Dominic glanced at the two goons lurking just out of earshot. One leaned against a wall layered in decades of graffiti, old-world spray paint under new-era AR tags that glowed when scanned. The other thug kept fiddling with the smart-link on his rifle, impatience evident in the twitch of his chrome fingertips.
Dominic lowered his voice, taking a step closer to Ilya and matching his posture, two wary animals negotiating distance. "Helios has a problem. Mayor Temple is scheduled to hold a rally in two days in Lincoln Park. Some grassroots agitators plan to use it to stoke anti-corporate sentiment. Have you heard of the Movement for Chicago's Promise?"
Ilya grunted. "Those community kids handing out manifestos? Yeah. They've been poking their noses in every gang's business too, trying to broker peace or some nonsense. Disrupting the natural order."
"Precisely," Dominic said. A rat skittered past, disappearing into a crack in the wall as if on cue. "Normally a nuisance, but they've grown bold. Word is their speaker at the rally will accuse Helios of manipulating the city council. They might even call for a citywide strike against corporate partners. Mayor Temple publicly distances himself from them, but behind closed doors, he's listening."
"Politics," Ilya spat on the ground. "Get to the part where I care."
Dominic's tone cooled a fraction. "Helios needs to be really neutralized. Scare off the speakers, break up the crowd-make it look like infighting or street violence, anything except a peaceful protest. We want Temple embarrassed, begging for corporate intervention to keep order, not siding with idealists. That's where you come in."
Ilya raised an eyebrow. "You want the Vipers to crash a Mayor's rally? That's a lot of heat for us to take. Cops'll be swarming, not to mention every camera drone in the city."
A faint smile tugged at Dominic's lips. "Leave the cameras to me. Helios controls a fair share of the city's surveillance contracts. Let's say certain feeds will experience 'technical difficulties' at the right moment." He paused, letting that sink in. "And any police response can be delayed. We have friends among dispatch operators."
Novak ran a hand over his shaved head. The man was no fool, even with diminished risk, stirring chaos at a public rally could bring the wrath of City Hall. "And my payment?"
"A foothold," Dominic answered smoothly. "Helios just won a subcontract managing the harbor freight yards. We could ensure certain containers bypass security scans. Useful for any merchandise you might be moving." His gaze locked on Ilya's. "And unofficially, we both know a crackdown is coming citywide on independent outfits.
But if the Vipers cooperate with Helios, I can guarantee you early warnings on raids maybe even protection. Temple's focusing on gangs to distract from his own failings. We can redirect that pressure onto your rivals instead."
Ilya's jaw worked side to side. Dominic could almost see the calculations behind the gang leader's eyes: greed versus caution, pride versus survival. Finally, Ilya jutted his chin. "Sounds generous. Too generous, maybe. Why trust Helios to keep its word? Corporations have a way of forgetting favors once they get what they want."
Dominic allowed a soft chuckle that echoed in the hollow space. "I keep my deals. Cross me, and I'll ruin you. But help me succeed, and you'll find me a valuable friend. Believe it or not, Novak, I prefer allies to corpses. Fewer flies swat that way."
Novak's eyes hardened at the veiled threat, but he nodded slowly. "Alright, suit. You want a little spectacle, you'll get it. The Vipers will send a crew to that rally. It'll go ugly. Just make sure those drones are blind and that we have an exit window."
"Of course," Dominic said. He carefully withdrew a small datachip from an inner pocket and extended it between two fingers. "Details of the rally layout, timing, and a frequency to reach my team for coordination. Use an untraceable device. We'll jam the official channels at go-time so our conversation stays off the grid."
Novak took the chip and pocketed it without a glance, his gaze never leaving Dominic's. "You come down here personally to hand me this? Either you're very brave or very desperate."
"Neither," Dominic answered, meeting the gang boss's stare with cool confidence. "Just thorough. I find face-to-face builds trust in ways virtual meets can't. I wanted to look you in the eye when we made this pact."
Ilya grinned, revealing a gold canine tooth that glinted under the tube light. "Consider trust built. We'll play our part. Just be ready to hold up your end, Alaric." He turned, signaling to his men. "Because if you don't, you'll answer to more than just me. This city's got a long memory for betrayal."
Dominic inclined his head. "I expect nothing less."