Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 538: Gangs of Submundo
"Let’s start with the people who you will be delivering your living quarry to. The Basilisks." Pliro decided to start explaining as they passed a number of people and stalls on their way down the slope toward the main street that seemed to run through the center of the city.
Pliro pointed in a direction and made a circle with his finger. "They occupy and control a quarter of Submudo. This area here. They are mainly occupied with drug smuggling, biological weapons, the underground slave trade and umm... manwhore houses."
Jace raised an eyebrow and then chuckled as he realized Pliro’s sheepishness. "It seems the Basilisks are a female gang."
"Correct. They are strictly women. There are some alternate genders and some males that swing that way. But most of them are females. I will be honest, of all the gangs in the city they are the second most dangerous. They want your friend back there because he raped one of their new members. Which is a good way to get on their list. I suggest you avoid that activity if it is something you enjoy or is the culture of your people." Pliro explained sheepishly as he rubbed his side.
Jace smirked, "sounds like you speak from experience, and no that was not a request for additional personal information about you." Jace held up a hand to stop him. "Although you do not have to worry, aside from a few obscure species who are forced to live on their own planets, it is not a facet of my people’s overall culture."
"Ha... another bit of information. Well shit." Pliro grunted out. "Umm... the Basilisks are not anti-males. But they have a tendency to want to conquer a pretty face. So you might have a few problems. I know I always get propositioned when I go there."
"I assume that is the overall information on the Basilisks. What about the other groups?" Jace asked as he grabbed a child’s hand as he walked past him and glared at him before pushing him away.
"You are even ruthless against pickpockets." Pliro pointed out.
"When young kids like that steal something too valuable, their owners will take it by force. I figured it was a universal rule of the streets." Jace pointed out as he waved him off.
"Ho ho ho... This is true." Pliro nodded, "but you do not have anything of worth on you."
"But those eyes watching us do not know that. Even now he will be harassed just for interacting with me." Jace told him as they moved around a patrol.
"Perfect timing, the patrols you see are the Submundo Street Gang. They only exist in Submundo, they are neutral in every other aspect aside from keeping the peace and the maintenance of Submundo. In fact, they are the ones who hired me to come watch you. They make their money through the taxes from the guards and moving goods through the city." Pliro explained as he waved at some of the patrolling people who waved back.
Basically they were the government or city officers for Submundo. But the way they set up made them seem too organized and structured for a mere gang. "Sounds like they are sponsored by the actual government to keep an eye on crime. Not a request for more information."
"Haa... Okay. Then in that area to our right." Pliro circled another area with his finger in the air. "That is the El Mureto territory. All of their members are required to have some sort of skull regalia on their skin or surface layer visible at all times. They have a mix of a bunch of different races and sexes."
Jace could tell they were big into their personal symbol because from their current position he could see a flag with a skull on it flying on the side of a building. Then around the sides of what he assumes is their territory are a number of other skull flags flying.
Pliro glanced to the side and made a face before acting normal. Probably clocking something that Jace noticed awhile ago. "They are into the drug trade, usually low quality stuff. Cheap weapons and artifact weapons. They do have some decent blacksmiths that make some good quality bladed weapons. They have constantly been trying to bring in people in for the sex slave trade, but I have heard it has not been going well."
"Am I selling them any of my goods?" Jace asked.
"Umm..." Pliro looked at the things on the back of the Colonel. "No, you could sell them the horse. But I do not think you want to sell that horse."
"I do not." Jace nodded his head once in agreement.
"Then in the back areas of the city. The territories are not as large and are dividing up much more infrequently. Those territories are constantly changing hands. Only the Basilisks and El Muerto are kept out by the other groups. The Submudo Street Gang runs that central part of the city, it also happens to be neutral territory." Pliro explained, pointing out an area that was almost perfectly in the center of the city.
He then waved his hand. "The Gators are in several different areas and do not have their own territory but everyone knows not to mess with them. They are strictly an anthropomorphic human and scaled creature hybrid group. They have humans mixed with alligators, crocodiles, lizards, and a few other species."
"Hence the name." Jace nodded.
"They are who you want to sell the weapons to. They are deep in the weapons trade and that is the only thing they are in. They do only barter in person and on a small scale. It would be more apt to call them a guild or collection rather than a gang. But the last person that got on their bad side was found in small chunks that were torn apart by their teeth. They have the best blacksmiths in the city."
"Noted. We should go to them last. What about the explosives and body armor?" Jace asked.
"The explosives... are probably going to go to the Luna Terrorists. They are not locals and are only trying to scrounge up weapons." Pliro seemed a bit sheepish at that.
"I see... you need an excuse to detain them. Them leaving the planet with those explosives is the excuse the government needs. Very well. But it will cost you, because it is probably not the best place to sell them." Jace answered as they arrived at the central street and he started leading him to an alley way that led into the Basilisks territory.
"They are staying at a hotel. I will show you later." Pliro explained before rubbing the back of his head. "The body armor... the Submundo Street Gang will want to buy them the most. We can drop by there next."
"What about the other gangs you mentioned in the less territory specific area?" Jace asked as he looked at Pliro contemplate. "Pay me back for the entrance fee and I will provide you with the rest once we do not have an extra set of ears on us."
"Very well." Jace nodded as he stopped and turned around to look at a woman. An elf if he could tell by her ears. "Take us to whoever wants to purchase this one." Jace pointed his thumb at the gold toothed man who flinched and immediately tried to jump up. But Jace touched him and he went still again, falling into another slumber.
The elf blinked in surprise before nodding and walking past them and leading them deeper into the territory. "When did you notice me?"
"The moment you started following us which was after Pliro paid those guards. I am guessing you have an informant among the guards who told you about that guy. Or you just have someone constantly watching the entrance. I noticed several other fleeting gazes at the entrance as well." Jace informed her and Pliro chuckled nervously.
"Smart and attractive. The Mistress won’t want to let you leave." The elf then looked at Pliro, "how about you?"
"Halfway down the slope. But I noticed you intentionally got closer when we entered the Basilisk’s territory." He pointed out.
"Still handsome as well. Madam Lala will be glad to hear that." The elf grinned at Pliro’s nervousness.
As they walked Jace frowned as he could hear catcalls and whistles as women called out to him. Suggesting he became their personal plaything. After the first few, Pliro was embarrassed. But after ten minutes even the elf had the awareness to blush and apologize. But all Jace could think about was the weird feeling he had, like another set of eyes were watching him but not with the desire these women had, but he could not place them.
They arrived at a large mansion that had plenty of vehicles out front. While walking around doing mundane tasks were several different handsome men. Which he somehow fit the large and extravagant style of the mansion he was seeing.
