The Requital

Prevalent Truths

The next morning I am awaken by the gong of a bell. The sound lingers throughout the emptiness of the room. I look at my phone which appeared to be 6:30 am. I didn't sleep long but I felt well rested. I sit up to see my mother standing in the Shōji with clothes signifying that she was ready for me to get dressed. I readily get up and grab the clothes from her and she turns and leaves. In minutes. I was dressed. A Daft Punk t-shirt and cargo shorts. The clothes fit me perfectly. Walking through the maze I call a house, I am escorted to the front door where my mother is outside standing next to a matte black Ducati. She hops on, turns the ignition on and trips the kick stand up. She then hands me a matching matte black helmet and she slaps on a metallic black helmet with a dragon logo the same as the tattoo on her arm. She signaled for me to get on and hold tight. Once on and secure, she speeds off without hesitation.

Speeding down the winding road, the wind feels good through my helmet. The screaming of the motor cycle that echos through the hills and mountains of Kobe, excite me. The sounds grows louder as we get along further down the road. I some realize there are more and they were waiting. We zoom past them, and they in unison, trail us in motorcycle club form.

As we begin to the city, I feel the stare of a thousand eyes as we cruise through the city. Upon some people's faces was fear, some excitment, others show destitution, hoping we hadn't appeared. We finally come to a stop at a local eatery. My mother props the kick stand up and gestures that this is our stop and to get off the motorcycle, by looking over her shoulder. Everyone else camps outside while my and I mother walk in the restaurant, take a seat and wait for a waiter.

"So you're probably wondering where, what, when, why, who, and how all this what you seeing is happen in front of you" she says while placing a cloth napkin over her lap.

"Well, which one shall I start with?" As she looks at me interested in answer my questions to fill in blanks in my life.

It took me a moment to figure out where I wanted to start. Then I realized what the most obvious first should be.

"Why were you never in my life and you are the person who conceived me?"

Her eyes widened as my mother is suprised, " Wow, you are pretty smart for someone who in the third grade. Anyways your father figured it was not best for me to be in your life while I was -- am still in the prime of my career." She says as she is looking at the menu.

She pauses as the waitress comes over and takes our order. Because I can not read Japanese, she orders for me, the waitress collects the menu's and walks away.

"WHAT do I do exactly? I am the leader of the Yumi-Yamaguchi assassins. In other words, I perform kill orders on people, or I see to it my servicemen preform such tasks and I or they collect a cash reward for our service. I am one of the most respected and deadliest women on this side of the hemisphere, so I've been called. When someone has to go, I'm the woman they call." She states.

The waitress come back with our drinks.

"You ever play the game, 'Hitman'?"

I nod as the waitress bring us our food, placing my food in front of me then her and immediately leaves.

"Well I'm him, but I'm a her, with curls" She giggles at the comparision while bouncing and stretching her curls.

"Where were you when my father died and brother died."

"He told me to stay away. He didn't want my life to be in yours. What you think I wanted to say way from my child? From my husband? The loves of my life? Tuh! He told me if he ever needed me, he'd call. he just... never did." She says in the midst of shrugging.

"Who is my father?"

"My husband, My lover, Supporter, Friend, bio weapons engineer, and weapons dealer? Though we didn't live under the same roof, we still kept tabs on each other."

"When did all this come about?" I pressed.

"What do you mean? When did I become an accomplished killer? 23. Your father? Not really sure. He started with gun running, though. All I can remember is us being eager to get ahead in life and these where the opportunities we had. We eventually got really good at it."

"How could you just be a heartless killer?"

"Hmm..." My mother says as she stares at the broccoli on the fork before bitting it.

"I couldn't tell you. I just became numb to the feeling. The money was good, your father is the one who introduced me the Yamaguchi family. He just didn't want you apart of an assassin's life. Well now you are."

She pauses then leans forward showing an abundance of seriousness.

"The reason I choose not hide this is because you can wield discoverance and truth and makes something better for your self. Not only that. It just feels got to know the truth you know?"

She spoke with articulation and firmness as the woman she was empowered to be but with a humors side.

"You know for a killer you sure are elaborate and elegant."

"Why, yes I do", she says as she bows her head, honoring herself.

"Why not stop doing what you were doing to raise me"

She stopped for a moment to think. Its as if she'd run out of witty answers and word play and was forced to actually think about what a nine year had asked. my mother almost seemed annoyed and hesitant to answer.

"The only thing I can safely assume is that your father did not want to see me weak. Frank saw me as independ -- someone who was not fit or ready for that life. I was going to stop somehow. I knew back then I would need to eventually but we were young and our lives were moving extremely fast.... I wanted to raise you, he just didn't want me to do so knowing that it would be hard to give this up. I dont know. But I do know I will give you a choice, Jackson. Public school or home school?" She says changing the subjuct.

"Public please."