"I have all the information I need, thanks to that cop, Cho, and nothing
will stop me from finding this official." "He is near yokohama somewhere.
I'll be sure to find him." Neal went to the train station to get a one way
ticket to Yokohama. Once on the train
He sat in one of the front passenger cars. The beginning of the ride was
rough then turned smoother as the steam locomotive got to higher speeds. He
took notice of the young woman with a little girl
The woman looked no older than 19 and the little girl no older than 9.
They both had on blandly colored clothing.unlike most of the elaborate
kimonos of other young women, it was almost as if they wanted to be
unnoticed.although it was the total opposite.As the young woman seemed to
be very nervous-constantly looking over her shoulder with beads of sweat
on her forehead. One drop even rolled down and dripped of the tip of her
nose. "I've seen this fear before, the same fear as when I---"Neal suddenly
stopped the passing thought and decided to speak with the two to possibly
make sense of their paranoia.
Neal asked" are you alright miss?" You look a little pale is there anything I can do for you" "n-n-no thank you sir" the young woman said in a shaky, almost timid tone. The little girl looked as though she were oblivious to the unknown dilemma they were in. Neal was also curious. "What would have these two so terrified?" he thought. Neal then asked them several more questions but they became evasive or ignored the questions.
As the train came to a halt at the station Neal entered the Yokohama area when he suddenly got chills up his spine. "Someone is trailing me, I bet it's the police-no they would track me in numbers. This is only an individual. But he is in for a surprise because a bounty hunter does not get hunted." After walking for a few blocks he realized that it wasn't him that was being tracked but someone near him.
He suddenly heard a muffled sound of an attempted scream.he had rushed to the sound he had heard. It wasn't him who had been followed but the young woman and girl. Neal saw a man push the woman into an alley. Neal rushed over and confronted the man. "If you touch them. you will not walk away from here alive" Threatened Neal. The guy who was tempted to manhandle the young woman and girl looked in surprise at Neal and said "I don't know who the hell you are but if you think you can fuck with me. I'll kill all three of you!! The man pulled out a revolver and went to shoot Neal in the forehead. With astonishing speeds Neal firmly clutched the chamber of the gun and the man pulled the trigger "your gun cannot fire if the chamber won't turn to release the bullet-it's a revolver after all" exclaimed Neal in just a second Neal grabbed the mans forearm as he retracted to get the gun back in his full control, twisted it and threw the man onto the solid ground, Instantly knocking him out. "This would have been easier if I had my weapons" said Neal.
The young woman burst into tears and hugged Neal-while the little girl stood in disbelieve. Neal suddenly felt an immense pride in knowing this young woman's new sense of security. When officials arrived at the scene they apprehended the unconscious, domestically violent criminal, the young woman asked "can you escort us home. I mean I feel safer with you" "alright I'll honor your request, but you'll have to answer me a few questions. I think it would be better getting information from you two instead of interrogating that scum. "Ok but call me kojizuru.and my little sister Mei" explained the young woman. "Why was that man stalking you and who was he?" asked Neal "Well, I guess you're about the only one I can trust right now.so I'll tell you Said Kojizuru. "Our father was in the shipping industry, he always was energetic and open with us but before he was killed he became closed and distant.like he knew someone was going to kill him if any information leaked out. I found out why he was so secretive. It was because he had found out about an Illegal weapons and drug smuggling going on in ships within the harbor. Certain ships aren't checked by officials or the navy. I guess the government doesn't get enough funding or just doesn't care to exert itself with-what they think to be petty matters such as searching ship cargo for contraband. Those idiots don't even know that there is a huge operation like this going on!!"
"Or perhaps that someone in the government.someone with power purposefully intervenes with government activities and investigations because he is involved with the espionage. Said Neal
"Well I wish you luck.Mr..?" implied kojizuru "just call me Neal and If I ever do come back here to Yokohama I'll make sure to pass by."
Neal gave a salute-like gesture with his forefinger and middle finger to kojizuru as to say goodbye then contacted Kenshin. "I didn't think I'd ever be trying to get help from a former manslayer to rid the government of corruption.but what the hell." Neal thought to himself.
The next day.
Neal arrived in Tokyo and was met by saito. Saito said "I see you've been doing your homework. your little heroism in Yokohama made it in the papers. I know why you were really there so make it easy and tell me what you've learned." Kenshin arrived at that moment "yes tell us, Neal what information you have gathered" "Ok" "it is all clear to me now. the official, my bounty, killed kojizurus father because he was a potential witness of the smuggling operation. The official used his key position in the government to postpone investigation until he washes his hands of the situation. Then he would execute all potential witnesses and cover it up by producing false criminal records- with crimes punishable by death.he does after all have the resources. The man that was apprehended was some thug sent to eliminate threats said Neal.
Saito then added "there are more determining factors. One man can't have that much governmental influence"
"True, but there have been many scandals in the Meiji government. I'm sure the official had to resort to threats and bribery, that he did."Kenshin added
"So I've come to you because it is such a big issue that I can't exclusively handle. As I said before "I need aid". Neal said
"Now that we have the information we should make preparations for action" exclaimed saito. Himura and you for your justice and for me. lets just say "aku soku san"(slay evil immediately: a ideal of the shinsengumi)
Neal asked" are you alright miss?" You look a little pale is there anything I can do for you" "n-n-no thank you sir" the young woman said in a shaky, almost timid tone. The little girl looked as though she were oblivious to the unknown dilemma they were in. Neal was also curious. "What would have these two so terrified?" he thought. Neal then asked them several more questions but they became evasive or ignored the questions.
As the train came to a halt at the station Neal entered the Yokohama area when he suddenly got chills up his spine. "Someone is trailing me, I bet it's the police-no they would track me in numbers. This is only an individual. But he is in for a surprise because a bounty hunter does not get hunted." After walking for a few blocks he realized that it wasn't him that was being tracked but someone near him.
He suddenly heard a muffled sound of an attempted scream.he had rushed to the sound he had heard. It wasn't him who had been followed but the young woman and girl. Neal saw a man push the woman into an alley. Neal rushed over and confronted the man. "If you touch them. you will not walk away from here alive" Threatened Neal. The guy who was tempted to manhandle the young woman and girl looked in surprise at Neal and said "I don't know who the hell you are but if you think you can fuck with me. I'll kill all three of you!! The man pulled out a revolver and went to shoot Neal in the forehead. With astonishing speeds Neal firmly clutched the chamber of the gun and the man pulled the trigger "your gun cannot fire if the chamber won't turn to release the bullet-it's a revolver after all" exclaimed Neal in just a second Neal grabbed the mans forearm as he retracted to get the gun back in his full control, twisted it and threw the man onto the solid ground, Instantly knocking him out. "This would have been easier if I had my weapons" said Neal.
The young woman burst into tears and hugged Neal-while the little girl stood in disbelieve. Neal suddenly felt an immense pride in knowing this young woman's new sense of security. When officials arrived at the scene they apprehended the unconscious, domestically violent criminal, the young woman asked "can you escort us home. I mean I feel safer with you" "alright I'll honor your request, but you'll have to answer me a few questions. I think it would be better getting information from you two instead of interrogating that scum. "Ok but call me kojizuru.and my little sister Mei" explained the young woman. "Why was that man stalking you and who was he?" asked Neal "Well, I guess you're about the only one I can trust right now.so I'll tell you Said Kojizuru. "Our father was in the shipping industry, he always was energetic and open with us but before he was killed he became closed and distant.like he knew someone was going to kill him if any information leaked out. I found out why he was so secretive. It was because he had found out about an Illegal weapons and drug smuggling going on in ships within the harbor. Certain ships aren't checked by officials or the navy. I guess the government doesn't get enough funding or just doesn't care to exert itself with-what they think to be petty matters such as searching ship cargo for contraband. Those idiots don't even know that there is a huge operation like this going on!!"
"Or perhaps that someone in the government.someone with power purposefully intervenes with government activities and investigations because he is involved with the espionage. Said Neal
"Well I wish you luck.Mr..?" implied kojizuru "just call me Neal and If I ever do come back here to Yokohama I'll make sure to pass by."
Neal gave a salute-like gesture with his forefinger and middle finger to kojizuru as to say goodbye then contacted Kenshin. "I didn't think I'd ever be trying to get help from a former manslayer to rid the government of corruption.but what the hell." Neal thought to himself.
The next day.
Neal arrived in Tokyo and was met by saito. Saito said "I see you've been doing your homework. your little heroism in Yokohama made it in the papers. I know why you were really there so make it easy and tell me what you've learned." Kenshin arrived at that moment "yes tell us, Neal what information you have gathered" "Ok" "it is all clear to me now. the official, my bounty, killed kojizurus father because he was a potential witness of the smuggling operation. The official used his key position in the government to postpone investigation until he washes his hands of the situation. Then he would execute all potential witnesses and cover it up by producing false criminal records- with crimes punishable by death.he does after all have the resources. The man that was apprehended was some thug sent to eliminate threats said Neal.
Saito then added "there are more determining factors. One man can't have that much governmental influence"
"True, but there have been many scandals in the Meiji government. I'm sure the official had to resort to threats and bribery, that he did."Kenshin added
"So I've come to you because it is such a big issue that I can't exclusively handle. As I said before "I need aid". Neal said
"Now that we have the information we should make preparations for action" exclaimed saito. Himura and you for your justice and for me. lets just say "aku soku san"(slay evil immediately: a ideal of the shinsengumi)
