bananafive

Banana Fish; volume five

Ash and his group are having dinner at Dawson's house, where they seem to be staying. Max gets a phone call from Jessica--except that it's really the men who attacked her and are holding her and Michael hostage. They want Ash in exchange. Ash goes with Max, but he asks Shorter to stay and watch over Ibe and Eiji. He has a feeling they're being separated for a reason.

While Ash and Max are getting things sorted out at Jessica's, Yut-Lung quickly takes care ot things at Dawson's. He drugs Ibe with laced tea and uses acupuncture to make Eiji blind, deaf, and motionless. Ibe is able to witness everything, including the fact that Shorter is apparently helping Yut-Lung.

Ash realizes his mistake when Michael tells him their attackers were Asian. He and Max rush back to Dawson's and arrive too late to help. Ibe, still drugged and unable to speak, manages to direct them to New York and Papa Dino. When they are in the midst of deciding how to handle this, Ash hears a noise--Alex Dawson has finally returned to his home. He gives Ibe an antidote and while they're waiting for it to kick in, Ash makes him explain about banana fish, and the truth astounds him--it suddenly becomes clear that Golzine wants to sell it to the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, in New York, Charlie and Chief Jenkins have been removed from the case. Their boss, evidently in Golzine's pockets, delares the mysterious suicides just that and closes the case. Charlie, who is having a relationship with Nadia Wong, promises her that he'll continue to protect her and asks her to call him if Shorter comes home.

For whatever reason, Yut-Lung holds the truth about banana fish from his eldest brother, claiming that it is no more than an untraceable assasination drug. Lee is suspicious, but can find no reason to think his brother would be lying. To keep Dino from suspecting that Chinatown might be betraying their agreement, Lee sends Yut-Lung, along with Eiji, as a hostage. He tells his brother to find out what Dino's really up to--in bed if need be.

Before Ash, Max, and Ibe are able to head out to New York, the gang members who roughed up Jessica arrive. They're under orders to take the three to Papa Dino. They quickly overpower the group and burn Dawson's lab and records.

At Dino's house, negotiations are made between the Lee family and Golzine, and Yut-Lung is offered (and accepted) as a gift of goodwill. They wake Eiji, who is, of course, terrified. He's shocked to discover that Yau-si is really Yut-Lung and played a major hand in getting him there. Even more horrifying is Arthur's accusation that Shorter betrayed them. Eiji refuses to believe it, but Shorter can't deny it.

To make matters terribly worse, Dino decides to use Shorter as a subject to test the new-and-improved banana fish. They inject Shorter, and once the drug takes hold of his mind, they tell him that Eiji is his enemy--that killing Eiji in a horrible way is the only way to end the painful nightmare in his head.

Ash arrives in New York just in time for a black-tie dinner party Golzine has planned. Luckily enough, he also arrives in time to stall Dino's first sexual encounter with Eiji. Max, Ibe and Ash are decked out in tuxedos and treated as guests, rather than as hostages. Ash is apparently the guest of honor, and Dino even gives him a $300,000 earring--chosen because it matches his eyes. As they finish dessert, Dino calls an end to the farce and his men turn their guns on Ash.

In a dank sewer, Ash's gang is hiding out. They've been resisting Arthur's new hold on the gangs in the city and are waiting loyally for Ash to return. A young punk named Sing Soo-Ling shows up, claiming to be Chinatown's new boss--a replacement for Shorter. Sing tells Alex that Ash is back in town and he offers himself and his gang to help recover him from Dino's mansion. Sing explains that he lives by different rules than Chinatown's mafia, and he's loyal to Shorter alone. Together, they can save both bosses.

Meanwhile, Dino has Ash chained up in the basement. He brings Shorter in to see him. It's clear right away that something's horribly wrong with Shorter. Then they bring in Eiji. For a moment Ash's whole face lights up, he's so happy to see his friend, but then he notices Shorter's reaction. As soon as Shorter claps eyes on Eiji, he starts screaming.