CHAPTER 23:

Everything happened so fast. I didn't even get to comprehend what exactly Yoru said about saving my family. All of a sudden, Ikuto lifted me up and shoved me in the car with Nadeshiko bracing herself to catch me. Then he backed away and joined Nagi outside. Yoru slid down the driver's seat and stabbed the car key in the ignition, twisting it to start the car.

I writhed away from Nadeshiko but failed. She had my arms behind my back, making it impossible for me to get away. Nagi picked up the two automatic guns from the ground and threw it in the passenger's seat. Yoru dropped them on the carpeted car floor.

Two precise gunshots pierced the silent night. I stiffened when I heard the telltale sound of dead bodies dropping on the ground.

Ikuto suddenly got in the car beside me followed by Nagi up front. Without another word, Yoru stepped on the gas and we sped away in the dark.

"Enough of this bullshit already! You people need to start talking right now. You two are obviously kids of the people who want my family dead," I said to the twins, "And the two of you had enough guts to rat me out," I spat at Ikuto and Yoru.

Nadeshiko gently swiped a stray purple strand away from her face and turned to me. "We're not here to harm you, Amu-chan. You have to believe us,"

"Yeah," I snorted, "because I had so many reasons to do that,"

Ikuto grabbed my arm and forced me to face him. "Listen, Amu. I haven't been completely honest with you–"

Staring at him incredulously, I snapped, "Wouldn't have thought about that,"

I expected him to explode and possibly hit me again like he did earlier but his face remained pained – burdened, even.

"Did you know those people back there?" he suddenly asked.

I almost shook my head no just to get the satisfaction of pissing him off, then my subconscious slapped me. I had no idea why I was acting so bitchy...well, childish. In situations like this I used to immediately jump to formal, no-nonsense mode.

So, I did.

"Yes, I guess. They're the cousins Yoru warned me about," I said.

Nagi gave Yoru a sideways glance and then faced us in the back. He looked tired, older even. "I was hoping things would go smoothly as planned. We probably have to move to Plan D, huh?"

"Smoothly as planned?" I repeated and raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, how about you keep quiet while we explain?" Ikuto said back.

I bit my lip but remained silent.

We rode in silence for a full minute before Nadeshiko finally spoke up.

"Nagi and I, we're the last direct descendants of the Fujisaki clan. Our family operates the Fikasiju Yakuza as you already know. And you're right, the two people back there were our cousins – second cousins, actually. Lockhart Temari and Rhythm. Just to be clear, us twins don't approve the way our family...you know," she trailed on.

When I remained silent, she continued.

"Fujisaki Hiromi, our grandfather and the current head of the yakuza, forced the two of us to train as the next leaders of the group – our parents died not long before we were ten," Nadeshiko paused, her clear golden eyes dimmed a little.

As if on cue, Nagi spoke on his sister's stead, "Even before our parents died, we were already planning on how to demolish the yakuza. We tried to turn them in to the FBI; have most people involved assassinated; and even make them turn to each other but nothing worked. Ojii-sama is too powerful for the likes of us. So we tried to plan. We had to find someone to work with, someone more experienced in the underground that can help us. Years passed, our parents died. That was when we met your father, Amu,"

"What?" I choked out.

I wanted to speak again but Ikuto grabbed my arm, making me shut up.

"He agreed to help us, given that 20% of whatever financial remains the downfall of the yakuza left would be transferred to your account. Last night, Nadeshiko and I have already arranged everything needed to secretly liquidate all assets of the yakuza and transfer them to your account. Ojii-sama is probably ordering people to find out what happened to all of the money as we speak," Nagi said.

"Now, wait a minute. What the hell is this money thing about? You and I both know I don't need money. I have my own," I said, "Daughter of a mafia lord, remember?"

Nadeshiko took my hand and stared in my eyes. "Amu-chan, don't you get it? By involving himself in destroying an organized, highly secure and well-connected yakuza, not only did your father but a price on his head but also risked all your connections in the underground world. If he succeeds in killing Ojii-sama, all of the yakuza's allies will turn to your father. He needs money to secure his family,"

I sucked in a breath. My father said nothing to me about killing a yakuza leader. He...he told me someone was after us, not the other was around.

Ikuto twined his fingers with my ice-cold ones. "I know it's a lot to take in, Amu. But you have to trust us," he lifted my hand to his lips and blew against them to warm them up.

For a moment there, I kinda forgot everything and just focused on how I was reflected in his dark, blue eyes. He asked me to trust him. He said that he'd never betray me. It seemed so easy to do, so easy to tell him that I trust him more than anyone else. But I had been living in a world full of deceit for so long, that I couldn't tell him that even if I wanted to. So, I slowly pulled my hand away and faced Nadeshiko.

"Even if what you two are saying is the truth, how do I know you wouldn't stab us in the backs after all of these are finished? So, yeah, let's say we get to kill your grampa and miraculously escape the yakuza's den without getting killed, how can I be sure my family will be secured?" I searched her eyes, "How can you make me trust you, huh, Nadeshiko?"

She smiled sadly at me, almost as if she was expecting this kind of question. "I can't, Amu-chan. We can't make you trust us if you have decided in your mind and heart that nobody else is worth trusting. You're the only one who can do that, Amu-chan. You have to take a leap of faith. You have to let go of your pains and believe. Believe that not everyone out there wants to hurt you or your family. Believe in your heart for once. What is it telling you right now?"

I was completely taken aback. Not because I admit she was right but because my heart was telling me to trust them, to give them a chance. She was staring so intently at me I wondered for a moment there if she already figured me out.

"Tell me about the plan Nagi mentioned," I finally said.

Nadeshiko straightened her back and smiled. Huh.

Nagi spoke up. "First plan was to help Hinamori Tsugumu secure his family to safety and aid him in killing Fujisaki Hiromi–"

"Which failed," Yoru interjected, "Hinamori Midori was captured two months ago, disabling Hinamori Tsugumu to perform the job since he was distracted,"

Mom was captured two months ago?

I did a back track of the events. That was when my father sent Ami to live with me. I remembered asking him where she was but he waved it away by saying she had other things to deal with. But now when I look back at it, the excuse seemed so lame. My mother would want to see her daughters even if just for a second. So, she got captured that's why my father sent Ami to me.

Nadeshiko snapped me back to attention. "After that one failed, we made another one. The improvised plan was to keep Hinamori Tsugumu's remaining family safe for as long as he needed to be able to arrange the assassination of the yakuza leader,"

"But, of course, despite our best efforts, word spread around that a certain mafia lord was planning on disposing the great yakuza leader. And not only have we let one of his daughters get harmed twice, we also weren't able to save one of them from getting captured," Ikuto explained.

"The next innovation was to get Hinamori Amu off the radar, and aid Hinamori Tsugumu to finish Fujisaki Hiromi once and for all," Yoru said. "That, of course, was also a fail since Tsugumu himself got captured by the yakuza,"

"And that leaves us with the last plan we've come up with," Nagi touched my arm and smiled ruefully, "Trick the yakuza by bringing Hinamori Amu in, disguised as a prisoner; get her to free her family; and finish the job ourselves,"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Late update? So sorry. Busy days here. Anyhow, last two chapters, friends!

Please don't forget to review. Thanks a bunch!

With all the love for writing,

Lace Ashdown