The snow had long since melted from the streetscape. Still, huge melting piles sat at the sides of the roads lingering still, evidence that it was even winter that covered the city. It had been a week since her mother's family came through the door of her best friend's home.
Kyouki had to set them up in a hotel. She was going to pick them up. After several hours, they were going to celebrate the coming year. Kyouki pulled up to the spot. Getting out, she made her way to the elevators. On the fifth floor, she heard laughing coming from up the hall. Bobby was running out of the room with his nephew running after him.
"Aunty!" the four-year-old called when he saw Kyouki.
"Hey lil man, you beating your uncle up?" She asked, scooping the boy up in her arms.
"Hey Cuz. We were just playing. He didn't want to put his shoes on." Bobby panted, chuckling, reaching for the boy to tickle him. "I told him no shoes, tickle monster, then he ran me out the room."
Ky feigned surprise. "He told you about the tickle monster?" The boy in her arms nodded. "Did he tell you there is an Anti tickle monster who beat up Tickle monsters?" Ky reached for Bobby as Elijah giggled on her hip.
Bobby backed up. "No fair! Trace! Help!" He ran around Ky, back into the room up the hall. Ky held tight to Elijah while she trotted slowly after Bobby, with Elijah laughing hysterically.
Ky couldn't help herself; she was a laughing mess. "Morning fam."
"Morning baby." Her aunt came to kiss her cheek. "You gonna spoil this boy, put him down."
"Aunt, ok cousin, but I will spoil them all the same… I think that goes without saying, right Aunty?" Ky reminded her.
"Don't you start." Mimi snorted, grabbing her jacket.
"Comere baby, let's get your shoes on. Morning Ky." Tracey finished dressing baby Nimani, setting her down on the bed. Ky went to grab her up in place of her nephew.
"Morning Trace. Hey momma. What is your momma feeding you, huh, grits? You're getting to be a chunky monkey." She kissed the baby on her cheeks. Taking a seat to coo over the girl, her phone rang. "Who is calling us now, huh? Let's see." Ky pulled the phone from her back pocket. "Hey, what's up?" Making kissy faces at the baby.
"Laura said she figured out what's in the stuff. She wanted to know if you can talk now or later?"
Making faces at the baby, she kissed the chubby cheeks of the one-year-old. "Um, right now, I'm a bit busy. Tell her later. To swing by… There…. Aight?"
Shaundi knew what she was doing. "You have the kids, don't you?"
"You know it. I'll catch you all later, ok? Maybe an hour."
"No problem, I'll tell her." She hung up.
"You got someplace to go?" Tracey asked as she packed the rest of the diaper bag.
Ky wiggled the baby in a little snowsuit. "A friend of mine I almost forgot about has something I asked for." Kissing her forehead.
Then it came. "You better not be doing that shit from before?" Her Aunt Mimi hollered from the bathroom.
Kyouki blushed, smiling at the girl in her lap. "It's just racing Aunty Mimi!" Ky called, handing over the baby to Tracey, going to the bathroom door.
Her Aunt didn't bother to turn from the mirror to still have words for her. "You know damn well what I mean." Putting her eyeliner on.
"I know." Ky's head hung. She sighed. "I know. Can I promise to be ok?"
Mimi looked her in the eyes from the mirror, turning to her, looking her over, shaking her head no. She knew her niece was as headstrong as they came. "We lost you once. Don't have us lose you again." Cupping her cheek, "I still don't approve. Have you been in contact with your uncle?" Turning back to the mirror to finish preening. Kyouki knew how her aunt felt. She's been hearing it all since they came back into her life. She knew they had to uproot and move to an unfamiliar state. Gat moved them. "You know, Troy never came to see us. I thought he was your boyfriend or whatever."
"What you mean?"
"Johnny came the next day told us to leave. Bobby said something... Bobby?"
"Yes?"
"What you say about that boy, Troy?"
Bobby was at the door standing next to Ky, "Oh, I saw him at the station, cause he is a cop."
Ky snorted, "Yeah I found that out the hard way, but I thought ya'll had been in contact. I know Gat said he called ya'll."
"Nah, he came through. Told us to bounce for shit got thick."
"Oh." Ky heard the baby fussing. Reaching into her jacket pocket, and handed the keys to the truck over to Bobby. Tracy, Bobby, and the kids headed out of the door. When it closed, Ky turned to her aunt. "Listen, I am leading the Saints. I have to clean up what's going on. Please do not call my uncle. I'll call soon." Trying to quit the look on her aunt's face before it came out of her mouth.
Her face said it all as she shook her head. "No, no. I don't like it. Unhun."
"I know. At least let me get the city clean. I want you to come back, but now with the kids, I don't want them living here." She was practically pleading.
"And I don't want you dead again!" Mimi placed her lipstick down.
Ky felt that, felt her words. "I won't." When her aunt gave her a poignant glare. "I won't! I'll be extra careful. Besides, Johnny will be around."
Mimi nodded. She didn't like it, but if Gat was with her, then she felt somewhat less reluctant. "What about Dexter?"
Kyouki shrugged. "I really don't know. Haven't heard from him. I'll ask Johnny."
"Alright then. I still don't like it and your momma is turning over, I'm sure." Giving the girl a tight squeeze. "Let's go, I'm ready."
Traffic was fairly low, but there were people still out about. Kyouki pulled up to Purgatory, parked and headed in. "Hey." Various people called Kyouki when she walked in.
"Hey all, I didn't expect to see yous hanging around. Don't you have things to do?." They met her with some soft chuckles. If there was one thing Li did, was have her crew staying busy. It didn't matter with what. Sitting around taking up space was not their primary function. But with the cold weather, she let it slide this time.
Shaundi came in from the kitchens with a plate in her hands. "Hey Boss, Laura is coming down now."
"I'm glad I made it in time. What you got?" Looking to see what was on Shaundi's plate.
"Nothing, just whipped up something." Showing her it was just some leftovers from the other night.
Laura came down the first flight of stairs. "Hello!"
"Hey Ms. Laura!" Ky called to the woman as she made her way down.
"Look at you hun. You look different. Something happened over the holiday?" She said, making notice of her soft, much more uplifting demeanor.
Kyouki smiled brightly. "I had the best Christmas gift ever!"
Laura chuckled. "Was it from Johnny? You can tell me." She wriggled her eyebrows.
The shock on Kyouki's face sent Shaundi gasping for air as she swallowed her food wrong. "Ms. Laura, no! Oh. Why… No!" Ky started laughing.
"I tease. But if you know what I know."
"And what do you know?" Mock anger, as Kyouki crossed her arms over her chest.
Laura turned her head with pursed lips, locking them. Kyouki shook her head. "Ok, what do you have for us?"
"Right, so the stuff you sent me... That stuff is very sophisticated... I won't bore you with all the details like acetone and trichloroethane, but there is definitely some very good pot in there." Looking around the room, tapping her chin. "You know what would tie this together, a nice Robin's egg blue."
Shaundi pipped in as she looked around, eyes narrowed. "I was thinking more of an avocado."
Laura agreed with a nod. "Couple of throw pillows."
"That's what I told the Boss!"
Kyouki calculated, nodded absently, thinking looking at the small baggie in her hand Laura handed to her. "Welp. For this... as long as we can weaken its concentration, cut it over time, cause I can't have any more people like Samson. I'll be good."
"Making it won't be a problem. Cutting it gradually is even easier. I'll give the recipe to Shaundi." Laura always prepared, pulled a notepad and pen from her purse.
"Now all we gotta do is stop those fuckers from producing any more." Kyouki smiled, satisfied with what she was hearing.
Shaundi pointed at the baggie. "Well, seeing as they're turning out, so much product. They had those bricks on them like they just shit... they'd need a… oh my god I'm an idiot. Fuck!" Shaundi let out the groan of a sigh.
Ky looked her over. "Wha happen?"
Shaundi closed her eyes tight. "Remember I told you about that guy? In college... I dated this guy who would sell for the Sons. He mentioned they used to grow all their shit on a farm off campus. That guy."
Kyouki's face scrunched in confusion. "And this is coming up for the first time. Why?"
Shaundi shyly shrugged. "I forgot?"
Shaking her head, Kyouki threw the baggie at her. "You're right, you are an idiot..."
"Hey!" Shaundi gasped. Then pouted. "I'm sorry!" Following the two women up the stairs to Kyouki's office.
"Ya know, important information is needed. If you keep forgetting, then what can I do with you? Thanks for your help, Ms. Laura."
Laura shook her head, telling Kyouki to forget about it, as she didn't see it as a problem.
Ky headed to the office with Laura behind her, Shaundi getting up from her spot to follow behind them. "Where are you going?"
"I got farms to pinpoint. I'm not sure where it is. But they are off campus like you said. We are gonna have to burn it down. Also, dig up some plants for us. Half a farm should be good. Need to find a place for that too."
"We can't just charge into that place. Even if we locate it. The crops won't be ready til maybe the end of Spring or Summer."
Kyouki pouted as she went to the whiteboard that had the map of the campus. "That you are right about. I at least need to know where they are to get the jump on them." Looking over the map. She marked off a few locations. "Might have to change cars, so it looks inconspicuous. Send people out to scout."
Laura chirped. "Oh hun, you don't have to."
Shaundi and Kyouki looked at the woman, confused. "Whaddya mean?" Came from them both.
"Tobias is outside in the car, he's got a pilot's license. Why don't you just have him fly you over the farms?" Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her cell. "Toby baby, can you come in for a minute?"
"You gotta be kidding me." Kyouki was in awe. How could she have gotten so damn lucky?
Tobias walks in as Laura waves him over. "Baby, she thinks I'm kidding. Show her." A grin spread proudly on the older woman's face.
Tobias pulled his wallet out, flashing the pilot's license. "We already discussed this. Does it look like I'm joking? You did so much for the city, me, and my pumpkin, no sweat."
"Shit. Stop." Kyouki felt touched. Clearing her throat, her phone rang. "Yeah?" Waving to the others as she headed out to meet with Gat.
Gat had finally gotten in touch with Freddy's nephew Nicolas. He was in town ready to meet with them.
"Yeah, by the airport. See you when you get here." Gat hung up the phone.
"My uncle told me you were company to keep. Did help my uncle a fuckton. Thank you. Or have my uncle thank you. Either way, thank you. So is there anything that you are looking for, cause I have things you might not have thought of. Like these incendiary bullets." He walked over to one of the many tables in the hanger, filled with parts and gadgets.
Johnny followed with sheer curiosity. More that makes a man scream, the better.
"Also pipe bombs. I want to get them in a grenade but I accidentally blew up the storehouse a few years back, but I have it perfected now and I…" Nicolas went on, without so much as a breath. Johnny swore Freddy rambled on and it must be genetic. Trying to tune the man out, Johnny was itching to just shoot him. But he was needed. His cell rang as Nic kept yammering.
"Yeah? Hanger hold up. Nic, she's here." They both headed to the door to see where Kyouki was.
The Saint leader pulled up to the far side of the airport, just at the tarmac, well away from security. There was a hole in the fence where she parked. She cursed the sudden chill in the air off the sea. Walking up the strip, phone in hand. Gat stood there watching her as she looked around.
He snorted before giving her direction. "Look up. Left… Left. Stop, turn around."
Spinning around finally saw where he was. "Eh? Oh!" Spotting Gat, she hung up, stashing the phone in her pocket.
"What up with you?"
"Why?"
"You seem to be distracted."
"Am not. This him?"
"Yeah. Nic. Ky. Ky, Nic."
They clasped hands. Another chill ran up. Nic escorted her and Gat into the hangar to get out of the cold. "Your uncle is Freddy. He used to be over near the docks. Is he ok?"
"Oh yeah, yeah. He just moved out of state. Left me his contacts, been with him from the time I was small, picked up a few things or twelve over the years. Told me you were company to keep. Did help my uncle a fuckton. Thank you. Or have my uncle thank you. Either way, thank you. So is there anything that you are looking for, cause I have things you might not have thought of. Like these incendiary bullets..."
Kyouki looked to Johnny, pointing to the man going a mile a minute. He nodded. "Yup, just like him." Gat leaned in with a whisper, crossed his arms. Ky shook her head. One was enough. Sighing, she had noticed the large, whatever, covered under the tarp in the hanger.
"Hey uh, Nic question, what's that?" Diverting the man's attention to the large covered object in the middle of the hangar.
"Huh? Oh. Helicopter." Nic nodded as he looked over his assorted stock.
She slapped Gat across his chest with the back of her hand, a wild grin spread across her face. "Can I see? I just so happen to know a guy who can help me, who flies."
"Who?" Johnny asked, shocked.
"Not gonna fuckin believe it, but Tobias." She trotted over to the whirlybird, helping Nic uncover it.
"Shit. How bout that?"
"I know, right? I thought Laura was joking too!" Ky bounced up and down as if it was Christmas all over again.
The Nic-Nak-Man was written on the side of it, it looked inconspicuous as it couldn't be more perfect for Kyouki. Nic had put the tarp on the other side of the hanger, coming to stand with them again, looking the heli over.
"So, I have just one question."
"Yeah sure, price, how about part of the profits from what I have planned?"
"Nah, don't worry about all that. I just want to know. You want it with guns?"
Gat snorted, Kyouki chuckled. "Not right now. Oh, you can get one?!" Nic nodded as if it was super simple.
They exchanged numbers. Ky promised they would get in touch with what she needed soon. Johnny started walking her to her car at the end of the runway.
"Alright, what is up with you?" Johnny was insistent.
Kyouki looked him up and down, smirking, "Nothing, I told you that. Why do you like questioning me so much?"
"My new lease on life."
Ky scoffed. "New lease. I guess you can say the same about me."
They walked further down the long strip. The sun was setting. Planes were roaring overhead as they took off and landed. The sounds of wind whipping, the ocean battering against the shore below them Kyouki stopped, turned to face Gat, looking away as she smiled overlooking the darkening landscape.
"What?" Gat followed her gaze.
"I haven't thanked you yet. For what you did for me, for my family. It irked Mimi. She doesn't want me to do this. She wasn't supposed to know."
Johnny turned to her thoughtfully. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "My bad."
Ky looked up at him before looking back out at the water. "I want them to come home."
"I know. And you ain't lettin it happen till the streets are clean, right?"
"Right. But I do thank you. Troy never told them about me, you know. I know we made that dumb ass agreement."
"Shut that shit up. Didn't expect my stupid ass to follow through?"
"Oshiri, yes, stupid no." Ky laughed when Gat lightly punched her in the arm. "How did you get here?"
"I bummed a ride."
With a shiver, she tilted her head in the hole's direction she came through in the fence. They slipped through as she pressed the auto unlock.
"Hey. Lemmie, ask you something. What's a Phoenix Robe?" Opening the door to the car, he sat on the passenger's side.
"I guess you wouldn't know. It's a female wedding over robe, so to speak." Kyouki started the car, sitting for a second to let it warm up before turning the heat on.
"Oh. It was pretty. Why you have one?"
Kyouki ping ponged that thought in her head before she settled on. "It was a gift." Ky bit the inside of her cheek. She's going to have to tell the truth one of these days. Just not today, today was really productive. Tonight is party time!
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The house was full, the clinking of glasses, cheering and laughter as Kyouki, her lieutenants and family rang in the new year.
It had been an amazing holiday, with all the frustrations and tears earlier in the year melted away. Kyouki was glad for it. She thought that, with all the positive things that were happening, maybe leading the Saints wasn't such a horrible idea.
With the things to come, the haunts of the past pushed aside for now. This is what she wanted, this tiny security blanket that made up what was in the living room of Aisha's house, the Not Clubhouse. Things could only go up. Still much work to do but could only go up from there… Right?
In February, everyone got their schedules together to scout out the farms around the campus.
Kyouki was on the cell calling out the locations. Shaundi had circled them on the map. Pierce was looking for a location to stash and store the plants. They had Nic get a few trucks together for plant transport. Ramon with Carlos helped with the trucks. They were used and in much needed repair. Nic was keeping up his end. It was all coming together.
So far, it has been a beautiful week. Updates on the Ronin were nothing, the Brotherhood were still leaderless.
Until one day Kyouki was walking to club Koi. She wanted to celebrate with some dancing. The club was having a "Come as you are" night and she wanted to get in on it. A few of the crew went with her cracking jokes on the way Kyouki was wiping her eye when she bumped into someone.
"Excuse me." She stepped to the side with a bow of her head.
"Li?" the person now behind her asked.
Ky debated if she should answer, "Yes?"
"Can you step into my office?"
'Shit, this can't be good. Breathe girl.' She nodded to the others gave a thumbs up when they stopped, noticing that she wasn't behind them anymore. They headed into the nightclub as Kyouki stepped a few feet back into the alley.
The woman had dark glasses on a scarf that covered her head. She looked really cheesy and Kyouki thought, if this woman was to take her out looking this bad would just kill her from laughter.
Kyouki chortled. "You have a lovely office. Who are you? Better yet.. Should I know you?"
The woman crossed the jacket tighter around her body, tilted the glasses down her nose, eyeing Kyouki. "Monica Hughes."
"Bells not ringing." Ky's brow knitted.
"Please, do you really think I'd meet you anywhere in public? Look on the bright side... at least we're not on a boat." The woman drew out the 'boat' a bit too long.
Li narrowed her eyes. Now the connection was made. "I'm glad you can joke about your husband's death."
"I'm crying on the inside, I assure you. I should thank you. Without you I wouldn't have become Mayor."
"I fail to see what that has to do with me." The dangerous look Li was giving her made her nostrils flair. "What do you want?"
"Justice."
"Then call the cops." Kyouki turned on her heel, irritated.
"I said I wanted justice..." Monica raised her voice louder. Over the traffic, it's not like any of the passers-by would care. Considering where they are. This whole thing was downright laughable. Li was not in the mood.
"What's it got to do with me? Who the fuck pissed you off enough to even come looking for me?"
The Mayor nodded like she had a minor victory. "Ultor. They made fortunes by standing on the shoulders of my husband. The gentrification of Saints Row was first referred to as the Hughes Initiative, then the Ultor-Hughes Initiative, and now just the Ultor Initiative. My husband's legacy had been stolen. If I can't benefit from it, neither can Ultor."
Li held her hand up, stopping her rant. "One. I don't give a damn about your prick ass husband. Two. You obviously know who I am. Anyone in their right mind would opt to not look for me."
"You are correct. Like I said, I want justice. Ultor screwed us both, my husband's legacy, as you did not get the recognition you deserve for helping him get to his last point."
"If I was a betting woman, which I am. You are telling me, you need me to take back what your husband was about to 'Salt the earth' with my death?" The subtle shiver Monica had at the revelation did not go unnoticed. "Yeah. He planned to kill me. He missed. Now. Why would he blow himself to kingdom come taking me out with him?"
"I did not know he planned on that. I just know he was riding in on the yacht, then you were blamed." Monica removed her glasses to look Kyouki in the eye. "I was speaking of how you cleaned up the city, recognition. My husband was a prick riding on your coattails."
Kyouki held her gaze, her irritation in thought about what her husband planned. Now his wife is seeking his help. She had to admit, at least she wasn't holding her family over her head or she asked to kill any competition.
"Listen lady, no…"
"I can be your most powerful ally. I can pay you. How's two hundred and thirty thousand?" She pulled her checkbook from her pocket and clicked the pen, scribbling with fire, tore the paper, handed it to Kyouki, nearly pushing it into her chest. "I want you to devalue their property." She pleaded.
It was a decent chunk of money, the thoughts as she looked over this lump sum of money. With the race season approaching, HQ needed some finishing touches, her family and crew… "Fuck me. I will need the name of the septic company the city has a contract with." Stuffing the check in her back pocket.
Monica looked flabbergasted. Was she hearing correctly? She smiled, reaching into her pocket for a wad of cash. "Thank you. But why do you need to know that?" handing it to the young woman, agreeing to help her.
Kyouki smirked. "You'll see..." A quick nod from Kyouki was finally heading into the club for a night of dancing.
Liquid feces covered buildings, the streets, cars, people and pools… All Kyouki had to do was aim shot a retching stream of shit. Sophie, her driver of this large septic tank, was enjoyable cackling in both French and English, insulting the Ultor corporation.
She stated Monica was behind hiring her. It seemed the Mayor had her own shit… sorted, just looked for Kyouki to bring the mayhem. A few times from her position in the passenger side of the tinted windowed truck, playing with the controls, her tummy rolled. Kyouki dared not eat anything before doing this job.
This particular brand of poetic justice became much more gratifying when they rolled up to the police station on Harrowgate.
"Sophie, hit the brakes." Ky took aim at the parking lot. "Turn in the lot." There in fuzzy color on the screen controls Troy's personal car.
"Your just deserts… or someone else's." Maniacally cackling at her own joke. "The corruption is to end, you bourgeois fucks! Hahaha, this is so satisfying no? Open your mouth wide bitches!" Sophie was hysterically giggling.
Kyouki made two aimed shots into the crack open window of Troy's car. Now it's Kyouki's turn to laugh. She graced the other cars with the foul liquid for good measure. They still had more to do.
She would not let that chunk of change go to… waste. They both were laughing as they now coated the front of the station high up the front that would take hours, days to clean up.
The newly remodeled church coated, Ultor executive homes, coated. Ultor building extra coated. They covered all of Mission Beach with the slippery, sticky liquid that she knew would be talked about for weeks. Oh, the glory of it all, an utter shit show. Today was a great day. As prompt as ever, the news reported Sophie and Kyouki as "Disgruntled employees."
As Kyouki made her way to Purgatory when she heard it on the radio, she laughed hard; it was all over the news. On the TV, she could see the police station with the police slipping in the foul, noxious muck.
'Two disgruntled employees stole a city septic waste truck. Going on a disgusting journey that covered the pristine beauty of New Saints Row. We are unsure if they were tired of the workload, or unhappy with their pay. This is Jane Valderamma back to you, Jack.'
Showered, smelling fresh, Kyouki's next stop was to Aisha's for dinner. Seeing everyone was there, she pulled up to the curb parking. Keys jingling unlocked the door, pushing it open. "I'm hooooome…?" The looks they gave her when she stepped through the door.
"Kyouki Irrisa James!"
"I didn't do it!"
"Like the hell you did!" Her Aunt and Tracey ran after her with belts and switches in hand.
The sounds of Kyouki screaming when she bolted from the door and laughing up the street into the chilled evening air with the two women chasing after her had the house in tears.
Tired and starving, Kyouki headed back into the house, getting an earful from her aunt, mostly. Kyouki explained she had little choice, especially with how much they offered her for the job.
"And who did you say paid you?" All of them leaned in to hear the answer for what happened.
"The Mayor."
Gat threw up his hands and walked away. "Fuck outta here!" Aisha shook her head, Mimi, Tracey and Bobby just closed their eyes. Pierce, Brian and Shaundi couldn't believe it.
"Listen, she paid me two hundred and thirty thou, plus for this. Like I said, I didn't have much choice. And even then I don't know how she found me." Kyouki sat with her arms folded and head resting on the back of the sofa.
Thinking that she never really announced to the public that she was up, out and about. Troy has been covering for her. So she should be fine. Shouldn't have anyone after her. She did more good than horrible for the city.
Gat came back and sat with everyone else. "As long as you keep low, you should be fine." He was thinking, too.
"Yeah Boss, you don't want to make the news every day. How did you get a septic truck in the first place?" Pierce was pleasantly shocked.
Kyouki chuckled. "Funny thing about that. I had asked about the city contracts. She had it all prepared when I agreed." They all looked at her skeptically. "Honest, I got a call this morning, was told to meet in the alley by the waste plant, and we were off. Oh hee hee, I got shit in Troy's car too."
"Oh, shit, you did?" Gat was leaning in his seat.
Kyouki leaned in closer too. "Yeah, you know how he leaves the windows cracked? Well, I…"
"Kyouki!" Came from her aunt. Kyouki sank back into her seat, grinning.
"I know. The cops showed up, a lot of them, they sent out S.W.A.T too. But I'm alright. It won't kill me to pay Troy back any time I am able. He deserved it."
Kyouki went to the kitchen to get something to eat. The others joined her at the dining table; they talked about other things and it was a comfortable evening.
"Oh Boss, before I forget, we got the greenhouse ready." Pierce added. The one thing Kyouki was looking forward to because it was a matter of time when the plants matured, she could kill two birds with one stone, Operation Snatch and Burn. Cutting the pockets of the Sons.
Things were definitely looking up.
