SERIES

BOOKS SERIES

This book is available for sale if you like what you read.

This novel is a work of fiction.

CHAPTER 0NE

When Jerome looks back at his own life, he isn’t very much different from the few kids his age who could get lucky because they’d to struggle in order to survive.  He was living in one of the bustling port cities in the continent of Africa doing a hustle job, for the last three years after arriving in the capital city from the countryside, where his family, his father, mother, and four siblings were struggling to make ends meet by working on a small farm they own.  Life was OK at a survival level because it’d always been possible to grow some food and raise a few livestock for meat, milk, and to generate cash by selling some of it.

Like everyone else in the area, his parents had sent his siblings, and him to school as it’d always been customary when the children reach school age, even if they would’ve been useful hands on the small farms. The problem had been no one stays in the small communities once they passed eighth grade because there are no high schools for the most part, with few exceptions.  Everyone leaves for the bigger cities, where life is precarious simply because there isn’t any systematic approach someone can adapt to other than joining the chaotic struggle to survive, where the rule of thumb could be anything goes. Individuals of all ages might be forced to do anything that comes their way just to survive.  It’s only a few who might’ve relatives in the cities who can help them pursue their high school education.

For the rest, even having a decent roof over their heads might be out of the question, while at the same time feeding oneself could also be a challenge. In a situation like this, the line between observing the laws, rules, and regulations, and finding one’s way doing anything possible could be blurred, to the point where the priority would be how to make it through a given day.  It might be possible to find work that mostly has a temporary nature, but at the end of the duration, there’s always going back to where one started and starting again, because permanence isn’t easily attainable, especially when the involved individuals are young.

That’s how Jerome became a tourist guide in the bustling port city he moved to.  The particular field itself is so crowded it’s only those who’re physically tough who can survive and make some kind of a living out of it. Even then it’d to be mixed with other odd jobs that could be doing anything just to put some changes in the pocket so that it’ll be possible to buy the next meal.  Nobody talks about a roof over the head because it could be expensive for most, even if at times shacking up with a few other guys in poorly built and kept shacks could be possible, as long as they manage to pay the overnight rent that isn’t very expensive since what’s offered is the bare minimum; just a place to sleep for the night, and have some toilet facility. Even that could become impossible to afford and the young kids have to live on the streets and use very dangerous and unsafe facilities that could be available around.

One day he managed to meet a guy who claimed to be from the States and he started guiding him around, showing him some of the popular hangouts in the particular port city.  As most tourists go to run-down third world communities to have some natural, down-to-earth good times, and fun, they can use help to save themselves time and spare themselves from some aggressive hassle.  And the fact that Jerome was among the tough guys around because of his natural built and height, the clients he gives service to could maneuver the area feeling a little bit safer because he can also serve as a bodyguard.

The individual tourist who was a black American stayed for two days and he naturally gave Jerome the break he enjoys now and then when he works as a guide.  At the end of the service, he could receive a generous tip on top of his pay, and everyone parts way.  But on this particular occasion Marques, the black American took interest in Jerome and had showered him with a lot of questions, just out of curiosity.

When the time of his departure arrived he casually mentioned to Jerome, “You know young lad, I’d been where you were, and it’s because I was living in the USA that I was able to beat the odds. If you want to do the same I might try to help you out, but don’t expect much, it mightn’t even work.”

“Oh yeah, I’d given up on such hope because everyone I approached told me it could almost be impossible unless I find someone who wants to marry me.  Some said I’m old for adoption and young to find someone to marry me.”

“That figures and they weren’t lying to you. But you know you can come to America and try your luck.  It might be much better than here and I’ll try to help you.  The other thing is if you stay in the USA for five years without anyone knowing you’re an illegal alien, you can get your paper.”

“I’ve heard about that too and the only way to make it to the USA is by stowing away in one of the cargo ships.  Believe me, I might try it someday.”

“That could be risky and you know I might be able to send you a round trip ticket to come there as a tourist, but first you’ve to think about it.  I can leave you my address.  You can come there and see what happens for two or three months.”

Jerome thought Marques had read his mind because there were enough times he’d mentioned it to some of his clients if they could offer him that kind of an opportunity and almost all of them had shied away from it because of the anticipated difficulty. But a few of them had said they might look into it in the distant future and nothing had materialized so far.  But here Marques had stated he’d try to help him.  He’d told him all he needs is the chance and once he finds his way there he can help himself since he’s already become industrious at his age. 

To cut a long story short, Jerome made it to the USA the next month, and he started living in the basement of Marques’ home who works as a city bus driver in NY City.  He went around for two months and he couldn’t find anyone to give him work for the obvious reason that he was an alien with no work permit.  That’s when he met some guy who told him trying Canada might be better to find work although getting citizenship is worse than here because if you manage to stay in the USA for at least five years without the authorities finding out it’s possible to apply for what’s called Green Card, but in Canada that mightn’t work.  However, if you can get married to a Canadian, you can become a citizen in five years’ time no question asked.

He told Marques his findings and he told him he’ll try to find him a contact. A few days later he told him he couldn’t find anyone, and if he wants to give it a try he could.  If he doesn’t make it, he can return, and start again.  It’s possible that something might open up for him.

He made it to Canada and found it a little bit slow-paced even if Toronto can be as bustling as any American city. The only difference is after staying for one week he found a job in a garage.  The owner whose name was Riel was from the Caribbean and he told him all the guys working for him are from the Caribbean and if he joined them it mightn’t be easy to tell that he was direct from Africa even if his accent can betray him. 

“You’ve to work on your accent although here you don’t need it since you don’t have to talk to my customers.  I’ll pay you the going minimum wage. I can also throw in a perk and give you a place to live at the back where there’s ample space with facilities,” had said Riel.

He thanked him and accepted the offer. He found a small room at the back and converted it into a bedroom, made a sitting and cooking area, and that was it.  He doesn’t have to worry about renting a place.  The work was an entry-level job where all he’s to do is to keep the whole place in order every day and help the other mechanics, a process through which he’ll learn to become a mechanic in the long run.  Other than that his new employer had suggested that finding him a local partner won’t be difficult, but it could take some time and that could improve his situation if he gets married.

Life wasn’t bad because he was learning fast to become a mechanic and he was also saving money from the meagre pay he was making. In fact, he was able to send money back home to his family that would make a huge difference in their lives. He doesn’t know where it’ll lead, but even if he doesn’t make it in Canada and returns to the USA, the skill he’s learning might entice someone to give him work without a paper.

One day he was returning from grocery shopping and someone he recognizes from seeing him at the garage came out of a car.

“So how are you doing?  I hope you recognize me, my name is Lucas,” he said.

“Yes, sure, you come to the garage once in a while.”

“Exactly, hop in I want to talk to you.”

“Alright,” he said. He hopped into the passenger seat and placed the grocery he was carrying on the back seat.

“I thought you were from the Caribbean.  What’s this accent? You sound like you’re from Africa.”

“Yes, I’m from Africa.”

“Which country?”

“That I wouldn’t tell to anyone.  Even my boss doesn’t know.”

“Really, they’re all the same anyway.  I’ve something to talk to you about. Have you heard of underground fighting?”

“Yes, a few times people had joked, and recommended it to me, because they said I’ve got the built.  I just laughed them off because, except knuckle-fighting with bullies when I was back in my country, I’d never fought anyone else.”

“You can’t find out unless you try it.”

“Really, so you mean you can help me get started?”

“Exactly, but you know in this business everyone nibbles. I nibble until I can’t because someone might take you under their wings.  But until then I’ll be your representative and I get a share of what you’re making.”

“What kind of money are you talking about?”

“You never know because you can win, 20, 30, even 50K and more. You just have to give it time.  You can also use training and that’d mean either we’ve to pay their fee or they’ve to nibble too.  But believe me, at one point there’ll be enough for everyone.”

“That sounds OK with me, although risky.  What about the cops?”

“They won’t know about it.  The matches take place in obscured warehouses around the city.”

“So there are spectators involved I guess?”

“Exactly, that’s the main source of the money, since they bet.  And individuals who’re mostly big fish also bet among themselves.”

That was a long time ago and he eventually quit the garage work because even if he could be roughed up often, he started bringing in a lot of money home to the point where he didn’t know what to do with it. And that’s when he landed his would-be wife whom he met casually.  She was from the Caribbean. One day she saw him sitting in a bar and asked if he minds if she joins him.

“I’d heard the guys at the garage talking about you because one of them was dating my friend. They told us you stopped working there and joined the underground fighting clubs. So you know, I know you, the reason why I wanted to talk to you.  You also look lonely. My name is Mia.”

“Hi Mia, nice meeting you, I hope you know my name, I used to work at the garage, but now I just drop by for a chat.  Great people, I can’t forget the favor.”

“I’ve heard that too, but you were doing a tough job there.”

“That was the only real job I got since I came to this part of the world.”

“You could’ve become a mechanic if you’d stayed there with them from what they told us.”

“Yeah, but I can’t make the kind of money I’m making now as a mechanic.”

“That’s true, but you could get killed doing what you’re doing.”

“That’s true too, but I’ve to take a chance”

“You’re also an illegal immigrant that makes your situation precarious.”

“Yeah, but now I’m in a better position to deal with it because I’ve money.”

“Well, I wish you all the luck.”

“Thanks, can we go to another place, I’d like to buy you a drink?”

“Sure why not.  Do you drive?”

“No, I don’t, I can’t have a license you know.”

“Then we can take my car.”

“Great.”

He asked her what she was doing after going to another bar and ordering a drink.

“I work in a department store,” she replied.

“What kind of store?”

“They mostly carry females’ attire.”

“Do they pay well?”

“Yeah, but not much higher than the minimum wage.”

That evening they went dancing and they spent the night at his new apartment he’d rented recently.  They’d been dating on and off for a few weeks and one day the crucial question surfaced.

“So you know, if you can find a female partner your situation could improve.”

“You think so? I was thinking of waiting until I’m done with the underground fighting.”

“When will it end?”

“I don’t know, maybe when I make enough money.”

“I don’t see why you’ve to wait that long because time might be crucial.”

“That’s true.  You’re single and I don’t see why you can’t help me out.”

“I need a little bit more than wanting to help a guy out to marry someone.  And I’d always envisioned my partner will be from where I came from that I call my community.”

“Is that right?  You can at least recommend a friend.”

“What kind of friend?”

“I mean someone who wants to get a break because I can afford to support a partner who can be a homemaker, you know.  And it could be any kind of arrangement as you know it.  Including lump sum money after I get my citizenship or if the relation is workable, I don’t see why it can’t continue for as long as it can last.”

“That’s a good way of looking at it.”

“It must be.  I can see you fit the bill as far as I’m concerned.”

“Yeah, you might be right there even if it sounds outrageous.  I need something like that to do what I always wanted to do.”

“Really, what was it?”

“I want to own my own hair salon and attain my independence.  Almost all jobs that don’t pay much are difficult and demanding.”

“Tell me about it because I’d been there.  I still thank the guy who represented me and in fact, he still does.  Even if I’m not the only one he represents we’ve made a lot of money together.”

“I think you need luck too.  Hard work alone mightn’t cut it.”

“You’re right there too. So are you really serious? Why don’t we join hands and solve our problems?  You never know, it could turn out to be good.”

“It could, I can imagine that.  But you know at times there are promises you’ve to keep when it comes to relations and I’ve someone in my life.  I can’t be happy with anyone else.”

“Really?  I didn’t know and I don’t want to go into anyone’s way.  I hope you can introduce me to someone since we’ve become friends and you should naturally have female friends.  This someone in your life mustn’t be around considering that we’ve been seeing each other for a while.”

“No, he’ll be here soon; we’re working on it. I can introduce you to a few girls and one of them might develop an interest in you.”

“Really, you can do that?”

“Sure I can and I’ll work on it.”

When they met the next time she told him, “This could be our last time together because I’ve arranged a blind date for you.”

“That’s very nice of you.  When can I meet her?”

She gave him all the details including her name that was Marian. They spent the evening together without saying that’ll be the last time they’ll meet.  On the mentioned date he went to the place of the appointment and started waiting. After a few minutes his friend Mia showed up and sat at the table he was sitting at.

“So Marian wasn’t able to make it or she changed her mind?”

“No, she didn’t change her mind, my name is Marian, nice meeting you,” she said stretching her hand out.

“You’re Marian? I don’t think you’d believe me if I tell you that I’d have done anything for something to happen so that I wouldn’t meet Marian.”

“Really?”

“Honestly because I know even if it sounds wearied, I’ve developed some liking toward you.”

“Well, it’s unfortunate that that liking mightn’t evolve into loving.”

“Hey, you never know, we’ve to give it time considering that we’re both stressed-out individuals who mightn’t have full control over our mental faculty.”

“Really, I don’t know, but I just wanted to help you out after I heard about your situation.  And the fact that you’re doing well makes you attractive because to tell you the truth I don’t like what I’m doing.”

“You aren’t the only one; there are a lot of people who don’t like what they’re doing. It seems that if you want to make a living you can’t be too choosy. You’ve to do whatever is available. It isn’t my fault or my parents’ fault or the fault of the community I was born in because I don’t have higher education.  That’s how things are.  If an ambitious guy like me gets a chance to get a higher education, I’d have grabbed it by the horn, but here, me and you, we’re struggling to make ends meet.”

“True and at times even education mightn’t avail you what you want.  At least going into business if you can afford it might make a difference. The rest are just survival tactics.”

“You’re right about that too and in my short stay here I’ve learned a lot. Anyway Mia, how are we going to celebrate? Believe me, you won’t regret it.”

“Alright, believe me, you look like a gentle giant to me, so why don’t we make the best of it?  If we start things rolling quickly at least you’ll get some crucial papers including a driver’s license.”

“We’re almost there and my first thank you would be you can start your hair salon anytime you want it.  But I suggest it might do you some good if you take some break.”

“Thanks, I might need it, and I guess I’ve worked for it, didn’t I?  I’m supposed to be ashamed of myself.”

“No, you shouldn’t because you’re changing the life of someone who wouldn’t know how to pay you back.”

“It’s good if you’re looking at it like that.”

CHAPTER TWO

And the rest was history.  They knew that the wedding had to be glitzy with a good number of guests, photos, videos, and of course, at least a two-week honeymoon with all the records somewhere, preferably in the Caribbean so that it’ll add to the legitimacy of the marriage even if it naturally is a utilitarian or a convenience marriage of a sort for now. The catch is except for a circle of friends no one else is supposed to know about it.  In fact, it’s only the two of them who knows for real there could be someone waiting in the wing for Mia at the end of the arrangement, a situation that might not materialize. As a result, they tacitly have agreed that they’re joining hands in a holy matrimony, and are hoping to become a happy couple. 

The good news is, so far, both of them had developed enough liking for each other and there’s a good possibility they’ll enjoy their time together and wait for the time when Mia will be in a position to liquidate the relationship.  That means if she wants to continue to live with Jerome after six or seven years had lapsed it’d mean that they’ve become real husband and wife.  When the time comes to approach the government officials, their marriage certificate, and any evidence they’ve have to be convincing to the point where no one should tell that it was all along a convenience marriage. The reality is they both knew they’ve at least to live together for six years minimum in order for Jerome to claim his citizenship. And both were ready for the long haul. They both know what keeps them going will be what they will be doing and whatever kind of social life they choose to immerse in.

The wedding was fantastic and everyone Jerome knew in his short stay had been invited.  Riel and all the guys working at the garage were present.  In fact, his groomsmen and his best man were from amongest them.  Marques was also invited and he was among the amazed guests by the turn of events who’d enjoyed the wedding. He couldn’t invite his new-found friends, his promoter, and some of the guys who’re responsible for his training because it could end up being a sellout and an evidence for the authorities even if the fighting itself isn’t illegal as long as the two contending guys have mutually agreed.  But benefiting from the fight through betting might’ve got a different interpretation by the authorities who want any entity that wants to engage in betting to be registered. And of course, the matching also has to be among those that’d been given a legal status.  Other than that they always try to clamp down on clandestine activities such as gambling and probably underground or street fighting that takes place in a big number in obscure places even if they manage now and then to discover a few of them.  Consequently, underground fighting would also fall under a similar category and could be outright illegal.  This shows that a lot could be taking place under the table and it requires a lot of footwork on their part to catch these kinds of activities red-handed.

Nevertheless, inviting those guys, and exposing them at the ceremony that they’ll use as an evidence of their marriage will be outright shooting oneself in the foot and was avoided.

Mia also had invited her friends some of them locals and some of them from the Caribbean.  Since her parents and relatives are back in the Caribbean it was decided for her to visit them while she goes there for the honeymoon and if they want they are always welcome to throw some kind of a party that’ll add to the evidence of legitimizing their matrimony.  

Things had gone smoothly and as time goes by they were both busy being industrious and of course prosperous too. Luckily, at the end of the fifth year, he was able to get his citizenship after meeting all the requirements head on and their relationship continued blossoming.  One day she told him that the keeping a promise aspect was real and soon they should part ways.  That really broke his heart but he knew there wasn’t anything he can do.  They’d enjoyed their relationship up to the last minute and they’ve become life-long friends and family members, while leading their own individual lives. He’d kept his part of the deal where he’d given Mia a lucrative golden parachute for the favor she’d done for him and the divorce took place according to the postnuptial agreement they’d signed when they got married.

By the time he and Mia parted ways, Jerome had already quit the underground fight clubs after two years because it was getting very dangerous by the day.  Weightlifting was a popular subject at the garage and there were ample equipment at the back he’d been dabbling with.  He was never serious about weightlifting even if he’d developed some muscle definition when he started fighting at the underground fighting clubs that helped his image.  Once he joined the clubs he was training five days a week because of the recommendation of his promoter.  In fact, if he wants to survive all the beatings he was taking, he knew that it was crucial to be as strong as possible.

The problem is that wasn’t enough because there can always be someone bigger and stronger than him, and what was coming to his rescue was hard training and learning new fighting techniques.  He’d counted three times he firmly believed he’d escaped death.  He escaped the two incidents by pretending to pass out once he was knocked down.  For the third one he’d to run out of the warehouse even if the other contender had to chase him showing that some of the fighters are very capable and deadly dangerous.  On top of that, there were two regular fighters he’d always avoided if he wants to prolong his fighting days and in fact his life.

After two years of heavy fighting that almost involved three fights every week, he thought that he’d made enough money to get started in a business.  And that was the advice Mia gave him too.  Then he’d started to search for what he can do since he’d accumulated money he never ever thought would come his way.  Finally, they both decided that he can start a sports bar in one of the neighborhoods where there’s a sizable cosmopolitan community.  That’s when they chose the northern part of Toronto.  He found an abandoned building that used to be a bar that was available for rent and it took one month to renovate it and convert it into a sports bar. 

And the rest is history because he never looked back.  In fact, after a few years, he was able to buy a sizable property in the same community, built a new building from the ground up, and moved his sports bar there.

While he and Mia were living together as a couple, she was running a popular and profitable hair salon, while he was running his sports bar. Three years after he and Mia had gone their way he’d bought a rundown property where a few small businesses were running business from.  Eventually, he tore down the older structure and built a sizable warehouse imitating some of the warehouses he’d been fighting in.  However, he wasn’t planning to open a warehouse and compete with the other underground fighting facilities. His plan was a bit different and he’d well-to-do dormant partners who’d advised him and promised him to promote the business as long as he was willing to run it suggesting explicitly what he should do.

The warehouse-like fortified building was supposed to have three fighting rings where kickboxers will be fighting and a clandestine betting was going to be established that’ll be promoted by his clandestine associates he met through one of them whom he met at his bar.

The suggestion was simple where if he can start the fighting arena, there could be a good number of prominent individuals who’d take interest in a clandestine betting that will take place online.  It made sense to him because while doing research he found out that he can invite a number of junior contestants, and promise to pay them a certain amount of money, whether they win or lose, where they’ll make more money if they win. 

What comes next is filming the contest and posting it somewhere online by restricting access to those who’ve password who’d be required to pay a membership fee, in addition to participating in the clandestine betting where he’ll be the bookmaker.  Since he’d been part of it and had gotten his break from there, it’s something he’d enjoy doing while at the same time make money because although a bar business looks glamorous, he doesn’t even net close to 100K, whereas on more than a few occasions he was making close to 100K from a single fight.

Therefore, if he really wants to make more money he’s to wreck his brain to come up with new ways of making money and he thought this could be one of them. He can always make money on the odds or sometimes lose too on top of the fees he’ll collect as the book owner. That’d become a success story from the inception.

Then he decided to expand again and decided to open a small sports car repair garage.  Thanks to the short stunt he’d with the garage he wasn’t a total stranger to how a garage works.  Since he doesn’t need to make a lot of money what he focused on was on repairing expensive sports cars and whenever the need arises converting them into racing cars, a niche he thought could have some potential.   He bought a mid-sized garage that he knew will need work to accommodate what he wanted to do and right there the fact that he owns the property meant another lucrative real estate investment and when he bought the garage that was his third real estate investment; not bad for an immigrant who started his ascent haphazardly.

It’s around that time he met his future wife Averie through Mia who must be having the time of her life because her hubby Ted, now he’d met and know very well had arrived in Canada and they were married a while back. In fact, the couple is really doing well because he’d also opened a hair salon with a barbershop and they both are busy industrious business people.

He remembers lending him money when they came short even if Mia had lent him too, and he also had borrowed from a bank by using Mia as his guarantor.  All in all, they were all success sorties already when Mia introduced him to Averie who was one of her regular customers.  From what she told him, while they were gossiping she’d asked her how she got started and she’d told her what’d happened.  Averie was impressed and wondered if these kinds of guys really exist. 

“Of course they exist, you know, all you’ve to do is go to the right places, and keep an open eye and mind,” had said Mia.

“Well, I know I’ll never meet that kind of a guy but I hope I’ll meet a partner because I don’t want to get old alone.  I also need a family.”

“In fact the same guy I told you about whom I helped out and who compensated me generously is still a staunch bachelor. It’d been more than three years since we went our ways and he’s become prosperous.  He runs three businesses that I think are profitable.”

“Really, so if he’s the means he should find someone, or he could be in the process of finding someone.”

“Yeah he’s from what he told me, but he hadn’t found anyone yet.”

“Very interesting, though I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with immigrants.  In fact, they scare me.”

“I know how locals feel about immigrants, but a good number of them are marrying newcomers.  You should meet this guy; I know you’ll like him. In addition, it’s good to marry someone with money even if you hadn’t gone head over heels for him.”

“Are you serious, it’s good at least he’s black, but from Africa?  Give me a break. Even if I know my ancestors came from there, those guys scare me.”

“Why don’t I introduce you so that you can talk to him?  You don’t have to do anything with him.  The most it might take will be to make him a friend and go to his bar.  You’ll get a superb service and you might meet someone there, in a friendly atmosphere.”

“That might sound good.  Do you go to his bar?”

“Sure one of the best places to go to.  We go there with my husband.”

“Well, I don’t know, it won’t do any harm to see the place.  I’m not really crazy about going to bars, although I go sometimes with my friends, but never on my own.”

“You should or believe me you’ll get old alone.”

“There you go again, when do you go there next time anyway?”

“We can go tonight after work even if Saturdays are very busy.  If he knows I’m there he always comes for a chat.”

“So you’ll pick me up or I’ll pick you up?”

“I’ll pick you up at your place at 7:00.”

“OK, so your husband is coming?”

“Sure he might, I’ve to find out.”

When they made it to the bar she showed her who Jerome is.

“You mean that’s him, this guy is big, it’s no wonder he was a fighter.”

“Don’t forget you’re tall too, it could be a nice match.”

“You amaze me; you’ve already made yourself a matchmaker.”

After a few minutes later someone must’ve told Jerome that Mia is visiting he came to say hi.

“How come you’re alone?  What happened to Ted?”

“When I told him I’ll have company, he said he’ll visit some of his friends since I won’t be alone.  And he knows we’re coming here.  Meet my friend, her name is Averie.”

“Well, nice meeting you, I can easily tell you’re local.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of hard to hide.”

“The same goes for being an immigrant, it’s easy to tell.”

“Exactly, so you must be from Africa, which country?”

“I won’t tell that to anyone.”

“Really?”

“I haven’t told Mia for example, and we’d lived together for more than five years.”

“She’d told me.  It’s amazing she didn’t use all the levers she’d.”

“I think she’d told you we used to be a couple.”

“Yeah, and you should’ve stayed together.”

“Well, Mia has to do things her way, and all a poor guy like me can do is comply.  But you know when I see how Ted and her are happy together I’d say to myself she knows what she’s doing.”

“Well, why do you hide where you’re exactly from?

You know, some people could suspect there might be something you’re concealing.”

“That’s not my problem as long I don’t have to talk about where I came from.  It saves me from some aggressive hassle, that’s all there’s to it, although it mightn’t mean anything to you.”

She remembers what Mia had told her.

“I don’t have to say where he’s from, but I know, and I can tell.  It might be because I’m an immigrant, but I won’t talk about it with him.  Me and Ted, for example, have our suspicion about where he’s from, and his not admitting it doesn’t make a difference.”

“What makes a difference is he’s a successful businessman for an immigrant if he owns three businesses.”

“You bet he’s”, had said Mia.

Now sitting with him and Mia together chatting she asked,

“I know that you’ve three businesses and the third one is a garage, and what are you doing with the second one?”

“I train fighters since I’d something to do with it myself.”

“Really, it must be profitable.”

“Not really, it doesn’t even pay the mortgage, but the real estate is a valuable investment.  The garage generates a decent income, which is another real estate investment, and of course, the bar is OK, but not that stellar.”

“Averie is a teacher and my regular customer.

We’re just out to have a drink and made it to a friendly territory,” Mia added casually.

“Yeah, nice meeting you, and you ladies have a great time.  All your drinks will be on the house and Mia knows the rules here.  Have a nice evening and if you stay long I might drop by for a chat.”

That was it and he suspected that Mia might’ve deliberately brought Averie to introduce her to him.  He came a second time for a chat.

“So you ladies are enjoying what goes on here I guess?”

“Yeah, we’re trying.  Averie is single and if you two want to know each other better, all you’ve to do is buy her a drink someday when you’ve time.”

“Really, I’d be obliged.”

“Well, I don’t know, you never know, I mightn’t mind going out for a drink, although I’m very cautious.”

“You don’t have to worry about anything.  In fact, Mia might’ve to join her husband, while me and you visit other bars or a club.”

“Really, what about the bar?”

“I’ve other guys to run it.  I’m here most of the time to talk to some of the customers I know.”

“Alright, and you’ll have to drive her to her place at the end.  Believe me Averie, it’ll do both of you some good and help you maybe fend off being alone.

I know he’ll take good care of you.”

“It’s alright, it’s easy for you to say that.”

“Mia is always right and if she says something will go smooth, believe me, it’ll.”

“Alright, whenever you’re ready we can go somewhere else.

Mia could come with us too if she doesn’t want to go home to her husband who mightn’t  be there.”

“There’s one way to find out, I’ll call him.”

“So where are you, Ted?”

“I’m with a few guys.  Are you headed home?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be in a few minutes.”

“Alright then, I’ll be heading home too.”

“Great then, see you in an hour.”

“So Ted will be home soon and you two guys are on your own.”

“Alright, but we never agreed to abandon me to a guy, and you disappearing from the scene.  How about if he kidnaps me to Africa?”

“Since Jerome is a gentle giant, I know he’ll make you change your opinion about immigrants.”

“Alright, I know almost all immigrants are great people.”

“Then you saved him some tedious work.  OK, you two guys, I’m leaving you here, and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“We should accompany you to your car,” Jerome said.

“No, I can find my way out.  Hey, call me tomorrow or today, OK Averie, have a good evening,” she said and left.

CHAPTER THREE

Once Mia left them alone Jerome told Averie, “My car is parked at the back and I’ll show you which way to go when we’re ready to leave.”

“Well, I don’t see why we shouldn’t leave now.”

“OK then, we’ve to go to the back,” and he led the way to the office area.

They were driving along the street and Averie said, “You must be a successful immigrant businessman.  I don’t think many blacks are doing what you’re doing.”

“You might be right there.  You need something to give you the break you need and I found it where I never thought of.”

“You mean the underground fighting, Mia had mentioned it.”

“Exactly, and there was also the horse race track, and the few casinos that were the source of my seed money.”

“You’re lucky you survived it.”

“The timing and being chicken are crucial.  I mean I was doing it for the money.  I don’t like fighting.  Once I get what I thought was enough, it wasn’t difficult to quit.  By the way, what do you do for a living, we never came to it although Mia might’ve mentioned it?”

“I’m an elementary school teacher.”

“That’s a good-paying job.  That means you’ve a college education.”

“Exactly.  What about you?”

“Me, well I’ve only completed eighth grade back in Africa when I was young, and here I never had the time or the comfort to look at advancing my education.”

“Is that right, you wouldn’t be the only one. Especially in the sports world, you don’t need a lot of education.  All those champions mightn’t have more than a high school education.  But some of them could’ve because they might have received a scholarship.”

“That’s what I heard, and maybe if not in Canada, in the USA that route is very popular.”

“Well, you’re lucky, and it was a good decision you came to Canada.”

“Oh yeah, because I might’ve found it difficult in the USA because they’re afraid of hiring undocumented aliens.  I don’t know what could’ve happened to me.  If it didn’t work out, I’d have gone back to Africa.”

“What would you be doing there?”

“I don’t even want to imagine it.  But in the USA all I’d to do might’ve been disappear from the scene and go to any city where things could be taking place.”

“Which means you wouldn’t have returned to Africa?”

“Unless I’m deported by force and even then I might choose to fight.”

“It’s that bad there you mean?”

“It could be for some, I mean for a big majority, while there are a few who could be doing well.”

“What about now, you’re saying you’ve money?”

“Now for me and my family things have improved a lot.  We’ve bought a big farm and my three siblings are running it with our aging parents. So you see, if I return there now things will be different. I also have sponsored a brother to come to Canada who’s going to university after completing his high school here.”

“You mean you can become a farmer if you go back there?”

“Sure, I can also be doing the same thing I’m doing here you know open a bar or start some other business.  If you’ve money there are things you can do, but they won’t be at this level, the reason why I wouldn’t look that way. The money you make there will be enough for you to live there because of the lower cost of living and the like.  But the money you make there can’t compare with money you make here when seen from the buying power aspect.”

“What about the other business you’re running?”

“That isn’t a big deal, I’m actually renting rings for training purpose only, and what I make doesn’t even pay the mortgage. But it’s a very sound real estate investment for the future.  Here’s a nice bar that I like and it’s a known cosmopolitan hangout.”

“Like your bar?”

“That’s what I want it to be, but most of my customers are black.  I was just lucky I started working with Caribbean guys and I’m popular among them.”

“What about local black guys?”

“They come in a big number too because almost all the staff are also black, a mix of immigrants and locals.  You know we live and work together.  People need a nice place to go to where there isn’t much hassle and that place is hassle-free.”

They already have sat down and ordered drinks.

“By the way, do you guys had supper or you were straight from work?”

“Mia came straight from work to pick me up and I’d eaten a good snack I’m not hungry right now, but I don’t know for how long.”

“I know a good place where we can go and eat,”

“Alright, I’m not really busy on the dating scene, so any new venture is welcome.”

“Well, don’t worry, we might’ve some future.”

“You think so?”

“I assume so even if I don’t usually interact with professionals.”

“Why not?”

“There are businesswomen like Mia, you know who run small businesses, and we speak the same language, and amazingly have similar backgrounds.  Now you might’ve thought that I at least have a high school or some college education and I don’t know how you feel.”

“Believe me, there are illiterate individuals who could be doing well, you know.  In your case at least you’ve to be able to read and write to run the business.”

“I also have help for the accounts, I can’t handle the books alone.”

“You should at least complete high school.”

“I might think about it.”

“So, my not being well-educated won’t affect you,” said Jerome while they were eating their supper.

“You look like you’re well-informed to me, do you read?”

“A lot, you know I started with newspapers of all kinds, and now I’m graduated to reading books.”

“What kind of books do you read?”

“Most of them are how-to business books, there are a lot of them.”

“That’s why, you sound well-informed to me.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve also made very interesting friends.”

“They come to the bar?”

“Yeah,” he replied and he didn’t want to tell her some of them are his business associates.

“Well, I was just curious because Mia had told me a lot about you and just wanted to meet you.”

“I think, in my opinion, I can tell we could be good friends if we work on it.”

“Sure, why not, as long as you want to spend your money on me.  I’ll buy you dinner  sometimes too.”

“Sure why not, we might even like each other.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Why don’t we go dancing?”

“Why not, I hope you know a good place too?”

“Exactly, it’s owned by a black couple.  They’re exactly our age.”

“Great then, it isn’t going to be toxic.”

“It wouldn’t.  We’ll also visit some popular joints, but we’ll be swarmed by local guys, mostly white folks.”

“Sure why not, if we can last together that long.”

“We should last long I guess.”

“You sound too sure, aren’t you?”

“Well, let’s just say some people know what they want.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“You don’t have to know it immediately.  Today is our first date and we focus on having a good time.”

They dated for continuous three months and gradually Averie persisted in the skeptical stance she deliberately chose to take. She knows what’s exactly in store for her in the near future because everyone around her including her own family are working on attaching her to someone who’ll gain their confidence and respect to be her life partner.  Her mother had told her to hang in there and it could happen anytime since this is the best age to get married for a woman.  And she knows for sure who her life partner would be.  Probably he’ll be from the same teaching profession she’s in because she’s a few smoothly ongoing relationships that are on and off and one of them could get traction.  She also has an on-and-off relationship with a few other professionals and one of them might be ready and propose soon.

Or she herself  might’ve to do some nudging eventually because she knows for sure who she wants to be her life partner from the guys she’s flirting with, but for sure it wasn’t Jerome.  Because she couldn’t imagine how romantic their relationship would be even if one of them want to bend over backwards.  She also has a hunch why someone like Jerome wants to marry her because it makes his life easier because of all the pressure he’s to go through while running his three lucrative businesses being a recent immigrant that he downplays.   He’s told her indirectly if not directly.

One day he said, “So, Averie, do you’ve anyone in the wing waiting to take your hand?”

“Well, you never know.”

“Really? You mean you don’t know?”

“Not off the top of my mind, but I was born and grew up in this community you know.  I know a lot of individuals and you know that’s how you forge a long-term relationship, with someone you knew for a long time.”

“OK, so you mean there are that kind of guys in your life?”

“You bet; a good number of them.”

“So how come it didn’t happen so far?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve got a hunch it’s a matter of time.”

“What made you say so?”

“Because I’ve got a large family and all that we do is gossip, you know, guys and gals.  So we know what takes place in the grapevine, such as who wants to do what, when, and how, who divulged their needs, problems, shortcomings, concerns you know.”

“That makes sense, but the thing is your future partner doesn’t necessarily have to be someone you’ve known all your life.”

“You’re right about that unless you don’t want to look at the likelihood.”

“The likelihood is someone like me who’d been dating you for a while, and who’s the means maybe better than anyone else who might’ve got an interest in you.”

“I know what you mean, but why’d an immigrant like you would want to marry someone like me when you can be better off with your own kind, I mean someone who’s from where you’re?”

“But you’ve to look at it from a different perspective considering that without my wanting it I’ve become a successful businessman with a lot of money.  And that ruffles a lot of feathers and if a member of this community becomes my life partner it might straighten out some wrinkles.”

“Well, so you mean that you want me to sacrifice my future to straighten out your life wrinkles, whatever they’re?”

“Not exactly, but you’ll be part of the windfall that came my way, and believe me you’ll help us both become more successful. The end result will be both of us will become successful and lead a happy and resourceful life.”

“But the school I’m from states that there’s to be some human element, feeling, or love in any matrimony.”

“That’s only a theory and it might work in a rich region like the one we live in.  In most parts of the world, it’s arranged marriage that’s practical because people could develop love after they joined hands.  And in our case thanks for living in such a rich and advanced region, we’d the opportunity to know each other for quite a while to tell if we can put-up with each other and become a successful couple.”

“Well, I don’t know, but just out of curiosity how rich are you?”

“For that, you might’ve to take my word that you mightn’t find anyone who’s the kind of money I’ve among the milieu you must be dwelling in.  Someday you’ll see my tax return, which declares part of my income that comes my way just because I encountered a good natural fluke. You know it doesn’t work like that for everybody.”

“So you mean you don’t declare all your income?”

“I didn’t mean that, but looking at it will give you an idea about how much I make. I also have lots of investments that I don’t have to declare.”

“Well I don’t know and I don’t mean I’ll marry you for your money alone, but when there’s a good amount of money involved it makes things easier.  For example, you told me you own three properties and you’re paying a mortgage on them. What about a home?”

“I just recently bought a house too, but I haven’t decided to live in it.  I’m renting it out.  But I can assure you, we don’t have to live in my apartment, we can buy a house anytime together in any neighborhood that’ll be accommodating to us.”

“And pay a mortgage on it?”

“That’s a convenience you can take advantage of at our capacity anyway. We can take advantage of it instead of tying up a lot of money with a property that appreciates slowly, but if I want I can pay cash for a good-sized house.”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who’s pushing the envelope here.  I don’t want to struggle in life if I can avoid it by marrying someone like you despite our differences who’d obviously become successful.  Naturally, joining hands with someone like you will facilitate living because you’ll be in a position to afford leading a good life, but it could always be prone to unseen problems that we could regret.”

“You see what I mean; we’re on the same page. Problems are part of life trust me and all they need is diligent solving. In my humble opinion, the important thing in life is to work hard if the possibility somehow avails itself to you and enjoy life.”

She’d said to herself you’re right about that, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying life.  In addition, when she looks at the route she’ll be taking if she marries one of the professionals she’s anticipating joining hands with, it’s the same old route where they’ll spend the good part of their life paying a mortgage. They might buy decent cars but they mightn’t be new cars straight from the assembly line and even for those decent used cars there might be payments to make.  So life after all is a labor of love because despite the difficulty there are so many good things to enjoy such as socializing, interacting with the like-minded people, and be part of a big flourishing community.  Here too, if she marries this stranger who’s an immigrant and who’s become a successful businessman, they could be happy with less stress that having a lot of money facilitates.

In addition, she might realize her dream with him better than any other professional she’ll join hands with because she’d always wanted to start writing children’s books, and she just hadn’t brought things together because of life’s nonstop grinding, where she always has a lot on her hand and mind without seeing an end. The teaching profession isn’t like the other professions where everyone is required to put in 40 hours a week because teachers could put in up to 60 hours a week, which means they’ve to work even on their weekends.  There’s always something to do in the two months vacation that might’ve to do with upgrading her skill that’s required for promotion and even for advancing in the profession. So joining hands with Jerome might create that opportunity because even if he hadn’t mentioned it there could be an innuendo that she mightn’t have to work when she knows exactly what kind of money he’s making. That’s a helluva of a tall order, but it might become more real with Jerome than anyone else.  So she remembers how they ended their conversation.

“Alright Jerome, you’ve made your point, and we can stop it right here, and see how things will turn out.”

“I know what you mean and I also luckily know what to do.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ll have a surprise for you one of these days.”

That was ten years ago and the surprise was a serious proposal with a ring on his hand.  Thank heavens she didn’t refuse because she’d thought about it a lot. She’d realized her dream of becoming a children’s book author a long time ago, and she’d taken her place among those who are enjoying the pinnacle of their success accompanied by a considerable financial reward that’d affirmed to her she’d gotten lucky and had made the right decision.  Even if she hadn’t become a successful author, she was destined to be a homemaker, considering how Jerome had become successful, and her job would’ve been to focus on their social life and status in the community because the money she brings in as a teacher mightn’t even be worth leaving her warm bed early in the morning.  Now thanks to her burning desire she’s enjoying her professional life as well as being a homemaker to a haphazardly successful immigrant husband.

CHAPTER FOUR

One Saturday afternoon, while he was helping the girls at the counter, the most important partner in his life was sitting at the counter sipping his drink. He’d known Bob for a while because he was working with the truck driver who works for the wholesale company that supplies him with some of the items he needs to run the bar. In fact, he was the one who was unloading the items, and bringing them into the bar’s warehouse. Except for knowing who he was and having a friendly chat with him now and then, they were both minding their own business.

“So Bob what brings you to this area?” he asked him starting a conversation.

“Well, I was hanging out, and I just wanted to drop in and see what goes on in here. Never been inside here before, except you know doing the delivery.”

“You aren’t doing bad if it pays well.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Really? How much do you make?”

“Around $9 an hour.”

“That kind of job should start at least from $12.”

“I got the job because I save them some money.”

“It isn’t fair I guess.”

“I’ve got a criminal record and no one touches me.”

“Really? What happened?”

“Manslaughter and armed robbery, and I served 10 years. I’m on parole.”

“Wow, I didn’t know. There should be someone who could give you a better chance than that.”

“Oh yeah, you think so? Can you suggest anyone?”

“Not off the top of my mind. And then I might. A big guy like you can have good use in the kind of business I’m in.”

“Alright now, I’ve heard about you that you’re a successful immigrant, although I don’t know how you made it considering that life isn’t easy even for the locals. How do you think a guy like me with a criminal record can have a chance in the kind of things you’re doing?”

“Hey, it’s simple you know. You don’t have to open a bar, but you can get started by working with me.”

 “Really, what kind of work?”

“Well, believe me, I can use a second guy in here, and if he’s a local like you, you can save me lots of problems.”

“So you’re having some problems I guess?”

“Not really, but you know there’ll always be some diehards who just don’t get it. Because I’m an immigrant, they just can’t visualize that I could be doing what I’m doing.”

“Yeah, it’s a profitable business alright, but not everyone can do it.”

“That’s what I mean. I’d to put my life on the line to get some of the seed money.”

“Really, what were you doing? You were a mercenary or something? The problem is some people mightn’t want to admit it’s really difficult to bring things together and get established in something like what you’re doing.”

“Exactly. So you know nothing is permanent here, all the staff including the girls come and go. If you become a second man here I think I might get some respite and enough room to breathe.”

“I mean, why not. I hope you pay more than $9 an hour, otherwise, I’ll just be breaking my balls for nothing.”

“Definitely it should be more than that, while at the same time, the hours you put in aren’t going to be straight eight hours a day. This place opens at 10:00 am and closes at 1:00 am and you should expect to put in at least 12 hours a day and six days a week.”

“That’s a lot.”

“It’s and if you’re up to it you can start at $15 an hour plus some bonus.”

“Really? That sounds good. You must be making a lot of money if you can afford to pay that much.”

“You bet we’re, it’s a very busy joint.”

“So what time am I supposed to start?”

“I’d say your official hours will be between noon and until closing, which is 1:00 am. But since it’s a managing and supervising work you don’t have to be here always, if you know what I mean. Sometimes if there’s going to be a delivery you might’ve to be here at 10:00 am. I can go out and come back as many times as I need, but the girls who are in charge here run the business. Luckily they work between eight and ten hours a day. Your main job is to make sure there’ll always be adequate supply and sometimes deal with rowdy customers. Other than that the place has always to be in great condition. Which means you’ve to keep an eye on everything and know the crucial hours that you should be around. Believe me, it won’t be 12 hours straight.”

“I don’t know Jerome; I hope you aren’t pulling my leg hoping that I’ll refuse your offer.”

“Hey big guy, I know where you belong, and it’s right here, trust me.”

“I might as well start trusting you, and when can I start?”

“Anytime you’re ready. Evening attire is always suit with a tie, but in the daytime, we can tolerate business casual, but not always.”

“Great Jerome and thanks. I’ll report tomorrow or the latest will be the day after tomorrow. I don’t know why I didn’t visit here earlier.”

“Well, believe me, you should’ve.”

One of the best things that happened to him was Bob’s coming into the picture. When Bob showed up in his life, he and Averie had been married for almost 10 years and he was trying to juggle between his three businesses. The ring had become a decent money-generating enterprise and the main source of the income is betting. The most lucrative betting takes place online among individuals, a few of them his close associates who suggested to him to look that way. And these individuals had made life easy for him because they’re recruiting each other, and their number is growing. It goes up and at times it comes down, but it remains lucrative.

He’d thought of becoming a bookmaker by hiring three bookies who’ll go around and collect betting without divulging what the betters are betting on, based on trust, but he thought against it because he’ll be blowing his cover. People always want to know what’s involved and that’ll put what he’s doing in a precarious situation. 

Once he made Bob his second man, he’d started to have enough time on his hand. Bob had made an interesting suggestion after he found out about the garage that’s generating a decent income. He’d sold a 20% interest to Riel to involve him in the garage since he knew it’ll make life easy for him. It wasn’t only that the main reason why he wanted to open a small expensive sports cars garage was, the other popular topic at the garage had been muscle cars where none of the mechanics drive four-cylinder cars, everyone drives six-cylinder cars. In addition, whenever any muscle car comes to the garage for repair work, which isn’t often, it’ll be dissected by everyone showing the kind of interest those kinds of cars are stirring.

In fact, it was his way of keeping the relationship going with the guys at the garage while at the same time, it can put money in everyone’s pocket. He’d only hired one experienced mechanic and the rest of the job is done by the guys from Riel’s garage who can work on a part-time basis, whether it’s on evenings or weekends. It isn’t only that since Riel has a direct interest in what takes place, there are times he can send his boys to work there whenever they aren’t busy at his garage, although their main job is at his garage. On top of that even if there isn’t work to do, they’ve used the garage as a hangout place where they can sometimes meet on weekends or even on evenings for beer and barbecue.

After Bob found out about the garage he suggested that if they get involved in illegal street racing it can create the opportunity to make a lot of money.

“All you’ve to do is hire two or three drivers and put on their hands good converted race cars, and hire another two or three guys to do the betting. There’s a lot of money to generate,” he’d said.

“I wouldn’t want to look that way because eventually it could lead to the garage and we could be forced to close it.”

“It wouldn’t because the cops who always come down hard on illegal racing, the worst they do is give tickets or impound the cars or sometimes arrest the drivers or they could also suspend a driver’s license. It isn’t illegal to convert a normal sports car into a racing car. It isn’t also the responsibility of the garage to know what the customer is intending to do with the converted car.”

“Yeah, that might be what happens, but that’s a very dangerous, and risky sport as far as I’m concerned,” had replied Jerome.

“It’s there for the taking and I can handle it without you being involved. You’ll get your cut.”

“No, I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with it.”

“Or the least you can do is furnish me with some working capital because you never know when you’ll break even since you’ve to pay out when your drivers lose or the other drivers you bet on lose.”

“So you mean you’ll get involved in person?”

“No, I’ll hire others to do it. All I need will be two or three drivers and two or three who’ll handle the betting.”

“Well, what kind of startup money are you talking about?”

“I’d say 100k will be enough.”

“No, that’s a lot of money, and I don’t want the garage to be used for that purpose. There are other people involved in the garage and we want it to be a legal operation.”

“Alright, I just thought you might want to look that way.”

“Nope, not really, I don’t want to be too aggressive to make money,” had replied Jerome and thought to himself, if Bob knows what he’s doing online he’ll definitely want to be a bookie too. He doesn’t blame him. 

However, as time went by, he’d found out that Bob had started out with one driver and had made it to three drivers to whom he supplies cars. He doesn’t know where he got the startup capital. He also has his own guys who are in charge of taking bets. They also bet on other drivers and cars, which means without his really wanting it, Jerome had to know from a distance what takes place and who are the best and successful drivers, how much money they make, whom they’re driving for, for themselves or for other competitors because there are a good number of participants. But when it comes to betting their money on other drivers they decide between themselves. When the garage’s clandestine drivers are driving, it’s Bob’s guys who go into the open and collect bets and pay out for the winners. So it’d been a win-win situation where whoever managed to do the job right wins the money.  

Illegal car racing could be expensive for anyone who’s to do it full-time because cars could go into accidents often, and some of them could be damaged beyond repair. When that happens, having a replacement car is crucial not to lose money and it could get very expensive. The solution Bob had got to solve that problem had given him a black eye because he’d resorted to buying stolen or jacked cars that are very cheap since almost all would-be buyers avoid buying those kinds of cars. He’d wanted to intervene, but he knows the mechanic was also involved, and he should be sharing from what was generated. 

Eventually, while he was contemplating how to intervene, he found out that they’d rented a small warehouse, and converted it to a garage with a four-post lift that made him sleep at night because he knew they’d started doing all their converting there. In fact, that’s where they park the cars.

That would’ve been the start of wrong-doing that he’d be forced to tolerate because buying stolen or jacked cars is very cheap since those who steal or jack the cars want to get rid of them quickly with no hassle. Since now they’ve their own garage, converting and preparing those cars for a race is the only job the warehouse garage is doing. His garage had gone back to repairing damaged sports cars only that have legal titles and converting average muscle cars to racing cars to their mostly very young customers. It isn’t easy to break even doing just that only, but that’s the nature of the garage business where specialty garages could’ve a lot of ups and downs, yet it’s always possible to make a profit without resorting to any illegal undertaking. But from what he’s hearing Bob and his partners must be doing something risky but lucrative where all they’ve to do is compete with those who’re showing up with their own sports car whether the cars are their own or someone is providing them. The number of young people who show up with their own vehicle is very high too and it’s garages like his that are converting their cars into racing cars.  

The particular illegal street racing is controlled for the most part by entities with questionable characters. The only thing is they always stay in the background similar to what Bob is doing because although people are betting on the vehicles and drivers they’re providing, no one knows who really are behind the operations. That’s how it’s arranged. Even the drivers don’t exactly know whom they’re working for except that they’re interacting with the guys who’re working with guys like Bob for example who don’t know his real ID.

That’s a very interesting way of making money for the drivers where if they win the race they get a generous bonus on top of their pay. They’ll be instructed where to pick up the cars and where to drop them off. The guy who’s working in Jerome’s garage is the main insider who also hires help from what he heard from among illegal immigrants from mostly Europe who are struggling to get their work permit here, because they know what takes place, from buying the stolen and jacked cars to preparing the vehicles the drivers will be driving at the race. Those unfortunate guys who are in the country without a work permit are grateful for the clandestine opportunity they get to make money because if the authorities find out they could definitely deport them. So they look the other way and share from whatever is generated in a form of a pay and a bonus when lots of money is made. On top of that, anyone of them is free to participate in the illegal street racing by betting. 

One day Jerome was sitting at the counter and was talking with the female bartenders when someone came and sat beside him. He’d seen him a few times before and didn’t pay too much attention.

“Hi Jerome, you run a great bar. It’s amazing for an immigrant to be so successful,” the guy said ordering a drink.

“By the way, my name is San, I’m glad I found this place,” said the mid-sized mixed black guy with a heavy accent that’s worse than Jerome’s.

“Nice meeting you, it isn’t a bad place I guess,” Jerome replied.

“It’s the best and the biggest in this neighborhood,”

“That might be true.”

“Where do you get the girls? They’re amazing and indefatigable,” he said. 

“Believe me they find us, we don’t find them, and if they fit the bill and are hard workers, we’ll give them the opportunity. It isn’t easy you know.”

“You mean managing them is difficult?”

“Very difficult, because these young ladies you’re looking at working here could’ve lots of problems.”

“Really?”

“Most of them abuse drugs or alcohol, and on top of that, they’ve all sorts of relational problems. Boyfriends, pimps, you name it, they’ll kill them if those guys don’t get their way.”

“Do you intervene?”

“Indirectly yeah, once they start working here, we might furnish them with guys, and gals who help them to sober up, or shield them from petty criminals.”

“That’s really nice.”

“If we don’t do that we won’t be in business you know.”

“Well, talking about business, I was coming here to talk to you, and you were very busy.”

“Really, what kind of business?”

“Why not we sit at a table so that at least we can get away from earshot.”

“Strangers scare me and I avoid them. But you look like a gentleman. Why not we go and sit on that table then,” said Jerome and led the way. He signaled one of the waiters and asked her to fill their glasses on the house.

CHAPTER FIVE

“So what kind of business do you want to talk about?”

“By the way, you should tell by my accent where I could be from.  Were you able to tell that?”

“Believe me, I’d have run away if I knew that because there are some scary places to even name them.”

“We aren’t monsters you know; we’re business people like anyone else.”

“But not many people like what you might be dealing with.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“What’s it, narcotics?”

“You call it that, but we call it gold.”

“We’d have been friends if you were representing one of the gold mines even if they might be illegal because narcotics could finish you.”

“What do you mean finishes you?”

“I don’t have to spell it out.”

“OK, you’re talking about law enforcement or call them the authorities.”

“Exactly.”

“They’re in our pockets and they’re our facilitators.

Not all of them though, we just need a few, and sleep like a baby.”

“I’m done with you except that I can’t be rude to anyone.  So I hope you don’t mind if I leave you?”

“Just wait and hear me out.  I represent my family who’s the source for what I’m distributing and we need a reliable receiver.  You fit that bill perfectly and we’ve done our homework, and believe me, you wouldn’t be the only one.”

“Does it occur to you I’d never ever dealt with narcotics.”

“Why not? That should change.”

“Alright, I’m done with you,” Jerome said and was about to leave his seat when San continued,

“I’ve got a message for you.”

“What message?”

“My family who sent me here knows what you’re doing, both at the ring and at the garage. At the warehouse, you’re running an online betting and we’ve found moles among your associates or customers simply because they’ve hands in narcotics business.  We know the password of the site where you’re posting the fight videos and more than enough proof that you’re receiving bets and directing winnings into the betters’ accounts. Even if you change the password we might get it because you mightn’t be able to weed out all the moles since we’ve got a good number of them.”

“I can have your ass thrown out of here immediately.”

“Not so fast, I’ve another thing to tell you. You’ve bought six stolen and jacked cars from our associates.  I know all of them had been in an accident and you’d sent them to the wreckers.  But we’ve got the six cars in our custody and we know what you did to them, it’s right there.  My associates were betting on your drivers and we’d followed them when they return the cars.  We’ve got that on video, but what’s hot is it’s undocumented guys working at your garage who come and pick those cars, load them on your truck that’s registered in your name, and take them to the garage and currently to the other warehouse you rented.  So you know Jerome, we can easily finish you legally without even resorting to criminal measures and it’s to your advantage to work with us.  OK big guy, don’t think of punching me, I can see how upset you’re, but you see those two guys, they’re my bodyguards, and if I signal them they’ll jump here in a few seconds,” San said pointing at two huge guys sitting quietly sipping their drinks, and now and then looking at their direction.

“I’m not crazy enough to punch anyone, but I don’t want you to come in here again.  That’s all; I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Alright, thanks for sparing me, but I’ll be in touch,” he said, left his seat, and walked out of the bar.  The two big white guys followed him.

That’s when he called Bob to his office.

“Hey, you look like you were hit by a train or came face-to-face with the devil,” said Bob entering the back office and sitting on one of the seats in front of Jerome’s desk.

“Did you see whom I was talking to?”

“I saw you were talking with a black guy, he isn’t Hispanic I guess.”

“Do you know who he’s?”

“No, I never saw him before.”

“He just blackmailed me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He and his associates he’s working for know everything that’s taking place at the garage and the illegal street racing.”

“You aren’t serious?”

“You’d bought six stolen and jacked cars from them and they’ve all the proof including the damaged cars you sent to the wreckers.” He didn’t want to tell him about the online betting.

“That’s unreal, what do you they want?”

“Narcotics distribution, they want us to receive shipments for them.”

“Where?”

“Of course, here where we live, and work.”

“They must be crazy if they want to choose a particular location like this one.”

“What does that suppose to mean?”

“It means that for a guy like you who’s three thriving businesses in this location, it means suicide.”

“I still don’t get you.”

“Hey look Jerome, narcotics is a very risky undertaking, but it’s very lucrative.  I know people dealing with it.  But you’re absolutely the wrong guy because you’ve got a lot at stake and it’d ruin you if you’re caught.”

“What about if I don’t get caught?”

“Hey, forget what you’re doing because it’s peanuts compared to narcotics.  All the bad guys are making a killing and there are myriad ways they can evade law enforcement.  But the outcome is many people are making unheard amounts of money through narcotics trafficking.”

“You know you can sound bizarre when you feel like it.  Are you making any suggestions?”

“I don’t know, however, how about if these guys make good with their threat, you could be ruined.  You might’ve to do some time in the prison system that’s a terrible scenario for a recent immigrant or you might be asked to pay some penalty that can upset your financial health for good, or believe me they can deport you. The other alternative is to walk away from what you’re doing. They’ll make life difficult for you.”

“How could I do that?  I’ve made some money but it mightn’t even be enough for a decent retirement.”

“That’s what I mean. You might at least have 20 or 30 more years to go, and it’s by then you can make enough money to retire comfortably.”

“So what choice do we’ve?  Can we fight them?”

“No, you can’t because all you’ll accomplish is eliminating their front guy.  Believe me, they’ll find out and they might give you one more chance, and if you don’t wise up, they’ll take measures.”

“What do you suggest?”

“I know a guy who was at the slammer with me and he used to tell me what he was doing.  His incarceration was drug-related and he used to sound like he was an insider. Now he’s a distributor in Scarborough area.  I meet him now and then, and he was telling me I won’t go hungry if push comes to shove.”

“You mean you can work with him?”

“Exactly.”

“But these people don’t want distributors. All they need is a facilitator you know. I’ll have to know how but what they want is someone will send whatever they’re distributing here and someone will come and pick it up. We don’t have to do anything with it, just receive and pass it to whoever they’re sending. Well, to tell you the truth, this is beyond me, and I was never ever ready for it.”

“That’s even easier and what’s in it for you? And nowadays, the members of law enforcement are facilitators if they aren’t involved directly.  So, no one loses sleep over them.”

“He didn’t say anything about that.”

“I don’t think you’ve got a choice.  You’re lucky he didn’t ask you to distribute it for him.”

“Are you kidding, that would’ve been outrageous. They aren’t that crazy.”

“I told you I know a guy who’s a distributor.”

Jerome was puzzled because Bob mightn’t mind going into direct distribution.

“You amaze me you know, so if you know it’s lucrative why don’t you get involved?”

“That’s a different story because the source is very unreliable and difficult to get and no one like me wants to rack his brain with it.  That guy I’m telling you must’ve grown up in it and has lots of connections.  But if I can supply him, believe me, he’ll make me rich.”

“Alright, I’m glad it isn’t distribution that they want, and it couldn’t be.  So what are you suggesting?”

“Hey Jerome, you don’t have a choice.  Let someone drop it off here or even send it through a courier, your job will be to hand it over back to whoever they send to pick it up.”

“So you’ll work with me?”

“Sure, all I’ve to do is look the other way, receive, and hand it to whoever will come to pick it up.  But ask him what your cut will be.”

“No, I don’t need any cut and want to have anything to do with that kind of money. However, how much do you think they pay?”

“Some percentage, maybe 10 or 20% of the package.”

“How do they know that?”

“There are two kinds of prices, you know the wholesale price and the street price, where for example one full briefcase could fetch up to three million dollars on the streets, while the wholesale price could be a quarter a million or more.  So you get the percentage of the wholesale price whatever it’s.”

“Believe me, I don’t need any part of it, all I’ll do is wait until the shoe drops.”

“What shoe are you talking about?”

“These guys are eliminating each other and they don’t have a long life span.  Believe me, something could happen to those in charge and they’ll leave me alone.”

“Alright, whatever, but what I suggest is make some money quietly until the shoe drops.”

“No, I wouldn’t want to make any money with them.”

“So, you’re going to give them a free ride. Is that what you mean?”

“Exactly, because if I approach law enforcement now, all I’ll do is shoot myself in the foot, thanks to you.  We’d have been in big trouble right now if you hadn’t moved your operation out of the garage.”

“Well, alright, believe me, we’re rolling, and I know someday we might break even big.  I’ll handle this for you.  At least, you’d let me take whatever percentage they’re paying.”

“No, you shouldn’t because that might be the only alibi we’ve got that we were forced to do their illegal job if someday law enforcement finds out.”

“All right, you’re the boss here.”

Jerome started to worry about Bob because his appetite to take risks is very worrisome.

On the third day, he received a call from San,

“So big guy I called to suggest you buy a new cellphone, because what you’re using now isn’t safe that’s if you’re going to talk to me about what I told you.  I can give you a number to call me once you buy a new cellphone, which’s better than searching for a payphone.”

He took the phone number and took his time to call him from a small park off the city street.

“So you’re out to ruin me and how would I know you won’t do it?”

“Not if you work with us.  We’re inviting you to make a lot of money and what you’re doing will be a great cover.”

“OK, I don’t want to make any money with you.

Since you’ve blackmailed me I’ll just cooperate. So what’s going to be involved?”

“We’ll direct packages to your warehouse and we’ll let you know when.  That’s my job you know. Then I’ll tell you who’s going to come and pick it up.  We just want it to look like a normal delivery job you know guys coming to your bar to make delivery using appropriate vehicles. Then once the package leaves your warehouse safely you’ll get your cut.”

“What quantity we’re talking about?”

“Well, say one briefcase can hold up to 30 kilograms of cocaine.  That’s mostly the max, which means at times it could be less, but not more than the 30 kg maximum.  The wholesale price for that is between  700k and one million or less at times depending on what kind of supply is floating. Presumably, the retail price depends on the third-party distributors you know, whether they sell it pure or they mix it. If they sell it pure the retail price could be around $3 million, and if they mix it they can obviously double that.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

“Exactly and we can afford to supply that much amount every month because bringing it into the country is getting very difficult since there are all kinds of advanced operations to be circumvented, but at times it could be double the quantity, but not more than that the reason why it’s easy to handle. Our priority is to have a continuous monthly supply so that those who depend on us won’t go anywhere else because we can’t supply them. Once you lose distributors it’s difficult to bring a new team together.”

“So the involved time frame is one month?”

“Exactly, it won’t take more than one month to distribute that, and for the next month we should be ready for what they want to distribute which means, the good might stay with you longer, and we don’t know the exact time when the item will come here, which means we’ve to communicate often, me and you.”

 “When can you start?”

“We can start this weekend on Saturday, that’s three days later.”

“How do we do it?”

“To start with you’ll park your car where we’ll tell you and someone will put the item in your car.  Your job is to keep it in your warehouse safely and hand it to whoever is going to come to pick it up that I’ll tell you who’ll be. Eventually, the item could be delivered to your warehouse at the bar.”

“Good enough.”

“Ok, I’ll call you when I’ve got the good, and make sure not to take calls where your work.  I know you’ve offices at the back of your operations.  Do it outside because it’s much safer.”

“Great then.”

The rest is history and they were doing it for the last three years.  He’d have made money that’d take the rest of his life by simply following the normal route. Nevertheless, since the risk of getting caught in the act is always there his only alibi might be that he was forced to do it and he never was benefited from it financially.  For the first year, every month San and his guys were passing the good to Jerome in a prearranged manner.  There’d never been a fallout for the first year.  In the second year, San introduced Jose to Jerome telling him he’d been a reliable mule for a good number of years, and he’ll be the one who’ll bring the good, and at times picks it back too to pass it to others. 

Eventually, the location of the pickup was made to be outside of Toronto to avoid detection and Jose will drive for an hour and a half to an obscure small community and comes back with the good.  Luckily from that point on he never looked back although for some reason he isn’t really proud of his life’s achievements.  In fact, if it’s measured by the amount of money he’d made he might’ve made more than he could make running a multiple of successful business operations in the open. And unfortunately, narcotics could’ve put all the money he’d need in his coffer, but he didn’t want it to be part of his life.

CHAPTER SIX

There are a few customers scattered around at the bar, at the various tables, and at the counter.  On the right side of the counter, two individuals are sitting and talking over a drink.  One of them is Jerome the enigmatic owner of the bar those who are in a position of authority had found it difficult to put their hands on, even if everyone suspects that he could be involved in illegal activities.  The other guy with him is Jose who’s become a regular customer at the bar after San introduced him to Jerome and he’s suspected to be one of Jerome’s henchmen, although those who’ve got an interest in what he’s doing had failed so far to come up with discernible evidence that’ll enable them to go after him. The female bartender is tending to the few customers sitting at the counter, while at the same time receiving orders from the waitresses, all of them female. There’s loud enough music in the bar in addition to a good number of sizable TV screens scattered all over the wall, each one of them showing different kinds of sports broadcasting. The two guys Jerome and Jose sitting at the right side of the counter are talking.

“Hey, what do you say? I’ve been losing money nonstop. I don’t think I can recover easily,” Jose said. 

“I can’t say whether I’m doing better on my personal betting or not either,” replied Jerome.

“What about the aggregate betting?” asked Jose.

“That’s good.  After paying out the winnings there’s always enough residue. That’s where I’m making my money,” replied Jerome.

“You’re lucky you’re in charge.”

“Bookmakers and bookies are always destined to make some money. But I also bet on individual fighters, that’s when I can lose.”

“What about rigging?”

“You mean game-fixing? That’s a tough cookie to crack as you know it.”

“Why?”

“It doesn’t happen often, but say if some fighter is showing a stellar outcome, everyone bets on him.  That won’t make sense.”

“Why not?”

“As a bookmaker, I can make money. But the players who are losing continuously don’t make a lot of money even if they’re compensated.”

“Then?”

“Nothing happens, but if the winning guy is wise he should start losing sometimes to create some balancing act.”

“You mean you could lose money?”

“I make my bookmakers money. But if I bet on him when he decides to lose I’ll lose.”

“Do you intervene?”

“To do what?”

“To cover your back.”

“No, and you know why?  I don’t know all the fighters. If they’re one of my guys I’ll know in advance and I bet on the other guy,” said Jerome laughing.

“You see that’s what I mean by rigging.”

“For you guys, it should be the same. Because there’s no easy way you’ll know who’ll win.  You bet on a fighter because you saw him fighting and winning or someone told you he’s a winner.”

“But that guy could lose purposely.”

“If he doesn’t lose sometimes he knows he can’t have anyone to fight because they all can go broke and don’t show up their face.”

“So there are times we lose on predetermined losing games?”

“We all do that.  I’m only better off than you because I’ve three guys of my own who are still average.  So you see, I’m like you too, I bet on guys who lose deliberately since there’s no freaking way I’ll know when they decide to lose”

“Is there any way to beat such an odd?”

“No, trust me, there isn’t. We’ll just take chances. Luckily there aren’t such winning guys who can’t be beaten. In fact, if someone is unbeatable he’ll attract someone who’d want to beat him. Or he could advance so fast we won’t even bet on him because he goes to the other hot regions. In addition, because we’re very small I don’t think there’s someone who tries to fix the game by paying money to the fighters so that they can deliberately lose a fight, but you can’t rule out that. Considering the money the fighters get isn’t that much, they can easily be bought.”

“There too, there isn’t anything you can do, is that it?”

“Nope, I’ll be in the dark like everyone else.”

“Is it a good practice?”

“It happens even among big teams, I mean national teams, where the whole team could be bought to lose a game because someone is going to bet heavily on their loss.  And no one will know about it except those involved.”

Jerome had no choice other than to let Jose participate in what takes place online because he already knew about it.  It’s obviously San who must’ve told him for all he cares, but there are a few individuals who know what’s taking place at the warehouse that he wouldn’t have wanted them to know otherwise.  He’s also thinking of obtaining a license even if what he’s doing currently isn’t even at the level of mom-and-pop stores when seen from the number of participants, and the money that’s generated. 

Because of that, he isn’t losing sleep over the legality of what he’s doing since the system simply categorizes him as a member of the “grey market” bookmakers, a very small-time operator that isn’t open to the public.  It’s members only and they’re recruiting each other.  He hadn’t even recommended a single person, except Jose who wanted to try his hand.  And if he obtains the reasonably expensive license it’ll make him definitely think about exploiting the opportunity, which could be very cash-intensive. It’d be a huge undertaking and he’s to compete with popular brand names that have a big number of customers.  He doesn’t believe he’s ready for that but he knows it’s open and probably he’s the fund to get started.  He could also involve some of his resourceful associates showing that the future of bookmaking has become very bright and he’s what it takes at his disposal to take advantage of it. 

“Anyway, I want to borrow some money.”

“How much?”

“Around $3000.”

“That’s a lot of money. Anyway, when are you making your usual trip?”

“Next week.”

“That’s good news. Why in the hell do you get so broke always?”

“Bad habits; gambling, alcohol, women, betting, drugs, you name it.  I need a lot of money for maintenance the reason why I’ve to take risk.”

“I’ve no problem with it because so far I ain’t seen you out of line.  You must also be working with San in other areas, aren’t you?”

“Not only him but there are other guys I work with doing similar work.”

“So you mean you don’t make enough money?”

“No, they just keep me going.  That’s why I gamble, and it helps a lot, but it can also become a bottomless pit. Something has to change or I’ll end up in jail or get killed.”

“Well, sometimes you worry me because if you’re gone for some reason we could be in the dark, and you know we all need each other until this thing is over.”

“I’m fully aware of that.  But what made you think this thing will be over?”

“You mean that these guys won’t falter?”

“I don’t think so because they’re middlemen if I’m not wrong.  Which means they can go from one supplier to another easily if something happens or goes wrong.”

“Alright, then it means we’re hooked for the long haul.”

“Exactly, do you’ve any problem with it?”

“Are you kidding me, I’m doing it because I’m blackmailed.  And I always want something to happen to these guys.”

“Don’t count on it because it mightn’t happen.

Which means fasten your seatbelt for a very long ride.”

“In the meantime why don’t you sober up and clean up your act?”

“And become like you?”

“Something like that, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

“I don’t know what’ll change me.”

“What about your new old lady?”

“Oh, believe me, I’ll run away from her soon.”

“Why? You’re afraid she’ll change you?”

“Exactly, she’s talking about starting a family.  I don’t blame her because she doesn’t know how the world around us is precarious.”

“I know you can change if you try it.”

“That’s what you want I guess.”

“For the good of everybody, you know.  Once you’re out of the picture who are they going to trust?  It’d been smooth sailing for the last two years. Everyone wants things for free nowadays and they can kill you for that.”

“I know it’ll be good for all of us, except for that woman who wants to bring my kids into this world.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“They’ll grow up without a father. That’s what’s wrong with it. We aren’t the kinds to be fathers and that includes you.”

“Give me a break, I’ve been married for more than 15 years, and I’ve two grown-up kids.  Anyway, things have to change, but I don’t know how.”

“Things can’t change for us because we’re in deep shit.

Anyway, give me the money, and I’m out of here.”

“ Let’s go to my office.”

They left their seats at the counter and made it to Jerome’s office at the back of the bar.  Jerome puts in a key, opens the door, and walked in.

“Come in Jose. Take a seat.”

Jose sat in front of Jerome’s desk. Jerome went to a safe built into the wall that’s behind a curtain.  He opens it and came back with a stack of money. He sat on his chair and slapped the money on his desk.

“Alright, there should be $3000 in there.”

“Thanks, Jerome I appreciate it.”

“When are you going?”

“Next Friday at around 6:00 PM.”

“When are you coming back?”

“Next day at around 3:00 PM, it’s close to a two-hour drive one way, and I can’t meet anyone before Saturday noon.”

“Alright then, give me a shout.”

“Great Jerome, see you then.”

Jerome also left his seat and followed Jose.  He made it to the bar while Jose left through the back exit. Jerome started talking to the female bartender.

“Hey Ronda, do you need me for anything?”

“I don’t think so, Jerome.”

“Bob is coming in the afternoon.  I hope we’re good until then.”

“Yeah, we’re good like for a week.”

“OK then, you know how to get hold of me.”

“Sure Jerome, I know how to get hold of you.”

He left her and took the same route Jose took and made it out of the building through the back exit. He’s outside in an open parking area at the back of the building.  He headed toward a parked car.  It’s a black Mercedes SUV latest model.  He backed out and left the parking area. He started casually driving through several streets that aren’t very congested since the time seems to be in the middle of the morning.

At the same time, someone with a nondescript medium sedan followed him.  At the wheel is Carson an undercover agent who’s hired to track Jerome and his accomplices, and a few other suspected chronic racketeers in the particular sizable community.  In fact, he isn’t from the particular community. He lives and works in an adjacent community, some 50 km away as a private investigator where there’s enough business to keep him going.  And this is a new assignment.

He remembers one day someone probably in his early 50s, dressed in a conservative grey suit, with a matching tie, and shirt was shown into his office by his secretary.  He was aware that he’d one last visitor before leaving for lunch and was talking to other visitors who were there before him.  The last visitor for the morning looked like a typical Caucasian family man and he knows what this kind of individuals are looking for. Almost always it’s to do with their wives having an affair.

“Good morning, what can I do for you?” he said gesturing the gentleman to take a seat in front of his desk.

“Thanks, my name is Evans,”

“Nice meeting you Mr. Evans, my name is Carson, you can call me Carson.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it, in fact, I’m not from this particular area,” he said and he handed him his card.

“Wow, Inspector Bryson Evans, from 76 Division. I hope you aren’t here to take me in.  I hadn’t been to your area for a while.”

“Of course not, I’ve got a business proposal.”

“Thank heavens; that sounds better.”

“It should.  We’ve problems on our hands at our division and it makes me feel bad to spell it out.  But I’ve no choice.  We’ve moles in the force that are making all our efforts to combat crime futile and it’d become almost impossible to weed them out.  The outcome had been there are horrendous criminal activities taking place under our noses and we’re hand-tied. I’m heading a clandestine task force and I’m the only operative showing you how secretive we’ve to be.”

“That’s the complaint we hear everywhere and I think the bad guys are winning.”

“I guess so and if it were racketeering without narcotics, at least it’ll be bearable.  But narcotics reach every corner of our community including schools and it’s to be weeded out at any cost.”

“That’s really worrisome, but I don’t know how I can be of any use.”

“We need an undercover agent and we’ve been comparing credentials. You ended up at the top of the list.”

“Really? But you should know that as a private investigator what you’re looking for doesn’t correlate with what I’m doing.  I make a decent living here in Peel Region and I just can’t pack and go to your region with a cop’s salary if that’s what you’ve in mind.  In addition, I can run into someone who knows me that could make me vulnerable to many adversaries showing you that I’m the wrong guy for the job.”

“It looks like that at the outset, but we’ll make sure that you’ll be compensated equitably. There are outside experts who can help you to disguise yourself attesting how doable it’s.  You know, our problem isn’t lack of experts to do the job, but because of the prevalence of moles we’ve no choice other than going after outside expertise backed with integrity.”

“To be honest with you I don’t really see how it’ll work out.”

“Just to touch on the compensation aspect, we want you to give it a try for a few months.  All we want to see is a tax return for the last year or any year you think had been lucrative and we’ll double that.  In addition, we’ll throw in perks such as free living accommodation with all the expenses paid, a car with all its expenses covered, and a lucrative daily allowance to cover sundry expenses such as whatever you’ll incur on the job, in addition to any reasonable out-of-pocket expense you report to us with or without receipts.”

“Well, trust me, I don’t think I’ll budge because a few months could turn into more months, and that’d mean losing traction, and customers in my business. If I ever have to pick up the pieces again, I won’t make it close to where I’m now.”

“We’ll think of adding a lump sum, a golden handshake, and a thank you golden parachute, whether you succeed or not.”

“What about my secretary and my office considering it’s a prime location?”

“It won’t be difficult for us to pay the rent and the salary to your secretary until you return back.”

“OK, maybe good enough, and I’ve one more request. We’ve to sign a maximum of six months contract that stipulates I can walk away if I don’t want to continue working for you with whatever outcome I was able to attain.”

“That’ll be yours too and if we need you for a longer period we’ll go into the bargaining table.  Since you’re working for money, if you like what we offer, you might pack it in for the long haul.  In the detective department, some of our staff are white collars with a college education, while the rest have started as rookies showing you we attract top talent and offer a livelier work environment.”

“Well, whatever, because those kinds of perks might not impress me anyway since I’ll be an undercover cop.”

“Maybe so, but what I’m trying to show you is your engagement with us can have a lucrative future such as a career as long as you’ve integrity.”

“That doesn’t sound appealing to everyone you know. Anyway, how many days do I’ve to decide?”

“That’s up to you. You know you might’ve to tie all loose ends before you leave here.”

“Exactly, and I’ll call you back in a few days time.”

It had been one month now and he regrets he accepted the offer.  His cover is he’s straight out of prison where he’d served ten years for murder while he was a member of a gang when he was younger.  He’s all the necessary evidence to show to anyone interested. But the problem is no one is interested to know who he’s. The fact that he’s a Caucasian is also making it easy for other visible minorities to completely ignore and avoid him.  To make things worse no one talks about what goes on in that particular circle Jerome is operating in to an outsider.  He’s outstanding covers.  He runs a successful and popular sports bar in the north Toronto region that attracts individuals from all walks of life and area from the GTA. These kinds of individuals don’t really care about what takes place in the backroom or what those in charge are involved in even if there’s a rumor that shoddy business can take place.  Bars and restaurants aren’t a place of worship where pious people only show up their faces.

The other problem is outsiders and newcomers into the community, no matter what they claim to be can be singled out, and almost everyone knows they’re new, and avoids them.  And the rule of thumb seems to be to avoid talking about sensitive issues with anyone new.  The only exception being the sex trade workers who’re willing to talk, but their knowledge of what goes on is very limited to the point where they’re locked out of the sensitive issues. That’s why he suggested to Inspector Evans they might’ve to work hard to find someone who’s an insider, preferably black, so that it’ll be possible to infiltrate the crowd that’s mostly made up of minorities, and they’ve said they’ve said they’re working on it.  Other than that there are a few routines he’s aware of. 

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