Chapter 1: Hunger for Strawberries

[Kaschei Bessmertny]

"It is something...I will have to look into." Kaschei replies to him. He is lost in his own thoughts for a moment. "My dinner's getting cold." He says suddenly and angrily.

"I would like you and Sakari to deliver some morphine to a secret hospital in Helsinki. Hospitals pay a lot of money for drugs." He states to them. Not everyone he sells drugs to are criminals or druggies. One of his biggest clients are in fact hospitals in need of drugs. They pay well but are always overly cautious about the Anti Drug Commission.

"I would prefer if you two went since Boris was arrested last month for the same delivery."

"Just make sure it gets done. Dinner is cold." He says suddenly, then leaves the two men to figure out who will do it and how. He retreats to the dinning room to try to enjoy dinner with his wife, although he rarely enjoys anything.

[Sakari Lehtinen]

Sakari crosses his arms and makes a "tsk" noise after the line about working another year.

"Well that sucks." He says looking at Alexei.

"Wait... Did he mean me??"


((Okay gotta head to work, feel free to move me around, goodnight mateys!))

[Toolah "Tuvi" Renee]

Tuvi shrugs and takes a bite of her burger. "You don't mistreat me. You let me eat. You haven't raped me or tried to make unwanted advances towards me. Yeah, I am pretty happy working for you."

"I'd be more happy, however, if you'd place your clothes in the hamper." Tuvi says with a smile. "You have no more meetings, unless you count the impromtu one you just planned."

[Li Violette]

China is a sore spot for me. "It is still being divided up by companies. Manalist missionaries are doing their best to establish temples there." I say evenly, trying not to express much concern or interest in that topic.


"If you travel to China and see a pretty woman, you can say, Wo Hau Kan." I say to lighten the conversation. "You are nice looking." "Most still understand Chinese."

[Dinari Dollar]

"Ok, okay, I'll be better about the hamper thing." Dinari replies to her. He is happy that she is happy, since he likes happy people. Some people aren't happy and that just makes the world a hard place.

"I don't think Peter is very happy. He doesn't strike me as happy. Kind of serious, you know." Dinari replies. "I like happy people. Let's be happy."

"I want a ranch with super cows."

[patrick]

"Eh, I don't imagine I'll ever visit China."
He took a happy drink from his bottle.
"You think you'll ever be in Britain?"

[Li Violette]

"Of course, I travel all over. I travel to London quite often." I reply to him. Somehow the conversation has made me feel a little down. I suppose this is why I should work and do my best not to interact with people not directly working with me. The world of everyone else is very simple, but also dark.

"If I travel to London, let me tour your shop. You can teach me some basic mechanical skills." I do like to learn after all.

"I am sure that would be useful."

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei nods and leads Sakari out before saying quietly,

"Sorry for making you take the fall for that. That's just life in the business, no? Well, we'll leave for Helsinki tomorrow morning. I'll get us a car. You'll meet me here. See you then!"

With that, Alexei strolls off.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

Peter listens to the phone ring and then cuts the connection in frustation. Thinking quickly he dials again, this time using Dinari's business line: Tuvi's phone. As the phone rings he checks the wound in his side. It's sealing, but he should probably get some rest soon. The 'superior' gene Genetech had shot him full of did great work but he was still human.

"If I have to pop up in the middle of your pool room I totally will," Peter whispered to himself as the phone rang.

[patrick]

"Eh, you could visit I guess. Nothin' too interesting to learn."

He slides a business card across the table. It is a simple white with black text.

"You probably have a lot more to teach me than me teach you."

Patrick wasn't a particularly curious fellow though, and teaching him might be more difficult than he would ever admit.

[Dinari Dollar]

Dinari had his phone off, so he missed Peter's call. He does hear when Tuvi's phone rings. "Oh, guess you have a phone call. Maybe it's Peter! Wouldn't that be crazy. I mean, we were just talking about him. Okay, if it's Peter, you have to sleep with me." Dinari says to his assistant.

He waits to find out who it is.

[Li Violette]

"We'll see. I might drop by." I reply. I pay for my tea then excuse myself. "It was nice meeting you. Good luck with your shop and may you be Blessed by Father Manala."

I don't believe in blessings and even doubt that Father Manala is real, but, I really could never show that.

I leave quickly and head back to my hotel, pocketing the card for now.

[patrick]

"Later."
Patrick sits alone in the cafe as he finishes his coke. He enjoys the programs on tv awhile. He settles in at a cheap hotel. He never learned to appreciate anything more expensive. This would probably be his last night in Moscow.

[Toolah "Tuvi" Renee]

Tuvi pauses and thinks about the way Peter likes to look at her. Nope, he might be just happy creeping a girl out. "Hmm. Maybe you should ask him if he is happy..."

"Hmmm super cows, huh? Where will this ranch be at then? Flordia?"

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

Peter's lip curls as the phone continues to ring. This is getting annoying... "Come on," he mutters, looking around nerviously. He isn't worried about escaping, he can always get away, but if he kills anybody else or even if he's seen it could easily ruin the whole plan and the longer he waits...

"Three more," he says to himself. Three more rings and then he's just teleporting to the house, privacy be damned.