18
Goodbye to the minute speck of mountain
That gathered in my eyes every afternoon,
Goodbye to the green neon light that opened
Every new night with its lightening
Pablo Neruda
Z
The only light in the freezing cold garage was from the streetlamps outside the doors and the few lights left on above the cabinets. My bare feet sounded incredibly loud in the stillness. The still-wet fabric of my jeans swishing together wasn't helping either. I slammed into a metal chair with the inside of my hipbone and had to put my hand over my mouth to physically hold in the yelp. I doubled over until the pain subsided.
After I was able to stand up straight again, I held perfectly still to see if anyone had woken up from that. Deciding everyone was still asleep, I crept the rest of the way to the bunks. The closer I got, the louder the echo of my feet seemed. I kneeled down beside the bunk I thought was Sean and slipped up the screen. He was passed out on his back with his mouth wide open.
I had a slight moment of indecision where I struggled between going back and re-entangling myself with Han under the warm comforter and talking to Sean later, or waking up Sean at four in the morning, in the freezing cold to tell him news that would upset him and ruin his day. I decided that it was best to talk to him while I still had the chance instead of risking running out like I did before.
I put my cold hand on his bicep and he jolted awake. I shushed him quickly. He gave me a sleepy glare and I just pointed to VIP room. I walked in and sat down in one of the round, hanging chairs to wait for him to grab a sweat shirt and join me. It took me back to all those nights ago when Han got me away from Shi. I heard the door screech open and Sean poked his head in.
"What's going on?" He asked. He sat in the chair opposite me.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, Sean." He suddenly looked very awake. "I'm sorry it's so soon, but Kamata's trying to push me back in D's crew and D's getting even more unstable. It's not safe for me and possibly not safe for you."
He sighed and put his head in his hands. I felt guilty for upsetting him, especially after we had gotten close again, but I wasn't backing out of running. He ran his hands across his short hair and looked at me again. There were a few tense seconds of silence which made me start to squirm.
"I love you, but if it's that bad, you shouldn't stay here any- what happened to your face? And your neck? Both of them look like bite marks." He stopped mid sentence when I pushed my flat bangs out of my face. I was trying to think of a quick explanation when the word both sunk in. I made a mental note to smack Han dead in the forehead while he was asleep and defenseless.
"I got in a fight. " I recovered.
"With a vampire?" He was almost yelling. I waved at him to keep his voice down.
"DK. He was really going to hurt me, but he didn't get the chance. It's not going to ever happen again, because I'm gone tomorrow." I said calmly. He looked panicky. This was not going the way I planned it.
"What time do you leave?" Sean asked in a strained voice. He was obviously putting what almost happened together and trying not to react.
"I have to go to Kyoto this afternoon, then I either leave extremely early in the morning or late that night. I have to make sure I have enough time to leave before he misses me."
"Okay. Okay." He was still freaking out. I got up and gave him a hug.
"I got this. Just trust me. I'll be calling you from Costa Rica and making Twinkie bitch about long distance calls before you know it." I told him. He finally relaxed and hugged me back.
"How are you going to get on a plane without a passport?" He asked softly.
"Hanna. I called Miles and he had Zack send it." He pulled away from me.
"Hanna? In Tokyo?" He asked.
"Yeah. Apparently she's stationed here. She's going to help me."
"I love you." He pulled me closer and just held me for a while.
Z
Ten minutes later I was slipping back into Han's room in the back of the garage. He had obviously woken up and checked the time, because his phone was turned with the obnoxiously bright front screen facing up. I had made him turn it over so I could sleep.
He was passed out asleep on his stomach with his arm beside his head. I thought about messing with him for the mark he left on my neck, but decided against it. I carefully stepped around the boxes and pulled a sweatshirt, jeans, and a baseball hat off the top of my bag. I packed it just in case I needed to change in the airport or something.
I grabbed everything else I could possibly need for the day out of my bag and zipped it back. I had rewedged between the wall and shelf noiselessly and was ready to walk out again when I glanced at Han. He hadn't moved. I decided since I was going to have to come back for my bag, that I could just say goodbye then and let him sleep.
"What are you doing?" He asked sleepily.
I jumped. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. His hair was still comically stuck out in random places. Han was just not a morning person.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. I was going to change and go to see Hanna." I couldn't see his face well in the low light, but he looked confused. "Brother's fiancée? Passport? "
"Do you have to go now?" He asked.
"Before she goes to work." I confirmed. He mumbled something under his breath. "What?"
"What time is it anyway?" He realized he was closest to the phone and glanced at it. "4:35"
"I can catch her as she's getting ready." He didn't look convinced. He really wasn't a morning person, at all. "Sean freaked when he saw the mark you left on my neck. At least I could blame them both on DK." I said to change the subject.
"It's not that bad." He said with a smug smirk.
"We're in the dark." I shot back. He chuckled.
"Have you already talked to him?"
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep and I knew that I needed to tell him. I didn't get to talk to anyone else, though."
"I can do that."
"Thanks, Han. Go back to sleep. I'll be back later."
"Be careful." He told me. I walked over and leaned down to kiss him.
"I always am."
Z
Despite my sweatshirt, the cold still cut to the bone. I had parked a long way away from the address in the text and decided to walk. Two row of tiny, one story houses were split by a narrow street that still held a few bicycles even though it was so early.
I found the right house on the end of the row. It looked no different from the other twelve on the street. I pushed my black baseball hat back a little to show my face and pushed the buzzer.
A few minutes later and Hanna was standing in the open door. Her hair was on top of her head wrapped in a towel. She had obviously thrown on some sweats to answer the door. She smiled the second she saw me, but it fell when she saw the bruises. She stepped aside for me to come in.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Got in a fight with the mob boss's nephew." I answered. She shook her head and hugged me.
"You remind me so much of Brent." She said quietly.
"I know. I'm sorry." I felt a twist of guilt for bringing everything she had just gotten over back up. I was starting to feel a tightness in throat thinking about Brent.
"Don't be. " She pulled away and reached over to her kitchen counter to grab an envelope. She barely had to take a step because the place was so small. I was suddenly a little grateful for the mafia for setting me up in my apartment.
"Thank you." I said honestly. "For everything."
"It's what families do. You're practically my little sister." She smiled and pushed me towards the door. "We'll catch up over Skype or something later. You can't stay here now. Good luck."
I was out on the street clutching the envelope and almost to my car before I knew what was happening. Dread settled in my stomach as I thought of tomorrow. Everything in the world could go wrong. If I got caught, Kamata and all his vindictiveness would probably come after Hanna. I kept having such vivid flashbacks off my nightmares that a chill would creep down my spine every time I thought about getting caught.
But I had made my choice; tomorrow I was getting out of here, and there was nothing that was going to change my mind.
Z
"You will finish the Ferrari tomorrow, correct?" Kamata drawled over the top of his glass of sake.
Tonight was my last night in Yakuza territory. I had dropped off my last bag and I was done. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders to not be a part of this world anymore. I had to be careful not to look to comfortable in front of Kamata.
I didn't have to worry about that long, because it got awkward real he yanked the hat off my head the second he saw it. The shadow it cast had hidden the bruise which was still noticeable, even with makeup. He had raised an eyebrow, but hadn't commented.
"I can have it done seven." I answered. Which gives me plenty of time to catch my plane at 11:30.
"Good." He took a long sip of his sake. "You can leave now."
I stood from Kamata's booth in his club and pushed my way through the crowds. I breathed a sigh of relief when I made it through the crowd of guys in the alley. They usually didn't bother me, but they still freaked me out. I wasn't going to miss meetings like that.
One more day. That was it. The only thing standing between me and freedom was a hot Ferrari. I was going to miss the people I met here, but staying wasn't really optional. I spent a lot of time thinking about Han. D was really right; the second I was gone, I would be forgotten. On the bright side, I won the bet I made with Neela that she couldn't make me his girl.
I was about to get out of my car in the parking garage near my building when my phone went off. I stared at the phone Kamata gave me for a second wondering why I didn't have a text, when I remembered my new phone. I had a text.
Han- DK picked a fight with Sean. Come back to the garage.
I checked the time and sighed. It was getting late and I was completely exhausted. I decided not sleeping well because I was on an old futon was better than D coming after me again.
Okay but I have to go back to his garage one more time to pick up the car. Meeting with Kamata at 7 pm then flying out at 1130.
I waited a minute for his reply.
Han- Say your goodbyes here tonight and I'll show you how to work the gun.
I was exhausted enough to find that funny. Han would say that. I started the engine and backed out of my parking space. I had mixed feelings about going tonight. I was glad I had a chance to say goodbye this time, but walking out on everyone here and starting over again was going to be really hard.
It was too late now to back out; I had made my choice, and now I had to stick with it.