Wade Meets Jade Pt. 01

Wade Meets Jade

Part One

Jade Dragon created by Battlestrength, Wade Wilson created by Wade Wilson.

The Author wishes to express his deepest gratitude to Battlestrength and Wade Wilson for their permission in writing this story.

by The Preve

Jade Dragon

You know, the one problem about leaving The Life is you never actually leave it.

Of course. It's all about self deception. There's always something, or someone, to pull you back in.

Damn straight, Boss. Sure, I'm already loaded and don't need the money. Sure, I have little Joe to look after and don't like the idea of The Life spilling onto him. Things have a nasty way of putting you on detours from the path you choose, though.

Doc Hazard's still running loose. The Liz Slutskaya Project's still ongoing.

I heard Morris Micklewhite's been making some waves these past few years. Kid's coming up in the world.

Yeah, whodathought. Still, case in point regarding detours: Felix Carbuncle.

Yeah, that piece of shite.

Pretty much goes for his family. The Carbuncles are a bunch of toxic rich fucks but they'd paid good money in the past. I didn't mind taking it, so long as the mark deserved it, and they kept their distance from me. Never trusted them though.

I was always surprised they paid, rather than have someone come after you to snip loose ends.

The Patriarch had some noblesse oblige thing, and he knew I'd kill anyone he sent... and him. Anyway, he died right around the time I retired. Haven't had much anything to do with the family since.

A good thing. Personally, I'd keep as far away from families named after boils as possible.

I think the original family name was French, got anglicized to Carbuncle. Ah well, anyway, digression's over. I'm in my office again, and I get a hit on my message board.

Ordinarily, I'd ignore it, unless it was related to Liz, Cathy, Morris, Harry... or Doc Hazard, but I'd taken a hit on some tech stocks lately. I could brush it off but there was some real estate I'd been looking at in northern Cali, some of my snitches needed a little milk money, and I wanted to top off some bank accounts.

'Sides, I was kind of bored and looking for a little action.

The fucking or the killing... or both?

What, a semi-retired professional killer can't have a little fun?

Not too much.

Ha! Anyway, message is from Rudolph "Rudy" Cohen, the Carbuncle family lawyer.

Sleaziest shyster in the history of shysterdom.

Can't really be a lawyer to the Carbuncles without the corruption, Boss. The message says he wants a meeting. A possible job for the Carbuncles. A sizable payday if I'm interested. I'm tempted to say no, and warn him not to contact me again.

Give in to the temptation, Jade. This offer smells like a zombie that just shit itself.

Job offers from these shits always smell, Boss. I'm just curious why Rudy would contact me after so long. I hit reply, >Time and place?