Raizo walked with Sam through a shopping mall. Samantha Harker was a young college girl who had been targeted by one of the clans once upon a time. She'd decided to do a research paper on Japanese legends and, naturally, the clans had come up. They had discovered that Samantha, who was more intelligent than average civilians, had enough in her research to prove their existance and decided she needed to be killed. But after Raizo taking down Ozunu with the help of Mika and Maslow, most of the clans feared him. Feared his rage, his vengeance. So, after learning that Samantha was under Raizo's protection, they had let her live.
But there were still a few clans that did not fear Raizo and thought themselves able to kill him. So, while Sam was probably safe now that she had abandoned her research, Raizo wasn't. "Raizo, why do you keep checking on me?" Sam, who had golden curls and chocolate colored eyes, looked up at him. She was twenty one but she looked all of sixteen. It was scary. She was dreadfully innocent and upbeat. And if anyone Raizo had ever saved or tried to save deserved to live, it was Sam.
He gave her a gentle smile,"Because you're hopelessly reckless." He rustled her hair.
Sam giggled,"Look who's talking." He smiled a bit wider. Then he heard his cell phone ringing. "You have a cell phone?" Sam blinked.
"It's a throw away," He said.
"Who is calling?"
Raizo didn't answer Sam but he did answer the phone. "Mika? What's wrong?"
"I need you to meet me," She said softly,"Right now."
"What's wrong, Mika?"
"I found a little boy who says that he knows you."
"Little boy?"
A second later a gentle, child's voice came on the line. "Raizo?"
Raizo nearly dropped the phone but composed himself,"Hiro? Hiro, why are you with Mika?"
"I heard you talking about her and when you didn't come back I thought they'd found you. . So I found her."
"Let me talk to Mika," He sighed. Mika came back on the line. "Tell me where you are and I will come there. Do not move. Stay exactly where you are."
Raizo hung up as soon as MIka gave him the address she was at. He looked at Sam,"I have to go. I'll come visit soon. Be safe." Sam nodded and watched him go.
Raizo walked into Mika's office at Europol. He was welcome there now that he had assisted with Ozunu case. Mika was sitting at her desk with a boy, no older than seven, sitting on the desk. They were drawing together. The boy had very dark, almond shaped eyes, jet black hair that only came to his ears, and he was small. Petite even by children's standards. "What are you drawing?" Mika asked.
"My hero," He said and kept drawing.
"Hiro," Raizo stood in the doorway. The boy's head snapped up and he jumped off the desk, his drawings and crayons falling to the floor. He ran over to Raizo and hugged him. Raizo knelt down and wrapped his arms around the boy,"What are you doing here, Hiro?"
"I told you, I was worried."
Hiroshi, Hiro for short, was a young boy that Raizo had saved. Well, sort of. He'd been trying to save Hiro's parents but the Ozunu's had gotten to them first. Hiro had killed their assassin and taken Hiro away so that the Ozunu's couldn't do to Hiro what they'd done to Raizo. Hiro had only been about a year old at the time. So he didn't remember much. And Raizo liked it that way. If he did remember, he'd have seen Raizo as a killer and not a savior.
Raizo didn't care about hero worship or anything, but he cared deeply for Hiro and the idea that Hiro may fear him, think him a monster. . . That hurt.
"Let's get you home. . . Hiro, how did you get here though?"
"I just. . Walked. I did use public transportation and managed to get some money for it." Hiro was incredibly intelligent for only seven years old.
"You mean you stole money from people," Raizo frowned,"Hiro."
Hiro hung his head in shame,"I just wanted to find you. ."
Raizo sighed,"Hiro, listen to me." He lifted the boy's chin,"Stealing is wrong. And you're not off the hook for this. . But I know your heart was in the right place." He stood and looked at Mika,"I need you to drive us. Do you mind? It might take a day or so."
Mika smiled,"I don't mind at all, Raizo." She stood up,"Let's head to my place so the kid can rest."
Mika took Raizo and Hiro to her apartment. She tucked Hiro into a bed in her guest room then came out to see Raizo on her couch,"Who is this kid, Raizo?"
"He's my responsibility." He said,"Thank you for this. . And I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
Raizo sighed,"I stole HIro when he was very young from the Ozunus. And the other clans know that Ozunu did not just take any orphan child they found. Ozunu wanted Hiro. But now that he is gone, the other clans will want him. . "
". . So, he's being hunted and by him coming to me, I've been dragged back into this."
"Yes. You have," He stood up,"Well, if you stay with us. And you in danger is the last thing I want."
"Then why'd you ask me to drive you?"
"I planned to steal your car when you were asleep."
"And you're changing your plan because?"
"Because lying to you feels wrong after everything we went through and I don't like the idea of losing a friend like you because of deceit."
Mike had to smile a little bit,"I'm not happy I'll have to run for my life again," She slipped her hand into his,"But thank you for being honest." Raizo squeezed her hand. She sighed,"I'll get ready to go."
And within a few hours, they were gone. Driving. Hiro asleep in the backseat of Mika's car, Raizo keeping watch.
They drove through the night and Raizo switched with Mika so he could drive. She slept in the passenger side and only woke when they stopped.
It was daylight and warm and very sunny. But Mika had no clue where they were. She just knew they had stopped at a small diner in the middle of nowhere to eat. Raizo looked at her,"You both need to eat."
"What about you?" Mika yawned. "Aren't you hungry?"
"I don't eat anything that might kill me," He got out of the car and opened the back door to help Hiro out of the car.
Mika shrugged and followed him inside. It was true, in the two years that Mika had now known Raizo, he ate very healthy and usually cooked for himself. No fast food, no caffinated drinks, strict work out and meditation regimen. He took very good care of his mind and body.
They ordered their food to go and sat outside in the grass to eat. Hiro smiled up at Raizo,"I can;t wait to get home. I can show you all my new books and toys and-"
"Hiro, where is your home?" Mika asked, biting into the burger she had gotten. Raizo took a bite of his salad. The only thing on the menu he would agree to eat.
"Well, originally I was born in Shizuoka Japan. But now I live-" Raizo covered his mouth, looking very serious.
"They're here," Raizo looked at Mika and handed her a piece of paper,"Take Hiro, follow those directions, and drive like you did the night we met."
The next thing Mika saw the blood spray. Raizo had moved so fast with a blade that she hadn't seen him move.
"I can't just leave you!" Mika stood. Well, more like jolted up so the bloodied body of their assailant didn't land on her.
"Go or we both die!" He snapped at her.
Mika hesitated only a moment before grabbing Hiro, who was stunned into terrified silence and running to the car,"Hiro, buckle up!" Hiro did quickly and Mika sped off, looking back only a few times. Her last glimpse of Raizo was him being slashed up.
Mika looked at the paper. It gave her directions into Germany's Black Forest. They drove for so long and finally stopped at the bottom of a hill. Because the directions said to stop and wait ten minutes. Then if nothing happened, to drive on for another two miles.
So, they stopped and Mika looked around, feeling at ill ease. Mika heard leaves rustle and she looked over. Raizo was leaning against a tree. Mika hurried out of the car and ran over to him. He had slices all over him. "Oh God. Lets get you to a doctor." She helped him into the car and got in.
"No. Just drive on. I'll be fine." He looked back at Hiro, who looked so scared that he had tears in his eyes. "Hiro, it's okay. I promise. I'm going to be fine." Hiro nodded and sniffled, wiping his almost tears away.
So, they drove again and ended up outside a large house. In the middle of nowhere. In the Black Forest. As soon as Mika got out, a woman with long hair all the colors of raven feathers bound in a braid and eyes violet as amethysts stepped into the doorway of the house. She was curvy and porcelain skinned, dressed in a pair of dark denim skinny jeans, an off the shoulder, white top with long sleeves, and white ballet flats.
Hiro ran over to her and the woman knelt down and embraced him tightly then stood when Raizo emerged from the vehicle. Mika watched the woman's eyes melt with affection at the sight of him but quickly that affection turned cold and hard. The woman let go of Hiro, stormed over to Raizo, and slapped him across the face so hard that his head jerked to the right.
Mika gasped,"Hey!"
She raised her hand to hit him again but Raizo grabbed her wrist. "I deserved the first one. Don't push it."
She glared at him and looked at Mika,"Who are you?"
"Mika Corretti. You?"
The woman ignored the question and continued her own line of interrogation,"Are you his new skank?"
"Excuse me!" Mika gaped at her.
"Malaya!" Raizo snapped angrily,"Play nice."
The woman, Malaya apparently, looked back at him then at Mika,"Come inside." She went into the house.
Mika came over to Raizo,"What the fu-"
"Forgive her." He sighed,"She's not really that bad. Now c'mon." He led her inside the house. Mika instantly shut and locked the front door. "Unlock the door."
"What?"
"Unlock the door, Mika."
"Why?"
"Because she doesn't like locked doors." He said and went into the living room. It was decent sized, cozy. Warm, cherry wood furniture, a chocolate brown couch and chair, the air smelled of cinnamon and spices. It was a welcoming atmosphere actually. It gave off an aura of safety and warmth.
Raizo sat on the couch and rested his head on the cushions. Mika sat beside him,"I thought you were dead. You were out numbered worse than with Ozunu. Right?"
"Yes, I was."
Malaya walked in a minute later with a tray in hand,"Here sweetie, drink this."
Raizo reached and Malaya pulled back,"I meant her!" Malaya snapped at him.
"I'm skank one second and sweetie the next?" Mika blinked. "Are you bipolar?"
"No. I lost my temper on you and you didn't deserve it. I apologize for that." Malaya handed Mika a mug,"This will help your nerves."
"So, why did I deserve your rage?" Raizo asked.
Malaya ignored him and looked at Mika,"How'd you get in this mess?" Raizo opened his mouth to answer and Malaya snapped at him again,"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything!"
"Well, it would have been stupid if you had!" Malaya replied. Mika just watched. Well, now. This was interesting.
Malaya went out of the room again and Mika looked at Raizo,"What the hell? Who is this kid and who is his psychotic mother to you? She is laying you out!"
Raizo sighed,"You don't want to know, okay? Just accept her kindness."
