They should have kept driving. Stopping in this city on their way to 42 Westwood, Los Angeles felt like a bad idea to Ash Lynx, but everyone needed a break from the road. They were only two days away from their destination, so getting some rest would be for the best. Who knew what would be waiting for them once they got there.
"Ash, are you sure this is the best place to look for a room?" asked Eiji, who had grown nervous walking through the darkened streets. This wasn't like Japan, where everything was well-lit and familiar. But he'd grown comfortable with Ash, and in doing so, felt it easy to trust in him.
"If they're anticipating us arriving at that address, they'll be keeping an eye on all the likely routes we can take to get there. So, the further we get from those, the better our chances of staying unseen. Cities are better when you're trying to stay hidden. We just have to be the needles in this overpopulated haystack."
Ibe and Lobo stayed with the car while Ash and Eiji looked for a place to stay. While Ibe contested this decision and didn't want to let Eiji out of his sight, Lobo convinced him to let the two venture out on their own.
"Three's a crowd, but four's just an inconvenience," Lobo had said, but it wasn't what Ibe wanted to hear. He was responsible for Eiji's safety during their visit to the United States, and to leave him in the hands of one of the gang members they had come here to interview just felt... wrong. But in the end, he resigned to the idea, since Eiji seemed excited for the opportunity to explore someplace new. That was the whole reason he had brought him along in the first place, to inspire him. He'd be a hypocrite if he tried to reign him in now.
So, Ash walked the bustling city streets, Eiji being just a step behind though ready to follow him anywhere. In the back of Ash's mind this fact concerned him because if they were suddenly ambushed, this naive Japanese boy would become a liability.
And yet, Ash didn't feel burdened to keep him close.
Exploring the dirtier parts of the city, Ash felt more accustomed with his surroundings. All cities were built the same, corruption and greed developing each specific area. He knew New York backward and forwards, so some Midwest town that claimed to be among the largest was no issue for him. As they came close to finding the type of accommodations that Ash was looking for, they heard some frantic noise in the alley nearby.
"What is that?" asked Eiji, as he cautiously stepped towards the loud crashes that echoed through the alleyway. A hand on his shoulder brought him to a sudden halt.
"It doesn't concern us, keep walking," said Ash with no change of tone to his voice. He knew better than to put his nose in anyone else's business. Focusing on himself had been enough to keep him alive this long. Taking on other's problems only complicated things unnecessarily.
But Eiji didn't think that way. So, when he heard a sound that signaled trouble, he didn't flee, he felt compelled to rush towards the danger. This guy had been raised the exact opposite as Ash Lynx. Ash knew better, yet he still followed Eiji towards the sound of the commotion anyway. What he found was no novelty sight.
The boy couldn't have been older than 15, but he tried to hold his own against five grown men. With three of them holding him down, the one that could be recognized as their leader had already started touching the boy, grazing his hands against areas that no teenager should be so willing to expose.
"Who are you?" asked the man closest to the boy once their presence had been noted, curious to see who had interrupted his time with the human sex toy he had just paid a good portion of money to use as he saw fit.
Ash knew what he was looking at before Eiji even registered just what was wrong with the scenario. The boy was a sex worker, a fate that Ash knew too well.
"Well, for you, I'd be your worst nightmare. But for this boy, I could be seen as his salvation. The perspective is what makes the difference."
"You obviously don't know who you're about to face here. You out-of-towners think you can just waltz into my city and do as you please? I don't think so."
Ash knew this type of guy all too well. Some city official or big-time CEO that was comfortable in the belief that his status shielded him from the consequences of his actions. He'd grown to loathe this kind of man. But he was right about one thing. This wasn't his city, they were merely passing through, quietly if possible. Causing a disruption here could send ripples back to New York and give away their plans.
"It's not my intention to make trouble for you, old man. But perhaps it'd be wise of you to handle this kind of business in a more discreet manner. If the boy is yours, at least treat him with some dignity."
The sound of sirens in the distance started to wail in the distance, growing louder towards their location. The henchman closest to the boss nudged him, "Sir, it'd be wise of us to leave."
"Yeah, yeah. Leave the little shit here. I'm no longer in the mood for entertainment." The man eyed Ash with a flaming intensity before getting hurried away by his men.
Eiji went to the boy, who had been left on the ground, resting on his knees. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?" He offered his hand to help him up, only to have it slapped away a moment later.
"What the fuck did you have to do that for?" The boy jumped back up to his feet and glared at Ash. "I had it handled just fine. You just made it worse, ya asshole!" He took off running down the alley before either of them could get a word in.
"Well, I guess that was a strange way of saying thank you," Eiji said with a short laugh. He noticed that Ash wasn't amused. The expression on his face was hard to identify at first. Eiji felt it seemed as close to regret as Ash would openly show. He wanted to ask him a million questions to better understand why he would react that way but felt that pushing Ash on this subject right now wouldn't get him anywhere. So, they both shook off the encounter and moved on to find a place to rest.
"We could have just ordered delivery to our room, you know. After what happened earlier, the less we see of this city tonight, the better," Ash said as he carried two large plastic bags full of greasy American comfort food.
Eiji nodded, "I know, but when we were out earlier, I saw this place and wanted to try it, but I didn't see a delivery service."
"Nobody would drive to get this trash, much less pay to have someone bring it to them. Just because it's new to you doesn't mean it's worth trying."
"You know, if I had that kind of attitude for every new experience, I would still be in Japan."
Ash didn't have a reply to that.
"Let's just get back, I'm sure the other guys are hungry, even enough to eat this crap."
Eiji laughed as they continued their way. His laughter was cut short by a voice yelling from the club they were passing. They paused for a moment, only to hear the unmistakable sound of metal striking skin. Eiji grew tense while Ash was just as calm as ever. When they heard a voice cry out after a second hit, Eiji took a step towards the entryway to the bar. Ash grabbed his arm, shaking his head to say no. Getting involved with this cities' dark side wasn't smart. From their spot at the entrance, they could hear the conversation taking place inside.
"It was a simple job, Ember. All you had to do was fuck the guy, and you somehow managed to screw it up!" Another smack echoed out as the man spoke.
The voice that answered through tears was young and hoarse. "I-It wasn't my fault, Mr. Ten! Some idiots showed up and ran them off! You can't expect me to be able to finish a job if they leave me firs- OWW!"
"I'm not interested in your excuses, you slutty little shit! That client paid a lot of money for your time, and now we have to return it plus extra as an apology to maintain our reputation. Whoever the fuck interrupted your job isn't here, so who else am I supposed to punish, huh?"
Damnit, how the hell did we end up meeting this kid again? So much for needles and haystacks. Ash knew that Eiji wouldn't let this go now that he realized they were the reason the boy was being beaten.
"Eiji, stay out of sight. I'll go take care of it. But don't you move from that spot, it'll be hard enough getting that kid out of there without having to babysit you as well."
"You don't have to treat me like a child, and I am older than you!"
Ash chuckled, "Then act like the responsible adult here and stay put." He gestured towards Eiji with his pointer finger, then pointed down, enforcing his order to not follow him. Eiji resigned and crossed his arms over his chest like a scolded kid. He was quietly grateful that Ash wasn't demanding they ignore the problem though. It was their fault that boy was being abused, it was only right for them to stop it.
Slipping through the front entrance, Ash took a quick look at the layout of the club. Despite the time of night, there were no customers dancing or drinking their night away. The source of the trouble was in the back corner. Mr. Ten had a man on either side of the boy, holding him up by his arms as their boss pistol-whipped him. Blood streamed down Ember's face, one of his eyes swollen with the beginnings of a dark bruise forming.
"I know I said I'd leave your face alone, since it's what the clients like best about you. But I know a few guys that are attracted to kids with scars. I'd hate to deny someone of their kink, you know."
Ash drew his gun as he got closer to the group. This wasn't any different from New York. Same shit, different area code. He stepped lightly and didn't make himself known until he wanted to be noticed. He paid attention to Ember to get an idea of how badly he was hurt. If they had to make a quick escape, he needed to know if the kid could run. The look in the boy's eyes was all too familiar. They were dull, not even focused on anything around him. Too many times during his own childhood had Ash held that same expression during the times when he wished to be anywhere else.
"I think he's had enough, big guy." Ash trained the gun to the back of Mr. Ten's head, then stared at the men as he waited for Ten to order them to drop him.
"Let him go, damnit!" As they let the boy fall to the ground, Ember looked up at Ash and even though it took a moment, the fire lit back in his eyes again once he recognized him.
"That, that's one of the guys that interfered in my job!" Ember swiped his sleeve across his face to clear away his blood as he slowly stood up.
"Is that so? Then may I turn around and see the man that has cost me a good deal of money tonight?"
"Not if you want to see the bullet before you feel it," was Ash's reply.
Mr. Ten sighed heavily. "What is it that you want? Did you want a go at him? Perhaps you ran my other client off because you wanted him first? I have to say there are less dramatic ways to go about acquiring my goods."
"Shut your filthy mouth, you're twisting my stomach the longer you keep using it. Ember, if you have somewhere you can safely go to, I suggest you head there now. Consider your debts to this 'man' to be paid."
"I wouldn't get too carried away there, outsider," someone said behind Ash. Glancing back while maintaining his gun against Mr. Ten's head, he saw Eiji being strong-armed towards them by another one of Mr. Ten's men. "Boss, I found this kid hiding out near the entrance. Figured something was up so I brought him in."
Ash could almost read Eiji's thoughts as he watched the guy bring him forward and deposit him on the floor in front of Ash and Mr. Ten.
Sorry Ash, I stayed put like you asked.
Looked like Ash was going to have to babysit him after all...
"Ember, is this the other guy that kept you from finishing your job?"
The boy looked at Eiji, "Yeah, that's the other one." The henchman that brought him in drew his gun and pointed it at Eiji.
"I suggest you take that gun away from Mr. Ten's head and throw it off to the side. Now."
Ash hesitated for a moment before setting it down by his foot and kicking it away from him. The situation had gotten worse for sure, but it was still manageable. Another guard grabbed Ash and held his arms behind him while Mr. Ten turned around to see just who had been so brazen to threaten his life tonight.
"Well, aren't you a pretty one. I bet you'd be quite the asset to my business, but sadly I don't take in out-of-town strays." Mr. Ten turned back to face Ember. "I've just come up with an idea." Ten walked over to the bar and retrieved one of the kitchen knives kept behind the counter.
"Ember, you have a choice to make. Take this knife and kill the young man next to you. If you do so, I'll consider all ties to us cut and you'll be free to go. No more selling your body at my demand. However, if you decide not to, or fail to do so, you'll have to watch as my guys kill them in front of you. And if they must do it, they'll be far less kind. Then once they're disposed of, you'll continue your work as my personal fuckboy as the 'star' of our next sex party. I doubt you'll need much time to decide." Ten dropped the knife on the floor in front of Ember then walked away, gesturing for everyone to back up to give the two young men in the middle more room.
The boy bent down to retrieve the blade, then looked from Ash to Eiji. He didn't owe them anything. It was their own fault they were in this situation due to their meddling to begin with. Why should he feel guilty for this? If this one guy's death freed him from the way he'd been living, then he'd be stupid not to take it. But as the guy he was ordered to kill stared at him, pleading with eyes that reflected all the innocence that he'd lost long ago, he felt hesitant. But only for a moment, then he charged forward, knife thrust forward in his hands.
"Eiji, move!" Ash yelled as he struggled against his captor. Eiji dodged as Ember carelessly swiped at him, a sharp whistle sounded as the blade cut the air between the two.
"You- You don't have to do this!" Eiji said as he avoided the boy sent to kill him. "Just give us a chance to help you! You don't have to kill anybody tonight, just trust us, please!" The knife caught the side of Eiji's thigh, slipping through denim and skin easily. Eiji cried out as he grasped his leg. Ember paused as he looked at the wound he had just inflicted. As many times as he'd been beaten and fucked, Ember had never once had to injure or kill anyone. Watching Eiji limp away from him, he didn't feel like he'd find his freedom once the blade finished the job he had been ordered to do. He considered Eiji's words once more as he stared at the blood staining the knife and the tips of his fingers.
Ash fought harder against the man holding him, and finally broke free of his grasp. It only took Ash a moment to disarm the guy and shoot him before turning the gun on Mr. Ten. At the same moment, Ember decided to make his move. He was done thinking it over, he was just done with this whole situation. He lunged forward at the injured Eiji, knowing that with his leg the way it was, he had no hope of evading him this time.
"No!" yelled Ash, and without hesitation shot the boy dead before he could make it to Eiji. Enraged, he quickly killed Mr. Ten and his remaining guards, emptying the clip into Ten once they had all fallen. Once the ricochet of bullet-fire faded away and silence took over the room again, Ash walked over to Ember's lifeless body. Eiji had fallen to his knees, then sat down and hugged his legs against his chest.
"I wish he would have believed me. I should have been more convincing that we could save him," said Eiji as he started to quietly cry.
"It wouldn't have mattered, Eiji. He survived as long as he did by not believing in other people. Don't dwell on it, you'll only run out of tears."
Eiji sniffled and stopped his crying, watching Ash as he closed the boy's eyes. His face reflected an understanding of the boy's situation that Eiji just wouldn't get since he hadn't lived through it himself.
Ash wrapped Eiji's leg up and then set to work ensuring that there wasn't anything left behind that could tie them to this tragic scene. Once he was finished, he helped Eiji to his feet and returned to their room.
"Just how long does it take to get some grub... what the hell happened to you?!" Ibe yelled out as he saw Eiji limp in with a bloody leg.
"It's just a small cut, nothing to worry about," answered Eiji, his voice low and emotional. Trying to play it cool wasn't something he could succeed in faking tonight.
"You go out for food and come back with a stab wound! And what were you doing while this was going on?" Ibe asked Ash, who only gave a cold stare before stepping into the next room and closing the door behind him. He could hear Eiji trying to calm down the other two men and walked to the bed and sat down.
Replaying the night's events in his mind, he saw that Ember could have easily overwhelmed Eiji at any time and killed him. In a way, that could have been the boy's way of giving them a chance to save him. Whether that was true or not, Ash felt the guilt of failing him, and it stung just the same as when he compared it to his own inability to save himself from his own miserable childhood. He'd only survived it through relying on himself and using any and every opportunity to his advantage. If he'd been given the same choice as Ember, he would have done the same thing.
After some time, Eiji knocked on the door and walked in. "I think they've calmed down now. Ibe was still pouting like a child when I told him good night. I think we can blame it on being hungry, but we can take care of that in the morning. Are you... okay?" He stopped in front of Ash's bed, where he sat with his elbows against his knees.
"Fine. I'm fine." But both his tone and expression betrayed him, and Eiji easily picked up on it. Sitting down next to Ash, he rubbed at his eyes as fatigue started to catch up to him.
"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to save him, Ash. My weakness got in the way of someone's safety again. I'm so tired of being helpless. I don't want to be a burden, to you or anyone."
Ash put an arm on Eiji's shoulder, "You weren't the one that was weak there, Eiji. I had no intention of letting any of them kill you. So, if anyone wasn't strong enough today, it was me. That boy... if I hadn't tried to save him earlier..." Ash's voice cracked as the emotions he'd been swallowing down came back out. Eiji embraced him as he let Ash release his pent-up emotions.
"It's okay, cry if you need to get it out, Ash. I feel like you're not just crying for Ember, but for yourself as well. And that's alright. I'm here to take it all in for you."
Yeah, they should have kept driving. Stopping in this damn city had been a bad idea just as Ash had suspected. They couldn't drive fast enough to evade the tragedy that surrounded him. And yet, as he sat there crying into Eiji's shoulder, he felt a relief that he'd never experienced before. He found comfort in this innocent, clueless, and hopelessly naive foreigner.
Maybe this wasn't such a bad detour after all.