It had been a smooth two weeks of peace, with loads of work to make up for, but it was nothing pressing. Aside from the Mayor making a statement that leaned toward the Saints' destruction of property, also ridding the city of the Samedi was a mediocre thank you at best. With the property damages that were not the fault of Kyouki or the Saints, she begrudgingly came to a medium.

Kyouki pursed her lips as she was making notations of how much she counted out, before going back to singing as she was counting a new stack of bills. Gat with Aisha popped in. A new shipment of bullets, courtesy of Nick, came that day.

Aisha came and sat on the black leather sofa in the office, as Ky was still counting. Aisha listened to her sing between Japanese and English as each song changed. When Ky finished, she put a note and money in a large duffle bag.

"What's that for?" Aisha asked, flipping through a magazine.

Grabbing the bag, she invited Aisha to come with her. "Mall donation." Making a face that spoke louder than the two words she uttered.

Aisha nodded, and both women left to drop off the money. "We should do some songs together."

"Oooh!" Kyouki's expression didn't match the same way her voice sounded. Aisha thought it thoroughly amusing.


Pierce watched from the bar as the women left. "Yo, she really puttin' that money up for shit she ain't do?"

As foul as it was, Ramon agreed, that was fucked by how they got the blame. "If anything, the 'sizable donation' she put to repairs will help keep the Mayor off our backs."

"But ain't she pulling from the races?" Pierce was calculating the damages. He saw that asinine sum scrawled in red marker on her desk.

"Yeah, ain't much we can do. It's her choice." Ramon and Gat talked about it before with Ky. Carlos had been filled in, who in turn filled in Ren. Pierce and Shaundi found out just a few days ago, just after the first count-out.

The dip in the funds was causing the Boss to keep to herself, mostly money counting every payment from the hustle of Loa and from the bi-weekly income from the strip club, including the properties she relived the Samedi of and was cleaning up. That still wasn't enough to make the difference between.

With Brian gone, they will be down a racer, also less money. That was factored in when Bobby asked to race. If they came in third, it would be something. With everything that had happened with the Samedi, Ky needed to be on top of sales, money for supplies, and supplies for the Saints.

They still needed a second driver. Ky opted out as the circuit knew her and the comeback bets wouldn't put a dent into getting any of that money back.

Now as a distraction, Kyouki took to practice races with her cousin to catch him up to speed, but her actual racing wouldn't happen.

Pierce knew they would need something big, just what he had to figure out.


Across the bridge, over at the S.R.P.D, Troy was fuming. It's one thing to go in and figure out who murdered who. This was, he knew, who decapitated Mr. Sunshine and shot The General.

"Clean up…" Troy grunted. This is what she has reduced him to. What Kyouki giddily left him with. "Arr!" He grunted again.

Clean-up means paperwork, mountains of paperwork. It also meant that he has to fabricate the shit that went down at the mall. Especially because the bodies of the Sons, and the truck with the body of the General, were in different parts of the mall.

"If it were anywhere else. GOTDAMNIT KY!" Troy slammed the pen in his hand down, then rubbed his face in aggravation.

"Woah. Who is the lucky girl that has the Chief cussing no one in the room out?" The Deputy Chief, Kai Jonson, walked in coming with what she thought was some good news.

Looking up, Troy sighed. "Oh, hey, sup?" He waved her in. Sitting back in his chair, he crossed his arms. "I was just venting, my... Uh.. ex was nearly injured in that shit Downtown." He had to admit that sounded plausible.

Kai's eyebrows reached into her hairline. "Ex? Wait, she alright.. No no, Ex? What happen? She was all you ever talked about? We were supposed to double?"

Troy chuckled. "Yeah, she was uh… Just shaken up by it." Troy paused for a moment. He was now lying, not just on paper, to cover up her murders again. "Yeah.. What, what's up? You needed something?" Troy picked the pen up going back over the papers.

Still dumbfounded about how he and his girl were separated, she sat up, leaning on the desk. "Yes. I... Well, you remember that thing you were looking into a while ago?"

"Yeah?"

"I called a few people and found that it runs under the name of Ane." She scratched her head before smiling at Troy. "I'm not sure if it means anything, seeing as you were so, needed to be found, about it."

Troy's eyes narrowed. "How did you… There are channels." He finished.

"I know people. I got curious. So I called them up. Not much else I could find might have to call the big boys if you look further into it. Getting the name alone was like finding a ghost." Kai said.

Troy thought about it. "No. No, thanks. I mean, it's a dead case. Thanks. Jot that down for me. I will look into it. It's for my ex, our friend was murdered." Troy stopped himself from saying anything more.

"Oh shit. That's what you were looking into. I'm sorry." Kai said sadly.

Troy shook his head. It may have been old, but parts of it still hit. He wanted to know why Lin had to die. Sure, it was about money and stopping the income for the Rollerz but for Kyouki to also be hemmed up in the trunk and left for dead as well. Ky never forgave herself for it. It also didn't help when she came in and asked him if he was just a Saint with a badge or a badge who was a Saint.

Kai handed him the piece of paper that had the name of the owner of Toiu Sukai, then got up to leave. "I have work to do, paperwork myself. I just love paperwork week. Fucking crazy shit, first Sunshine, and then the General. We were after them for years, then boom. Thank you, Saints!"

Troy choked. "Y-Yeah, if it was a simple run-of-the-mill paperwork, those two were hard to track down in the first place, but they ended up dead fucking with the wrong person."

Ky was right, she didn't bat an eye. That was the frightening part. "Tell the Missus I said hi. Drinks this weekend?"

"You betcha, I'll tell her. Later Chief." Kai left out and could be heard talking with another officer as she rounded the corner.

Troy looked down at the paper left for him. He looked up at the door his deputy left out of and back at the paper. "Ane, huh? Let me get this shit done. I don't need Hughes breathing down my neck any more than she already is." Troy let out a long, exasperated sigh, placing the paper in his breast pocket.

"Fucking clean up."


The University let out for the summer, and it is Jessica Parish's sophomore year, and she couldn't be happier. As she was on her way out from her last class, stepping into the warm sun, she chatted with several of her friends on her way to her car.

"How is Maero doing?" Only a small few know of the Brotherhood leader by name.

Her response was always the same. "He is still locked up, and I can't wait for conjugal." She teased.

Jessica Parish, among her peers, had what one would consider the best life. She was wealthy, popular, smart, gorgeous, and she had a Maero, who for the past three years had exclusively been with.

~*Summer of '01 - 02*~

She met him in her Junior year in high school after she and her girlfriends snuck into the local popular band, Feed Dogs, concert when they played. At first, Jessica played it cool, coyly evading him. Only answering his calls when she was out of the house. Secret meetings grew attached to each other. Maero gets what he wants, and he wanted Jessica.

Inviting her to his place, she saw that Maero's lifestyle was drastically different from hers. But that difference there was one similarity. Power. She then found out that he was the Leader of the Brotherhood. Challenged without question. That turned her on. From that day, the same night he spread her legs, buried deep within her, they were together for life.

As luck would have it, little birdies like to twitter, spreading words to anyone who would listen. Jessica's parents forbade her from seeing him. That did not stop her. What put a pause to their relationship was Maero getting locked up shortly after for an assault on a few shopkeepers.

Realizing their daughter was changing, music choice, dying her already red hair a blood-red, did they notice. The girl went as far as sitting in the courtroom, bawling her eyes out as they sentenced him.

They had been pen pals for a while; him leaving her in charge of his people. Of course, her parents objected when she would slip out and skip classes. But as long as she kept her grades up, and while the man was behind bars, they let the little relationship slide.

Her mother fretted that her baby would turn to drugs. But Jessica reassured her she was not doing anything hard, just great weed, and Maero would never hurt her. Except for pounding her pussy, till she couldn't walk straight, that she kept to herself. Jessica let her mother know it was the pure love she had for Maero and he for her. Jessica was grateful.

~*Present '06*~

Summer vacation and family dinner at the Parish's, a typical night nothing unusual or out of the ordinary, Jessica's mother and father sat at the elegant dining table enjoying the quiet of their meal, soft music of the classics playing in accompaniment as the server waited on them to set the next meal course before them.

"This is delicious, Kitty." Jessica's father, Jonas, said to his wife.

A soft chuckle from the older woman. "Oh, it's nothing, just some clipping from a magazine I suggested to Marcel. You can thank him for it." Kitty tittered.

Jessica picked and poked at her food. It's been years, and she was getting antsy. She didn't mind leading the Brotherhood in his place and having that power for them to do as she wished, but she wanted her man home. She wanted to watch him order them around. What she really missed was his touch. The toys and fingering herself every night with thoughts of him weren't satisfying enough. With a heavy sigh, her mother looked at her daughter.

"Pumpkin, what's the matter?"

Jessica looked up and smiled. "I need a fantastic lawyer. Can you call Aunt Violet?"

Jonas shook his head, placing his fork down. "Absolutely not."

"Daddy, I asked mom, not you!" Jessica demanded.

Kitty raised her hands, stopping them both from the pointless argument. "Jonas, dear, please. Now Pumpkin, your little boyfriend is where he is because of who he is, a violent brute." Seeing her daughter's temper flailing. "Calm down, I will give my sister a call. Alright?"

"Thank you." They continued their dinner in silence.


After dinner, Kitty called her sister, explaining the situation about the need for a talented lawyer. While there are plenty of good lawyers, what she needed was one who was extremely expensive and talented.

"Violet, honestly, they will not last long. Just humor her, please? You know how rebellious children are these days."

"Oh absolutely. The girls said they have a business trip coming up and will be out that way. I'll send them over. Oh, Kitty, I have another call, smooches."

Jonas looked at his wife over the paper he was reading. "Kitty, you are making a mistake. Stop catering to the girl."

"Oh shush, they won't last long. Besides, I have someone lined up for her. From the club."

A grunt from Jonas signaled the end of the conversation.


Across town at Club Koi, Ky was working the evening shift at the popular nightclub. Now she needed the money more than ever. She took some out from her personal savings as well as what she donated from the Saints. With it being weeks apart from the next drop-off, money would be tight. Kyouki was more concerned with having the needs of her crew met. Little did she know everyone was quietly chipping in when they could.

'Why in the hell did that s.o.b pick a mall of all gotdamn places, fuckin asswipe. Now I don't have enough for my apartment.' Ky fumed. Helping others one thing, paying the most for cleaning up to keep them under the radar… Expensive.

In the back, she was taking stock. It was a slow night, and she volunteered to count glasses. All she seemed to do for the past several days was count, hell she was dreaming of numbers.

Fifth box, nothing broken. She moved to the next. Wasn't long before she was called by one of her coworkers.

"Ky? You here?"

Poking her head from around one of the many filled stock shelves. "Yeah, here." Kyouki answered.

"Someone's here to see you." Came from one female bartender.

"Thanks, Alex, be out in a sec." Ky noted what was in the box then to see who needed her.

The woman pointed to a man at the end of the bar sipping his whiskey on the rocks.

"Hey. What brings you here?" Kyouki asked.

Dane smiled as he saw her approach. "I need a reason to visit with my girlfriend?"

Pulling a magazine with his picture on the cover, smirked as she slid it in front of the blond man. Titled; This confirmed bachelor is Ultor's Sexiest man alive. "Should you say that out loud? Are you even allowed to date?" Kyouki snorted and refilled his glass. "To answer your question, no, I guess I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Dane laughed at the irony. "True. But I really wanted to see you. I miss you." Dane pouted.

"I'm a busy woman, honey. I'm lucky if I see me."

Dane chuckled. He knew those days. Up to ears with work, barely enough time to sleep, let alone see anyone. One of his main reasons for his visit. It had been too long since he heard her voice. So he came by on the assumption she would be in tonight.

"Are you free this evening?"


Waking with Dane nuzzled in her neck. Kyouki went to move and Dane woke up. "Don't go." he groggily asked before nuzzling further into her.

"I have things to do. And you have work." Ky reminded.

Pulling Ky closer, kissing her neck. "I'll take off."

"As much as I would love to stay, I need to talk to my lawyer." With a soft hum, Ky remembered what she overheard about Sunnyvale.

Dane sat up, concerned with what he was hearing. "Lawyer, what are you in some kind of trouble?"

Kyouki hugged the covers close to her body, turning to Dane. "You remember when I came to the office? Well, I overheard some plans going on with certain properties." She was waiting to see if anything he needed to say to her from her admission.

Dane thought back. There were talks of upgrading certain areas before all of Stilwater was going to look like the New Saints Row. "Ah, that." he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's just talks. But why on earth would you need a lawyer?"

Directly to the point, Kyouki then slid from the bed to the bathroom. Dane sat there, flummoxed. The property was hers. Legally, he has to go through her, if they went through with the developments. That also was if the property documents were legitimate. Dane chuckled to himself. The more time he spends in her company, the more intrigued and aroused he becomes with her. This woman was much more than he could have hoped for. Dane got up, called for Kyouki's clothes to be cleaned, then went to go join his woman in the shower.


"Dane, may I borrow a shirt?" Kyouki asked, going through his closet, running her fingers over the fine shirts in various colors. Pulling one out of a pastel lavender long-sleeved button-down, she held it up to her wrapped towel body.

Drying himself off, he looked over at her. With a smile, he nodded. "Only if you greet me when I come home this evening." His smile grew wider.

Kyouki sighed and shook her head. "Nevermind then, I'll just go naked." She hung the shirt back in place and went to collect her dirty clothes from the night before.

"Wait!" Dane chuckled, grabbing Kyouki's arm. "I was joking. Please, I would like not to have anyone leering at you other than myself."

"The expense of one article of clothing. Would you hold me, prisoner?" Facing Dane with a look of question.

"No. Never. I-…" He cupped her cheek. Leaning in, he kissed her. They screwed in the shower moments ago, and he was needing to sate his lust for her again.

"Dane." She called him between his kisses. "I cannot stay with you, ever."

Dane stopped, his brows drew together. "Why?"

Ky shrugged. "The one time I trusted myself to a man, he let me down. I wish to not have that happen again. I have an unpleasant temperament."

Dane does not care about her foul temper. He prefers it. Pushing her back, he pressed his body into hers against the cool mirror of the walk-in closet, the floor-to-length mirrors on either side of the room, kissing her deeply once more. He lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist and slid himself into her.

Hearing her gasp bucked into her harder. He watched the passionate expression on her face, looking over her shoulder to see himself slow fucking Kyouki. Felt himself slipping deeper into her. The way she felt slick around his shaft, his mind clouded.

"Stay… please." He moaned in her ear, kissing her jaw.

She felt him hit a spot within her that felt like an itch she could never reach. She wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. Calculations, she is calculating while being screw-driven against the wall.

The sensation was enough to make her agree. "I have…. work." She gasped, her voice wavering. It was torture feeling herself on the edge. Her hands were in his hair, kissing him. Felt him gripping her ass to pull her lower half to him.

"Then come… here… after? Yes?"

Kyouki bit her lip to keep a moan from escaping. The build-up was delicious, the feeling of him sliding in and almost out. If she could bottle the feeling, she would sell the shit out of it.

"Please?… say yes." Dane was losing his mind. If she got any wetter, she would have a puddle where they stood.

"Yes…"

The moment the word left her parted lips, he bounced her like a paddle ball. The sounds of their skin slapping together, the moaning that came from her, he quieted with his tongue down her throat. Breaking free, he pulled from her, spilling all over the mirror what little he had in him.

Dane smiled, panting. "Thank you. I'll be home a little late." He kissed her cheek and then headed to take a second shower.

Kyouki braced herself against the mirror. She snorted. She needed a nap. Dane threw a wrench in her plans. Though one night shouldn't hurt.

Kyouki joined him to clean herself off.


Tracey was up bright and early, ready to start officially her first day on the floor at Ultor. Marketing was her major, Art her second. It was something about the way the ads on tv and in magazines, even the billboards with their color ranges and how they pulled you in, was fascinating to her.

Her first stop was security. Photos, making sure names were correctly posted, even fingerprints on record. Tracey thought she was working for the government and not as an Ultor personnel.


The names of everyone who works for the company gets background checks, that once they have come back clear are then passed through several people before it reaches the head man of security. That man is Dexter Jackson.

"Here is the list of new employees. Everything came up clean."

Dexter took the papers and nodded his thanks. Sipping his coffee, he read the top sheets. Once in his office once more nodded and paused after rereading the name on the sheet. This was a punch to the gut. His fling, the mother of a son he just found out about, is now working for Ultor.

"No shit." Dex laughed. His boss was dating his former friend, and here is her cousin coming to work essentially with him.

Those independent, stubborn James women were something else.


Dex came from his office to scan the badges for use for the first month. They issued after every two months a new one after. Personally, he handed the scanned badge to a stunned Tracey James.

"Mr. Jackson, I didn't know you worked here."

"I could say the same of you." Dexter agreed. "So Ultor, huh?"

"Yes, a dream job with a big corporation is putting useless knowledge and two certified pieces of paper to use."

Dex laughed hard. It was always something about Tracey's humorous honesty that gave him genuine joy.

"Change jobs and go into comedy." Dex snorted.

"Alright, after the first two months." Tracey thanked the woman next to her, who handed her other work related clearance passes.

Dexter shook his head. "I'll hold you to it. For now, Welcome to Ultor, where we are building a brighter future."

"Thank you for the opportunity." Tracey smiled back. Having someone who she knows in the building was comforting. But to raise on her own feet, she would do the exact opposite of not using her connections.

Dexter snapped, remembering he needed to speak with her. "Ms. James, I'll see you during lunch."


Lunch arrived, and the cafe was half full of employees relaxing and doing their own thing with a side lounge nearby. Tracey picked up something light, then proceeded to a small circular table near the windows.

"Tracey?"

"Mr. Jackson, please." Gesturing to a seat, she offered him.

"Thank you. How's your day so far?"

Tracey nodded. "Pretty good, actually. Learning the ropes from my two coworkers. You?"

"Same as always."

Dex didn't notice before, she being a fling, but now the difference was clear. Kyouki and Tracey favor, not just because they are cousins. Tracey was a beautiful warm amber skinned woman with medium brown expressively gorgeous eyes, unlike her cousin's striking eerie gold hazel. Her hair has grown out, from the shorter style she had worn in her younger years and if you didn't notice, one could mistake the two.

"What's up? You needed to speak to me?" Tracey asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk about your, our son… I want to see him and have a DNA test done."

Tracey looked at Dex. She wanted them to meet. Has no problem with it, even the test she expected. "Sure." She pulled out her phone to show off her kids.


One overnight turned to weeks. And the Saints' leader was needed.

Gat was looking for her, and she was nowhere to be found. Not in Purgatory, or night shift at Koi, definitely not at Aisha's, and she was barely texting back.

~Where the fuck are you?

Her phone chimed. She knew who it was before looking at the screen.

Out minding my business, why? ~

~We have a problem at HQ. Get your ass here!

The fuck you talking to like that? ~

~Someone who is supposed to be the leader of the Saints and cares about the people here.

Kyouki put her phone down. Gat was right. She was spending more time in the plush apartment. It was like she had forgotten all about her aim.

"Dane, I need to go." She got up from the bed and made her way for a quick shower.

She had taken earlier hours at the club and spent little time in HQ. Dane became a distraction and that was not what she needed. Her head wasn't needed in the game, per se, but there were things that needed to be done.

Dane joined her. "Are you coming back?" He rubbed his hands up her wet, slick waist.

"You kept me here longer than I needed to be." Kissing his lips quickly. "Thank you, but I have an issue to address at the club. My job depends on people's happiness." Raking her nails across his chest. Listening to him hiss. "If they aren't happy, neither am I." She pulled his head down, forcing him to his knees.

He did as he was pressed, gladly, lapping up her and the water that made small rivers down her body.


Gat was standing there with his arms folded, waiting for her to pull up. Kyouki hurried out of the car.

"What's the emergency?" Kyouki was heading to the now functioning elevator. Once they were both in. Gat dropped the bomb.

"Nothing. Just wanted to know where you were. Now that I can smell where you were, I'm cool."

Kyouki is normally natural with her emotions, a very fine line that is of relative calm. Being that her emotions could sway to one extreme like a slow pendulum. Right at that moment Jonathan "Johnny" Gat got the earful of his life.

Ky cussed him out in two languages, to make her point known. "How come you gotta be a major dick, huh?"

"What the fuck if he was a fucking serial killer, huh? Then what?"

"You fuckhead, you act like we haven't offed people. That's our fucking life!" She screamed back at him. "I'm fucking grown damnit. I can be where the fuck ever I please with whoever the fuck I please!"

"Fuckit, I won't worry about yo' ass no more!"

"Good, cause I can take care of my fucking self!" The door slammed to her room.

The door to her office slammed and the privacy windows fogged up. Music blasting from her office.

The crew stood listening to the two of them arguing. Shaundi looked at Pierce and Ramon. Carlos and Ren watched the stairs.

"Mom and Dad are fighting again." Came from two of the Saints sitting playing poker.

"Yo, they can merc us, not caring. Chill with that shit." Came from another before Ramon could throw something.


There have been a few weeks more that has passed and the circuit was nowhere near dwindling. Seeing Brian off was quiet. Ky told him if there was anything that he needed, call without hesitation. Tonight's directions to another race were ready and revving to go. Bobby was racing tonight, getting better. He came in fifth in the six man run and fourth in another.

Ky hadn't minded it was all fun until this night of all nights the Ronin showed up. Four cars and an entourage that included the leader himself, Shogo Akuji.

In the past races he never showed, nor did any of his crew. Ky was sitting chatting with people around who were admiring her cars, giving Carlos his well-deserved praise and hooking him up with clients. The blaring music over the top of the event drew her attention to them.

"The hell are they here for?" It was not a question she wanted answered.

The bike Shogo rode had a beautiful neon strip in the carriage to the tail, looking like that old movie Ky couldn't place right then.

"Boss, where are you going?" Carlos asked.

"To be nosy, be back." Kyouki slipped off in the massive crowd. They knew Li in the racing circuit, and Ronin was popular as well. There is always some sort of tension between people, but none like Shogo versus Kyouki. It's a rivalry that spans from Kyouki's childhood back in Japan.

On Shogo's end.

Walking up to see the bike and rides that pulled up, genuinely she was interested. When she came to the front of the crowd that gathered, a trio of girls greeted her, which she had encountered twice so far.

"I knew I smelled fishy, and cheap perfume." One stated, tugging the arm of her friend. Who chuckled when she saw Kyouki in the gathering.

Kyouki's eyebrow rose. "Pardon me?"

Shogo was busy nuzzling the neck of one girl. He paid little attention to what was going on around him. "What's that?"

"Member when I says there was a horrible hag who embarrassed us before?" The girl said childishly.

"Yeah."

"She's right there." Pointing Kyouki out.

Shogo rolled his head to see who his girl was talking about, pulling her closer to him. Behind the mask he wore, he was shaken. Cold water drenched, shocked.

"Why ya'll fuck with her?" Shogo said. The girls looked at each other, very confused. "What brings you here?"

Arms folded across her chest, she shrugged. "I see you like collecting parasites."

"Sho baby, you going to let her talk to us like that? She kicked us out, member." One of the three pouted.

Shogo thought about that day. "You are right. How can I let her do that to my girls?" Shogo snapped, pointing at Kyouki as two of his larger men grabbed her arms, while others formed a human barricade.

The crowd stood there watching, then grew rowdy. "Yo, what are you doing?"

"She ain't did shit to you!"

"Let Empress go!"

"Leave Li alone!"

They called, worried about what would happen next. It's nothing for a fight or two to break out, but this is between two big shots. And the wedged tension there already, it divided further the crowd.

Shogo was showing off. Fine, if that's what he wanted to do. He had Ky standing there for a good while as the arguing went on around them. Kyouki could have gotten free. In fact, Shogo was counting on it. They were at the Coliseum they had carved up for tourists. That was part of what Shogo oversaw. He wanted to see a spectacle, like an emperor watching a gladiatorial event. Though he knew she would not stoop so low.

He silently cursed her. She was being held against her will and wasn't resisting. "Bring some ice water!" He ordered. If she won't fight, he will push a battle.

Kyouki's head lifted, and she glared at him. Someone ran to get Carlos and Bobby to let them know what was going on. They called Pierce and Gat who were on their way.

"Shogo?" Ky warned coldly. But a warning was all it was. The stinging cold of ice water was up her nose when it was splashed in her face. A gasp, then a scream as another frigid splash drenched down the back of her clothing. The laughter of the fleas, angry arguments going on behind her, sounded in her ears.

One of his girls, brave as she was, walked up to Kyouki, slapping her. Shogo stopped her from doing anything more when he saw her rearing back again, telling her not to disturb the sleeping dragon.

Dripping wet, all thought they humiliated her from that embarrassing scene. Anyone who stood on her side felt embarrassed. The Saints' leader took that, and the few in the crew who were there knew why. The look in Kyouki's eyes told a different story. Shogo swallowed hard as he watched her stand up straight.

"Take your hands off me, now."

The men looked at Shogo, who nodded quickly. His girls smirked in triumph. Kyouki wrung out her hair. Nodding, she muttered to herself and shook off some of the water from her hands. A gingerly walk to Shogo looked him dead in the eye.

None around them knew what she said, but all the color drained from Shogo's face. Kyouki walked off. Gat arrived seconds after the incident, hopped out of the car, ready to shoot. Seeing Ky drenched, he went right from where she came from drawing his gun.

"Stand down!" Those within earshot did as was told. She wasn't even speaking to them. Most, if not all, of her team cleared out. In the confusion, Bobby went to say something, but Ky cut him off. "Bobby, not right now. Go on home, stay off the streets tonight. Carlos, Pierce, double time." Seeing them leave, she held tight to Gat.

Bobby left, Ky was holding on to Gats' wrist, squeezing. "Johnny, stop, listen. I got this alright? Let's just go. I'm hungry. What does Ish want?"


Gat wasn't feeling it could have been anyone else, but no one fucks with Kyouki and gets away with it. He was so irritated he couldn't bust that kid in the mouth; he had no appetite. Shogo deserved it.

"You can't just go around punching people in the face." Aisha sighed.

Gat rolled his eyes. Not trying to hear it, he just knows if Ky goes to races, he will be there.

Kyouki came from the spare room. "Johnny, as much as I appreciate the need to fight for me. Remember, I can put you on your ass."

"Fuck outta here with that shit. You caught me off guard one time." Gat snorted.

Ky shook her head, taking a seat to eat something. Aisha looked at Ky. "You sure it's ok? I mean, it's not, but why did he do that?"

Ky got up from the table. "Damn, I forgot the drink I wanted. G, can you go back out to get me a peach iced tea, please?"

"Yeah." Gat got up and left. Once the door closed, Kyouki sighed. She let Aisha know what had happened that led up to tonight.

"I had to visit Shogo. Let him know to pull his people from here. What I didn't expect him to show off." Ky reached under the table and pulled an ice tea from her bag.

When Ky put the bottle down, she sat back. Her mood was borderline. Part of her was mad, but then she's not trying to show all her cards. Shogo knew it, that's why he did what he did. Ky let him know she wasn't coming for the Ronin.

"I let him know he overstepped and that now, I take back what I said. He will get more than just a nice fruit basket." Ky took another sip of her drink.

Aisha nodded. "Is that like, because you know how, you shouldn't?"

"Yup."

"Frustrating?"

"Yup."

"So now what?"

"Glitter bomb, or a bag of dicks."

Aisha chuckled. "Wait a minute. You still didn't tell Johnny, did you?"

With that, Ky snapped to attention. "Would you look at the time? I should get some sleep." Kyouki cleaned up her place and hurried into the kitchen.

"You need to let him know." Aisha sat back and shook her head in disappointment. Hearing Kyouki answer her as she was in the kitchen, how Johnny still has not told Kyouki. Knew they would say nothing.


Word reached Maero. The large man chuckled before the boisterous laughter that came after. The Saints Leader was a pushover.

Shogo panicked. Having kept reports on the people he had, and pulled all from the area Kyouki gave him. Kyouki was "going to pay him back for that."


Slow Comfortable Mexican Screw Against The Wall

Ingredients:

3/4 shot Silver Tequila

3/4 shot Vodka

3 shots freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 shot sloe gin

1/2 shot Galliano L'Autntico Liquer

To garnish - 1/2 orange slice

How to make one:

Place the first four ingredients into a cocktail shaker or Boston Can filled with ice. Quick shake. Strain into an ice filled Colins glass. FLOAT Sloe Gin carefully onto the surface of the mixture until it blends nicely. FLOAT Galliano next into the glass.

Garnish with a thin slice of orange.