RPG Kill Adam: Volume 2 [R]

[James]

Before I start, I just want to reiterate the rules about chapters. Remember that you can [b]only[/b] post in a chapter if your character is in it. It's just like Volume 1 in that sense.

Also, to anyone reading and not participating, please be aware that this RPG carries an R-rating for a reason. It contains high levels of violence and some sexual content, so please be aware of this before reading. Thank you.

[center]Chapter 13: Goodnight, Mr. Hanzo[/center] Summary: This chapter reveals the very first meeting of Hattori Hanzo and Adam. Characters: Adam, Hattori Hanzo Setting: Hanzo's Bar Notes: Underlined text signifies that the person is speaking in Japanese. Please keep to this trend whenever you wish to include Japanese dialogue. In addition, italicised text indicates narration. In this chapter, Jamie Kidd is narrating. If you include narration in future, you may want to use the left column to mention who is narrating -- but how you mention it is up to you.

Track 07: Can't Hardly Stand It (To be played quietly in the background)

[center]1994[/center] The western-style bar was alive that night, or at least, it was as alive as a dimly-lit underground establishment could be. Its occupants were bathed in a blanket of dim red lighting, which gave them all a vague and undefined appearance. The haze of ciagrette smoke was only broken by scantily-clad waitresses, who were ferrying back and forth between the tables and the bar. In the corner of the bar, just beyond a cluster of dirty pool tables, a group of men were huddled around a single table, joking and laughing amongst themselves. [i]Wondering who the men sitting around the table are? The man sitting in the corner is none other than Hattori Hanzo, assassin trainer and underworld businessman extraordinaire. The tall, thin guy on his right (who looks like he couldn't crack a smile if he tried), is Boss Asuda, Hanzo's accountant and closest confidant. And the other guy? The one who won't stop laughing and who's attention seems focused on the waitresses around him? That's Boss Kineda, expert swordsman and one of Hanzo's most trusted business partners. Tonight, in this little western bar, somewhere in Osaka, Hanzo-san and his men are enjoying their usual rowdy Saturday night. On this particular night, Hattori Hanzo had reason to celebrate. He had just sold several highly valuable swords (courtesy of Kineda-san) to a man in Benten, who needed a little Japanese steel to rub out some of the opposition.[/i] The laughter fell silent as another man sat down on the only empty chair. He wore a large, gold ring on his right-hand ring finger. And right now, that hand was holding a fresh Cuban cigar. "Do you have a light?" asked the man, who's voice consisted of an odd combination of accents. He was definitely not Japanese though, as evidenced by his decidedly western attire. Hattori Hanzo glanced at his comrades, his eyes finally resting squarely upon Boss Asuda. He raised an eyebrow. Boss Asuda nodded and reached inside his jacket. His hand was fumbling around the breast pocket and as every second passed that [i]didn't[/i] involve retrieval of a lighter, he felt a new bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. Finally (and with a noticeable expression of relief on his face), he produced the lighter and held it out across the table. The stranger leant over and held the cigar firmly between his teeth, as Boss Asuda struggled to control his shaking hand. Finally, the end lit and a plume of smoke rose above the gathering. Hanzo smiled ever so slightly. There were very few westerners who could invoke such obvious fear from a man like Boss Asuda. In fact, Boss Asuda had a distinct distaste for any kind of [i]gaijin[/i]. Hanzo knew of only one man who could cause a Japanese crime boss to tremble in fear: Adam. "[u]They told me that I could expect a visit from you sometime soon,[/u]" said Hanzo quietly. He looked up at a waitress as she passed and gestured toward a white cup that was sitting in front of him. "[u]More sake.[/u]" The waitress leant between the two men and collected the cup. Adam looked at the men surrounding Hanzo and took a sharp drag on his cigar. "Looks like your little gang has grown, since I last saw you," he said, as he casually waved his cigar at the gangsters. Hattori Hanzo's expression remained solid. His face was cold and expressionless and there were no traces of sweat on his skin. Meanwhile, Boss Kineda's lips had curled into a tight frown. "[u]Who do you think you are? How dare you sit down and speak to Master Hanzo in such a manner[/u]," said Kineda, in an irritable tone. Adam looked down at the cigar in his hand and slowly rolled it between his fingers. "You know, Hanzo-san, I think I know why you keep these goons around 24/7. You're a little older now...and a little more paranoid." Boss Kineda momentarily stared across the table to Boss Asuda, an expression of utter disbelief on his face. "[u]Did you hear what I said, [i]gaijin?[/i][/u]" "Mind you, I understand the whole paranoia thing," continued Adam, who paused to take a slow puff on his cigar. He closed his eyes for a moment, savouring it, as clouds of smoke streamed out of his nostrils. "If I were you, I'd probably be worried too. I mean, here you are, selling weapons to all sorts of people; people you don't even know. And then there's the training. And you've got some customers who don't like other customers. And then one customer kills another, but he blames you, because you provided the weapon and the training." Hattori Hanzo shifted in his seat, as he spotted the sake-laden waitress, who was holding several cups. She leaned over and cheerfully placed a cup in front of each man. But when she got around to Adam, he put his hand on hers. "[u]No, thank you, I'm not drinking tonight.[/u]" The waitress smiled and bowed politely, taking the remaining cup with her as she headed back to the bar. Hanzo brought the cup of warm sake to his lips and sipped quietly. "So, what would you say about my theory, Hanzo-san?" asked Adam, as he tapped his cigar against the edge of a nearby ashtray. "[u]I would say,[/u]" said Hanzo, "[u]that you are either insane, or you are hiding something.[/u]" "C'mon, Hanzo-san," said Adam, with a sense of disappointment in his voice, "I asked you about my theory. First Kineda-san interrupts me and now you are ignoring my questions. I thought that the Japanese were supposed to be polite and hospitable?" Hanzo smiled over his cup of sake, as a blanket of steam slivered in front of his face. "[u]Well, if it pleases you, I'll answer your question. You are correct in saying that there are people who blame me when their quarrels become fatal, but nobody has ever complained to me directly.[/u]" Adam pointed his cigar at Hanzo and nodded vigorously. "Yes, bingo! They never come to you directly. And why? Because you've got so many fucking bodyguards that they'd be torn up pretty badly if they were within a mile of you." Hanzo said nothing, but sipped from his cup once more. Finally, after a moment of silence, he spoke. "[u]Why are you here?[/u]" "Good question," replied Adam, who leant forward with one elbow sitting on the table. "You're a pretty perceptive guy, Hanzo-san. And I [i]know[/i] that you're not stupid; you wouldn't have come this far if that were the case. But despite all your power and influence, you know one thing to be true. You know that one day, somehow, somewhere, one of your clients, or one of their enemies, is going to come after you. Yours is the riskiest business in town, it's no secret. And that's why I'm here." Adam butted his cigar out in the ashtray and looked directly at Hanzo. "It just so happens that I have an offer for you." [i]Turns out that Adam offered to allow Hanzo to keep his business, on the condition that he only train those who work for him. Adam also offered to protect Hattori Hanzo from those who would hold him responsible for the deaths of their employees. In the end, the deal worked out for both men. At first, Hanzo-san was a little reluctant to put his life in Adam's hands. But with a click of his fingers, Adam somehow managed to summon a group of strangers from nowhere. The men and women, dressed all in black and wielding an assortment of guns and knives, wasted no time in killing almost all of Hanzo's henchment and associates in the bar. The once-great Hattori Hanzo -- a man who had been feared by many of the most powerful crime lords in Japan -- had now been dealt a serious blow. And by an upstart gaijin, no less.[/i]

[center]Chapter 14: My Persona[/center] Summary: This chapter details Persona's relationship with the only woman in his life; a former associate, whom he ended up murdering. Characters: Persona Setting: Chicago, USA Notes: Okay, this chapter exists in order to shed a little more light on Persona. Even if he doesn't remember the details in his own mind, this would be a way for us to get a better perspective on him. Tony, you may want to read over your sign-up for him again, just to get a bit of bearing for this (considering that the sign-up was written a while ago and stuff). This chapter only requires one post, as with the first one. I promise that the next chapter will include more people though. ^_^;;

[Semjaza]

[SIZE=2]?What's it going to be then?? Rays of sunlight randomly burst between the leaves above in the trees, preventing him from focusing on the figures above him. He knew their faces well, but the situation at hand prevented him from remembering much about their appearances. Their silhouettes were menacing enough, making it hard to concentrate on much else; especially when considering the other thoughts racing through his head. Most of their words were just mumbles to him, despite being clearly audible for anyone else in their general vicinity. He reached over to the side of his face, causing his ribs to ache. He rubbed around his ears and brought his hand into his line of vision, allowing his eyes to adjust to the newfound shade from the sun. Liquid dripped from his hand onto his face, some landing in his eyes, stinging them and tinting everything red. ?I said, what's it going to be?? Their voices sounded as though they were in a wind tunnel. Everything felt so far away, yet it was so close. He coughed some, blood spraying out into the surrounding air. Some of the silhouettes were noticeably annoyed, tapping their fingers against objects they were holding. He couldn't even think of what they wanted or why they wanted it. He couldn't think about anything, but still he answered them. It was what they wanted to hear. ?Fine. I'll do it. Just leave me alone.? They tossed a potato sack full of various items at him. It landed on his face, blocking him from seeing the silhouettes as they walked away. He didn't bother removing it. He knew who they were anyway. Everyone there did. Time passed. The temperature dropped some. The sun had begun to set. He got up and shook his shirt loose from his skin, but the blood held most of it in place. Rain began to fall, washing some of the blood out of his shirt and hair. He looked over and saw the other kids running inside, but decided to take his time. Getting wet was the least of his worries. The head of the building stood in the doorway as the children ran in, slapping them if they didn't take their muddy shoes off before making it inside. He looked up at her and she looked back. He could tell by her face that she saw everything that happened, but in her typical fashion showed no interest in fixing the problem. ?Johnny, did you break anything??, she asked coldly as she moved his arms about and felt his ribs. ?No, Mrs. De Lyle,? he replied, although her poking him after being beaten didn't make him feel any better. For a second he thought about telling her what they wanted him to do. After all, it affected her directly. He thought better about it, though. Partly because he didn't want to get in trouble with the kids who beat him up, but partly because he [i]wanted[/i] to do it. Mrs. De Lyle pulled what remained of his shirt off his body and threw it in the trash. He only had two shirts and that was his favorite, but nothing much could be done about it now. She shoved him through the hallway and closed the door behind him. Time for her evening drinking marathon, he thought to himself. Walking over to the bathroom he saw the same silhouettes from earlier watching him. He didn't bother turning his head. He already knew what to do and they knew he'd do it at the risk of even more severe beatings. He kept walking and closed the door behind him. He looked into the bathroom mirror. He saw his own face staring back at him, although it was a bit different. Not because of the blood in his eyes or dripping from his head, but because the glass was cracked in three places and covered in mildew. He washed his hands and tried to wipe some of the scum off the mirror. Instead, the crack in the glass wound up slicing his hand open, creating yet another source of blood to flow from his body. He had already gotten over pain earlier in the day. He managed to black this cut out of his mind like the dozens of others he had already received. The small hand towel lying on the sink was large enough to wrap around his hand to stop the bleeding. He sat on the toilet seat and stared at the blood that had managed to seep through and stain the previously yellow hand towel. It contrasted heavily with the muted brown and rust colors that made up the bathroom's design. At the very least, it's a pretty color. After some time to himself he made his way to the bedroom that most of the boys in the building slept in. There wasn't much space, so no one spent much time in there other than when they were asleep. Aside from the cots they used, everyone had their own little footlocker. They were regularly broken into and most of his stuff had already been stolen. All that remained was a small stuffed rabbit named Carrot. No one bothered taking it in fear of being ridiculed by the other boys. In truth, he was probably too old to sleep with it, but it was all he had to call his own. Being laughed at and teased because of Carrot was not a big concern of his. He had learned to tune most of it out. He was beaten up on a regular basis as it was, a few more because of a stuffed animal wasn't the end of the world. ------------------------------ That night in bed he stared up at the ceiling. As usual, he counted the cracks, losing count within a few minutes. Unlike ever other night, however, this didn't help him fall asleep. He was more awake than he had been in quite some time. Somewhat scared, but also pretty excited. This was his one chance to get back at Mrs. De Lyle, someone everyone in the building hated with a passion. He couldn't do much against the other, bigger boys that made his daily life a living hell. He couldn't do much about the abusive, drunken whore that owned the building. But he could do something to hurt Mrs. De Lyle in an indirect way. The thought of that made him smile to himself. Mr. Boots was getting what he deserved and the idea was very exciting. He sat up in his cot and pulled off the tattered sheets. Carrot was stuffed into his footlocker, exchanged with the potato sack he was given earlier. Scrounging around in the bag he found mostly useless trinkets and a screwdriver. Phillips, to be exact. It would be sufficient. He tied the bag shut, put it in another kid's footlocker and sneaked out of the room towards the front of the building. Mrs. De Lyle was in the living room. She was busy. The noises of her and ?Mr. De Lyle? made that much obvious. No one knew why Mrs. De Lyle wanted to be called a Mrs. She didn't wear a wedding ring and the man who was supposedly ?Mr. De Lyle? changed on an almost nightly basis. The kids weren't that nave, but she made herself think they were. It made getting paid at night easier. He crept by and made his way into the laundry room. The smelly, noisy part of the house that Mr. Boots called his lair. As usual, the dryer was shaking as clothes flopped around inside of it. Some of the clothes from a nearby basket and fallen out onto the floor. Mr. Boots was fast asleep in the pile they created. He tiptoed towards the cat. Now, a little back story. Boots is old. Boots is mean. Boots did not like children. Boots smelled bad. Boots defecated in their beds and marked his territory on their clothes. No one liked Boots. Mrs. De Lyle loved Boots. Mrs. De Lyle was an abusive, drunken, obnoxious whore. No one liked Mrs. De Lyle. She made the kids refer to the cat with the title of ?Mister?. Repeat this in your head for a half an hour over and over. You'll come to the same conclusion as Johnny: Boots had to die. The next bit of time was mostly a blur. He lifted up his screwdriver above his head. Boots twitched a bit. He was apparently having another one of his dreams that generally ended in him waking up, hissing and biting one of the children. Johnny realized that his eyes were closed. He forced himself to open them. Taking one last deep breath, he plunged the screwdriver into the cat's ribs. Mr. Boots let out an incredibly loud, screeching sound as he struggled against the pain of metal pressing against his vital organs. Johnny removed the sharp object slowly and pressed it in again. And again. And again. Mr. Boots was dead and the clothes he was sleeping on were covered in the proof of it. Johnny didn't feel remorse for what he had just done. It felt good. It felt liberating. He imagined that this must be what it felt like for the other kids who beat up on him. He didn't feel quite as much resentment towards them. For a second, anyway. Mrs. De Lyle was too busy with ?Mr. De Lyle? to hear what had happened. He wiped the screwdriver against the clean part of Mr. Boots's fur and threw it out the nearby window. He calmly walked back to the main bedroom and laid down in his cot. He had since stopped hurting. He had stopped thinking about what he had done mere minutes ago. Johnny feel asleep. The quickest he had fallen asleep since he first arrived there. ------------------------------ It was not a long sleep, however. Johnny was quickly rustled awake by another one of the boys in his room. The building was on fire. All of the kids made it out safely, as did Mrs. De Lyle. ?Mr. De Lyle? had already left hours earlier. He got what he wanted. Everyone stood against a wooden horse that was being used to block the site of the fire. Most of the building was already engulfed in flames. Some kids were screaming about the items they lost. Mrs. De Lyle was yelling hysterically about Mr. Boots. Johnny smiled to himself for a second until he realized that Mrs. De Lyle had never seen his handiwork. She never saw Mr. Boots's still warm corpse lying in her laundry room. She never saw the claw marks in the plastic basket that he had made while trying to fight against the screwdriver. She saw nothing that had been done. All the credit went to the fire. The cat was dead. She was hurt. She was not hurt by Johnny, however, and that made all the difference in the world to him. He thought about the one small tangible possession he had. It was undoubtedly nothing more than a pile of ashes at this point. Johnny didn't need Carrot anymore, though. He found something else that made him feel a lot better. Most of the kids were being pushed into cars and shipped away from the building. Johnny didn't know where they were taking everyone, but it didn't concern him much. On his way over to the cars, he heard someone softly calling for him. It was Margaret. They had never really spoken before, but he knew her. The girls in the building were kept in separate rooms and played at different times of the day. Meal time was the only part of the day when boys and girls in the building had any direct contact. Even that was minimal. Margaret was older than a Johnny by at least five years. Still not old enough to be considered independent. She was still a ward of the state, just like Johnny. She had long, dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes. Strong for her age, she didn't take much crap from anyone in the building. Johnny had respect for Margaret, but he didn't know why it would be mutual. Margaret calling for him was a bit of a surprise. She took his hand a pulled him through the nearby alley. They decided to stick together. To take care of each other. Margaret already had a place to stay. Illegally, anyway. A rundown, abandoned apartment complex a few blocks north. She dragged him up five floors of stairs to her room. She explained to Johnny that she had been here often the last few months. Sneaking out at night when Mrs. De Lyle was busy to be by herself. She had already furnished a good portion of the room with small, beat-up chairs and a table. There was no electricity, but candles did the job. All of the things she owned in there were stolen from nearby shops and homes. They continued to talk to each other into the night. Talking about their past and where they wanted to go with their lives. Johnny had no real goals. Margaret's were mostly fantasy and she knew it. Being a secret agent, assassin or professional thief were not things nearby businesses were hiring for. Not with a standard application, at least. Her job interests caught Johnny's attention, however, and he decided to tell her about Mr. Boots. He embellished the story a great deal. It was no longer him against a sleeping cat. It was him against the bullies and Mrs. De Lyle and a crazy, naked ?Mr. De Lyle?. Johnny knew Margaret didn't know the true story and never would know anything about it beyond what he told her. It was the first time in his life that he actually felt like he meant something in some small way. He was talking and someone was listening. They continued to talk about such things and discovered that they both had a penchant for violence. It had long laid dormant in Johnny, outside of Mr. Boots, but Margaret had done far worse things. He sat wide eyed as she told him stories about her attempts and thievery. The ones that didn't work out were always the most entertaining. Eventually she started taking him on these excursions and he quickly found out she was not exaggerating. This was how things were in reality and he loved it. Eventually they decided to make their own business of sorts. After all, they were going to need food and clothing. They needed money for both of these, but they had no marketable skills. All they were good at, in their minds, was violence and theft. They had already been doing well enough stealing small amounts of items to fence for money, but they needed something more substantial. There was money money out there. Especially considering how gang ridden the area was. There were jobs that could be done. ------------------------------ Johnny looked across the glass table at the glow of the large, plasma television set. It had been nearly six years since he had run away with Margaret. They were no longer eating crackers with mustard and sleeping on top of layers of old quilts on a tile floor. They were eating expensive meals and sleeping in king sized beds. Persona and Fantoche were well known in the area. Word of them had already spread across the nation and was starting to hit other areas of the globe. Ruthless killings done for a price. Yet nothing could be proven. No one could tie the motives of Persona and Fantoche to any specific people. It was common knowledge that they were hired hands, but that's all that was concrete about the situation. Johnny and Margaret were not well known in the area. In a city such as Chicago, no one questions the origins of your money. If you have it, you're well liked and taken care of. If you're not, you're pushed aside for those that have it. Johnny and Margaret were no exception. Faces weren't important unless they were on green sheets of paper. Not that either of them were unhappy with their anonymity. That's what wearing a mask when you do your job does. Although being an unknown in the flesh was better than getting the death sentence. Things had been going well those last five and half years. Jobs were done, the pay was good, social lives were separated from business. Lately however, frays started to appear. Problems arose. Disagreements were common. Margaret was apparently unhappy with the current setup after years of what he felt was smooth operation. She was unhappy with Persona, but most of all she was unhappy with Johnny. Johnny had become more and more distant over the years. He had no social life outside of contact with employers and the day to day dealings with Margaret herself. He was entranced by his job to the point of obsession. He had begun to refuse jobs that didn't involve a body count, regardless of the fee they're receive. Nearly all of his profits went to new weapons and training. He collected :?trophies?from their various victims, something Margaret was very much against because it was the only real potential evidence against them. Johnny's violent outbreaks often kept her from commenting on these issues, but as of late she had kept less and less to herself. To Johnny, Margaret had become more of an obstacle than a partner. The continued to work together because they were known as a team. The two together interested employers more than just one of them alone, despite the increase in price. People were willing to pay well if it guaranteed fast, effective results. They both knew this. However, the annoyance had built to a fever point for each of them and it was likely to fall apart eventually. On jobs, Persona would set traps with the intention of disposing of both the prey and Fantoche. Razor trip wires and neck level, explosives in areas Persona deemed safe, close calls with Persona's axes despite his legendary control of them in previous jobs. She shrugged most of this off. Despite Margaret's personal problems with Johnny, she trusted him when she was Fantoche and he was Persona. She felt no reason to not trust him. For her there was business and everything else. This was business. To her they were different people in their masks. People with a job to do and nothing more. To Johnny, it wasn't so much about the job as it was about the thrill, the agony on the faces of people in his way and the spilling of their blood. To him, the line between Johnny and Persona was blurring to the point of being erased. Margaret no longer seemed to enjoy their work as much as he once thought she did. To him, this was a problem. It was a threat to his desires and what he believed to be his purpose. The reason he had gone through all he had as a child was so he could be prepared to do what he did now. Then Adam called for the first time. Margaret kept this call to herself. She had no intention of bringing the increasingly erratic Persona along. Johnny, in her mind, had since ceased to exist. He wore his grotesque mask at nearly all times of the day, rarely even taking it off to sleep. This was a big job. The type of job that could give her and Fantoche the boost they needed to go off by themselves, leaving Persona behind for good to delude himself in his own fantasies. The more she heard from Adam during that phone call, the more she realized what she had to do. She'd kill Persona and go off on her own. Leaving him alive would surely result in problems. At the very least, unwanted competition. At the worst, well, she didn't want to think about that, but it definitely wouldn't be desirable. Persona wasn't unaware of the situation, despite what Margaret thought. His paranoia came in handy, leading him to watch her twenty-four hours a day if it was possible. He installed cameras and motion detectors throughout their apartment and wired them all into his computer. He could change between them manually, but otherwise whichever one sensed movement was shifted to become the main camera. Margaret unknowingly had zero privacy in her own home. He knew she had been brining home chemicals from the grocery store that she never previously had bought. He figured out her plans to take over the operation without him and decided to take his attempts at removing her from the picture to the next level. Adam's job was still over a week away and Margaret was quite good at pretending it didn't exist. She accepted jobs for both her and Persona for several different days leading up to the day she planned on killing him. Some even afterwards. Persona had been waiting for a very specific day to kill Margaret. It just so happened that her birthday was two days before she was planning to leave to meet up with Adam. To him, there was no better day to finish her off. A perfect present for both of them. What he didn't plan on, however, was for her to schedule a job on that same day. After pacing about his room, he stopped and glared at his computer monitor. Sunlight from the window was creating glare on the screen, but he could still make out Margaret putting on her suit and mask. She was smoothing out the wrinkles in her black attire. Sheathing her blades and polishing up her pistol. After more pacing, he decided it would be best to slice her apart on the job rather than at home. He didn't want blood to get all over his animated DVD collection. ------------------------------ Most of the room was painted red with blood and entrails. Bodies laid huddled in a corner, the messiest of which was pinned to the ceiling by one of Fantoche's dual blades. Gravity pulled the blood on the ceiling to the floor in a short lived shower, spread out even further by the quickly spinning ceiling fan just next to his corpse. The job was completed. No problems had arisen. Fantoche started to walk out of the room, but Persona stood in place. She turned her neck and stared back at him. He couldn't see her eyes through the yellow sockets on her mask, but he knew what kind of face she was making underneath. ?Let's go. They're not paying us to clean up after ourselves.? She laughed to herself and turned around, at which point she felt wind blow by her face. She heard a small ?ting?and the sound of glass bottle rolling on the floor. She didn't have to look down to realize what had been thrown in her direction. It was the vial of homemade poison she had been making behind Persona's back. Fantoche pulled off her mask and once again became Margaret. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her blade and jammed it into the wooden floor boards. It shook as the sound resonated throughout the room. ?So what is it you're going to do??, she asked him. She scrunched her eyes up hoping to somehow see through the eyes in Persona's mask. All she could see were small, upside down reflections on herself. ?You're going to kill me? Is that it? Do you realize how fucking ironic this is? You shouldn't even be alive right now. I saved you. I brought you out of that dump with me. I got you away from those assholes that beat the hell out of you everyday. I got you away from Mrs. De Lyle. I put an end to the endless parades of possible foster parents that never wanted anything to do with either of us. Even the goddamn kids who beat you were set to leave soon. Even they found people that were willing to take them in. If I hadn't saved you, I wouldn't even be starting at your stupid mask right now. You love this shit and you owe all of it to me. And now you want to kill me?? Persona stood still as a statue. Margaret's rant came off as little more than the whimpering of a rodent caught in the corner by a large cat, knowing that it has no chance of escape. Margaret backed up slowly and tore her blade out of the floorboards, throwing up small splinters of wood. ?I even burnt down that goddamn building to get us out of there. You never once acted happy that that happened. All I've had to listen to for six years is how you regretted Mrs. De Lyle never seeing her damn mess of a cat. Who cares? Who fucking cares? I took care of you as good as any parent would have, Johnny. Typical 'Leave It to Beaver' TV bullshit with a weird twist, but we were happy.? At this point tears were streaming down her face because she was so angry. Her eyes burned and her hands shook, but never let go of her blade. Persona pulled out his axes. Two fire department axes, wooden hilted with a red and silver blade. They were still dirty from the mess he and Fantoche made only a few minutes earlier. Margaret knew at this point that her reasoning was not working with Johnny... No, he wasn't Johnny anymore. He was simply Persona. He was a shell controlled by a mask, caring for nothing but his own thirst for blood. He started to walk towards her. ?At least take your damn mask off. You owe me that much.? Her request was answered by two axes. Before Margaret could react, her leg was on the floor. Her left arm and blade joined it shortly after, blood pouring from the newly made wounds. Her body fell the floor as she began to flop around like a fish out of water in panic. Throughout her entire career, she had never suffered a substantial injury. The last person she thought would give it to her would be him. Eventually she stopped shaking around out of exhaustion. She had lost massive quantities of blood, causing her to become rather light headed. Through her fuzzy vision she could make out Persona's shoes walking towards the vial he had thrown previously. He opened the mouth of one of the dead bodies in the pile and poured it in. Shaking out the last drops, he made his way back over to Margaret's body. He leaned over and caressed her face with his gloved hands. He could sense that she wouldn't last more than a few extra minutes. He filled the empty vial up with her blood that was still leaking out. Margaret grabbed his wrist with her remaining arm and moved it over to her side. She pushed his hand under her jacket and attempted a small smile in his direction. Persona could feel something soft under the leather of her outfit and pulled it out. It was Carrot. A dirty, bloody Carrot... but still him nonetheless. With this, she took her last breath and fell limp. Persona closed her eyes and pulled her mask back over her face. He stood up and looked out the window and sighed. Placing Carrot back in Margaret's inside pocket he made his way out of the building and began thinking about the upcoming jobs she had assigned them to before her untimely demise. There was one call he wanted to make in particular. That call would ultimately lead to his first of many jobs for Adam. It's what he was born to do.[/SIZE]

[spoiler]Hopefully this is satisfactory. Being the first post other than James's is a bit intimidating heh.[/spoiler]

Special thanks to Ben for alterting me on a problem in the post.

[James]

[center]Chapter 15: Osaka Invasion[/center] Summary: This chapter reveals Adam's triumphant entry into the Osaka underworld. In one single night -- or so the legend goes -- Adam and his posse conquered Osaka's dark underbelly, by removing much of the competition. Characters: Desert Taipan, Cowboy, Erotica, Switch, Santo Muerte, Death Adder. Setting: Osaka, Japan. Notes: Hm...well, this is going to be a unique chapter for a couple of reasons. Primarily, it's going to include a lot of people, as you can see. So, I figured that this could be a problem for one main reason; people contradicting each other. I mean, say I'm writing a post...and I intend to post first. And then someone else jumps in with something else. That may make my post completely redundant. So what I'd like to do, is write down a list of who posts in what order. That way you know when it's your turn, so to speak. Also...I don't want this chapter to drag on and on. Let's try to keep the posts at a reasonable size -- not too short, mind you, but not enormously long. The longer posts are cool when you're talking about a one-post-chapter, but here, we're talking about something else. Before I write down the order, I want to say that this chapter basically involves Adam ordering his entire group (the Angels and Jamie/Joshua) to go out there as a team and take down the underground leaders of Osaka. This is partly why Adam is so feared -- he managed to achieve this so quickly and with such ferocity and precision, because of his highly trained partners. Shinmaru will not be involved in this chapter, because this takes place before Shinmaru enters the picture; he entered to assist Jamie/Joshua with fighting Adam, but he wasn't involved with Adam at this stage. Prior to this chapter, Adam had only been involved in the American underworld...rather than in Japan. So he wants to make his first entrance a good one. ~_^ Anyway, here is the order: 1) Shy 2) Heaven's Cloud 3) Queen Asuka 4) James 5) Sweetreyes 6) Semjaza Azazel Okay, so, let's do this. ~_^

[Shy]

Track 10: Summertime Killer [size=1]?I?d die for that man in a heartbeat, Joshua. He?s the most sadistic bastard I?ve ever met; being around him is almost intoxicating.? ?Then why do you seem so concerned about tonight?s mission?? ?It's the target, Arai... I know the name well.? ?You mean you two??? ?Business partners, asshole. I once held a notable investment in Arai Oil, but that was years ago. Oil is one of the filthiest things on Earth, and so are the people who deal with it. At the time, it was just another addictive substance that falls under the realm of the Diaz Corporation.? ?I wouldn?t go as far as comparing petrol to heroin, Jeanette.? [center][IMG]http://img25.exs.cx/img25/8420/jeanette.jpg[/IMG][/center] ?I?ve dealt with business men, prostitutes and kings, Cowboy and there are there are three things they all have in common: They all need to breathe, they all need to fuck and they all need oil. Look at your glut of a nation, and dare to tell me otherwise.? ?---And the same can?t be said for electricity, or food, or water?? ?I?ve yet to witness a war that was waged over electricity. Even our fearless leader knows this. It?s surprising that you haven?t seen the true motivation behind tonight?s mission.? ?He?s keeping secrets from us, isn?t he?? ?How can you expect any less when his protégé wears a mask??[/size]

?I know you don?t trust him, Jamie, we all know that, and if it weren?t for his help in reducing your prison sentence, you wouldn?t be here. But we do owe him more than a few favors, it?s the price we pay for getting ourselves into this business.? ?That isn?t true. Even if he didn?t help me out of prison, I?d still be here.? ??and why is that?? ?Because you?re here, and I love you,? Jamie held his lover?s hand tightly, ?I want to make sure you get through this okay. If things get too rough, or those bitches double-cross us... get out of there, and let me take care of it.? Joshua began to tremble, ?You?re starting to make me worry, Jamie. It?s not like I?ve never done this type of work before. We don?t even know what the assignment is yet.? He kissed Jamie on lips, ?Just believe in me, I can take care of myself.? The two entered Adam?s office hand-in-hand to discover that the rest of the group had already been waiting for them. Never settling for less than the best, the room had furnished with expensive leather couches. The large group of assassins sat comfortably, preparing for Adam and Lelia to explain the evening?s mission. Adam rose from his seat, and greeted the small audience. ?Thank you all for joining us here tonight,? He said, masking his voice beneath a faux Japanese accent, ?I believe this will be everyone.? ?A small group,? Lelia noted with a hint of excitement in her voice, ?Are you planning on getting your hands dirty tonight, Adam?? ?Not exactly. I will remain here while the rest of you fulfill tonight?s objectives.? Persona nodded as Adam spoke, drawing attention from the other Angels. While Adam was as cold and calculating as Persona, the grotesque mask worn by the Death Adder was a distracting to the rest of the group. Even in his allies, it instilled a lingering sense of fear and distrust. ?...and what the hell [I]are[/I] these objectives, Adam? You?re dropping this mission on us at the last minute!? Jamie barked, cutting into the deadly silence Persona had created. Taken back by Jamie?s tone, Arianna revealed her chain whip to him. Following her leader?s explicit instructions, Erotica and the rest of the Angels were ready to take him out at a moment?s notice. Joshua placed his hand on Jamie?s thigh, weakening his lover?s objection with the slightest bit of affection. ?I just want to know what we are getting ourselves into, Love,? Jamie sighed, ?It?s not typical to get the assignment so late.? ?You?ve always given us more notice about these things; We are behind this mission 100 percent, whatever it is.? Joshua added. ?We all--? Jeanette laughed softly, ?Well, most of us trust you Adam, darling. Why have you been keeping us in the dark for so long?? ?I apologize,? Adam answered with a cold expression on his face, ?For several months this has been in the planning, and aside from Lelia, I have been forced to keep it as a closely guarded secret. It?s not a trust issue, as all of you at one point or another have risked your lives for my business ventures. Some of you only work for me part-time, and this information could put you in danger. My enemies might try to force my secrets out of you when you are not under my web of protection.? ?Especially some of the more inexperienced Angels; they just aren?t able to take care of themselves.? Lelia spoke directly to Ariana. More than a simple employee, not quite an equal, Miss Angelo held a special place of honor and respect among the Angels. It was her insider knowledge of the Osaka Underworld, and her talent for finding talent that brought the entire night together in the first place. Adam may have had the idea and the ambition, but it was Lelia who made it a reality. She was his number one, and that was something that Ariana refused to accept. ?Tonight we?re going to shape the destinies of not just ourselves, but all of Japan.? The tall man was annoyed by this constant in-fighting. ?We are going to eliminate the gangs and families that have been running Osaka for decades, and by doing so take control of the city streets. Your mission is to eliminate any opposition that may stand in our way: do it swiftly, and do it silently. By dawn I will have absolute power.? ?Absolute Power? You know what they say about that...? Everyone in the room had been thinking the same thing, but only Ann Dominion was dumb enough to say it. ?Switch,? Lelia leaned into Ann, and gently ran her fingers through the young girl?s hair. ?If this plan had not been fully thought-out, we wouldn?t ask you to undertake this mission.? ?I?I? understand,? Ann stared nervously at the large assortment of blades that Miss Angelo kept nestled in her beautiful locks of hair.. The Fallen Angel redirected her focus towards everyone, no longer singling out Switch, ?You will kill each and every one of the crime lords that call his city home. That includes their bodyguards, their associates, their wives, and even their fucking accountants. If any of them do not pledge their full loyalty to Adam, you know what steps must be taken.? ?I believe that most of these loosely bound organizations will fall quickly.? Adam said. ?Once a major center of power have been eliminated, the others will become much less of a threat.? He pulled a packet of photographs from his desk and tossed it into the ground, ?Ken Blaze is the leader of Tokyo?s infamous drug cartel, [I]The Night Riders[/I]. Much of Osaka?s black market dealings are operated under the watch of this man or his associates. ?Tonight is the wedding of Tamiko Blaze, Ken?s only daughter and offspring, and Naganori Arai, the young President and CEO of the Arai Oil Company. Their union in holy matrimony will take place a mile offshore aboard Naganori?s private luxury ship. They are a powerful couple, and I expect anywhere from 35 to 60 armed bodyguards on board the vessel, not counting their personal assassins, and Naganori himself, who is extremely deadly. ?Kill them all.?

[Heaven's Cloud]

Track 06: A Silhouette of Doom "Has anyone ever told you resemble John Wayne?" No, thought Iori, but he said "Once or twice" because it wasn't smart to offend Mr. Blaze. "Obviously you don't look like John Wayne, but you have his swagger, your country accent often betrays you, and you look like you don't take shit from anyone. Yeah you could be a Japanese Rooster, you could be a Japanese Duke?" "I want that boat lit up like a Christmas tree in five seconds boys! Five seconds!" "What the Hell are they doing Taki?" "Beats the hell out of me Iori. The only thing I know is that someone is going to be fucked in a few minutes." "What do you mean?" "Well, they could be dead in a few minutes, which would mean they are more or less fucked. Or they could be on the ship in a few minutes, which means we are fucked." "You think they could take the ship." "Nah, but Mr. Blaze will serve us our balls if the wedding is interrupted. Hey, where the fuck are my spot lights!?"

Johnny Wayne lightly tapped a slightly crumpled red and white cigarette box against the palm of his hand. He hated the ocean, and, even though Mr. Arai's boat was the size of a small cruise ship, the gentle rocking sea was making him nauseous. Fumbling through his pockets, Johnny located a match and expelled a cigarette from the cardboard package. He flicked the head of the match with his thumb and leaned his cigarette into the dancing flame. "Shit!" cursed Johnny, as he tossed the lit match over the yacht's railing. The match flame had flared up and nearly caught his black cowboy hat on fire. Johnny Wayne hated cowboy hats. He hated them almost as much as he hated the actor John Wayne. His real name was Iori Mimakasa, Johnny Wayne was just the pseudonym Mr. Blaze gave him. Mr. Blaze had a nickname for every gangster he employed; the names were so comical that Johnny was positive that his boss thought himself to be a super criminal mastermind, the real life equivalent of Lex Luthor or Wilson Fisk. Johnny wasn't a full time gangster, he was a software salesman. His friend Taki (aka Mahjong Mikke), a friend from the gymnasium he frequented, got him his part time gig guarding Mr. Blaze. Johnny was large enough and looked "don't fuck with me" enough that he figured working for Mr. Blaze would an easy, safe way to earn a little extra cash. No one, after all, fucked with Mr. Blaze. Several days after Taki approached him, Johnny met with Mr. Blaze to discuss his possible employment in a field slightly more disreputable than sales. After Mr. Blaze repeatedly told Johnny that he reminded him of a Japanese John Wayne they arrived at a mutual business agreement. The following day Taki brought Johnny a six shooter, a holster, and a cowboy hat, and told him that while he was employed by Mr. Blaze he would be known as Johnny Wayne. They both had a good laugh over it. That was more or less how Johnny wound up on Mr. Arai's boat working guard detail for Tomiko's wedding. Although he would have rather spent the evening at a bar with friends, he knew that the money he would make tonight was worth a small sacrifice or two. So he occupied himself by pacing around the boat deck, smoking cigarettes, chatting with other henchmen, and attempting to spin his six-shooter around like a real American cowboy. He had almost got the hang of twirling the gun when a large sail boat appeared out of nowhere. The boat resembled an ancient pirate ship; it was painted lacquer black and had giant pleated sails. The bow was decorated with a huge Noh mask; its mouth was twisted upward in a sickening grin. The old sail boat was on a seemingly inevitable collision course with the yacht, and both Mr. Blaze's and Mr. Arai's henchmen gathered around the where the impact would occur in case anyone attempted to board the yacht. Johnny noticed Taki organizing some men in an attempt to shine spotlights on the ancient ship. The spotlights illuminated an empty deck; the ship was so quiet that it seemed haunted. Something didn't seem quite right. Johnny wondered why anyone one would make such a brazen attempt to attack Mr. Arai's ship. The old boat would obviously be smashed to bits by the mammoth yacht and any people on the ship would easily be shot in half in a hail of machine gun fire. That is when it hit Johnny; the boat had to be a diversion. Acting on pure instinct Johnny ran to the starboard side of the yacht. He arrived alone only to find a man pulling a hatchet from the back of a dead guard. The assassin wore a black wet suit and a mask infinitely more hideous than the Noh decoration on the hull of the sail boat. Johnny Wayne raised the six-shooter and pointed it at the ginning masked assassin but he was unable to pull the trigger. All of a sudden Johnny felt very warm and very, very tired. His throat felt sticky and his mouth was dryer than a desert. Johnny tried to move toward the masked monster but lost his footing and instead spun around until he was leaning on the boat's railing. The woman behind him was smiling a red smile. She held a bloodied dagger up to her pursed lips. "Shhhhhh," she whispered as she pushed Johnny over the railing. Johnny Wayne remained silent as he fell quietly beneath the cold, black sea.

[Queen Asuka]

"Ever since I was a little girl, I always had this misguided fantasy about getting married, and being dressed in all white, like the brides in the movies that I see, or the ones in the magazines..." Richard rolled his eyes. "You're so goddamned fucked in the head, Aria. You're only supposed to wear white if you're a virgin." "I said misguided, asshole. A fantasy. God, you're such a fucking dick. Always making me feel like shit about everything that I do or say." "Well, I guess that's what fucking happens when you're a goddamn porn star, Arianna! You'll never be a fucking bride, you'll never wear all white, because no one fucking wants you. You're everyone's garbage, everyone's had you, whether directly or indirectly. Shit, white. What the fuck ever, Arianna." "I hate you, Richard." "Once upon a time, Adam, I dreamed of a white wedding..." Adam chuckled slightly. "I think you'd be absolutely stunning in white, Love." He reached over and caressed her cheek, sweeping a curl away from her face. "Once upon a time, Adam. No one will ever want me. Everyone's already had me. I'll never be a bride..." "I wouldn't say that, Love. You never know." He leaned over and kissed her softly on her lips. She closed her eyes and a silent tear fell down her cheek. I love you, Adam...

"I don't care who kills who," Arianna said as she zipped up her wet suit, "but I want the bride." Lelia arched her brow without looking over at the other Angel and sighed sarcastically. "Any particular reason for that, Erotica?" Arianna didn't say anything for a minute. "Well..." she started, but then bit her lip. "It's none of your business, bitch. Just leave her to me, got it?" Lelia laughed slightly, amused to see she had gotten a rise out of Arianna so easily. She liked Arianna well enough, but once she joined the team, Adam became a slave to her affections. Lelia was still slightly bitter, but she tried not to let the green monster get a hold of her. She had a mission to accomplish and she wasn't going to let her emotions get in the way of it being successful. On the ship, Arianna stood deep in the shadows, waiting, dressed in all black and completely hidden from view. Instead of her usual chain whip, she carried a small pistol. She held it down by her side, waiting for the opportune moment to use it. The key to this mission was stealth, and the team was trying to remain as unseen as possible. She was confused whenever Adam handed her the gun, but she figured that it was for a good reason. Maybe Adam could read her mind, or maybe she was just making something of nothing. She felt her stomach churn with disgust at herself. A group of bodyguards walked by her unknowingly, and she took the opportunity to make her way quietly around them and below the deck. She knew that's where she was, getting dressed all in white. White. What a disgusting color. All was quiet below deck in the hallway, but in a room to her left she could hear some gentlemen laughing loudly. They were speaking in Japanese and she could understand bits and pieces of the conversation. She found that she wasn't interested in anything that they were saying, but her main concern was getting down the hallway to the room on the very end, where she was preparing with her closest friends (and those goddamn bodyguards) for her big night. To Arianna's surprise, the security in the hallway was nonexistant. She made it to the room she was aiming for, sneaking past the open door with the laughing gentlemen. The wedding was to start in one hour, according the clock on the wall. She smiled to herself and licked her lips. Show time. She pressed her ear to the door and heard that it was quiet on the otherside. She waited a moment and then slowly pushed the door open. She looked in on an empty dressing room with a doorway on the other side. In this room there was a full-length mirror and a vanity table. She saw the bride's jewelry already sitting out: a necklace with a diamond pendant the size of a gold ball and some very sparkly diamond earrings. The dress was standing in the middle of the room on a manequin, as if on display in the window of a bridal boutique. The dress was perfect in every way, white lace and diamonds cascading down its long flowing skirts. Just looking at it took her breath away and she ran her hand gently down the fabric. She stared at it for a moment more, taking in the quiet of the room. She heard people talking and approaching on the otherside of the opposite door. She knew that it would only be moments before she was face to face with her victim. When the door to the dressing room finally opened, Tamiko Blaze found herself face to face with the bride. She also found herself face to face with the bride's pistol. Arianna smirked for a moment, basking in the glory of the moment, and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Tamiko Blaze point blank and shattered her face to pieces. Blood and brains spattered everywhere, including the million dollar wedding gown that Arianna was now adorned in. The bride's two attendants screamed, but it wasn't a moment later before the both of them were also dead, lying in the ever-growing pool of blood that was seeping from Tamiko Blaze. Arianna lowered the gun and raised her head to the ceiling, closing her eyes and smiling to herself. She felt her chest heave with excitement and ran her free hand through her cascading auburn waves. She was positively glowing. "Adam..." At the sound of the shots, all bodyguards on the ship suddenly took off in that direction, yelling and screaming, weapons ready. At the other end of the ship, Lelia raised her brow once again and smiled to herself. "All Hell just broke loose," she said quietly, hurrying in the direction of the gunfire.

[James]

Track 03: L'Arena

Jamie felt a pair of warm, moist lips against his. As an assassin, Jamie was always alert; he never let his guard down. But during that one moment, he had almost forgotten that he was on the most important mission of his career. A pair of hands was tracing the shape of his chest and waist. ?What are you doing?? whispered Jamie, to his lover, who was almost completely shrouded in darkness. Shortly after boarding the yacht, the pair had occupied a storage room on the starboard side, to change out of their wet suits without being identified. The room had a musty smell and the walls were lined with life jackets and various tools. It was hardly the most romantic meeting place and, in Jamie?s mind, this was hardly the most appropriate time for a romantic encounter. Although his mind was squarely focused on the job at hand, he couldn?t help but feel sorry for his lover; they?d had so little time alone, ever since Adam had entered their lives. Joshua leaned forward and bit at Jamie?s bottom lip playfully. ?We have a few minutes,? he whispered back. For a brief moment, Jamie considered protesting. But it was no use. He was well and truly under Joshua?s spell. The door slammed open, almost jumping off its hinges. The beautiful parquetry floor was now carpeted in blood and littered with lifeless forms in tuxedos. A bride stood amongst them, holding a gun in her hand. Another woman, tall, slender and with a face framed with deep brown curls, stood in the doorway. ?Good job,? said Lelia as she surveyed the damage. ?Your aim is improving.? The bride raised her head, but Lelia couldn?t tell whether or not the eyes underneath the veil were looking at her. The bride leant down and lifted the side of her dress, attaching the gun to a holster strapped to her thigh. She then swept past Lelia, her long white train passing over the bloody corpses. But as she passed, Lelia grabbed the bride?s arm. ?Where are you going now?? she whispered. The bride pulled her arm free. ?To get married, of course.? Naganori nodded to his best man ? and best friend ? Hideki Imanishi, who returned the nod and the pleased expression. That night was the night that the Arai family would truly secure its future, not just in terms of their legitimate business ventures, but also in terms of their underground dealings. Naganori was a relatively unassuming man, with a slight stature. But he was nevertheless infamous in the city of Osaka. So infamous, in fact, that even in his early twenties, there were numerous rumors and legends about the man. Some of those legends involved his first meeting with Hideki Imanishi, a man with whom he had become very close over the years. Imanishi was not just the best man, he was also the head of Naganori?s security entourage. Little did he know, the bride standing not two meters in front of him was a blonde haired, blue eyed American assassin. ?How long have we been in here?? ?I don?t know. Maybe twenty minutes.? ?Do you think we?re making a mistake?? ??? ?Are we hurting the mission?? ?No. They can take care of it for now. The wedding isn?t due to start yet. They?re not going to go in there with guns blazing; too many bodyguards for that.? ?How long do we have?? ??till what?? ?Until we have to go out there?? ?Dunno. Why?? ???cause?I want us to stay here as long as we can.? ?Yeah?me too.? ?You mean it?? ?Yeah. I?m sorry if I haven?t been?? ??? ?It?s just?I want to make sure that we get this done. We?ve got a debt to pay to him, the both of us. Once it?s paid, we can go out on our own.? ?For a while I thought that things had changed between us.? The light in the storage room flickered to life. It was a simple bulb, dangling from the ceiling, with a little cord attached. ?Ah, so there?s the light,? said Jamie as he smiled up at Joshua. Joshua crawled down beside Jamie and draped himself over his lover. Jamie ran his fingers through Joshua?s hair. ?Don?t worry, Cowboy. Nothing?s changed,? said Jamie quietly, as his gaze shifted across the surprisingly rusty ceiling. Joshua squeezed Jamie tightly. ?I don?t want to ever leave this room.? Jamie raised his arm and looked at the silver watch. It was almost eight o?clock; almost time for the wedding to begin. ?I don?t want to leave either, but it?s time. If we survive tonight, you and I will be on the top of the world. I?ll take you to dinner; anywhere in Osaka. Okay?? Joshua sat up and smiled, as he began pulling on his shirt. ?Okay, deal.? The deck was filled with guests from all over the world. In one distant corner, Jamie could see the others. They were all there, sans Arianna. For a moment, Jamie entertained the possibility that she?d been killed. But no, not Arianna. It didn?t seem very likely, especially at this early stage. ?Ah, three radiant young women. You all look great,? said Jamie with a smirk, as he approached the three Angels. ?Where?s Persona?? ?He is otherwise occupied,? said Lelia, as she sipped the glass of red. ?You know, the Japanese might be good with sake, but they can?t make a good wine for shit.? The other two Angels grinned. ?Where have you two been?? asked Switch, who was smiling over her wine glass and exchanging glances with the others. Jamie looked at Joshua, who was standing slightly behind him. He was blushing. Switch chuckled to herself. ?Your boyfriend?s face says it all, Kidd. I hope it was worth the time you took.? ?It was,? said Jamie. ?But don?t worry, we still have plenty of time. Where is Arianna?? ?Arianna?s getting married,? said Jeanette, nodding in the direction of the wedding hall. ?She?s only playing the part,? said Lelia, who recoiled slightly after making the comment, as though her jealousy was becoming a little too apparent. The others didn?t seem to take any notice, though. ?I?ve never crashed a wedding before,? said Joshua, ?this is going to be fun.? ?Just make sure that you don?t get careless. Both of you are unknown entities, don?t forget that. Just because Adam trusts you, doesn?t mean that we will be so quick to cover you. We?re professionals and if either of you cock suckers screw things up for us, you can kiss your employment goodbye,? said Lelia, as she pointed her glass at Joshua. Joshua adjusted his bow tie. ?Don?t worry, we can handle it. After tonight, Adam will be the most feared name in this city.?

[Semjaza]

OOC: I am very sorry about how long this took. I've been without internet at home, so I wrote this all in Open Office one night... couldn't open it at school to post it. Then the next time I was unexpectably banned from this area... lol

[SIZE=2]Persona laid his back against an old barrel, still waiting in the black vessel used to reach Blaze's ship. Despite the commotion, much of the occupants were completely oblivious to it. After all, they were here for a party and Blaze's reputation spoke volumes. No one of sound mind would dare pull anything on the night of the wedding of his only daughter. The reflection of the moon flitted around in the water below. Dancing, only to be broken up by a lone body floating by. Despite the darkness, there was a hint of red surrounding the corpse. Persona took that as his cue to disembark. The main deck of the ship was bursting with light. Obnoxious, hard-tempo dance music poured out from the likely dozens of speakers that surrounded it. The silhouettes of the others on his team shot by; their sounds completely masked by the raucous from the front of the ship. He had no intention of following. Despite being part of a team, Persona wasn't quite a team player. He had no interest in playing a buddy cop, letting the more important members ? in Adam's eye anyway ? get the glory of the kill. Despite his renown, much of which was likely even worse than the stories and rumors portrayed, he was still the small fish in this group. He was a hired hand, as in almost every other similar situation, but this one was different. It was far more grandiose. There was still much to be done on the other end of the ship as it was. The rest of the group was cocky. They charged headlong into something that should be done far more slowly. More deliberately. Death doesn't have quite the same enjoyment to it if it's done too quickly. After boarding the luxury ship, Persona patted down his suit. Even in these circumstances, he had to keep appearances. His mask was secured tightly enough that it was almost suffocating: the way he preferred it. After checking his twin axes and the small package strapped to his side, he headed in the opposite direction the others had taken. Every so often he could make out faint screams and shots being fired. If he could only make them out, then certainly most of the guests on the ship, who were only an earshot away from the music, would be completely unaware of what was coming for them. It brought a small smirk to his face, although the mask couldn't portray it. Around the corner he could hear the sound of voices behind a door. Pressing himself to the adjacent wall, he listened in and waited. After a brief time, a Japanese man emerged smoking a cigar. The smoke that billowed from his mouth impeded his view just long enough for Persona to thrust the sharp tip at the top of his ax into the man's abdomen. A surely fatal blow, but one that would keep him alive long enough to have some fun. Persona lifted the man over his shoulder and tossed him into a nearby storage area, adjacent to the noisy engine room, which was a perfect place for his plan to be carried out to fruition. Plus it was large enough to fit a good majority of the bodyguard force that likely filled this ship. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Where's Persona?? ?He is otherwise occupied,? said Lelia, as she sipped the glass of red. Yokoi's eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness around him. His vision was still blurry, although he could make out a mass of colors all around him. Not knowing where he was, he tried to get himself up on his feet. This proved impossible, as he was tightly bound by the legs and arms with rope. The shock of this overwhelmed him at first. He slowly paid more attention to his other senses. A sharp, burning pain emitted from his side that caused his entire body to ache. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out sounds of moaning around him. From time to time, he'd hear the door open, followed by a large thump and rustling sounds. Still, his eyes could not make out what was going on or where he was. He decided just to close them and wait. It wouldn't befit him to panic, no matter what the situation. More thumps, rustling and door lock clicks followed. After Yokoi heard the door close for what seemed like the hundredth time, he tried opening his eyes once more. The light stung them, as did the blood and sweat that slowly trickled down the slope of his forehead. This time, however, they managed to adjust. What he saw managed to get the best of him, leading to a silent bit of panic on his part. Across from him was Shoichi, next to him was Ken. On the other side was Teijo and Saburo and Nyoko. These were the head members of Blaze's bodyguard battalion, completely bound with ropes from the side of the ship. They, like Yokoi, were all renamed in a comical fashion typical of Blaze, but he knew their proper names. Many of these men were friends of his and they often got together on off days. The only reason Yokoi even managed to get this position was because his Uncle was one of the major members of the group. Around them were at least two dozen other men in their bodyguard uniforms, most of which were wounded so badly that Yokoi could not identify them. He saw a man he automatically equated with his uncle, despite the deformation. The right side of his face looked like it had been rubbed quickly with a cheese grater. The area of the skull that kept the eye in its socket was cracked rather heavily, causing the eye to bulge out some. He quickly assumed his uncle was dead, as it was unlikely one could survive such brutality. Yokoi could hear the sound of man walking around behind him, but he was unable to turn himself. Everyone was fashioned into a crude circle, tied together by the harsh, wet ropes that were wrapped around their wrists and ankles. He could see that a few other members of his group were coherent as well. A couple were in the process of removing a walkie talkie from a dropped suit coat on the floor. Whomever was working behind him was still in motion, seemingly unaware of what the two men were doing. The walkie fell into one of their laps. The right man pressed down the button with his free finger and the other one muttered some words into the receiver. Yokoi heard a pop. One of the remaining bodyguards was responding! Yet nothing of value could be made out above the sound of the music in the background. Whoever had done this to them was careful enough to remove every last bodyguard who wouldn't be on the main deck. He managed to round up a majority of them without calling forth any real suspicion. Anyone that could help them was too wrapped up in the festivities. At that thought, Yokoi's uncle coughed. Blood shot out of this throat and into the air, raining back down on his face. He was a complete mess, yet somehow still alive. The being behind him rose up and walked over to his uncle. Yokoi strained to lift his head, but he had already lost a large quantity of blood. Any such movements required too much of his strength to actually accomplish. He could, however, make out a white suit and gloves. He keeled down, the gloved hands slowly caressed his uncle's face, pressing firmly at his cracked eye socket. The pain involved his uncle to wince and cry out, blood still pouring from various parts of his face and mouth. Yokoi tried to yell something out, but all he could managed was a large mumble. This caught the man in the white suit's attention, but only for a second. He didn't seem alarmed, but rather a slight bit amused. He turned back to Yokoi's Uncle and got back on his feet. Yokoi continued to mumble, eventually getting out a few words little by little. He managed to form an understandable sentence after a few tries, begging for the life of his uncle and friends. The man paid no attention to these cries and instead walked around the makeshift human circle. When he came to the two men with the walkie in their laps, he pulled out two shining shafts that were strapped to his back. He took a step back and swung twice, quickly returning the weapons back to their place. The heads of the two men dropped shortly after, rolling up to Yokoi and splattering blood all across their path. Their dark, placid eyes glared up at him. The man in white returned to the rear of the storage area, again making a bit more noise. He seemed to be assembling something, but Yokoi was not in the state of mind to think of what it could possibly be. By this point, his vision was already fading due to the lack of blood in his body. It wouldn't be much longer until he passed out and died completely. He decided to just resign himself to this fact. Behind him he could hear one last, loud sound: a beep. This was followed shortly by another beep and another. Yokoi recognized this sound, as it was something every single bodyguard in the room was familiar with: a specific, LED timer for a homemade bomb. In other circumstances, anyone in this room could have easily diffused it. The man who set it likely knew this as well. In this circumstance, they simply couldn't. For all their training, there was little a large mass of tied up, dying, wet men could do, particularly because most of their blood currently flooded the floor boards. After exiting the room, Persona looked down at his arm. One of the guards had managed to attack him, leaving behind a rather large wound. It wasn't fatal by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly wasn't pretty. The fact that he was injured at all angered him, but the pain managed to be a competent aphrodisiac. He welcomed it. At the same time, he realized that this wouldn't have occurred if it wasn't for the actions of the rest of his party. As he had earlier assumed, all hell did break loose following their entrance to the ship. Luckily, it didn't seem to disturb the ceremonies were seemed to be well underway at this point. Persona had managed to clean up the guards who may have been aware of what was going on that night. He climbed up a small ladder to a vantage point overlooking the main deck. From his position he could see the couple, mostly finished with their vows by this point from what he could make out. There was another large group of bodyguards flanking all sides of the deck, particularly in the area where the groom's men and bride's maids resided, as this was where the Blaze and Naganori families also sat. Persona knelt down, looking the various members of the main entourage up and down. The plan, last he heard, was for the rest of the group to assume the identity of Blaze's various bodyguards. This was such a large event that Blaze had hired many more bodyguards than he had under his payroll just a week earlier. Many of them were of races other than Japanese descent, and as such, most wouldn't be recognized even if Blaze and his henchmen tried their best to. This provided a rather large advantage for Adam's group, and since he had previous knowledge of the body types and builds of the rest of the team members, he quickly identified them despite the distance. Only Love was missing, but he wasn't surprised as she seemed to be the most brash and unexperienced of the group. He waited a bit longer. The anticipation of their next move started to irritate him, but he didn't allow it to overtake his actions. The wedding was just about to wrap up. Despite being on Japanese waters, the wedding was more Western orientated than he expected. As the bride and groom leaned into each other to kiss, finalizing the precedings, Persona saw a short glimmer between them. The combination of moonlight and deck lighting had quickly hit some sort of metal object clenched within the left hand of the bride. At this point, Persona realized Love was alive and well. His underestimation of her tenacity brought a quick smile to his face. She pulled the metal out of Arai's now limp body, holding him up into against her in such a way that most would believe they were still locked in a kiss and embrace. The closest guards to the bride and groom were all part of Adam's little group, and as such, blocked any notice by the few remaining official guards. The guests began to celebrate. For a brief time, anyway, as shortly after Love's hands took Arai by the face and pushed his body to the ground. His insanely expensive tuxedo was already dyed red from blood as it fell down onto the silk layered down below them. All around gunfire exploded. A mix of shots from the guards and Adam's group. Persona leapt from the balcony and landed cleanly onto the main deck, his axes already blazoned and spinning. The air around them whipped, creating soft whistling sounds. He let the Angels, Jamie and Joshua take out the remaining bodyguards. He already had tired of them, instead setting his sights on the various guests flopping around the deck like fish out of water. He did not let his ax blades discriminate, cutting down men and women alike with no hesitation. Children and the elderly had mostly been crushed in the rush by the more fit guests, but he quickly picked off the remainders. It was important that no one remain, much to the chagrin of Persona. He wanted to get some sort of recognition for this absolute massacre, rather than simply Adam, but that was the way it had to be. At least there was a large sum involved, both in blood and money. He didn't bother collecting the blood of anyone, as none were remotely formidable adversaries. He'd sooner collect the blood of rats. The gunfire died down and Persona quickly slipped the blade of his ax out of the last remaining invited guest. Her body slumped down, the sound muffled by the bodies under her. He shook the ax quickly, attempting to remove the excess blood. The rest of the group was huddled around what seemed to be the lone survivor: Ken Blaze. His kneecaps had been blown away, forcing him to sit haphazardly on the silk covered floor boards. The bride's veil sat in front of him on the ground, stained in parts with the blood of those surrounding them. Persona decided this part of the trip wasn't his problem and returned slowly to the black ship they arrived on. He sat in the back, leaning his back against the same barrel as when they first arrived. Again, he watched the reflection of the moon in the tranquil water below, only this time it was uninterrupted. After a short time, the rest of the group returned to the ship. They were in no hurry, as they felt everyone of a different persuasion was dead. Jamie kicked the boat away from Blaze's ship and they slowly sailed back to the shore. In the distance an enormous light burst forth. The sound of the explosion rattled their ears, a faint rumble shook the ship. While surprising, they all knew what had caused it and thought little more about it.[/SIZE]

[James]

[center]Chapter 16: Behind Bars[/center] Summary: Shortly after a bungled job, Jamie is sent to prison in Osaka, on remand. While there, he meets the famous Cowboy for the very first time. Characters: Desert Taipan, Cowboy. Setting: Osaka, Japan. Notes: This chapter is going to be important for a couple of key reasons. One, it will detail the first meeting of Jamie and Joshua. At this point (and I'm hoping I'm not forgetting anything), Jamie has been sent to prison as a result of a bungled crime (which was mentioned in Volume 1, I believe). This was before he met Adam. While in prison, Jamie and Joshua meet and that's when their romance begins. Beyond that, the two first come into contact with Adam (who is aware of their situation and their respective reputations). In addition, this chapter will be an opportunity to go a bit deeper into the characters themselves and to hopefully shed light on their histories a little more. I'm also hoping we can include some colourful characters in the prison; perhaps some funny situations. I'd like the posting order to be as follows: 1) Shy 2) James Shy has already established a slight history for his character, in regard to his prison experience. I want to give him the opportunity to flesh that out somewhat, so that he can introduce Jamie as he feels is most appropriate. Then I will follow on and include my own details.

[Shy]

It had been another long night in prison for the Cowboy; being the sole American at Fuchu certainly kept him in high demand. It was of no surprise to him that his professional skills made him a valuable commodity among the inmates, but in his first few days there he quickly learned that value was not to be confused with power or respect. Doppo Horigome, Joshua?s first cellmate and proud leader of Fuchu?s most powerful prison gang, taught him that all too well. The man?s thick white frame and menacing tattoos on his backside made Horigome an imposing figure to those who had come to know him. A trio of snakes on his shoulder clearly spelled out the word ?Love.? Him having any American language on his back made him easily stand out; amongst the sea of dragons and kanji symbols Doppo?s markings made him an individual. In spite of his tattoo, his English was broken at best. Although Joshua could often make sense of what he was trying to say, the serial rapist had no comprehension, or perhaps no interest, in his counterpart?s communication. ?Mickey,? Doppo often called him by that name, ?Guards is away.? Like most prisons in the nation, Fuchu was feared for the strict nature of it?s guards. Favoring strict discipline over any form of rehabilitation, the abusive staff took pleasure in watching each and every one of it?s inmates suffer extreme penalties for even the tiniest infraction. On more than one occasion inmates had been beaten for making eye contact with the warden, or laying down in bed before their scheduled ?sleeping time.? Hearing that the guards were gone for a moment filled Joshua with a mutual sense of relief and dread, for he knew what would come next. The wrapped hefty arm around Joshua?s neck, and used his free hand to undress the two of them. Doppo licked the side of Joshua?s face, tightening the hold around his neck, ?Mm.. Gakuya Abazure.? The American had no idea what that phrase meant, but it would follow him for the rest of his time at prison. This routine had become old hat for Joshua, ever since his arrest he had found a strong resentment and hostility and resentment towards him by the people of the country. ?I?m an American whore,? He closed his eyes, trying to escape what was happening around him, ?I don?t deserve any better than this.? Joshua felt the hand of his molester grab his waist, and slowly work it?s way lower and lower down his body. The soft sighs were drowned out by Doppo?s forceful moaning, drawing attention from the other inmates. The two were on display for the whole world to watch, and Mr. Horigome was getting off on it. Several minutes passed, and with each rocking motion the hold on the Cowboy?s neck became tighter and tighter. He struggled the speak, and barely able to breathe, was completely at the mercy of the burly Japanese man. Doppo climaxed just as the victim had blacked out. When his naked body was finally freed, it fell straight to the floor, unconscious and bleeding. He awoke nearly an much later in the prison hospital, unsure of what had just taken place. The balding nurse, an older man with smoke-colored glasses and several missing teeth, sat at Joshua?s bedside. The man was reading a pornographic magazine, and upon noticing that the patient was awake he quickly shoved it into his jacket pocket. He gave the prison bitch a look of disdain, and reached out for the Cowboy?s arm. A few routine inspections later the American was deemed fit enough to return to his cell, and even though he was too weak, and had to be physically carried by the guards, he was back within the hour. This was typical policy, as he was much safer in the confines of the prison than under the watchful eyes of his nurse. Doppo was asleep at this time, covered with a fresh set of bruises from the guards. Just something he would have to deal with tomorrow, Joshua thought as he was placed onto cot that he had been using as a bed. The guards left and soon the lights in and around all of the cells were turned off. It was nearly four in the morning, and all of the prisoners could expect to be woken up at six, just like everyday. Weeks passed, and the routine had continued. Every time Doppo was caught he was punished even more severely for his behavior, and as a result he became more and more aggressive towards his cellmate. Members of Horigome?s prison gang followed his lead; soon the entire prison was against Joshua, crowned [I]Gakuya Abazure[/I] for Fuchu Prison. His only solace during those days was his brief meetings with Adam, plotting and planning and waiting to be released. ?I?ve been thinking about fighting back,? He would say hesitantly, ?I don?t expect to win or anything, but if I hit him in the right spot he?s not going to have much use for me, or anyone else anymore.? Adam would always reply with the same upset sound in his voice. For a thief, a crime lord and an assassin, he had no interest in seeing his special projects suffer, ?That would ruin you in the eyes of the guards. I?m working to have you meet with a judge, and have a real day in court.? ?I don?t know if I can make it here until then, Adam.? Joshua said in a soft tone, almost apologetic, ?I?m sorry if I don?t make it though this. Prison here? starvation, torture, everything is--? Adam cut the prisoner off because he could finish, ?Everything is fine, Joshua. I?ll hear none of your whining today,? He stared down the Cowboy, ?Goodbye.? The tall man adjusted his tie, and walked out.

[James]

"I'm afraid you don't have any choice," said Mr. Wada, as he busily shuffled various legal papers. "The only thing you can do is confess and perhaps the court will be leniant." Jamie Kidd sat across from his lawyer, who was trying to make the best of a bad situation. Jamie, as he would soon discover, was only the second non-Japanese inmate at the infamous Fuchu prison. But he was nonetheless one of many who had been arrested in recent months, as a result of a crack-down on violent crime. He had spent a good deal of time in the city of Yokohama, which had been kind to him, as a result of its unquenchable thirst for almost any kind of illegal substance. Western businessmen had been highly successful in the city; many of them were ostensibly running generic import businesses that had flourished due to Japan's hunger for foreign products in recent years. Jamie's ethnicity had only made matters worse for him. Although it had been an asset for making money, it had become a liability when in custody. Even the Japanese courts seemed to be stacked against foreigners, as they'd been targeted as being the source of Japan's recent crimewave. Mr. Wada filed the papers away and leaned his elbows against the cheap metal table that sat between them. "You will be here for at least a month, until your next appearance in court," he said, as a stern expression crept across his face. "Will you be okay?" Jamie's eyes roamed across the walls and ceiling. The room was almost entirely non-descript, apart from the gruff-faced guard who was standing by the doorway. His uniform was so bland and dull, however, that he almost appeared to blend into the walls completely. "I'll manage," said Jamie. After a shower and a humiliating full-body search, Jamie was now one of them, or as close to being one of them as was possible. The guard from the interview room was walking behind him, as he carried his bedding down a claustrophobic hallway that was lined with cells on either side. Various inmates howled and spat at Jamie as he walked past. He knew that these men were thinking one of two things; either they viewed him as fresh meat, or as a lowly foreigner who would need to be put in his place as soon as possible. Either way, Jamie knew that it would be impossible to avoid a confrontation, it was going to happen sooner or later. Jamie had been in prison before; he'd been an inmate in Australia's infamous Pentridge men's prison. It was a high security prison, which had existed for well over one hundred years. He'd built up quite a reputation at home, which was partly why he finally chose to make the move to Japan. And now, he was finally in his own cell at Fuchu. Jamie had to double-take. He'd actually been given a cell to himself. He was unsure whether this was a result of his reputation, or whether he'd simply gotten lucky. But it was good news, it meant that there would be no confrontation on his first night. That night, Jamie lay on his bed, wearing his prison-issue pants and a white singlet. He couldn't sleep. Memories of his life up until that point were flooding into his mind. Upon moving to Japan, Jamie had felt that his life had finally settled down, that he'd reached a point where it would no longer be necessary to struggle. He'd struggled as a child, with abusive family members, and he'd struggled as a teenager who society had seemingly forgotten. And now, here he was, in one of Japan's most brutal prisons. A sense of hopelessness crept over Jamie, as he lay there in silence. Three of the walls in his cell were brick and were covered with scratches and nicks from sharp objects. Each scratch was a record of a murder, a rape, or a man who had gone insane with fear and despair. Jamie's only escape was sleep. His eyelids began to close, as he drifted off to a place that he could only hope would be better than where he was. But then he heard a sound. Its origin was definitely close by, perhaps a couple of cells away. Jamie's eyes snapped open and he listened intently. He could hear long, deep breaths and short, sharp breaths at the same time. Jamie sat up on the end of his bed, right near the bars and the hallway. He produced a small, orange package from his pocket. "Fuck, only one more," he grumbled to himself, as he lit up the cigarette. He took a long drag and turned his attention to the cell opposite. As a thick plume of smoke billowed out through the bars, into the hallway, he could see two very faint figures in the cell. It was only now that he noticed that the inmates were not asleep in their beds -- they were on the floor. At first, Jamie shrugged it off as being little more than two inmates who were lonely and trying to escape the horror of Fuchu in their own way. But then he saw a hand reach out from the darkness and grab one of the metal bars. Its knuckles were white. He then heard a deep voice, with a thick Japanese accent. "Be quiet," it grunted. A larger, darker hand, presumably belonging to the inmate with the deep voice, grabbed the other inmate's wrist and dragged it back into the darkness. The breathing intensified. One set of breathing remained constant and deep, while the other sounded more desperate...more terrified. Jamie sat closer to the bars of his cell and squinted. He could barely see the two figures, one much larger than the other. For a brief moment, as the larger figure's body lurched forward, Jamie noticed a tattoo on his shoulder: three snakes, intertwined, spelling the word "love". And suddenly, Jamie knew who this man was. Doppo Horigome was well known inside Fuchu. Mr. Wada had warned Jamie about Horigome and his taste for westerners when the pair had been travelling to Fuchu in the back of a police car. Horigome was the most powerful man in the prison and he commanded tremendous respect and fear from the other inmates. Jamie knew that if he were to survive in Fuchu, it would be necessary to become a feared man. The most logical way to do this would be to take out Horigome. Although it wouldn't be easy, Jamie knew that it was the only way to secure his safety in the longterm. Nobody would fuck with any man who could take down Horigome. "Having fun?" asked Jamie, as he slowly puffed away on his cigarette. He spoke in a normal tone, without regard for those prisoners who were sleeping. In fact, he suspected that many of them were probably awake -- they were either getting off on the sounds they heard from the cell opposite, or were listening in fear, waiting for their turn with Horigome. Either way, Jamie wanted them to hear the exchange. The panting in the cell opposite continued for a moment and then everything went quiet. Jamie heard the deep voice once more, speaking in English. "Who said that?" Jamie tapped on one of the bars with his knuckle. "I did." Rustling could be heard from the cell. Horigome was hastily putting his uniform back on, no doubt. Jamie couldn't see the other prisoner, but he could hear the rusty squeak of a prison cot. He thought that the other prisoner must have crept away to his own bed, to the promise of escaping into his dreams. Finally, Horigome emerged from the darkness. He was wearing prison trousers, but was shirtless. He stood at the bars of his cell and glared at Jamie with a menacing stare. Jamie continued smoking his cigarette. He puffed smokey rings into the air, without looking at Horigome. "Another Gaijin," said Horigome with a haughty laugh. This time he spoke in Japanese, perhaps assuming that Jamie would not be able to understand him. Once again, Jamie did not regard Horigome by making eye contact. He continued to focus on his cigarette. "I've heard that you have a taste for gaijin," said Jamie. Horigome laughed to himself. This comment seemed to disarm him somewhat; perhaps he thought that Jamie was propositioning him. "You speak Japanese? Good. I like it when they can tell me how much they want it." Jamie grinned. "Your partner didn't seem too happy just now." Horigome laughed again. "My partner? No. Mickey isn't anyone's partner, he's just a piece of dirt that we pass around between us. He's nothing special at all, but at least he can get me off before I sleep." "I see," said Jamie. Horigome leaned against the bars of his cell and looked Jamie up and down. "Maybe you should join me in here, you look like you'd be good at a few things..." For the first time, Jamie turned to look at Horigome. "Maybe I should sneak into your cell one night, while you're sleeping, and force you to lay on the cold floor underneath me. Would you like that?" Horigome's grin faded. "It is your first night in Fuchu and you are already making powerful enemies." Jamie took a final drag on his cigarette and butted it out on one of the bars. "No, I just don't like rapists, especially rapists as ugly as yourself. It doesn't surprise me that you need to force them; no sane man would make the choice." At this, Horigome snarled. "You just sealed your fate, gaijin," he said. "Tomorrow, in the court yard, I'm going to punish you. And then you'll regret such insolence." Horigome then disappeared into the darkness. Jamie woke suddenly. His thick black hair was matted across his forehead. It was a recurring dream, which Jamie had been having for years. This was the result of being a sexually abused child and now Jamie was used to being woken by these dreams. The cell block was now even darker than it had been before. Moonlight filtered in through the various small openings in the walls, giving Jamie just enough light to see the corridor beyond his own cell. Again, he sat up at the end of his bed. In a matter of hours, he'd be fighting Horigome in the courtyard, in a battle that would most likely end in the death of one of them. He was angry at himself for not being able to sleep, as he knew how important it would be to maintain his energy. Horigome was enormous and it would take every ounce of skill to defeat him. Jamie sat close to the bars and lay his head against them. "Hey..." He heard a quiet voice nearby. It was coming from the opposite cell, but it wasn't Horigome. Jamie looked up and saw a man sitting on the floor, his back resting against the cold brick wall of the cell. As Jamie had earlier suspected, the man was indeed caucasian. He was relatively tall, with a slight frame. His brown hair was short and neat. He looked across at Jamie with large, deep brown eyes. "Hey...you're the new guy, aren't you?" asked the man. Jamie nodded. "Aren't you worried that he'll wake up?" The man looked over into the darkness and shook his head. "No. When Doppo sleeps, he's asleep". "I'm sorry about before," began Jamie awkwardly. "I--" Before Jamie could finish, the man interrupted. "It's okay. I'm used to it. It didn't take me long to just accept it. The more I try to convince myself that I'm better than that, the more depressing this place becomes." Jamie looked down at the floor. "Nobody deserves that," he said. "Horigome is an arrogant prick who needs to be taught a lesson." The man smiled slightly. Jamie glanced at him and then returned his gaze to the floor. "What's your name?" he said. "I'm Joshua. But I have a few nicknames in here..." "Nice to meet you, Joshua," said Jamie. Joshua's smile grew ever so slightly. Nobody in the prison had ever used his real name. For a moment, the two were silent. "Sorry for being so quiet," said Joshua, "I don't know what to talk about." "I hope I'm not keeping you awake," said Jamie. Joshua shook his head. "No, I can't sleep anyway. Besides, after tomorrow I may not be able to talk to you anymore." "I'll be okay," said Jamie. Joshua reached into his pocket and produced a small orange-yellow package. He held it up and flicked it between the bars, at Jamie's cell. Jamie reached out between the bars and grabbed it. "Heh, Red Apple. My favourite brand," he said. "You can have them," said Joshua, "I only use cigarettes to trade in here. There are a couple left. I overheard you earlier when you ran out, so I figured you could use them." "Thanks," said Jamie as he took one out and lit it up. "You're a lifesaver." "If you beat Doppo tomorrow, you'll have done more for me than you could ever imagine," said Joshua. Jamie breathed rings of smoke into the air in front of his face. "Don't worry, Joshua. I'll protect you from the rest of them."

[Shy]

Jamie stabbed into his plate of fish, struggling to slice the rubbery meat into smaller slices. It was lunchtime at Fuchu Prison, and like every day the prisoners would soon be shuffled into the courtyard for exercise. For many of the inmates, these were the only free moments they had outside of their cells, and for Jamie and Joshua it contained extra meaning. In a few short moments Jamie Kidd would confront Doppo Horigome, defending the honor of a young man he only met hours earlier. It was a dumb move on Kidd?s part, but it was a dumb move that got him into Fuchu in the first place. ?You nervous?? Jamie took a bite. ?Nervous?? Joshua asked, ?You?re the one who is about to face Doppo.? Jamie let out a small grin, which quickly dissipated by the taste of fish in his mouth. ?I know how how to take care of myself, Joshua. We didn?t have a lot of time to talk last night, but you?ll have to trust me when I say that.? ?Hmm... you're crazy, you know that? Do you even care that you're in a foreign prison?? ?No, actually,? Jamie scooped a handful of rice from his plate, ??I chose to do it, for a boy.? ?You should consider yourself lucky then,? the Cowboy sighed, ?Most of us didn?t have the luxury of choice when we first came here? ?It?s not like that. He was just a child, an innocent child, and the things they made him do were terrible, awful. I didn?t want to see him suffer anymore, so I chose to take action.? ?How very noble. And now you?re doing it again, for me?? ?That?s how life is. You see something that?s wrong, and you either do something about it, or it comes to bite you in the ass later.? ?He?s going to kill you, you know,? Joshua said, ?Doppo Horigome has killed before, that?s why I don?t fight back, that?s why nobody does.? ?It doesn?t matter who he is. How do you let him do this to you? How can you not even bother to fight back? Is your life worth living when he comes at you like that every night -- or maybe, maybe you actually [I]like[/I] it.? Joshua glared, ?This isn?t about me at all, Jamie, is it? You must have a death wish, Kidd, because that?s exactly what you?re going to get if you go out there. And me? I?m going to be left behind, and get it twice as worse because of you and your morals.? ?You looked like you needed help, Joshua,? the two stood up from the floor, ?Can you tell me that I was so wrong in making that assumption?? ?Maybe you were right about one thing, then, Jamie,? Joshua sighed, ?Like I said last night, if you succeed you?ll command huge respect inside of the prison, and if you fail?? ?I won?t fail.? The Desert Taipan turned his back, and began to walk out towards the courtyard. ?Either way, Jamie,? Joshua let out a small smile, ?I?ll be waiting for you.? The courtyard was a cold and windy place. Although it had originally been furnished with exercise equipment, it was decided that the weights, balls, and baseball bats being used by prisoners during their free time were far too dangerous. All of the items were confiscated by guards, and either sold away, or stolen by one of the more corrupt officers. All that remained was a cracked concrete floor, littered with patches of weeds that had somehow managed to grow through. Word of Jamie?s challenge had quickly spread that day, and several had begun to form a crowd around him. Only a newcomer would be so reckless as to fight Doppo Horigome, and everyone present knew it would be the type of entertaining that they would talking about for months, maybe even years to come. Jamie heard the faint sound of whispers behind his back. Although it was too quiet to understand their muffled Japanese, he already knew what they were saying. While everyone knew about the murders and rapes that gave Horigome his reputation, they knew next to nothing about the Australian. Jamie saw this as an advantage; if he was lucky, Jamie thought, Horigome would underestimate him, giving him enough time to make a strong first move. ?[u]Let?s end this now[/u],? a voice called from a pair of especially large onlookers. Large hands pushed the two men aside with ease, and Doppo presented himself to his opponent. ?[u]I?m not going to let you to hurt Joshua anymore[/u],? Jamie said. ?[u]You mean [I]Mickey?[/I][/u]? Doppo swung his fist, ?[u]The little fucker deserves it.[/u]? Jamie quickly ducked, just missing the impact of Horigome?s punch. He was faster than Jamie had expected, and he struggled to regain his stance before he was assaulted with a second, much more powerful strike. Doppo?s hand slammed into his chest, knocking him back and into a few of the spectators. Not wishing to be part of the fight, they thrust him forward, directly into the enormous man?s third punch. Dazed, Jamie struggled as Doppo wrapped one of his arms completely around Jamie?s chest, using his free hand to hold tightly onto his victim?s neck. The crowd cheered louder and louder, each one completely aware of where this fight was headed. The Desert Taipan was trapped, Doppo?s arm pulled Jamie closer and closer against his body, crushing the man slowly. Jamie kicked Doppo?s leg with his own, allowing him enough freedom to release himself from the grip, and get to the floor. Furious by this, Horigome knocked Jamie onto his stomach with a forceful kick in the side of his neck. He began coughing uncontrollably, gasping for air as Doppo rested the full weight of his bulky frame onto Jamie?s body. Jamie?s arm was pulled behind his back, twisted harder and harder it had been completely broken. Jamie remained silent, gritting his teeth and cursing to himself helplessly as Doppo grabbed the other arm. ?[u]I?m not going to kill you, bitch. No, you?re going to learn who to respect around here, one way?[/u]? he slammed Jamie?s face against the floor, ?[u]?Or anoth--[/u]? Doppo?s speech was cut off prematurely. A thick tree branch was slammed against his bald head, knocking him off of Jamie. [center][size=3][I]THUD! THUD! THUD![/I][/size][/center] Crowds began shouting obscenities as the ?thuds? began to overwhelm the sounds of Doppo screaming in pain. For what seemed like ages it went on; the unseen tree branch thrashing into Horigome?s large body even after he had been knocked unconscious. Wiping blood from his brow the Austrlian turned around painfully to discover Joshua standing over him. The tree branch, broken in half during it?s use, had been covered in Doppo?s blood. Red washed across the cement, spreading outward from the rapist?s limp body. Tears rolled down Joshua?s cheeks as he stared down.

[James]

[center]Chapter 17: Birth of the Midnight Butterfly[/center] Summary: This chapter tracks Hattori Hanzo's beginnings, prior to his days as a famous swordsman (and salesman). Characters: Hattori Hanzo. Setting: Japan. Notes: Rebirth of Kill Adam! Hattori Hanzo is going through a radical change and this chapter will reflect his humble beginnings, as well as his re-emergence as an icon of the Japanese underground.

[Shy]

TITLE OVER BLACK: Hattori Hanzo in: [b]Birth of the Midnight Butterfly[/b] FADE IN: EXTERIOR. DOWNTOWN HIROSHIMA STREETS. DAY. A large crowd gathers around a bus station, eagerly awaiting the return of twenty-five women from America. These “Hiroshima Maidens” had been given the chance to repair their keloid scars from the atomic bomb ten years prior. Now these young women would be reunited with their friends and children for the first time after months of painful operations. TITLE OVER: SEPTEMBER 16, 1957. A ten year old Japanese boy, HATTORI HANZO, pushes through the crowd a bus approaches. The crowd cheers as the door opens and the first HIROSHIMA MAIDENS step out. Women in the crowd burst into tears upon seeing the girls’ faces for the first time, embracing them tightly. An older member of the Maidens, KIMIKO HANZO, steps out from the bus and starts calling for her son. Kimiko: Hattori! Hattori! Hattori’s eyes widen as he sees his mother. Gone is look of pain and worry from her burned face. Kimiko is reborn, the surgery giving her a rubbery but glamorous appearance. Also gone is the modest robe she wore every day of her child‘s life; a stylish American gown taking its place. KIMIKO: It’s me, Hanzo. Oh I’ve missed you! He stares at the woman as if she were a stranger, and steps back as her mother tries to approach him. KIMIKO: Don’t you recognize me? The boy turns his back to his mother, and pushes his way back out of the crowd. Kimiko attempts to chase after her son, but is unable to make her way through the crowd. KIMIKO: Hattori! Wait! EXTERIOR. ALLEYS OF HIROSHIMA. DAY. Hattori runs down the filthy alleyway, past several beggars and prostitutes as he comes across an unmarked door. He pounds loudly against it, tears filling his eyes. The door opens a sliver to reveal his uncle, TATSUO HANZO, a middle-aged Japanese man. TATSUO: Hattori! What is wrong? Wasn’t your mother returning today? Tears begin flooding down Hattori’s eyes. HATTORI: Uncle Tatsuo… Tatsuo opens the door fully and places his hand on the child’s shoulder. Behind him is a smoke-filled, dark room with loud music. TATSUO: Are you okay? Why aren’t you with your mother? HATTORI: She is not my mother!! My mother is gone! Tatsuo is obviously uncomfortable with the child. He looks up and down the alley to see if anyone sees him with the child, quickly takes Hattori into the brothel, and closes the door behind them. INTERIOR. BROTHEL. The brothel is little more than one long hallway leading to dozens and dozens of smaller rooms. BUSINESSMEN, both American and Japanese, walk up and down the hallway with little or no clothes on at all. Hattori stops his crying, shocked by what he is seeing. Tatsuo quickly covers the eyes of his nephew, and drags him into one of the nearby empty rooms. INTERIOR. BROTHEL. BEDROOM. The room is empty, save for a small electric fan and a stained mattress lying on the floor. TATSUO: Oh shit. If your mother or grandmother find out you’re alone with me, they’re gonna lock me away. Tatsuo sits Hattori on the mattress. TATSUO: Just wait here, Hattori. I’m going to see if I can’t get one of the boys to take you back to your Grandmother’s. Tatsuo leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. Hattori sits in silence, wiping the tears away from his eyes. The faint sounds of moaning can be heard through the room’s thin walls, masking the sounds of his tears. The door opens, revealing SHIGERU, a barely clothed young Japanese boy. Shigeru is noticeably surprised to see such a young child. SHIGERU: Hello? What are you doing here? HATTORI: My-- my name is Hattori Hanzo. I’m waiting for my uncle. SHIGERU: I didn’t know Tatsuo had a nephew. There is an uncomfortable moment of silence. SHIGERU: My name is Shigeru… I was just going to get the room ready for later, but if you’re in here… Shigeru notices tears running down Hattori’s eyes. SHIGERU: Is… is everything okay? Hattori completely loses it. Shigeru closes the door behind him, and sits next to Hattori on the bed. He puts his arm around the boy to comfort him. Hanzo continues crying, and Shigeru kisses him on the forehead and on the lips, stopping his tears. Hanzo’s eyes widen. The two lock eyes. INTERIOR. MODEST JAPANESE HOUSEHOLD. NIGHT. Several years have passed, but Kimiko’s doll-like appearance largely remains the same. She is cooking in the kitchen while listening to some American rock and roll. Kimiko is wearing a plain tan apron and is preparing to go to work. Hattori’s ancient GRANDMOTHER rests comfortably on an old rocking chair in the den area, staring out the window onto the streets below. TITLE OVER. DECEMBER 20, 1965. Hanzo, now 16, rushes out of his bedroom wearing an untucked dress shirt and very loose necktie. He is thin, wiry, and very effeminate. Hanzo walks straight towards the door. KIMIKO: Hanzo! Where are you going? You have exams in the morning! HATTORI: Fuck exams. Shigeru and the boys are going to Matsue tonight. Kimiko stops what she is doing and heads over to the door. KIMIKO: You will do no such thing! Your education is very important to your grandmother and I. We will not have you throwing your future away for those… those-- HATTORI: Those what? KIMIKO: You know what, Hattori. Now do as I say. Go back to your room and focus on your studies. HATTORI: No way, you American bitch! Kimiko raises her hand to strike her son, but he grabs her wrist to stop the attack, and pushes her onto the floor. GRANDMOTHER: Hattori! Hattori stops for a moment to stare at his mother on the ground, visibly upset by what he has just done, and rushes out of the home. Grandmother hobbles over to Kimiko to help get her to her feet. Kimiko wipes a tear from her eye. GRANDMOTHER: That child has no respect for you… KIMIKO: I know. GRANDMOTHER: …and such speed. He is so much like his father. KIMIKO: I know, mother. I think… I think that is what I fear the most. EXTERIOR. HIROSHIMA STREETS. NIGHT. The streets of Hiroshima are alive tonight. Merchants, prostitutes, criminals and gamblers run the town after dark, and to young Hattori Hanzo and his friends it is a playground. Hanzo, Shigeru and a pair of male FRIENDS are speeding up and down the streets in a used Ford pick-up. They are cheering and laughing. Hattori is embracing Shigeru, who looks virtually the same as he did years ago. SHIGERU: This is great! FRIEND 1: Oh yeah! SHIGERU: We should go see one of the late shows downtown. HATTORI: No way! I’m sick of seeing those whores and their wrinkly tits every night. Everyone laughs. HATTORI: No, I want to try something new. FRIEND 2: Oh yeah? I know someplace downtown we can check out. I’ve been before. I bet you’ve never seen anything like it. INTERIOR. JAPANESE BURLESQUE CLUB. NIGHT. The only light in the club are those of the spotlights focusing brightly on the club’s small stage. Hanzo and his four friends enter the club, and one of the bouncers seems to recognize Friend 2. They are let in, and Hanzo’s attention is immediately drawn towards the stage. SHIGERU: More fucking tits! A recording plays traditional Japanese music as a beautiful dancer, ROSE, dressed as geisha perform a striptease. In the traditional burlesque fashion, little is seen and much is left to the imagination. Several men and women sit at tables surrounding the stage, drinking sake and laughing at the performer. FRIEND 1: I thought you were going to show us something new. Hattori is captivated by Jun’s performance on the stage. Friend 2 puts his arm around Shigeru. FRIEND 2: Calm down, assholes. That isn’t a woman up on the stage! The dancer approaches one of the male audience members and begins singing. It is obvious from the voice that it is a male underneath all of the robes and make-up. Rose flirts with the man in the audience, kissing him on the cheek and leaving lipstick on his face. This causes the audience to burst into laughter and applause. Shigeru and the friends begin laughing as well. SHIGERU: Wow! FRIEND 2: So uh… what do you guys think? FRIEND 1: This is hilarious! Hattori’s expression of amazement remains unchanged. HATTORI: Let’s get a table. Friend 2 begins holding hands with Shigeru. This catches the eye of Hattori, who seems angered by this but pretends to ignore it. The four sit down at the table. As Hanzo sits he catches the attention of the performer, and they lock eyes for a moment. Music blasts loudly from a nearby speaker, the rhythm of the song mirroring the young man’s accelerated heartbeat. Jun smiles at Hattori. He nervously sits back into his chair. The rest of the group seems oblivious to what is going on. EXTERIOR. BACK OF BURLESQUE CLUB. DARK ALLEY. NIGHT. Hattori Hanzo and his friends wait outside of the club, attempting to sober up after it has closed. Hattori is the only one in the group not visibly drunk, and is enjoying a cigarette while the rest are waiting in the truck with the engine idling. They are talking and laughing amongst themselves in the distance. Hattori takes a drag of his cigarette as a door from the back of the club opens, revealing Rose. He is in a different glamorous outfit from earlier, but still in full drag. Rose seems surprised to see Hanzo just as he is startled by seeing Rose. Although it is difficult to tell behind the make-up, the drag queen is at least a decade older than Hanzo. He speaks in a very feminine, but very blunt manner. Rose is wearing a flowing silk robe, which is caught in the faint breeze. ROSE: Hey. Hanzo seems nervous. HATTORI: Hey! Rose thinks for a moment. ROSE: Weren’t you watching the show tonight? HATTORI: Yes! I thought… I thought you were great. Rose seems flattered. ROSE: You’re sweet. Rose begins to head out in the opposite direction of his friends’ truck. HATTORI: Why are you still in that outfit? Are you going to another performance tonight? Rose seems offended stops in his tracks. He turns to Hattori. ROSE: This isn’t just an act, kid. This is how I live. HATTORI: Oh. Oh. Wow. INT. FORD TRUCK. NIGHT. Shigeru and the two friends are sitting in the truck, talking amongst themselves. Friend 1 notices Hattori’s conversation with Rose. He tries to get the attention of Shigeru, who is flirting with Friend 2. FRIEND 1: Hey, look. Is Hanzo talking to that performer? FRIEND 2: Fuck, he is! What do you have to say about that, Shigeru? Shigeru chooses to ignore what is going on. EXTERIOR. BACK OF BURLESQUE CLUB. DARK ALLEY. NIGHT. Hattori seems embarrassed by what he said. HATTORI: I apologize. I didn’t know… ROSE: You have a lot to learn. Hattori sighs. ROSE: Your cigarette is dead. Hattori notices his cigarette. HATTORI: Damn! Rose extends a lighter towards him. ROSE: Here, let me… Rose lights Hanzo’s cigarette. He takes a puff. HATTORI: Thank you. ROSE: Forget it. The drag queen begins to walk off. Hanzo sheepishly calls out to him. HATTORI: I want to! ROSE: Huh? HATTORI: I want to learn… teach me. Rose reveals a small tanto, a Japanese short sword, beneath his robe. Hanzo takes a step back. HATTORI: I didn’t mean anything by-- Rose withdraws the weapon with lightning speed, and pins Hanzo against the wall with the weapon by stabbing it through his shirt. He stares intensely into Hanzo's eyes, smiles, and takes a puff of his cigarette. ROSE: You have a lot to learn. Rose turns away, and begins walking down the alley. ROSE: Come back tomorrow.

[James]

[center]Chapter 18: The Shotgun Stiletto[/center] Summary: In this chapter, Hattori Hanzo has finally risen to prominence in Tokyo. The disaffected youth of the city are his first line of support: the rag-tag gangsters, the kids kicked out of home and of course, the Ladies of the Night. Hanzo is no longer known under his old name anymore (at least to anyone outside his gang), but rather, by his codename "Midnight Butterfly". An elite band of Ladies form his personal bodyguard, but there is one Lady who outranks them all: Rose. While she herself is not a bodyguard, she is the most respected Lady in Hanzo's entourage. Her place is at his side, above the rest of them. Just as Hanzo reaches the height of his success in Tokyo, an upstart gaijin enters the scene. Adam, a mysterious and dangerous figure, appears on the Tokyo streets in a major way. And Hanzo is first in his sights. Characters: Adam, Hattori Hanzo (AKA Midnight Butterfly), Rose, the RGB Sisters. Setting: Tokyo, Japan. Notes: Okay so basically I figure a few things will happen here. This will be the moment when Hattori Hanzo may turn away from his current lifestyle. Obviously he doesn't defeat Adam, given Adam's subsequent rise in the underworld. Instead, Adam takes away the one thing that matters most to Hanzo. And, in the process, Hanzo's entire entourage falls apart as does much of his influence. This is what leads Hanzo to retiring to a life of arms dealing as he grows older (and as we witnessed at the beginning of Volume 2).

[center]1989[/center] A thin, balding Japanese man reclined nervously in his seat. The leather protested awkwardly as he shifted his weight. He wore a cheap suit that bore the scent of tobacco and sake. A pair of Geisha sat on either side of him, but were apparently unaware of his existence. 'We are almost there,' stuttered the man, who had a map spread out over his lap. He traced a line with his fingertip, from Tokyo's north to its south west. A region of the city had been crudely highlighted with a marker. A note scribbled next to it simply read [i]MB[/i]. [u]'Nothing quite like the luxurious confines of a Rolls. Isn't that right, Matsuno-san?'[/u] Matsuno's eyes peered over his glasses. Adam sat across from him, on the opposite seat. Another pair of Geisha occupied the spaces next to him. [u]'You speak Japanese?'[/u] Adam grinned. He removed a cigar from a small metal wallet. The Geisha to his right produced a match from somewhere in her kimono and struck it. He puffed slowly on the cigar as his eyes closed. Then he turned and breathed a plume of smoke in Matsuno's direction. [u]'Of course,'[/u] said Adam coolly. [u]'Do you think I would have come here if I didn't? When I finally meet Hanzo-san, I want to give him his first orders in his native tongue.'[/u] All four Geisha giggled to themselves. [u]'H-Hattori Hanzo?'[/u] Matsuno stammered and adjusted his glasses nervously. Adam's eyes shifted from Matsuno to the rear window of the Rolls. Neon signs flashed by and illuminated the interior. [u]'Correct,'[/u] replied Adam calmly. [u]'Also known as [i]Midnight Butterfly[/i], I believe.'[/u] Matsuno opened his mouth to speak, but Adam interrupted him. [u]'I know, he runs this town. But this town is no different from a jail; do you know how to become top dog in only one day?'[/u] Matsuno shook his head. Beads of sweat ran down his chin and dripped onto the map. Each drop was audible and he felt embarrassed. [u]'When in jail,'[/u] continued Adam with another puff (and in flawless Japanese), [u]'you identify who the largest, most fearsome man is. And then, you pick a fight. Whether you win or not is irrelevant at first; by choosing the fight, you show all others that you are fearless. This alone affords you a promotion in the minds of the inmates and it shakes the man's faith in himself.'[/u] Adam took another long drag and breathed smoke into the air. The smoke seemed to hang and curl around him, enveloping him in a plume of gray and black. [u]'If you can kill the man, you have won the ultimate prize. However, we are in Japan Matsuno, so I do not need to kill Hanzo. He will serve a much higher purpose.'[/u] [u]'Oh?'[/u] Adam nodded thoughtfully. [u]'The best way to defeat an opponent in Japan is to cause him to lose face, especially in the presence of his supporters. Taking away his dignity and respect is what turns him into an empty shell - a blank canvas to be molded as I see fit.'[/u] The car began to slow as it rounded a long, wide corner. [u]'Adam-san, we are only one block away now. The bus will be arriving soon,'[/u] said the chauffeur over the car's intercom. Matsuno looked confused, but tried to hide it rather unsuccessfully. Adam pointed his cigar at Matsuno. [u]'So far you have been completely useless,'[/u] he said matter-of-factly. [u]'I hired you because you said you knew the underground, but you know nothing. You didn't know about Hanzo's party bus stopping near here, or that it arrives every Saturday night to pick up the Ladies. You have offered me very little, despite me paying you a vast sum of money for your information.'[/u] Matsuno began visibly shaking on the seat, causing the Geisha at his side to grin. [u]'So there isn't much need for you now, is there?'[/u] The car fell silent as it stopped by the side of the road. Matsuno looked out the window and saw a large red London bus at the end of an adjacent street. It was parked outside an infamous Tokyo night spot, known as The Peacock Lounge. The Geisha to Matsuno's right tore the map from him suddenly, causing him to jump in his seat. He then felt something cold touch the left side of his neck. Then he heard a metallic click. [center][b][size=4]Pause Scene[/center][/b][/size] [i]At this point, you're probably wondering about that big red bus. Unfortunately Matsuno isn't going to be able to offer any further advice anytime soon. This particular bus is infamous in Tokyo. It is known under several names, including the Lady Boy Bus and Big Ben. In truth, this is how Hanzo unwinds on his Saturday nights. The bus takes his posse of drag queens, gangsters and groupies around the city to all the hot night spots. In truth, there are only five notable people and they are boarding right now. The unassuming man at the front (with the ridiculously tall platform shoes) is, of course, Hattori Hanzo. The tall, slender beauty behind him is Rose, his mentor and and surrogate parent of sorts. And then, of course, come the big three. These rather muscular ladies are known as The RGB Sisters. First up, Miss Red (AKA Miss Shizumi). Her kimono is adorned with vivid red cherry blossoms. And her weapon of choice is the ever-classic AK-47 (itself painted in the same shade of red; as if she'd clash colors!) Behind her, of course, is Miss Green (AKA Miss Yuzu). She's actually not Japanese, but don't tell anyone. Of Chinese origin, Miss Green's kimono is enveloped in embroidered leaves. She keeps a pair of Uzis tucked into her Obi at all times. And then, finally, the Big Sister of the group: Miss Blue (AKA Sayuri "Shotgun" Toyama). It is a little known fact that Miss Blue was the founder of the RGB Sisters. She is also Hanzo's Chief Bodyguard. Her kimono bears the gorgeous Great Wave, but where is her weapon? In actual fact, Miss Blue's weapon is well-hidden. You can only tell what she's packing if you notice her slight limp. See how she has trouble with her right leg? It's ever so slight. It's all in those stilettos. Their glittery surface runs right up to her knee and their chunky exterior hides an explosive secret. You're about to see what I mean.[/i] [center][b][size=4]Resume Scene[/size][/b][/center] Matsuno's body fell from the open rear door of the Rolls, into the gutter. The door closed sharply behind him. [u]'Useless,'[/u] muttered Adam under his breath. [u]'Now, my dears, are you ready?'[/u] The four Geisha nodded enthusiastically and gathered together on the seat opposite Adam. [u]'Good. You know what you have to do.'[/u] He sat back and stretched out, cigar in hand. His free hand gripped the hilt of a sword. The rear sunroof opened. The first Geisha daintily rose above the roof, taking special care not to bump her wig on the way up. She produced a small set of binoculars from her person. They were delicate, like the kind one would use at an opera. She peered through them. Sure enough, all of the Lady Boys were on board the Big Ben. Now was the time to strike. A pair of white, slender hands reached up through the sunroof. A second Geisha passed up a sniper rifle. 'Arigatou,' muttered the first Geisha. She attached a small tripod to the bottom of the rifle and propped it against the roof of the Rolls. She leaned down slightly and lined up the right. [u]'Fuel tank,'[/u] she murmured. The shot was loud and it reverberated all the way up the block. A single bullet from the rifle sailed through the air and pierced Big Ben's tank, resulting in a massive explosion. Everything went white for a moment and when the Geisha's vision was restored, she saw that the bus's rear was almost entirely blown apart. It looked as though someone had peeled a giant piece of metal fruit; the outer skin of the bus curled grotesquely away from its center. Inside the Rolls, Adam smiled. [u]'Driver, turn the music up!'[/u] It was Vivaldi, one of Adam's favorites. The interior was filled with the ebb and flow of violins. The four Geisha had left the car and were on their way to the bus. Several bodies lay scattered around it, but Hanzo and his immediate crew were not among them. Somehow, Adam thought they were very close by. He knew his Geisha were in terrible danger. If they could keep the RGB Sisters distracted, however, Adam would be able to take away the only thing that mattered to Hanzo. In doing so, Hanzo would forever be under his control.

[Shy]

3 A.M. Hattori Hanzo and Rose rested in one of Hanzo’s lush safehouses scattered throughout the city. In his decades of experience he had learned to be prepared for such attacks, but never before had he experienced anything like this. With a single bullet the largest crime lord in the city was forced into hiding; it was obvious to Rose that he would not allow himself to hide for much longer. “[u]Our opponent wants to stand among the giants of Tokyo[/u],” Hanzo said grimly, “[u]But only a child would be so arrogant as to strike as he did…[/u]” The door opened, and Rose reached for her blade. The RGB sisters entered, carrying the body of one of Adam’s Geishas. “[u]Did anyone follow you here?[/u]” Miss Red shook his head. “[u]Did they put up much of a fight?[/u]” Miss Green grinned. [indent][i]Smoke filled the streets as the bus began to smolder. Through the smoke four beautifully dressed Geisha appeared. Hanzo waved his hand dismissively. “[u]Darlings. Take care of these bitches for me.[/u]” Hanzo and Rose disappeared behind an alleyway as the four women charged towards the RGB Sisters. Before Blue and Red could reach, Miss Green removed a pair of Uzis from her signature kimono. He immediately opened fire on the Geishas, killing two instantly with a bullet through the throat. Miss Red and Miss Blue stood ready with their weapons drawn, but it was unnecessary. “[u]I’ll handle this, girls,[/u]” Miss Green said. The two remaining Geishas, their pristine appearance marred by thick splatters of blood, immediately withdrew their short swords. Dropping one of the guns, Green managed to parry several blows before grabbing one of his opponent’s wrists with his large hand and snapping it like a rice patty. They struggled momentarily, but the delicate Geisha could not overpower the part-time bodybuilder and assassin. Miss Green gained control of one’s blade, and brutally drove it into the chest of the other. While Green, the remaining Geisha looked to the ground and noticed one of his Uzis lying there. However, as she reached for the weapon she suddenly felt a crippling pain shoot down her backside. She collapsed to the ground instantly, a blue dagger-tipped 7-inch heel jammed through the back of her neck.[/i][/indent] “[u]Of course they didn't,[/u]” Hanzo replied, “[u]And neither will he.[/u]” “[u]What do you have in mind, Hanzo-san?[/u]” “[u]We need to find who did this and make them suffer, Rose,[/u]” he said sagely, “[u]We need to find who did this and make them suffer,[/u]” Hanzo said sagely, “[u]He has provoked us. And every moment he breathes destroys the honor of myself and this organization.[/u]” “[u]Yes, Hanzo-san?[/u]” “[u]Contact our informants. Someone in this city must know who did this.[/u]” “[u]There’s no need,[/u]” Rose replied confidently, “[u]I can tell you where these assassins were based right now.[/u]” “[u]How?[/u]” Rose stared at the face of the slain Geishas. Though her face was covered with thick white makeup, it was clear that pockmarks and horrible scars were concealed beneath, “[u]…Musashimurayama.[/u]” In addition to being a famed drag queen and skilled combatant, “Tokyo Rose” was also the biggest slut in all of Japan. Sex was a language to the aging queen. With the slightest thrust, moan, or venereal disease he was able to learn more about a person than through a lifetime of research. “[u]This woman was under the protection of Midnight Rapist Yakazumi. Someone has clearly made a move over his home of Musashimurayama, and with it they‘ll be able to control the entire Toy District.[/u]” “[u]We will remain in seclusion until the time is right,[/u]” Hanzo commanded, “[u]Reacting hastily will only give into the plans of our enemies.[/u]” “[u]The city is finally yours, Hanzo-san, I will not allow anyone, or anything to jeopardize that,[/u]” Rose shook his head, mascara streaming down his delicate features, “[u]Losing control of Japan’s vibrators would be losing everything![/u]” Rose was right. For years Hattori Hanzo had been using sex toys to smuggle drugs and contraband throughout Asia. Just as importantly, the ‘plastics’ industry had become a legitimate business, earning a sizeable profit on its’ own. Hanzo used this money to fund his operations off the books, since even the most devoted government accountants were afraid to step anywhere near his so-called “Pleasure Palace.” “[u]Very well. We shall speak to Yakazumi, and should the need arise, retake the factories by force.[/u]” “[u]And if they're waiting for us?[/u]" "[u]Oh, I fully expect them to...[/u]" Hanzo replied as he opened a closet door, revealing an enormous arms cache, "[u]But even without access to the district we still have a few toys of our own.[/u]" Rose withdrew a rocket launcher and smiled, "[u]That's right, sugar. And style, too.[/u]" Hanzo kissed Rose tenderly on the cheek, "[u]Call for the helicopter, will you? I need to change into something more comfortable.[/u]"