"Grab those boxes." Kotetsu instructed, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

"Is this the last?" Barnaby asked, lifting the stack of boxes with a grunt.

"Should be. Kaede!" Kotetsu shouted across the empty apartment. "All clear over there, right?"

"Yeah, Papa…" Kaede called, running through the empty rooms, her hand trailing along the walls.

"That wasn't too bad." Barnaby said, carrying the boxes through the narrow front door.

"Papa's a min-i-ma-list." Kaede announced, following Barnaby down the rusting iron stairs.

Barnaby handed off the boxes to Stag who placed them neatly in the back of the moving truck. "That's it."

"Really?" Charlie-Boy asked, shaking his head as he lit a cigarette. "I have more shit in my attic than you do in your entire house, Kotetsu…"

"Then don't keep shit." Kotetsu suggested, jumping slightly as Stag pulled the noisy door of the trailer down and locked it into place.

"Ready to go?" Barnaby asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah." Kotetsu nodded. "You guys have the address still, right? It's apartment 2208."

"Yeah, we got it. Have a little faith in us…" Charlie-Boy groaned.

Kotetsu opened the door of the moving truck, helping Kaede up into the high cab. Kotetsu smiled at Barnaby, "I told you I didn't need help."

"Yeah, well, no one likes moving. And I figured you wouldn't ask for help, even if you needed it…" Barnaby reasoned. "You do have a gimpy hand and all, you know…"

"Thanks." Kotetsu said, folding his arms over his muscled chest.

"We'll meet you there." Barnaby said, ducking into the backseat of his car.

"Papa?" Kaede began, kicking her feet against the bench seat.

"Yeah, Kaede?" Kotetsu buckled up, adjusting the mirrors.

"Why are we moving so far away from the bar?" Kaede asked, glancing at her father from the corner of her eyes.

"It's safer where we're moving." Kotetsu explained. "And your new school is way better. They even have afterschool music class…"

"Are you gonna close the bar?" Kaede asked, nervously chewing on her bottom lip.

"Why do you ask that?" Kotetsu furrowed his brows, pulling out of the apartment parking lot and into the street.

"I heard you on the phone with Mura-Ojisan." Kaede confessed.

"I don't know what I'm doing yet…" Kotetsu exhaled heavily, licking his lips. "But we need to keep this between you and me. Don't go telling other people, okay?"

"Other people? Like who? Barnaby?"

"That means everyone. No one but me and you." Kotetsu clarified.

"So are you closing the bar?" Kaede pressed.

"I've been thinking about going home." Kotetsu said softly. "I grew up on acres and acres of grass and trees. There wasn't concrete everywhere. There weren't gangs on every corner…"

"Home home? You want to leave Sternbild?" Kaede's eyes opened wide.

"Well what do you think?" Kotetsu responded.

"I think you work too much." Kaede said with a decisive nod.

"Well, I'd have to get a new job wherever we moved to…" Kotetsu explained with a laugh.

"You should close the bar." Kaede spoke softly. "It's too dangerous."

"I can't close it yet." Kotetsu replied. "This apartment costs even more than the last one. I have to have a job."

"Couldn't you just work for Barnaby?" Kaede suggested innocently. "They all have iPhones and drive fancy cars…"

"Barnaby… Barnaby's company isn't hiring…" Kotetsu deflected.

"He would hire you." Kaede insisted. "He likes you. I can tell…"

"Oh? You think so, huh?" Kotetsu asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Kaede nodded surely. "He likes you like Kai likes Nallely."

"Were those your classmates?" Kotetsu asked, humored.

"No, they were fifth graders. They were caught kissing in the boys' bathroom…"

"W-w-what?!" Kotetsu sputtered.

"I don't know what was wrong with her." Kaede proclaimed. "I would never go into the boys' restroom. Not ever."

"Boys are gross." Kotetsu breathed out. "Don't bother with them."

"Don't worry." Kaede said with a nod. "I won't."

"Ah, well, here we are…" Kotetsu announced pulling up to a gated complex. "Whaddaya think?"

"It looks nice!" Kaede squealed, pressing against her window in excitement. " .God! Is that a pool?!"

"I thought you'd like that." Kotetsu murmured, driving toward the back of the complex.

"We'll have to invite Barnaby over." Kaede chattered. "Since he let us swim in his pool!"

"Oh… Well, I bet he'd think you were sweet for asking…" Kotetsu said.

"You drive so slow!" Kaede complained, pointing out her window at the black sedan. "They're already here."

"We should order some pizza, huh?" Kotetsu asked, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "To thank those goofy guys for helping us move…"

"Pizza!" Kaede cheered, slapping her hand against her father's in a high five.

"They look like they love pizza…" Kotetsu continued.

"Yeah! And then you and Barnaby can kiss in the bathroom…" Kaede suggested.

Kotetsu braked hard, holding out his arm to prevent Kaede from hitting the dash. He stared straight ahead, his ears, cheeks and nose turning scarlet. "Sorry, Papa… But I am 9. I may not like boys but I know how the world works…"

"You're killing your Papa…" Kotetsu groaned, putting the truck in park and letting his head hit the steering wheel.

"Don't die…" Kaede groaned, shoving her father roughly. "I want to eat pizza and go swimming…"

"Jesus." Stag grunted, adjusting the button on his jacket. "What took so long? My Grandma drives faster than that…"

"Oh, shit, wait…" Charlie-Boy barked in laughter. "He's… He's an Asian Driver!"

"Shaddap!" Kotetsu snapped, letting Kaede climb on his shoulders. He held her legs in his hands, her arms folded on top of his head. "I didn't want the stuff inside to get tossed around."

"We weren't waiting long." Barnaby said with a shrug, gesturing for Stag and Charlie-Boy to unload the boxes.

"Why… the fuck… did you get an upstairs apartment?" Charlie-Boy barked, eyeing the stairs with derision.

"Because I don't want my upstairs neighbor's toilet to drip on me while I'm asleep." Kotetsu answered.

"Fair enough." Charlie-Boy agreed.

"Lemme unlock it." Kaede held her hand out for the key expectantly.

"Alright. Go ahead." Kotetsu conceded, watching her run up the stairs to their new apartment. "Be careful on the steps!"

"How far do you walk to work now?" Barnaby asked, walking directly behind Kotetsu.

"Ah, it's only a 20 minute bus ride."

"Do the buses run at 4 a.m.?"

"I'll either have to wait half an hour or walk…" Kotetsu explained. "Not bad."

"You know," Barnaby said quietly, pinching Kotetsu's bottom playfully. "You're much closer to me now."

"I may have noticed that myself." Kotetsu replied with a smile.

"This complex is much better." Barnaby said suddenly. "It's cleaner. It has a nice lawn… a pool, a gym…" Barnaby cleared his throat. "Window locks and proper door bolts…"

"You noticed that already, huh?" Kotetsu said with a laugh.

"Of course." Barnaby admitted. "I want you to be safe."

"Oh, by the way," Kotetsu began, turning around to face Barnaby. "Guess what my daughter said in the car?"

"What?"

"She said that I should kiss you to thank you for helping us move."

"Well, I wouldn't mind," Barnaby drawled teasingly. "But Charlie-Boy gets attached easy. He might not understand…"

"Agh!" Kotetsu groaned, pinching Barnaby's hip. "Not them, just you… She said she can tell you like me…"

"Well, she's a smart girl…" Barnaby mused, beaming from ear to ear. "What can I say?"

"We live in a strange world." Kotetsu said softly. "One day things like this, things like you and me, they won't be bad."

"Bad?" Barnaby frowned. "I don't think we're bad."

"I don't either, but I mean, what others see…" Kotetsu explained. "I knew a man who wanted his son to die. His own son. Just because his son was held by another man…"

"Point taken." Barnaby muttered.

"And, I guess, I just feel so strange. My daughter knows you like me and she thinks I should kiss you…" Kotetsu laughed, covering his mouth self-consciously. "I wish I could be half as sure as my 9 year old."

"Grownups are complicated…" Barnaby blurted, poking Kotetsu in the chest and arms playfully.

"Yeah. And I guess I just don't wanna be complicated anymore." Kotetsu finished with a shrug.

"Wow," Ryan nodded his head in approval. "This place is looking real spiffy… I like the new signs outside."

"Yeah, they decided to renovate a bit." Kotetsu explained, serving the two men at the bar without sparing Ryan a glance.

"I'll take a Dr. Pepper and whiskey." Ryan said, sitting at the bar with a smirk.

Kotetsu popped open a can of soda, pouring it into a cup of ice. He poured the whiskey into a shot glass, placing it on the cup as a sidecar. He slid it across the table to Ryan wordlessly.

"You moved." Ryan said finally, smacking his lips as he tasted his drink.

"How'd you know?" Kotetsu asked.

"I stopped by your house." Ryan explained.

"Why?" Kotetsu demanded.

"I had some questions."

"The Martinez case is officially closed. I know that for a fact." Kotetsu barked.

"This isn't about the Martinez case." Ryan replied with a dismissive smirk. "This is about your current involvement with the Brooks Corporation…"

"Get to the point, quietly…" Kotetsu insisted, nodding toward the two customers down the bar.

"You're supposed to be done with organized crime…" Ryan's lips curved slowly as he spoke. "Didn't 'Wild Tiger' Kaburagi throw in the towel?"

"I asked for the point." Kotetsu drawled impatiently.

"I was assigned a case," Ryan explained quickly. "And Brooks Corp are the suspects. Every time someone gets a good look at them, you're there too…" Ryan clicked his tongue before downing his shot of whiskey. "I wanna know why you keep turning up in all my investigations."

"Coincidence." Kotetsu answered.

Ryan opened up his briefcase, tossing a manila folder onto the bar. He opened it, spinning it around to face Kotetsu. "I've got one Barnaby Brooks Junior, juvenile records sealed. No felony record on file. As you know, he's the damn leader of Brooks Corp. You've been sighted in public no less than 23 times…"

"He's my landlord." Kotetsu muttered.

"And rumor has it, your new fuck buddy…" Ryan countered.

"That's unconfirmed." Kotetsu retorted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Well, then, how about a Charles Lee Hopper? Juvenile records sealed, no felony record on file." Ryan shifted the papers, leaving Charlie-Boy's mugshot on top. "Is he your landlord too?"

"He's my landlord's personal assistant…" Kotetsu grumbled. "Or something…"

"Or something… sure…" Ryan muttered, switching the papers. "And then we have Roman Szymon Wojciechowski III…"

"I have no fucking clue who that is." Kotetsu answered honestly, raising his hands.

But then Ryan switched the papers, leaving Stag's on top. Kotetsu leaned forward staring at Stag's mugshot. "Sealed juvenile records, no felony record on file…"

"He's my landlord's chauffeur." Kotetsu explained.

"Rich people certainly live differently, don't they?" Ryan mused, licking his teeth.

"Look, if I were you, which I'm not, I would look into having the judge unseal those records…" Kotetsu suggested. "I'm sure you're curious. Did they TP the school? Did they kill a man? That should have been step one. Did you do well at the academy? Are you one of those 'C's get Degrees' people?"

"I've already requested it." Ryan barked. "But thanks…"

"I really can't help you." Kotetsu repeated for the hundredth time. "I've never seen them doing anything illegal."

"Except when they killed Martinez, you mean?" Ryan retorted coolly.

"You're a frustrating guy." Kotetsu complained. "Do you have a girlfriend? You need some stress relief in your life."

"Martinez abducts you, sexually assaults you, Brooks kills him, you and Brooks become friends…" Ryan counted off on his fingers. "What am I missing?"

"Brooks and Martinez don't really have much to do with each other." Kotetsu insisted. "The reason Brooks and I have any sort of communication is because when he was kidnapped as a kid, I'm the one who got him back home… There's nothing more to it…"

"So are you fucking him?" Ryan asked, leaning heavily against the bar.

"Y-y-you are so damn nosey! I don't have to answer that sort of question!" Kotetsu stammered in frustration.

"And that's a yes." Ryan replied with a smirk.

"It's none of yer damn business." Kotetsu barked.

"You've got a type." Ryan mused, lighting a cigarette.

"Whaddaya mean by that?" Kotetsu demanded.

"Well, you used to fuck Yuri Petrov of the Molotovs, right? You like those fair-skinned, fair-haired dangerous mother fuckers…" Ryan shook his head, a laugh escaping his lips. "You've got balls to get naked in front of them, I'll give ya that."

"Agh!" Kotetsu grimaced. "They're nothing alike."

"Blonde hair, green eyes, Caucasian, male…" Ryan listed off.

"Well, shit, ya got me," Kotetsu taunted, leaning across the counter. "Unfortunately for you, ya fit right in that little 'type' I have, don'cha?"

Ryan shrugged, unflinching. "Eh, go ahead. I don't care. I ain't scared of homos." Ryan smiled handsomely. "I am scared of organized crime though. And I worry about what it will do to Sternbild if I can't stop it."

"Damn," Kotetsu groaned. "Don't act so fucking noble, it's harder to hate you."

"Tiger," Ryan pressed. "I don't care if you were yakuza or not. I can tell you're a good guy, deep down. But you won't help… it pisses me off. You have so much information. And you could get so much more…"

"You're talking too loud." Kotetsu warned, slapping his hand on the counter. "Watch yourself."

"Then help me out." Ryan demanded.

"I can't. For the last time, stop asking. I cannot be your informant." Kotetsu whispered heatedly.

"Why? Give me a reason I can understand…" Ryan insisted.

"Because I don't want to die. Not yet. Not in some horrible way. Because I want to leave Sternbild. But I can't leave yet." Kotetsu explained in exasperation. "I can't put myself in danger purposefully. I have things I want to protect."

"Alright." Ryan nodded stiffly. "But if I come across you in another one of my investigations, I'm cuffing you and taking you downtown for questioning. You're not immune. And you think you are…"

"I don't think that at all." Kotetsu disputed quietly.

"I'm closed." Kotetsu said, not bothering to look up from the register.

"Yeah, well, I figured we'd drive you home. Waiting for the bus is for poor people." Barnaby called out, sitting down at one of the empty tables.

"I am poor." Kotetsu grumbled, counting the money under his breath.

"Don't mind them." Charlie-Boy barked. "Rich princes just can't understand the rest of us."

"I didn't even say anything…" Stag complained, his brows furrowed as if he'd been scolded.

"Oh, hello, Roman…" Kotetsu said, looking up with a smile.

"Ewww…" Charlie-Boy gasped, covering his ears. "Don't use that horrible name…"

Stag sighed heavily, leaning against the wall. He shrugged, his mouth held tightly. Kotetsu couldn't tell if he was annoyed with him or with Charlie-Boy. "Hello, Kotetsu."

"Where'd you hear that?" Barnaby asked, referencing Kotetsu's use of Stag's given name.

"Detective Goldsmith." Kotetsu answered, bagging up the counted money. "I was kinda caught off guard when he said your name. I guess I figured your name was Steve or something close to Stag."

"He's Stag because 'Doe Eyes' isn't a very good mafia name…" Charlie-Boy snickered.

"Huh?" Kotetsu tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"You learn a lot about people when you live in a dorm." Barnaby explained. "We discovered that Roman had little baby deer eyes when he was sleepy. You can't exactly call someone over 6 ft 4 and 250 lbs a baby deer…"

"You boys are too sweet for this world." Kotetsu groaned, covering his face. "Why on Earth are you in this line of work?"

The door jingled and Kotetsu made a face, glowering at Charlie-Boy who forgot to lock the door behind himself. "Sor-ry, we're closed…" Kotetsu called out.

"That's okay," Yuri said, walking in with four gentlemen trailing behind. "I'm not here for drinks."

"Ah…" Kotetsu droned, his eyes meeting Yuri's.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Barnaby demanded, his eyes narrowing, his fingers sliding beneath his jacket.

"Don't pull your gun." Yuri warned, his olive eyes wide. "You'll be dead before you can even touch the trigger. Sasha here is the fastest draw in Sternbild…"

"Whaddaya need, Yuri?" Kotetsu asked, tidying up his station at the register.

"I wasn't expecting such a full house…" Yuri drawled, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"Barnaby, you guys go ahead." Kotetsu urged, nodding toward the door. "You can wait outside."

"But-"

"Go on, Junior." Yuri interjected. "Run along so the grownups can talk."

"We'll go." Barnaby agreed, nodding his head. "But these guys are coming with…"

"Fair enough," Yuri conceded, dismissing the men in Russian.

Once alone, Kotetsu felt his stomach knot. "Did you want something from me?"

"I hate that kid." Yuri said, ignoring Kotetsu's question.

"I haven't seen you for so long and now I've seen you twice in a matter of months…" Kotetsu realized, gripping his aching left hand.

"I won't take up much of your time." Yuri assured him, leaning against the bar with a frown. "I just wanted to show you something."

"What?" Kotetsu asked, his stomach clenching.

"I have a question first, Tiger," Yuri breathed out slowly, nervously.

"What?" Kotetsu asked, his lungs freezing.

"What sort of relationship do you have with Barnaby Brooks Junior?" Yuri licked his lips, tucking his hair behind his ear.

"We're friends, I guess…"

"Don't lie. Lying pisses me off…"

"We're fucking. Is that what you wanted to know?" Kotetsu answered.

"What does that fucking cunt have that I don't?" Yuri demanded suddenly, his eyes widening. "What's so great about him? What would he do for you?"

"What did you want me to see?" Kotetsu said impatiently.

"I brought you a gift, but I don't know if you deserve it." Yuri barked.

"I can't accept a gift from you, Yuri." Kotetsu refused, shaking his head. "You and I don't have that sort of relationship anymore."

"I didn't spend a dime." Yuri reasoned. "Only my time and energy and love…"

"I didn't expect or want you to do anything for me…"

"That's what makes the gift more special, because you didn't even have to ask…" Yuri explained.

"Alright. Show me." Kotetsu decided, gesturing Yuri to continue.

Yuri smiled warmly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He placed a rectangular black box on the counter and pushed it toward Kotetsu. "You're going to love it."

"I don't have anything for you," Kotetsu said, stating the obvious. "And I have no intention of getting anything either."

"That's fine." Yuri shrugged. "Just take a look…"

Kotetsu opened the velvet-lined box. His eyes narrowed as soon as he saw the blackened white cloth. Kotetsu moved the fabric with a shaking hand, letting out a gasp as he saw the shriveled, mostly decomposed flesh inside. Kotetsu took an involuntary step back, fighting the urge to retch.

"What is that? That's…" Kotetsu panicked, pointing at the box in shock. "You… That's my…"

"Now ask yourself this," Yuri drawled, moving aside the fabric and totally exposing the severed fingers inside. "Could Barnaby Brooks Junior do something like this for you?"