From the News - "Depravity Isle"

By Alistaire Traficant

As loyal readers know, I've been all over this mudball, and I've been in some pretty dark places. I've investigated Sanieria Cults deep in the Amazon. I've been the guest of cannibalistic tribes in the South Pacific. I've had lunch with Plastic Surgeons from Beverly Hills. I can't really say if where I've been the last couple of days is the worst place I've been; I'm too close to it. But it's pretty bad.

It's an Island in South East Asia. I could tell you exactly where it is, and I still doubt you'd be able to find it. It's that kind of place; a place God and all decent people forgot about long ago. And like all such places, dark thing grew there. In particular a crime lord named Lao Mao.

His criminal empire, christened the 97 chrysanthemums (although I suspect that is only a shell of his real interests) has a stranglehold on Southeast Asia, with tentacles reaching as far west as Turkey and as far east as San Francisco. The core of his power, however, is Southeast Asia.

Every ten years Lao Mao holds a tournament to find new talent. This year's tournament will surely be one he remembers, whether he wants to or not. I journeyed to his liar as the guest of two of the fighters, Diego and Genghiz. On our boat ride to the island we were attacked by pirates, hired by Lao Mao as some sort perverted test. We succeeded in defeating them (reminding me, once again, why I carry a Colt 45). Upon arriving at the isle we were greeted, warned to mind our own business and given comfortable lodgings. Comfortable in a physical sense only.

The Island had a tropical climate, with beautiful flowering trees. In daylight the floweres looked like happy pink blossoms, but as the sky darkened they become more sinister, darkening to a creepy blood red. The archictecture is a hodgepodge. Ancient temples stand next to modern warehouses and bungalows. The atmosphere seems heavy, as if a storm were contstantly about to break. Many did, in our visit.

It's the little signs of evil that are the most corrosive. I've known about Lao Mao's drugs and his extortion and weapons smuggling and so on and so forth. He spreads misery around the world, and in an intellectual way, I've recognized him for what he is, a 21st century monster. But only after looking into the eyes of one of his serving girls have I seen the eyes of the abyss itself.

Lao Mao "employs" hundreds of young nubile women, of all types and nationalities, as his servitors. Despite differences in skin color or hair style, all had one thing in common; dead, empty eyes. That part of the brain that created personality and will power had been removed completely. They could emulate a personality, and many did, usually an innocent school girl type or seductive vixen type. But it was clearly just a shell, there was nothing behind it.

I watched the other fighters and their retinues as they figured out the game. Many were disgusted; others enjoyed it. And as I watched, the corruptive nature of Lao Mao's gift became clear. Once you have the idea that a person isn't a person at all, but just a thing for your amusement . . . it is amazing the depths of evil men can do in a situation like that.

Of course while we were there, we had the occasion to witness large actions of depravity as well as small ones. I have it on good authority that the Green Viper Society, former allies of Lao Mao, were destroyed to a man during the tournament. Several hundred people, possibly thousands; wiped out in a moment. The Green Snakes territory was intended (I assume) for new allies of Lao Mao, the SSS, children of Hitler's madness. I do not know who will take their territory now; but I can only assume many many people will be interested.

The tournament ended with the victory of Genghiz, one of the fighters who invited me along. His victory felt pretty damn good, particularly since he had to defeat one of the leaders of the SSS to claim the prize. We left the island immediately thereafter, having been warned that Royal Air Force and SEATO had finally tracked down the island. The invasion, from what I could see, looked impressive. I have to admit, however, that I got the heck out almost immediately.

I'm given to understand that Lao Mao escaped as well. Reports are sketchy but he escaped with the remnants of his supporters. I hope that he does not remain free for long.