NOTE - "/Speech bracketed like this signifies Japanese./"

CHAPTER 37

"/Ibe-san,/" Eiji said from the door. "/I'm going out for awhile. To buy some books./"

Ibe glanced up from sorting his negatives. "/Alright but be careful. Stay in the safe parts of town./"

"/I will,/" he answered without looking at Ibe.

"/And if you find the latest issue of Shonen Magazine, buy me a copy, okay?/"

"/Sure thing./" I'm sorry I lied, Ibe-san, Eiji thought to himself as he headed out. But Ash is counting on me. I can't let him down.

Eiji wondered through the streets of Chinatown, trying to ignore how nervous he felt. There were so many shops though, he soon decided to ask for help. Seeing two boys sitting by the entrance to one of the shops, he walked over and said, "Excuse me. Do you know shop called 'Chang Da'?"

As the two boys glared at him coldly, Eiji grew more nervous. One demanded, "Who wants to know? You got some business there?"

Eiji felt himself shaking as he stumbled around before managing to say, "I am looking for a person named Shorter Wong."

That got their attention. "Are you a friend of Wong's?"

"N-no, I … Ash Lynx sent me."

"Ash?" This surprised the two boys. Eiji didn't act like someone that would be in anyone's set, after all. But he didn't seem to be lying. Besides, they doubted anyone would be crazy enough to use Ash's name if they weren't with Ash.

"I want to meet Shorter Wong. Can you please tell me where Chang Da is?"

"He ain't there."

"Not there?" Eiji repeated. "W-what do you mean? Where is he?"

The boys were silent for a long moment. "You're one of Ash's boys?"

"I am not in his gang. I am his friend."

They suddenly realized who he was - the Japanese boy that called them to tell where Ash was. The one Ash seemed to have taken an immediately liking for. "Arthur's boys have been lookin' for him everywhere. He's not there, but Chang Da is on this street. Next to the butcher shop over there."

The other boy said, "I'd be careful about dropping Shorter's name. If Arthur's boys get hold of you, you're dead meat."

Eiji thanked them. The first thing Eiji noticed about the restaurant was the lack of windows. Entering the Chang Da felt like stepping into Ash's place the first time. Everyone was young and hardened, though here there wasn't the mix of races found at Ash's. Everyone was Chinese. They were all staring at him with that same intensity. The difference was he wasn't with Ibe and Skip, and he'd seen enough to not find comfort in their youth this time.

"Table for one?"

Eiji almost jumped at the man … no, woman's words. "Y-yes." Where's Shorter? Is this really his hideout?

The woman led him to a table and said, "At this time of day we have only soup. And dumplings. Is that okay?" She made the question sound like a demand.

"Um, actually, I didn't come here to eat."

The woman glared. "You're not Chinese."

"I am not."

"Japanese? Korean?"

"Japanese."

A boy walked up behind her, sat a bowl on the table before Eiji. "Have some soup on the house." The woman glared at the boy as he slid into the seat across from Eiji, but she walked off without a word. "Forgive my sister's cold attitude, kid. She's very protective of me. You are Eiji, right?"

"Y-yes."

The boy held his hand out to Eiji. "Shorter Wong." Seeing Eiji glance at his now bald head, Shorter explained, "Yeah, I shaved the Mohawk. Too distinctive with Arthur's boys looking for me."

Eiji took his hand. "I am glad you are here. Ash said to tell you something."

"We're good here, these are my boys."

"He said to get the thing he gave Dr. Meredith and hide it in a safe place and to move the people."

Shorter thought on that a moment. "He didn't say what or who?"

Eiji shook his head no. Shorter sighed as he stood. "That's Ash for you. Always playing things close to the chest. Well come along, Eiji. You can walk with me to the doctor then I'll see you safely out of Chinatown."

888

Shorter and Eiji entered the doctor's office and found several guns aimed at them and Arthur leaning against the wall. The doctor and Ms. Brandish were sitting stiffly in chairs in the middle of the room, a gun aimed at each of them.

As their hands were tied behind their backs and they were shoved into chairs, Shorter could only think, I really shoulda taken the kid out of Chinatown first. Well at least these stupid fucks haven't recognized me yet. Can't believe they didn't search us.

"Dr. Meredith!" Arthur called, getting the older man's attention. "This Japanese kid a friend of yours?"

"Never saw him before in my life," Meredith answered honestly while glaring angrily at Arthur. "What the hell do you want? If it's money, you can have it. Just get the hell out of here!"

"Sorry Doc but it ain't money we're after. You know Ash Lynx don't ya Doc? He's been here before."

Meredith fell silent, everything falling together.

"'Course you do. This little kid wouldn't be here if you didn't." Arthur turned his attention to Eiji and demanded, "Now make things easy for everybody and just tell us what Ash asked you to do."

Picturing Ash's beaten and bloody form thrown on the floor of the warehouse, clothes ripped and deep gashes bleeding, Eiji looked into Arthur's eyes and said, "What do you mean?"

Beside him, Shorter closed his mouth on the words he'd been ready to speak and turned to Eiji in surprise. Eiji had guts, he had to give him that. Since the kid wasn't just giving in, Shorter kept his silence and continued to work on cutting the ropes from his hands while they weren't paying attention.

Arthur grabbed Eiji's chin and got right in his face. "You're in no position to be playing games, kid. Are you?" Eiji didn't say anything. Arthur released his chin and leaned back. "You saw what we did to Ash when he didn't talk."

"I did." Again, Shorter found his attention riveted to Eiji. He'd expected to hear fear from the naïve boy, not cold anger. Shorter smiled to himself. It seemed Eiji really cared about Ash. Which was real good, because Shorter could already tell that Ash cared too damned much about this kid. He managed to get the ropes off his hands but stayed still, waiting for his chance.

Arthur smiled vilely. "Unfortunately, we can't damage you, cause you're our special treat for Papa Dino." Arthur pulled a knife and put it to Ms. Brandish's throat.

Dr. Meredith exclaimed, "Leave her alone you bastards!"

Arthur ignored him. "'Fess up, kid. And don't lie. We'll know if you're lying. Or maybe you don't care if she croaks?" Eiji looked torn, Arthur pressed, "Well? Wanna see her die? Is that it?"

Forgive me Ash. "Ash said to get the thing he gave to doctor."

"The 'thing'?" Arthur questioned.

A man in a tie who had been standing back jumped forward and said, "A- a capsule! About this big!" He held his fingers up about an inch apart. "There was white powder in it!"

Dr. Meredith growled, "If that's what you want, its on the desk there! Take it and get out!"

"Did you analyze the contents?" the man asked.

"If it didn't come from between a woman's legs, it's none of my business!"

"You're a spunky one, Doc," Arthur said. "Too bad we gotta kill you."

"What?" Eiji exclaimed. "But he talked! They have nothing to do with this!"

"They know too much. We'd be doing you a favor if we killed you right now too."

Shorter started to move but stilled himself when he caught sight of Sing slipping into the room. They hadn't moved to kill anyone yet, Arthur was too busy gloating and trying to scare the kid to get down to business so they had time to wait for all his boys to be in position. Shorter was surprised at how very little Arthur was scaring Eiji.

Arthur continued, "Didn't Ash tell you? See Dino doesn't like women. He's only interested in boys. Young boys. It was that pig Marvin's job to get hold of boys. Did you know that?"

Eiji remained quiet. He knew Ash had a history with Marvin, he was almost sure where Arthur was leading this, but he wouldn't say it. "Dino Golzine does not want me dead," Ash had said. "…the main thing he wants, he can't get if I'm dead."

Arthur smirked. "It would just tear Ash up to see the same thing happen to you that happened to him."

Shorter stared in shock. He'd known Ash knew all those men, had some kind of connection to Dino and that he hated the man. But he'd never thought about why Ash would hate them so strongly. Around the room, the Chinese boys who had been ghosting into position were also filled with shock. Ash Lynx was untouchable. They never thought about what could have made him that way.

Eiji wasn't shocked. That alone caught everyone's attention. "Coward!" Eiji spat. "Is this the only way you can fight Ash?"

"Say what you want, kid," Arthur said. "He made a fool outta me once too often. I'm not gonna let him die quick and easy. First I'm gonna take away everything he cares about. Skip's dead. Soon I'll find Shorter and kill him too."

Sitting in the chair behind Arthur, Shorter grinned at this. With all attention on Arthur and Eiji, Shorter eased his hands out from behind him and drew his gun from his ankle holster.

"And you," Arthur spat. "I'll sell to the old fag."

"You're crazy. You're sick!" Eiji said. "Why hate Ash so much? Is it just because he is better than you in every way?"

Anger filled Arthur. He growled out, "Say what you want. You can't handle a gun like Ash. Dino'll make you a junkie and use you up. Or are you gonna slit your wrists before you get turned into a vegetable? If you do, I'll invite Ash to come watch."

Shorter placed the barrel of his gun against Arthur's skull and said, "You're the one who's gonna slit his own wrists, Arthur."

Arthur froze. His eyes scanned the room and he saw all his boys covered by Shorter's. Shorter continued, "Thanks for blabbing on and on like that, Arthur. Made it easy for my boys to slip in here. You know, I didn't believe Ash when he said you wouldn't know me without the Mohawk. Guess he wins that one too, huh. - Those bulges in your pants can't be your little dicks. Take 'em out and drop 'em or a hole is gonna appear in your boss's head."

Arthur's boys dropped their guns. The man in the tie was shaking in fear, gripping his gun tightly.

Shorter told him, "You too, four eyes. You couldn't shoot that thing anyway. You're shakin' like a leaf."

A door opened behind the man, drawing everyone's attention. Arthur questioned, "Who's that?"

The man in the tie turned, and paled when he saw who stood there. "G-Griff… Griffin…"

Griffin stood in the doorway, staring at the man, his expression not quite as blank as usual. Dr. Meredith watched this in surprise. Eiji stood up, his hands still tied, reacting to the name.

"It can't be," the man denied. "You're dead. You're supposed to be dead."

"Y-you… you…" Griffin said, taking an unsteady step forward, his eyes locked on the man alone. "You … Banana Fish… Abra…"

Terror filled the man's face as he raised his gun towards Griffin. "K-keep away! Stay away!"

"Griffin, look out!" Dr. Meredith yelled from across the room, unable to do anything else. There was no distance between the two men, the gun was almost touching Griffin's chest just above his heart. The man pulled the trigger, Eiji suddenly slammed into his side, knocking him down. The bullet tore through Griffin's side, missing his heart, and Griffin fell to the ground. Arthur slammed his elbow back into Shorter, knocking him away and knocking the gun from his hand. Around them, Shorter's boys were fighting Arthur's. A couple of Shorter's boys grabbed the doctor and Ms. Brandish and threw them behind the desk, ordering them to stay down. The man pushed Eiji off of him and scrambled up, ran out the door. Arthur saw him go and cussed, called to his boys, "Forget it! Let's go!"

Pausing just outside the door, safe from any stray shots, Arthur called back, "See ya around, Shorter! Tell Ash we'll settle this sooner or later!"

"Damn!" Shorter said, rubbing his shoulder. He moved to Eiji's side and cut the ropes from the boy's wrists. "You alright?"

Dr. Meredith rushed to Griffin's side as Eiji answered, "I- I think so." His shoulder hurt but not that bad. "Griffin?"

"Almost forgot. How is he?" Shorter asked the doctor.

"Don't talk to me," Meredith said. "I'm trying to stop the bleeding. Ms. Brandish - call an ambulance." He worked in silence for awhile. "Damn! I can't let him die. He came around. He started to remember something!"

"Seemed like he knew the little guy with the glasses," Shorter commented. He said 'Banana Fish'. That's what Ash said all this shit's about.

One of the boys said, "He said something strange about bananas?"

"Banana Fish," Meredith said. "Now I'm starting to get the picture. Don't die, Griff. For your little brother's sake."

Shorter questioned, "What? What're you talking about? Who the hell is this guy?"

"He's Ash's big brother," Meredith and Eiji answered at the same time.

"What?"

888

Continued - Let me know what you think. Review