I walked through the rain to get to the subway. Once there, I shook my head slightly, feeling the rain drops fall off. I felt damp, but I was thankful for the fact that I wasn't soaked through. I decided to call Jun and let him know of the newcomer I came across.

"I saw him."

"And?"

"I don't think he was any threat. Looked like a common free lance yakuza but then again so does Toki so I'm not writing him off completely."

"Sou ka...did he say anything to you?"

"Teased me for a moment. Thought I was a teenager."

"Oh...as he long as he didn't recognize anything else about you."

"I doubt he did."

"We'll continue looking out for him. If he is a threat, we'll let Jia know."

We had a habit of not letting Jia know of the problem until it was absolutely necessary. We would hold it off then eventually tell Tai, then Tai would tell Jia. Right now, we saw no point in getting Jia all worked up, anxious and paranoid over what could be nothing. I hung up with Jun as I gradually arrived at my stop and then went home.

The next morning, after a semi-restless night, I went to Jia's building. I picked up a cup of coffee on my way, tucking my hair back as I sat on the subway, taking small sips from the cup every now and then. Once I arrived at my stop, I got off the train and went to the surface, noticing the sky was light today...but not as light as it usually was. I got to Jia's building, walking inside and going upstairs to see Tai. I knocked on the door as he opened it himself.

"Oh....were you leaving?"

Tai nodded as he said,

"Hai...I just got through with everything."

"Wow...you actually finished something?"

Tai laughed slightly as he rubbed his tired eyes and said,

"Yeah. I'm on my way home."

"Oh...sleep well then Tai."

"Arigato."

He yawned once more, covering his mouth as he did so before he left. I turned and closed Tai's office door as I took the stairs back down to the lobby.

Even with a cup of coffee in my system I fell asleep on the lobby sofa. It seemed that was the only place I could sleep well without any problems. I didn't move for at least four hours. When the four hours were up it was because Aya tapped my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, I looked up at him as he said,

"You okay?"

I nodded as I asked,

"What time is it?"

"Almost one."

"Oh..."

I sat up, brushing my hair back from my face as he said,

"You sure you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"I'll be right back okay?"

I nodded as Aya left and I rubbed my eyes, getting the sleep out of them when I saw Jo come in. He was gathering his hair in his hands as he then brought down his right wrist and bit at the elastic band there, pulling it back up as he slid it up his hand and then tied his hair up in his usual knot, snapping the elastic around the thick locks of dyed dark red hair. He walked over to me as he said,

"Hey."

I nodded as he said,

"You fell asleep here didn't you?"

I nodded as he said,

"You got crease marks on the side of your face."

"Oh..."

I started rubbing my cheek as he sat down next to me and said,

"Hear anything about the car?"

"I think I ran into the owner last night."

"Where?"

"In Ueno. At a pool hall."

"You were playing pool?"

"I play by myself."

"Did he know you?"

"No...he just teased me for looking young."

Jo sighed, leaning back as he said,

"I get that too."

"You are young."

"You make it seem like your a million years old."

"Just about."

He laughed slightly as he said,

"So what this guy look like?"

"Like any other guy. He wore a suit, undone and messy. Blonde, short hair...you could tell it was dyed. Also looked messy."

"Hm...doesn't sound like anyone I've seen recently."

"It may be nothing."

"I'll ask Hisoka later."

Aya came back downstairs, his arms full of folders as he said,

"Hey Jo."

"Hey Aya."

"Mikkie, we're not doing much anything. You don't have to stay."

"Okay...I'll go then. I should be looking out for that guy anyway."

I got up, my neck cracking as I did so and started to leave.

It was a few hours before anything happened. I went home in between that time and took a nap for a few hours. When I woke up again, I saw it was dark outside, the night sky glowing by the lights of the city below. I got up and adjusted my shirt and my pants as I got up, picking up my tie from the chair I left it on as I got it on and then left to get something to eat. I was tired all day and now I was hungry. I went to the closest sushi bar they had near my place as I sat down, eating and drinking by myself, still thinking about work and the newcomer that just showed up. I tucked my hair back behind my ears as I realized I had yet to take out those earrings from my ears still. I knew I shouldn't have put them back in. I was in the process of finishing my food when I heard a woman standing not too far beside me ordering take out. She spoke Japanese but with a different accent. It was then I looked over at her and remembered the description of the foreign woman with dark red hair and a curvy figure. She wore black loose pants, a white fitted shirt over her curvy frame. She ordered sushi for a small party, her dark red hair falling past her chin as she set her purse on the small bar in front of her as she dug out her Fendi wallet and took out the yen to pay for it. She then turned slightly and looked at me. Her eyes searched my face as she then turned her attention back to her order. She sat down to wait, a space of one seat between us as I went back to eating my dinner. The woman sat quietly for a while, waiting for her order when my cell phone rang. I reached into my coat pocket and retrieved the earphone as I then answered.

"Hai."

"Ghosto, where you at?"

"Near Ueno. Why?"

"Um....we got a little problem."

"What is it?"

"We found this guy...in fact is the guy that owns the white BMW."

"How'd you know about that?"

"I talk to lower heads too."

"Oh..."

"Anyway, we found the guy tonight."

"Who's we?"

"Me an Jo. Headed over to where this guy was parked which was right outside this one strip club. You know that Jo's former sexy piece of ass Miya is shakin his ass here?"

"I know, get to the point."

"How you know?"

"It's not important, will you please get to the point."

"Oh...right so anyway we found the guy here. He was working on payin one of the whores there. Guess which whore."

"Did Jo get mad?"

"Actually, nah Jo didn't care. He was more worried about the guy gettin back in the car cuz he man had money and plenty of it. Some Kabuki-Cho whores are no more expensive then a bottle of sake an some cigarettes, others aren't you know what I'm sayin?"

"Not really. So what's the problem?"

"Ah, right, problem be that the guy started shit with Jo on his way out. Sayin he should buy him too cuz of how he looked. Jo got pissed, starting talkin shit back, you know how Aka-chan be."

"Uh huh."

"Anyway, he's fighting with the guy now."

"And why are you calling me instead of helping him?"

"Cuz he's not in there by himself and Hisoka don't know your number."

"Sou ka. So what's happening?"

"Well nothin for now, I'm just lettin you know. You may wanna get here and grab the gaijin huh? I think cops are on their way."

"All right. I'm on my way."

I hung up as I finished the last of my dinner and then left, ignoring the woman as I walked outside. I called Gabriel as I waited for a cab. Once he answered, I let him know of the situation at hand and told him to meet me in front of the strip club, running off the name, feeling slightly embarrassed when a woman looked over at me and gave me a strange look. I turned away and then told Gabriel to meet me there before I hung up. Thankfully a cab came and I got in right away.

I got to the Kabuki-Cho's club after about ten minutes. I saw Toki sitting outside, having a cigarette, leaning his head back as he smoked, his dark red and almost black hair falling away from his face as clouds of smoke left his puckered lips. I got out of the cab after paying as I walked in front of Toki. He looked up at me as I said,

"So?"

"Fight's still goin on."

"Why are you still out here?"

"Waitin for you an the gaijin. I doubt he knows of this place. You I'm surprised."

"I've been here before."

He looked at me in surprise, one of his eyebrows raised up as he said,

"Word? Mah Ghosto goin to strip clubs. You like it?"

"One, I'm not yours. Two, I only went because Jo asked me to. Three, no I did not. I got a headache from standing in a crowded noisy room."

He smirked, standing up to his full height, towering over me slightly as he said,

"We should go in, get Jo out."

I nodded just as the cops came racing towards the scene. Toki flicked his cigarette out as he said,

"Now better then later! You wait here. If I'm not out with him in ten minutes, get Gabriel and be bystanders."

I nodded as Toki ran back inside, pulling back the doors of the club, allowing me a momentary glimpse of the madness inside. Screams were heard, tables being over turned as glass smashed to the ground. Toki ran into the mayhem as I took a few steps up form the area. I looked around for a while, watching as a few cop cars pulled up and started racing inside. Gabriel arrived almost at the same time and I moved him back with me as he said,

"What's going on?"

"Jo got himself into a fight. Toki's trying to get him out now."

"Ah..."

Gabriel and I watched the club gradually be emptied out, people being arrested. I looked for the newcomer among them but instead didn't see him. A few moments later, my cell phone rang as Toki let us know he was about a block away, Jo with him. I let Gabriel know as we walked around the block and caught up with them. I looked at Jo as I noticed he was holding his mouth, bruises started to form around his eye as he clenched his free hand, his butterfly blade drenched in blood. I sighed.

"What happened?"

Toki picked up Jo's hand as he started prying the blade loose as he said,

"Jo here is almost as bad as his daddy. Meanin not only does he have to take everyone down in one foul sweep, but he had to gut nearly four people in the process."

Jo let go of the blade as he then turned his head and spat out his blood. He then said,

"It was the guy you told me about."

Blood still dribbled down his chin as he spoke. He then spat again as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he said,

"He got away from me. He called me a whore which is why this happened."

"It shouldn't matter what he called you, you know you're not."

"I didn't like the way he said it. He had this sneering, mocking tone."

Gabriel sighed as he said,

"Well, at least I won't have to spring you out of jail. We should have Jun look at that."

Toki grabbed Jo by his chin as he said,

"Nah...kid got his lip busted. Nothing serious."

Toki flicked the blade of the knife back in it's switch as he gave it back to Jo. After that, we took a cab back to the syndicate.

Jun did have a look at Jo despite Toki saying it was no big deal. Jo said it was no big deal, but Jun had cause to worry since he already put stitches in Jo's lip and he had only taken them out a while back. Jo had his healed scar checked regardlessly as I stood in the background. Toki lit a cigarette as he leaned against the wall. Once it was lit, he inhaled, exhaled and crossed his arms as he said,

"So......we tellin Li or what?"

Jun left Jo for a moment as he went over and took the cigarette from Toki's mouth as he said,

"I'm trying to keep this place sterile. You wanna smoke, go upstairs."

Toki rolled his eyes as he said,

"Ain't a real hospital."

"Yes but I do have instruments that do need to be in a sterile environment. Idiot."

"Asshole."

"Moron."

"Shit bag."

"Do you two think you can stop the immaturity for a moment and tend to Jo?" I said.

They looked at me as Jun dismissed Toki by a wave of the hand and went back to Jo. Jo was laughing slightly as Jun said,

"Your mouth was busted open. What he hit you with?"

"Blunt side of a bottle."

"Shit! I'm surprised that didn't break."

"Yeah me too."

"Well it was enough to bust your mouth open. You'll be fine. Just try not to agitate the cuts anymore. The bleeding should stop completely soon enough."

Jun grabbed an ice pack from a small refrigerator he had as he tossed it to Jo.

"Put it where it on your mouth."

Jo placed the pack over his mouth as Jun then said,

"I don't know if this guy is a cause for worry."

"Dude had shit load of money. How many salarymen come in strip joints with THAT much money. He aint a normal guy."

I nodded as Jun said,

"That's true...but then what does he want? And why is just fucking around then trying to start with us?"

Toki shrugged as he said,

"Maybe he's jus waitin for the right time to strike."

Just then we heard a knock coming from upstairs as Jun said,

"Hai, it's open."

Hisoka came downstairs as he said,

"I have some news."

Jun nodded as he let him continue.

"We found out who that guys is."

"Who is he damn man don't keep us in suspense." Said Toki.

Hisoka nodded as he said,

"Gomen. Anyway his name is Kaji. Kaji Jin. And there's more."

Jo looked up as Hisoka continued.

"This guy is what Jia is but in the streets."

Toki scoffed as he said,

"Bullshit. Li would have taken care of him if he saw too much power."

"Not if he did it quietly. This guy did, every street corner thug, every drug pusher, every pimp and his whore all have ties with Kaji. They see him as their God. While Jia may be the all powerful oyabun of the city and the country, the streets belong to Kaji."

"So a street rat got some hold." Said Jun.

Toki sighed as he said,

"Why didn't we hear of this guy before if he's so fuckin high on power?"

"He rose up through the ranks. He had a couple of big brothers...most of them feel he's good enough to give power to. And they did. Kaji works the streets, churning out profit from all the petty shit free lance yakuza do."

"So whatever we don't have our fingers in, he does." I said,

"Hai...and these people...the streets protect him. They respect him. But the only good thing is, that since he doesn't have hold on anything but the streets, he lacks surfactant power to keep from being tossed in jail. He could get caught, his education and employees don't have the means to buy or sell people, buildings and such...so it could be easy to find him."

Jun shook his head.

"Finding him isn't the problem, getting him out is." I said,

Toki sighed as he uncrossed his arms and said,

"Gotta tell Li then..."

He stood up from against the wall as he walked past Hisoka and went upstairs. Jun turned to Jo was who sitting silently the whole time. Jun looked at him as he said,

"You okay?"

"Hurts to talk."

Jun nodded in understanding as he led Jo out and I followed, Hisoka behind me.

Toki sat in the lobby as he called Jia to let him know what was going on. I sat on the other couch, rubbing my eyes as I leaned back on the sofa. Toki then said for Jia to get here since Tai wasn't at work now and then hung up. I stayed still, feeling tired again as I faintly heard Jo saying he was still staying in case Jia needed anything as I then felt something on my lap. I picked my head up as I saw Toki putting his head down on me.

"Get off me."

"Nah..you comfortable."

I gritted my teeth as I said,

"Now is not the time, get off me."

He smirked as he said,

"I'd love to."

"That's not what I meant."

He still smirked as Jo sat down where Toki was as Aya then came downstairs. He yawned as he said,

"What's going?"

"About to work Pretty Aya." Said Toki.

"What happened?"

"We got a new one that's Jia's supposed equal on the streets." I said.

Aya walked around as he then saw Jo and said,

"What happened to you?"

"He got into a fight with the new one. His name is Kaji Jin." Said Toki.

Aya sat beside Jo, holding his face as he said,

"Aw...you're all bruised."

He kissed Jo's cheek as Toki smirked and said,

"Where's Aoki?"

"I have no idea."

Aya nuzzled Jo for a little while, kissing his cheek, tucking his hair behind his ear as Jo smiled every now and then. Toki then said,

"Hey, how come I don't get no attention like that when I'm all fucked up?"

Aya turned his head as he said,

"I think you got enough attention."

I raised my hands up as I said,

"You can gladly pay him attention. He isn't getting any from me."

Aya smiled, getting up from Jo as he walked over to us as he grabbed Toki's hands and said,

"Come on, leave Mikkie alone. You know he doesn't like when you lay all over him."

Toki smirked before cracking his juvenile smile, sticking his tongue out as he grabbed Aya's hands in his as he started pulling him down. Aya tried to fight him and said,

"Toki! I said get up not pull me down!"

Toki managed to get Aya down, pulling him on top of him as he smirked as he said,

"Mah fuckin dream come true."

He looked at both of us as I rolled my eyes. Toki then said,

"Hmmm. So this is what it's like from Aoki's point of view."

Aya started sitting up as he said,

"Toki...I thought we had a situation."

"We do, we jus waitin for Li to get here."

Aya got up, as he started getting off Toki's lap. Of course it wasn't that easy with Toki grabbing a hold of his hands, arms or hips, whatever he happened to catch. Aya laughed, trying to keep Toki's wandering hands off him as he then said,

"Toki!"

"Ooo...love it when you say my name."

"Mikkie...do something."

I looked at him as I said,

"And what would you like me to do with his head on my lap?"

"I'll pay you attention Ghosto."

He turned and nipped at my stomach which made me flinch as I said,

"Ah!"

"Oo...a reaction." He smirked.

"Get off me." I said again.

Aya then rested his hands on Toki's shoulders as he suddenly moved his hips roughly over Toki's pelvis. Toki let out a loud groan, suddenly turning into mush, his hands dropping from Aya's arms as he closed his eyes. Aya slowly got up as he adjusted his coat. I took the chance, seizing Toki's weakness as I moved his head off me and I stood up, dusting off my pants. Jo laughed the whole time despite his pain as Toki then sighed

"You fuckin dick tease."

Aya gave a seductive smile as he fixed his hair. A few moments later, Jia came in as he said,

"Someone needs to fill me in, where's Tai?"

Aya turned to him as he said,

"Tai was exhausted from spending all night working so he's probably home sleeping."

"Where's Gabriel?"

"He's upstairs." I said.

"Oh then he really is sleeping. I guess I need to wake him. Someone needs to tell me what's going on. What happened to Jo?"

"He got into a fight earlier tonight. It hurt his mouth to talk. He got his lip broken open." I said.

"Ah....what's wrong with Toki?"

"Oh, he's just horny." Said Aya.

"So what else is new."

Jia searched for his cigarettes as he got his case out and took one out as he then said,

"I don't have a lighter...."

Jo got up as he went into his pockets with his free hand as he lit Jia's cigarette. Jia thanked him as he said,

"How bad is your lip?"

Jo moved back the ice pack as Jia scrunched up his nose and said,

"Ew...that's pretty bad. Okay well...I'm getting to work. Mikkie tell me what's going on. Aya get Tai here will you? Jo...um....well stick around. Keep that ice pack on it."

Jo nodded as I went upstairs with Jia.

After I finished telling him everything. About the car, the foreign woman, the newcomer that turned out to be Kaji Jin, I waited for his reaction. Jia smoked, resting his hand on his chin as he listened. Once I was done, he exhaled and then rubbed the cigarette out in the crystal ashtray on his desk. He then said,

"Kaji finally rose up huh?"

"You know of him?"

"Of course I do. I know almost everything going on in this city."

"So.....what's going to happen now Jia?"

Jia leaned back in his seat as he said,

"The streets protect Kaji like all of you and this country protects me. I can't underestimate someone who's like my lesser counterpart. So...right now. We have to wait. He hasn't made a move yet so I can't exactly jump into anything....that would bring problems that are not needed."

"How long do we have to wait Jia?"

He turned his chair around as he faced the window behind him. He then said,

"I have a feeling we won't have to wait long. If people can compare him to me...then there's probably a reason for that. And if he's anything like me...then he'll make his move. He's probably doing it subtly already."

I nodded, thinking about how that car watched me, then when I did come across Kaji later, how he teased me...almost as if he knew. Jia was right...he was making his move subtly. I then heard Jia say,

"Give him another couple of days...he'll come out. Once he sticks his head out far enough to see what's going on...we'll cut it off."