Karasu was a soft spoken man. He didn't say much to anyone else and only spoke to Jia. Akio and I went to Jia's office as Jia invited Karasu to sit and talk with him. Karasu had agreed and he sat down across the desk from where Jia sat and adjusted his black suit coat as he leaned back, bending one arm on the arm rest as he held his chin, slender fingers brushing back part of his light brown hair. He then went on to explain to Jia what he wanted.

"The 36 Moons is after Jigoku for logical reasons. I myself am as well. Jigoku backed Ebizo in Osaka....and I didn't. But we had no qualms about it. What Jigoku decided to do was his business, not mine. But the quarrel for power, tumbling and spilling blood for Japan is ridiculous, especially when it is so plain to see that you have it in your tight hold. This was not Jigoku's fight...it is also not my fight."

"So you're using the 36 Moons to end him."

"Yes. Like I said, I make it no secret that I will benefit most from his death."

"What do you get?"

"Money...land...all which I will gladly pay you with."

"I should pay you for telling me about this."

"Jigoku is wrong for involving himself in a fight that was not his to begin with. Taking a job from a no one like Keiishiro and backing Ebizo when he was trying to take over Osaka, I did not agree with that all. I had much respect for the oyabun of Osaka...the one you made a deal with. I figured out that you and him were a lot a like. You both rather make a deal then shed blood and that's so rare among yakuza."

Jia nodded as he went into his pocket and withdrew his cigarette case as he took a cigarette out and placed it between his lips to light it. He offered Karasu one, who accepted, thanking Jia with a slight bow of the head. He lit it himself as they both settled back to their original positions as Jia said,

"You seem to dislike this guy a lot. Why don't you kill him? You don't agree with his politics or him as a person, it shouldn't be too hard to do it."

Karasu exhaled, ribbons of gray smoke coming from his mouth as he said,

"It would be hard for me to kill family."

"Family?"

"Jigoku is my brother. We have different fathers, hence the different last names. I couldn't bring myself to raise a gun to his face and pull the trigger."

"But you can watch him die."

"Yes. I already told you, I benefit most from his death. Jigoku and I were never close on a family or personal basis. But when it came to money, to power, he and I were two of a kind. Betrayal is hard for me, but he has to be cut short."

Jia inhaled his cigarette as he said,

"I don't think I should trust you."

"I'm not asking you to. I already told you. I will tell you were Jigoku is, all though it wouldn't be information to me. It's common sense to me. You can take this information and do with it as you will."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Where is he?"

"140th street. Near the racing strip. He watches the races most of the time."

Jia nodded as he said,

"What's he look like?"

"Not too short...black hair...it's kinda hard to describe someone so plain looking. I guess the most distinct thing about him would be the tattoo on his hand. It's a black flame...it covers most of his right hand, the top part of it anyway."

Jia nodded as he then looked at Akio and myself and said,

"Get going. Tell Mikkie and Jun too."

We gave a slight bow of the head as we then left and went downstairs.

On our way out, we saw Mikkie and Jun and Akio pulled up his coat as he said,

"Come on. We gotta get going."

"Where we going playboy?" Asked Jun.

"140th street. We found Jigoku."

And the four of us rushed out. I had the keys since I was driving the new car Jia got...I didn't like it. I had a crush on the silver BMW...this one was a Lexius. Luxury car whatever, I missed the silver BMW. Anyway, we got in as I started the ignition and drove off to 140th street. Speeding the whole way there. We parked not too far from the whole racing scene as I set the alarm on the car and we got out, walking towards the crowd. The racing was in customs cars that had purring engines and raced unlike anything else I had seen before. I think I got into the wrong line of work. Anyway when the racers emerged, I saw they were just a bunch of teenagers, people my age making bets as the crowds cheered and clapped. The four of us separated and mingled in the crowd as everyone kept an eye out for that tattoo. Akio had told Jun and Mikkie about it in the car, but when the crowd cheered or they clapped it was hard to see hands. Looking for someone not so tall and with black hair in a dark night wasn't helping either. It was like looking for a needle in a hay stack.

We watched majority of the races, beautiful cars racing up and down the streets as we all kept a watch out for Jigoku. When the sound of far off distant sirens warned everyone, the crowd began to thin out quickly, everyone rushing into the near by parked cars. I stood beside Akio as we watched everyone leaving in a frenzy except for one guy. He stood calmly turned and at a normal pace, began walking away. I watched as he reached into his dark blue jean coat pocket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes and a match book. He took a single cigarette, bringing it to his mouth as the soft flicker of light glowed for a moment. As he went to flick the match stick away, I saw on the top of his right hand, a black tattoo. It had curls and twists of a flame curving around his knuckles, fitting almost like a glove. I heard Akio say to me,

"It's him."

I nodded as we started to follow him slowly. Akio then split apart from me as he crossed the street notioning to Jun and Mikkie and I went on following Jigoku. I lagged behind him, watching as he walked slowly, his right hand coming down every now and then as he walked slowly, as if he didn't have a care in the world. Once he finished his cigarette, he flicked it away and kept going, putting both his hands in his cream colored khakis as he walked. Suddenly, he stopped and he turned as he walked to the curb and then looked up and down the street as if he was going to cross. I kept walking normally until I heard him say,

"How long do you plan on following me back there?"

He caught me off guard with that. I kept walking until I passed him and said,

"I wasn't."

He said nothing else but went back to looking across the street. As I passed him, I reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear, turning slightly to look at him from the corners of my eyes. As I did, I watched as he put his hand in his coat and pulled out a gun and aimed it at me. At the same time, I reacted, taking out my own gun as I turned and aimed it at him. We both fired. I fell backwards on the sidewalk with my eyes closed. I didn't move and as I made sure I wasn't in any pain, I opened my eye slightly. I saw Akio leaning over me.

"Baby-chu are you okay!?"

"Did I get him?"

"I don't think so...he took off running."

"Damn I missed. Am I bleeding?"

"No. He missed too."

"Oh...good. I was worried for a minute."

Akio helped me to my feet as he I said,

"Where did he go?"

"That way. Mikkie and Jun are chasing his ass down."

"We should go."

He nodded as I got the keys out of my pocket and we both ran to were I parked and we got in. I started the car and drove off in the direction Mikkie and Jun were going. As I drove, Akio's cell phone went off and he answered. He held onto the dashboard as I made a turn. I could tell he was speaking to Jia by the urgent yet, polite way he responded. He hung up as I saw Mikkie and Jun. I looked a little further ahead as I saw Jigoku running as fast as he could. He suddenly got off the sidewalk and ran along side the cars on the street once he saw us. Akio said,

"Just hit him already!"

"I am NOT fucking up this car!"

Akio kept urging me to just block him off since it would be easier. But...loosing three cars would be bad enough. I rolled down the window as I got out my gun and aimed as I fired a shot. I pulled over as Jigoku fell to ground and I got out of the car. Jun and Mikkie caught up to us as Akio said

"Is he dead?"

Jun shook his head as he said,

"Doubt it unless the dead can crawl."

We all focused on Jigoku as we watched his try to crawl away from us. We walked over to him as Akio turned him over. Jigoku gritted his teeth in pain as Jun said,

"Hey. What's going on?"

"Fuck all of you!"

He gritted in pain again as Mikkie pulled the clip back on his gun as Jigoku then started laughing. He gave a low eerie laugh at first as he got louder and louder. He held his hand over his chest as he said,

"It's okay. I'm not mad I'm gonna die. I don't care."

We all didn't know what he meant until he raised his tattooed hand and said,

"Because I won't go alone."

My eyes widened as I saw he had a detonator in his hand. Mikkie tried to shoot him before he set it off, but nonetheless his thumb set the detonator off. We all stood still for a moment wondering what he could have ridged. We heard nothing...not a sound. Not even in the far off distance. Jun looked at us as he said,

"Maybe a bluff?"

I shrugged as Akio went to get his cell phone out when we heard it. An explosion not too far behind us from a local store where the racing strip was a few moments ago. We all ducked slightly as the explosion rang out, the windows shattering as the fire roared out. We all got in the car as I drove off and headed back to Jia's building.

Jun and Akio explained to Jia what happened, down to the last few moments. Karasu was still there when we returned. This was now almost three hours later. Once everything was said, Karasu said,

"So...he's dead."

Jia nodded as he said,

"What do you plan on doing now?"

"Taking whatever he had here and making it mine."

"Really feeding off his death."

Karasu gave a small smile as he tipped his head slightly and said,

"Hai...I earned my name."

Jia gave a laugh as he said,

"I'll owe you."

Karasu moved his hair back from his cold dark eyes as he said,

"I'll save it for when I need it."

"Karasu, who do you work for?"

"As of now, no one. I haven't worked for anyone in a while."

Jia nodded as he and Karasu left his office. Akio and I escorted them downstairs and to the lobby. Before Karasu left, Jia said,

"Karasu....I'm letting you go now, free and clear. But later on if I'm able to connect you to something, or someone tells me of problems your causing, I will have you killed in the streets like a dog."

Karasu nodded as he said,

"I know that. Do you think I would be stupid enough to double cross the 36 Moons?"

"Some people never learn."

"I understand that, but I wouldn't dare."

Jia nodded as Karasu left. Akio then turned to Jia and said,

"You trust him?"

"Something about him makes me think so."

Jun shrugged as he said,

"He seems mellow. Hey have we only been working all night?"

Jia shook his head as he said,

"No, Gabriel and Tai have been busy. I don't know where Toki is. And Aoki and Aya are out still."

Jun tucked part of his hair behind his ear as Jia said,

"For now, everyone can go. It's late."

He checked his watch as everyone soon started leaving. Jia stopped me though. He said,

"I need you to take me to Tsubasa's place."

I nodded as we got in the car and I drove him to the ningyo's doll house. I parked the car in front of the beautiful, lavish looking apartment building and I waited for Jia to get out like before. Instead he took out his cell phone and called Tsubasa downstairs. We waited for a few moments until I saw the blonde doll appear out of his doors. I got out of the car as I opened the back seat door for him as he thanked me and he got inside. I resumed my place in the driver's side as Jia said,

"Just drive for now."

I nodded as I pulled out into the street. I drove around for a while as I managed to get my ear phone out and place one in my ear. I heard Jia and Tsubasa talking about the situation for a while until it got quiet. I saw through the rearview mirror as they kissed. A very intimate embrace...Jia looked more content with Tsubasa then he ever did with Toki. I tried minding my own business, but every now and then I would hear these little sounds of pleasure coming from not too far behind me. When I looked again, I saw Jia was holding Tsubasa's neck as the ningyo was leaning to the side, his eyes closed as Jia worked his ear. I had to stop watching. I felt so perverted all the sudden. Suddenly as I drove, I heard my muffled cell phone ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket as I answered.

"Yeah."

"Where are you?"

"Toki?"

"Yeah where are you?"

"Driving..."

"Is Jia with you?"

"Uh....um..."

I wasn't sure what to say.

"He is isn't he?"

"Well...kinda."

"Why the fuck isn't he answerin his phone!?"

"Um...he's sleeping."

I rolled my eyes at my own lame excuse Toki took a deep breath and said,

"Will you just......nevermind. Tell him I called."

He hung up without another word as I continued to drive. Jia didn't even bother with anything but Tsubasa.