Savages

137

Option one is Play and Obey, so—

Ben’s first meeting with his new employers takes place in a room at the Surf & Sand, pricey but still cheaper than the Montage.

Alex and Jaime arrive accompanied by napalm.

That is, the smell of victory.

Smug, cloying, sickly, and obnoxious.

They come with something else: a middle-age Mexican they don’t introduce by name but instead as the Man, the BC’s CEO in the OC.

Ben is sorry Chon isn’t there because he would fucking love that.

The BCCEOOC doesn’t say anything, just looks at Ben as A&J explain that everything they are about to tell him comes directly from the BCCEOOC, who has a pair of the coldest eyes that Ben has ever seen outside a hostage video.

Specifically the one starring O.

And this guy, whom Ben recognizes as Mr. Chain Saw.

It is explained to Ben that:

He will give them the locations of his grow houses and

Inform them, through Alex, of when a crop is ready, at which time

The BC will send a crew to pick it up, with

The agreed-upon payment and in the meantime

Ben should start contacting his customers to acquaint them with the changes and make sure that they comply with the new order of things and

If Ben has any problems he should contact

Alex or Jaime, but it is sincerely hoped that Ben will not have any problems nor hopefully will the

BC have any problems with Ben, but if they do he will be contacted by Jaime or Alex and the problem will be quickly resolved or

He will see Mr. Chain Saw again, who will resolve the problem, by killing O.

Does Ben understand?

Ben does: Ben is to be the object of prison love, repeatedly, for three years or twenty million dollars. He gives them the location of a grow house with a harvest due date two days away.

This should give him time to plan.