"Ah, I don't have a port but I hear they're nifty."

"They sure are. You oughta get one if you can- And if you do go for it, get the best you can. If there's anything where quality really matters it's implants."

"I'd believe it!"

"Yeah. Anyway, I was thinking fifteen grand for the place. Not that it comes with a deed- Slums law, not Ohio law here."

"Does Ohio have an opinion on who owns it?"

"Probably, but they've never made it apparent to me in the last... Seven months."

"Huh. I might want to look that up, just in case." Is the address of the place apparent?

Not to casual inspection, at least.

"...Suit yourself. Good luck getting an eviction served, though." Roland chuckles to himself.

"Nah, I just want a heads up. What'll the address be to the paper-pushers?"

He has to spend a few minutes to actually look it up. But he does.

Cam shoots his lawyer an email asking how to find out and whether it's like, illegal to operate in a... secondary market, on land.

I'll get back to you on that in about half an hour.

Thanks!

"Either way, really. Cash, ethanol, the truck, maybe some bulk construction stuff. Whatever you got."

Text from the driver duo: 

Confirm the price really is 10k??

That's what we did last time but if you want to talk them up go for it! I'm not a great haggler.

Is the gas going to keep on coming

Or is it a limited uspply

Supply

If it's limited we want to haggle pretty hard if it's not only a token amount

It'll keep coming

K

Roland has lit up a cigarette while waiting for Cam to text.

...Cam scootches away from him a bit. Ew. "Sorry, the folks delivering the gas wanted to know how hard a bargain to drive."

He puts it out and disposes of it in an ashtray in the corner when Cam is paying attention again.

"I get it. I might have to run off soon too. So, let's head back out?"

"Mm-hm." Out they stroll.

"Call me when you want to close the deal, or go see the place out in the weeds. And good luck out there, head."

"Thanks, same to you."

He will go retrieve a motorcycle from an unobtrusive place and go on a tour of the city, trying to hit some of the mentioned places but making it back to the neighborhood when he expects his guys.

He gets more text updates on the way:

Negotiated to $1/gal w promise 3+ per week.

Got paid, leaving now. $11783.

And one from his lawyer:

That address is listed as abandoned property. I can probably buy it for you for a couple grand. Theoretically, secondary markets in land are illegal but this is a speed limit situation I.E. if you're not flagrantly obvious about it or wanted for something else they can't pin on you nobody will bother. I would advise you to pay whoever is currently in control of it if it's that kind of situation.

Gamble Street Market is a riotous maze of commerce. Anything and everything is bought and sold here, from clothes to porn to catfish to spikes to food to electronics repair kits to phones to software to sex toys to construction material to knives to curios to sports equipment to homewares. It's a maze of narrow alleys as you get close to the center, and endless foot traffic. It might be faster on foot than on a bike. He sees signs of some kind of mafia, different in character to the slums gangs. Less in-your-face.