The Eros Center was packed with an early evening crowd. Men queued before the hotels with their choices. Kali stood at his office window. SS Tommy sat at his desk. They needed to talk and Kali turned to his enforcer.
"Last night."
"Yes, last night."
"I do not want you to seek revenge."
"I have a reputation." Killers do not thrive on mercy.
"I know." Kali added nothing.
SS Tommy understood the silence and said, "
"So I will not kill your American."
"Or maim him." Cali poured his associate a Scotch and coke.
Johnny Walker Black.
"Normally if someone crossed someone our gang, they pay a pound or two of flesh."
"Not even a gram? He doesn't understand life in Hamburg. Leave him alone."
"You would have never forgiven him. Ignorant or not ignorant."
"You are right. but your one punch nearly killed him. Nobody is better with a right than you."
Other men had not been as lucky as Sean.
"It's nice to know I have not lost it. Some people do as they get older." SS Tommy cracked his knuckles, while staring at Cali. Until now he had thought the baron was making up a story about Cali and Kurt being involved in a big score, but their inordinate concern for this American's safety proved that they were planning something. They thought they were so smart, these two old friends. SS Tommy had someone smart on his side too.
"So you will do nothing?"
It was a hypothetical question. No one could control the blonde bodybuilder, not even SS Tommy himself.
"If that is what you want, then that is what I will do, but if you change your mind, then let me know." SS Tommy sipped the glass, thinking about his killing the American and then broadened his grin in anticipation of putting a gun to Nigger Cali's head.
"That won't be necessary."
"If you say so." SS Tommy had special plans for Kurt too. "But you owe me."
"I know I do and so will the American. You will have no trouble with him from now on."
"Good, then we are all friends again." SS Tommy slapped the desk, then shouted for the redhead from Hannover. She hurried into the room.
"So this is the treasure you won last night." Cali drew her closer and she sat on his lap without a struggle, as he asked, "So what do they call you, darling?"
"Vella," the redhead answered, raising her eyebrow as if she had studied the films of Fassbinder.
"So are you ready for work, my dear?"
"Yes." Vella threw her arm around Cali, as he squeezed her thigh.
"I am not here for fun and games. I am here to make money. For you and for me."
"Are her papers in order?" Cali kneaded the fleshy part of the palm. It was soft, denoting between her thighs would be as well.
"Yes, she is of age and passed the blood test." SS Tommy had faked the papers. 16 year-olds were a goldmine for at least the first six months.
"So then, put her to work."
"Do you want the first stab?"
"She's beautiful, but better she should be broken in by a stranger. I will pick out your fist customer."
SS Tommy said nothing, because Vella was a working girl now and it didn't matter who her first customer was as long as he paid.
Cali smiled at the young girl and went to the office window, scanning the men wandering through the ErosCenter's perpetual night, He called over a young sailor and explained the situation. The sailor peered over the window sash at the redhead.
"Ich hab' kein Pulver."
"No money. Go to the toilet and Onanieren," yelled SS Tommy.
"You were young once. Young like this boy." Cali motioned for SS Tommy to sit down and asked, "How much you want for her?"
"I thought you were not interested."
"How much?" Cali asked without audible interest.
"One thousand marks."
Cali handed the girl ten one-hundred DMs from a roll of bills and she held the money in her hand like a wilted fan. He led the redhead from the office and pointed the sailor to a hotel on the other side of the Eroscenter. When the couple left, SS Tommy said, "I hope you let him pay for the room."
"I may be sentimental, but I am far from stupid." Cali sat down wearily, for the night had lasted several hours longer than necessary to achieve this temporary truce. The schedule for their scheme would have to be sped up, for SS Tommy's revenge could only be forestalled so long and then he would kill Sean.
Of this Cali was certain, but that didn't prevent him from smiling at the blonde pimp to portray a mask of everything being as they always had been in the Eroscenter.
None of it fooled SS Tommy, for he had been waiting ages for a shot at Cali and he thought about how good it would be to have them both begging for their lives. As good as that dream feel, nothing would be better than being the King of the Reeperbahn. Once he achieved that goal, he would be on top of the world and no one was kicking him off the mountain.
Certainly men soon to be dead.
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