The demon grabbed me by the hand and quickly led me outside into the streets. The sun was throwing rays of yellow and orange light through the pearlescent white leaves of the nearby Cherry blossom trees. A few tired looking business men were already heading home, suitcases in hand but I ignored them mostly. Larousse started stammering, looking for the right words.
“Look Kid, I know we got off on the wrong foot but I...” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence when I hugged him tightly.
“Shut up, just shut up.” I said, not caring that it looked strange for a Gajin to be hugging a priest in the street in broad daylight.
“What? No wanting to kill your favourite concierge to the dark side?” He stepped back for a moment and looked me over. “Damn kid, I mean what happened to you?”
“It’s a long story. Isn’t there some place we can talk in private?” I replied, brushing a piece of lint off his shoulder.
“Sure man, I know a great Chanko place close by. All the local Sumo’s eat there but we won’t be disturbed.” Without much further ceremony, he led me down the street and around the corner. It was a small but very ornate hole in the wall type eatery, one that the tourists usually overlooked. Soon we were settled in with cups of ice cold Sake appearing before us.
“Okay, spill. Uncle Larousse needs the 411 on exactly what the hell happened to you. The last time I saw you was on that pirate ship back in the West Indies.” He fished a soup bowl closer with a deft paw.
I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts and making sure the order of events were correct. “I got betrayed by the ship’s captain when we attacked New Providence and he sold me out to the British Navy. Luckily, Adelmar and I managed to escape before my execution. We made it to a cliff overlooking the ocean and as we went over, a time portal appeared underneath us and we landed in this place. I’m still very confused of where exactly here is and why the portal decided to throw us out here.”
“I see and where is the big guy now?” Larousse asked, finishing his soup with a loud, very un Japanese like slurp.
“I had to leave him at the Apartment; it would have been very difficult to explain why I have a two hundred pound wolf following me around in the streets.”
“Ain’t that the truth? But carry on with the story while I start to work things out.” Replied the demon as he downed another cup of Sake.
“When I came to, I realized that I had changed. Somehow the portal had aged me and the wolf and we were no longer children when we arrived here. Then things got really weird. First we found a body in a dumpster and then I had to take down three thugs in an alley. And that’s just the start but please tell me what you know.” I started feeling hungry again and put some pieces of stewed beef into my bowl.
“Okay, let’s see; you have most likely figured out by now that you are in Tokyo and the year is 2015 but that is where the good news ends I’m afraid.” Larousse lowered his head, like there was a great weight resting on his shoulders.
“Tell me please?” I placed my hand on his claw and smiled calmly at him.
“Oh darling, you’ve really put your foot in the kaka this time. Tokyo is in one of the biggest and most brutal gang wars this city has ever seen. The Russian Mafia and the Yakuza have been at each other’s throats for months now with no end in sight. It’s been a bloody massacre on both sides and the local police force is helpless to stop them. I believe you’ve met one of the Yakuza’s, a Madam Rhi if my sources are correct?”
“Jimmy Wah took me to meet her in a nightclub or whatever you call it. She made me an offer to join them and I had no choice but to accept.” I replied, the words cold in my throat.
“I know kid but damn you got to be careful. Jimmy Wah is small Potatoes, nothing more than street scum but Madam is a highly dangerous lady. She is a Wakagashira (under boss) but nothing compared to the Sohonbucho (Headquarters chief) and Kumicho (Supreme boss), you seriously do not want to screw with these people let me tell you. They have no qualms in dumping your remains on the doorstep of the nearest police station. But it sounds to me like they have taken you on as a Wakashu or junior member. It’s almost unheard of for a female to get into the Yakuza so you must have impressed someone down the line.”
“The best I can do is just stick with it till I can figure out my next step. But you mentioned something about the Russians? Tell me about them please.”
“This is where the shit hits the fan comrade. The Russian mob came over to mainland Japan only a few years ago but man they cut quickly, moving like a damn jackhammer through the territories. At first the Yakuza didn’t take them seriously but the speed at which they seized power and land was frightening and it wasn’t long before the Dragon turned its head and started spitting fire. I tell you, the streets ran red with blood on both sides with a lot of innocents caught between the cross fire. Things have been relatively quiet these past few weeks but everyone knows that something is in the air and about to go down. It’s been tense as hell lately.”
“I see and who is leading the Russians?” I asked, completely awe struck by the Demon’s story.
“Holy shit on a bun; this is where things get messy. The leader or Pakhan of the Bratva is one Dimitry Natalov. He is a brute of a man, born in a Siberian KGB death camp and he survived that hell by doing what other men dared not do. He has the compassion of a runaway steam engine. The rumours are that he likes to kill men with his bare hands, choking them to death before ripping out their windpipes. He runs the mob with an iron fist and none dare speak or stand against him. Only a few months ago, he caught a couple of junior members messing around in his territory; he crucified them and had them put up outside a well know Yakuza stronghold. The message was clear that this animal is not scared of starting a war. Please promise me you will stay far away from this monster, there is no telling what he is capable of doing.”
“I can take care of myself.” I replied, “But I will keep my eyes and ears wide open. How’s Death doing?” I asked, curiosity dancing in my eyes.
Larousse snickered, snorting a little bit of Sake through his nose. “Oh the bitch has been on a tear lately and you have pissed her off on a scale I have never seen before. She was adamant that would not make it out of the age of piracy alive and the others have been giving her an incredible amount of stick for it. I tell you, I had to order a whole new set of cups and saucers for downstairs just last week. But joking aside, you need to watch your ass; she is capable of anything and you have pushed her buttons like nobody ever before. You got her full attention now so be careful.”
“You worry too much but thanks for looking out for me. And sorry I was so messed up to you earlier, I am glad you are on my side.” I said, finishing off my food.
“So not the drama darling but come, it’s getting late and you don’t want to be out on the streets when it gets dark. I’ll get you a taxi to take you home.”
It wasn’t long before I was safely in my ride and I said my goodbyes to Larousse. He promised me he would pop in again and keep an ear open for any new developments. I headed for home. Luckily, the taxi driver knew where I lived from the descriptions of my surroundings. The apartment block seemed cold and grey but somehow it started to feel like home. Adelmar was waiting for me when I entered the door and jumped in my arms, pushing me to the ground.
“Easy boy, easy. “I laughed as the mutt licked me through the face. “I missed you too.” It was wonderful to hold my friend again, to feel his massive warm body next to mine. His heart was racing at a million miles per hour.
The bullet tore through my flesh as the glass shattered into a crystalline rain of glass and shards.
A shot from the dark.
A shot from an assassin in black.
Straight to my heart.
