The next afternoon, after some help from Taylor, we arrived at Wheeler of St. James. It was a seafood place and it was evident of that once we walked inside. We saw The Gun sitting down, drinking some tea with two of his associates as they waited. Jia walked over, sitting down once he got to the table. The old man looked at Jia as he said,

"You're on time."

"I make it a point to be punctual when it comes to business."

The old man laughed as he said,

"You know, when I saw you, I thought what on God's green is a chink doin in London. More over, what's he doin in a illegal boxin match. Then the tattoos gave it'way."

Jia looked at his hands as he said,

"Ah, so you're aware of what I do."

"I am. Interestin that you got such a Nancy boy workin for ya though."

He looked at me as I wondered what the hell that meant. Jia was just as confused as he said,

"Excuse me?"

"Nancy boy...a queer."

Jia looked at me as he then looked back at the old man and said,

"Him? Nah, he's just got a pretty face. Little ones usually do where I'm from."

The old man looked at me as if I couldn't do anything then turned away as he looked at Jia and said,

"Little ones? Like you're so old yourself."

Jia gave a smile, that often handsome face of him giving away nothing of his true age. He often looked as if he was in his twenties though by now he's more into his mid thirties...or more. He then said,

"No, I have my own age over me."

"So what you wanna know?"

Jia ordered some tea first off as he then tucked a few stray strands of hair behind his ear and said,

"I run many gambling rings. Most of them through Japan. I have one in New York and also in Hong Kong. I can never not learn something new. I heard of this trade from an associate not too long ago."

"How much you make off your casinos?"

Jia looked over at Gabriel as the gaijin said,

"In total, about twenty-three million. A week."

The Gun seemed impressed with the numbers as he took off his glasses and opened his brown coat, lifting the dark green shirt tail and polishing the lens. He then said,

"I see. So why come to London? The underworld here isn't much. It's up an a'bout, but nothing to get excited about."

"What about you? From what I've been hearing, you're the one to stay wary of."

The Gun laughed slightly as he said,

"I guess. So what would you want done?"

"Show me this game."

After a brief lunch, which Jia took no part of, we all left. The old man led the way, speaking softly to Jia about the promoter he was going to introduce him to.

"He's a good boy he is. He's holdin the training for the undefeated boxing champ right now. He does most of the hard work. I take care of everything else."

Jia nodded, putting his hands in his pockets as he retrieved his cigarettes and took one out as he put it in his mouth and had Akio lit it for him.

"You're fond of cigarettes aren't you?"

"Very much. My best friend got me in the habit."

The old man nodded slightly as he said,

"Stuff will kill ya."

"I got other things to worry about aside from my health."

The Gun just laughed.

We reached a gym by foot. Once there, the stench of sweat and other foul odors were evident as Jia followed the old man. Akio stayed outside for a while, refusing to go in until Jo grabbed his wrist and said,

"You've smelled worse. Suck it up, breathe through your mouth and come on."

We went inside where the same boxing champ was punching at a heavy bag held by another man as he shouted at him. The champ punched and ducked at imaginary swings as he switched on his feet every few seconds. He punched hard, the bag denting in with every swing as The Gun said,

"Aye, aye! Champ...come'here."

The champ stopped, taking a breath as his trainer gave him a towel. The bald, tall broad man wiped at his brow, his hands covered in white bandages as he wore a sweat soaked shirt and knee high black loose shorts. He walked over to the old man as he said,

"This is my good boy, Eric. Eric, these fine gentlemen saw you working yesterday."

"Yeah?"

The Gun pat his arm as he then gestured him to go off training. As he did, he gestured over to the promoter as the man holding the bag before came over. He wore black dress pants, a blue shirt with a white collar and he carried his coat in his hands. His head was shaved slightly, brown fuzzy hair was covering his scalp as he said,

"Good afternoon gov."

"Aye, Gin, I want you to meet some people."

Jia shook his hand as he said,

"Gin?"

"Yeah...like Gin and Tonic."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I'm Jia."

"Nice to meet ya. So, Gun what you bring 'em in here for?"

"Business, Gin mah boy. Go back to trainin. Don't that boy got a match next week?"

Gin nodded as he walked over to the ring and continued shouting orders at the champ who was in the ring, still practicing foot work. For a few hours, the old man walked Jia around the gym, showing him different fighters, teaching him the basics of boxing and the ground of his work. Jia took all this in as Akio walked around with a handkerchief over his mouth and nose. He was genuinely disgusted as we made the round, watching as other fighters boxed with each other. Finally, the old man stopped and said,

"If I was to let you in, what guarantee do I have you won't back stab me?"

"There is no guarantee. I'm an honest man, I'll tell you that much. But if a better deal was to come back, I'll take it. I'd let you know though, it's not as if I would just sell you short. Also, I would not like to work under you forever. I like power. Not because I need it, I've just always had it."

The old man laughed slightly as he said,

"You cheeky bastard."

Jia smiled slightly as the old man then said,

"I like how you talk. I'll make a deal with you. You learn this trade, you get your boys to run a couple deals for me and we'll see what we can do from there. I trust my instinct and my gut says to see what you can do before I set my dogs loose on yah."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Rumors are true aren't they?"

"Most of them."

As Jia and The Gun made a deal to see how trustworthy Jia was, the old man had his doubts both about me and Jo. He eyed us from the corner of his glasses as he said,

"I dun know about your Nancy boy and your bouncin baby boy there."

Jia looked at Jo and me as he smiled and turned back to the old man. He then said,

"You wanna see what they can do? Put some doubt out of your mind?"

"What can they do?"

"Whatever they want."

"I'm not responsible for them bein hurt."

Jia nodded as he gestured me to get in the ring. I had no formal boxing training and I let Jia know that as I looked over the ropes as Jia said,

"I know that. Just do what you do best."

I took off my coat and removed my gun as I pulled my hair back and watched as one of the champ's sparring partners climbed in the ring. He looked as if he outweighed me by at least fifty or so more pounds. He also towered over me. He looked down at me as he laughed. He raised his hand to my head as he shoved me back against the rope and said,

"What's the little boy gonna do?"

I stood up straight as I gestured him closer to me. He laughed again as he raised his hand to put it to my head again as I grabbed his wrist and with a sharp turn of my arm, twisted it, a loud crack echoing through the once loud gym. The spectators watching, who were laughing a moment ago, fell silent as they watched the man's wrist snap out, the bone now poking through the skin as I then let go and heard the boxer start to scream from pain. I turned and went to get my coat as Jia stood smirking, the old man shocked beyond words. I let my hair down again as I got my coat on, put my gun in place and got out of the ring. The old man looked at Jia as he said,

"That boy was runnin side by side with the champ."

Jia looked at him as he said,

"I'm not responsible for them getting hurt."

The other boxers went to tend to the injured one as the Gun looked at me and said,

"How'd you do that?"

I looked at him, not speaking as Jia said,

"He doesn't give away secrets."

Just then, one of the other boxers shouted,

"That was a cheap move! Bring'em back up here!"

Jia looked at the old man and said,

"Should I send up the baby?"

The Gun shook his head, the point already proven as he shut the boxers up and sent them back to train. After that, the old man said nothing else about Jo or myself.

Jia, being the one in charge of all of us, didn't have to do anything. When the old man stated who owed him money, he sent one of his other bookies with us to give directions and then it was up to us. I didn't feel right about having to prove myself to this old man and much less Jia having to take orders from someone like him. But, as always, there was always a method to Jia's madness. The old man told us not to make too much of a fuss, that if those that owed him didn't pay, to just get rid of them, no questions asked, no fuss, no muss. The first few stops were easy. We gathered money without much of a hassle when we told them that The Gun was collecting. We ran into our first bit of trouble at a pub, where the man in debt refused to believe Gabriel was collecting for The Gun. After some taunts, some teases and insults, they shoved the gaijin back. Normally Gabriel is a patient man, hardly without a temper. In fact, for as long as I've known him, his anger had been nil to non existent. Until then anyway. I watched as Gabriel unbuttoned his coat and reached to the back of his pants where he untucked his gun, aimed and waited for the man in debt to turn. Once he did, a single bullet to the forehead seized all laughter. The man fell forward as Gabriel stepped out of the way. His friends attempted to get Gabriel, but the gaijin nearly looked at them and aimed.

"You want some too?"

They backed off quickly as he then reached down and turned the man over and opened his coat, reaching inside as he pulled out his wallet and relieved him of the wad of cash. He then tucked his gun back in place and turned to join us by the door, the entire pub in shock and silence. Akio gave a smile once we were outside as he said,

"Damn...the gaijin is hostile."

Gabriel shrugged as he extended his hand out to The Gun's worker and gave him what he collected.

"That should be more then enough."

The worker took it, surprised as well as we went on our way. We were yakuza, use to doing things our way and in our methods. We didn't care too much for anything else but getting the job done. By the end of the night, we stood in the room as the worker told The Gun of our methods, saying how we were lifeless, cold-blooded and more over, violent. Jia smirked, sitting in his chair, listening in. It seemed he finally picked up on the accent and could now understand it better. The Gun looked at Jia as he said,

"What kind of bloodhounds are you trainin?"

"They're naturally that way."

The Gun looked at us as he said,

"What you packin?"

"Gun wise?" Asked Jia.

"Yeah."

"I'm usually not armed. Only in dire circumstances. The rest of them. I don't know, Ghost what do you carry?"

".45."

I removed it from my pants, showing the silencer at the end, the entire gun coated in platinum, the kanji for Ghost engraved on the side of the barrel, on the other side the number and brand of the gun. I returned it to it's proper place as Akio said,

"Glock."

He brandished his piece an all black gun, with hints of silver tracing the curves. Jo then showed his gun, a .38 Caliber, showing the handle marked with a black widow spider, his personal insignia. Gabriel produced his own gun, something small but deadly enough to put a hole in your head, which is what he did that same night. A .44 Bulldog, encased in silver and platinum. Gabriel then tucked away his gun as The Gun shook his head as he said,

"You're a bunch of killers!"

"No, actually the blonde is a lawyer."

He said it with a smirk as the old man said,

"This'isn't a joke! I can't have a bunch of murderers workin 'round me!"

"Afraid of what would happen if you crossed me?"

The old man stood up from his chair as he said,

"Look you, don't threaten me in my own place of business!"

"I'm not threatening you. Trust me, if I threatened you, you would know."

Jia sat up slightly as we stood behind him, forming a shadow of darkness around him. The old man called in his worker and a moment later, the same guy we worked with came in with two large, black rottweilers on chains. They barked like mad, snarling and turning only to their master in peace. Jia made no nevermind about the huge, monster like dogs that reached a little less then my waist. The Gun pet his monsters as he looked at Jia and said,

"You got a lot to learn."

"I'm aware."

"You're methods aren't welcome here."

"You turnin your back on me so soon."

"I don't trust anyone who has employees like that."

Jia got up, putting his hands in his pockets as he said,

"Then why are you wasting my time?"

The old man frowned deeply as he said,

"Get out of my office. An if I catch you around my boys again I'll cut your Jacobs off."

Jia smirked slightly as he said,

"I know what that means. But do me a favor, don't threaten me when you have four killers standing in front of you. Oh wait, I'm sorry, five."

Jia removed his hand from his pocket, his own Smith and Wesson in his hand as he aimed and fired. The old man fell back in his chair with a cry of pain as he let his dogs go on us. I turned, fired and watched one dog collapse as Akio got the other one. It turned into a full out war when The Gun's workers came rushing in. A few shots rang out as the five us disposed of them quickly. Jia walked around the table where the old man sat and set his gun down for a moment as he opened a drawer with a quick tug and picked up a metal box. There he opened it and took out the money we had spent collecting that night as he picked up some rubber bands and took stacks of the pounds and wrapped them tightly. He did this a couple of time, emptying the box as he then picked up the stacks of money and gave some to Akio, then to Gabriel as he pocketed the rest. He then said,

"Let's get the fuck out and make some calls. I'm running this fucking game now."

We stepped over the dead bodies as we left.

We returned to Claridge's that night, blood on the traces of the bottom of some of our shoes. It stained some of the front carpet, but we acted as if nothing and went to Jia's suite. There, he sat down and called Xiao Tien, letting him know of what had happened. He said he needed his and Toshimasa's assistance and also to have Aoki bring them to London. After that quick phone call, Jia hung up and took off his coat, but not before emptying out his pockets of the pounds he relieved off The Gun earlier. Among him, Gabriel and Akio, the counted the money as he said,

"That should cover the hotel fee."

He then yawned and said,

"We should contact the old man and Taylor. We can't let anyone know that the other old man is dead. But we'll handle this. Once Toshimasa and Xiao Tien get here I will have all but finished organizing everything."

"Jia, it's gonna be a matter of time before the old man and Taylor figure out The Gun is dead. Hell it wouldn't be a matter of moments before the entire underworld finds out."

Jia waved it off as he said,

"I'm not worried about that right now. There's no witness so far. We'll have to wait at least another day or so. I'm not too worried about it."

He laid down as he said,

"We got work to do tomorrow. Go rest."

He dismissed us as we then left his room. I returned to my room after Akio said he was turning in for the night and Jo sulked, saying he had nothing to do, but eventually went back to his own room to try and sleep. Gabriel also headed off as I closed the door behind me and sighed, thinking of a warm shower and getting some sleep. As I undressed, my phone rang and I looked at it, seeing it was Toki. I answered as I put my ear piece in my ear and said,

"Hai."

"Hey Ghosto. How's London?"

"It sucks."

I took off my shoes noticing a smear of blood along the side. Probably from the dog. I leaned over to the night stand and pulled a tissue from the box as I polished the side of my shoe and as he said,

"So I hear. London blows anyway. When you comin back?"

"Damned if I know."

I finished cleaning off my shoe as I set it down and continued undressing as Toki said,

"I miss you."

"Why?"

"What you mean why? I jus do. I miss mah Ghosto."

I sighed, tossing my shirt off to the side as I said,

"I'm ever so sure you haven't been occupied with something."

"You'd be surprise."

I heard a deep rumble and something stroke the phone on his side as I said,

"What is that?"

"Baby Mikkie. He's laying beside me."

"I still can't believe you named some animal after me."

"Believe it. My beautiful, lovin Baby Mikkie."

I heard him kiss the cat as he then said,

"I got another cat."

"I know a red one."

"I should have named it Aoki."

He laughed slightly as he then paused and said,

"I miss you."

"I know. You told me already."

"Come home."

"I can't. I'm still working."

I ran my hand through my hair as I said,

"Besides, shouldn't you be saying this to Jia?"

"I say it to both of you. I want both of you home."

I sighed, shaking my head as I said,

"I'm going to shower Toki. I'll talk to you later."

"Now there's an image to keep in my mind. You showering."

I rolled my eyes as I said,

"You pervert."

"You know it."

"Good night Toki."

"Night Ghosto."

We hung up as I then went to shower.