Faust

Chokehold collateral

       "You found that crack on the edge right?" Javier grabs the tools, bottles, and a wrinkled ledger out from the transparent plastic box as he asks in an informative tone.

       "Yeah. I was about to ask if that's some kind of defection before you piss off without a whiff." He places them on the counter while letting out a snort.

       "Depends on how you look at it." Stretching his bony arms with fingers locked together. And the joints pop like firecrackers simultaneously. The saggy skin hangs under his elbow making the already protruding ulna bones more outlandish. "I was about to give up and call it a really, really solid dupe....." Uncle narrowed his arms and extended further to the limit before letting go of his locked fingers as his hands lump down.

        "A dupe of what?" There was a visible pause before he slid the ledger across the counter.

        "Item 155. Take a load yourself." Curiosity piqued me, and I turned open the plain brown cover that's as fragile as if all the wrinkles on it threatens to shred. The first page is a short manifesto declaring all the following information is reserved for the Leonidas enterprise.....
This is not ledger.

        I skipped a handful of pages and a short description of an oil painting caught my eye. A picture of a woman in a blue gown turning her head with a string of mistletoe hanging down along her brown hair.

'Item 107: 'Reservoir woman'.
Author: Unknown.
Reserved price: 10,000-15,500 EUR.
Category: Art.
Description: Size 4 Oil painting from the late 1930s. Released from a private collection. By the will of the former owner, the person's name will remain disclosed.'

I whistle two high notes as I turn a couple more pages. Uncle, on the other hand, had been giving more than a few glances at the dagger as he rested his chin on palm.

'Item 133: A set of polish steel gauntlet. Late 15th century.
Reserved price: 250,000-700,000 EUR
Category: Antique.
Description: Piece of a full armor, worn by Stephan Báthory, the famous Polish king from the late 1500s. The former owner and whereabouts shall remain disclosed due to company policy.'

Next to the description is a picture of a gold-trimmed set of fine craftsmanship. Restored and shining under the concentrated light.

"Did those hyenas in tuxedo send you this?" I ask while tabbing the catalog of the biggest under-the-table auction house on this side of the hemisphere. To it, Javier curls back the palm holding his cheek, and shrugs.

"You do know I've been in this business way before you were born right?" I throw my right hand back past my ear.

"Congrats, you earned yourself a head-start at the lung cancer marathon along with the most unconvincing explanation I've heard." Javier flips his slim and unattended middle finger upright like a rusty nail.

"....An acquaintance got lucky and scored a nice fat bag while making some friends with those hyenas you talked about. It got him invited but the pendejo knew shit about the items on the auction, so he came to me asking this and that for two hours. In the end, he got so frustrated at the 'reserved price' concept and fuck off without the catalog......." I count to ten mentally as I stare at him.
".....So you kept it."
"What gave you the idea?"
"But what about the..."
"He vanished, never seen in Faust again."
Well, that's uncanny as ever. I let out a sign unconsciously and skip 7 pages to where item 155 at.

'Item 155: A short blade of Tang dynasty. Possibly 7th century.
Reserved price: 2,800,000-5,000,000 EUR
         Category: Antique.
Full size: 55cm. Blade(40 cm). Grip(15cm)
Width: 3 cm
Thickness: 75 mm
         Notes: Straight blade. Golden locket on the sheath and the handle for decorative purposes. Mahogany wooden grip, sheath. Jade pendant attachment to the grip.
Description: The only Tang zhang dao known in the present day, this exquisite item has over 1300 years of history. Certified by the experts of Leonidas enterprise, the blade is a hybrid of ancient Wootz steel from south India and top-notch Damascus steel. The forging method and materials are both long lost in history and irreducible, all the more adds value to the item. The former owner shall remain anonymous due to the person's wish.'