4

Chapter 3

Harry packaged the last of the current batch of meth, placing the bags neatly in the backpacks for delivery. Over the past several months he had moved a significant amount of product with the assistance of Greg and several of Mike's old contacts. Harry generally preferred to use Greg as a go between – the older boy was surprisingly reliable, but Harry was unwilling to use him exclusively. Eggs, baskets.

The financial rewards had been… Satisfying.

With the assistance of Mr Marcus Bradshaw – a very talented lawyer with less than reputable contacts – Harry (or Mr Smith, rather) had bought the house his lab was in, and had just closed on another small two bedroom apartment. He had every intention of setting up several safe houses in various neighbourhoods, as well as a couple more labs.

Vahan, also, was gaining a reputation. The mysterious man had been responsible for several blackmailing's and thefts, not to mention supply of high quality drugs, and had begun to draw the attention of the bigger figures in the local crime scene. Nothing worrisome yet, but enough that Harry was going to have to stay alert. He had already been marked as "Vahan's boy", and as such had to be on his guard for people who might try to use him to get close to his shadowy "benefactor".

His ninth birthday was approaching soon, and Harry was pondering what to give himself as a gift. He tugged at his ratty sleeves, and wished he could buy himself a new wardrobe. He certainly had the money, but the Dursley's would start asking unfortunate questions if he showed up with new clothes, and might prevent him going to the Andrews. Which was unacceptable since he still hadn't worked out their endgame, and he had business with Greg. It was a pity that there wasn't anyone he could trust who could get custody of him.

He paused.

Actually, there was. He had a perfectly good adult identity with which to conduct all his legal business. Why not custody as well? He had the apartment that he could live in, and more than enough money to live on. And courtesy of the Dursley's and his time on the streets he knew how to look after himself and a household. And it would make his Work easier…

Grinning, Harry removed his protective gear and straightened his clothes. He had a birthday present to arrange.

Harry was sitting in the darkened office of Bradshaw and Cohen, flicking through the contents of an envelope he had found on the desk. He'd broken in with the intention of rifling through the office files before approaching Mr Bradshaw in person, but the envelope was much more interesting than the dry files he'd found in the filing cabinet.

Mr Bradshaw was a principled criminal lawyer. His extensive network of shady contacts was used freely, but he took his professionalism seriously and protected his clients' interests with vicious dedication. His reputation in that regard was part of why Harry had hired him in the first place. But now it had gotten the man in trouble.

According to the letter enclosed with the pictures of a pretty brunette woman and a little boy with reddish brown hair and a cheeky smile, Mr Bradshaw was required to hand over information on how to find one of his clients to ensure his family's safe return.

A terrifying situation for the unfortunate man, to be sure, but Harry saw it as an opportunity.

His lazy perusal was interrupted by the light flicking on and a startled expletive from the handsome redhead in the doorway.

"Jesus, kid, you scared the daylights out of me!"

The man puttered around the office, stowing his briefcase and turning on the fancy coffee maker. His leanly muscled form highlighted perfectly by his suit. With his aristocratic features and perfectly groomed appearance, the tall man cut an imposing figure.

Harry was impressed and slightly amused to note that despite his casual actions, the man never fully turned his back to the small boy reclining in his chair with his feet on the desk.

Finally finished his morning ritual, the man visibly gave his guest his full attention, though Harry was aware that he'd actually had it the entire time. A tactic he'd seen Mike and Dave use many times. Even the Captain used it occasionally.

"So, how can I help you?"

Harry gave the man points for not treating him like a stupid kid.

"My business can wait for the moment. Right now, I'm more interested in what I can do for you."

Bradshaw's eyebrows rose. "Sorry kid, I don't know who sent you, but I don't lean to the younger ones. You're wasting your time."

Harry flashed a faint smile. "I know you don't, Mr Bradshaw, it's one of the reasons my employer chose to use your services. No, he's offering something much more valuable." He casually tossed the envelope and its contents onto the desk between them. Waiting patiently while the man quickly absorbed the details, he laced his fingers together and rested them on his stomach, not shifting his legs off the desk.

"How dare you!" Bradshaw's choked whisper broke the brief silence.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. This matter has nothing to do with my employer or his business. He stumbled onto it by accident. However, he foresees a mutually beneficial partnership rising from this, which does relate to his business. One that is significantly better and more profitable than he had originally intended to offer you." His calm green eyes never moved from the distressed man's face.

Bradshaw was giving him a suspicious look, but seemed willing to hear Harry out. If he was unnerved by the unusually eloquent boy he didn't show it.

"What exactly is he offering, Mr…?"

Harry smiled faintly. "We'll avoid names for the moment, I think. What my employer is offering, is to retrieve your family for you, and make a very definite statement that you are under protection as a neutral party. Furthermore, should there be any future attempts to coerce or force your cooperation, it will be dealt with appropriately to reinforce the message."

Bradshaw settled himself on a seat in front of his desk, his face expressionless as he assessed what was being offered. "And what would your employer gain from this? And for that matter, who do you represent?"

Finally sitting up properly, Harry crossed his arms on the desk in front of him, ignoring that his feet didn't even reach the floor properly. The sight of the tiny boy in baggy clothes perched so seriously at the huge antique desk might have been comical, but the cold green eyes removed all humour from the situation.

"Nothing that would compromise your other clients or future business prospects. My employer is interested in a slightly closer relationship than you might usually enjoy with your clients." Rolling his eyes as Bradshaw indignantly opened his mouth to decline the perceived proposition, he held up one hand, palm out, and continued. "Not a sexual relationship. My employer has no use for such things at this time. What he does need, is someone he can trust beyond a standard employee relationship. He has some needs that can only be addressed by someone intimately aware of his business, and he requires this person to be effectively on retainer; though as far as is possible his requests will not interfere with your existing or future work. As for who I represent, with your contacts, I assume you have heard of Vahan?"

Bradshaw quirked an eyebrow. "I've heard the name. No concrete information though. How do I know your employer can deliver what is offered? If I agree, I'm placing my business and my family in the hands of a man that I don't know can effectively protect them."

Harry leaned back, secretly pleased. "Mr Bradshaw, your reputation has been built around the rabid protection of your clients and their interests. As such, you come highly recommended, and until now this has afforded you and your family a measure of protection. If this reputation was suddenly compromised by your capitulation to blackmail, your family would be in constant danger of this situation repeating whenever someone wanted confidential information from you. Assuming you survived the initial backlash, your business would be ruined, your reputation in tatters. I'm offering you a way to not only maintain your reputation, but further it, with backup to enforce it when necessary. The benefit of this arrangement to my employer is that if you burn him, he will publically withdraw his protection, and explain why. I highly doubt your business will survive that situation." Harry fell silent, allowing the man to ponder what he had heard.

"You didn't answer my question. Your employer is still a small fish in a big pond. Can he provide what he is offering?"

Harry's cold voice left no doubt. "Yes."

Bradshaw paused for another moment, before setting his shoulders. "Alright. What do I need to do?"

Harry sat back with a slow smile that sent shivers down the older man's spine.

"A mobile phone will be delivered to you later today. Keep it with you at all times. Instructions will be texted to it. Until then, act as you would if we hadn't had this conversation, and stall. Now, tell me everything you can think of about your dealing with these people, and where your family may have been when they were taken."

Harry was mildly disappointed at how easy it was to track down where the Bradshaw family was being held. A few subtle questions and a couple of pocket change bribes, and he had not only located the targets and their superior, but the locations for both. Shaking his head, he casually approached the office of one Anthony Michaels.

After being shown into the office by an amused and condescending man that Harry decided must be part gorilla, Harry casually glanced around.

The office was behind a bar, and while plush and comfortable, it was tacky and severely outdated. Faded carpet of indeterminate colour released the scent of old cigarettes and booze, and Harry fought the urge to sneeze. He personally found the scent repulsive. The walls were barely visible through the frames that covered it, pictures of various people doing boring things but pretending to enjoy themselves, newspaper clippings, business certificates, and assorted other memorabilia.

The desk was old and worn, but sturdy, buried under mountains of barely organised paperwork. Harry observed with amusement that it was for show, as the man he was there to see was just in the process of shutting an extremely organised filing cabinet.

Waiting quietly for the shabby man's attention, Harry allowed himself to look around subtly, practicing the "deductive observation" that he had learned from Daniel. They'd turned it into something of a game, competing for who could "deduce" the most in the shortest time possible. Daniel was better, but Harry was no slouch.

Harry had to admit, the man before him played his part well. The outdated office, overflowing ashtray, and shabby rumpled appearance made him seem to be nothing more than an overworked bar owner, a non-threat, but Harry saw past all of that. The calloused and flattened knuckles spoke of a man who spent a lot of time talking with his fists, and the faint bruises and scrapes indicated he had done so recently. The bulge of a concealed gun was nestled against his ribs, and the slightly altered gait as he moved around indicated another strapped to his leg – obviously something he wore regularly as the gait seemed habitual. Greying hair grown out and shaggy, but still holding a rough military cut shape – previous military experience but long enough ago to soften the old habits, letting him blend in better. No nicotine stains on his fingers but the scent clinging to his clothes – not a regular smoker himself, but often surrounded by them. Slightly ginger in his movements, favouring his right side – bruised or broken ribs, mostly healed. Possibly obtained at the same time as the scrapes on his knuckles. Overall, a man who was not to be underestimated.

Harry remained silent, waiting for the man to address him. He didn't have to wait long.

"What can I do for you, kid?"

Harry perched on the offered chair, gazing back calmly. "Hello Mr Michaels. I've come to discuss a problem with some of your employees."

The older man's shrewd gaze took in Harry's appearance as quickly as Harry had made his own assessments. "Oh?"

"My employer is aware that you and your associates are attempting to locate a Mr Tim Barton."

Michaels leaned back in his chair, deceptively casual. "And what makes you think that?"

Harry graced him with a withering look. "Feigning ignorance in this case will only waste time for both of us, and while I'd love to sit here and play the innocence game all afternoon, I'm sure we each have other things that need our attention. May we please cut to the point of this conversation?"

The man's lips twitched into a hastily suppressed smile. "Alright. You said there is a problem with my employees?"

Harry nodded. "I'm certain you are familiar with a Mr Bradshaw, of Bradshaw and Cohen, yes?" At his companion's nod, he continued. "Mr Bradshaw has an excellent reputation for neutrality towards his clients, as well as his devotion to protecting their interests. This neutrality is being threatened by the actions of a few of your men. As you can imagine, this would be bad for business, since Mr Bradshaw has worked for yourself, as well as many other people in our line of work. My employer was very disappointed that such a valuable resource is being compromised by thugs too lazy to do their own legwork."

Michaels raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Is that so? I'm assuming this involves Mr Barton somehow?"

Harry nodded. "Rather than respect Mr Bradshaw's neutrality, your employees have abducted Mr Bradshaw's wife and child, in an attempt to force him to reveal information on how to find one of his clients; Mr Barton, specifically. Clearly, they were overlooking the fact that you too are one of his clients, and that if their tactic succeeds in this instance, it can be effectively used to compromise you as well."

Michaels pursed his lips in irritation. "I agree with your employer, whoever that is. Their actions are unacceptable. I will deal with them, and return Mr Bradshaw's family."

Harry smiled in amusement and tilted his head slightly to the side. "My employer has an alternative proposition."

Michaels attempted to restrain his curiosity, but the tiny boy who spoke so confidently was an irresistible puzzle. "Alright, let's hear it then." He resisted the urge to light a cigarette. He wasn't a regular smoker, but he was intrigued by this scruffy child, and needed something to help him focus on the business at hand. He wouldn't though, a leftover relic of his mother's influence wouldn't let him do anything to hurt a kid, even something as simple as passive smoking.

"Bradshaw, his family, offices, and employees will be placed under my employers protection. This protection will be used to enforce and protect the neutrality from which we all benefit. What my employer requests of you, is that you allow him to make an example of the men who have caused this situation. This offer will also be extended to the other organisations that would benefit from it."

"Why shouldn't I just clean house myself, and put the word out that Bradshaw isn't to be touched?"

Harry smiled brilliantly, and Michaels felt his breath catch slightly. He didn't like kids that way, but this boy would be stunning when he was older.

"Because my employer will do it with style."

Michaels threw his head back and laughed uproariously. He liked this kid. "Tempting. What else does he have to offer? A good showing isn't enough reason to hand over the responsibility for disciplining lazy employees, no matter how entertaining it might be."

Harry sighed lightly. "He had hoped that this wouldn't be required, but very well. Mr Bradshaw has engaged my employer on an ongoing basis, on the understanding that his neutrality be maintained and that he will not be providing client information to my employer or anyone else. His business dealings will not be interfered with in any way, but if he, his family, business or employees are threatened or coerced, my employer will be notified to deal with the issue. Now, the current situation is this. My employer will be dealing with the idiots who took Bradshaw's family, with or without your permission. Should you refuse, Bradshaw and Cohen will cease all dealings with you, your organisation, and employees. If having the best in the business blacklist you is insufficient motivation and retaliation is attempted, compromising information will be sent to all of your business rivals. Sufficient information to wipe out your entire organisation. To be clear, this agreement is universal, not specific to you. If one of your rivals is stupid enough to cross Bradshaw, you yourself may find yourself receiving some interesting files. Assuming, of course, that you are smart enough to play ball today."

Harry let the silence stretch, his cold green gaze never wavering from the hazel opposite him.

Michaels breathed out slowly. "Alright, kid, alright. Tell your boss he has my permission. I assume the word will be put out, but I'll pass it around too."

Harry nodded politely and stood, taking his leave.

Michaels called to him as he reached the door. "Hey, kid?"

Harry half turned back, his hand on the doorknob.

"Who the hell do you work for?"

Harry smiled faintly. "His name is Vahan, Mr Michaels."

Michaels blinked, and the boy was gone, the door shutting quietly behind him.