Chapter 4: Uneasy adjustments

Katie's Apartment. Morning

A few days had passed since Mark came back to Liberty city. He had to sleep on the couch because Katie's mother wouldn't allow them to sleep in the same room together. Something about giving Chang bad ideas since Chang was still in high school. Of course, sleeping on the couch was the least of Mark's worries. He had to find a Job; A task that would prove difficult. As he sat at the kitchen table, looking through the classifieds, Marcus Raze searches for the one job that would last him long enough for him to find a new place for him and Katie; Preferably an apartment in Cedar grove. He came across a couple of want ads for Love media, but he passed on it because he thought working in a radio station would not go with him keeping a low profile and all.

Man, finding a job isn't as easy as I thought it would be, thought Mark.

Katie walks into the kitchen and finds Mark at the table. She's wearing icy blue pajamas with a matching robe. She rested her arms around Mark's neck and rested her head on top of his.

"Find anything that you can use," she asked.

"Not really," he replied. "Just a lot of ad's."

"Just keep trying Mark. You'll find something."

"Thanks Kate," replies Mark. "Anyway, what are you doing up so early? It's only 9:37."

"I have to go to work in an hour," Katie replies.

"Can't you just stay home today?"

Katie looks at him with a "You got to be kidding" type look.

"I'm just kidding, just kidding. I think I'm going to make my way over to Staunton Island. I have an old friend that I need to talk to."

"Just be careful Mark," Katie replies.

Kenji's Casino: Staunton Island

Yaz walks into the garden without his sword. He looks around and finds Asuka on the far end of the garden Meditating. He walks over to her and she stands up slowly. He gives her a solemn bow and she tilts her head towards him. He then gives her a piece of paper telling her all about what Mark has been doing since he came back to Liberty city.

Where he's been, who he's been talking to, everything.

"It seems that Raze is trying to leave behind the life he once lead," says Asuka with a sinister type voice. "It's almost heartbreaking that we have to spoil it for him now. Take some men and follow him. Bring him back here so that he and I can have a little chat."

Yaz gives Asuka a solemn bow. Then he turns towards the door and leaves.

West Belleville Park.

A small crowd has gathered by the park benches. Sitting on the bench is a man who appears to be in his late 40's wearing a brown trench coat and a top hat. On the other side of the bench sits Marcus Raze wearing his usual black motorcycle jacket. In between the both of them is a checker board. On Mark's side, the red checkers have dominated the black checkers. All that is left is a single Black checker. The Man in the coat looks up at Raze and gives him a look of conceding. Then the crowd starts to drift away from the two gentlemen.

"It look's like I won again Fink," says Mark.

"The only reason you won that was because I missed that triple jump," replied Ratfink.

"Bull. I had you cornered."

"What do you want Raze. You didn't just come here to play checkers did you? I know you better then that."

Mark clears the checker board and puts the materials back in the box.

"I need you to tell me what happened in this city for over the past six months. I have bits and pieces from 8-ball, but if I need to know anything else he said to see you."

"I guess he was right to send you to me. Well you better reset the checker board, because you're in for a long haul." Replies Fink.

After a couple of hours of explanations from Ratfink, Raze leaves him with two dollars. As he leaves the park entrance and walks towards his Stallion, he notices a man on a Kawasaki motorcycle wearing a black helmet and a matching school uniform looking at him from down the street.

Now what's this all about? Mark thought to himself.

The unknown biker jets off leaving Mark alone with his thoughts. He then gets in his car and drives off.

Love Media radio station.

Katie sits at the front desk reading some forms. Since the disappearance of Donald Love, The entire office has been busy with the changes. The staff is a little tense with the F.B.I. Investigating the entire building. It was believed that Love was the one responsible for the Yakuza/Columbian gang war. And now the feds are investigating the whole company, to see if anyone else had anything to do with it. As Katie sits at her desk next to the executive office, D.J. Lazlow walks by.

"Hey Lazlow, Have you seen Toni," She asks.

"No, I haven't seen her since yesterday," He replies. "Are you feeling alright Katie, you look different."

"I'm fine, Lazlow." She says. "Thank you for asking. Oh did you hear about Michael Hunt?"

"Yeah, I heard that He's retiring." Replies Lazlow as he leans over Katie's desk. "Are you going to the retirement Party?"

"I don't know yet. I'll let you Know If I am."

"O.k., I'll see you later then Katie," Says Lazlow.

"Bye"

Katie Picks up a small stack of papers from the top of her desk and Puts them in a File folder. She then starts to put them in the desk drawer when the phone rings. She answers it.

"Hello, Love media." She says.

"Katie, its Mr. Davis. Will you come to my office?"

"Right away, Mr. Davis."

A Few Minutes pass and Katie walks through the office doors of Love media chairman Wilson Davis.

"Hello Katie," He says. "Have a seat."

"Thank you," She replies.

"Now Ms. Kwan, in resent events of the Federal investigation on love media, I have begun my own Inquiry to the involvements of Mr. Love and the Cartel/Yakuza gang war. Don't worry this Does not affect you. I just want to know if you have noticed anything strange before Donald Loves Disappearance."

Katie sits with her head tilted down just a little bit.

"There was this Man that used to come around the office quite frequently. He was sort of quiet and he was wearing a black Jacket and green cargo pants." She said. "He looked like the same man that robbed the bank a few months before the Dam incident."

"I see. Do you remember anything else," asks Mr. Davis.

"No, Mr. Davis."

"O.k., thank you for your time Katie. You may leave."

Katie leaves the Executive office and heads back to her desk.

I have a really bad feeling that something is going to happen. She thinks to herself.

Liberty City shopping center

Mark stand in the jewelry store staring into the display case. He's been standing there since he left the park. He then eyeballs a small silver ring with a small Diamond on it.

"I'll take that one sir," says Mark pointing to the ring through the glass."

"Would you like it gift wrapped sir," asks the Jeweler.

"No thank you sir," replies Mark.

Mark pays the Jeweler and walks out the store he proceeds outside the center and walks around the corner, into an ally where his stallion is parked. He places his bags in the trunk when suddenly he is ambushed from behind by four Japanese men led by Yaz the Assassin. he is able to fight off two of them before the third one hits him in the back of the head with a wooden baton. Mark falls to the ground and he takes one last look at Yaz before he looses consciousness.

Hey guys, Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I had a lot of work to do in school and I was having trouble with the end of this chapter. Let me know what you think.

Oh and I like to say thanks to the following people who reviewed

Kdogthefirst

Sadistic Fox

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Thanks you. Peace out y'all