Disclaimer: See Ch. 1.
Note: There is a map available for the city of Lurdell. I had to create it because... well you'll see. Click here to view it. I hope it doesn't look too bad.
The Portal to Beyond: Chapter XVI
"We have a little underground system on this planet," the figure, whose name was Nathell, told them. "I've been studying the planet called Chikyuu so I know you have an equivalent. That is also how I learned the language of Japanese." He made himself more comfortable on the crate and leaned back towards a wall. "You call it the black market."
"That black market?!" Gohan exclaimed. "Don't tell me that you are going to get that metal illegally!"
Nathell gave him a hard look. "Do you think that you have a choice? Or would you rather wait about 7-9 months to see the mayor?" Then he gave them a mock surprised look. "Oh wait! You can't! Everyone is going to be dead by then!"
The older Vegeta growled and grabbed Nathell by the collar of his trench coat. "Listen here, we need that and we need it now! So are you going to tell us exactly *how* to get it or am I going to have to beat it out of you?!"
"Put. Me. Down." the man said harshly. It even made Veggie rethink what he was doing.
"He's our only chance so please put him down!" ChiChi cried.
Vegeta complied and Nathell brushed the wrinkles away. "I'll help you but you have to do something for me."
"Anything!" ChiChi and Gohan said in unison.
"Anything?" he asked, a strange gleam in his eye.
***
"Iie! Anything but this!" Gohan said as he looked down at his outfit.
He and the others were similarily dressed in black. Black coats, black clothes, black hats, and there were even black paint on their faces.
"You are Night People. You must become the darkness if you want to succeed."
"Can you *please* give us something else to do?" ChiChi asked but not everyone was skeptical about this getup.
"Sugoi! We get to be gangsters Goten!" Trunks cheered. He and his friend were checking out thier outfits and the weapons that they would get to use. Nathell said that they couldn't use their powers because that would scare away their "customers".
The man ignored her and went on the explain in detail what he wanted them to do.
"You will split up into different groups and take on different parts of the city. Some are a lot worse than others but I think that you'll be okay. I also may have you expand to different parts of the planet itself but that will come later." He snapped his fingers and an underling jumped to do his bidding.
A holographic image popped up at the center of the room and they all closed in to see.
"This," Nathell snapped out a pointer and moved it over to an upper section of the city. "is area A2. Or the Upper Darkness as we like to call it."
ChiChi audibly gulped at the name.
"There are only semi-rough people here so I think that I'll send you, you, and you." He pointed to Nappa, Raditz, and the younger Vegeta. "You are to go to a warehouse there and make a pickup. I will tell you later what the codeword is."
Those three moved off to the side and Nathell moved on.
"You, you, and you," he pointed to ChiChi, Goten, Trunks, and Kakarott, "are doing a little "bill collecting" in area D2 or the Lower Darkness. It's in the middle range in the area of difficulty. The strength of the people here varies but most are fighters.
"Now for you three," he said indicating Vegeta, Goku, and Gohan.
"Sir, I have a feeling you've got us in groups based on power," Gohan said nervously.
"Yep. You've got that right. You see, I can also sense ki. Now you probably know what you'll be doing and where you'll be going but I'll tell you anyway." He pointed to another place. "This is Central Square. There are all types here. You would think that being surrounded by govermental places would calm it down some but that isn't the case. The government doesn't bother them and they don't bother the government. Rather, they bother everyone else.
"You three are being sent on a *very* special mission," The firelight made his eyes glint evilly. "In addition to making a drop off, you have to dodge the rival gangs."
"No problem," Vegeta said.
He shook a finger. "Uh uh uh. It's not that easy." He had his worker zoom in closer on the center square of the map. "You will enter to the south, the drop off is to the north, And by dodge I meant evade them completely. You cannot let them see you for any reason. The person you are getting the supplies to is not so carefully hidden. There are people in both gangs who can kill him at any time. They are just waiting for an opportunity." He paused to take a sip from his wine glass.
"There is an unwritten law in the rough areas: You must have a reason to kill. Entering their territory gives them an *extremely* good reason."
"Is this even possible to do?" Goku asked.
"Yes. It is. You don't have to kill anyone so that's a good point. Unless things start getting a little bad."
"I'll handle it," Vegeta spoke up. "These two have a problem with taking lives."
"Right," Nathell nodded. "I'm short on people so you guys will have to do." He pulled something from behind him and held it out. "These are the communicators that we use on missions. Each group will have one to radio back when they finish. If someone asks you for help DO NOT go to them until your own job in complete. Is that understood?"
Everyone nodded and took one.
"I will take you to where you have to go using the underground pathway. After that you are on your own."
***
"What are we supposed to do again?" Nappa asked Vegeta.
The younger saiyan sighed and began to explain it. Again.
"We're supposed to go to Grechee Street and meet an agent in a back alley in front of the warehouse. From there, after we say the code word, we're to take it back to the base. It's simple you idiot!"
"Right. Right." They crept along side a building on the street and paused at the intersection.
"There! You see it?" Raditz whispered. "The sign's over there."
A blue sign with white lettering was on a pole at the corner. The native language was first, then another language that they didn't understand, followed by it in english.
"Let's go and get this over with," The looked both ways and began to cross. "Whoa! Back up!" Vegeta shouted. Suddenly a sports car came zooming around the corner. Nappa jumped back, barely missing the loss of a toe.
"Where did that come from?!" Raditz asked. He attemped to cross it again and the same thing happened, this time with a truck. "Is this going to be the same every time we attempt to cross? This is insane!"
Vegeta thought a second and then came up with an idea. "I have it!" Grabbing Nappa by his shirt, he picked him up and heaved him directly into the middle of the road.
"WHAT DID YA DO THAT FOR VEGETA?!" he shrieked. The other two ran across while he just sat there.
"NAPPA NO BAKA! Get your bald ass over here NOW!!" Vegeta yelled at him.
The bald saiyan stood and jumped straight up and over the car that headed towards him. The driver kept going without even looking back to see if he was okay.
Nappa made it across without further incident and glanced back one more time.
"You know My Prince, I *swear* they have that set up that way on purpose!"
***
"Ba da daaaaa, ba da daaaaa, ba da daaaaa, daa daa," Trunks and Goten both hummed.
ChiChi spun around and glared. "Can you *please* stop singing the song to Mission Impossible?!"
Trunks began to pout. "But it goes so well with this!"
"I don't care! You're breaking my concentration."
Kakarott chuckled and smiled at the two children. "Actually, it goes better with your Tousan's mission."
They finally emerged from the alleyway in front of...
"They have chinese restaurants?!" ChiChi exclaimed.
"These people have been spending *way* too much time studying Chikyuu," Trunks commented.
The sign of The China Dragon was displayed proudly on the front of the building that looked very much like a miniature pagoda. Several different species were eating noodles with chopsticks, drinking green tea, or examining the fortunes that they had received in their cookies at the small outside eating area. There were also many different colors of chinese lanterns illuminating the area. The three slowly went up the steps and into the building, very wary of the others (who weren't even paying them any attention).
"Yes, may I help you?" A slender blue alien asked in an fake chinese accent.
"Uh," ChiChi and Kakarott exchanged glances, "we're here to see your boss."
Others walked by during the conversation. "I have no idea--" he broke off abruptly after they had passed. "Follow me."
After leading them through several back passageways they finally reached a dimly lit room. The thick, bald, green skinned alien that was sitting on a silk pillow had an air of authority about him so he was obviously the leader. There was several females in silk dresses around the room and also several of the man's bodyguards were there as well.
"Mr. Ling," ChiChi said cordially, "you know what we are here for."
"Yes. I do," He continued to drop grapes into his mouth without a second thought.
"So?"
"I am so sorry but I seem to be a little short this week," he replied.
Kakarott frowned. "From what I heard Nathell offers you protection from your rivals. You have to *pay* for that protection. You are not a charity."
"I understand that fact. You can take half or none at all."
ChiChi suddenly smirked and snapped her fingers. Trunks and Goten went off to the side of the room and hit a section of the wall with their fists. The panel slid away revealing that the space beyond was full of money.
Before his bodyguards could even react, ChiChi and Kakarott had drawn their guns and were pointing them at their faces.
"Nathell said we would have to do that," ChiChi said thoughtfully. "You either are too stupid to hid it someplace else or you *want* us to rough you up a bit. Either way is pathetic."
Trunks took out an extra two hundred and stuck it in his pocket. "This is for all of the trouble we had to go through."
Their job done they all made their way towars the door. "We'll see our way out," Kakarott said.
As the left the aliens behind, Trunks began to grumble. "That was too easy! I was expecting a fight at least."
ChiChi frowned. "You watch too much t.v."