Life Renewed

Chapter 1

Terri hated wearing the skirts that were part of the school uniform. Especially during winter, which was why she was wearing sweatpants as she walked with Cole on their way to school on Tokyo. The two twins had moved there two months ago when their father married their step-mother about six months ago. The fraternal twins had an older step-sister - Kimi - that was a couple of years older than they were.

"Come on, Terri," Cole said.

Sara looked and saw that the bus they were riding had stopped and the high school students that were on were getting off. Terri followed her classmates and brother off and walked the rest of the way to the school. Of all the girls that walked to the school, Terri was the only one wearing sweatpants.

"What's with you?" Col asked as they entered the school. "You've been distant lately."

"Don't know. It's like someone's watching me."

"It's probably one of the mobs," Kimi said. "Especially the Yakuza."

"Yakuza?" Cole asked, opening his locker.

"Yeah. The biggest of the Japanese mob families. I won't be surprised if their people have been trailing you for the two months you've been here."

"And they won't make a move against us?" Terri asked, putting her sweatpants into her locker and pulled out the books for two hours.

"Not unless you force their hand."

"I know I won't," Cole said.

Terri sighed. Her brother was not the risk taker of the two of them. Terri was not scared of Yakuza. She closed her locker and began for her first class, only to bump into the one person many did not want to bump into: Haru, the son of the Yakuza boss.

"Gomenkudosai, Haru," Sara said with a small, but respectful bow. "I didn't see you."

Haru looked at Terri, who had finished picking up her books and stood and met his eyes.

"I will accept your apology. Come to my table at lunch."

"Of course."

Terri gave another bow as Haru continued on his way. Cole and Kimi rushed over to Sara.

"I can't believe it," Kimi said. 'Haru invited you to his table."

"I just hope I keep my life."

The first half of the day went by well enough. In anyone had heard of the pending meeting between Terri and Haru, and many had, they kept it quiet. When lunch began, Terri went to her locker for her lunch and was approached by two of Haru's male friends. Grabbing her lunch, Terri was escorted by the two men to Haru's table.

"Please, sit," Haru said.

"Afraid that I wouldn't show?"

"Not at all."

Terri sat and produced her lunch. In a snap, it was taken from her. She watched as it was placed in the nearest trash can. Standing, she retrieved her lunch.

"Unless you planned on..."

A scream of fright stopped Terri. Students were running away from outside. Haru's table stood to see what the cause was. It was a monster unlike anything Terri had seen, and she had seen a good amount of monster movies. Everyone but Terri ran; she ducked under the table. Scared to death, Terri did not know what to do. She jumped, hitting her head on the underside of the table, when someone appeared next to her.

"Sorry, Terri," Cole said. "Here, brought you your sweatpants."

"Thanks." Terri accepted them and managed to get them on under the table. She looked out from under the table and saw that the monster had entered the lunch room. There was no where to go without it seeing her.

"It's in here," a voice called out.

The twins looked at each other and peered out from under the table. A squad of men in full raid and riot gear entered the lunch room, shooting at the monster. The thing jumped onto the table the twins were under and Terri screamed.

"We gotta do something, Cole."

"Yeah, run."

Terri sighed and popped up behind the monster. "Hey, ugly. Yeah, you. Come 'n' get me."

When Terri yelled at the monster, it turned toward her, the squad continued to fire on it. Terri grew worried when the monster grew close to her. She began to freeze up.

"Terri!" Cole shouted.

She snapped back and remembered that she had a knife on her. No bigger than five inches, the knife was a birthday gift from her father. Terri cut into the monster with little effect.

"What the..."

One shot in the head and Terri was buried under the creature.

"Help. Kill Squad, mind saving a life here," Terri called out.

The creature was rolled off and Terri was offered a hand up.

"They've seen too much, sir," one of the squad said. "They need to sign the agreement or they come with us."

The leader looked at Terri and Cole for a minute before he nodded.

"You two are coming with us. Go get what you need." He signaled to four of his men to escort the twins to their lockers. There, they claimed what was theirs and rejoined the squad. A helicopter was ready for the group. Terri and Cole were instructed to get on first. Once the squad were on, the helicopter took off and Terri watched as they left the school behind, wondering if she'll ever see her friends again.

At a private dock, The helicopter landed on a very large ship. Cole and Terri were allowed on the ship; but were escorted to a room where they could not see or do anything. The twins each took a seat and waited. With nothing to do, they waited quietly. Hours ticked by before a man entered.

"You two have been cleared," he said. "Follow me."

The twins picked up what they had and followed. Terri wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into, or how it landed her and Cole on the largest private ship she had ever seen. After a ten minute walk, the man stopped and opened one of two doors.

"Terri, this is your room," he said.

She walked in and saw little in the way of clothes and other amenities.

"The two of you will be given credit cards before we reach the next port," the man said.

"Who are you?" Cole demanded.

"David."

With that, David pointed out Cole's room to him before leaving. The twins looked at each other before Cole took his room and Terri began to put her things away. Terri, tired of wearing the uniform, she took it off, leaving the sweats on. Shad little in the way of clothes anyway, so both she and Col would have to make do. With her tings away, Terri stepped out of the room, key in hand. There had to be someone on the ship she could talk to about getting her and Cole's things from their home. Aimlessly walking through the corridors, Terri looked for David with the hope to ask him to allow her and Cole to get their things. After a while, Terri did find David.

"David." Terri came up to him. "Cole and I still have things at our home we'd like to get. Is it possible to get 'em?"

David seemed to look at the wall before he nodded. "I'll have a team go with you."

At their home, Terri placed the last of her clothes into the box and closed it before a member of the team took it. She left her room and saw Cole in the living room. "Well, this is it, dear brother."

"We are coming back, right?"

Terri looked around as if it was the last time she would be seeing the place. "I home so. Let's go." Terri headed for the door.

"No, the boys will not be going to Vietnam," David said over the cell. "Saya and Haji are going." Pause. "I'll tell Terri, sir." Pause. "No, I don't believe that her brother will be going." Pause. "If you insist." David removed the cell from his ear and hung up to hear the sounds of Cole and Terri arriving with the moving teams.