Glasses clinked. People ate. Rolls of sushi were pinned between bamboo sticks, and people added way too much wasabi and soy. Salt levels in the bloodstream skyrocketed. The topic of the meeting made his blood pressure rise, too.

Children were being mistreated. Smuggled. Vanishing. A group was doing it, and they needed to be caught. For truth, justice, and the American way. But mainly because they were degenerates, and it made him sick. Is there ever a better reason to catch a criminal? If something is that wrong, that cruel... yeah... definitely.

His contact had pointed him to a man named Wong. He was in the Wong place at the right time, the time they were scheduled to meet. An Asian man. He'd been given a description, told what to order, the "key words", and what to wear. For him, that meant a slate grey suit with a white dress shirt underneath the suit jacket, with a black tie. The tie had a slight cross-slashed pattern of darker black lines across the black silk. And on his pocket, he wore a tiny pin. A pink ribbon, to raise awareness. To help single him out to his contact. (And also, because he supported the cause. Such a tragedy, that. Gotta help the cause.)

It was lunchtime. He'd ordered a dissonant selection. Lion's head, ants climbing a tree, and a Coke. Lion's head was a Huaiyang dish with a large pork meatball swimming in broth, surrounded by a mane of cabbage and other vegetables. The ants were bits of minced pork clinging to bean thread noodles, like ants climbing a tree (duh). It was a Sichuan dish. The Coke was a Coke. With some sweet syrup added, to pretend it was a Cherry Coke. He waited and ate. It was all very good.

The table had been set for one more. He had let the waitress know he was expecting someone.

Mr Wong was in Virginia, officially he was in Virginia to visit some friends/relatives. Unofficially he was here to gather more information on an underground mutant child smuggling ring. a large mutant smuggling ring, one that involved and estimated 5 crime syndicates. From what he was hearing it was lucrative as well.

Mr Wong wandered into the Chinese restaurant. He was wearing a traditional Chinese Tunic and traditional black cloth shoes. He had been in China town, when in Rome... Mr Wong was here because of a favor. So much of Asian culture ran on relationships. Either that of family or of favors, the giving and taking. Mr Wong/Hades owed a Mr Wu a favor, Mr Wu called to collect, so in return Mr Wong had to turn up to a restaurant and talk to some westerner. Of course Mr Wong was not just a simple Chinese chief, he was an assassin who went by the call sign Hades. Hades being Hades would never walk into a meeting without doing some research. So "Mr Wong" knew that he was about to sit down with one Officer Ashton Lowell Drake, age 40 or the MRC division, the question that intrigues Mr Wong was Why? What would prompt Wu to call in a favor. There was only one way to find out.

Hades entered the restaurant, it was the kind with booths with high backs, perfect for discrete conversations. It was busy too, noisy enough that individual conversations could not easily be overheard, an excellent choice, but for what? Mr Wong slid into the seat opposite the American. He ordered Hokkien Fried Rice then turned to Ashton.

"I am Mr Wong, Wu sent me hea, I owe him fava. He lo say way he wan me hea. So who a you and how can I help?"

"I'm looking for information about some people," Ashton began. "A group. They've been smuggling mutant children. I was directed to you. Do you have any information that could be of use?"

"My name is Ashton Drake," he added a moment later, as an afterthought. He nodded slightly, and expanded on that. "I work with Richmond PD, mutant related crimes."

The man was exactly what he'd been expecting. He spoke with an accent that told Ashton this man either had a talent for accents, or else spoke English as a second language. The contact hadn't been told exactly what Ashton was looking for, or else wanted to hear it from his own mouth. Ashton hadn't bothered with using code words or secretive talk. The booths gave them privacy, and he spoke loud enough for the person across the table from him to hear, but quiet enough it wouldn't carry far beyond that.

He rested a hand against the cold glass of soda as he awaited Wong's reply. Beads of water were condensing on the glass. They made his palm wet and slightly cold. Whatever helped him keep a cool head.

>"I'm looking for information about some people," Ashton began. "A group. They've been smuggling mutant children. I was directed to you. Do you have any information that could be of use? My name is Ashton Drake, I work with Richmond PD, mutant related crimes."

"Wew, you ar dilect I give you that. I like. Ok mr Policeman, I tell you same as I told the ada policese wooman, and give same deal as her, lo favourites."

Mr Wong paused, ate a few mouthfulls of food and savoured the taste. It was good, authentic.

"So, I lo dat there is a mutant child smuggling ring going on is Ulited States. Dese pepo, day kidlap children, give them M or A den see if dey are mutants, if so then sell for much much much mcuh money, if lot then sell to legular smuggling ling. I have ears in maly places, all telling me that dere is crazy money flying alound. It is big. So da deal is information for information. I wan dese....."

Mr Wong muttered a long string of Cantonese words with vehemence, insulting the smugglers family on both sides for several generations.

"...horrible pepo taken down. But I am only one man, so maybe I tek dem down by giving the police info, but I need to low mroe so I can find more info. Do we have deal?

Mr Wong paused for a sip of tea. The detective nodded. So Mr Wong continued.

"Here what I lo so far. I lo dat the Japanese Yakuza involved, as they tried to come after Missy Acha of the NYPD. We beat dem but they will be back. But here is my pwobum, Transporting and selling drugs is Yakuza, but lot making drugs, not on dis scale, so I fink..." Mr Wong raise a finger "..I fink dat Chilese Triad involved, but Chilese trad in US have many branches, so I leed help narrowing down so I low where to pok aloung."

Mr Wong mimed rummaging.

"So we have Yakuza, or part of it, den powtentsal traid involvement but dat is not all, I hear rumour of european type, pepo built like tanks and the whole operwation feel to big for just two playa, I fink maybe fee of four but again I leed more info before I can go digging."

Mr Wong paused again. The detective was taking it very calmly. Was he going to play poker face the whole meeting?

"I suspect major ports are trasportation hubs, but alywhere with coasline or border possible. I fink that here is stop over and I low that New York has big hub, other than that is lumor only."

Mr Wong spread his hans expressively then sat back to see how the detective would respond.

As the man spoke, Ashton made mental notes. He processed things as they came in, neatly, concise, precise, for easy access at a later date. The man had dealt with another person, a police woman. Right. They'd probably be working this case from several angles, across several states. Good. The man was giving him the same deal, no favorites. Ashton mulled that over with a slight nod of affirmation, as the man ate his food. They both lapsed into silence for a short time. Ashton gave his other dish another try. Sipped his drink. They moved on.

What the man spoke of, Ashton had already heard, generally speaking. The kidnapping, the given no of M so they could try and sell pseudo-mutants or regular mutants, or whatever. He didn't know the science behind M. Sometimes, it jumpstarted latent mutant powers, he thought, but other times it did nothing... and more often than not, it just gave plain humans temporary powers. He wanted information on things he did not know about. Like A. He had never heard of A.

The man had ears, and information on different rings involved. He wanted information for information, data for data, in their little tête-à-tête. Depending on what the man wanted, this conversation could go several different ways. Ashton waited on him while he broke into his reverie of what Ashton assumed was a rude takeout menu in Chinese. He shared his price in more detail. An amicable sharing of information. Ashton supposed that was workable, so long as he didn't have to put any of his sources in danger or share details he wasn't allowed to share. He did the one thing he could do to keep Mr. Wong talking. It sounded like he wanted to help bring them down. Ashton quashed some dumb joke as it passed through his mind, something about the long arm of the law working with the Wong arm of the law, or something like that. He was such a tool. He dismissed the joke and killed it before it had a chance at life.

It was well and good that he stopped focusing on dumb jokes, and started focusing on the bare bones of what Wong was saying. He might've missed the subtle commentary on a Missy Acha, otherwise. Taking on Yakuza, Missy Acha, of the NYPD. A lady cop. He put two and two together and got four. Holy f---, Archer. His eyebrow rose the barest of fractions as he decided he'd have to give her hell about what sounded like a messy encounter with the Japanese mob. You leave a woman to her own devices for a few years, and she winds up picking fights with the Yakuza. But wait, his mind noted in its best impression of a TV infomercial, there was more. The Triad might also be involved. And you could wage fair money on Missy Acha not backing away from that land mine also. It took all he had to keep his face neutral so he didn't roll his eyes. She wouldn't be deterred, even with three or four different organizations involvement in the ring. It was so reckless, so stupid, so damn noble. It was one of the things he respected about Archer. Even if it made his hackles rise.

Apparently, the poker face worked because he hadn't given his thoughts away. Both his thoughts on the organizations smuggling kids, and his thoughts on Quin were very strong on their own. Together, it was a perfect storm. He let go of his drink. He'd rested his hand against it again at some point during Wong's monologue. Unintentionally. It was likely his biggest visual tick. Entirely subconscious. Subtle, but there. Anger fought with respect and disbelief, alongside memories that old name brought back. It was all too complex to describe in a single sentence, but it boiled down simple enough. Wong wanted information, and Ashton wanted to give it to him. He wanted to work together with Wong, and maybe Archer by proxy, to take down the ring. And he had enough respect for Archer to dismiss the niggling uncertainty floating around Wong. It had been there in the background, causing him to be cautious. Not mistrustful, but holding back. Being aloof. Unreadable. He needed to shatter that Poker face calm. He did it with a smile. He was too respectful to laugh.

"So, Ashton said, slanted smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Archer is investigating this too. Hope she isn't getting herself into too much trouble. Her and I are old friends." He looked Wong directly in the eye. For a moment, the smile turned rueful, but he pulled it together. The message was buried. Old friends. Maybe with a good-humored hint of regret? And he'd hate to see something happen to her if Wong played them wrong.
"If she trusts you, I can share what I know. Pool our information."


"European sounds like either the Russians or the Italians. Maybe both." It certainly was a nasty coalition of groups they were connecting together. He already had a few ideas about what families operated in his area, and what groups. Theoretical safe-houses, known territories, rackets, transit stops and the circles business affiliates operated in. He also had old information about New York from when he lived there. Information, he had in spades. Once they knew where to look, they could start making connections and following leads. And he had plenty to draw upon. He related that in the briefest way possible, succinct and to the point.

From the way the man smiled, and in his experience with mankind over theyears, he could easily tell that the word "old friends" was frought with meaning.

"Old flends uh?" Mr Wong smiled a smile that might, just muight, be considered as "knowing".

"Dong woly about Acha, she tak care of herself. Last time she and I met she took dung 5 men. 5 armded men!" Mr Wong Held up five fingers to make his point.
He left out the fact the he had taken down a few as well, no need to draw attention to his abilities and risk his cover in any way. His cover as Mr wong was paying dividends, and long may it continue.

> "If she trusts you, I can share what I know. Pool our information. European sounds like either the Russians or the Italians. Maybe both."

"Ok, good so we aglee to share."

[/font]"Lussians and Itaalians sung abou light, but that is long term investigation. Maybe with you here and Acha in Lew Yok we make some headway, but that may tak some time. I have somefing more immediate in mind."
Mr Wong, sat back for a moment, gauging how capable this man was, how much could he trust him. He gathered his thoughts.

"Mista Ashton, how capable ar you?"

He leaned forward. "I low that Lew Yok is a hub. If we fink for a moment about packages, Lew Yok is where they collec, sort and send packages. As for Vegineya, here is a watering hole.
Fings come in from docks or airport, they stop here overligh then go out ow. For exampow maybe on Monday a shipment come in from dock, move to warehouse for the light den the next day it gets trucked out.
At same time anoda twuk come in with a container for shipping out. My sources fink dey only stay one light and not always at same location."

Mr Wong leaned back and took a breath, trying to gauge Ashton's reaction. Was this truly a man that could make things happen? Was he wasting his time.

"Dis place is an artery or vein, so if we disrup fings here, den when I go back to Lew Yok , they need to change fings, and make it easier to find.
Mista Ashton, I am like keyhole surgery, I can go in and find information without anyone loticing, but the body is big, dat is where I leed help.
If you can find out what shipping or trucking company or companies have been growing unusually in say the last two yeas, nothing illegal, but just unusual. You give me a lame, if it good,
I galentee you I can come back and give you where, and when, and maybe a few mora whos as well." Mr Wong's eyes burned with contained anger.

"I dong have access to paper and led tape. If you can do dat, we can shut down der operations here, save some kids and help me find dem in Lew Yok.
If you can do dis I can give you enough information to save some kids and rain hellfire dung on dem. So can you do dat?"

He sat back, took a deep breath, and a mask of calm once again seemed to settle across Mr Wong's face, with his eyes betraying only a hint of the burning anger beneath.
He waited for Ashton to respond.

Hrm. The last time Wong and Archer met... He tried not to dwell on that. Ashton knew Archer could protect herself, and he knew that his thinking she should be more careful would elicit the most negative of reactions. He knew that she was a police officer, and that was their job. He didn't like the thought of her taking on an entire smuggling ring solo. But she wasn't his charge. She was her own. It was absolutely terrible of him to have an inkling of concern for the woman. So he just arched an eyebrow at Wong's story, and said nothing.

The deal was made. They'd pool information. And Wong wanted something from him.

It was a good idea, to divide and conquer. A battle on two fronts. Eventually, he'd have to contact her and share. That was going to be a lovely it of extradepartmental cooperation. He was counting the hours until that call.

How capable he was, was a question Wong had. New York was a hub. He wanted to disrupt things, cut the artery, and bleed the ring out. Without their hub, they'd have to work harder. It'd be thoroughly inconvenient. All he had to do was hold the knife. Ashton took in the information Wong was sharing, and compartmentalized it. He'd share that with his bosses before he shared it with Archer. Most likely, she already knew the bulk of it.

Wong wanted a reply. Ashton had kept silent while the man spoke, giving him nothing. Being respectful. Professional.

Yeah, he could dig for information about which shipping companies had grown recently. He could follow some money. Good old fashioned police work. Easy. And he could go to Wong about it. But this was an issue of time and resources, and it required action. "I can do that, yeah." Ashton said briskly. "And I can share it with you. I'll be taking point once we know enough to catch them here and disrupt operations. I'm going to have to coordinate with Archer, once we know more. So she can be ready to take note of any changes as they happen. I want to get these people here. I want to help Archer get them, there. We can work together to do that. No problem." Wong would just have to deal with him taking charge when the time to strike was upon them. He was the detective, here. MRC would step in and break up the transportation side of the ring in Richmond.

>"I can do that, yeah."

Mr Wong nodded. That was good. He waited patiently for the detective to expound.

>"And I can share it with you. I'll be taking point once we know enough to catch them here and disrupt operations. 

I'm going to have to coordinate with Archer, once we know more. So she can be ready to take note of any changes as they happen. 

I want to get these people here. I want to help Archer get them, there. We can work together to do that. No problem."

Mr Wong nodded again. So the detective wanted to take point, not a problem. In fact that was what he was hoping would happen.

The detective taking point kept him out of the limelight as much as possible so he could focus more on New York. Secondly,

regardless of the outcome of the eventual raids, it would at the very least spook the smugglers. Thirdly, it meant that the detective

would get the glory and that was fine by him, and it usually went down better, especially where the egos of others were involved.

He smiled. "Goot, goot, welly goot. Dis is my lumber. When you hav mora info for me let me low, so I can do some digging mysef."

He took a sip of water. "Dis is youra turf, of couse you tak point, if you want me to be dere I can, adawise I can be back in Lew Yok

werking wif Acha."

Well business seemed to have been concluded and Mr Wong had finished his food. 

"In dat case I lot take up mora of your time." He made motions as if to leave.

"Unless dere is anyfing else?"

Ashton took the guys number , and committed it to memory. It would be good to work with him and sort out things before they set up the eventual sting. He'd dig and find what they needed. Hopefully, it would only take a few days.

The prospect of progress was exciting to him. He wanted to catch these people. Put them away. Shatter the whole ring. Prevent the things that had happened from occurring again. Children did not deserve what they had done. Nobody did.

It seemed the conversation was drawing to a close. Wrapping up. Ashton nodded, and handled the final formalities (like paying for his food, boxing leftovers, and making final remarks to Wong). He left the man with a parting remark on how they'd be in touch. Then, he left the restaurant and got to work.

((Followup thread should be up in a few days time.))