Donnie's 28

Mikey's 27

Leo's 22

Raphael's 20

Sergeant Hamato Leonardo of the NYPD tapped away on his PC keyboard and frowned, as he wondered how to get out of his father-in-law's humanitarian award acceptance speech at the New York Plaza the following day. It'd be boring as hell and he hated dressing up and hanging out with the snobby elite. He'd also have to play the dutiful and attentive husband to his wife of six years, Hannah May, who was blonde, blue eyed, gorgeous, vain, pompous and spoiled and who also bored him senseless with her inane chatter about herself, fashion and her equally conceited friends, who detested him just as much as he loathed them. They'd never thought Leo worthy of Hannah, because he didn't come from the same background and they'd long advised their pal to ditch him.

Leo and Hannah had met when they were sixteen at Hannah's parents' country club, where Leo had been the pool boy. It'd been love at first sight for the couple, but the romance had soon fizzled out on Leo's part, when he'd discovered her true nature. It was too late then, because she was pregnant and at the demand of both their families, they'd married to avoid scandal. Hannah had had a miscarriage a couple months later and when Leo had raised divorce, because he was miserable and out of love with his wife, both sides of the family had said that was out of the question, because it'd generate a scandal, so he was stuck in a loveless marriage for the rest of his life.

He and Hannah didn't have sex anymore, because she didn't love him either, had said he was like a jellyfish in bed, she liked men with a pulse and he didn't turn her on. She had her lovers on the side and that was fine by him, because he'd discovered that he liked men. Preferred them in fact and he'd had had a couple of boyfriends, but they hadn't worked out, so he was essentially alone, which was depressing, because he was lonely and yearned to be loved and to have the loving and happy marriage his parents had.

Leo sighed audibly, scowled and thought, if only I hadn't met her! Why did Fate have to punish me so?

"Trouble at home?" Karai, his colleague asked from her desk next to his.
"Same old," Leo replied. "Man, you're so lucky you have such a great and supportive spouse, instead of a bitch like I have."
"Shini and I have problems sometimes, Leo, but the difference is we communicate and work on them. Every couple has problems and they're lying if they say they don't."
"Yeah, but Shini loves you and is willing to talk. Hannah doesn't want to and thinks she's always right. I wish I'd never met her."
"You could leave her."
"I can't. It'd scandalize our families, especially if I left her for a boy. I thought Paul would last and would be my oasis through this sham of a marriage, but he wanted more from me than crumbs and an occasional fuck here and there. He wanted marriage and I couldn't do that, so he split. I don't blame him. He deserved better, but I do miss him," Leo said wistfully.
"Maybe Paul just wasn't the right one, Leo, and if you met the right one, it'd give you the push you need to leave the bitch. That's what I think. You have to have faith. The right guy will come along and he'll blow you away in the bedroom and beyond," Karai said, her brown eyes twinkling mischievously. "And if I have to be honest, Paul didn't seem right for you. He was too straight-laced Too like you. You need someone who's like you, but also polar opposites. Do you follow me?"
"No."
"You need someone passionate, impulsive, temperamental, outgoing, someone to challenge you, but who's also caring, loving, considerate and who complements you. Someone like that. My cousin, Casey could be perfect for you. I'll give you his number."
"No, thanks, Karai. Casey's a meathead, who swigs beer by the gallon, who's uncouth, a loud mouth, who's had more partners than hot dinners and he doesn't turn me on. I appreciate you thinking of me, but I'd rather be celibate for life than date him and besides, isn't he taken?"
"Nope. Pity. He likes you, but maybe it's just as well, because if you hurt him, I'd have to hurt you back, because he's family."

"Hamato, come to my office," Commissioner Jones, a white haired, brown eyed and rotund man in his sixties said, as he stood in his office doorway. "Jones, get back to work."
"Yes, Uncle," Karai said and resumed reading a file on her computer.

Leo stood up and headed to the commissioner's office.

XXXXX

Commissioner Jones was both Casey and Karai's uncle and was well respected in the police department, although there were rumors he was corrupt and had ties with the Mafia.

Casey had briefly joined the police, but he'd been caught having oral sex in his cubicle and had been fired on the spot. He now worked at an auto repair shop.
Leo was rising rapidly in the ranks and he hoped to be a commissioner before he was fifty.

"Hamato," Commissioner Jones said, pointing at a chair for Leo to sit down and then he did the same behind his expensive Canadian Maplewood desk, his fingers laced. "What do you know about the Haven Church?"
Leo sat down and said, "Well, their leader is Oroku Saki, who's rumored to have made his money through drug smuggling and who's supposedly a born again Christian. He was born in Japan, had a dodgy past and turned his life around when he met Tang Shen, his wife of the past thirty years. She came from a wealthy family in Okinawa. They sunk their combined wealth into creating the Haven Church twenty-seven years ago. It's supposed to be a refuge for people, especially those with issues, such as addictions. He's called King and Tang Shen is called the Queen and they have a following of sixty thousand around the globe, which is increasing all the time. Oroku Saki's an excellent orator and people are sucked in by his lies. He promises to help them and provide a safe haven and place to join and to have a family, to belong, but the members have to pay all their cash to the church every month and they're subject to harsh rules. The women are subservient and are only seen as breeding machines."
"You've done your homework, Hamato," Commissioner Jones said in awe. "I'm impressed. That is correct. They believe in free love and polygamy, arms appropriation, pro guns, Revelation, the end of the world and there are allegations of child sexual abuse. Of course that's been strongly denied by the church. Ex-members are shunned and current members are told to shun those who leave, calling them apostates. Even family members. The Church has services up to twice a day for as long as three hours at a time and they believe in disciplining the kids. Going so far as to spank them with belts and whips. Babies as young as six months are spanked if they cry. Members get married at fourteen. Sometimes younger and men have as many wives as they want. It's called Celestial and it's believed that the more wives they have the more spiritual they are. Oroku Saki has several other wives as well and he has fifty kids. One wife was twelve when he married her. Disgraceful, perverse, nauseating, immoral and illegal! I will not have that happen in my city! Members spend their lives promoting Church growth, attending Church, working there and breeding. If anyone contravenes the Church Laws and dares to speak out against them, they're severely punished and shunned, like I said, so members are fearful to leave. Some have even been killed when they've left. Hamato, this isn't a Church, this is a damn dangerous cult and I want you to go undercover, to investigate it and to report to me, so we can finally start compiling dossiers on them, bring them to book and shut the damn organization down for good. If they're stock piling guns, Hamato, it's not good and if they become spooked and think their members are in danger from the outside world, us and convince them that they are, it could become another Waco. Do you understand, me, Hamato?"
"Yes, Boss. Of course. How long do I stay undercover and when do I start?"
"Tonight. You'll meet with Oroku Saki's eldest boy, Tim, at their headquarters a few blocks from here, and tell him you wish to join the Church. Tell the Church you read about them online and liked what they offered or even better, that you saw a brochure they left at one of the University campuses. They leave them there, hoping to recruit new members. They'll be suspicious at first, but if you copy the members and act like them, they won't have a clue you're a cop. They wear damn kimonos by the way, so wear that. You speak fluent Japanese, so you should fit in. Most members are Oriental and speak it. My advice is to also befriend the members, like Tim and his damn siblings. If people see that, they'll trust you more, because Tim and his damn family are revered. You'll report to me in a month, Hamato, and you'll live near the church and work with the members. Now your background. You were born in Japan, are an only child and your parents are deceased. You studied History at NYU, but dropped out when you saw the pamphlet about their church, because it looked interesting, you want to do something wonderful with your life by serving others and what better way than this Church, which promises that?"
"Yes, Boss," Leo said, thrilled that he was missing his father-in-law's dinner the following evening and at not having to see Hannah for an entire month.
"Excellent. Hamato, the Church is extremely manipulative. Do not allow yourself to be sucked in and to believe in their propaganda. You'll pay out of your own pocket for whatever you need and you'll be reimbursed when you return to work. I suggest you leave work now and go pick out some kimonos and Japanese sandals."
"Got it, Boss. I really appreciate you trusting me with this assignment. I won't let you down, Commissioner."
"I know you won't, Hamato. You're a fine officer and I believe you'll have my job someday. Good luck and don't worry about your wife. I'll inform her about your assignment. Do it well and you'll be promoted."
"I sure will. See you in a month," Leo said and saluted his boss.

Leo left the office, went to his desk, grabbed his brief case and told Karai he'd see her in a month, because he had an assignment.

Leo then left the station, hopped into his car and drove to the nearest mall to look for a kimono and Japanese sandals, vowing that his assignment would be a success and that the Church would soon be shut down for good.

A/N Next up, Leo meets Raphael.

Just an idea I had after watching Twisted Faith week on the crime channel about cults.