I looked at Stephen for a while longer wondering why it had to be that he was the one person we were looking to kill? I sighed, hanging up as I went back to rejoin Stephen and sat down at the bar. He looked at me as he said,

"What's up? You look angry."

"Oh...it's...work."

"Oh...something go wrong?"

"Yeah..."

I wasn't sure how to say anything, I just knew I couldn't let him get away. If I did, I would be repeating my mistakes from Sugihara and I didn't ever want to be scolded like I had been before. So I just looked at Stephen and said,

"I can't let you go."

"What?"

"I can't let you go to Vegas."

He laughed slightly as he said,

"Why? Miss me?"

"This isn't a joke Stephen. I can't let you leave the city."

He looked over at me as he said,

"Why?"

"You didn't tell me your father was Kenimin."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I have to take you to my boss."

"Who's your boss?"

"You'll find out."

He looked at me unbelieving as he said,

"Why are you doing this?"

"It's my job."

He sighed, slamming down his glass down as he said,

"Fuck...I was hoping my father's shit wouldn't come in my life."

I got my cell phone out as I called Mikkie and said,

"I found the fourth."

"So quickly?"

"It's a long story."

I told him where I was as Stephen then looked at me, tucking his black hair back as he said,

"I'm not close to my father. I'm not even close to my two older brothers or my sister. I don't even want anything to do with my father. It's why I disappeared."

"It's not my call to make Stephen."

He frowned, putting his hand to his face as he said,

"So where you just being nice to me to eventually just kill me?"

"I didn't know you were Kenimin's kid till right now."

"What's going on anyway?"

"Kenimin's dying."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah...his first is about to take over."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"Children are potential problems for my boss. The more of you there are, the more battle he'll have to face in the future. My boss already married your sister."

"I have nothing to do with whatever my father is doing."

"I told you, it's not my call to make."

He frowned as he took another drink.

Mikkie came in later as he said,

"This him?"

"Yeah. Kenimin's fourth."

Stephen turned towards Mikkie as he said,

"I don't have anything to do with my father."

"Why you telling me? I don't care."

Stephen tucked his hair back as Mikkie took out his cell phone and called Karasu. We then transferred to another area. We couldn't have business here. Once we got a hold of Karasu, Ichiro, Takeo and the Yami, we all gathered at Karasu's building. Karasu had cut his light brown hair a little shorter, but still fell over one eye slightly. He still held the same semi-pout on his lips as he crossed his arms and looked down at Stephen who sat in the lobby. Ichiro lit a cigarette as he said,

"We should tell Jia."

"I already did." Said Mikkie.

Tsubasa nodded as he said,

"Where's you brother?"

"The third one is still in Manhattan. Last I checked he was still in Chinatown. I just skipped out of there myself."

"Why'd you two fight?" Asked Takeo.

"He wanted to go back to Hong Kong. He had gotten word of something though he didn't tell me what. I refused to go because I wanted nothing to do with the mess my father has in Hong Kong."

"You're against your father's line of work?" Said Karasu.

"Yes. I don't think I should be forced to walk a line of business where you're only in charge if the one before you dies."

Ichiro exhaled as he said,

"If our boss says you gotta go, then you gotta go."

"I didn't even do anything."

Mikkie then said,

"What does Kenimin want you to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does Kenimin want you to continue is his line of work like his other children?"

"He never said anything to me about it. It's almost like an unspoken command though. All my other brothers do."

"Then we have a problem."

Jiki was left to guard Stephen as the rest of us went back to Karasu's office to call Jia. Jia was on speaker phone as Karasu explained the given situation.

"So if he doesn't wish to continue in Kenimin's job he doesn't have to."

Jia stayed silent for a moment before he said,

"So he doesn't have to be an enemy."

I was hoping for that reply. Jia was not a blood thirsty man. Ichiro then smoothed his bangs back as he said,

"We have to make sure though Jia."

"I know. See if he'll give up information. Who found him?"

"I did Jia." I said.

"Aka-chan, you never cease to amaze me."

"Thank you Jia."

"No, thank you. So is he willing to give up information?"

"Already did Jia. Says his brother is in Chinatown and is planning to go back to Hong Kong." Said Takeo.

"Then he's really not willing to partake in his father's work. We'll have to keep an eye on him."

Karasu nodded as he said,

"We'll do."

"Jia, Stephen is planning to leave for Vegas soon."

Everyone looked at me as Mikkie said,

"How do you know that?"

"He told me."

"When did he have the time?" Said Tsubasa.

"I didn't know Stephen was Kenimin's forth. I had met him a few days previously."

Ichiro looked a little surprised as Mikkie said,

"So while we were looking..."

"I didn't know."

I heard Jia's voice saying as he said,

"It was an honest mistake. Don't worry about it Aka-chan."

I sighed in relief as Jia said,

"We'll have to get someone out there. In the meantime, he doesn't seem like he's a threat. However, we can't write him off just yet. So we'll watch him while he's here."

"Hai. We'll be in touch Jia." Said Karasu.

They hung up as Tsubasa said,

"I'll have Jiki watch him while he's in New York."

Ichiro then rubbed out his cigarette as he said,

"I can contact some of my associates in California. They could watch him while he's in Vegas."

Karasu nodded as he then said,

"We're in good shape so far."

Ichiro then said,

"I guess we're done for now. Once we find the third, we'll be done permanently."

We were then dismissed and Mikkie and I went to work again.

In Chinatown, Mikkie and I stopped to eat a Jia's restaurant. While we waited for our dinner, Mikkie tied his hair up as he said,

"You should really tell me of anyone you meet."

"I didn't think it was of importance. I just met him randomly."

"Doesn't matter. There are reasons we don't socialize and make friends Joryu. You just learned one of them."

I frowned as I realized how mean Mikkie could be sometimes. I had a feeling I would be better off with Aoki for some reason. Anyway we had the rest of our dinner in peace. What really annoyed me was that Mikkie acted like I had meant to hold back information. I didn't even know. I mentally snubbed him thinking, well excuse me for being social. We all can't be antisocial icebergs. I however, decided not to say that aloud and just continued eating.

Later that night, I decided it was just best for me to go home. I felt bad that Stephen could have been a friend but now was more or less an enemy all because of what Kenimin does. It wasn't his fault. I was glad he didn't want to keep after his family name...then it would almost be like really making him an enemy. He was potential danger and I couldn't say I knew he well because we had only met a few days ago. I sighed as I turned in bed that night, holding my pillow. I should have gone to search for the third, but I just couldn't. I was feeling tired, confused and just exhausted. Besides, I had to do that all day tomorrow and since the third was not even a triad or anything illegal at this point, finding him would be all the harder. I slept for a few hours before my phone rang. I answered it only for it to be Ichiro. He asked me to stop by so I did. In the middle of the night, I gathered myself up and took a cab over to Ichiro's place. Before this, I hadn't been invited to his home, so this time I was. The place was simple unlike everyone else I know that likes to make penthouses look like mansions and manors. Ichiro was simple and basic. Also a bit of a Japanese motif to it with it's simplicity and style. He didn't even have much furniture just a small futon, a coffee table and a stand where the TV was. His dining room had a small floor high table and it just seemed basic. I liked it though. I went inside, taking off my shoes like a habit as Ichiro hugged me right away. He kissed me softly as he said,

"You seem tired."

"I am a little. I can get over it though."

He smiled in this pouty manner that made me wanna suck on his lips as his hair fell around the edges of his eyes. I tugged on the loose white button down he wore, noticing his neck was bare of anything but past bite marks I had left before. They weren't deep and noticeable, but you could see them. He then said,

"You sure you're not tired?"

I smiled, leaning down slightly as I grabbed him around his thighs and pick him up, throwing him over my shoulder as he laughed and I carried him to his room. After only one round, which was exhausting enough, I fell asleep. Ichiro didn't care, he let me, pulling up his sheets from the bed as he put them over my shoulder. He laid beside me for a moment before he got closer and I put my arm around him. He smiled, kissing my hand as I then fell asleep. The next morning, early afternoon, I woke up. I saw Ichiro was not next beside me anymore and I sat up, looking around as I looked at the clock. I saw it was twelve-thirty. I sighed, getting out of bed as I picked up my boxers getting them back on as I started getting dressed. I figured Ichiro probably left for work so I didn't even question his were abouts. Once I managed to get my jeans on, the door opened as Ichiro came back inside. He had on some sweatpants on and his hair fell in this cute, almost child like way around his face, shaping it nicely. He frowned as he said,

"Going already?"

"Yeah. I thought I should. I also thought you would be at work."

"It's my syndicate. I can go whenever I want to."

He hugged me and then pushed us both back on his bed as he swept my hair back and said,

"Don't go yet Joryu."

I smiled as I said,

"You can call me Jo you know."

"Oh? That's cute."

He smiled as he kissed me slightly when we both heard a small female voice call out Ichiro's name. I had completely forgotten he had his niece here. I looked at him as he said,

"My niece."

"I figured."

He got up as he went to the door and opened it just as he caught a little girl that flew into his arms. He picked her up with a slight groan as he said,

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"Lookin' for ya."

She smiled as he her long hair fell past her shoulders, her cute school uniform on being a black shirt and dark blue sweater vest with a white shirt underneath. She had knee high socks on but one was around her ankle, her black Mary Janes still on. She then noticed me as I looked around for my shirt as she said,

"Who's that?"

"Friend of mine."

"Boyfriend?"

"No, just a friend."

She gave him an unbelieving look as she said,

"Don't lie uncle."

He laughed as he said,

"Really, it's not. Jo, this is my niece Katie."

She waved to me as she said,

"Hi."

I smiled, feeling a little strange being in front of kid in Ichiro's bedroom with just my jeans on. Ichiro then said,

"She just got home early from school. Though I thought I told you, you could go anywhere you wanted today."

"You did but I wanted to see you."

"Aw, I'm going to work soon."

"You're not dressed."

He laughed as he said,

"I'm going soon."

"When you coming back?"

"Tonight."

"Late?"

"I don't know."

"Will you bring me back something?"

"What do you want?"

"A pony."

She smiled as Ichiro said,

"I can't bring you a pony. Where am I suppost to find you a pony in New York City?"

"I don't know."

She smiled again as I finally found my shirt and got it on as Katie then said,

"You have a spider on your back."

I turned and looked at her as she black hair fell over her eye. She reminded me a lot of Ichiro. I then nodded and said,

"Yup I do."

"Why?"

"Means something."

"Like my uncle's tattoo?"

"Yup."

She smiled again as she then got put down and Ichiro pat her head as he said,

"Go play. Find your nanny and have her take you anywhere you want."

"Oh...okay. Anywhere?"

"Yes, anywhere."

"Can I go to the new toy store in Times Square?"

"Yes, go."

She smiled and bounced off as I smiled at the scene. Ichiro sighed as he closed the door and leaned against it as he said,

"Don't go."

"I have to."

"Go later then."

I smiled, kissing him as I tried to make him move. He sighed as he said,

"Yeah, you should go before your partner gets mad."

"He's just anal."

Ichiro laughed as he said,

"We have to see each other before you leave."

"I know. We will. But for now I have to go."

He nodded, kissing me once more, reminding what I had to go back to as I then left.

When I got to my apartment, thinking I could go in, shower and get dressed quickly and call up Mikkie to meet to find the third, when I got to my floor, keys in hand I saw Mikkie standing outside my door. I cleared my throat as I said,

"Hey..."

"Where have you been?"

"Went to eat."

He didn't say anything else but I could tell he didn't believe me. I cleared my throat as I went to my door and said,

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Came to get you. We do have a job to do."

"I know."

I went inside as I said,

"You wanna come in?"

"I'll wait here."

I went inside, closing the door as I stuck my tongue out at him and went to change quickly.

Once I was done, Mikkie and I went to Chinatown and went on with our job. I was tired for a while and I kept rubbing my neck because it felt tender. When I had the chance, I stopped and checked to why it was hurting. In a reflection of a window shop, I pulled my collar down and checked to see a dark bruise there. I flinched slightly as I sighed to myself and Mikkie said,

"You ready?"

I nodded as we headed inside another restaurant. I whispered to Mikkie,

"Where are we?"

"Karasu called me earlier and let me know that the third, Xiao Di, works as a manager here."

"Oh..."

We went inside as the host stopped us and said,

"Can I help you gentleman?"

Mikkie nodded as he said,

"We're looking for the manager."

"Is something wrong? Anything I can help you with?"

"No. Just the manager."

The host gave us suspicious looks before he left and went to an upstairs area. Mikkie tied his hair up as he said,

"Jia said if any problems arise, just end them here and return to Tokyo."

"Okay."

When the host came back down, he said,

"He will see you gentlemen now."

So Mikkie and I went upstairs to meet the third.