Located near the middle of the Inoue Clan motorcade was the car holding the two Inoue clan representatives. Two of the five stars of tonight’s event.

The first representative was a thirty-year-old man. Rokuro Inoue. A grim-looking man in a white suit and black tie. His black hair cropped short and styled backwards with gel. His dark eyes glinting with just a touch of blue as the familial sigils within them glowed softly in the gloom.

Across from the man was the other Inoue clan representative. Melle Inoue. Dark-haired like his cousin, but with eyes that glowed a stronger blue.

Melle was a nineteen-year-old former-punk who’d cleaned up his act in the last year or so, after miraculously graduating from the prestigious Crystal Phoenix Academy.

He was also one of the children of Reinier Inoue, the current sitting head of the clan. Thus making young Melle part of the future clan leadership. The clan had sent him with his elder cousin for the negotiations with the Albani family as a means of getting the boy some experience in the family business.

“Do you think those gearhead fuckers in the Albani family will start something this time?” said Melle. Drumming his fingers against the armrest of his seat.

“Language, cousin...And probably not. From what I’ve been made to understand the Albani’s sent Henrietta Albani, one of old Nicholai’s great-granddaughters. Reputation wise it seems she’s not as hot-headed as others in her family.” said Rokuro.

“Yeah...I guess that makes sense. But what about that fuckboy Peppino. He’s even more hot-headed than his daddy, Frans, who started this beef between our two families.” said Melle.

“Language, cousin. Do not make me say it again. If you’re going to be speaking for the family you need to learn how to watch your fucking mouth.” said Rokuro.

There was a lull where none of the passengers in the car said anything. Naturally, the drivers who weren’t direct members of the clan didn’t dare speak up either.

The older man glared at the younger man. After a moment of defiant staring, young Melle finally bowed his head and proffered a mumbled apology.

“....Sorry.”

“It’s fine. This is just one of those things you need to learn. We’re here on business not headed to hang out with those ne’er-do-well friends of yours.” said Rokuro. His face relaxing somewhat as he cracked open a window so he could smoke.

“Want one?” said Rokuro. Proffering the carton in his cousin's direction.

“Sure. Thanks.” said Melle. Accepting the peace offering.

“To answer your question, the intel we’ve collected for the meeting says Peppino is mostly there in an assisting role. A role similar to your own role. However, He’s getting a later start then you are and I doubt they expect as much from him as the clan expects from you but that’s neither here nor there.” said Rokuro. Offering his cousin a brief smile.

“Anyway, Peppino might be a hot-headed idiot, but I doubt he was sent with any real authority. Hell, I hear he’s only recently getting back after having to run abroad after that scandal that happened in California, so while I wouldn’t say discount him completely because you never know...I wouldn’t worry about little Peppi too much. It’s Henrietta we need to focus on.”

“And if they start something?” said Melle.

Rokuro smiled. Flashing a set of gleaming white teeth.

“Our Inoue clan isn’t all that easy-going either, cousin. We don’t need to worry about the Albani’s starting something. If they start something, I assure you we’ll be the ones ending it.” said Rokuro. His mind turning towards the dozens of magical warriors that had accompanied them on this trip. His eyes moving towards the car’s third passenger. A figure that had sat in silence since they’d picked her up.

“Hm...Good to hear.” said Melle. Blowing a stream of smoke out the window and watching as the city of Prospero disappeared behind a veil of glowing white mist.

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Over on the opposite end of the road, in the Albani family motorcade, sat a young woman of twenty-seven years or so. She was dressed in a sharp blank pant’s suit but instead of wearing heels she wore a pair of slightly clunky rocket boots. Worn in case tonight didn’t end well and she needed to make a hasty getaway.

She had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a heart-shaped face that would have probably been attractive even without the gene boosting enhancements that the children of those with money usually were given.

Henrietta Albani sat with a tablet in hand. She was reading through a set of prices and quotes. She tapped the screen and scrolled through images of shipment containers and their contents.

Tonight’s trade centered around the sale of a shipment of weapons’ grade magic-beast ligaments. The ligaments were a key ingredient in modern mech creation. They were supposed to be a heavily controlled item, but they were also one of those controlled items that the government closed half an eye on, so long as it wasn’t done too obviously.

Rumor had it that the Inoue family managed to get their hands on a shipment of the ligaments from one of their trades with a government supplier with ties to the gray industry.

The Albani family needed the ligaments because Albani Electronics was due to break into the mainstream mech creation market pretty soon. The clan needed material to mass-produce their world-class machines, and all the other companies were doing a little too good a job of trying to freeze them out of the market. Making it nigh impossible for the Albani’s to find crucial parts like the ligaments legitimately.

In exchange for the ligaments, the Albani’s would trade a several dozen pounds of fairy dust, and some concessions concerning their underground operations.

If the deal went well, the Albanis’ dark half would take three steps back, and let the Inoue clan take over a large portion of their territory. The Inoue clan’s dark half would gain the right to run all the drugs, guns, and brothels between Arcadia and Ohio.

Which in theory was a deal too good for the Inoues to pass up since they’d need the revenue if they were serious about going legit, and becoming one of the corporate powers, in three years rather than a decade from now.

“What’s all the fuss for, cuz? Didn’t the old-timers hash things out on their end?” said a voice. A loud voice. An obnoxious voice.

Henrietta looked up from her tablet, her studious face briefly taking on an expression of annoyance.

Ultimately, She didn’t say anything. Though he’d called her cousin, technically speaking the younger man was actually her uncle. One of the sons that her lusty grandfather had sired from his many mistresses despite his old age.

Thus he technically out-ranked her in the Albani family’s hierarchy, even though she had been given the controlling power for this particular venture.

“Being prepared is never a bad thing. And there are always a few hiccups when making big transactions like this. Knowing more about the situation means being able to adjust more quickly.” said Henrietta.

“Well said...but it still sounds like a huge pain in the ass.” said Peppino Albani.

Peppino Albani was a handsome blond-haired, blue-eyed, hellion with a wicked twinkle in his eyes and way too many girlfriends and lovers. Basically, a young version of his aged father.

The ‘hellion’ part was a bit literal in this case, for while Peppino’s father was completely human, his mother was a demon, a Rage Whisperer. A demon of the fifth circle, a being whose power lay in instigating fights and sowing strife.

Despite this being the case, the only signs of Peppino’s non-human heritage were those pupils of his, which were a little more diamond-shaped than round, and his tongue, which was forked at the tip like a snake.

The twenty-year-old absentmindedly smacked a panel on the car door, to find that ‘yes’ this was indeed one of the family cars, that came stocked with a built-in mini-fridge.

“I suppose so...but it’s an important pain in the ass, cousin Peppino. Please, try to give the matter the care it deserves.” said Henrietta. Stifling a sigh.

“Right...Right. Whatever you say, cuz.” said Peppino. Pouring himself a tumbler full of brandy and setting to the task of looking to see if the car also came complete with an ice-maker.

“Also, I’ve heard that Melle Inoue will be there too...I know you two don’t get along but I would hope you’d try to keep things professional for this evening.” said Henrietta.

Peppino smiled. A vein in his forehead popping out as he found the ice-maker but also found that it was out of order.

“Little Melle’s here, cuz? No worries. If he doesn’t start anything I won’t start anything. Let’s just hope that punk bitch doesn’t start anything.” said Peppino. Chuckling dryly and taking a sip of brandy.

Henrietta just shook her head and sighed. Hoping that the night’s events didn’t end up generating a body count. She was on track for a promotion in the family business, and it would be nice to get through the year without a single failure on record.