Street Dreams

Chapter 10 - Run Devil Run

Hiroki danced through several songs before coming back to the table for a drink. After he downed the water from a plastic cup, he looked around to find Hana, but did not see her at the table, or nearby. Jirou had seen them at the club, though he still looked terrible, several angry bruises littered his face, though they were fading, and the bandages had been removed. He did not dance, for fear of aggravating any of his other injuries. He watched them dancing, though.

Hiroki went to the table Jirou was sitting at, littered with bottles and cups. "Where is Hana?"

Jirou adjusted himself in a way that Hiroki was certain was uncomfortable. "She ran out of here. I think she needed some air, but she looked a little panicky."

"What do you mean she ran out? Did you follow her? How long ago did she run?"

Jirou shook his head. "She was moving pretty quick. Maybe... ten minutes ago? It was about three songs."

Hiroki ran his fingers through his hair, messing up a bit of the gel. "This is not happening." He grabbed Jirou's jacket collar and dragged him along behind him. "You are going to help me find her."

Jirou winced, and began to argue, "Hey-.." but the moment he saw Hiroki's face, he appeared to change his mind and kept his mouth shut. At some point he was allowed to walk on his own.

Once they were outside, Hiroki looked around to see if she had just gone out for a breath of air and maybe a cigarette. There was no sign of her, though. He closed his eyes, took several breaths, then searched in the group standing outside for anyone he might recognize. Luckily, there was one.

"Chris." It was the mixed-race boy who was rather new to everything, and Hiroki hoped he had been standing out there a while. "Hey!"

He must have noticed the alarm in Hiroki's body language. "Hey, Hiroki-ni. What is going on?" Chris ran his fingers through the brown hair. If it weren't for a slight epicanthic fold, broad, slightly flat face, and finer hair than the average white man, most of the brothers would have mistaken him for one. It was those features that allowed him entrance, though.

Hiroki silently prayed that he had seen Hana. If he had not, Hana could have gone in any direction, and they would have a hard time finding her. "You know Ren's girl? The one who came in the other week?"

He dropped his cigarette and quashed the cherry under his heel. "Hana. Yeah. I saw her come out. She didn't notice me, though. What is going on? I thought she came here with you."

Hiroki made something up, not knowing just how close to the truth it was, though he had a feeling it was something to that extent. "She did... did you see which way she went? She... she is having an episode of cold feet."

He pointed in the direction of the Stratosphere Casino. Hiroki's eyes followed in the direction he pointed. "Um... she... I think she went up that way, toward Main." Luckily she didn't walk toward the strip. that would have had a lot more people, and made the job of finding her a lot more difficult. Las Vegas was populous enough, in the first place.

Hiroki paced a few times, deciding on whether he should take care of it himself or call Ren in. Chris sat there, watching him.

"If she ran away, maybe we should go find her, without letting Ren know."

Hiroki paused his pacing and nodded, glad that Chris had volunteered himself to help. "Yes, we should."

Hiroki walked to the valet to get his car back, and waited. Once they got the car, they patrolled the area up the street, did a few rounds around several small blocks with Chris looking out one side and Hiroki the other. On occasion, Chris might point out someone wearing a similar outfit, but Hiroki knew it was not Hana, one's legs were too thick, another was too short.