We weren't sure if the kid was lying. Jia wasn't sure. The North Star wasn't sure, no one was sure. Just because he was Mei Ling's brother didn't automatically tie him in with Mei Ling's business. Just because you have the name doesn't automatically tie you in with the line of work. Although in most cases, that's exactly what the name did. Jia didn't know where to begin although he imaged that the kid might not be of any threat. With the kid long gone now, somewhere in Kowloon, Jia started thinking up ways to find him.

"If he has anything to do with this, finding him would be hard again."

We nodded in agreement as Kumo then said,

"We should go out to look for him."

"Any reason why you wanna send your people out?"

"Your associates have already been seen through Kowloon. Mine haven't."

"Good point."

Kumo then reached into his pocket as he withdrew a black elastic band as he gathered all his dark hair and began tying it back as he then turned to his North Star employees and said,

"Okay, Neesa, Floran, you two go through the rest of Hong Kong Island. Kurid you're with me-"

Jia interrupted as he said,

"You're going as well?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Come on Jia, look at me. When you saw me even you didn't think I would be of any threat. You think anyone else would?"

"Doesn't look like any of you could cause any harm."

"And that's the whole point."

"Well..except maybe Kurid."

We looked over at him, dark red hair falling over one eye as he turned away. Haku then said,

"Boss-san what about me and Inamie?"

"Outlying Islands. What else is left?"

"The Yuuki twins will accompany you." Said Jia.

Kumo turned his attention back to Jia as he said,

"I was just about to ask for their services."

The North Star organized themselves to go out and look for the kid quickly. Before they left, Jia made Kumo promise to call him if things got out of hand. Kumo nodded, saying he would and then went out with his associates. Jia sat at his desk, his chin resting on his palm as he smoked, Toki sitting on the corner of his desk as always as Jia said,

"I feel like leaving."

"Don't we all." Said Akio.

"I'm so tired of being here I just feel like up and leaving, letting Kumo take a hold of this and letting him do everything until he sinks so far down only his fingers are emerged."

"I'm down with that." Said Toki.

"You would. But I can't. This is my responsibility."

"You can't even assume the kid is of any harm." Jo said.

Jia nodded as Gabriel then said,

"I wouldn't write off anyone that can take a beating from Toki and Aoki and walk away."

We all looked at the gaijin knowing he had a point. Toki and Aoki didn't exactly hold back when it came to fighting. Toki was known for taking cheap shots and kicking people square in the face while Aoki was known for break bones with a single swing. If that kid could walk away from a beating like that, it showed just much strength he had.

With the North Star doing the work, Jia sent us home for the night. He said he would call us if anything should come up. Jun and I were on our way downstairs, standing by one of the two elevators as Toki came up behind me and instead of grabbing me like he usually did, I felt his fingers take a hold of my hand. Jun didn't notice. Even though I had my back facing him, I knew it was Toki by the fact that his shadow gave him away, also, I knew his hands anywhere. When the elevator doors opened, I walked in with Jun, my hand slipping from Toki's as I got in and turned to see him. He smirked at me as Jun turned to me and said,

"Dinner?"

I looked at Jun as I said,

"Yes."

Jo, Tai and Gabriel got in the elevator as well as we all went downstairs.

In the elevator, Jun and I invited Tai and Gabriel to dinner. We invited Jo as well but Baby had different plans. Mostly to sleep. Once in the lobby, Jo let out a huge yawn as if he hadn't slept in days, his eyes watering as he waved to us and left, catching a cab outside. The four of us went to have dinner. Tai and Gabriel, always good company and unlike the trio, these two didn't constantly drink and smoke, so even the atmosphere was good. Gabriel took a sip of his seltzer water as he said,

"What do you three think of this kid?"

Tai set his chopsticks down to blot his mouth as he said,

"I agree with you. Anyone who walks away from a beating like that is too strong."

"It's just a beating though. Toki walked away from Aoki kicking his ass but that doesn't mean Toki is the next head of crime." Said Jun.

Tai nodded as he said,

"That's a good point."

"For all we know that kid has street credit. Which was why he was able to take his beating." I said.

Gabriel nodded as he said,

"Something isn't settling right."

I nodded as I said,

"I know what you mean."

The more I thought of it, the more I began to think about this kid being a possible threat. Images of him began replaying in my mind, how he sat, how he looked down, how his hair looked, his face and his eyes. His eyes looked alive, so they didn't keep or hold my attention. But now that I thought about it, I remembered something being off about them. Not a look of insanity, but something else. I couldn't quite place my finger on it. We continued dinner without much talk about that subject.

After dinner, we began to walk outside. Tai put his hands in his pockets, Gabriel adjusting the lapel of his coat as Jun unwrapped some of the mints he grabbed out of the bowl as we left as Tai said,

"You two have plans for the rest of tonight?"

Jun shook his head as he placed a mint on his tongue as I said,

"Not really. I'm about to go home and get some rest."

Gabriel nodded, covering his mouth as he said,

"Sounds like a plan."

"Looks like you could use some sleep yourself." Said Jun.

Gabriel nodded as he laughed a little and then he and Tai said good night to us as we turned and parted ways. Jun offered me a mint as I took it, unwrapping it slowly as he said,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking. My mind is still at work."

Jun nodded as he said,

"Mine too. But don't worry sooner or later-"

He stopped as my cell phone rang. I excused myself as I took the ear piece from my pocket and place it in my ear as I kept walking along side Jun.

"Yes."

"Mikkie, this is Floran."

"What can I do for you Floran?"

"We know where this kid is, but he's not here now."

"Where does he live?"

"He takes residence in Hong Kong Island, we just found a couple of papers that state he owns this building, but through Mei Ling."

"What's his name?"

"Xiao Tsing."

I sighed softly, thinking, great another Xiao.

"Do you have any idea where he could be?"

"Kowloon?"

"Let your people know. My partner and I are on Hong Kong Island."

"Ah, okay. I have to let my boss know."

"I'll let Jia know-"

As I spoke, I heard a gun shot and I quickly said to Floran,

"I'll call you back."

I hung up as Jun and I followed the sound, going back, passing the restaurant we just left as we turned the corner and saw someone laying on the ground. Just then Jun's phone rang as he answered. He then said,

"I know...I'm there now."

Jun hung up as he said,

"It was Tai...that's Gabriel, come on."

We rushed forward to Gabriel as Jun turned him over as he said,

"Fuck!"

He took off his coat quickly as he said,

"They tried slitting his throat."

I looked at the pool of blood that had only grown larger since we knelt down as I looked at my hands, blood covering them already as Jun began to tend to our associate. I got up and decided to help Tai, running towards the direction that the noise was coming from. As I ran, I heard a car coming up from behind me and I turned for a moment before ducking into a door way of an apartment building as I then heard,

"Mikkie, come on!"

I looked over as I saw Floran out of the car waving me over. I rushed over to him and got in the car as I said,

"Tai went that way."

I pointed ahead as Neesa drove. We drove ahead for only a few moments until we caught up with Tai. Tai, had gotten a hold of who he was chasing as he slammed him against a wall. Floran flinched, one of his eyes closing as he said,

"Ow..."

Neesa nudged him as I stepped out of the car just as Tai let go of his victim. He turned to me as he said,

"The other one went that way."

He pointed down the street as I saw a figure fainting into the distance as we both got back in the car and began driving towards the running figure. As we chased him, Tai held the side of his arm as I said,

"You okay?"

He shook his head as he said,

"I got nicked on my arm."

Floran looked over behind him as he said,

"You should get that looked at."

Tai nodded as he said,

"Him first."

As we approached him, he ducked into an alley where Neesa couldn't follow. We got out of the car, following on foot as we raced down the alleyways, passing trash cans and ducking from fire escapes that were not pulled up all the way. When we made the turn to follow him around the corner, we saw we had lost him. We looked around for a moment until we heard a clink and we looked up to see he was up the fire escape. Tai reached up to the ladder as he pulled it down for us as he said,

"Go ahead."

I pulled myself up first, Neesa and Floran following as I ran up the stairs, ducking occasional shots as we followed him. By the time we reached the roof, I saw he was ready to jump to the other side. I took a shot, but missed as he suddenly threw himself to the floor. He scrambled to get up quickly as Floran and Neesa joined me and we all took aim. By then, he reached the edge and cried out as a bullet hit his leg. He jumped anyway. The three of us ran to the other side of the roof, wondering if he made it. As we got to the end, I saw a puddle of blood from where he landed and up ahead, was the man, at the door to the roof entrance as he shot at us. We all hit the ground as the shots rang out. When they stopped, I got my phone out and called Tai to let him know he was in the other building. It was too late to call anyone else, by the time they arrived from Kowloon or the Outlying Islands, the guy would be long gone. I told Floran and Neesa to go back only for me to turn and make the jump myself, reaching the other, much lower roof. I hit the ground with tremendous impact, that I couldn't even stand. I fell to my knees and then my side as I got up after a moment and began to go after him. I went inside carefully, gun in hand as I looked to the floor and saw the drips of blood leading the way. I followed them carefully, listening as I saw the blood trail lead to a stairwell which I carefully entered. It was quiet except for a few sounds of struggle and pain. I looked over the railing as I saw the one we were chasing before, his blood soaked hand gripping the railing as he was careful not to tumble down the stairs as he tried to move as fast as he could. I quietly went down the stairs, holding my coat close to me for a moment before I put my gun back in place, pausing for a moment as I reached up to my hair and undid the half done tail as I grabbed all my hair, twisting it and knotting it at the base of my head, snapping the band in place as I took my gun back out and continued following him. His blood left splatters all over the floor, the trail sometimes skidded from his own foot prints, sometimes there was large amounts of it behind him. I soon caught up to him where I was only a flight of stairs over him. I didn't recognize his profile but I knew it wasn't Xiao Tsing. I finally got up behind him, aiming and firing, making the body collapse among the stairs. Just then I answered my silent phone as I said,

"Yeah?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the stairwell Tai. Don't worry about me. I got him."

"Oh...who was it?"

"Don't know."

I knelt down beside the body as I turned him over and began going through his pockets.

"I'm looking for his wallet."

"Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm fine. Did you get Gabriel and Jun?"

"Yes. We're on our way to a hospital."

"Is it serious?"

"Jun says it's not life threatening but it's not easy either."

I opened up his wallet, seeing a license with a name that wasn't of importance. I searched through the wallet itself, finding money, condoms, receipts but nothing else.

"Tai, I'm not finding anything of value."

"All right. Just go back to Jia, let him know what happened. I'll call you back later."

"Okay. Later."

I hung up as I continued going through his pockets, finding his cell phone and scrolling through the phone books. Unfortunately all of it was in Chinese, but I just kept the phone in my pocket for later translation. As I turned out the last pocket, a packet of matches fell on the step, soaking in blood for a moment before I picked it up and turned it over, seeing the name of a restaurant in Chinese characters. I knew it was a restaurant by the address and the phone number also printed on it. I stood up and continued down the rest of the staircase as I then took the elevator down and to the lobby. I walked outside and hailed a cab as I returned back to Jia's building.

Once I returned, Jia was in the lobby by himself.

"Where is everyone?"

Jia leaned back on the sofa as he said,

"Everyone is on their way back."

"I didn't think they'd get far since we were only dismissed about an hour an a half ago."

"Maybe they're on their way."

I sat down as Jia said,

"You find anything?"

"I found an address to some restaurant."

I took out the match book as I handed it to him as he said,

"You're covered in blood."

"Some of it is Gabriel's."

"Yeah...I heard of what happened."

"You think he'll live?"

"Sure if Sugihara could I don't see why my little gaijin couldn't."

Jia looked at the match book as he said,

"The Yuuki twins should be back soon hopefully. I called them once Tai called me."

"And the North Star?"

"They should be heading back."

After twenty minutes, the first few top heads arrived, the Yuuki twins coming in after them as Aoki, Toki, Akio, Jo and Aya sat down. Jia stood up from the sofa as he tossed the match book to Yasuhiro as he said,

"Where's that at?"

After a quick glance, the twins said,

"Kowloon."

Jia nodded as I then said,

"Jia...I have his phone."

I took out the phone as Jia looked over it and said,

"Can you two read this?"

He tossed it to Toshiro as he scrolled through it as the younger twin said,

"No, this is a little much for me."

Jia nodded as he said,

"We'll give it to the North Star once they get here. For now, I'm going to see Gabriel. Aya, Aoki you two stay here and wait for the North Star. Toki, Mikkie you two come with me. The rest of you, once the North Star tells you the names of these people in the phone, see if you can't get started on looking for them."

They nodded at their orders as Jia, Toki and myself then left.