I got back to headquarters in a lot of pain. When Jun took off my coat he hissed as he flinched back and said,

"God...this is almost as bad as one of Toki's scrapes."

I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth as I took off my shirt. I had been cut on my left arm, on my bicep, near the shoulder. It hurt like hell since I felt that everything below the surface had been cut. Jun pulled on a pair of latex gloves as he threaded a surgical needle and thread as he came back to my arm and set the needle down as he picked up some gauze and began to clean up my arm. He sighed as he said,

"How did this happen?"

"I got into a fight with Kaji's boy." I said through gritted teeth.

Jun then put the gauze over my wound as he said,

"Hold it there."

I put my hand over the wound as I looked down, my hair covering my face as Jun went to do something. When he came back, he moved my hand back as he then pressed another piece of gauze on the cut. It hurt even more because whatever was on the gauze, started stinging the flesh. I hissed loudly as I closed my eyes as I said,

"What the hell is that?"

"Antibacterial cleaner. So it won't get infected."

"It hurts."

"I would imagine."

He then cleaned up the wound as he began threading up my arm. I clenched at the table, the pain hurting me still as I said,

"Jun...I don't feel well."

"Well...you did loose a lot of blood. You dizzy? Nauseous? Seeing spots?"

"I'm a little dizzy."

"Light headed. It'll go away in a few minutes after you lay down."

He then finished stitching my arm back up as the door opened and Toki and Jia came downstairs. Jia then said,

"Mikkie, you okay?"

I nodded as Jun said,

"Relax Jia. It's a deep cut but he didn't loose as much blood as I thought, so he should be fine in a few hours."

Jia looked at the stitch Jun made as he said,

"Damn...that's wide."

"Yup. It'll scar too no matter what I do. Good thing Mikkie's not the vain type."

The cut of medical scissors was heard as Jun tied the knot in place and then picked up more gauze. He then placed a piece over the cut as he said,

"He does need a few hours though Jia."

Jia nodded, waving it off as he said,

"Of course. He can go home if he wants...why am I talking to you?"

Jun shrugged as Jia turned to me and said,

"You can go home. You did more then your part today."

I nodded for a moment as I said,

"What about-"

"Kaji's boy?"

I nodded as Jia said,

"Well, Kaji knows and he's pissed. So he's on the verge of striking back."

"Then I should stick around...in case."

"I'm not sure..."

"Jun said I'd be fine in a few hours."

Jia sighed as he said,

"All right. Five hours at the most. If you're not up to speed by then you can go home."

I nodded as Jia then went to leave, asking Toki if he was coming. Toki told him to go ahead as Jia left. Once Jun finished he peeled off the gloves as he said,

"You may wanna wash your arm off."

I noticed I had my own blood still staining my entire left arm. I had left a trail across the floor and on the table I was sitting on. Once Jun disposed of everything, Toki looked at me as he said,

"You okay?"

I nodded, trying to get my shirt one but not succeeding because my arm still hurt. Toki helped me move my shirt around as I got my arm through. I looked at him for a moment as he then got the shirt over my shoulders as he said,

"Jo here to take you home?"

"I was going to stay here."

"You gonna sleep here?"

"I always do."

"Go home for a while Ghosto."

I saw concern in his eyes. Jun then said,

"If he wants to stay let him do what he wants Toki."

"He shouldn't sleep here. Aint a good place to sleep."

"You have no problem falling asleep on the lobby sofa."

"Thas me though. It aint good enough for Ghosto."

"He's slept there before."

"Thas cuz I didn't know. If I knew I would have taken him home."

"Why do you care where he sleeps anyway?"

"Why don't you? You the bootleg doctor aint ya? Shouldn't you tell your patient to go home an sleep?"

"I can't force him, unlike you, to do anything he doesn't want!"

"Shut the fuck up, what the fuck would you know about anything?!"

"I know more then I lead on Toki!"

"Go to hell Jun!"

"After you."

Jun made a little sweep of his hand as if being a gentleman, allowing Toki to go before him. He smirked at Toki as Toki finally had it and shoved him.

"You foreva stickin your nose where it don't belong."

"You forever sticking your dick where it don't belong, what's your point." He said as he shoved Toki back.

Toki shoved him harder as he said,

"What I do should be none of your fuckin business anyway an if you so Goddamn high an mighty, why the fuck you all up in mah shit anyway?"

Jun shoved him back just as hard as he said,

"I'm all in your shit, because you're fucking around with my partner, trying to get in his pants when it's painfully obvious he wants nothing to do with you!"

"How the fuck would you know what he wants or doesn't want! You aint in his fuckin head, you aint his fuckin keeper! You always tell me to let him think but look at you makin snap judgments for him!"

"I only say what's obvious to everyone in the universe but YOU! Why don't you go back and whore yourself to Jia? It's what you do best anyway and then afterwards you can hide behind him like you always fuckin do!"

Toki stopped, his mouth opening a little as his eyes got wide. His face quickly changed however as he narrowed his eyes and just as quickly, punched Jun. Jun, unprepared for the blow, fell back, hitting the wall not too far behind him as Toki said,

"Fuck you Jun! Fuck you okay! You don't know shit! You think you fuckin know everything when you don't know a God damn thing! You're jus a fuckin sorry ass excuse for a doctor, fuckin bootleg as all hell which is why you prolly lost your fuckin license anyway! You jus a sorry pathetic excuse for a yakuza, you aint worth shit! I don't know I kept your ass alive all these years! You better pray to Jia next job we got I aint no where near you cuz if I am, if Kaji's boys don't put a bullet in your head I WILL!"

Toki then stormed off, going upstairs quickly as Jun reached up to his nose, feeling blood trickle out as he picked up some gauze from a near by table as he pressed it to his nose.

"Son of a bitch hit me."

"You had it coming." I said.

Jun looked at me, surprised as I buttoned up my shirt and got off the table.

"Don't look at me like that. You heard me. You always say shit that goes a little further each day. You finally went too far."

"I held up a mirror...he didn't like it so he did what was natural to him."

"You're lucky he didn't shoot you."

He scoffed as I got my coat on. Jun then moved the gauze away as he said,

"Staying or going?"

"What does it matter?"

I then went upstairs.

I really did think Jun went too far that time. Most of the time, Toki and his arguments were almost in that playful, childish tone, some name calling, the cursing and then that was it. Jun had never gone so far to say a very cruel and harsh thing to Toki. It would not only sting his pride, but his worth as a yakuza. It was one thing no one could ever argue with Toki, that despite what he was and will be, he did his job. I put my hand over my arm as I walked outside and looked around. I saw Toki sitting beside the building, smoking a cigarette as he leaned his head back and stared up at the sky. It was only late afternoon, people still walking by as I went over to him and said,

"What are you doing out here?"

"Havin a smoke."

"Since when do you care about smoking outside or in?"

"I don't. I jus needed the air too."

I sat down beside him as I said,

"He went too far."

"Fuck him."

"Did you mean what you said?"

"If I didn't I wouldn't said it."

I didn't say anything for a while as he said,

"Shouldn't you be restin? Somewhere?"

"I should. I will in a minute."

He finished his cigarette as he flicked it off to the side and then leaned his head back as he said,

"That was so fucked up."

"I know."

I didn't say anything for another small amount of time until he said,

"Go home Ghosto. Jo's still around."

I got up after he did and we went back inside. Jo just came down from Jia's office as he said,

"I thought you left."

"Nah, Ghosto's about to go. Take him home will you?"

Jo nodded as he gave me a gesture to follow as I looked at Toki and said,

"And you? What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Some shit. I still gotta go back to work soon."

I nodded as I turned and walked with Jo to the garage. On our way, I heard him saying,

"I was worried when I found you. I thought he shot you."

"No...he didn't have a gun. Free lance yakuza sometimes don't have the means to get their hands on them."

Jo nodded as he opened the back door of the car for me as I got in. He went around the driver's side as he got in and put the keys in the ignition and before he even reversed, the other door opened beside me as Toki got in, slamming it shut behind him as he said,

"Thought you might want company."

I was surprised, but didn't say so. Jo then said,

"Shit...you scared the hell out of me."

"Mah bad. Let's go."

Jo then pulled out from the space as he took me home.

On my way there, Toki was actually well behaved, he didn't try anything and when I thought he would, all he was doing was reaching into his coat pockets to get his cigarettes. Once at my apartment, I thanked Jo as Toki got out with me and told Jo to wait for ten minutes. We went inside the lobby as he said,

"I'll have Jo call you in about five hours."

"Why did you come?"

"I tol ya. I thought you could use the company."

He smirked as I said,

"Thank you."

He nodded as he leaned down, kissing my cheek, his mouth lingering near the corner of my mouth as I said,

"Toki..."

He didn't move but said,

"Hm?"

"I like your hair."

I heard him give a laugh as he said,

"I'm this close an thas all you can say to me."

"I know you well enough to know to keep it this far."

"Thas cold."

"I'm known for it."

I felt his fingers in my hair as he tucked it back behind my ear as he kissed my earlobe again, the earrings pressing against his lip as he said,

"I still love you."

I felt my whole body constrict as I then closed my eyes and moved away. I cleared my throat as I said,

"Good night Toki. I'll see you later."

He nodded as he then left and got back in the car.

I laid in bed for a while after I woke up. I only slept for about two hours. The first hour I couldn't sleep because of the pain in my arm so I got some pain killers, washed it down with water and tried again. By the second hour, I was having nightmares that I woke up and stayed awake since then. I checked the clock seeing it was close to nine that night. I ran my hands through my hair as I then let my arms fall down beside me. I sat up slowly, feeling not as light headed as before, but still a little dizzy. I got out of bed, picking up my bathrobe on the way as I went to my kitchen. I set a kettle to boil as I prepared a tea cup and smoothed back my hair. Thoughts were swimming in my head and my arm didn't hurt anymore but felt just as tender. I went to change while I waited for the water to boil. I threw out a new ruined coat and shirt along with the pants because what good is a pair of suit pants without the coat as I got another suit out. I changed into that, minding the bandage as I pulled the shirt over my arms and buttoned it as I tucked in the shirt. As I buttoned my pants up, the water in the kitchen boiled and I went to make my tea. I sat down as I drank, thinking about everything again. I often made myself go in circles when it came to Toki which is why I never liked to think about him. I finished my tea after a few minutes and got up and went to get dressed the rest of the way. Once I was done, I ran some water over the used tea cup and then got my shoes on as I left. I returned to Jia's building within the hour and Jia himself was surprised to see me.

"So soon?"

I nodded as I said,

"My arm is okay, just a little tender."

"And your head?"

"I was just a little dizzy. I'm fine though."

"You're sure?"

"Hai."

"Okay...well...I guess you can work. Jun is about to go check something out. You can go."

I nodded, bowing my head as I then left Jia's office.

I caught up with Jun before he left. Though he was worried about my condition we left anyway. Kaji was not pleased about his best being killed. Among us, was the Itto Ketsuen and the Ryuujin no Chi's people. The mass of murderers they sent with us was like walking around Aoki, Toki, Jo and myself, multiplied by ten. We searched through the streets looking for Kaji and his people and by the end of the night, my head was pounding since I had not eaten anything all day and I was still somewhat dizzy. As I waited for Jun to come out of an apartment building near the slums of the Kabuki-Cho, I sat on the front steps, holding my head in agony. I had my knees drawn up and my gun resting in my hands but hidden under my coat as I clutched my forehead. I kept trying to listen out for Jun or anyone else that might dare approach me as I sat there. After a while I picked my head up as I stood up and saw Jun walking out. He shook his head saying no one from Kaji's gang was in there, just their women and they weren't saying anything worth while.

The night was starting to wear thin. We had not accomplished much as Jun and I decided to head back. We worked for most of the night since I returned and it was close to three that morning. As we entered the Roppongi District on foot, I saw that white BMW again. I told Jun as we watched it stop at the light. We looked at each other and in an instant, we hopped over the railing that was on the sidewalk and ran towards the car. Jun got to the driver's side, me in the back as Jun pulled out his gun and with a loud bang shot the driver as I broke the window in the back with my elbow and allowed myself in. Jun opened the door and the driver fell out in a bloody mess as I looked inside and saw that red head again. She had pressed herself against the other side of the car as she looked at us in fear. Jun got in the driver's side as I got in the back as the woman attempted to open the other door and get out. Before she tried it, I grabbed her wrist, yanking her back as she started screaming. Jun drove ahead as I grabbed this woman's wrists, trying to calm her as she finally shoved me back and got her purse as she opened it and took out a gun. It was small, nothing fancy, but a gun was a gun after all. She pointed it at me as she said,

"Don't you touch me."

"You need to calm down."

"Stop the car!"

Jun kept going as the woman leaned up to the seat and put the gun to the back of Jun's head and said,

"Stop the fucking car I'm not kidding I will blow your head off all over this windshield now stop the fucking car!"

Her distraction let me take out my gun as I grabbed her arm and pulled the gun away from Jun. I pointed my gun to her face as Jun stopped the car and turned around. D.E in hand as he pointed it at her too and said,

"What where you saying?"

She frowned as she said,

"What do you want?"

"Who are you?" Asked Jun.

"What's it to you?"

"I'm asking you a question lady. Don't make it any rougher then it has to be."

She narrowed her eyes as she sat up in her seat and said,

"Kaji. My name is Adena Kaji."

"What's your relation to Kaji Jin?"

"I'm his wife."

Jun and I looked at each for a moment as I turned my attention back to her and said,

"You....his wife?"

"Have a problem with that?"

"None...considering your husband does as he pleases."

"I know. I'm well aware of my husbands activities."

"Then you must be well aware of his activities now."

"I know what he's trying. I don't want him doing it...but he never listened before. I don't think he'll start now."

"He'll pull you into this." Jun said.

"I think he already did."

Jun then said,

"Let's take her to Jia. He can probably use her for more information then we can."

I nodded as Jun began to drive us back to headquarters.

Kaji's woman let us know she wouldn't say a word. She loved her husband too much to ever betray him. Once she met Jia, she let him know this to his face. Jia only listened, smiled and leaned back in his seat as he said,

"I knew a woman just like you. It's why I love dealing with American women. They never say a word, they would never betray husbands that would sooner whore themselves out if it would save their husbands ass. I love it. So Mrs. Kaji...if you don't say a word, that's fine with me. Don't say anything."

Kaji's woman looked at him confused as she stood in front of his desk. Jia got up as he exhaled the last of the smoke from his mouth and said,

"Just remember one thing...I'll kill him anyway. And if you just happened to be in the way....oh well."

Jia shrugged as he then sent her away. Kaji's woman at that point looked a little nervous and she turned and looked at Jia over shoulder as I led her out of his office.

---------------------------------------------

References

-When Mikkie referred to free lance yakuza not being able to have means to get to guns is because in Japan, only yakuza do carry guns. Police carry guns but rarely, if at all, use them.

-A free lance yakuza is a yakuza that's more of a common everyday thug on the street. It's why people often confuse Toki as a free lance yakuza since a syndicate yakuza is often in a three piece suit and is considered a type of business man.

- D.E is short for Desert Eagel .50. It's Jun's gun and also a type of magnum so it's large in size. Often plated in silver or gold, the words Desert Eagle imprinted on the side. It can only hold about 6-9 bullets though, making a slow reload time.