Hard Luck Hank: Frankly by Steven Campbell

Author:Steven Campbell [Campbell, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2021-08-14T15:00:00+00:00

The principals reconvened in my hospital room two days later. I was feeling good, but not great.

“I got 250 gang members, ready. That was my cut-off point. I had far more people offer their services, but I think that might be too hard to manage as it is. We did the math, and that’s fifteen guys, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, and five deep,” Podiver Vance said.

“A bunch of gang members who hate each other aren’t going to stand in perfect formation,” MTB scoffed.

“No, and we don’t want them to. They need to be able to shoot. That’s the whole point,” Garm said.

“Oh, they’ll shoot. Though no one has standardized guns. Some don’t even have any,” Podiver said.

“Delovoa, can you provide weapons?” I asked.

“I don’t personally own a manufacturing facility. I make custom guns. I don’t outfit armies,” Delovoa said.

“Maybe you can pick and choose your 250 from those who already have proper equipment,” Garm suggested.

“Forgive me, but I put heavier emphasis on those who are stable and sane and willing to do this instead of whether or not they owned a rifle of a particular caliber,” Podiver replied.

“He’s right. MTB, can you lend some guns? Garm, you must have access to some Navy weapons,” I said.

“We confiscate all sorts of weapons. But they aren’t very good,” MTB replied.

“Navy guns are complicated. And the armory at the dock is off-limits to everyone below fleet command,” she said.

“Then how are you equipping your personnel?” Podiver asked.

“My team is pulled from the residual troops at the telescopes,” she said. “They already have equipment and nothing to do now that the telescopes are essentially gone.”

“How is this gang battalion going to be organized?” MTB asked.

“I don’t think it will be,” Podiver replied.

“You want people with long rifles on the left, so they can shoot down the face of all three buildings,” MTB suggested.

“I can’t arrange them by guns. They’re not soldiers. They will be grouped with their friends and their crews,” Podiver explained.

Podiver Vance had been my first choice as liaison with the underworld element. He worked buying and selling merchandise, which meant he was on friendly terms with a whole lot of people. While he had little combat experience or expertise dealing with thugs who had combat experience, those people tended to have a lot of baggage.

Like if I pulled in a gang boss who ran collections, he might have access to 60 guys ready to fight right now. But we needed a lot more than that. And by the time we got 250, they’d all be battling each other out on the street, instead of shooting at the Cartel.

I could have tried to recruit people myself. But a lot of criminals didn’t trust me for a lot of reasons. And I was busy doing other things.

“It’s looking nice. Great job, Podiver,” I said. “Garm, you’re next.”

“Right. Like I said, I only have limited access to the now-defunct telescope forces,” she began.

“Every time I drove by, they sure looked impressive,” Podiver hinted.

“So then let me finish.

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