Chapter 26: A Pact of Pax

A white flag meeting made safe for us by Julie's boyfriend--a man of means and unscrupulous power--revealed the situation in the alley behind the Concertgebouw. His bodyguards towered above us as they escorted us through the doorway guarded by men gleaming with threat. When a gauntlet threatened to tighten and restrain us the three Dutch towers had blades against throats within an eye blink. An unheeded threat by one of the Angels ended with a flash of fist and a descent to the ground.

The leader of the Hell's Angels--a small but husky man with intelligent eyes--came down to investigate. "Let them through," he ordered with a heavy Dutch accent. Reluctantly the guards bowed to his command. We entered our meeting place, a clubhouse with a bar and small tables and a large round table at the corner. We sat there.

"You owe me fifteen hundred American," the leader said to Bess.

"Of course Greg," Bess responded and handed him a banded fold.

Miles Van Der Rott chuckled. "A true businessman," he said and shook Greg's hand.

"A great compliment from you," said Greg. "Was it your men who struck down Val?" He pointed at a large Angel in full regalia sporting a yellowing bruise beneath his eye.

"Heat of the battle my friend," explained Miles. "We hope to keep such things from happening." Greg nodded.

"Which is why we're here," I said, pushing words through nerves. Once said the words relaxed me.

"Joseph Solomon I presume," said Greg. "What does Bethesda see in you?"

"Got me," I said.

"How are you in a fight?" Greg asked.

"I can keep from getting humiliated," I answered.

"We little men must stick together. Fists or knives?"

"Whatever you prefer," I said as bravely as I could manage.

He tossed me a blade, blunted but it had weight. Angels moved tables and chairs to make a space. We posed for conflict. He awaited my move. I lunged and retreated. I lunged and dodged his counter. I tried manipulating his momentum but he caught it and slid through. "Good," he said. He made swift moves, unexpected shifts and nearly caught me with a low thrust but I escaped and countered with a chest high slash that made rudimentary undamaging contact. "Very good," he said and immediately danced around me, kicked out my knees and placed his knife at my throat. He laughed. "Okay my new friend let's talk."

"My friends asked me to represent them. As you probably know I'm a lawyer, but this is obviously more casual than my usual situation. However we have created a contract, an agreement on paper. Perhaps it's too formal, but it gives us a document reminding us of the meeting."

Sophie handed Greg a copy of demands and threats and another to a big man beside him.

"First Mr. Van Der Rott, a very busy man has been generous with his presence. He understands your desire to involve him with your enterprises, but wishes it made clear he has no interest. Any advances in this regard from this moment forward will not be tolerated.

"How will this not be tolerated," the big man to Greg's right responded.

"We'll get to that," I said.

"Let me say," said Miles, "that my defenses are impressive even against your vast army, and my retaliation will not go well for you."

"I can see your guards are formidable," said Greg. "But you realize we are a warrior clan."

"Uhm, excuse me," I interrupted. "If you'll let me continue, your sword rattling may be unnecessary. Would you accept the skirmishes on Friday and today as minor and little damage resulted?"

"Fine," said Greg. "Go on."

"The group which I represent wants no part of your organization, and promises to pose no threat to it."

"What kind of threat might they present?"

"We will not poach from your stock of girls, nor will you poach from ours," said Sophie. "We will not compete with your business endeavors. Our organization has no territorial overlap with yours and we intend to keep it that way and expect you to do the same."

"But we don't even know your enterprises," said Greg.

"Neither do we yours," said Sophie.

"If any threat of involvement happens, it will end once the threat is clarified," I said.

"Go on," said Greg.

"Neither Bethesda Hidalgo nor Joseph Solomon shall be in anyway put in danger, threatened or killed."

"Or what?" asked Greg.

"This is the crux of the agreement," I said.

"May I Joe?" said Bess. I nodded. "For the past several months I have been useful to you in gaining influence in Amsterdam and Holland for your businesses. I have also proved useful to Julie's organization in similar ways. I have documented these endeavors, including the removal of a certain police agent. These documents have been placed in such a way as to be available to certain powers that be interested in causing problems for both you and Julie. If I am no longer able to communicate to a certain party, both your organizations suffer. But aside from that, my presence in the Hell's Angels no longer benefits you. I became a double agent in a way, but only insofar as Julie is concerned. I am not interested in hurting either organization. But Joe has been threatened and so have I indirectly, so I have made arrangements to protect myself and Joe."