╔════════════════▣◎▣════════════════╗

Tran Fish Co.

🐟

122 4th St

Detroit, MI 48222

Caught fresh, never frozen.

╚════════════════▣◎▣════════════════╝

Along the waterfront of the Detroit River stood a large warehouse building that Vinh had just recently purchased. He had done fairly well for himself since arriving in America, killing a few notable people for enough money to buy whatever he wanted, but he knew with money drew unwanted police attention, so he needed to make it look like he was just your average business man, lucky for him, being an Asian immigrant helped this cause, as police were less likely to suspect him of any crimes.. Vinh was given task with handling the cocaine shipments by his new boss Nuccio and this warehouse along the river to Canada was the perfect route for him to smuggle it through, arriving all the way from his home back in Vietnam through one of the last few contacts he had left, an American officer who got addicted during the Vietnam war.

To act as a front, Vinh decided to utilize the river for is natural resource of fish, it was the perfect cover for his operation, and it kept most people away as they really didn't enjoy the smell of slimy fish. The front of the building had a small shack where various local fish were laying on ice to be purchased..

Fresh Detroit Fish:

All fish are .99c each.

Silver Bass

-

 Largemouth Bass

-

Smallmouth Bass

-

 Rock Bass

-

 Yellow Perch

-

 White Perch

-

 Bluegill

-

 Crappie

-

 Northern Pike

-

 Muskellunge

-

 Walleye

-

 Brown Bullhead

-

 Carp and Channel Catfish

The night was growing dark as Vinh worked into the middle of the night preparing the place for it's official opening in the morning. It had been quite a few weeks since the purchase had gone through, but not a single thing had been done to get the place actually up and running until just recently when some police came snooping around. Using it just as a place to store and ship drugs was not going to get very far in a city as dirty and corrupt as Detroit, either you were going to have to pay someone or make it look less suspicious, and that was where the stinky fish came in, as it was also perfect to hide the smell of cocaine while out in the trucks.

Walking through the center of the warehouse away from his office, Vinh looked around at all the various things that had been gathered over the last few weeks, crates, dollies, a few trucks by the warehouse roll up doors.. all the typical stuff you would find in a warehouse, followed by the big reefer off to the side that had plenty of fish in it. It was quite the operation and it was evident to just how big the place was as his loafers clicked against the floor, causing a faint echo. Reaching the door on the other side, he turned the knob and entered the front part of the building where the small store was located.

Vinh reached into his pockets as he let the door slowly close behind him, he was looking for his cigarettes but he must have forgotten them back in his office, eh, no matter he wouldn't be out here long.

"Now, where is that thing.."

His eyes searched around before finally spotting the open/closed sign on a table nearby the front door. He picked it up and stuck it in the window with the words 'Closed' facing forwards.. he was eager to actually get it turned the other way in the morning but, who the hell would be showing up this late at night? Nobody.. the thought made him chuckle a bit before he turned and returned back to his office.

Vinh was a bit busy in the back that he hadn't heard the bell rung in the front.. that was until a loud bark came and he thought a wild dog had come into his shop to steal his fish, upon entering the front, he was relieved to see a local friend of his instead.

"Ah yes, anything you want Tutte, all of them will be mighty tasty in a soup!"

He quickly packages the two normal size carp into a bag after hearing his request again and sent him on his way, bag hanging from his mouth and tail wagging.

SilentAssassin was walking along the detroit waterfront being a new area he has never took the time to explore. he sees a warehoue and walks in the smell of seafood hitting his nostrils. 

He walks up to the counter seeing these various types of fish he has never seen in his life. "Excuse me my good man. i could not help but walk in here. ive never seen or heard of any of hte fish you have here in your shop. i had only been treated to lobster,mussles,oysters and scallops

"can you make a recommendation for me or perhaps a mixture would work for a fish chowder?"

It had been a few days now since she had ran into that exotic man at that one bar, Vinh was his name... at least that's what it said on the business card. She still wasn't quite sure why a man so secretive as himself had business cards. Wouldn't you think having a business card was just poor practice, especially when you are trying to hide from certain people? Just seemed like a good way to wind up dead but perhaps that was just her, maybe she was looking to much into it all?

Regardless, she finally had a bit of time to take a stroll to his location. Not that she needed fish, cause she surely wasn't a chef. In fact boiling a pot of water was a task for her, it was just something that she never learned to do. Something that she really just never needed to know how to do. Regardless, she now found herself standing in front of this Fish Company. The fresh stench of fish evident, even from the outside. It wasn't really the most pleasant of smells but for some reason it didn't really bother her all too much. 

With a subtle shrug, Ksenia stuffed the business card back into her pocket and entered the fish company. The smell a bit more harsh once you entered, which was warranted. The place itself seemed rather clean for such a store, you could tell the place was new in that regards. The man behind the counter though, it was not Vinh.. at least she didn't think it was. Sure she was pretty drunk the night they met, her judgement may have been a bit skewed but that clearly wasn't him.

"See anything you like?" The man spoke

It caused her to look towards the fish in the coolers, why she didn't know. Was just something that happened naturally, until she realized she was doing it. Moving her gaze back onto the man behind the counter, Ksenia gave him a bit of a smirk before speaking herself.

"Actually... I'm not here for any shopping purposes." She noticed the man raise an eyebrow in her direction but didn't speak himself. "I'm here to see Vinh, is he in?"

The mans eyes jetted towards the back then quickly locked back onto her.

"No... Uh... He, uh... Who is asking?"

She took in a deep breath, a fishy full of air. 

"Does it matter?" She said in a snappy tone.

The mans eyes moved up and down, almost as if he was sizing her up for something. There was an eerie silence before he let out an ear piercing whistle. A whistle that was followed by a big ass dude coming out from the back, the same dude that damn near pushed her off her chair when he squeezed between Vinh and herself at that bar.

He looked at her, looked at the man and then back at her.

"This one might be a problem, you might need to escort her out." The man behind the counter spoke once more.

"Fuck off old man." She responded.

"Fuck me? No no no... Fuck You!" The man chimed up once again, she could see his face turning a bit red. Needless to say, he wasn't the happiest of people at the moment. All the while, the big dude just stood there watching. "Would you toss her rude ass out?"

"You touch me... we will have issues... the lot of us." The flashed the gun on her hip, probably wasn't the best of tactics in this situation but just seemed right for her to do.

The big dude turned his head towards the back... "Boss! You have a visitor... that crazy woman from the bar the other night."

"Crazy? Excuse you!"

"Boss! You have a non crazy visitor."

"Oh she is fucking crazy and she has no manners." The old man spoke up once again.

"I don't have time for this shit, is he here or is he not?" She pulled out the business card from her pocket and flicked it in the direction of the old man. "He gave me that shit, at this point it seems like this was a waste of my damn time."

Nuccio gets chauffeured to the waterfront. An icy wind is blowing. Although still in the back seat of his Packard Super 8, he feels the cold. Actually, Nuccio wanted to visit his close confidant, his right hand man VinhTran much earlier in his daily work.... Entrusting Vinh with the cocain shipments was a brilliant idea. The man has a knack for it, and business is great.

The car slows down and stops in front of a large warehouse - "Tran Fish Co.“ Nuccio has to grin. That suits his man Vinh. No one would ever suspect anything. Flanked by his bodyguard Salvatore, Nuccio enters the location.

"Vinh, are you here? We have business to discuss!"

While Nuccio waits for his partner, he looks at the fish display. He thinks to himself that it would be a good idea to celebrate the upcoming anniversary at his headquarter with delicacies from the Detroit River.

Walking through the dirt field, his feet sunk into the mud with each step he took as he trudged to the other side where he could see his father off in the distance.. it had rained the night before he gathered, and his father was not going to be happy if the crops got flooded, and by the looks and feel of the mud under his bare feet, he could guess they likely were. He had never seen rain, thunder, lightning like that from his bedroom window.. or atleast he remembers seeing it. His mind felt a little hazy this morning, he couldn't really remember what he had for breakfast..

The loud yell from his father came again as he beckoned him over, Vinh was carrying most of the equipment in the sack on his back as his father fell from the roof the week prior while fixing it up before the storm. Walking a bit faster now, he approached where his father stood on the edge of their field, staring out at the entire thing flooded..

"Nó bị hủy hoại, Đó là lỗi của bạn khi tôi phải làm việc trên mái nhà chứ không phải trang trại.."

Vinh's father was extremely angry.. he couldn't have possibly been the reason why his father had to work on the roof instead of shoring up the farm area, I mean.. sure he was about twelve years old now but he couldn't have known what to do?

"Bố, con xin lỗi" Vinh said apologizing to his father

"Chúng ta sẽ làm gì?"

He began to put the sack down when it came.. he felt it again in his face. His father had never struck him before but this was the first time, the pain was something he hadn't felt before, he turned and fell into the dirty mud before shoveling himself back around.. his father had stormed away, it seemed like he didn't mean it but.. he hit him.. of fucking course he meant it. Vinh slowly gathered himself to his feet and tried to brush the mud off himself, that was when he heard a loud ring.. a ring he head never heard before, it sent the birds in the tree's flying.. and then another went off before he turned his head back towards where his house was..

His father was standing at the edge of the house before he turned and had a concerned look in his face. It was bandits.. his father shouted out to him to run but before Vinh could, he turned and looked at the man on the horse.. he recognized him but, he wasn't Vietnamese? It was Jack Tocco and he smiled at him as he cocked his gun, the barrel rising to his face..

"The Don sends his regards Vinh.."

The gunshot went off and as it did, a loud pounding came at his office door. Startled, Vinh awoke and almost fell out of his leather chair, he quickly reached for his pistol and aimed it at the door, that was when he heard the voice of his bodyguard come from the other side, it was Tri..

"I said you have a visitor boss.. looks like quite a few people actually, they are all looking for you. You know, your uncle get's real worked up when anyone shifty comes walking in here.. you need to talk to him-" he was cut off

"Yea yea.. alright give me a moment I'll be right out."

Vinh quickly lit a smoke and shoved it into his mouth, taking a long inhale, he couldn't help but think about the wild dream he just had.. he hadn't relived that moment of his father striking him in a long time, but the bandits.. that bit was definitely a spiced bit of his dream. Jack Tocco was on his mind, hopefully that wasn't who was here to visit him.. he stood up slowly and stretched before making his way to the front. Much to his surprise, there was two people roaming around the shop.. First was a bald headed man who he didn't recognize very much, but he was inquiring about what kind of fish he should have.. it wasn't until he got a bit closer did he recognize his face from the local news papers a few weeks back or so.. he was definitely SilentAssassin from Chicago.

He gave a faint bow of the head to the man in respect before speaking..

"Ah yes sorry keep waiting. I was uh, deep in nap you know?. Chowder? Hmm me no man of fish chowder. Me like fried, fried very good. You fry fish, breadcrumb. Good thing yes. Pick fish you like and cook you know?"

His eyes spotted the other patron in the store, she had her back turned but quickly turned as he spoke, she must of recognized his voice. It was Ksenia from the bar the other night.. it was good to see a familiar face, he gave a quick smile and bowed his head again.

"Ksenia, yes, hello! You find shop, very good! Find okay? No get lost on way here?

Her eyes glared a bit, perhaps she was waiting a bit of a long time.

"Okay, business yes, office in back, chat more there okay? Or looking fish for you? Good dinner you know?"

The front door jingled as another person entered his shop, his eyes shifted to the door and just as they did, another ring came as men followed in behind him.. him being his boss and new Godfather, Nuccio.. he was quickly met with a smile from the man before he quickly bowed his head. It was quite the unexpected visit but it was a great honor for him to see his boss here.

"Nuccio! Vinh happy see, honor me yes! Like place? Many visitors now.. if urgent, talk in office? Tri show way?"

"Yes, business to discuss friend. You and I.

So many things were going on, it was quite the unexpected way for him to wake up this way but it was the way it was, he was just happy not to be back on that farm with his father.. things were much better for him now. He gestured for his boss to walk into the back office and wait for him, he had to finish his short conversation with Ksenia.

"Vinh sorry, man good friend to me, you okay wait here? Fish on me!"

Business. Of course it was calling, he just didn't know when to quit did he? 

So what he needed the money? His dad always tried to say shit didn't pay, but that didn't stop him from being a smartass about shit, or a smooth sonuvabitch, how else did he end up in the machine city of all places? 

Surprisingly, he tried going to Veges but that place was about as bloody as a woman during a certain time of the month, devil bless his mother for her overreaching and wantng to teach him manners. Cause, of course, he was going to take that correctly. 

Stopping outide the joint, he notices a few guys posted up opposite the...

"Where the fuck am I again?" Chancing a glance up, he only manages to capture sight of the sign, it didn't exactly stand out but the smell told him enough. 

Fucking fish, the smell was putrid and only caused him to wretch before holding his stomach and pushing forward. 

"Better be a fucking perfume bottle or something in this shit reeking place, momma didn't raise no fucking pig. Sheeshus christ!" Pushing his way inside, he only stops to find a few guys running back and forth, boxes in hand. Of course, it was big enough for fish but Rossa had his eye sometimes, he wasn't exactly an idiot, surviving on the streets took brains. 

And not no college book neither, street smarts, sometimes he wondered if he got from a relative or perhaps some latent inhibition to cause shit and keep moving. 

He waves down one of the fishmongers, the fishmonger smirks with an irksome shit of a cocky little grin. If he, Rossa, did not have the patience and the upper body strength, he would have smacked this shit nine ways til the lord cometh. 

Whenever that was, people were biblical and bead clutchers like it was the last god damn salvation. 

"I'm looking for VinhTran, a friend of mine recommended me to buy some exotic fish. Something about being able to make money out the wazoo. I'm something of a delivery driver, don't worry, I can wait. It's no problem.."

Sighing and knowing he caused quite the stir already, he only manages to take a dusty corner over by a dimly lit area of what he assumes is a rickety cricket table, sheeshus. Maybe this guy needed to work on his... portfolio, leasth he could do is add some glamour to the place, looks like shit. 

Then again, beggars can't be choosers and right now, he's on his knees looking for an opportunity. 

Walking side by side with his boss Nuccio, they arrived to the front of the store once again after their long chat about him taking over as captain in the streets. A brief handshake transpired as the two men gave eachother a nod of respect and he left. Vinh let off a sigh of relief, it was always antsy being around the big boss, but it was more so when it had to do with him. That was at the same time the front door opened again, Vinh quickly dodged out of the front to not be seen as he was not in the mood for more chatter at the moment..

The customer quickly struck up a conversation with his Uncle, he listened closely as he spoke..

'I'm looking for VinhTran, a friend of mine recommended me to buy some exotic fish. Something about being able to make money out the wazoo.'

Vinh knew what the man was talking about, he must have been recruited by one of his men in the steets? He turned the corner now and let himself out into the light, a smile meeting his face once he realized who it was.

"Ah, yes hello! Good friend! You found place.. hope not hard find no? Fishy smell.." he chuckled as he walked around the counter to the man

"I have work, lot work for friend. Come, I show!"

Gripping the man's shoulder, he lead him to the back of the place where the warehouse was, it was really just through the side back door behind the counter that lead to the massive room, and it was here the smell of fish odor got even more strong. Vinh enjoyed the smell, the rotting carcass' was almost the same as the smell of money to him.. especially with what he put inside the belly of the fish. Slowing his walk now, he released his grip from the man and continued speaking as he reached into his pocket for a cigarette.

"Smell it? Fishy fish smell.. it smell money." he paused as he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and extended it to the man.

"Cigar? Smoke? Good yes.."

He waited for the man to decide if he wanted the cigarette or not before continuing with his tour..

Being led through the warehouse side door, Rossa couldn't hide the sickly green that coloured his cheek with a god awful wretch. Sheeshus, the guy could have at least shown he was the slight bit put off but the number of showers he'd have to take, uck!

"I'll take a smoke. Hopefully, that can wean me off the smell of shit, literally." Rossa wasn't always one for mincing words, Vinh's devilish smirk only made him turn around to give the place a once over. It wasn't anything special, but this was a front. 

How easily he managed to sway and just go about his business, it was like he was used to business being the priority and how else could that be adjusted? This guy had a good head on his shoulders, maybe a bit of an odd sort but hey, what else could he hae done? Tell him? Rossa valued his fingers, and the smell of smoke permeating throughout the warehouse. 

Lord was it a great repreive, at least in this sense of the time. 

"Money huh? I didn't know catching fish was so lucrative, or that it smelled so bad, you like the smell huh?" Rossa smirked, seeing how the man could easily smirk a little, like he knew a bigger secret just by showing him around. 

Rossa was questioning his chances of running to Vegas, the guy was an oddity and maybe the bloodied streets of Vegas could have a small startup crew, something better than... that unnerving smell. 

Of course, Rossa didn't move, even when Vinh turns his back. That was a chance, he thought to himself, he could run and not look back. Yet, he stayed, something warned him not too and to hear this out, for all he knew, this could be the start of something big. 

"I guess you do, I'm Estarossa, but my friends call me Rossa. I heard something about you on the streets, you're a businessman, high society and all. I'd like to extend my hand, and see if you have any business opportunities. I'm a good talker, I like the observation, and I can tell from this place, you're making a killing!" 

Rossa watches the man. He seems almost a bit thoughtful, there's always something about people, how they operate and do things. You couldn't do things with men of connections. Vinh seemed like an oddball, someone that was a loose cannon, but how he stood, how he did things, he could very well be a man capable of strategic smarts that left people quaking in fear. 

"Whatever you have for me, I'd like to see what I could do. Are you willing to give me that chance? Mr. Tran?" Bowing his head, Rosa manages a comely smile that he's mastered enough to get what he wants, but this was a different league, what he used to do was minor league. He's trying to push his way into the biggest of plays, one that could set him up for a lifetime. 

Question was, would he able to do it?

Vinh liked the answer he received, he wasn't a huge player in the underworld but his name certainly had traveled around, especially within Detroit where he was a marked man by the Detroit Partnership for falling through on a contract, but that was for another time. Smirking, he gave the man a faint nod before he replied..

"Nice to meet, Estarossa, name familiar to me" he pointed at himself as he spoke before he carried on..

"Fish big business, when fish have right content.. see I show"

Vinh gestured for the man to follow behind him as he whipped out a lighter from his pocket and raised it to his cigarette that was dangling from his lips, the immediate feel of nicotine in his lungs was a welcoming one to him, it didn't sting or feel heavy, his heavy lungs could take just about anything from all the smoking he did. Turning around, he lifted the lighter now to ignite the cigarette for Rossa before quickly capping it shut and placing it in his pocket.. the cigarette left off a loud crackle that was heard in the quiet warehouse as the two men stood in silence by the table..

As he exhaled, he could tell his friend was rather disgusted with the dead carcass on the table, but there was more here then meets the eye..

"What? Rossa no like fish? Fish good.. smell good.. show you look.."

Vinh picked up the carving knife on the table and the man next to him took a step back, causing him to chuckle before he stabbed the blade into the belly of the fat fish where it looked like it had previously been sewn shut, a small plastic wrapped brick quickly fell out and onto the table, causing Vinh to smile and place the bloody knife down on the table..

"See, fish pregnant. Cocaine fish.. good no? Easy shipping!"

Vinh's broken english was probably not helping to really explain things, but perhaps they would somehow get there eventually..

Drugs? Fucking shit, wasn't there a no dope policy? Pretty sure it was those old timers in New York, stuck in their ways with their supposed no drugs, Fat Pauly the Cat and his business ways didn't want no dope, yet it seemed out here, shit was more or less the wild west. 

Ready to upchuck his pastrami sandwhich, Estarossa manages a low gaze at Vinh before calming himself, his way of upchucking wouldn't do him good as he crouches low and inspects the fish, taking a long drag of his smoke. 

"Good brand, I'll have to say that Vinh." Rossa tosses the man a little wink before carefully manuerving the bag of coke, its a little somethings, but hey, whatever the man needed to do. Of course, this coulda been done a lot smoother he guessed it. He'd need a few permits, a few favours down at city hall, and maybe a word with a few beat officers but he could make a few calls. 

"How much you make off of this? Like a few grand each fish? With the amount of fish your gutting, I'd estimate, a few million each month. That's fucking poifect! I could help out with this, I know a few guys, we could make this a fucking business and a half, great money in this too. At least, from where I'm standing." 

Rossa only catches the faintest bit, but the broken english is only a slight barrier, of coursehe would have to make it easier and with his time all over, he would. 

"Tôi có thể giúp. Tôi có thể kiếm cho bạn nhiều tiền hơn." Smirking, Rossa only catches that little it of surprise, he'd been taught in many languages. He was also a bit of a savant when it came to things like this.

Informing him he would be able to make him more money, changing the business design, of course, it was all up to Vinh and whether or not he could trust someone like him. 

A complete fucking strange who walked in, from a street meet up, shit. 

That wasn't a good look, but his confidence and eye on the bag or fish in this case allowed him to think a bit more strategically. Vinh obviously needed someone like him, with connections to law enforcement, legal business, and perhaps who wasn't afraid to get his tie body. 

Rossa wasn't an enforcer, fuck that shit, he'd live it to the street guys. He was a racketeer, and he knew how to make money, fast. Who wouldn't want a guy like him? 

"Tôi có thể giúp. Tôi có thể kiếm cho bạn nhiều tiền hơn." 

Rossa takes another slow drag of his smoke before leaving his eyes on the fish as he finally stands to his feet, all limber like with a satisfied smirk on his lips. 

He was just getting started. 

 Andy was driving around Detroit enjoying a mild winter end day. At one point he reaches the waterfront and sees a big warehouse and remembered that one is owned by his good friend VinhTran. Parking in front of it he also sees the small shack selling fish and the big Open sign. As he exits the car Andy thinks that he never managed to visit Vinh's new place and never got a chance to properly congratulate him for moving up in the world.

 Entering the small shack Andy looks around and sees Vinh and another familiar face, Estarossa. Before he approaches he pulls out a cigar and his bodyguard lights it up than takes Andy's coat and retreats out of the way.

 "Vinh! My friend, it has been a while since we last saw each other. I am so sorry I didn't visit sooner but things have been quite a mess uptown. Anyways, show me around man, I'm eager to see what you've managed to build here and to hear how our operation is doing."

 With that said Andy extended his hand towards Vinh and also nods towards Rossa to acknowledge their presence.

Vinh quickly shakes the hand of his friend Andy_Campo .. it definitely had been quite a while since the two had seen one another, these days he was really deep in the uh, fish business, and it took up most of his time. Nodding, he held up his hand towards his associate Estarossa in a gesture for him to be quiet for the moment while he spoke to Andy..

"Yes, long time.. good see you friend.. big meeting now. Fish business.. no bother with headache for you."

Vinh chuckled as he took a long drag off the cigarette still in his hand that was covered in fish juice.

"You need good fish, front counter.. Uncle Tran take care you! Free fish you!"

He pointed towards the front before turning back to his associate to continue talking..

"Where we are.. ah yes! Tiền bạc.." his fingers gestured together.. it was a habbit whenever he thought about it.

"You, have connections yes? White man always connections. Cocaine good business.. tôi muốn sáu mươi phần trăm!"

His eyes peered at the man, he was told he could trust this man but could he? With so much of his product.. he was burned before by a previous buyer, one that had to learn the hard way about stealing from him.. let's just say he has a few less fingers on his hand these days. Squinting even more, he raised his cigarette up and inhaled slowly before exhaling once more a large cloud of smoke in the vicinity..

"You fuck with me, you no fingers.. in english so man understand. Tôi sẽ chặt từng cái cuối cùng nếu bạn không mang lại tiền cho tôi..."

If it wasn't him, it might be his new trusted right hand woman.. Ksenia .. it wasn't very traditional for a russian woman to be in the Triads, or even remotely associated with them, but it was a special friendship indeed, as Vinh needed the Russians to keep importing the cocaine along with their vodka they liked to smuggle into the country, the two went hand in hand.

Ian stepped into the small shack and looked around, his eyes scanning the various types of fish laid out on ice. He spotted a large Walleye and a few Bluegill that caught his eye.

"Hey there," he said to the man behind the counter. "I'll take a Walleye and a few Bluegill, please."

The man nodded and began to bag up the fish. As he did so, Ian took a closer look at him and realized it was none other than Vinh. 

"Vinh, hey there! What a surprise to see you here. No wonder the name of this place sounded so familiar," Ian said with a grin.