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Chapter 9

"You are still a sick little jerk, Oscar" Vinny uttered in a tone as cold as ice. "Bo Sung-Tae should have never let a psycho like you into the Redbacks"

Oscar spat an obscenity and lifted the Shock Rod on high, ready to smash it down across Vinny's skull, when a single word echoed through the chamber.

"No!" the powerful voice called and a stocky man of Asian appearance stepped into the open space, drawing every eye in the chamber to him. He was shorter than I expected yet his presence was immense, filling the whole space so completely it was if no-one else had a will of their own.

"Sung-Tae!" Oscar gulped and lowered the Shock Rod to his side, turning guiltily as if to hide it from the new arrival. "You are here"

The Redbacks around the three prisoners parted as Sung-Tae strode unhurriedly through their midst, stopping at the side of Vinny. He extended one long fingered hand to touch the cuts and abrasions on Vinny's cheek and neck, frowning unhappily as he regarded the injuries.

"Is that the leader of the Redbacks?" I whispered to Sami, who had fallen unnaturally still at the arrival of the man.

"Yes, that is Bo Sung-Tae" she confirmed. "The rumour is he was once a big wheel in the Tongs operating out of Haven. They say he tried to take on the leader of the Crimson Serpents and nearly died. So he fled to the Undercity with one of his most trusted lieutenants and the pair of them founded a new gang"

I wanted to know more yet the situation below us irresistibly drew our attention.

"Was I not clear in my instructions, Oscar?" Sung-Tae asked his minion in precise, unforgiving tones. "The child and any who were captured with her are to be unharmed. Not a single drop of blood was to be spilled, those were my orders to you"

Oscar visibly wilted under the glare of his master, a bully caught out yet still trying to hide his actions.

"The girl is unharmed, exactly as you insisted" Oscar answered with barely restrained petulance. "The other two were injured when they fell into the pit trap, so you can't blame me for that!"

"I see" Sung-Tae replied in an even tone. He held out his left hand and wordlessly Oscar laid the deactivated Shock Rod into his palm. Sung-Tae regarded it for a moment then triggered the device, dialling the intensity up to the maximum power. His minion quailed visibly yet I had to commend the man's bravery, he stood his ground and met his master's eyes without wavering.

The rod reached out and with a snapping crack of energy pumped a full blast into Vinny. He screamed in agony and fell to the floor, his body twisting and curling up as Sung-Tae held the weapon against his flesh even as he tried to escape the torment. At last the Shock Rod emptied its battery and Sung-Tae lifted the device from Vinny's side and tossed it back to Oscar.

"So good to see you again, Vincent" Sung-Tae said casually. "I've missed our little talks. We'll catch up later but right now I need to introduce you all to our honoured guest"

I glanced across at Sami and saw her fingers were white on the grip of her sub-machine gun. I had expected her to attack as soon as Sung-Tae had hit Vinny with the Shock Rod, but the man's arrival had unnerved her it seemed.

"I don't think we can do this, David" she said softly. "Before we might have pulled it off, but with Sung-Tae here I think we are boned"

"Why? Is he one of the Awakened like Oscar?"

She shook her head no, as if unwilling to say whatever secrets she knew aloud. Voices from below drew my attention from Sami and back to the events unfolding in the chamber. There was a loud metallic scraping coming from one of the broad service tunnels that connected to the lower floor and Sung-Tae was facing it, arms spread wide in welcome.