3

This building was so nice and polished. I had heard from mindless chatter at Sadie's school that people got to pay for tours of the facility. Even though I was sure this hallway was off limits to non-employees it still felt very nice to be here. However, I couldn't forget who these people were, more or less the bosses. Katsumuto and I walked side by side and he smiled at me.

"My nephews said you were like a superhero. They had never seen someone move so fast like you did." he said finally moving toward another silver door. He placed a key card against a little black box that had a red light. In seconds, it glowed green and the door automatically slid open and he raised his hand and dipped his head offering me to go in first. I simply smiled and entered.

"It was no problem at all. It happened so fast." I replied before letting my eyes look around at the large office. It had deep silver tiles and a large round desk in the middle. Directly in front of me was nothing but glass, a window that you could see all of downtown. To my left was a large white screen that from the opposite side of the room, I saw a large family portrait of Katsumoto and another older woman. Her hair was in a neat bun and she wore a nice black suit.

"My late wife, Su." Katsumoto replied. I looked at him as he motioned for the desk and I nodded as he mentioned the word late.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I replied as we both sat down. He shook his head.

"Stage 4 pancreatic cancer… she was a strong woman, always seeing the good in people." he replied gazing up at the portrait. I did so as well.

"She's beautiful." I replied and looked back at him and he smiled warmly at me.

"Thank you… This would be my nephews first day of school. I am glad they will have good memories of their first day. I am always worried about how they will be perceived by other children." he said with slight worry. I nodded.

"I understand. Luckily Blue Hill is a great diverse private school. I've seen that personally." I replied and he smiled and nodded with interest.

"You have children that go there also?" he asked. I smiled and slowly shook my head.

"Oh no, I drop my roommate's child off there in the morning." I replied. I would not bring any attention to Sadie, not with this man. He nodded.

"Well I would like to offer you something for putting yourself in danger for my boys." he said reaching into his suit pocket and pulling out a white envelope. I could tell from the stretched out sides that there was cash in it. He placed it on the table and slid it over to me. I blinked heavily confused as I glanced at the envelope moving my hand over to merely open it as it wasn't closed. Once I saw one bill that said 100, I shook my head looking at Katsumoto who merely got up.

"Oh Mr. Katsumoto, I can't take your money!" I replied and he moved over toward his door and moved to pick up a small little trash can.

"Oh it's no trouble at all. A person who puts their lives at risk for my family, deserves something for their troubles." he said moving back over to set the trash can down beside my feet. I was very confused by this action as he began to walk back toward the long counter in the back of the room decorated with little statues.

"It was no trouble at all. Really." I said nervously. Katsumoto nodded smiling still as he stopped in front of the counter and looked at me.

"Then Ms. Munroe, think of it as me buying your silence." he said. My mouth parted in mild confusion as I heard a mechanical noise in front of me. I turned and looked up at the white screen that was slowly lifting into the ceiling. As it did I noticed the wall behind it began to slowly descend into the ground revealing another wall made of glass. It was pitch black and then suddenly it was bright. My eyes widened as I was looking at a man in the chair, sweating and bleeding. A gag was in his mouth and he was tied to the chair. Standing beside him, was that Ujio guy.

"Blue Hill Elementary, teaching many children of those of high society, always had video footage of the streets around the school. Including the car riding lane." Katsumoto said moving to stand beside me now. I leaned forward only for his right hand to grip my shoulder and pull me back into the seat. "Tell me Helena… is this the driver who almost ran my two nephews down earlier today?"

I looked up at him, visibly shaking and scared before looking over at the screen. Ujio had his sleeves rolled up as he was moving off to the side of the room where a table of weapons were lying neatly side by side.

"Ms. Munroe." Katsumoto replied with annoyance getting my attention. I looked back at the man now and even though the face of the driver was looking down, I was still close enough to his car to see it was him.

"You have video footage… why do you need me to say it?" I asked, my voice weak as if my heart at jumped up into my throat. Idiot! Why are you questioning him!

"Because you were there. I want you to sign his death warrant." he said calmly and collectively. I closed my eyes for a moment and looked up at the guy. If I said no I was most likely dead and this man would be dead. If I said yes, the outcome could still be the same.

"You can't do this… you're a business man." I said and he gave a low chuckle.

"Now, Ms. Munroe, we both know that is not true." he said. I looked up at him and he gave me a dumb founded look. "It was easy to find this man… and also easy to find you. Your parents were Abraham and Maya Munroe, two very brilliant doctors. You were also in the news for settling a case against your former boss at the United MainCare Corporation for sexual harassment. Your roommate is Detective Nathan Algren of the NYPD Gang Unit. A very fine detective who is looking in on my syndicate. He has one daughter, Sadie, who goes to my nephew's school as well. So yes I know all I need to know about those on the camera footage from the school."

I couldn't stop the shaking of my body as it grew strong with each word he was saying and I looked away trying to block out the images of my past. I then peaked my eyes opened and looked at the window again to see Ujio standing behind the man with a long sword in his hand as if waiting.

"The only reason I am allowing you to walk out of my building unharmed is because you saved my nephews and I promised my sister, Taka that I would not have you killed. But all of that will be rescinded if you do not sign this man's warrant. Is he the one who almost killed my nephews?" he asked. By now my face was wet with tears as I didn't know what else to do. Not only could he kill me, but he could hurt Sadie and Nathan too. My finger nails dug into my palms as my fists were tightening together and I found the weight of the world suddenly on my shoulder and head pounding down on me. I had to say it, I had to do it. I looked at the bloody stranger and nodded.

"Yes." I replied and with that one word spoken, started a chain of events that I would later come to show how my fate was sealed. Katsumoto nodded at the window, Ujio looked from him to the man and in one quick swipe the stranger's man fell clean off his neck and rolled onto the ground. This was not like the movies at all. Everything in my stomach came rushing up and as if on cue, Katsumoto just handed me the small trash can and I felt the burning sensations in my throat as vomit filled the can.

"You have accepted my money as a bribe for not telling anyone what you just saw today. Now that you have accepted it… you belong to me." he said giving my shoulders a light pat, and I just coughed and hacked spitting up some of the vomit was slowly coming out. What just happened… what the fuck just happened!