"Thank you. The guard said you have a deposition in a few minutes, I hope I'm not keeping you," I said.
Bennie shook his head. "I sent my paralegal ahead of me, they can get things started. It would be helpful if you and I could walk together though, I can save a few minutes if I head towards the RIST station while we talk."
I had to give it to him, it was a slick move. By getting us out of the building, he and I could talk more honestly without worrying about being overheard. Of course, he could have been wearing a wire, but Benny didn't know that I was also carrying something useful in my soft briefcase, a portable jammer that I could turn on just by touching a button on the case itself. It had a ten minute battery life, and would shut down any and all transmissions within a two meter radius, including cell phones and bugs. Mark had some pretty nifty gadgets.
"Sure," I said, turning to the door. I was wearing one of my suits, and shivered slightly as we left the Federal building and walked out into the late winter sunlight. I didn't know if he was telling the truth or just being deceptive, but I was willing to play along. "I took the RIST down here myself."
Bennie gave me a quick glance of slight surprise. "Oh? I guess I had you pegged for that Mercedes SUV you've been seen around town in. Mechanical problems? Or worried about a ticket still?"
I laughed and shook my head. Within the city, the law enforcement community was simultaneously close knit and very tribal. Rumors like my troubles made for juicy passing around, while facts on cases were guarded like precious jewels. "So you've heard about that too, huh? No, no ticket worries, just having it taken in for a full workup. With MJT being all about being eco-friendly, I gotta make sure it's tuned up. The winter wasn't too harsh, but still, all that road salt sure can play hell with the engine and undercarriage."
"I understand. I'm just taking the RIST because parking over by the site of the deposition is hell," Bennie replied with a chuckle. "Once you get a parking spot around here, you hang onto it with a choke hold if you need to. So, what can you tell me about my roof problems?"
"Well, we have a mutual friend who is interested," I said. We were clear of the building, and I looked around. Quickly, I reached into my pocket, then pulled out a flash stick. "Here. A gift from said mutual friend."
Bennie took the stick and made it disappear into his pocket. "Can I confirm any of this?"
"It's video and audio," I said simply. "But this comes with a simple price."
"What's that?" Bennie asked, looking at me carefully. "I've learned in my years working in government, sometimes the price might be too much."
I nodded. "Don't I know it? His price is simple. Don't tell your pistol carrying buddies for at least twenty four hours. You can still use the information to move against Berkowitz, but the other men on the file.... they belong to someone else."
Bennie thought about it for a long time. Walking along silently, he pondered the price, and if it was worth it. I'd already given him the flash drive, so he had to assume there was some sort of catch to make sure he paid the price. We made our way all the way to the RIST station, where we paused on the platform. He was going downtown, I was going back to Mount Zion to help my family get ready for war.
There were consequences for his actions, he knew. He knew who Mark was, even if he didn't know his real face or name. He knew if he gave his word, there'd be blood spilled for certain, and most likely men going to the morgue. But he also knew the Latin Kings were one of the groups that were beyond the law. They'd survived the crackdown after Owen Lynch and the Confederation were swept away. They'd survived numerous gang wars. They'd done it through not only regular intimidation, but also the tacit support of certain members of the Filmore Heights community. He was making a deal with the devil, but a devil that at least was trying to atone. "All right, he has until nine tomorrow morning. Just do me a favor, and try and limit the damage?"
"He'll try. To unlock the files, the password is blizzard, all in lower case."