Jeong had received the summons from an understandably upset Grey, smoothed his ruffled feathers with a pack of Redwoods. The man had done his job, he had earned them. Ignoring his complaints, Jeong set out for Borodin's cell for the sit-down. Despite his. . . bellicose manner, Borodin had agreed to talk. If it was a trap and Jeong was shanked to death, then so be it. But the fighting would end there. His men would come out alright. That was the important part.

"Thank you for agreeing to this," he said without preamble or greeting as he stepped into Borodin's cell. He had come alone and unarmed. He was a businessman, and that meant certain conventions had to be observed. "I apologize for sending an intermediary first, but you understand that was for everyone's safety. I wanted you to know I was not coming to attack and I wanted your assurances. Consider Mr. Grey a white flag."

"Now, to business. That unpleasantness in the yard- that was in contradiction to my very explicit orders. You and your men were to be unmolested. Instead, these idiots let youthful high spirits get in the way." Jeong sighed. "They did not see the big picture. They have been punished for their insubordination. It's strange how injudicious some orderlies in the infirmary can be, especially when it comes to administering painkillers. Those three men are due to be buried in the potter's ground shortly. I'm sure the service will be very moving."

"With that, I hope we may put this fruitless bloodshed behind us and reach some sort of compromise. A deal, as it were, to keep our organizations on the outside profitable. So, Mr. Borodin, let me put this to you. I have numerous connections in Laos and Vietnam. They provide me and me alone with genuine, top-shelf Golden Triangle opium. Here in the United States, specifically Alderney, my people cut it into high-quality heroin. And now, the train stops there, sadly." Jeong sighed. "We have been plagued with bad luck, Mr. Borodin. We have heroin, warehoused and ready to go. And we have no one to sell it. Fighting the Italians and the Dominicans has left us critically understaffed, our street dealers have been unceremoniously gunned down."

Jeong smiled once more. "Do you see the merits of this proposition, Mr. Borodin? We wholesale product to you, at a price both of us can agree upon, and your people bring the street profits directly back to you. Think of me as a rancher who sells beef to Bleeders," the Korean chuckled. 

"Thank you for hearing me out, Mr. Borodin. Please, give my proposal some thought. You know where to find me- after all, neither of us are going anywhere."