I slept for hours. I didn't wake up until much, much later. When I did, my eyes felt heavy and out of focus so when started waking up, the first thing I saw was bright, piercing light. Jun soon appeared in my line of vision as he said,

"Hey Jo. How you feel?"

"Tired."

Jun nodded a she said,

"As expected. You lost a lot of blood."

I reached up to my neck as I felt the points of the stitching. Jun then said,

"Yeah, it's a small wound, but deep. You need some rest."

"What happened?"

"You fell asleep actually. Akio was scared you actually were bleeding to death but you just fell asleep."

"I guess I was more tired then I thought."

"Probably."

Jun then pulled off his latex gloves as he said,

"Sugihara is dead. It was made sure this time."

"Best news I heard all day."

"Yeah. I was glad to hear it too. Jia is especially pleased about it."

"I imagine he would."

I started sitting up, a thin sheet falling from around me as Jun said,

"Hey, take it easy."

"I'm fine."

No sooner that I said that, that the room begin to spin. I held my head as he said,

"No one ever listens to Jun until it's too late."

He made me lay back down as he said,

"You lost blood Jo. That mean you'll be dizzy for a moment."

"Oh."

I held my head for a minute, even as I laid down. Jun then said,

"How you getting home?"

"Cab I'm assuming."

He checked his watch as he said,

"I'll see if anyone can accompany you."

"Why?"

"In case you still feel dizzy when you get up."

"But I'll be fine by then."

"Right....we'll see."

He helped me sit up slightly, my head still spinning as I felt everything moving without me. He then said,

"How do you feel."

"Sick."

He nodded as he picked up a small flashlight and pulled up my eyelid. He then did the same to the other eye, flashing the light in both as he said,

"Yeah, you'll be fine soon. Just take it slow."

I nodded slightly as he said,

"Stay sitting up. It'll pass in a minute. I'm gonna check who's still here."

He then left the room as I stayed sitting up, still feeling dizzy. I was glad that Sugihara was finally dead. But at the same time, I knew he didn't go without a fight and he left me with something to remember him by.

A little while later, Toki came down with Jun. Jun looked at me with an apologetic face as he said,

"Sorry, he was the only one still around though I could have sworn Tai was."

"Nope, I tol you, Tai and the gaijin went home for "rest" so you know what that means. Li's still about but Imma take him home first."

Jun sighed as he said,

"Fine, but take it easy. He's still a little dizzy."

Jun took the sheet, folding it up as Toki said,

"Yeah, yeah. Relax Jun, I rarely make second appearances."

Toki then stood in front of me, blowing smoke from the side of his mouth as he said,

"How you feel?"

"A little better."

"Can you walk?"

"I haven't tried."

I slid off the table as I touched the floor. My knees felt weak, yet strong enough for me to stand fully. I got up slowly and then let go of the table as I started taking small steps. Toki nodded as he said,

"Good. Let's go."

I began to walk to the door when suddenly my knees gave out and I started to fall. Toki caught me as he said,

"And you don't want me to call you a baby."

"Shut up. I just lost a lot of blood."

"Uh huh."

He stood by me before he leaned down slightly and put his arm around my shoulders and on leaned me back as I fell back, he caught me and then he scooped me up. He stood up straight as he said,

"Jun, don't fuckin stand there, get the door."

"Shut up."

He opened the door as Toki carried me out. I felt embarrassed he had to carry me just because I felt too dizzy. I then said,

"This is humiliating."

"Yeah I know but deal with it."

We walked outside as he then said,

"Hail a cab."

I raised my hand slightly, trying to get a cab to stop. When one finally did, we both got in as I inched away slightly, still holding my head. Every now and then I would feel slightly dizzy still, so it was a somewhat good idea for Jun to send someone with me. Toki flicked his cigarette out as he said,

"Where you live man?"

I told him my street as the cab then pulled off. I felt sick still and my eyes kept feeling like they were blurry and I couldn't see straight. Toki was looking out the window as the cab drove ahead. I leaned back against the seat as Toki said,

"You okay?"

"Sorta..I feel sick."

"Like...hangover sick or like...just...sick like flu sick?"

"Like hung over sick."

He sighed as the cab finally got to my apartment and then he helped me out. He didn't carry me this time, despite how sick and dizzy I felt, I fought with him not to. I pulled away and brushed his hands off so many times that when he let go, I fell over for real. Luckily we had made it in the lobby this time so I fell on the carpet as Toki laughed at me. He smirked as he said,

"Good job. That was so graceful."

"Shut up."

I started getting up slowly as he said,

"Let me help you."

I got a hold of his hand as he pulled me up and then said,

"Come on. Let's get you home."

I was embarrassed already so much, falling on front of him just made everything worse. I swore my face was red, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. When I got to my door, I thanked him but he said,

"And if you fall in there?"

He smirked when he said it which just made my face turn red for sure. I said,

"So if I fall in there I'd fall by myself."

He laughed as he said fine and then left, I allowed myself inside as I then went to bed.

I felt better the next day, though still a little weak. I got up, showered and dressed as I checked my neck. I saw I had a few stitches in, but it wasn't a lot. It cut mostly into the side of my neck, almost underneath my Adam's apple which would leave a hideous scar. I didn't worry about it though. It would be like the one in my arm. I then got in my suit, leaving the tie off as I went to Jia's building. When I arrived, I saw Aoki and Toki talking, their conversation about something or other, smoke slowly filling their area. Toki looked up at me, a black bandanna around his head, black spikes up, blonde bangs around his face as he said,

"Hey Jo. How you feel?"

"Better."

Aoki looked over at me for me for a moment before he turned back to his conversation with Toki. I then went upstairs to Jia's office. I knocked on the door to make my presence known as he allowed me in. Jia then said,

"Hey Jo. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

He gestured me inside as I saw Tai there, he was working with something, Gabriel sitting in the chair beside him as they both sat in front of Jia's desk. I then said,

"Jun told me the other night that Sugihara is dead."

"Hai. We had lower heads make sure he was dead. But he's done."

"That's good to know."

"It's good news and bad news Jo. The good news, the arrogant bastard is dead, hooray, I can move on with life. The bad news is, I have just made enemies with an empire that has been up and running longer then mine, is so powerful that it has owned it's country for years and years and has it's own language. I consider this a problem."

"It won't be long before the Teo Chiu has to react to Sugihara's death." Said Tai.

I sighed as he said,

"But you yourself said the Teo Chiu wouldn't dare step into Tokyo."

"No, but they can sure as hell come in to take me out of Tokyo."

"Can they?"

"Oh they'll try. And that's now my biggest concern. I don't like bringing blood shed to my city. Not to my home. But if the Teo Chiu wants in, they'll get in. And all I can do is stand on my toes and look over my shoulder. I'm in a serious conflict now."

Gabriel nodded as he said,

"We have to put a barrier around Tokyo and an even thicker one around you Jia. In case the Teo Chiu does get in, we won't make it easy for them."

"Hai. I know. I hate being guarded like some damn treasure though."

"You're an oyabun Jia. It's expected." Said Tai.

I then said,

"So what's going to happen for now?"

"Well now, I have to call Soryo, find out if the Teo Chiu got word of anything yet. I'm also thinking about instead of staying here, to get to Hong Kong or maybe New York. I don't mind the blood shed there."

"It might be better for you to get to Hong Kong Jia." Said Gabriel.

"I know, but it seems almost like I'm running. I never ran before."

"So don't." I said.

Jia looked at me as he said

"You're right. I have to deal with the Teo Chiu head on. Okay, I'll call Soryo. Tai see if you can't start getting that barrier up. I want no one that doesn't work for us to come anywhere near this building."

"Hai."

Tai got up as did Gabriel as I excused myself and followed them out.

It was just a moment I had to recover. I couldn't afford to be out of action too long since I had to be around now because the Teo Chiu were about to come looking for Jia's head on a platter. I helped Tai and Gabriel organize everything. There were moments where I did feel sick, despite not feeling dizzy. I felt as if I would throw up and I had to stop and hold my head for a moment. Tai looked at me as he said,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just felt a little dizzy. I'm fine though."

I lied. I felt as if I would fall apart any minute, but I wouldn't let them know. Tai had the lower heads circle Tokyo and between the top heads, Tai called a meeting. He told them the situation as he explained that besides Toki, someone would have to stand guard for Jia. The job wouldn't be initiated until later, but when it had to take place, someone would have to be there.

"It'll go in rounds. Excluding myself and Toki, you all have to pick a night and stand guard."

We all agreed, knowing the circumstances as Tai then said,

"For now, we have to wait for the reaction. Until then, we're just watching our backs."

Tai let us discuss it among ourselves as to who would have to start the first shift. Toki and Tai stood aside, talking among themselves as Akio said,

"I'll go the first night."

"I got the second then." Said Aoki.

"I'll have the third." I said.

They looked at me as if I was incapable of handling the job. I was so tired of them looking down at me for being the youngest one that I stood my ground and said,

"What? Is that all right with everyone? Can I do my job too? Or do you all think I'll just fuck up again."

No one said anything and they went back to picking days. They annoyed me sometimes. Just because I was the youngest and had two mistakes, they all acted like I was going to screw up forever. It pissed me off that no one even thought about giving me a chance to prove myself. They just all wanted to baby me, put a safety net underneath me and partner me up so that nothing would happen. But not to me, to what my job and what I was required to do. They all acted like they were so perfect and they never made any mistakes...like they were never twenty. And I swear the last person that should ever look down at me is Aoki. As if he never made a mistake. Yeah well at least I still got both eyes. I swallowed my bitterness by not saying a word afterwards and I left as quickly as I could after the meeting once I was allowed to. I needed to lay down for a while. I wasn't feeling well at all.