back of her hand where Boss Deadeyes had brushed against her. Sometime the spot still felt cold.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“He’s organised,” answered Melissa van de Luce. The recently widowed woman ran a chain of beauty salons across the state, and if some of them offered additional personal services then that was purely between the masseuses and their thousand dollar an hour clients. “If it was just the death touch, and that ability he has to delay it until whatever conditions he’s set on it are fulfilled, that would be bad enough. But he also knows power. He knows how to run a city like this.”     Melissa van de Luce had had a visit from the man who had killed her husband. She’d come to an arrangement with the Boss to carry on the family business. She could still feel his cold fingers about her throat.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“How can someone who died in the 1930s know how to run modern Gothametropolis York?” demanded Klein. “This isn’t his city any more. It’s mine.”     Melissa hesitated. “I don’t know, Velma. GMY, it’s always had its long dark shadows. It’s old. And I think this guy knows shadows, and knows old.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“There’s got to be a way to break his death grip,” the Mayor of Gothametropolis frowned. “I think we need to look for some specialist help on this.”     Melissa van de Luce nodded. “Maybe we could kidnap him, keep him alive but sedated for the rest of his life?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Still too much of a risk,” judged Klein. “But we have all the resources of a city at our disposal. Contact Justus Screwdriver. I want him to set up a meeting for me.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Of course,” agreed Melissa. “Who with?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I want to hire the Necromancer General.” ***     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m not interested in Parodiopolis,” said Boss Deadeyes, drawing on his cigar. “Never was. Too brash, too newfangled for me. I’m a GMY boy, born and bred, and that’s all I want.”     Akiko Masamune sat across the table from Antony Ventredi and fanned his smoke away from her with an ornate little peacock fan that doubled as a lethal killing tool. “I’m pleased to hear that,” she answered.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“You can have Parodiopolis, for all I care, you and the five families,” Deadeyes went on, “but Gothametropolis is mine.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“There have been… courtesies, in the past,” Akiko conceded, “Treaties between those of us operating in Paradopolis and those across the river. Of late such things have lapsed into disrepair.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, I heard a bunch of goons tried muscling in on stuff. That kind of behaviour is bad for business.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“It was for them,” answered the world’s pinkest crimelord.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll say this for that Lynchpin mook,” Ventredi admitted, “Flask knew how to keep a lid on things. I can do the same. Hell, I can do better. I’ve done the job before.”     Akiko considered this. “Harry Flask will be returning to Gothametropolis soon,” she noted. “He is being extradited from the Swordrealms where he was incarcerated during the Parody War. His lawyers are already working to have any charges against him overthrown on procedural grounds. Within six months, a year at the most, he will be free to walk these streets again.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, maybe,” answered Boss Deadeyes. “Six months from now I’ll be ready for him. But first I have to know who I can trust and who I need to rub out.” He looked directly into Akiko’s eyes. “Which are you?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Mr Ventredi, you have not attempted to use your delayed death touch upon me.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No I ain’t. In my profession you gotta know who you leverage and who you respect. I figure if I start using that kind of force on you, you start finding clever ways to kick back. Maybe you even have me taken out in spite of it killing you, as a matter of honour.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Perhaps,” agreed Akiko.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“So maybe it’s better for us to be partners in business and shake like normal folks?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Maybe it is.”     Boss Deadeyes held out his hand to Akiko Masamune. “I’m offering a deal. Our guys can work out the small print, but basically you get whatever you can hold that side of the river, I get this side.”     Akiko removed her glove and shook Ventredi’s hand. “We have an agreement,” she said.     The tension in the room slackened. Midori, Akiko’s ‘P.A’, moved her hand away from her coat. Emilio Cacciatore dropped his hand from inside his jacket. Only the little accountant Ishmael Levi still scribbled away over a ledger, unconcerned with the drama going on about him.     Then the door opened. “Tony,” called Myra Mason, sticking her head into the room. “There’s some hunky musclebound joe here to see you calls himself the Hatman.” ***     Bogdan Vlastivock held up his hand to decline afternoon tea. “I do not eat… muffins,” he replied in Vincent Price tones. In fact he generally resembled Vincent Price, especially given that Price had died in 1993. The Necromancer General wasn’t quite dead, but he made some of the cadavers he commanded look quite healthy.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll get to the point,” the Mayor of Gothametropolis York said. “I understand you know something about Boss Deadeyes.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m aware of his… condition, yes,” agreed Vlastivock. “Something set up back in the 30s, I believe, by the then-Voodoo Vicar and a consulting vampire named Vrykoulakas.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“A death touch, though,” Velma Klein pondered. “How does a person get one of those?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“It could be arranged, I suppose,” the Necromancer General agreed. “Have you yet bartered your soul to any major demon?”     The Mayor’s eyes narrowed. “You’re saying Ventredi made some kind of pact with an occult entity?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No. I’m saying that’s how I could arrange for you to have a similar ability.”     Klein wasn’t happy about the way the conversation was going, or the smell of formaldehyde that was starting to permeate her office. “Look, however he got it, Deadeyes has a death touch, and he can delay his victims’ deaths as long as he wills it. I need a way to break that grip, preferably without him knowing it. Then we’ll see how smart that pinstriped pinhead is.”     Vlastivock considered this. “It will not be easy,” he admitted, “but I believe I could find a way to… transfer the touch.” He considered some more. “Yes, it could be done, for a price.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I hope you’re talking about money,” the Mayor warned him.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Money, of course. And perhaps you could acquire me some of those homeless children that your city seems so well blessed with. For research purposes.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“That might be possible, in principle. I’d need more details of what you could accomplish for me.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“One other thing,” the Necromancer General considered. “I’d need an absolute innocent to transfer your death touch to. That way when Boss Deadeyes releases his pause on your termination it is the innocent who dies instead.”     Velma Klein thought this though. “Oh,” she suddenly smiled. “I’ve got the perfect candidate.” She touched the intercom. “Harringley, bring me in the file on Miss Asil Ashling.” ***     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t like you,” Hatman told Antony Ventredi, “and I don’t like playing games.”     Boss Deadeyes blew his cigar smoke into the hero’s face and remained calm behind his desk. “You’re one’a the guys that broke in on the Lynchpin. Ended up in court.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t like villains,” replied the capped crusader, his fists clenched as he leaned over Ventredi’s desk.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“And I don’t like heroes, Boaz. They’re bad for business and they get people killed. Usually innocent people, but they don’t see how that is because they’re too full’a themselves to bother looking.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“The Lair Legion saves lives,” Hatman argued. “And that includes trying to save people from that poison you’re peddling to schoolkids and the ones whose lives you’re destroying with your sex trade and your extortion racketeering. So don’t try to pretend you’re in any way noble or admirable. We both know that deep inside you’re worthless scum.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Scum,” scowled Ventredi. “Scum, you say. You little pissant, I was fighting to keep these streets clean half a century before you learned to use a potty. This is my home, my town. Sure, there’s a dark side to it, but that’s supply and demand. If I didn’t regulate it then someone else would. Someone worse, maybe someone who cares nothing for this place. The Soviets or the Chinese or the Irish, someone like that. Drug barons in Latin America. One of your weird supervillain types.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t buy that necessary evil line,” Jay Boaz replied.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t have to sell it,” Boss Deadeyes answered. “You’ve seen what happens when this all gets out of hand. Hell’s Bathroom burned. Then there was a turf war that damn near flattened GMY and Parodiopolis before Camellia of the Fay got taken off the board. And then there was anarchy, no rules, no bystanders, just a big bloody body count.”     Hatman had to admit that the violent crime statistics were coming down as Deadeyes’ grip tightened on Gothametropolis. “I’ve learned the hard way not to make deals with the devil,” he declared.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“And I learned long ago that a guy’s gotta pick his fights,” answered Deadeyes. He pushed a folder across the desk. “Take a look in there.”     Hatman checked the dossier, then frowned. “St Jude’s Orphanage is under the Legion’s protection,” he warned.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know,” the Boss agreed. “Now if I was a dumb shmuck, I’d have gone down there to give some charity to the kids, and while I was there I’d have made a special point of touching them.”     There were rumours that Boss Deadeyes had some kind of death touch. Yuki was investigating. “What did you do?” demanded Hatman.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Then, when the heroes get uppity, I’d just make one of the little kids drop dead in the schoolyard. Just to send a message. If I was dumb. If I was a shmuck.”     Jay Boaz held himself in check. “But?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“But I’m not a dumb shmuck. ‘Cause that would be picking a fight I couldn’t win, and dragging some innocent kids into a fight that should be between men. I mention this and show you the brochure because I want you to understand what kind of guy I am. Cross me and I’ll kill you and every one of your superhero pals, no matter how powerful you might be. But I won’t go after your kids and I won’t go after your families.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Damn right you won’t.”     Deadeyes brought those dull black orbs that gave him his nickname to meet Hatman’s gaze. “Now if you think you can live in a world where a guy like me does the stuff that guys like you think you’re too good for, then we’ve got the basis for a truce. If not then tell the guys at the mortuary to start clearing up some storage space.”     The leader of the Lair Legion held Ventredi’s gaze for a good long time. “If you break the law, and we can prove it, we will arrest you,” he said at last. “If your men commit crimes and we can catch them we will throw them in jail. If you step over the line and start to get creative or do things that draw you to our attention, we will find ways to take you down.”     Boss Deadeyes shrugged. “But?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“But if you can keep some level of sanity to this murderous city then for now I’m willing to let you try. For now.”     Ventredi relaxed a little. His hand edged away from Hatman’s fist. “Then we got the basis of a deal. Drink? It’s legal these days.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m choosy about my company,” answered the capped crusader. “I’ll be watching you.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Watch your back too, if you’re gonna keep mouthing off and showing disrespect,” Boss Deadeyes warned.     Hatman pulled on his Jets cap and left via the window. He didn’t bother opening it first.     The Boss lit up another cigar. “I thought that went well,” he commented to Myra. ***     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Let me see if I have understood this correctly, Ms Kline” commented Justus Screwdriver, criminal middle-man and international power-broker. “You propose to kidnap a close associate of the Lair Legion. You intend to have the Necromancer General conduct an occult ceremony to transfer Boss Deadeyes so-called death touch from your ‘aura’ to hers. You then intend to provoke Ventredi into activating your death since this will actually result in his murdering Ms Ashling.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“All-out war between Ventredi and the Legion,” agreed Mayor Klein. “No holds barred. And if Deadeyes dies and all the cartel heads he’s touched die with him, well that’s where we step in to fill then power vacuum.”     Screwdriver considered this. “It is an attractive proposition,” he agreed. “But risky.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“What’s the risk? The Legion are smart enough to work out what killed their precious Lisa-clone. And I hate to admit it, but Ventredi’s tough enough to put up a good fight when they come for him. He might even get one or two of the heroes before he goes down. It’s a win-win scenario.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“And what do you require from me?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Some hired help to snatch little Asil. Some people in place ready to step in if Deadeyes takes out the underworld leaders of Gothametropolis. The Necromancer General’s already on board. The rest is easy.”     Screwdriver calculated the odds. Then he smiled. “Ms Kline,” he replied. “I believe we have a deal.” *** Continued… *** Original concepts, characters, and situations copyright © 2008 reserved by Ian Watson. Other Parodyverse characters copyright © 2008 to their creators. The use of characters and situations reminiscent of other popular works do not constitute a challenge to the copyrights or trademarks of those works. The right of Ian Watson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved.

If Hatman needs some insight into the criminal underworld all he has to do is ask Chiaki. Unless, of course, he's afraid of getting the answer. She also probably has an idea of what's going on in GMY, which might be helpful to the Lair Legion.

I guess if Vendredi dislikes Chinese so much he might take offense to Liu Xi?

And I'm wondering if there's going to be a meeting at some point between Vendredi and Frankie of the Zoot Suit Gang. After all, they're nearly in the same territory, but Vendredi thinks Frankie is classy. And Vendredi needs the numbers Frankie has for control of GMY.

I didn't explore this aspect since this isn't really a Lair Legion story, but I assume that there's a whole lot of intelligence-gathering going on, with input not just from Chiaki but also SPUD, Indiana Gnome, Champagne, the Scholar Ghouls, Hallie, Gideon Book, Con Johnstantine, and other even less authodox sources.

Jay's natural reaction is to turn first to his team-mates, so its probably Yuki Shiron and Lee Bookman who pull this stuff together for team briefings. The LL keep a big holographic threat board in their Operations Room and you can bet there's a tag there now for Deadeyes (as there are for Akiko and Frankie and Mayor Klein); for the moment they're all green-flagged "watch and wait".


I'm maybe doing an injustice to the 1930s but I don't expect Ventredi to have modern views on racial equality. But he's also mentioning what he believes are the largest overseas criminal cartels muscling in on the US - the Russian mafia, the Tongs, and the criminals who formerly participated in the IRA. Ventredi's old Italian; he doesn't like the Irish.


Ventredi would probably cut a deal with Frankie for his grandfather's sake. I've been careful to keep regular gangster cast like Akiko (and by default Frankie) at arms length though, because Deadeyes is a shade nastier than they are and close association might harm their character concepts, and because if Deadeyes eventually gets brought down it means they can stay out of a storyline that might otherwise bring them into final conflict with the LL.

My assumption is that the Zoot Suit Gang operate independently in both GMY and Paradopolis, and where they're in alliance territory they hand over their "license fee" as per agreement. If they come in as muscle to help out one of the five families or whoever then the money passes the other way.

In terms of gang activity, I don't really see the Zooters or Akiko being much into drug running or the nastier elements of prostitution. They're probably more into the illegal betting syndicates, fight clubs, loan sharking, protection, and fencing. The Zoot Suit Gang at least probably still operate as a "caper" gang, planning one-off crimes against rich targets; after all, that's the interesting bit.

Akiko comes from the old Yakuza tradition, which grew from a strange mixture of criminal activity and community social welfare and genuine protection. She probably puts back as much as she takes into her Mangatown and Hong Kong territories in terms of unofficial law enforcement and welfare support - at least for those who acknowledge fealty to her.

Deadeyes would like to think he does the same for GMY, but he;s actually kidding himself. He's a nasty bastard who likes to play "godfather" and command "respect". He'd donate $1000 to a struggling church but next day have the priest beaten up for saying something he doesn't like. The social veneer is only thin, and only a cover.

I didn't explore this aspect since this isn't really a Lair Legion story, but I assume that there's a whole lot of intelligence-gathering going on, with input not just from Chiaki but also SPUD, Indiana Gnome, Champagne, the Scholar Ghouls, Hallie, Gideon Book, Con Johnstantine, and other even less authodox sources.

Jay's natural reaction is to turn first to his team-mates, so its probably Yuki Shiron and Lee Bookman who pull this stuff together for team briefings. The LL keep a big holographic threat board in their Operations Room and you can bet there's a tag there now for Deadeyes (as there are for Akiko and Frankie and Mayor Klein); for the moment they're all green-flagged "watch and wait".


I'm maybe doing an injustice to the 1930s but I don't expect Ventredi to have modern views on racial equality. But he's also mentioning what he believes are the largest overseas criminal cartels muscling in on the US - the Russian mafia, the Tongs, and the criminals who formerly participated in the IRA. Ventredi's old Italian; he doesn't like the Irish.


Ventredi would probably cut a deal with Frankie for his grandfather's sake. I've been careful to keep regular gangster cast like Akiko (and by default Frankie) at arms length though, because Deadeyes is a shade nastier than they are and close association might harm their character concepts, and because if Deadeyes eventually gets brought down it means they can stay out of a storyline that might otherwise bring them into final conflict with the LL.

My assumption is that the Zoot Suit Gang operate independently in both GMY and Paradopolis, and where they're in alliance territory they hand over their "license fee" as per agreement. If they come in as muscle to help out one of the five families or whoever then the money passes the other way.

In terms of gang activity, I don't really see the Zooters or Akiko being much into drug running or the nastier elements of prostitution. They're probably more into the illegal betting syndicates, fight clubs, loan sharking, protection, and fencing. The Zoot Suit Gang at least probably still operate as a "caper" gang, planning one-off crimes against rich targets; after all, that's the interesting bit.

Akiko comes from the old Yakuza tradition, which grew from a strange mixture of criminal activity and community social welfare and genuine protection. She probably puts back as much as she takes into her Mangatown and Hong Kong territories in terms of unofficial law enforcement and welfare support - at least for those who acknowledge fealty to her.

Deadeyes would like to think he does the same for GMY, but he;s actually kidding himself. He's a nasty bastard who likes to play "godfather" and command "respect". He'd donate $1000 to a struggling church but next day have the priest beaten up for saying something he doesn't like. The social veneer is only thin, and only a cover.

Somehow, I don't think things are going to go all that well for Mayor Klein. She may end up wishing she was spiffy, which is usually a dire situation indeed. In any event, while her plan shows a certain devious bend, she doesn't seem to have Ventrendi's sense of self-preservation when it comes to starting trouble with sleeping giants.

It will be interesting to see what happens when Flask returns, if the power balance doesn't change before then.

Also interesting to see Deadeyes and Akiko share a bit of the old school organized crime beliefs about who is fair game and who is off limits. Get rid of too many of those niceties, and it's much less organized.

Which, of course, seems to be the point he's stressing to Hatman. A very tense conversation there... I look forward to seeing some future showdowns between these characters.

Good stuff!

Noted.



I thought there might be a slight trust issue involved too. Jay knows that Chiaki used to be into things he'd rather not know about, and he probably also would rather know if she's still in contact with those people. He also knows that Chiaki is a woman of many secrets, that out of a sense of honor she might refuse tell him things he would like to know - and because he doesn't want that kind of conflict with her, he doesn't ask, and looks for the information his own way instead.

But that could also lead to him not asking when she is willing to tell. Chiaki always has a lot on her mind to sort through - she doesn't usually take initiative and tell the Lair Legion everything she hears unless she senses imminent danger. In other words, some of the things Jay might want to know, he won't because he "never asked".

Oh, and I'm sure Jay also doesn't want to know about Yuki chatting up Frankie for information.



As I said once before, if Vendredi becomes insulting to Liu Xi he can expect cursing in two different languages.

And ironically, before I forget to mention it, the Psychic Samurai is as good at making threats that aren't really threats as Vendredi. She learned from the best, Akiko Masamune.



Frankie has always been slippery enough to avoid conflict with the LL. Why do you think he talks to Yuki so readily?

Akiko is the funniest mystery, in that regard, that I accidentally created. Chiaki is technically retired from her gang, but she keeps close ties to Akiko, and also to the Lair Legion. You have to wonder if Chiaki is in that precarious position purposely or by accident, and whether Akiko planned it that way in part. Because it does indeed keep Akiko from being under the Lair Legion spotlight, since most of her actions are transparent through Chiaki.



The Zoots style is to stay under the radar, yet remain dangerous enough to scare the other neighborhood gangs.



The Zoots have the numbers to take on the GMY PD - so it's likely they don't because take payoffs from or do "business with" the crooked police and chiefs in the city. They also specialize in clubs, gambling (and naturally loan sharking goes with that), grey and black market, and neighborhood protection. They usually outsource the dirty work like assassinations and making examples out of individuals.

Their signatures, that they're famous for, is intimidating and stealing rare items from other high-profile criminals (like the Lynchpin) and getting away with it. It doesn't make them any money, but it does give them street credit.



When accused of befriending criminals, Chaiki usually describes Akiko has having more honor and honesty than most of the politicians and police who pretend to run the city while taking money under the table.



Eventually that might lead to a friendly chat with Yuki. Yuki doesn't make threats, she just breaks things until people listen.

If Chiaki speaks with him at all, though, it'll be on calm, friendly terms. Chiaki didn't earn her reputation as someone who's highly charismatic for nothing.

I'm sure we'll see some fallout from this soon - when people fall out.


That's a few plot developments down the line.


It's also hard to sustain a status quo without that uneasy respect without doing violence to some characters.


I hope Jay gets back and can comment at some stage.


Thanks.

Hatty tends to be pretty black and white.

> But that could also lead to him not asking when she is willing to tell. Chiaki always has a lot on her mind to sort through - she doesn't usually take initiative and tell the Lair Legion everything she hears unless she senses imminent danger. In other words, some of the things Jay might want to know, he won't because he "never asked".

There's also the question of what can reasonably be LL business and what thed team can't or shouldn't interfere with.

> Oh, and I'm sure Jay also doesn't want to know about Yuki chatting up Frankie for information.

Probably not.

> > > I guess if Vendredi dislikes Chinese so much he might take offense to Liu Xi? > > I'm maybe doing an injustice to the 1930s but I don't expect Ventredi to have modern views on racial equality. But he's also mentioning what he believes are the largest overseas criminal cartels muscling in on the US - the Russian mafia, the Tongs, and the criminals who formerly participated in the IRA. Ventredi's old Italian; he doesn't like the Irish. > As I said once before, if Vendredi becomes insulting to Liu Xi he can expect cursing in two different languages.

Obscenities wouldn't really bother Deadeyes from a source he doesn't respect.

> And ironically, before I forget to mention it, the Psychic Samurai is as good at making threats that aren't really threats as Vendredi. She learned from the best, Akiko Masamune.

Noted.

> Frankie has always been slippery enough to avoid conflict with the LL. Why do you think he talks to Yuki so readily?

The LL tend not to get involved in non-metahuman crime on a regular basis for the same reason that the army doesn't regularly go after pickpockets - they're not well suited to the task.

> Akiko is the funniest mystery, in that regard, that I accidentally created. Chiaki is technically retired from her gang, but she keeps close ties to Akiko, and also to the Lair Legion. You have to wonder if Chiaki is in that precarious position purposely or by accident, and whether Akiko planned it that way in part. Because it does indeed keep Akiko from being under the Lair Legion spotlight, since most of her actions are transparent through Chiaki.

And let us not forget that Vizh long since became a "family member" of Clan Masamune.

> The Zoots have the numbers to take on the GMY PD - so it's likely they don't because take payoffs from or do "business with" the crooked police and chiefs in the city. They also specialize in clubs, gambling (and naturally loan sharking goes with that), grey and black market, and neighborhood protection. They usually outsource the dirty work like assassinations and making examples out of individuals.

I got the impression that the Zoots were primarily Paradopolis based though.

> Their signatures, that they're famous for, is intimidating and stealing rare items from other high-profile criminals (like the Lynchpin) and getting away with it. It doesn't make them any money, but it does give them street credit.

It could also paint a target on them.

> When accused of befriending criminals, Chaiki usually describes Akiko has having more honor and honesty than most of the politicians and police who pretend to run the city while taking money under the table.

She has her good points and her dark side.

> > Deadeyes would like to think he does the same for GMY, but he;s actually kidding himself. He's a nasty bastard who likes to play "godfather" and command "respect". He'd donate $1000 to a struggling church but next day have the priest beaten up for saying something he doesn't like. The social veneer is only thin, and only a cover.

> Eventually that might lead to a friendly chat with Yuki. Yuki doesn't make threats, she just breaks things until people listen.

Ventedi fought his way to power from the gutters. He's learned the hard way not to cave to force.

> If Chiaki speaks with him at all, though, it'll be on calm, friendly terms. Chiaki didn't earn her reputation as someone who's highly charismatic for nothing.

Noted.

It's probably one of the major things Chiaki finds so frustrating about him. She could try to explain her view on things but it would just bounce off him.



Of course she wouldn't tell them everything. But she also might neglect to tell them important things because they never asked, and she doesn't believe it's her place to force information upon them.



*covers Hatty's ears*



It might make him angrier though.



What makes Chiaki's threats potent is she means them and can definitely accomplish them. For instance she would never threaten to kill someone because she probably won't.



Frankie works hard to look smaller to the authorities than he actually is. It's a game he plays.



Since the "family" has a pretty steep hierarchy I doubt Chiaki has chats with Vizh about their business unless it directly affects him.



They got their start in GMY, and moved into Paradopolis during the Parody War, carving parts of it up with Akiko Masamune to take advantage of the chaos. It's business, not personal.



They've been pretty smart so far. They usually only target high-profile criminals who are too complacent and lazy to hire muscle of their own, and outsource or use corrupted police.



Akiko or Chiaki?



I meant his collectors' item car, and desk, and cigar lighter...until he gets fed up with her destroying his stuff.

Then she's making an assumption that her way is better than his, not just different. Jay's strength as a hero comes from his moral certainties. He holds the line so that others have the luxury of dancing across it.

> > There's also the question of what can reasonably be LL business and what thed team can't or shouldn't interfere with.

> Of course she wouldn't tell them everything. But she also might neglect to tell them important things because they never asked, and she doesn't believe it's her place to force information upon them.

What I mean is that there has to be some line that the LL draws ton protect themselves and the world. The LL can't be a police force or army. They can't investigate every murder and bank robbery. They can't build a case against every crime boss.

The problem comes when someone comes to them and says, "My daughter was run over by a drunk driver. Why aren't you using all that amazing resource you have to find him and punish him? Instead you're all lounging around your posh mansion watching videos and having a beer." But the LL needs downtime, and they can't track every drunk driver. If they help this one distressed mother then what about the ten that will call tomorrow?

> > > As I said once before, if Vendredi becomes insulting to Liu Xi he can expect cursing in two different languages. > > Obscenities wouldn't really bother Deadeyes from a source he doesn't respect. > It might make him angrier though.

Possibly, but he's more likely to feel that he's won a little victory by getting a reaction, like a bully at school. "Wow, is that Chink kid going to burst into tears next? Better gove her some laundry fast."

> > > When accused of befriending criminals, Chaiki usually describes Akiko has having more honor and honesty than most of the politicians and police who pretend to run the city while taking money under the table. > > She has her good points and her dark side. > Akiko or Chiaki?

I meant Akiko but it applies to both.

> > > > Deadeyes would like to think he does the same for GMY, but he's actually kidding himself. > > > Eventually that might lead to a friendly chat with Yuki. Yuki doesn't make threats, she just breaks things until people listen. > > Ventedi fought his way to power from the gutters. He's learned the hard way not to cave to force. > I meant his collectors' item car, and desk, and cigar lighter...until he gets fed up with her destroying his stuff.

But getting fed up wouldn't make him stop doing what Yuki was objecting to, it would just push him to react with escalating levels of violence. Deadeyes is a limited man (which is why he's a villain), so there's only so many ways he can go. Push him in any way and all he can do is push back, and try to push back harder.

This is one reason I wanted the Hatman scene on record. It defines an uncomfortable but working relationship between Ventredi and the LL. It draws the line. The LL can and will take down Deadeyes and his men if they can do it legally, but they're not specially targetting him. He'll stay out of the LL's hair and won't go after them or do things that draw their attention.

That said, there's another element of this that I won't be covering until Deadeyes #4: Myra Mason, Deadeyes' moll. Myra's much more approachable, and a born networker. She'd be happy to have a "frothy coffee" with Yuki or Ebony or Asil or maybe even Chiaki and exchange "girl talk", and be an unofficial back-channel between Deadeyes' organisation and the superheroes. She's not a leak (she's blonde but it's not natural and she's not dumb) but she does understand the value of "a little bit of give and take, honey."

It's not that, but Chiaki does believe that she has real logical reasons when she tries to explain something to Hatman, and she feels like she's wasting her breath once she hears his conclusion.

For instance if she tries to carefully explain to Hatman that Akiko should not be arrested at this time, because if she is, all the small-timers who she keeps quiet and at bay will come out like vultures and start fighting each other. Hatman is likely to respond with a simple "but she broke the law and has to pay!". Chiaki would then feel like she wasted her time trying to make him listen, because he's going to do what he wants anyhow. It's incredibly frustrating for her.



Then there's also a matter of territory. The Lair Legion has to allow the governments of the cities and of the world to handle their own law enforcement, otherwise the Lair Legion runs the risk of looking like its own private judge, jury, and executioner, something nobody really wants.

As to how information from Chiaki relates to that though? Chiaki gets information from a wide variety of sources. Those who know her in the "underworld" always know she has that information. The reason they don't care is because she has a reputation for handling it discreetly, unless they give her a reason not to. In other words, she knows, they know she knows, but they also know she knows how to mind her own business most of the time.

Let's say the Lynchpin comes back. If he does, Chiaki will likely know the details of his new organization as soon as it leaves his office. But she won't tell anyone - not even Hatman - unless he takes the initiative and asks. It's not her place to tell him otherwise. Of course if thr Lynchpin's #1 plan is to dispatch Hatman, then she'd be sure to tell him.



Chiaki is getting a little smarter in her responses now. After cursing she'll probably turn everything into his office into stone to teach him a lesson, and then leave him to figure out how to move it all and open the desk drawers.



Noted.



Yuki tries to be subtle about her intimidation - she's been working as a P.I. long enough to understand subtlety. She would probably first warn Vendredi that there are "consequences" to his actions. Then a while after she leaves he'd realize that his collectible 1930's limousine is in pieces.

As a contrast, the Psychic Samurai might threaten Vendredi that he will lose his power base if he is not careful. An ambitious threat until he ignores her, and then as a warning, the Mayor of GMY and a couple of others Vendredi has under his thumb end up in the hospital all at the same time after a mysterious accident. And anyone working close to him who's heard of the Psychic Samurai will insist it was her.

That's just a remote example, though. Chiaki, while she hasn't had to kill anyone in her "previous life", was one of Akiko's top enforcers for a reason. She has an instinct for figuring out what will hurt her target most, and figuring out how to accomplish it without being directly implicated. That's what makes her so frightening amongst the "street" types.

Of course, since Vendredi has allied with Akiko, he may simply be amused by the stories about the Psychic Samurai. He might be eager to meet her and speak with her, maybe even make her an offer she'll probably turn down.



That's the Lair Legion's job, watch and wait. Chiaki sees the flaw in that, however- because now that Vendredi knows, he's going to use the time to prepare. She believes her job is to keep an eye on the preparations, and silently thwart them or poison them (so they look like they're ready but will fail spectacularly) if necessary. Both for Akiko's sake and for the Lair Legion's.



That sounds like something Chiaki may make a lot of use of - because she doesn't expect a leak, but it would work in her favor, at least making it seem to Vendredi like she's cooperative and friendly. That would keep her clearly off his hit list and free to do as she pleases. She would try to get information, but her style is to be patient and wait until the atmosphere is right first. Or in short, to coax Myra to give it voluntarily because she cares for Chiaki's safety rather than because she feels intimidated. Chiaki asks pointed questions, but usually informally and over a hot cup of tea.

Yuki would probably talk to her calmly too, but the atmosphere would be different and much more tense. She would be after information, and trying to get it as quickly as possible, and would use slight pressure or tricky questions to get it. Myra would be lucky to get her to sit down at all.

Actually, this does make Hatty sound like a naive fool, and in contradiction to his character, since a hero as experienced as he would know the consequences of taking down a powerful organized crime figure.

I used to like Chiaki as a character, but the constant references where supposedly she knows better than everyone else (especially poor Hatman) has made her annoying and self-rightous.

I didn't mean to give the impression that Hatman's style is clumsy, just that I believe he's something of a "burn this bridge, then see what happens when we reach the next one" type when the situation calls for it. He wouldn't arrest Akiko over some minor crime. But if she did something like, say, kidnap the deputy mayor to make a point, Hatman would arrest her and deal with the consequences later. If it meant a gang war and a power struggle on the streets, so be it, that could be handled too. Chiaki lacks the confidence that a power struggle can be "handled", so she opts for the more secure route.

To his credit, though, in reality it might be Hatman who's less rigid in this case. He's willing to turn the status quo upside down in case it might turn out better, while Chiaki is content to keep things as they are for stability because things may turn out worse. More on that in a moment.



A lot of that impression is because there's a lot she's covering up - and nothing criminal, more personal. One of these days I'll have to write something to show what happens when she loses her protective structures, but I may have to wait until one or more events happen in the Parodyverse first. In the mean time, I'll try to summarize.

In the case above the difference of opinion may be based on what's available to them. Chiaki has long been taught to depend on no one, and because she's only one human with no real power aside from what she borrows from others. The truth is she needs to keep that power base intact, and will do what she has to do to maintain it, within reason (she won't resort to harming Hatman to prevent Akiko's arrest though). Otherwise she'd be left alone, powerless, and without her sources of information...which will also leave her at the mercy of everyone else. And if that were the case, Chiaki feels it distasteful to have to be protected by the Lair Legion when she's been self-sufficient for so long.

She quietly fears the rise of Vendredi, and the return of the Lynchpin. Both of them are "families" that are outside her realm of connections. She's aware of the possibility of an alliance between the two which would drive Akiko, and herself, out of the loop and straight to the top of the hit list, and she knows in that case Akiko will give priority to protecting herself. Then self-sufficient Chiaki would have to approach the Lair Legion, hat in hand, so to speak, requesting help and protection. Having to do that would crush her spirit, at least till she finds a new place in the world.

In general, though, Chiaki can be a bit proud, opinionated, and hard-headed, but all of that covers a softer interior of of fear...of her old life catching up to her, of alienating the Lair Legion before that happens so she's left to survive it on her own. She gets involved in certain things because she fears she has to, to avoid losing her protection, and she doesn't want to depend on anyone to do it for her.

I do have a short tie-in which shows how she tries to manipulate things that are actually beyond her control to try to appear like she's on top of things. I wrote it a couple days ago but it works as a good example.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover I don't die in this one.

I think the "truce" between the two was handled well. It went against everything Hatman stands for, but he realizes that at this point there isn't much he can do about it. Not necessarily how Captain America would have handled it, but then Hat is his own character.

Well done. I've been enjoying this Boss Deadeyes stories!

~Hat~

There's a difference between being listened to and agreed with.

> For instance if she tries to carefully explain to Hatman that Akiko should not be arrested at this time, because if she is, all the small-timers who she keeps quiet and at bay will come out like vultures and start fighting each other. Hatman is likely to respond with a simple "but she broke the law and has to pay!". Chiaki would then feel like she wasted her time trying to make him listen, because he's going to do what he wants anyhow. It's incredibly frustrating for her.

The world has progressed through a balance of people accepting neccessary evils and people making great breakthroughs through zero tolerance.

> > What I mean is that there has to be some line that the LL draws to protect themselves and the world. The LL can't be a police force or army. They can't investigate every murder and bank robbery. They can't build a case against every crime boss.

> Then there's also a matter of territory. The Lair Legion has to allow the governments of the cities and of the world to handle their own law enforcement, otherwise the Lair Legion runs the risk of looking like its own private judge, jury, and executioner, something nobody really wants.

We've often made reference to some kind of charter, and to US and UN legislation that defines the team's authority.

> As to how information from Chiaki relates to that though? Chiaki gets information from a wide variety of sources. Those who know her in the "underworld" always know she has that information. The reason they don't care is because she has a reputation for handling it discreetly, unless they give her a reason not to. In other words, she knows, they know she knows, but they also know she knows how to mind her own business most of the time. > Let's say the Lynchpin comes back. If he does, Chiaki will likely know the details of his new organization as soon as it leaves his office. But she won't tell anyone - not even Hatman - unless he takes the initiative and asks. It's not her place to tell him otherwise. Of course if thr Lynchpin's #1 plan is to dispatch Hatman, then she'd be sure to tell him.

Noted.

> Chiaki is getting a little smarter in her responses now. After cursing she'll probably turn everything into his office into stone to teach him a lesson, and then leave him to figure out how to move it all and open the desk drawers.

Then she's likely to provoke reprisal and escalation.

> Yuki tries to be subtle about her intimidation - she's been working as a P.I. long enough to understand subtlety. She would probably first warn Vendredi that there are "consequences" to his actions. Then a while after she leaves he'd realize that his collectible 1930's

is in pieces.

> As a contrast, the Psychic Samurai might threaten Vendredi that he will lose his power base if he is not careful. An ambitious threat until he ignores her, and then as a warning, the Mayor of GMY and a couple of others Vendredi has under his thumb end up in the hospital all at the same time after a mysterious accident. And anyone working close to him who's heard of the Psychic Samurai will insist it was her.

Again, pushing for reprisal. The only way to prevent all of this is for "the chips to stay up".

> Of course, since Vendredi has allied with Akiko, he may simply be amused by the stories about the Psychic Samurai. He might be eager to meet her and speak with her, maybe even make her an offer she'll probably turn down.

I don't think he'd trust her.

> > This is one reason I wanted the Hatman scene on record. It defines an uncomfortable but working relationship between Ventredi and the LL. It draws the line. The LL can and will take down Deadeyes and his men if they can do it legally, but they're not specially targetting him. He'll stay out of the LL's hair and won't go after them or do things that draw their attention.

> That's the Lair Legion's job, watch and wait. Chiaki sees the flaw in that, however- because now that Vendredi knows, he's going to use the time to prepare. She believes her job is to keep an eye on the preparations, and silently thwart them or poison them (so they look like they're ready but will fail spectacularly) if necessary. Both for Akiko's sake and for the Lair Legion's.

War with the LL isn't what Deadeyes is preparing for.

> > That said, there's another element of this that I won't be covering until Deadeyes #4: Myra Mason, Deadeyes' moll. > That sounds like something Chiaki may make a lot of use of - because she doesn't expect a leak, but it would work in her favor, at least making it seem to Vendredi like she's cooperative and friendly. That would keep her clearly off his hit list and free to do as she pleases. She would try to get information, but her style is to be patient and wait until the atmosphere is right first. Or in short, to coax Myra to give it voluntarily because she cares for Chiaki's safety rather than because she feels intimidated. Chiaki asks pointed questions, but usually informally and over a hot cup of tea. > Yuki would probably talk to her calmly too, but the atmosphere would be different and much more tense. She would be after information, and trying to get it as quickly as possible, and would use slight pressure or tricky questions to get it. Myra would be lucky to get her to sit down at all.

Myra's a gossip, but she also knows how to keep her lip buttoned about the important stuff. people underestimate a ditzy blonde.

Jay has acted against major crime figures. It's his job. Usually the Legion's been prepared to mop up the pieces.

If Akiko or anyone kidnaps somebody then it's Hatman's job to take them down.

I'm old school. I usually e-mail people to tell them I'm killing their characters.


I tried to show how uncomfortable Hatty was with it.


I'd have done more by now but the response has been a bit underwhelming.