Issue #0
Majima City, Japan
Katsuragi Cafe
The Katsuragi cafe was a simple, box shaped place that nevertheless had a friendly atmosphere. Walking around, two young employees dusted of their aprons, standing together at the counter. One was a young man with brown hair, pushing up glasses near his eyes. The other was a young girl with long glossy black hair in a ponytail, and she stood a few feet shorter than the boy. Where he looked bored and a little annoyed, her blue eyes were filled with brightness, as if she couldn't wait to get the day started.
"I'm glad to finally work here big brother!" the young girl cheerfully replied. Her brother rolled his eyes. "Trust me Eli, you'll be changing your tune in two weeks."
Looking over the counter, Eli saw that they already had a customer in the back. He was a foreign looking guy with short black hair, one who was sitting down, looking over the menu. The guy wore a simple green jacket, and with it a pair of black cargo pants. He sat back, a pair of sunglasses hanging from a black T-shirt collar. Eli immediately walked over to him and politely bowed. "Good morning sir, what would you like to order?" The guy shrugged, looking up briefly. "Some Black Coffee would be nice." he casually responded. Writing his order down, Eli raised a brow upon noticing his accent. "Ah, you aren't from around here?" She noticed how the guy's large stature, and the tell-tale shadows under his eyes. "You look quite tired. What kinda work you been doing?"
Her brother narrowed his eyes from behind the counter. "Eli, don't bother the customers like that." He said as he filled up the man's order of Black Coffee.
"It's no issue." The man simply replied. "I do Community Service."
XXX
New York City
Two Months Ago
In an abandoned Parking lot, two groups met. In the middle of the underground lot was a table, one filled with boxes and bags of a white substance. On one side was a group of well-dressed Asian men in white, all of them with pistols and various blades at their sides.
[War Journal 1846015: The Yakuza have been really stepping up their game. Tonight, they make a lucrative drug/gun trade deal with the West Side Bleeders Gang. Didn't want to risk the Yakuza knowing I was wise to them, so I didn't try to sabotage their shipment before the deal began.]
On the other side of the table was a group of brown skinned men in red hoodies and tank tops. The leader, a dreadlocked man with a scarred eye shook hands with a bald Asian who had a small goatee on his otherwise hairless head. "I'm glad that your group could make this agreement with the Yakuza. Our power grows every day, and staying on our good side is a wise decision for when we take over in the future." The leader of the American gang grinned widely. Already, their men were mingling. Some were handing blunts to one another, other's showing off their weapons. One fedora-wearing Yakuza gangster stood in the back, a silver briefcase cuffed to his hands.
You can never be too careful.
"Hey, the Bleeders are always looking for more good shit. And you happen to be providing it. If you plannin' a takeover, I want in." The lead gangster said. "Patience." The Yakuza leader in white said, "Let's check out each other's products first." Walking over to the table, the leader hummed as he stroke his beard. "Very nice. AK series, a personal favorite of mine..." He picked up one such gun and inspected it.
Across the room, behind a scarred, pillarlike structure, a man in a black coat stood in shadows
He held a machine gun in his hands, the belt strung across his shoulders.
Meanwhile, the Yakuza leader put the gun down and looked at a white container. He grinned. "Crystal...my favorite." He picked it up. The leader of the Bleeders frowned at this. "Weird. I don't remember bringing any meth tonight-"
[Fortunately, the Bleeders are far more relaxed with their own shipments. I was able to place a few party favors.]
By the time anyone could hear the ticking in the container (And a few others), it was too late.
The container exploded in a burst of flame, blowing up the lead gangsters in a blast of flame and smoke. As what was left of them blew down in crisp chunks upon their respective sides, their men falling to the ground in shock as the explosions knocked them off their feet and killed a few, one floored Bleeder turned his head. "What-"
He saw a man in black step out from behind a pillar. The man unbuttoned his coat, and he aimed a machine gun at them.
While the man was in the shadow's, there was no mistaking the white symbol on the shirt. "Shit shit shit-"
A shot rang out, and the Yakuza with the briefcase fell to the ground in a red puddle, its contents still on his wrist.
Most of the gangsters and Yakuza were still on the ground, and what few regained their wits coughed as they lifted their pistols and SMG's-
Too late.
Brass fell on the ground for the next minute or two.
Then, the man in black stepped out, his smoking M60 still clutched in his hands as he passed smoking bodies. Carefully, he knelt down and set the M60 onto the floor. Pulling out a knife, he reached for the limp wrist of the Yakuza with the briefcase.
XXX
In a black van, with police sirens in the far distance, the man in black read a paper in kanji.
Next to him on a van seat was the briefcase, several other Kanji papers in it.
[Uminyuiki City. That's where the source and leadership of this current Yakuza Operation is. Where I need to attack. Been a while since I traveled to Japan. Hope my dialect isn't too rusty. Got a loose end I've wanted to scratch for a while in Japan too. I can afford to make one pitstop.]
XXX
Now
The man began to drink the coffee Eli's brother had brought over. "Not bad." he replied. Eli continued to talk to him. "Oh, it must be some community service if you're so tired, Mr...Uh..." The man quickly shrugged. "You can just call me Frank."
XXX
Two Days ago, 50 Miles away.
It was nighttime.
On top of a white building surrounded by tall tree's, a mustached man in white, sunglasses over his eyes, walked around with an MP5. He stopped near a door, where he stood for a few seconds before resuming his patrol.
He felt something tapping his shoulder and turned just in time to see a sledgehammer come down swinging at his head.
XXX
"I mostly work in construction. Demolition."
XXX
On top of the building, the dead man lay on the ground, red pooling from his head onto the ground.
With the sledgehammer dropped on the ground next to him, the man in black stood at the edge of a barrier on the roof.
A sniper rifle in hand, he aimed at what looked to be a small mansion ahead in the woods.
[Jo Oni was a survivor of my attack on the Tanaka Clan in '89. He ran away and used his remaining profits from his years as a criminal to purchase this mansion, along with a small army to protect him since then.
Nine of his soldiers
were stationed in this lookout building, making sure any unauthorized vehicles don't drive down the road to the compound.
Now, I just have to wait.]
The man stood there, rigid as night turned to early morning.
[The mansion likely has a vastly increased amount of guards. So, I just need to take a shot and hope it sticks.
That's what explosive rounds are for.]
He could see movement far away through his scope.
One Batch.
He aimed down the sights.
Two Batch.
As a nervous looking man with a scar on his forehead cautiously peeked out a window, he began to squeeze down the trigger.
Penny and Dime.
[Bang.]
XXX
''...So, you want anything else?" Eli curiously asked. "The coffee is fine. Thanks." He got up and casually placed some Yen coins on the table.
Without another word Frank walked out. "Huh. Must really be some work for an old guy." Eli said, tilting her head. Her brother pushed up on his own glasses. "Huh. That man..."
XXX
Frank entered a locked Grey Van. Black Military style crates lined the back of it.
He drove down busy streets, then through a path in the woods. He soon passed a sign, one written in Kanji.
Welcome to Uminyuiki City.
-END
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