It is much fun to write this story and quite a bit of work to translate it from German into acceptable English. Not only because of that reviews are greatly appriciated.

The story is betad by OveractiveImagination39.

Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo. I am not making money with this story

Prologue: "I will make your problems disappear..."

The sun had already set leaving the town of Karakura to night's awakening darkness. The streets were filled with joyful laughter and carefree people, who were looking for entertainment in the local bars and restaurants.

However, in the town's center, where the buildings grew high in the sky and the streets were void of life due to that late hour, something ominous was about to happen. Indeed it was something that was not to be handled lightly. On the highest floor of Karakura Bank Headquarters, an investment bank and a global player, a man sat behind his desk, waiting.

The only light in the room came from a reading lamp. The icy-cold, white light cast shadows on the man's face, causing him to look much older, his face more wrinkled. His suit was sinfully expensive, just like the golden wristwatch, to which his gaze was drawn every few seconds. And every time he looked at the watch, he pulled his eyebrows together in annoyance and anger.

His business associate - as he liked to call the man to put his own conscience at ease - was late. He was not a man who was used to waiting. Money – he had plenty of that to spend, but time, well that to him was of even greater value, and something he could not afford to waste. However, in this case the person he was waiting for was already closer than he would have liked.

"Hoshi Goro?"

He almost jumped out of his chair, because of the words were spoken without any warning. There had not been any indications to another person being in the room besides him. No sound of a door opening; no steps in the dark. Just the sudden question.

"Yes?" he gasped. "Who's there?" His tone was not as loud and clear as he would have liked it.

"We bear many names. We are the Sword in the Shadows, the Feathery Snake, and the Golden Dragon…yes, call us the Golden Dragon," the voice in the dark answered with a chuckle of sinister amusement, which sent shivers down the business man's spine.

"I've h-heard that…" he cleared his throat, because he sounded more than a little hysterical. Then he continued still not relaxed, "I've heard that you are the best when it comes to…solving certain problems. You know, making people disappear. I've been told you can do that."

When the answer did not come instantly, he nervously licked his dry lips and began to play with the band of his wristwatch. Somehow he thought that this was not such as good an idea as he first had thought.

Why had he not just hired some easy to handle youngster from the streets? This would have been much cheaper and less intimidating than speaking with someone hiding in a dark corner of his office. Someone who didn't bother to treat him with the respect normally shown the owner of such a powerful business. Yes, anything would have been better than this. There always were enough money grabbing thugs out there, but the time to hire one of them was long past, he thought with regret.

"You know our conditions, I suppose?" the shadow asked, now deadly serious. A single drop of cold sweat ran down the side of the banker's face.

"Yes, I do know your conditions, as well as your price."

He lifted a heavy suitcase and placed it on his desk. He tried to muster a confident smile, but failed miserably. Instead his face turned into a grimace of malaise. Silver clasps clicked and the case was opened to reveal bank notes hot off the press. Many of them.

"Just a name and a photo and your problem will just disappear. You will know when it's done, but you will not hear anything from us afterwards. Except if you have another problem we should take care of for you. Of course, you will have to pay our price again."

After a pregnant pause, Hoshi quietly asked, "We have an agreement then?"

The banker shivered once again, when a hand reached out in his direction, inspecting the briefcase and its contents. The rest of his secret visitor remained in the shadows.

Hoshi wondered if there even was something to see, or if the man was just a shadow himself. A bundle of money was inspected with suspicion, before it was thrown back into the case. The clasps clicked shut.

"The target?"

Desperately, Hoshi tried to get his fear back in check, but his hands were sweaty nonetheless as he reached into his pocket to get the picture. He threw it across the table and it was caught in midair, trapped between two slender fingers. The man in the shadows held the picture under the lamp on the desk, then turned it around to read the name that was written on the back. Just for a short moment two orbs flashed in the darkness, filling the cold business man's heart with utter fear. Two golden eyes with pupils slit like those of a reptile, glowing bright and fearsome even without the touch of light.

Hoshi´s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, beating painfully fast, pumping the blood through his veins like never before. Just when he thought he could not stand it any longer, the eyes disappeared.

When he spoke again, the killer's voice once more sounded almost playful still holding a sinister vibration, just like the time he introduced himself. He said to his client, "It is settled then. The pact has been made. Consider your problem to be solved."

"How…how long will it take you," the banker asked meekly. No answer was given. "Hello? Golden Dragon?"

Silence. The man was gone. The darkness soundlessly had swallowed him again. Hoshi was alone in his office and there was no indication that he had not been the entire time. The banker waited in fear for a few minutes more, listening for any noise.

However, there was none, he truly was alone. Horrified, he rose from his chair and hurried out of his office. He needed a bottle of sake right now and the security of his home. There he would hopefully find distraction from the nightmare of a meeting he had just put himself in.

Thanks to OveractiveImagination39 for betareading and helping with the translation.
As for the readers: Tell us what you think about the prologue by leaving some reviews! :)