DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Lupin III characters… They belong to Pioneer, oh, excuse me, Geneon….

Gutentag!

Slight correction about Lupin coming back on Adult Swim…. Yeah, it's coming back on, but on January the fifth—And they won't be starting with new episodes. Hopefully, by summer, they'll be playing new episodes… That's when I have the time to watch them, anyway. I can't figure out a VCR to save my life and the DVDs are way too much for my budget, which is miniscule. And if they decide not to play new episodes anytime next year, be assured that I'm sewing the last stitches into my Cartoon Network voodoo doll, and I've got an entire box full of sew needles and pins (yes, I sew for fun… Stop laughing!).

Chapter Thirty Three

A Couple of Weeks Later: Give my Regards to Broadway

'Half of what I say is meaningless,

But I say it just to reach you, Julia,

Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me,'

—The Beatles, 'Julia'

Jigen and Goemon had taken Yukiko and Toshiro to Radio City Music Hall the day after they landed in New York. Amaya and Ming had stayed to take care of Ryo and Heiji, and had left the Broadway show to their absolutely 'thrilled' husbands. Goemon struggled to remain awake while Jigen simply tilted the brim of his hat downward over his eyes. Toshiro and Yukiko both watched the show with great interest, however.

When it ended, Goemon gently poked Jigen in the ribs with the butt of his sword, and Jigen jumped in a start. He looked around, dazed a moment, but then realized his surroundings, and relaxed. He turned to Yukiko, and lifted his hat upward, "What'd you think, Yuki?"

"It was great!" Yukiko answered, "It would've been better if you weren't snoring, though."

"I— Come on… I'll buy you guys some peanuts to throw at the pigeons," Jigen sighed heavily as he rose from his seat and stretched briefly before working his way down the aisle of the theater. They exited through the heavy crowd, and then found their way into the thick sea of New York pedestrians.

"I forgot my dagger!" Toshiro gasped suddenly as he patted the area of his gi where he usually kept the blade.

"Go get it," Goemon responded. Toshiro nodded, and ran back towards the theater. It was completely empty when he reentered, and the only sound was of his wooden sandals against the floor of the theater. He found his dagger at his seat, and sighed in relief as he placed it back in his holster. He was almost up the aisle when he heard a yell come from behind the stage. A young woman ran out suddenly, looking scared for her life. He thought at first that this was another act, but then realized that the man chasing after her was wielding a real knife. Where the hell were the actors!?

Toshiro quickly scaled the catwalk with a moment's hesitation, and looked downward at the man at the woman, "CABE! PLEASE!" she shrieked as he threw her down to the ground.

"No mercy this time, bitch!" the man answered viciously.

"Roll!" Toshiro commanded. She looked upward briefly, and rolled out of the way. Toshiro took his sword, and spliced through a sandbag rope. The sandbag fell onto the attacker, and the woman stood stunned. Toshiro quickly slid down the catwalk via the cut rope, and grabbed her by the hand. The attacker known as Cabe soon recovered, and began to chase after the two.

"Hey, you're just a kid!" she gasped in shock.

"Where's your car!?" asked Toshiro.

"I don't have a car!"

"Then what do you have!?"

"A motorcycle," she replied as they turned a sharp corner. She slid into the wall, and hit it hard with her shoulder.

"Are you okay!?" Toshiro asked.

"I—I think," she muttered in response as she clutched onto her shoulder.

"Then come on!" Toshiro yelled, "He's catching up!" He pulled her along, and they ran out to the snow-covered parking lot. She found her motorcycle, and jumped on. Toshiro climbed on behind her, and as she began to start it, Cabe ran out. He lunged towards the two, and slashed through the left shoulder of Toshiro's jacket before the motorcycle started.

"You okay, kid!?" she yelled.

"Yeah!" Toshiro replied, and looked down at his left, when a dark red spot had begun to form on his jacket. He looked back, and then forward once more. She continued to drive down the road until she pulled up to a hotel. Toshiro was feeling very dizzy at this point, and fainted as he tried to dismount the bicycle. The mystery woman caught him before he fell on the ground, however.

Toshiro awoke a little while later, and found himself in an unfamiliar room. He rose quickly, and looked around. He was on a couch, in a hotel room. The young woman he had saved was sitting in a nearby chair, sewing his gi. She held it up in front of herself to check her handiwork, and looked over in surprise as she noticed Toshiro was awake.

"Hey, kid, calm down!" she said as she rose and walked over to him, "How're you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess…" Toshiro replied as he pulled the covers over himself.

"Hey, are you Chinese or something?"

"Japanese," Toshiro responded, "Can I get my gi back?"

"I've gotta wash it. But I borrowed some clothes from a neighbor-lady of mine," she replied as she walked over to her front door and picked up a small bundle of clothing. She laid it down next to Toshiro and kneeled in front of him, "You okay? Cabe cut you up pretty good…"

"Who's Cabe?" asked Toshiro, "Your boyfriend?"

"Nah, my agent." Toshiro's eyes went wide, and she laughed, "He got kinda mad at me… I'm an actress at the theater, and I was talking to him about leaving… He didn't want that…"

"What's your name?" asked Toshiro.

"Julia," she answered, and rose, "You go and change, uh, what's your name?"

"Uh… Goemon," he answered slowly, "But you can call me Toshiro!"

"Okay," she smiled, "You got a family, kid?"

"Oh, no!" Toshiro gasped, "I got separated from them!"

"Well, you can call 'um," Julia replied as she went to the phone and picked it up. She frowned as she found no dial tone, and slammed the phone down a few times, and growled in dissatisfaction as she found that there was still no dial tone, "Phones must be out all over the city!"

"Don't you have a cell phone?" asked Toshiro.

"Kid, do I look like I have a cell phone?" Julia laughed. She turned back to her phone, "The lines must be out all over the city, which probably means—" she peeked out her window, "that there's an ass load of snow out there…."

"I've got to get back!" Toshiro said frantically.

"No one's going anywhere right now…" Julia said in a mutter as she turned away from the window and back to Toshiro.

A Mansion on Long Island:

Himichi Zenigata, Ryoko Jigen, Mrs. Ishikawa, Maria Capone-Gunicci, Uncle Heiji, Goemon's crazy grandfather, Natasha's mother, as well as another woman Ryoko had brought with her were all gathered in the living room of the house. The Lupin gang was scrambling to find answers as to what had happened to Toshiro. Some were making phone calls, others were getting ready to brave the storm outside.

"There ain't no way anyone's going anywhere," Maria added worriedly.

"Poor Toshiro!" Goemon's mother wailed.

"How could you two manage to lose him!?" Amaya screamed to Jigen and Goemon angrily.

"Listen, I know it's a rough city, but knowing Toshiro, he probably found shelter for now," Jigen said with a face that said otherwise. He, too, was worried about Toshiro, as was Yukiko, and everyone else in the household.

"Well," Lupin looked out the front window, "A few of us could go out there, and check it out…"

"Are you crazy?" Jigen snapped, "There's no way in hell we could get out of the door, more-or-less get from Long Island to Radio City in a snow storm!"

"We could always try…" Goemon replied.

"Jigen, it's too dark for you to go out, but I'm sure Goemon and I could go out," Lupin responded.

"I can go too," Ming said as she scaled down the stairs of the house, "We could take snowmobiles, couldn't we? And then from there, we could take a subway?"

"We don't know if the power's out on the subways," Lupin muttered, "And taking snowmobiles deep into the city?"

"It's not like it'll be jammed with traffic!" Ming replied.

"Can you work a snowmobile?" asked Lupin.

"Yeah," Ming nodded.

"Good, because I don't think Zenigata can, and we'll need his detective skills on this… Although I'm a little concerned about keeping the old man in the snow so long…."

"I've had ten times worse than a blizzard, you little bastard!" Zenigata yelled, "If you only knew how many times I've been nearly blown up, maimed, beheaded, or double-crossed thanks to you!"

"I'll go get ready!" Ming called.

"I hope Remy likes his statues on ice," Jigen said to himself.

"Crap! What's today!?" asked Lupin.

"The nineteenth."

"Crap!"

"You sound just like your father," Jigen chuckled.

"Shut up!" Lupin leaned inward to Jigen, "You, Natasha, Amaya, and Fujicakes are the little party hosts while I'm gone, okay?"

"With everyone's psychotic families!?" Jigen yelped, "Goemon's grandfather keeps on calling me Fujiko!!"

"Well, maybe there's a resemblance, although I hope to God not. You know her mom and yours were good friends! Hey, maybe you're Daisuke Mine, or maybe she's Fujiko Capone!"

"Do not even joke about that," Jigen hissed, "I know who my father was!"

"Touchy, touchy," Lupin laughed lightly as he reached for his snowjacket, which hung next to the doorway, "Just bring out the kids; that'll keep everyone quiet!"

"Daisuke!" Ryoko yelled, "What's this dog doing here, and why is she trying to lick me!?"

"That damn mutt," Jigen growled, and turned back towards the living room, "Martha! You better get away from my mother, you flea bag!" he shouted as he went into the room.

"I'll all ready," Ming said as she ran down the steps and stood next to Lupin.

"I'm coming, too," Yukiko said to Lupin and Ming.

"Yuki, I don't know. It's really too cold out…" Ming said worriedly.

"There's no way you're going out," Jigen added as he came back out of the living room, clutching onto Martha by the collar, "The dog was attacking my mother!"

"Oh, there she is," Ryoko said cheerily as she walked out of the living room and bent down in front of Martha, "Why didn't you tell me you got a dog, Daisuke!? She's simply adorable!"

"I—" Jigen faltered, and then let go of Martha's collar, "You go have fun with her then, Mom…"

"Come on, dear. Keiko and I want to go spoil you some more," said Ryoko.

"Keiko!? Keiko Mine!?" Jigen yelped, "Is that the other lady in there!? That's Fujiko's mom!?"

"Uh, yes…" Ryoko nodded, "I meant to surprise Fujiko later. I'm sure she'd like to see her, especially after so many years!"

"Oh, I'm positive Fujiko will be surprised," Jigen said with an uncomfortable laugh, "Very surprised…"

Back at a Certain Apartment:

Julia was in the kitchen stirring a pot full of chicken soup while Toshiro sat cross-legged in front of the television and watched the news. She poured two bowls of soup and found two metal spoons in a drawer, and seated herself next to him on the floor, "You've got to be the only kid I know who watches the news on purpose."

"I'm not so unusual, really," Toshiro answered as he took his soup, thanked Julia, and sipped from the bowl.

"Oh, yeah. You're just a nine-year-old kid running around New York looking like you're out of a Japanese comic book," Julia replied with a skeptical laugh.

"I'm ten," Toshiro snapped defensively, "How old are you? Sixteen?"

"Sixteen and a half!" Julia answered.

"Aren't you worried about your parents getting caught in the snow storm?"

"My parents are dead," Julia replied.

"I'm sorry…."

"Ain't your fault," Julia sighed and looked down at her soup, "I wasn't living with them at the time, anyway. I moved out about a year ago."

"Why?"

"They were too strict with me," Julia answered, "I was always getting into fights with them. Especially with my dad…. I guess I was too much—So, I moved out, and got myself an agent, and now I work on Broadway. It's not a bad gig, but I guess I'm a bad judge of character when it comes to picking out agents."

"I'll say," Toshiro mumbled as he felt his wound begin to ache again. He nearly spat his soup out as he turned back to the television.

"As of tonight, the Lupin Gang is still on the loose. We have some reports of them being in New York, but these are all unconfirmed," said the announcer as mugshots of Lupin, Goemon, Fujiko, and Jigen all showed up on the screen.

"Hey… You look… Goemon?…. Isn't that?…" Julia looked downward at Toshiro, "Are you…. You aren't related to him, are you?"

Toshiro sat his bowl on the floor, "I'm his son…"

"I could turn you in. I'd get a big reward," said Julia quietly. Toshiro shot his head up in surprise, "I could—But I won't. But, I'd like it, if you told me about it."

"About what?" asked Toshiro.

"About traveling over the world! About stealing priceless treasure! It's gotta be cool!" Julia said excitedly, "What's it like, having a dad involved in that stuff!? I've followed those Lupin stories for years!"

"You… Have?"

"Yeah! It must be pretty neat, huh?"

"I… Guess…"

"You have any friends in there?"

"Yukiko."

"Who's he?"

"Jigen's daughter," Toshiro answered.

"Oh, I'll bet you have a crush on her, huh?"

"What!? No!" Toshiro replied with a wild shake of his head, "We're just friends!"

"Uh-huh," Julia nodded skeptically, "I'm so certain. God, I didn't notice it, but you look just like your dad! I'll bet he's worried sick about you!"

"I don't know about that…" Toshiro sighed.

"Huh?"

"He's probably too pissed off at me to worry about me," Toshiro replied darkly.

"You know, I'll bet he is looking for you. Sometimes I wish that there was still someone out there looking for he, someone who didn't want to kill me…. You're lucky to have him around. I'll bet he's pretty good to you, huh?"

"I guess I am lucky," Toshiro admitted sheepishly.

"Come on, you can help me decorate my Christmas tree!" said Julia, "You can write a sign for them in Japanese, and post it in my window! Maybe they'll see it!"

"Good idea. Do you have black nail polish?" asked Toshiro.

"Black nail polish?" Julia laughed, "Kid, I've got better. How about black paint?"

"Great!" Toshiro rose and followed Julia into her bedroom, and found the materials for his sign.

Another Part of the City, Around Radio City Music Hall:

"TOSHIRO!" Lupin called out through the heavy snow.

"TOSHIRO!" Yukiko yelled as she trudged along. She stumbled once, and Zenigata helped her back up. He lifted her up, and carried her as they continued to call out for him.

"Hey, do you think that guy has a clue!?" Ming shouted to Goemon. All turned and saw a beaten looking man directly outside of the theater, smoking. Who the hell would smoke in a snowstorm besides Jigen was a mystery to all of them.

"Hey, buddy, you see a kid that looks kinda like this guy!?" Lupin called to the smoking man. He walked over to Goemon, and lifted the samurai's scarf down. The man jolted into surprise, and nearly choked on his cigarette.

"W—Why?" he asked, nervously adjusting his cigarette.

"His kid was here! His name's Toshiro!" Lupin answered.

"Listen, I don't want nothin' to do with it!" he answered, and began to back away. Lupin and Goemon quickly caught him, and Goemon found a knife in hidden on him. He pulled the blade out, and saw blood on it, along with a piece of familiar light blue fabric. Goemon pushed the man back up against a wall, and drew his sword out, "Oh crap, oh, crap! You've got one, too!?"

"You bet. And I'm not afraid to use it, either!" Goemon snapped, "Now talk!"

"He went after me with a sword when I tried to talk to Julia!"

"Who's Julia!?" demanded Goemon.

"She… I'm her agent…"

"Where does she live?" asked Goemon.

"She won't be there!" the man, Cabe, replied, "She wouldn't dare go home!"

"Why not?" asked Lupin.

Cabe cowered, "No reason…" he said meekly, "She, uh, just forgot some things here…"

"You. Address. Now," Goemon said, lifting his sword over Cabe's head. Cabe nervously gave them the address, and the group was off again. All were freezing by the time they reached the apartment complex and read Toshiro's sign in the window. Yukiko yelled happily and pointed up to the window, and they all ran inside.

Meanwhile, inside, Julia had turned on the heat in the apartment, and had gotten a blanket for her and Toshiro. They were both lying on the couch, and she was watching television while Toshiro slept soundly. She heard a knock on the door, and gasped in surprise. She moved Toshiro, grabbed, a mallet at the side of the door, and opened it.

Zenigata let out a shrill scream as the mallet missed his head by inches. He ducked, and Goemon grabbed hold of the mallet and calmly set it down.

"Toshiro!" Yukiko yelled happily as she spied him. Toshiro slowly lifted his head up, and gaped in shock as he saw a heavily bundled down Yukiko looking upward at him.

"Yuki?" Toshiro yawned, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm glad you're okay!" Yukiko said as she embraced him.

"Yukiko! Let go! You're cold!" Toshiro groaned, and pushed her back, "How'd you get here!?"

"We all went back to the last place we saw you, and went from there!" Yukiko answered.

"You, uh, must be the father," said Julia as she laid her mallet down at her side and smiled nervously at Goemon, "Your son, he saved me. From Cabe—My bastard of an agent."

"What? We met him. He saw Goemon and freaked!" Ming said.

"He attacked Toshiro."

"WHAT?" Goemon growled, and snapped his head around in Julia's direction.

"He came after me, but Toshiro stopped him, and we ran off. He cut him a little, but he's all right," Julia answered, "I didn't know what else to do except let him stay here with me a little while, until the snow let up."

"Thank you," Goemon bowed to her, and walked over to Toshiro. Yukiko slowly backed out of the way, and all looked tensely over at the two. Goemon kneeled down in front of Toshiro, and embraced the boy.

Toshiro looked over at Goemon's shoulder, stunned, "Uh, are you, feeling okay?"

Goemon sat back on his knees, and looked downward, "I know we haven't been on the best of terms, but if you wouldn't mind trying to at least have some sot of relationship… I'll bend if you will."

Toshiro's eyes briefly traveled upward to Julia, then down to Goemon, "Okay."

"Well, now that that's out of the way, we better be getting back… I can only imagine how Jigen's holding up with Fujiko, Natasha and Amaya," said Lupin.

Back at the Mansion:

All sat in silence at the dinner table. Jigen cleared his throat, and looked down at his silverware uncomfortably. He looked upward at the group, and looked over at Amaya and Fujiko. Amaya was smiling blankly like at idiot, Natasha had long excused herself to go and vomit in the bathroom, and Fujiko was tiredly rubbing her temples.

"So…" Jigen looked around the table, "How…. About those Yankees…"

Goemon's grandfather interrupted, "Where the hell is the pie!? And Fujiko, take that hat off! You have such lovely eyes!"

"I.. Uh…" Jigen looked around for an escape. Suddenly, the sound of metal clanging from the kitchen alarmed everyone, and Jigen rose, "I'll check it!" he called, and ran into the kitchen, "Wow, whaddya know! The damn dog was in the trash! I, uh, better clean this up!" Jigen called from the kitchen. He looked down at Martha, who stood in the middle of a pile of overturned garbage, wagging her tail. Jigen closed the kitchen door, looked back over his shoulder, and then leaned down and patted Martha on the head, "Thanks, I needed to get out of there. I owe you one."

He took a piece of baked chicken from the counter, and passed it to her. She ate it happily, and licked her mouth and wagged her tail happily, "No problem. You earned it. Now, if you wouldn't mind going and making a mess of the den, they'll be a bowl of potatoes in it for you." Martha barked once, and ran out of the kitchen quickly, "Yeah! Shoo! Goddamn dog!" Jigen yelled as he grabbed a mop and began to wipe up the kitchen floor. He heard a crash come from the den, and smiled, and began to whistle as he mopped.

A little while later, the door of the house opened, and a very cold Toshiro, Yukiko, Zenigata, Lupin, Goemon, Ming, and Julia, all walked into the household. The other relieved family members immediately greeted them, and Mrs. Ishikawa gave one of her trademark bone-crunching hugs to Toshiro.

Heiji began to wail as Lupin slammed the door, and Goemon sighed heavily, "I'll take him up and lay him down…" he said as he removed his jacket and removed Heiji from the crib. He walked up the stairs, looking back at Toshiro and briefly smiling. Toshiro smiled back, and wormed out of his mother's grasp.

"You know, silence is golden, Heiji," Goemon said wearily as he walked into the baby's room and closed the door behind himself. He sat down in a rocker and rocked Heiji back and forth slowly. Heiji still cried after twelve minutes, "Please stop crying…" he groaned, and hit his head against the back of the wooden rocker, "Your brother is home now! You're supposed to be happy, not crying. Please, Heiji?" A door opened, and Goemon shot his head up. It was Toshiro, "Come in…" Toshiro nodded, and closed the door behind himself as he entered the room, "Got away from Mom?"

"Fortunately. I thought she was going to smother me to death," Toshiro muttered, "I've got Julia talking to Amaya, now. They seem to get along."

"She took good care of you?" inquired Goemon as Heiji began to quiet his crying.

"Yes," Toshiro nodded, "But that Cabe creep will be after her again…"

"What are we to do? Send him to jail, maybe?"

"That's a start," Toshiro answered.

Goemon smirked, "We'll see, Toshiro. But, for now, let's just enjoy the company of everyone."

"I really like New York," Toshiro admitted, "People need a Robin Hood here…" he added under his breath, "even if he wears a kimono."