Chapter 22 - Christmas Presents

   When we heard movement around the cabin, we came out of our privacy cubicle. Basically, an oversize coffin. I think its called a Pullman sleeper setup, if it was on a train. Its what my grandfather called these things when traveling. But a luxurious one, befitting a private executive sport jet. Vladimir was out of his sleeping den. The animal, was awake. We called it as nine chances out of ten, that things were on the up and up. Maybe not even one in ten, that it was otherwise or worse. Vladimir was in his drawstring sleeping pants, sitting on the overstuffed leather couch that was over his den. He addressed us warmly.

   "Did you, have a nice little nap."

   Panic nodded. Vladimir nodded back.

   "People usually call me, Mister Radiscononovich. For, business. People that know me, call me Vladimir. But. People that know me well? Simply call me... Vlad."

   He doesn't give anything away. Face. Body language. He appears to always be completely at his utter and complete ease. I wonder if he was like this, before his little world imploded. It wouldn't be at all or in any fashion out of order for him to be a functional sociopath, from it all. Hell, I was for years. Not like I'd hold it against him.

   Panic dropped his face. He'll be very serious now.

   "And, which should we call you."

   Vlad held his palms up and outward to us.

   "Please. I meant nothing, bad. And? You can call me Vlad. You both can."

   "Okay. Vlad."

   "Is good. In my world, there is an order to things. Yuri? Is my superior, yes. But? He is good friend. We are, best of friends. We have no secrets, we keep from one another."

   Panic simply nodded.

   "Now. What do you call, Francois. The, Devil? Or, the Candy Man."

   Panic left his face on the floor. He would stay serious.

   "I called him? The Devil. For many years. Until recently."

   Vlad nodded.

   "Is okay. I understand. When I was little? I did... coloring book. You can make, the picture? In any colors, that you want. I am sure, you know this."

   Panic nodded.

   "France, has... colored in Francois. Like coloring book. In, bright red. They call him, The Devil. You know this."

   Another nod.

   "He is, the Candy Man. To me. To Yuri. To... many people who know him, close."

   More of the nodding game.

   "I was given to understand. That, you now call him... The Candy Man. Yes?"

   "Now I do. Yes."

   Vlad nodded. He rubbed his face, and put his wrists on his knees.

   "Is good. Before I tell you, I will simply say this. I am not, trying to make trouble with you. So you know this, before."

   "Okay."

   "I know, how you meet Francois."

   Vlad held his hand up, palms out at us again.

   "Is fine. You only know, how French government? Color him red. But, now you know that he is not what they say he is. This is correct?"

   "Yes."

   "Is good again. Yuri, is my best friend. And Francois? Is, not far behind. Yes, Yuri come... first, in my book? But, Francois, is on very next page."

   "All right."

   "I do not threaten you. We now play on, same team."

   "We do."

   "You see my, tattoos. You know, who I am. What I am."

   "I do."

   "Is not what I wanted for my life. But? Life, it would seem. Had other plans for me. And so. I am, what I am."

   "We all are. They have a saying. Life? Is what happens, while you were making other plans."

   Vlad nodded.

   "Is very true. I like saying that. But? We play, on same team. I tell you, to call me Vlad. Around certain people? That, is... big deal. That you can call me Vlad."

   "Okay."

   "Yuri, is my superior. Francois? Is superior to Yuri. In business. This, is order."

   "Fine by me."

   "Yes. But, both men? Yuri, and Francois. Both, are my very good friend. If a man, were to hurt either one of them? I would hurt that man. Probably, do more than simply... hurt him. You know what I mean."

   "Yes."

   "Is good. I am sure you have, friends. Good friends, some of them."

   "I do."

   "Francois. My good friend. Asked Yuri? His good friend. To do this, thing for you. If we can. So? We do. Francois, tells me you are his friend now. Yes?"

   Panic nodded.

   "Is good. If you do not know a man, but a good friend, says this new man is his friend? Then, you can usually trust this man. And so. I, trust you. If you are friend, to Francois? Then, you are my friend. Now. You? Do not have to be, my friend. And. I will tell you. To be my friend? Is... nothing to do, with... this."

   He pointed to two of his star tattoos.

   "That? Is for me and Yuri. That? Is... separate thing. To be my friend? Is to deal with me, only. I will not be, offended. If you do not wish to be friends, with..."

   He pointed again.

   "...this man. It will not affect, our business. Francois? Ask Yuri. Yuri? Ask me. Is all. You? Owe me nothing. But. To be my friend? Is simple. A friend? Never fuck his friend. Ever. A man does not say, we are good friends. But, the government. But, the police. What could I do. I tell you. The government, the police. These things? They do happen. You tell them, what you must tell them. But? You tell friend, as soon as you can. Never be afraid, of telling your friend. No fucking. No lying. No stealing. Is very simple. We still play on same team. To be my friend? Is separate thing. From, all else."

   Panic said nothing. His face was still dropped.

   "In your shoes? I might be the same way. Wonder, this. Wonder, that. But? I tell you all this. To... put your mind, at ease. Do you know of... this."

   He pointed at one of the stars.

   Panic nodded yes.

   "Is fine. I ask you. Is Francois, what you... thought, that he would be."

   "No."

   Vlad nodded along.

   "I am same way. Know this. A man wears this? You can count on some things. We only lie? To government. To police. Or, to enemies. Or, to people we do not trust. A man who wears this? Must never lie to his friends. Must never, fuck his friends. Ever. If I had ever done these things? Even once. I would not be alive. You, are not in this thing. You? I know for business."

   He paused. Rubbed his face and ran his hands over his sleepy-head hair.

   "As I say. I was up, all night. Communicating. I wait, until I had some rest, to talk. As I say. I know, how you meet Francois. Is okay. I tell you. Is not first time? A man meets Francois, in that way. Has happened, before. And? That man is now good friends with Francois."

   Another pause.

   "Yuri, and me? We meet Francois. Same way. Same, conditions. As you meet him. Now? Is different. Very different. I do not threaten you. I do not warn you. I simply say it. Not to you, just... in general. Yes, I have blood on my hands. From, my life. But, do not ever try to hurt Francois. After saying, you are his friend now. As I say, I meet him? Same way."

   Yet another pause.

   "So. We had, polite little talk. Is everything, good? Between us."

   "Yes."

   Vlad nodded.

   "If you wish to be my friend? Is fine. My good friend, trusts you. So? I will. Just understand, what it means. To say you are my personal friend. No, fucking. And? You can, count on it. That I will never do the fucking."

   My intuition was spot on the money. He is just like Panic and Rob. Just from a different world. I'm also starting to think, he might be a sigma male. Just like Panic. He's no beta male. But, he's no alpha. He follows his alpha, Yuri. Faithfully. No trouble taking orders, when the pecking order dictates it. And no alpha, would have stayed in the Brooklyn shit-hole. Simply because he was supposed to keep an eye on things. And even when it got bad for him? He wouldn't bail.

   Only a sigma male can run below radar, but suddenly rise up and act like an alpha. Trust and loyalty, are everything to a sigma. They have an exaggerated sense of right and wrong. They put it into practice, too. And they don't put that value system they keep internally, up on some shelf. Ever. Not for work, not for gain of any kind. Never. Its popular to say... look. Its just business. Its always said when the person is acting with logic, for obvious gain. When the sigma points out the values changing? People don't get it. The sigma grows used to hearing things. Such as, its business. You wouldn't understand. But the sigma understands, and far too well. They write that person off. They limit their dealings with them. And if they're forced by situations to deal with a person like that... they watch that person like a hawk. Because they know, that person will fuck them if it benefits them or theirs.

   Most people laugh at sigmas. What a rube. Passing up gains, because of a childish notion of right and wrong. A few people? Marvel at them. Wow. I wish everyone were like that. The world would be so much better. People could trust one another. It wasn't so long ago, even in our own society. That these sigma values were taught, to almost everyone. Held up as virtues. An ideal, to strive for.

   But? That time is long gone. The sigma males? Are slowly being bred out.

   Panic looked at me. I know what it means. Do I detect anything off. I nodded yes. If I didn't nod, he knows that's a no. Panic nodded back.

   "I wouldn't fuck you, even if we weren't friends."

   Vlad nodded. Sigmas understand each other, as only another sigma can. They give this to their friends, displaying this value system. They demand it back. Panic stood and stuck his hand out. To shake. Vlad stood up and shook his hand. Then Vlad asked.

   "We are to be friends?"

   "Until I know different? Yes."

   "You will never know different. Friend."

   A pause.

   "I told you. No vodka. Business meeting? Is primary objective. I explain. I must remain, all focus and dedication. But? Only this much."

   He indicated a smidgen with his forefinger and thumb.

   "I drink with friends. Merry, as well?"

   I shook his hand as well. I said it.

   "Friends."

   Vlad nodded.

   "Is good. Yuri would understand. Little, toast. To making friendship."

   Vlad got out the wooden crate box of the expensive top shelf vodka. He took it out. It had a real cork. He opened it surprisingly easy, but he was no small man. He got us three glasses with ice, from the little bar cart. He put about a finger of the expensive vodka in each and handed them out.

   "To friends... and? Fuck police, fuck NATO."

   And we drank our one finger each on ice to that.

   Vladimir sat, and stretched around. Still waking up, he cracked his neck one direction, then the other.

   "And may I ask. How long, have you been looking for... this thing, you search for."

   Panic grinned, with a dropped face. The two don't go together, trust me here. Its a death mask with a grin.

   "If my new friend, likes boring stories."

   "Ah. Is better, than vacation pictures."

   They chuckled together.

   "You know about Francois. And the blood coal. When he was a younger, what. A younger billionaire."

   Vlad nodded.

   "I do. I have heard this thing. From his side of it. It... changed him."

   "It changed me, too."

   Vlad nodded.

   "I was changed. Francois, he was changed. And now, you? You are changed."

   Panic looked off.

   "I don't know, if I changed for the better? Or... for worse."

   Vlad nodded.

   "Francois will talk, of the... American cowboys that showed up. That was you."

   "Well. Not just me."

   "Of course."

   Panic sighed.

   "When I saw what was happening. To the helpless villagers. I..."

   Vlad looked him in the eye.

   "I know."

   They nodded together. Vlad broke the silence. I guess he's in the silence breaker's union as well as I am.

   "Do, you see it? Still now."

   Panic stared at him, and nodded.

   "And, dreams of it all."

   Panic nodded again.

   "Men were not made for this. I know I was not made for it. Me? I was made for my Betanya. My little Vladimir and my little Betanya. And for driving a truck, to the city market. And what was my friend made for."

   Panic chuckled.

   "Me? I was made to be a computer programmer. Some hobbies, too. But..."

   Panic shrugged. Vlad nodded, and used his silence breaker's union card.

   "All men, if they are there? Must watch, or see it. But, some men have to try to help. This, was you."

   Panic nodded. Vlad continued.

   "To see it. Is one thing. The dreams? I can live with that. But, seeing it while I am awake. It is not good. It eats at you. Like, acid eats at a base mineral."

   Vlad is using chemistry metaphors. Much like Panic will use math or computer metaphors for things you wouldn't think one could. They're very much alike. This was clearly meant to be. The universe is pulling out all the stops on this one. For years, the universe has been unbalanced and pissed over this. It made Panic, it made Vlad. Francois, too. Into what they are. So they would be ready. Then? Karma, is bringing together multiple rare sigma males. To handle this. To try to make things right.

   I just know Wizzy is up there. In Valhalla. Sitting with his mentor. He's pointing at me. Look, she's doing it. She's right in the middle of it. Is she something, or what. I know I'm finally making him proud of me. I know my ancestors can see me, and all the way back in my line. I like to think they're proud of me as well.

   I'm making a difference.

   This all started out, with me suggesting it to Panic. A present. For all he ever did for me. Save my life several times. Kick me and Uncle Mike's operation into high gear. He watches over me, like an intelligent guard dog. He's spent the better part of his young adult life, giving of himself for people he didn't even know. So? A present. From me to him. A real present. Not something I just click, click, click on. Something comes in the mail, you sign for it. Here you go.

   A real present. Tailor made just for him. The kind you can't just buy. The kind that shows you really care.

   But its bigger than that now.

   Wizzy gave me a present. Karma. He gave his life to see me have it. He demonstrated it. You live your life for this? It makes you into more than the sum of your parts. It makes your life? Really mean something. He died with a smile on his face. He knew, deep down? He just knew, it was all worth it. And he gifted that to me. Here, honey. This? Its for you. Make your life really mean something.

   Now Francois. He's showing us all the way. Fighting? Really doesn't accomplish much. Its just a band aid, over an open wound. There's still an infection, and it can fester. You have to take the weapon they use, to do it. Use it back against them.

   A golden sword.

   Francois forsook his life. To do what's right. He can't even fight, but he's doing it.

   Presents? Me to Panic. Wizzy to me. And all of us? Its Christmas. Presents for everyone. And this just can't be an accident. As an undercover agent for the FBI, my big case is to stay wormed into an outlaw motorcycle club. Just listen, like a microphone. A fly on the wall. For years. Building intelligence files.

   Every person in the biker world? Has an official nickname. Mine? Christmas. My cover name, is Merry. It made sense to me and my handler? That a person named Merry, would own the obvious pun. So, I incorporated it. I buy a candy bar, and give it to a steakhouse waitress? I say it.

   "Merry Christmas."

   My AKA, my street name, my gang name? Christmas. Its all been no accident. The universe, needed me to become what I became. None of this, happens without me. It even lets me know now, that its all been worth it. Because my name is Christmas. And all of this?

   Its really a present for the whole world.