Hello everyone, hope you're all having a nice evening :) I'm going to be uploading this every other day so it will be pretty regular, hope you enjoy today's chapter :D

Atsushi stands at the end of the deserted street staring at the huge building that Kunikida said is the headquarters of Port Mafia. He can't help but think if Kunikida and the others know where the headquarters are why don't they just storm the place but that doesn't seem to be an option for whatever reason. Storming the place would be much too easy anyway, no way in hell it would work not in a million years and any arrest they would need proof for.

Atsushi continues to stare at what looks like a door, desperately trying to formulate some kind of plan. So far nothing has sprung delightfully to mind other than the ridiculous notion that he should just walk through the front door and proudly shout out that he wants to join Port Mafia, which will probably get him shot.

Atsushi sighs. This is silly. Why am I here? I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing with this.

The briefing he got from Kunikida wasn't exactly helpful and he had nothing that was in any way a sensible suggestion of how Atsushi was going to get inside. All he had really said was that Atsushi had to be on guard and not get too relaxed.

As if I could relax at a time like that...

Atsushi sighs again. He's just about ready to give up and go home. Now he's seen the place he can actually begin to formulate some kind of plan that doesn't leave him creepily standing on a street corner for ages. Maybe he can talk to someone else at the Agency, someone who's already had dealings with Port Mafia? They might be able to give him some pointers.

A hand suddenly slips around his face to cover his nose and mouth with a cloth. Atsushi lets out a yelp and begins to struggle against the person holding him, trying to twist round so that he can see who it is but they're strong, much stronger than he and he can't seem to be able to twist himself round. It's not until he takes a deep, shuddering breath that the tang of the chloroform hits the back of his throat.

Fuck!

No this can't be happening.

He know that he should stop breathing until he can get fresh air but he's panicking, struggling against the person holding him but they're obviously much bigger than he is. He can feel his head going fuzzy and his body becoming limp. His vision begins to fade and he feels his eyes slowly slip closed as the chloroform takes hold and he looses consciousness.

When Atsushi opens his eyes again everything is still black. He goes to bring his hands up to his face to determine what's happening but he can't move his hands either. He hears the clink of metal on metal as he tries to move and can feel the chill of it against his wrists. I must be cuffed and blindfolded... clearly whoever grabbed me out on the street doesn't want me to see who they are or where I am.

He hears footsteps coming towards him and his entire body tenses. He's on the alert now, any sluggishness left over from the chloroform gone completely. The footsteps stop and he wishes he could see. He's on edge, his skin prickling as he waits for whoever is standing in front of him to do something.

"Well, well, well..." a deep voice says and every single muscle in Atsushi's body clenches, "what do we have here?"

Atsushi doesn't reply. He opens his mouth but no words come out. Paralysed by fear he wishes that he was more prepared for this. He swallows in an attempt to get his voice working but before he can try again an unforgiving hand in his hair tugs his head back harshly, making him hiss softly in pain.

"I asked you a question," the deep voice says, lowering dangerously. "You dare to insult me by refusing to answer?"

"N... no," Atsushi stammers. This is how I'm going to die, he thinks, Kunikida was right I can't do something like this... I'm just useless.

"Then what were you doing sneaking around outside my establishment?" the deep voice asks.

"I... I was just passing," Atsushi lies, hoping against hope that it might just save him.

"Now the both of us know that isn't true," the man in front of him says. "My men were watching your movements and I know that you were not 'just passing by' as you claim."

Oh fuck!

This really is how I die!

"I... ah..." Atsushi tries to come up with something quick and convincing but his brain is coming up on empty.

"I want an answer," the man demands. Atsushi hears a click, then something cold is pressed against his temple and he realises that it's the barrel of a gun. "If I don't deem your answer to be good enough then I will pull the trigger."

"I... oh god!"

"Five," the man says.

"What?!" Atsushi asks, his voice a petrified squeak. What the hell is happening?

"Four," the man continues his countdown. "Three."

"I... I... I want to join the Port Mafia," Atsushi blurts out.

Silence.

"Come again?" the deep voice asks and he sounds almost surprised. Clearly he wasn't expecting that.

Atsushi takes a deep breath and tries to talk without stammering but it's difficult with the barrel of a gun pressed to his temple, the pressure not letting up.

"I..." His voice catches in his throat but he swallows and tries again. "I want to join the Port Mafia."

"Why?" the man asks, pressing the gun harder against Atsushi's forehead.

Fuck!

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I need an answer...

"I want the power and status that comes with being a member," Atsushi blurts, hoping that will be a sufficient enough answer to at least have the gun removed if nothing else.

"And what do you think you could possibly offer me?" the man asks.

"What?"

"I am the head of the Port Mafia," he replies. "I don't just take anyone one. If I am to welcome you into the fold of my organisation you are going to have to prove that you are worth my time and effort. Understand?"

"Yes sir," Atsushi says hurriedly.

"So," the man... the head of Port Mafia, asks him, "now's your chance: convince me."

"I... um..." Atsushi hedges. He's no good at coming up with good points about himself but with a gun to his head it's even harder than usual.

"I'm waiting..."

"I... I don't have much to offer," Atsushi stutters. "I'm not particularly strong or smart but when I put my mind to something I won't stop until I've done it."

"And...?" the head asks after allowing Atushsi some time to catch his breath.

What?

He wants more?

"I..." Atsushi desperately tries to get his brain to function properly so that he can give more of an answer but it just doesn't seem to be working. He can't make his voice or his brain function. "I don't have anything else," he says finally.

He closes his eyes underneath the blindfold. He's sure that this is it. That wasn't a good enough answer and he's going to kill me right now. The silence stretches on and Atsushi can feel himself trembling.

Suddenly the pressure on his temple is gone and he lets out the breath he's been holding and relaxes slightly. He's still tense because that gun could be pressed against his skin at any time and it doesn't quite make sense. Why change his mind now? Why not just kill me?

He feels a hand on his chin tilting his face up so that whoever is standing in front of him can look at his face. The head (at least he assumes it's the head) holding his chin runs their thumb over Atsushi's bottom lip, moulding the plump flesh to how they want it. Atsushi's breath catches in his throat. What the hell is going on here?

Before he has the chance to try and work that out the thumb is gone. Atsushi lets out the breath he's been holding. He can feel himself trembling and he wants them to just get whatever they're going to do over with. If you're going to kill me just get on with it already, he almost wants to shout.

"I'm going to give you one chance," the head says, his voice sounding far away considering he was standing in front of Atsush only a second ago. "Prove your usefulness to me and I'll let you continue to live."

"Yes sir," Atsushi says.

"You're dismissed," the head says. "I'll call for you when I want you."

"Yes sir."

A rough hand grabs Atsushi by the elbow and yanks him to his feet. He allows whoever it is to steer him until he hears the click of a door. The cuffs are removed and he's shoved out of the door. He hears it slam shut behind him and then there is silence, save for the distance rumble of the main road traffic.

With a shaking hand he reaches up and takes the blindfold off. The light of the sun hits him square in the face and it takes a while for his eyes to adjust. Looking around he realises that he's out on the street he had been on earlier and the only thing to prove that what just happened actually did happen is the blindfold in his hand.

Atsushi turns behind him to try the door and get back in but, of course, it's already been locked behind him.