Chapter 19

The Gates Open

The first thing Akira noticed as he woke up in his bed was the blurry image of Makoto standing over him. The next thing he noticed was the line of drool that was seeping from the corner of his mouth, and the next thing was the dull soreness that permeated his entire body. As his eyes focused, he could make out Makoto looking down at him, arms crossed and scowling.

"Uh, good morning," Akira said groggily.

Promptly, Makoto responded, "Explain to me what all happened with my sister last night. It's all over the news that she got in a fight with what seemed to be the same miscreants we fought in Purgatory. Dr. Takemi said you were involved as well."

Akira rubbed his eyes, trying to get his brain up and running before Makoto turned this into a whole interrogation. With a droning yawn, he said, "She cornered me on the street, asked me questions."

"What questions?"

"What time is it anyway?"

"What were the questions!?"

"About Kamoshida, mostly," Akira drawled. "She wanted to know why the yakuza think I'm some sort of hero."

"Why did she want to know that?"

"Because she was pissed off, I think. Didn't like the idea of the yakuza rallying behind anything, and she thinks I'm the person that will unite them."

Makoto stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I'm not surprised she would be concerned about that. The incursions have been escalating quickly, and a united force would prove far more troublesome for the police."

"That's basically what she was talking about." Akira sat up, rubbing his chest and shoulders. "She even pulled me aside and threatened me. Real charmer, your sister is."

"She must be getting desperate," said Makoto. "I can't imagine what things are like down at the precinct. And what with her being something of a hero herself, as far as I am aware, I'd expect her to be looking for means to crush the oncoming opposition before the situation becomes disastrous. At least, more than it already has."

"Did they talk on the news about the guy who was killed?"

"Yes. It's a tragedy; one that I fear will become more common as time goes on. We need to act quickly, Kurusu-san."

"Since when did you take up the warpath?"

"I have since the beginning. Kaneshiro is my primary concern, but I will not simply stand by as innocent people are caught in the crossfire. My father taught me to uphold justice by any means I am able, and I will do exactly that." Her tone and expression were astute, determined, much like she had presented herself when they first met. Simply being in Makoto's presence was enough to give Akira some motivation to press on, and the first step was standing to his feet, ignoring the pain that shot up through his whole body.

"Maybe we should check in with Takemi then? See if she's found anything about the RZ-412?"

"That would be wise, I think." Makoto trailed off, looking over her shoulder as her determined expression softened, appearing contemplative and worried. Her arms being crossed now seemed less like a sign of impatience and more so that she was uncomfortable. "Kurusu-san," she continued slowly, "was my sister… alright? At least, by your understanding of the situation?"

"What do you mean by 'alright'?"

"I'm just asking if she seemed like she could handle herself."

"Didn't you see the news?"

"I did, and I still want to hear your response." Her question was awkward, her explanation of the question even more so. She spoke quickly, smoothly, but written on her face was pain, uncertainty, and genuine worry which Akira could not ignore. He even noticed her hands gently rubbing her arms as they were crossed, her thumbs traveling up and down her bicep with anxiety.

"She was like a whirlwind in the fight," Akira finally answered her. "Nothing could stop her, not even men with likely twice her physical strength. Her form flowed like water, but she could be downright brutal when she got the chance. I found it more impressive than anything else. She even spoke with as much strength as she fought. Sure, she seems to hate my guts, but I got the feeling she was genuinely doing what she thought was right in such a terrible situation. I understand why I'm a liability to her, but at least she seems to be fighting for something greater than money, or herself."

Akira came out of his train of thought to see Makoto's eyes appearing even sadder. He could swear he spied a quiver in her lip, a twitch in her eyelids that seemed to moisten with tears. She wrapped her arms around herself tighter and sat down on the bed next to him, taking a deep breath with eyes closed. This seemed to calm her as her shoulders fell and her arms relaxed. Nodding, she whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Akira replied, not knowing if he had truly made the situation better or worse. On reflex when this thought struck him, he asked, "You okay?"

"I'm better now, I swear. Even though I… may not sound like it."

"If you say you're better, I'll take your word for it. And it speaks really highly of you that you care about your sister so much. I would ask if you wanna see her, but something tells me that's off the table."

"It is," Makoto said quickly. "Maybe once this whole business is done, but until then, I'll stick to the news to make sure she's still okay."

As she continued to stare into the distance, focusing on nothing in particular, Makoto did not notice Akira becoming himself more crestfallen. "I'm sorry," he said.

Makoto looked to him with abject confusion and surprise. "Why?"

"Because the only way you can keep tabs on your sister is through the news. That's sad to me."

Makoto nodded, looking from her companion to the floor, then to the distance ahead of them. "It won't be forever," she said. "We'll all make it through this, and then she and I can talk. I do not even entertain the thought that we both won't see each other again, at least over coffee or something."

Akira nodded. "Then I'll help to make sure that happens."

"You have your own family to reunite with, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I have a chance to help someone who's helping me. Even if it's just having your back, I'll be there."

Makoto seemed confused still, but also appeared more interested. "I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like you, Kurusu-san."

"Well, my mom had some pretty strong beliefs about this stuff," Akira chuckled. "But it's a good belief. It's not easy, but it does add a bit of light to the world, I think."

"I agree strongly," Makoto nodded. "My father was much the same. I only hope Sae will remember that…"

"Me too."

There was then a ding from the elevator followed by the sound of footsteps approaching Akira's bedroom. In the doorway, there appeared Ann in something of a fit. "Akira?" she began. "I saw the news when I woke up and—" Her worried expression tapered slightly when she saw Makoto sitting on the bed next to him. "Oh, I didn't know you were preoccupied," she said sheepishly, putting her hands behind her back.

"Wait, it's not like that," Akira blurted out awkwardly. "She was just asking about her sister since I ran into her, honest." His tone was more pleading than he had anticipated.

Makoto only shifted her legs uncomfortably. "He's correct, Takamaki-san. I was merely asking him about my sister, and he obliged to answer me. In fact, we were just finishing up."

Ann put her hands on her hips, composing herself. "Okay, I understand. At least you seem okay." Ann wrapped her arms around her midsection pensively. "I was worried when I heard you got in a fight again."

"More of a scrape than a fight," said Akira. "I'm a bit sore, but I promise, I'm fine. Nothing I can't deal with," Akira smirked, only for said smirk to go crooked as his chest flared up in pain for a moment.

Ann chuckled lightly, weakly, almost as if she were forcing it. "It pays to be a son of a goddess, huh?"

"I guess so," Akira chuckled in turn.

Growing only more confused, Makoto asked, "I beg your pardon?"

"It's a long story," said Ann. "Come on, we're all gathering in the restaurant again to plan out our day."

"Let me get a quick shower and I'll be down," said Akira, stretching his sore body as he stood up. He stopped as he passed Ann in the doorway and said, "I appreciate you checking on me though. It means a lot."

"No problem," Ann replied with a light smile. And with that, Akira made his way to the bathroom, and the water started running a moment later.

Ann sighed as she watched him enter the bathroom, feeling both relieved that he was alright and yet concerned over his safety. Noticing this, Makoto then spoke up. "Sorry for causing any confusion," she said sincerely.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you two seem close, Takamaki-san. I was so focused on my sister that I didn't even think about how it would look to be alone in the bedroom of another woman's boyfriend."

Ann's eyes widened as she internalized what Makoto had just said. "Um, he's not my boyfriend," she explained clumsily. "We're just friends, and I, uh, was shocked when I heard the news this morning, especially after he'd been gone all night."

Makoto pursed her lips then shrugged. "Oh, my apologies," she said matter-of-factly. "I guess I got the wrong idea."

"It's no problem," Ann quickly replied. "It's just how it is," she chuckled awkwardly.

Makoto cocked an eyebrow before they both made their way to the elevator, and Ann was so busy mentally kicking herself for a few moments that she forgot to hit the first floor button until Makoto did for her.

With scraggly and knotted hair, Akira exited the bathroom ten minutes later, fully clothed though still damp. He hit the button panel on the wall to summon the elevator, massaging his shoulders as he did. The familiar ding sounded, and the doors opened. Akira was about to absentmindedly enter the elevator when he realized his path was obstructed by none other than Kuze.

The old yakuza glared down at him through his thin glasses, and Akira took a reflexive step backward. "Where are you going now, kid?" Kuze asked in his low, terrifyingly gravelly voice.

"Work," Akira replied quickly. "If you need Sojiro, he's already out. Had some business to take care of, as far as I know."

"I know where he is. I was looking for you."

"Wha—?" Akira was then knocked off his feet by a strong punch to the jaw. It was a fist that struck him, but it felt far more like a solid rock. Crumpled on the ground and rubbing his mouth to make sure neither his teeth nor jaw were broken, he looked up to Kuze rubbing his knuckles territorially.

"You're such a fucking disgrace, you know that?" he said. "Now the police are going to start cracking down on us too. Heard you pissed off their own hero, sent those valuable captives into police custody instead of taking them back to us for questioning."

Akira stood up, taking a more solid, defensive stance. "This isn't my war, Kuze," he protested. "I'm defending myself, my friends, and the innocents of this city. Those are my only priorities."

Kuze smirked at Akira then threw another punch, which the younger man dodged, but only barely. Kuze's form was more like that of a boxer than a martial artist, his jab fast and precise before returning to his neutral guarded position. He nodded as he lowered his guard, as if taunting Akira to retaliate. "The only reason you're here is because of your family line. Sakura was wrong to put so much stock in your name. We need a strong leader, not a weak reminder of better heroes."

Akira fixed his hair before spitting at Kuze's feet and walking past him into the elevator. "Good thing you won't see me again after this mission is done," he glowered at him, then the door closed. "Fuck," he muttered, rubbing his jaw. Akira was just thankful nothing was broken, as far as he could tell. "God, I hate the yakuza."

The group had congregated in the restaurant once again, discussing the previous night's events. Akira had little more to say than had previously been explained to Makoto, and the newscasters corroborated his claim. He also neglected to discuss the incident with Kuze, not wanting to cause even more stress than everyone was already under.

What was new information was that Yusuke had been informed of Sojiro and his grandfather, Daijiro Kitagawa, were convening a meeting to discuss the mode of operation going forward. Yusuke seemed closed off, apprehensive regarding the details, and few follow up questions were asked before they contacted Takemi through the help of the concierge. A meeting was arranged, and they congregated in a meeting room off the right of the lobby.

The doctor was the last to arrive, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she entered, closing the door behind her. She stretched her arms and yawned, covering her mouth as her shoulders drooped. Her eyes were dark and obviously tired, indicated further by her practically falling into the chair nearest to her. "The drug, right?" she deadpanned.

"Uh, yeah," Akira spoke up. "Have you found anything, Takemi?"

"I was in the middle of recording my research when you came back with a nearly bruised rib, kid. Could've gotten to bed at a reasonable time if you hadn't gotten in another fight and needed more patching up." Takemi rested her head on her hands on the table, and seemed to nearly fall asleep right there. She shook her head to bring her back to reality before continuing. "I still haven't fully studied the drug, but what we've been told about it matches up with what I've found. The RZ-412 is a very powerful stimulant that directly targets the brain with an overload of adrenaline, with the core ingredient I've been able to identify being mephedrone. Even a very tiny dose can cause a reaction strong enough to kill the average adult male, as far as I am able to tell." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a small vile of reddish-brown viscous liquid. "This right here would be more than enough to kill most yakuza."

"Fascinating," Makoto remarked.

"The increased adrenaline does seem to match what Tamura said about increases in physical capabilities though. It's remarkable what a few alterations to one's biochemistry is capable of, even just temporarily. I haven't been able to test it yet, of course, but I don't think I'll be wanting to anytime soon. It doesn't take a team of pharmacists to see that this thing is more dangerous than its worth."

"Then why would the Omi want this in the first place?" asked Ryuji. "Those guys want to, you know, survive this war, right?"

"The only practical application I can see is if they used this drug sparingly on select individuals to make them stronger. Kind of like a super soldier, or something else out of a bad manga."

"You gotta be kidding," said Ann. "This is insane."

"It would be a prominent advantage though," Mishima added. "Then again, we do have guns, right?"

"Whatever they want," Akira interjected, "we stop it, hopefully before we even find out what they were doing in the first place."

"We may want to seek out some information brokers," Yusuke added. "Or perhaps Akiyama-san again. Thankfully, we still have options available to us for the time being."

"Let's get moving then. And Takemi," Akira turned to her, "thank you for the information. Hopefully you can get some rest now."

Tae chuckled low in her throat. "You're sweet, but naïve. I'll get to bed sometime. You worry about going out and being heroes." Akira's face scrunched up for a moment, showing no appreciation for the moniker.

They left quickly after that, setting out onto the streets of Kamurocho. The sun was obscured by foggy gray clouds, giving the city an uncomfortable air that matched the growing tension felt among the populace. They started on their way toward Akiyama's office, as it was the closest and most straight forward option available to them when they saw a burly man in a bright orange shirt standing just out of their way as they rounded the Theater Avenue corner.

His hair was short, and his jaw was wide and strong, adorned by a thin and distinguished beard. His physique was like a proud wrestler: stout and stocky, though tall and appearing to be limber as well. He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall of a building next to them, watching them go by. "Hey," he called to them in a deep, resounding voice as they passed. "You're the hero and his posse, aren't you?"

When will these people stop calling me that? Akira was the only one that did not turn around to face the man, instead looking off down the street as he addressed him. "Who's asking?"

"Name's Kaito. I'm with the Matsugane Family, an affiliate of the Kitagawa," he looked to Yusuke. "Good to see you, Yusuke-san. It's been a while. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

"Ah, I do remember you, Kaito-san," Yusuke nodded. "It has been a while indeed. Is there anything we can do for you?"

"More like what we can do for you."

"We?" asked Akira, finally turning around to look at Kaito. From behind the walls of an alley emerged a familiar man with frizzy, teased black hair and a black leather jacket, hands in the pockets of his skinny jeans. "Yagami-san," Akira recognized him, much to his surprise. Makoto immediately stood at the back of the group, just in case questions were asked.

"You know him?" asked Ryuji. "Wasn't he on the news with the cops?"

"That's right," Yagami answered for him. "I'm with Kamuro P.D., and since you have the great luck of not being hauled downtown for questioning, my associate and I have some information for you."

"Associate?" asked Ann. "He just said he's a yakuza."

"And proud of it," said Kaito. "Tak here is a good friend, even if we're on two sides of the law. We work together to help the city out best we can, especially in ways that our normal positions may not allow. And that's why we're here to tell you something interesting."

"Why us?" asked Akira. "Because I'm a hero?"

"Because you're a bit of a wildcard in all this, Kurusu," Yagami replied. "Niijima's looking to stick it to anyone in this city she perceives to be a threat, but I can say that having two horses in the race might be our best bet right now. Now, I would ask if you want the info, but I know you do," Yagami smirked. "So, let's go over our leads then, yeah?"

Makoto leaned in to whisper into Akira's ear, "This is suspicious, but we might want to hear him out. He is an official police officer, after all."

"Who's that?" Yagami asked, craning his neck to see the young woman that was obscuring her face.

"An interested party," Makoto said. "I'm a member of their group, and I believe we all are very interested to hear what you have to say, Officer."

Yagami nodded slowly, knowingly, leaving Makoto more on guard. "Then step off the streets," he said. "We got some shit to get through before the real work begins."

They all entered the alley, with Yagami and Kaito standing opposite the group of young adults. "Didn't expect us to get help from a dirty cop," Ryuji remarked. "What could you possibly know that we don't?"

"A hell of a lot, as it so happens," Yagami replied plainly, looking back to Akira. "We gave those Omi thugs a rough questioning at the precinct overnight. They weren't cooperative at first, but after a few hours they gave us something to work with. Not much, but enough that we can get started. Kaito-san and I were about to split up, but it seems like we've got two groups now."

"What did you find out?" Makoto asked.

"Apparently they had a den on Pink Street. Hayashi was coming by to inspect product, I guess, one of my coworkers told me about this morning. Some place called The Girly Gates, I guess. Honestly, with a name like that, I'm not entirely convinced of its existence, but hey. Kamurocho has been home to much weirder establishments historically. Hayashi even confessed to getting his ass kicked twice by you guys." Yagami smirked approvingly. "Didn't know you all were so strong."

"They are heroes, Tak," Kaito added with a smile.

"That's what many say," Yagami nodded. "One of the others, a lackey, also spilled that they had a contact hanging around Showa Street yesterday. Even gave us a description after we roughed him up a bit."

"You used physical force to get information?" Makoto pressed, her face rife with concern.

"I didn't, but another guy did," Yagami clarified. "I've got my own opinions about how they got the information, but then again, they are hostile gangsters colluding with terrorists. Can't exactly say I'll lose sleep over them getting a black eye in the precinct's basement."

Kaito clicked his tongue. "We'd have done a hell of a lot worse if we'd gotten our hands on them," he said. "At least it's not the last opportunity we'll have to show 'em that fucking with the Sakura Clan is the biggest mistake they could have made. They want war? Keep screwing around, and they'll get their damn war."

"Which is exactly what we're trying to avoid," Yagami added through clenched teeth. "Look guys," he turned back to the group, "we're gonna be following up on our leads this morning, and personally, I'm getting a bit worried about the kind of behavior the police are letting just slip by. I know it's not exactly by the book for me to do this, but if you want to help us gather some information, we'll cooperate with you. How's that sound?"

"Pfft," Ryuji crossed his arms. "Can't believe we're getting help from the cops."

"This could be our best bet, Sakamoto," said Mishima. "Sure beats wandering around Kamurocho waiting for a new lead to find us."

"I concur with Mishima," Makoto added. "It is in our best interests to cooperate, at least for now."

"Sounds like another adventure," said Ann.

Akira nodded, turning to Yusuke. "Got a vote, buddy?"

"Kaito-san serves under the Matsugane Family; they've been a close ally of my grandfather for decades. I trust his information, Kurusu-san."

"Then I guess it's settled," Akira turned back to Yagami. "Should we take Pink Street then? If wed get in a scuffle, at least we have the numbers to even things up."

"You say that like you don't think we could wreck their shit," Kaito subtly flexed his pectorals.

"I didn't mean that," Akira assured him. "I'm just trying to think of how we can be most efficient."

"I agree," said Yagami. "Two people will do a lot better at tracking one person than a whole group. Meet us in Theater Square in one hour. If you're not there, we'll swing by Pink Street. Everyone clear?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "Good. Let's get this done quick and clean, everybody."

"Let's roll, Tak," said Kaito, standing up proudly. "And keep your eyes open, kids. Don't expect the worst, but don't go in with no expectations either."

"You got it," said Akira. "Let's move out, guys."

As they started moving out, Ann stretched her arms as she let out a long yawn. "God, these adventures are getting exhausting," she groaned.

"You're the one that wanted to come along, Takamaki," Ryuji teased her.

"I know, I know."

They made their way East to the famously and infamously salacious Pink Street, Kamurocho's hub for clubs and premium, private company. At least, that's what they had heard before visiting Purgatory. But to the average denizen and tourist, the legendary Pink Street was a must-see for those wishing to partake in the great comforts of the flesh, with rumors stating that any such comforts one can wish for being catered to here.

But in the daytime, it just seemed like any other street, save that most establishments were closed for obvious reasons, not opening until after 5 p.m. Little foot traffic passed them by, given that most people were at work by then. This let them scope out each building and address easily, until they came across a sign reading "The Girly Gates" half down the street, pointing to an adjacent alleyway.

"Huh," said Ryuji, "so it does exist. Even I haven't heard of this place."

"I really hope this is just a club," Ann remarked. "I've never felt the need to visit a soapland."

"We're not visiting," said Akira sternly. "We're investigating, finding what we can, and hauling ass."

Ann was visibly put off by his response, though he seemed to not notice. "Uh, yeah, sure," she resigned, figuring it must have been all that hero talk that got him so high strung.

"Be on your guard," Makoto added, scowling. "Miscreants such as these are capable of anything."

"Then we must simply be more capable," said Yusuke as he rolled his shoulders confidently.

Mishima then said, "Let's hope this doesn't end in another shootout."

"We'll deal with that when we come to it," Akira replied. He cracked his neck and tensed his arms and hands before relaxing them. "Let's evict these assholes."

They walked into the alley in a group formation, passing the garbage no doubt filled with unspeakable things that had been piled up along the far wall. To their left was a door, adorned by a sign that too read "The Girly Gates". Despite being advertised as a business, the door seemed far too old and dirty to be regularly used. "Well, that's not suspicious at all," said Ann.

"We must be on the right track," Makoto replied. She walked up to the door and knocked on it loudly thrice, ignoring the grime and dirt that marred every inch of it. There was no response. She then reached into her leather jacket's pocket and produced a pair of brass knuckles which she slipped on.

"Whoa," Ryuji remarked, "that's pretty hardcore, Niijima. Looks badass."

"Thank you kindly," she replied dismissively, then knocked on the door with such force that it caused the point of impact to splinter.

There was a rustling behind the door; loud and heavy footsteps that seemed to be ascending a staircase. "Can't ya see we're closed!?" shouted a man from the other side.

"Open the door," Makoto ordered strongly.

There was a pause, another rustling, then a barely audible chuckle. "What's the password?"

"Open the fucking door," Makoto replied even more strongly.

"Look, we are closed for business until further notice for renovations," the voice replied, growing more irritated. "We hope to see you again once normal operations resume."

Mishima whispered to the group, "This is sounding really fishy."

"I agree," said Makoto. She then, in a shockingly quick movement, got into a low stance and unleashed an uppercut onto the doorknob that broke it clean off the door. It flew into the air as the shrieking sound of metal being broken and shattered rang out, and before the knob could hit the ground, Makoto had kicked the door open with such force that the lower hinge partially snapped.

"HOLY SHIT!" Ryuji exclaimed, recoiling back on reflex.

Ignoring him, Makoto strode into the entrance of the building, kneeling over the crumpled, dazed, well-dressed man that was now laying on the ground, rubbing his forehead and slurring expletives. She grabbed him by the hair, digging her knee into his chest to pin him to the ground, saying through gritted teeth, "Are you a member of Kaneshiro's gang?"

"W-what?" the man sputtered.

"We've been told that this building is a holdout for Kaneshiro's gang. Is that true?"

"Look, lady, I don't—"

Makoto slammed his head into the ground while forcing her knee into his chest harder. "Tell me about Kaneshiro!"

"Okay! Okay! Jesus Christ, lady, just let me go!"

"Not until you tell us what you know!"

The man coughed and groaned in his throat, saliva spilling from his mouth. "We just get the ingredients every once in a while and cook 'em, okay?! Then a guy comes and collects, and we get another shipment sometime later! We're just the middlemen, I swear!"

"You better be right," Makoto sneered, then punched him in the temple with the tip of her brass knuckles, and he barely made a sound before losing consciousness.

Akira entered from behind her. "That was pretty brave of you," he said disapprovingly.

"Quick and clean, right? We'll just have Yagami-san arrest him and anyone else that gets in our way." Akira mentally questioned the direction his life had taken before they all entered the building.

The first thing they noticed after the rotting wood and drywall paneling around them was the downright agonizing stench. The harshness of chemicals assaulted their noses, causing even Makoto to tear up as the adrenaline that prevented from taking full stock of her environment died down.

"Christ," Ryuji remarked, covering his face with his hand. "What the hell have they been doing here?"

"Cooking," Makoto remarked, taking shallow breaths through her mouth. "We should be on our guard."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Ann added, "but I much preferred the red-light district in the sewers."

Mishima then asked, "What kind of world do we live in that we can say something like that?"

"The same world that involves us investigating experimental drugs," Yusuke replied plainly.

To their right was a staircase descending to an open foyer. Slowly, they made their way downward and out into the open area of what had once been a cabaret club. Much of the furniture was still there, scattered about in front of the stage, though covered in dust, dirt, and other substances no one was able to recognize from a glance. It was a small club indeed and would certainly make for a convenient cover for a drug operation.

"Hey," Makoto pointed at a set of double doors across the room, "that must be the kitchen. If they're really cooking anything, we might as well start there."

They walked past the revolting furniture into the kitchen, the stench of chemicals intensifying as they approached. Makoto, still seemingly unfaltering in her initiative, was the first to enter, and thus the first to see a grimy, disgusting kitchen area that seemed surprisingly… empty.

"The tables are bare," she observed aloud. "The dishes and utensils are put away. Seems like they were trying to clean up but had to leave in a hurry."

"Think they got scared off when their aniki got arrested last night?" asked Ryuji.

"That's my theory. But if so, then who was that guy at the door? What was he doing here?"

Everyone fanned out, investigating the kitchen for any anomalies. Akira walked past the freezer, hearing the low hum of the refrigeration at work. "Guess this thing is still on," he remarked, taking the handle and pulling on it.

He had intended to see if they could find any ingredients that could be used as evidence or a breadcrumb trail, but instead, he felt a great, clumsy weight fall on him as his nostrils were assaulted with even more detestable stenches. The weight hit him in the chest, and he managed to step back before being knocked over. And there, laying at his feet was a cold, pale, desiccated corpse.

"What the hell?" he remarked in shock as everyone gathered around him.

"Oh!" Ann exclaimed at the sight. "Oh my god…"

"What the hell happened?" Ryuji inquired, taking a look at the corpse. "Oh, Jesus."

"What happened to him?" asked Yusuke.

Makoto knelt down beside the corpse much like a detective in the movies, an image Akira had become quite familiar with due to the interests of one his close friends back home.

Home…

It was actually rather amusing how much Makoto reminded him of his friend, but he dashed the thought from his mind before he became too depressed to focus on the mission.

She rolled the body over using her palms which were covered by her fingerless gloves so as to reduce risk of contamination. "He's dressed well," she said. "Likely yakuza. No bullet wounds, no stab wounds, not even any bruises…" she trailed off, analyzing every detail she became aware of. "I hypothesize that he may have been a test subject for the RZ-412, or an unfortunate user."

"Does he have a badge?" Ryuji asked over her shoulder.

Makoto brushed her fingers along the lapel of his sport coat until she felt something small, rigid, and metallic under her thumb. She picked it off his coat and showed it to Ryuji.

"An Omi pin," he said, nodding. "This guy was definitely with the assholes you busted last night, Akira."

"Just fucking great," Akira muttered, brushing off his suit which was now covered in unthinkable filth. "I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more than a shower to get this shit off me."

Mishima then spoke up, saying, "That guy at the front was probably here to clean up, dispose of the body. Maybe they didn't have time to chop up this guy before the police started arresting their buddies. I mean, Tenkaichi Street isn't far from here, and this whole half of town was crawling with terrified pedestrians and intrepid camera crews."

"We should tell Yagami-san about this," said Makoto, standing up. "Perhaps the Matsugane Family will be willing to search this place and provide Dr. Takemi with more material to study."

Yusuke replied, "I can make that happen with a phone call. Matsugane-san has always been one of my grandfather's closest allies and friends."

"Good," said Ann, "then can we finally—?" The sound of many footsteps descending the staircase they entered from rang out through the club, silencing all present. "Oh, come on," Ann muttered under breath.

"You're the one that let them through, you dipshit!" a familiar, gruff and angry older man's voice shouted, growing closer and closer. "I don't care how much your head hurts, you're going to help search!"

"Yes, a-aniki!" the voice that had greeted them at the door stuttered in terror.

"We're busted," Mishima whispered.

"We'll just have to fight our way out," said Ryuji wish a wild grin. "No Kansai bastards get to fuck with my Family, not in my town!"

"Ryuji, wait!" Akira called after him, but the blond young man had already bolted out of the kitchen, threw open the doors and proudly stood before the… surprisingly large group of yakuza standing in the club's main hall.

"Looking for us, assholes!?" he shouted at them, brandishing his same proud and wild toothy grin.

Before him was a group of ten yakuza, all dressed in flashy colors save for the one at the front. Tall, older, wearing a white suit with a black shirt and a gold necklace with a face as hard as stone. "You?" said Ryuji, his grin dissipating in worry.

The rest of his friends joined him, greeted by the same scene. They were outnumbered by very strong looking yakuza, led by…

"Hamura," Ryuji said, his expression turning to a scowl.

Hamura smirked confidently at the young adults before him. "Well, look at that, boys," he addressed his men. "Not every day you go out fishing and land all you need in one cast of the net."

"You were at the warehouse," said Makoto. "You're with Kaneshiro, aren't you?"

Hamura put a finger to his mouth, shushing her. "Don't get too far ahead now, girl. We were just getting to that part."

"You won't be talking at all after we kick all your asses!" Ryuji exclaimed, adopting a fighting stance, ready to charge at any moment.

Hamura and his goons chuckled amongst themselves. "Brave boy, aren't you?" he asked, reaching into his pocket. "But bravery in the face of impossible odds isn't nearly as honorable as the old-fashioned types will tell you. Especially when you're unarmed, staring down the barrel of a gun." Hamura pulled out a pistol, pointing it right at Ryuji's chest, and the rest of his thugs produced firearms of their own, aiming at everyone present. Ann instinctively got behind Akira, who seemed to notice as he held his arm out in front of her.

"Now," Hamura continued, "why don't all of you come quietly with my boys for a drive, huh? Our boss wants to meet all of you. Especially," he pointed his gun away from Ryuji and aimed it at Akira's head, "you, hero-boy. So relax and come without a fuss, and we'll make this nice and easy for everyone." There was a moment of pondering among the group, all wondering if there was a way out of this, but they then stood up straight in abject, silent surrender.

Yusuke, however, reached into his back pocket, pulled out a pager, and hit a single button before hiding the device.

"See?" Hamura asked his men. "These kids can be reasonable after all." Motioning with his head, he said, "Get them to the cars."

"Yes, aniki," said one of his men, who then was joined by three others that stood at the backs of Akira and company, nudging them forward with their guns.

As they passed Hamura, still bearing a cocky smirk, Akira glowered at him dead in the eyes. "Just to warn you," he sneered, his nostrils flaring as he glared daggers at the man, "if you try anything, know that I've been trained by the best there is. I can hurt you in more ways than you can imagine."

Hamura then let out a hearty laugh at Akira's expense. "Look at this edgy little fucker right here! He's got quite the mouth on him… and I find it annoying." He nodded to the yakuza behind Akira. "Shut him up. He'll ruin the ride to the boss's place."

"Shit," Akira muttered, realizing his mistake.

A pounding pain than engulfed his entire head, and the ground rushed into his face as all the lights around him went dark. He became lightheaded for a moment before he could no longer see anything.

"AKIRA!" Ann shouted, but it sounded distant and muffled, before he only heard his heartbeat pounding in his head.

And then there was a heavy, all-encompassing silence.

Three minutes later, on Showa Street…

As both men were growing increasingly bored waiting for their mark to show up, a loud, repeated beeping sounded off from Kaito's pocket. He quickly took it out to look at it, and his eyes widened as he saw the arrangement of numbers appear on the display. "Oh shit, Tak."

"What is it?"

"Code red, that's what it is!" Kaito put the pager back in his pocket. "That was a special message that's only sent out when Patriarch Kitagawa or Yusuke-san is in trouble. Which means…" he turned to the left, toward Pink Street, and Yagami did the same.

"We gotta move," said Yagami.

"Yeah, no shit!"

They bolted down the road, turning onto Pink Street when they came to it. Half up the road, they saw a tall, lanky man dressed like Yusuke being shoved into a black car with a bag over his head. Then, another yakuza came out of the adjacent building, carrying another young man on his shoulder. The victim's head was covered, and he was not moving. Most likely only knocked out, but Yagami and Kaito both knew that had to act as if the worst had come about. "Hustle, Tak!" Kaito shouted, sprinting after the car with Yagami in tow.

The last yakuza exiting the building spotted them and got into the vehicle in front of the one Akira and Yusuke had been stuffed into, and the cars peeled out and drove off, nearly hitting three shocked bystanders.

"Goddammit!" Yagami shouted. "We gotta follow them!"

"First they crash out turf, then they attack the Patriarch's family!?" Kaito bellowed, growing more enraged and using that rage to help him run harder, faster. "I'm gonna tear their hideout to the ground brick by brick!"

The cars started pulling too far ahead, but Yagami and Kaito continued following the sound of chaos and screams the vehicles left in their wake. Their legs and lungs burned, but there was no time to think about resting now.

Hold on, guys, Yagami mentally pleaded. You're not getting hurt on my account. Not at all. I'll make sure you all get out of there if it's the last thing I do!"

[Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you to all those that have read thus far.]