The Sixth Street hadn't run out of people. They'd just lost their cohesion.
That was how gangs worked-if this had been corporate security, they would have held out to the last moment, then kept sending in military forces.
As long as the enemy hadn't actually seized their core assets, the fighting wouldn't stop.
But a gang's core asset was something intangible: its cohesion.
That sort of thing grew when the fighting went well and vanished without a trace when it went badly, especially when it went very badly.
In that short span of time, watching the Valentinos convoy charge into Arroyo as if they owned the place had scared the rank and file out of their wits.
Even if the Sergeant still had a few good fighters beside him, it meant nothing-the Valentinos were shitting right in his face. His boys were bound to start having other ideas.
So the best option was to negotiate and let the matter end there.
Lier sat in his chair with his feet propped high on the negotiating table, looking arrogant in the extreme.
The Sergeant's brow twitched. "It's not good to be too cocky, kid."
"My legs aren't working so well. Just borrowing your table to rest them-Sergeant, strictly speaking, we don't really have a grudge. We're just doing a job for money."
As he spoke, Lier took two Airhypos out of his pocket.
One was Alpha Neuro-Relief, and the other was a Gamma Rabies vaccine.
"So you were the ones who stole it..." The Sergeant practically spoke through gritted teeth.
"Why wouldn't you share a money-making opportunity with your good neighbors?"
Lier paused after saying that, and the Sergeant thought he was waiting for a show of goodwill.
Instead, Lier continued, "How about this? I'll sell you this intel. There's an epidemic