Song: Yoshida Brothers - Fuyu no Sakura
Theo hated not telling Ricky the truth but he had to do whatever was necessary to protect his family.
"Theo, I have no idea what possessed me to go along with this idea," Hazel said starting to doubt herself.
Theo wanted to go back to New York and talk to Leah. He was tired of waiting around for her. She already knew where they were so it would be a matter of time before she came for him and his family.
"You know you are the only backup, I've got right now Hazel. We have to keep Ricky and the boys safe." Theo said looking out the window of Hazel's car.
They were driving to the airport to catch a flight to New York. Theo was dreading the little over six-hour flight. But that was better than facing Shadow and his old crew. But he was tough, this had been his life once upon a time. He would do whatever needed to be done.
Theo had told Ricky he was going for a firefighters training convention. It had been tough convincing her that she couldn't come with him, worst of all he had to lie about where the training was. It was going to be tough keeping the lie up though. She had already started getting suspicious when Hazel announced she was also going out of town for a while. Theo knew it was wrong but he had to do what was best for them. It was nerve-wracking leaving the comfort and safety of Edgartown he had now grown accustomed too.
"You know I will do anything to keep you guys safe, but you're on your own once Ricky finds out that you lied," Hazel said chuckling. Theo nodded knowing exactly the wrath he would have to face once Ricky found out.
"That's if I come out of there alive..." Theo muttered to himself quietly.
******
"Get my daughter on the line now!"
Kenji Sakurai shouted. He had no idea what was wrong with her. She was running wild and rampage on the streets of New York creating chaos. That was not how they operated, how they did things. She would draw unnecessary attention to them. Give them heat they didn't need.
"Right away sir..." His assistant said back to him through the intercom in his office. There was a little static and a crackling sound before his office was silent again. His office was decorated in deep burgundy and golds. Japanese ornaments carefully placed around the room to reveal his heritage.
Kenji stood up and went over to his large glass window that had a view of the entire city. The city was flooded with lights bright and twinkling. You could never see stars clearly here though. The lights were too bright and the pollution. He longed for the days at the monastery where they were all safe especially his daughters. He looked on at his black robe that hung in his office. It had been a while since he wore it. The last time he did was with his daughter.
Kenji preferred to work at night fewer interruptions and destructions. What was taking his assistant so long Kenji thought. He needed to talk to his daughter immediately.
Right on cue, his assistant came rushing into his office. She had been the only one to answer his ad for a night assistant. She had been nervous during the interview but once he did a background check on her she had passed and was perfect for the job. She needed the money therefore she didn't ask questions and just did her job.
"Mr. Kenji...your daughter refuses to speak to you..." His assistant said nervously. She had a khaki folder in her hand. One of Kenji's men had just dropped it off.
Kenji hadn't really expected his daughter to answer his call. Ever since the death of Angelique, she was like a dog with a bone. Chasing after unnecessary ghosts. That was not how the Yamaguchi-Gumi operated. Leah was letting her thirst for revenge cloud her vision.
"Thank you, Heather. You may leave. I won't be needing your service for the rest of the evening." Kenji said calmly, his back turned to her as he continued to gaze outside. He knew No one could make Leah do what she didn't want. It pained Kenji that he would have to put a stop to Leah's reckless behavior himself. Her actions would start bringing unwanted attention to the entire organization.
Heather cleared her throat. "There's a package for you, sir," She said placing the file on Kenji's desk. He waved his hand at her indicating that she should leave.
Heather could feel her heart racing as she reached her desk. Her hands were shaking. She had dropped the file she had just left on Kenji's desk on her way into his office. Pictures of Ricky and Theo had fallen onto the floor.
Heather quickly shoved the paper she had scribbled on Ricky's address and number into her purse. She had just taken the job for extra money. Now she had gotten herself into serious trouble. She knew Kenji wasn't clean and now he had information on her high school friend and her family. She pressed the elevator button again and nearly jumped out of her skin when it dinged open and four of Kenji's men walked out. They all bowed slightly at her and proceeded into Kenji's office.
Heather rushed to her car in the empty parking. She fumbled trying to get her key in the ignition.
"Keep calm Heather." She mumbled to herself.
As she started her car's engine she saw a woman dressed in black. She wore a dark cloak that looked just like the one Kenji had in his office. Heather put her car in drive deciding she had more important things to take care of. She needed to find Ricky fast.
Leah knew her father wanted her to stop her quest to find Theo. He didn't understand what it was like to lose Angelique. He never really cared about them. They were just machines to him. Angelique had left the family business and her father had disowned her. She had stayed even though Angel begged her to leave with her. She hadn't listened always wanting to please and make her father proud. Her father had groomed her to the machine she had become. He had dubbed her 'Shadow' (Kage). Together they were Haru and Kage (Sun and Shadow). Later when Leah had asked Angelique for help with Montreol, Angel had agreed without any hesitation.
Leah stepped out of the elevator and headed straight for her father's office. She had done him a favor. She refused to speak to him on the phone but she had come in person. She headed straight for his office surprised that her father had no guards stationed outside. He was getting too relaxed. You always had to expect the unexpected.
Leah burst through the doors startling her father and his men that now had their guns drawn at her. They immediately put them down when they realized it was her and bowed instead.
"Haru (Sun)." Leah said bowing in front of her father.
Kenji had no idea that his daughter would come to him. She had refused his call but here she was now in the flesh.
"Kage (Shadow), welcome home daughter," Kenji replied, he knew full well though that this was not going to be a happy reunion.
"You leave yourself, vulnerable to attack father. Anyone could walk in here." Leah said taking a seat at her father's desk.
"You shame me, Leah, to what end do you bring this shame on the Yamaguchi-Gumi," Kenji said starring down his daughter. He was in charge here not her. His daughter seemed to have forgotten that, Kenji thought.
"I will avenge my sister, we share a bond...Her blood calls out to me and I must put her to rest..." Leah said refusing to back down.
"Her blood calls out to you! How? She is my blood, not yours. You listen carefully you will stop this recklessness now. It ends today now!"
Kenji bellowed, he hated bringing up the lack of blood between himself and Leah but it was true she was adopted but she had become his own.
"You stop hunting this man today Leah. We are the Yamaguchi-Gumi part of the Yakuza but we are not the Yakuza alone. You know we are many. If they feel we are a threat to the organization, they will cut us all off. Is that what you want! "
Kenji said to Leah throwing the images of Theo and his family in front of her.
"That's all it has ever been about to you, only about the organization. All I have ever done is try to prove my worth to you... Leah said her heart sinking as she thought of the day her path crossed with Theodore and Montreol for the first time.
"What about what has been done to Angelique, what about me? I will not rest until everyone who had a hand in the death of Angel breathes no more. So do what you must Haru." Leah continued, she knew her father, he had no time for sentiments. The only thing Haru understood and respected was strength. She could not show weakness.
"Kage you say a lot of things, but when will you accept your own role in the death of Angel. It was your senseless vendetta that brought this upon us. Understand this, if you leave today, you seize to be Yamaguchi-gumi...you seize to be my daughter!" Kenji reprimanded meaning every word. He hated losing his other daughter but if she continued on this path he could not be a part of it. His loyalty was to the Yakuza first. His daughter's loyalty should have been to the Yakuza as well. That's how she had been instructed from birth. But she had gone astray, why and how she had got involved with drug lords and roped in Angel he would never understand.
"Then let it be so...Haru." Leah responded calmly even though her heart was heavy. Her father had finally said it to her face. She was a failure and he blamed her for the death of Angelique, she closed her eyes as she turned her back to Haru and headed for the exit. She had made that decision already her loyalty was to Angel she had failed her once in life she would not fail her in death too. All she had wanted to do was to prove to her father that she was ready to rise in the ranks, but Theo and Montreol had made sure that didn't happen. Because of them, she had become a delinquent in the eyes of Haru.
Kenji felt his heart sink as he fell back into his burgundy leather chair. He had lost both his daughters. Oh how he had failed them, he thought. He knew he had to put an end to this immediately before word spread to the Yakuza that he was losing control of his family. His men had given him information that the man in the pictures that his daughter was after was on his way to New York.
"Make sure you pick up this Theodore Patron at the airport and bring him to me...I will end this."
Kenji said walking out to the foyer of his office with his men surrounding him.
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End of Sample: His Girl 2 coming in 2020 on Amazon.