We got to the hospital about forty-five minutes later. Once we got inside, Jia called Tai and soon we were at the floor Gabriel was in. Tai was outside in the waiting room and quickly got up as he saw Jia.

"How is he?"

"He's alive. That's what matters most." Said Tai.

Jia nodded as he said,

"What's the damage?"

"That's another story."

Jia allowed him to sit back down as Tai's large frame settled back down into the chair as he said,

"Doctors aren't sure of the severity of the cut. They said it could effect anything. Nerves in his face, his vocal cords, anything."

"He could end up like Sugihara..bein all droopy eyed." Said Toki.

Jia shot him a look as if saying now is not the time.

Tai sighed as he said,

"Yeah...basically. If his voice is impaired, they said he may not be able to speak any higher then a whisper."

"Let's hope nothing happened." Said Jia.

Tai crossed his arms as he held his coat on his lap, the sleeve of his shirt in his hand. Jia then gave a gesture to his arm as he said,

"What's all that?"

"I was grazed when they tried to get at Gabriel."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it was nothing. Hardly felt it."

So we sat down to wait.

Waiting was the bad part. It got boring really fast and we were all anxious to hear on how Gabriel was. The gaijin had been injured once or twice, the wounds he received are in pale comparison to what everyone else has been through since Gabriel was hardly on the street, but every now and then he does get those shots that make you wonder if he'll pull through or not. Back when he was younger, he was shot at. He had been wounded so badly, he didn't get up for months afterwards. His healing time was slow and we all wondered if he would be able to even move after that. Now this. He was lucky his would be killer had a lousy blade. Any deeper and the jugular would have been severed and then there would be no question of his survival. I paused in my thinking as a doctor came in and began talking to Tai about something. Tai nodded as he thanked the doctor and then turned to Jia as he said,

"He said Gabriel's stable but they won't know how sever the damage is until later."

Jia nodded as he checked his watch and said,

"I still have rounds to do before dawn. Go see him. Later on, call one of the lower heads to stand guard with you okay?"

Tai nodded as he thanked Jia and then we left. Once outside the hospital, Jia and Toki had their cigarettes as I hailed a cab. One stopped and we got inside. Jia first, then Toki, then myself. I hated sitting with them, feeling as if I was in intruder on their personal life. Toki clasped Jia's hand loosely, their fingers locked as Toki leaned over to whisper something to him. I turned away, minding my own business until I felt something touch me. I looked on my lap to see Toki's hand on my wrist, his finger stroking the side of my thumb as I looked back at him and sighed to myself, wanting to pull away. As I did, his fingers only snaked up and caught a hold of my hand as he held it. He turned to look at me as he leaned over and kissed my cheek, his nose nuzzling my ear as he mumbled some endearment. I moved away slightly as he smirked and then turned his attention elsewhere. Until we got back to Jia's building, Toki held his clasp on my hand and Jia's. Once the cab came to a stop, he let go of me first as I opened the door, Toki got out and Jia paid the fare as he then got out, I slammed the door behind him as we entered the building, Jia reaching into his pocket as he got his cell phone out and answered. He talked as we walked, Toki going over to the lobby sofa and sitting down as Jia paused to search his pockets again. He then said,

"Yeah, yeah. Get back here then."

He then hung up as he said,

"Yasuhiro. He said they went to the restaurant and found nothing. The owner was someone else. They'll need a business head to check stuff out to see if that guy was the owner or if someone else, like Xiao Tsing is."

He sat down as he said,

"Long night."

Toki nodded as I looked down at my hands. Thankfully, Aya and Aoki returned as Aya said,

"The North Star are on their way. Oh and we got a chance to look at the cell phone. Most, if not all the names were coded."

"I didn't think it would be that easy." Said Jia.

"We could always call them."

"And we will."

A little while later, Neesa and Floran came back with Kurid and Kumo as they walked in. Inamie and Haku were still missing as Kumo said,

"Any luck?"

"Nothing."

"How's your associate?"

"He's alive."

Kurid remained by Kumo's side as Kumo reached up to his hair and undid it, black hair spilling forward and over his shoulders again as he shook his head out, running slender fingers through the black glossy mane as Kurid said,

"Should we start?"

Kumo nodded, hair falling back in it's natural place as Jia said,

"I'm glad one of us knows...what's this country speak again?"

"Chinese?" Said Toki.

"Cantonese." Corrected Kumo.

Jia nodded as he said,

"Yeah that. You call me if you find something okay?"

Kumo nodded as he then said,

"We'll wait for Inamie and Haku. Once they get back, we'll start finding out if we can track down these numbers."

Jia nodded as he got up and gestured Aya to get upstairs as he went with him. Aoki, Toki and myself stayed downstairs.

Later on, Akio and Jo came in. Jo was in the process of tying up the long, thick red mop of hair as Akio walked beside him, hand in his coat, cigarette in the other. The trio reunited as Jo sat by Akio, hair now tied up in a series of knots and twists as it fell over his shoulders and around his face. They all talked for a while until Jun came in. He was tired and he looked it which was rare since Jun hardly ever showed he was tired. He leaned back on the sofa once he sat down and said,

"What time is it?"

I checked my watch.

"Two."

He nodded as he closed his eyes as Kumo sat down gracefully on the love seat, Kurid not too far from him as he said,

"How long you think it'll take Inamie and Haku to get back?"

"Not too long."

It was ten minutes before they returned. Once they did Haku apologized to Kumo before he said,

"Anything happen?"

"Some things did. I'll explain later. Right now we gotta get to work on these numbers."

Kumo took out the cell phone he recovered from me as Haku nodded. Neesa asked for the phone as he started scrolling through the names as he said,

"These all sound familiar."

"What the names?" Asked Kumo.

Haku nodded as he said,

"Won't know for sure until we call though."

After a moment, the head of the North Star gestured everyone out and soon the 36 Moons were left alone. Akio tucked his hair behind his ear as he rubbed out the last of his cigarette as he said,

"They seem very clean cut."

"Enough to be suspicious." Said Toki.

Aoki shrugged as he said,

"Hey even Jia doesn't trust him all the way, no way in hell should we."

He took out his cigarette case as he removed a cigarette and then took out his lighter, snapping open the lid as he lit it. Toki rubbed his eye as he said,

"I don't like that fucking kid."

"I know you don't." Said Akio.

"Then again, you don't like many people." Said Jun.

Toki opened his mouth to say something then stopped when he realized Jun was right. He then said,

"Okay...you got that one."

Jun laughed softly as he kept his head leaned back. I leaned back myself as Aoki said,

"Anyone know how the gaijin is?"

"Gabriel's fine. Well, for all we know anyway." Said Jun.

"Oh?" Said Akio.

"Yeah I went to see him earlier. No one can tell how extensive the damage is until he wakes up. Gotta make sure his face is fine and how he speaks. It's what we're worried about most."

Jo tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear as he said,

"Worse that could happen is him being all droopy eyed like Sugihara."

"Thas what I said!" Said Toki.

Jun sighed as Jo said,

"What? It's true."

"I'm sayin."

Aoki tucked his own hair behind his ear as he said,

"Well we won't work until later. I'm hungry."

"Me too." Said Akio as he got up.

"Later Toki."

Toki waved as Aoki and Akio left. Jo and Jun then said,

"I'm hungry."

Jun looked up as Jo laughed a little as he said,

"Let's go join them."

Jun nodded as he looked at me and said,

"You coming?"

"I'm good."

He nodded as he left with Jo, Akio and Aoki. Toki sat across from me as he slouched down on the sofa, his arms on the sofa cushions as his blonde bangs fell around his face, a black bandanna around his forehead as he said,

"What you thinkin?"

"What a mistake it was staying here by myself with you."

He smirked as he said,

"Why?"

"Because I know you'll try to con me into something."

"I wouldn't. Not if you didn't want to."

"What are you thinking?"

"We can't risk goin somewhere like your place."

"Is that all you think about?"

"Sometimes."

He smirked again as I leaned closer to the table between us as he leaned across the rest of the way, his hands holding him up as he came forward to kiss me. His tongue came out last moment as he swiped it across my bottom lip. He smiled slightly as he leaned back and said,

"Want you."

"When don't you want me?"

He shrugged as I leaned back and crossed my legs. I would not fall into unprofessionalism while I was working. My job is the one thing I would not screw up with.

Around three thirty that morning, Neesa came back alone. He had the phone in his hand as he saw Jo sleeping on the sofa, his head on Akio's lap as Akio smoked, Aoki across from them with Aya, Aya sound asleep on Aoki's shoulder. Toki dead to the world, his feet up on the table, his head leaned back, Jun still awake but going over some papers on the smaller sofa and me on the love seat, bored. I got up once I saw Neesa as he said,

"Long night ne?"

I nodded as Neesa then tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and said,

"We gave a few of these a call. Managed to track most, if not all of them down. One didn't answer, however."

"Might be the one we're looking for."

I nodded as I said,

"What did the name say?"

"Secret."

I nodded as he handed the phone back to me and said,

"I doubt we'll find anything tonight. You guys should be careful going home."

"We usually are. What about you?"

"I got Floran waiting in the car."

I nodded as Neesa then bowed his head slightly as he said,

"Kumo will contact Jia tomorrow."

I nodded as he then left and got into the awaiting car.

After taking the elevator up to Jia's floor, I went to his door where he was on the phone. He gestured me inside as he put his hand over the mouth piece and said,

"And?"

"Neesa said they tracked most of the people down. One didn't answer though."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Okay, dismiss everyone for me. I'll leave soon. Send Toki up okay?"

I nodded as I excused myself as he continued on the phone and I went back downstairs. After waking everyone and sending them home, Jun and I took a cab back to my apartment as he then went to his. I slept for a few hours at the most.

I woke up the next morning around seven when I heard my phone ring. I was groggy and more over, exhausted as I answered.

"Hai?"

"Mikkie, I have a slight problem" Said Tai

"What happened?"

"I need to get in contact with Jia but he's not answering his phone and I can't leave the hospital."

"Is Gabriel okay?"

"Well he just woke up. He's having a hard time focusing."

"Ah sou ka. I'll get him for you."

"Thanks."

I hung up and got up to take a quick shower, change and left to get Jia. I hated going by his place, mostly because I knew Toki would be there. Once I got to his apartment, I knocked loudly and then waited. After a few moments, Jia answered the door, his hair all a mess as he stood in his pajama pants and a robe that was falling off his shoulder. He yawned as he said,

"What happened?"

"Your phone is turned off. Tai needs you at the hospital. Gabriel woke up."

"Oh fuck...okay."

He turned as he went back to his bedroom, inviting me as he left. Less then half an hour later, Jia was done, pulling his coat on as he got his shoes on and then he tucked his hair behind his ear as he grabbed his keys and said,

"I'll be back."

"You're going alone?"

"Yeah, just shut the door behind you."

I nodded as Jia then left, rushing to the elevator as he caught it and then left. I closed the door behind me of his apartment as I started walking down the hall to leave.

I didn't find out until later that Gabriel was fine. But what Jo and Toki had been suggesting was true. Gabriel now had a somewhat sleepy look on his face from the fact that a few nerves were damages. Otherwise, his facial muscles were fine, he could speak at a normal tone and over some time, his eyes would be fine. He was grateful for that. As we received this news, the top heads in the lobby of Jia's building, Tai telling us this over the phone as Jia told us, Neesa, Floran and Kumo came in. Jia hung up with Tai as he said,

"Anything?"

"Xiao Tsing, owns the restaurant the Yuuki twins found and is located somewhere near by."

Jia nodded as he said,

"This day is getting better and better."