Leonardo sat tensely in a chair across from Greg, and gripped the arms tighter as the man pumped Sayuri for information over the phone.
"…Okay, slow down. It's hard for me to understand you when you talk that fast, Sayuri," Greg told her. "I agree with you about that, I don't think it was an idle threat. The question is, what does Takashi hope to gain by clueing you in? I mean, why come out and tell you that his people are watching you? It seems like that phone call had to have an ulterior motive."
All Leonardo wanted to do was take the phone away from Greg so that he could talk to Sayuri himself, but he forced himself to be patient.
"Definitely, Sayuri, I wouldn't send Shunshi back there. School has to be one of the places where the kid would be the most exposed. If you're leaving the country, what difference does it make? He'll catch up. Everything will get sorted out, even if I have to sneak you into the US illegally.
"I know you don't want to do that, Sayuri, but all of you could be facing death in Japan. The threat could be greater than you think—Okay, I'm sorry. You have been in this position before. But that means you remember that the gang has no qualms in killing innocent people just to get to you, right?" Greg stopped to swear.
"I feel like this is my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to look into Takashi. Yes, we need to know what his intentions are, but that didn't have to involve sticking a target on your back! I'm not angry with you, Sayuri, I only want you and the kids to be safe. Don't you get that?"
Leonardo cleared his throat decisively. "Greg, can I have the phone please?"
The man looked irritated, but he handed the cell phone to Leonardo nonetheless. "This all came down hours ago, Leo. She waited all this time to call, and now she's got this crazy idea…"
"Breathe, Heff. Let me talk to her for a minute, and we'll catch up on everything together," Leonardo said evenly. "Sayuri, this is Leonardo," he greeted the woman.
"Hello, Leonardo-san," she returned wearily. "I was trying to explain to Greg-chan why I have to go to Yokohama."
The turtle's brow furrowed. "Isn't that where Takashi is being held prisoner? You want to get closer to him?"
"Leonardo-san, listen. Hear me. If Takashi has access to a phone and can communicate with people on the outside undetected, I fear for what may be coming next. My mind says to flee, and I know that we need to. But how can I leave the country behind, when I have the knowledge that the man is preparing to make another move?"
"I thought you were confident in the Prison's ability to contain Takashi."
"They are not going to contain him, Leonardo-san! He is about to be transferred into Police custody!"
"What are you talking about, Sayuri? What have you heard?"
"It is all part of his appeal process, though this detail just came to light in the Media today! He is claiming to be the victim of racism—"
"Come again?"
"Japan has minorities, Leonardo-san, and the people of Okinawa are considered to be among them. His Defense is exhibiting damaging proof that Takashi has suffered abuse at the hands of Prison management. I don't know if this was set up or manipulated somehow, but the Judge has agreed to move him somewhere else! He requested a transfer back to Okinawa."
"Don't they have a clue who are the Akiudo are?" Leonardo felt like he was on the verge of exploding. "It has to be stopped, Sayuri!"
"I know it does, Leonardo-san, that is why I am going to Yokohama to speak with the Judge in person. I will not sit by while Takashi manipulates his way out of that Prison. I will add my own voice to the Prosecution, and ask that he remains where he is."
"But wait, aren't you in danger too? What about the kids? Didn't Takashi say they were watching you?"
"I think that Takashi merely meant to scare me off, now that he is so close to being moved. To the Judge it is merely a transfer, but to you and I who know better…"
"It's an opportunity to escape," Leonardo filled in. "When is all of this happening?"
"He is set to be transferred in two days, which is why I am on my way to Yokohama now."
"What will you tell the Judge, Sayuri?"
"I will remind him of the Akiudo's violent nature, and their history of bloodshed along with human trafficking. I can bring up my old unit that was killed in the bombing they used to destroy evidence. I should not be forced to bring up my private investigation of them, or the part I played in the assault on their fortress on Yonaguni."
"What are you doing with the kids?"
"I bought them one way tickets to Iriomote, but they did not get on the boat. I took them to the Pier to make it seem convincing if someone was following us, and we lost ourselves in the crowds. Then I set them up in a nearby hotel, under a false name. I am hoping that the ruse will satisfy anyone who was trying to track us. They are in hiding, and I feel that this is safer than bringing them with me."
"What if someone comes after you, Sayuri?"
Only her silence met him on the other end, and then—"I do not know what else to do, Leonardo-san. I know too many evil things about that man to allow the gang to get easier access with him. I must try and stop this."
"There won't be any talking you out of it, will there?"
"No, Leonardo-san, my mind is made up. I will keep in touch with you, and fill you in as things occur. "
"Be careful, Sayuri," he said dully. As if that will help her, he added inwardly. "I'm going to give you back to Greg, all right?"
The blue-masked turtle handed the phone to the man, and then breathed through a heavy sigh. This can't happen. Sayuri is doing the right thing to speak up against it; I only pray she's actually safe, and the kids. I wish she wasn't so far away. No number of the Akiudo would be enough to break Takashi out of custody if we were there to stop them, at least, not under ordinary circumstances.
Did we make a mistake holding our ground in the US? Maybe we should have gone to Okinawa to meet the devil in his lair. But we're also dealing with the situation with Don and Brandon, and the uncertainty of the Akiudo that are already in New York.
Leonardo massaged his forehead as he sensed exhaustion wearing on his mind. Does anyone know the right thing to do in this case? I'm not sure there is a right thing. I just don't want Sayuri to end up dead, or Takashi to get away. This is insanity.
Mike grinned as he watched Nathaniel support himself with little arms, so that the baby was lifting his plastron off the bed. "That's really good, Nate."
He beamed even more widely as Nate held his head erect to look at him.
"Da!"
Mike laughed out loud at the single syllable the baby uttered. He enjoyed every small milestone that Nathaniel met, but the ability to speak was one of things he was looking forward to the most.
"Da," he repeated after Nate. "You're halfway to 'dada', little guy."
The baby turtle gurgled at him, and it was all Mike could do not to swoop him up in his arms. He needs to practice getting his own balance, he reminded himself. The kid is never going to learn how to do anything alone if I'm holding him all the time.
Michelangelo satisfied himself with kneeling by the end of the bed to watch and see what Nathaniel would do if left to his own devices. The little turtle peered back at him with blue-green eyes and a ready smile. He caught his breath when he saw the young one rock forward on his arms, as if he was going to try to rise onto his knees. The action was short-lived before Nate collapsed on his plastron on the mattress. The baby raised his head to see him again, and Mike waved.
"Hi, bud. What are you gonna do now?"
To his surprise Nate tilted and rolled onto his side. He wasn't successful in getting turned over all the way, but it still excited Michelangelo.
"You're just dying to get mobile, aren't you, Nate? Yep, soon enough you'll be crawling after your cousin Liv, and she'll be teaching you every trick in the book. But you're always gonna be my little buddy."
Mike couldn't resist picking him up anymore, smiling as Nate's strong fingers grasped his chin. A knock at the partially open door had him turning around to see Karina.
The bronze-haired woman shook her head. "I thought your baby was taking a nap."
"He woke up," Mike returned.
"Are you sure he woke up?" Karina teased.
"Absolutely, he did. On my honor, Karina."
The woman laughed. "No one said we had to bring your 'honor' into play. Nate's not the only one who didn't take much of a nap." Karina stepped aside to let Olivia into the bedroom.
The 18-month-old toddled across the room, and threw up her arms when she saw Michelangelo and her little cousin. "Baby!"
Mike put Nathaniel back onto the bed before reaching down to pick up Olivia and setting her beside him. "Are you gonna play nice with your cousin, Liv? I didn't know she was saying 'baby' too, Karina."
"She picked it up from Reina." Karina grinned. "She's getting all kinds of habits from her older cousin. Now that Liv can climb out of her crib, I don't think there's anything to stop her from conquering the world."
"You'd think that could wait until she was like five or something."
Karina made a scoffing sound. "She doesn't have the patience for that. Let's not forget who her father is."
Mike snorted. "Well, she's got you in there too, Karina. That ought to even her out a little bit."
There was a trace of sadness behind the smile that the woman gave him. "I hope she takes good things from me, Mike. This is a first for both of us. As a parent, you just want to protect them and raise them right, but genes can be a powerful thing. I recall hearing my Mom tell someone else that I used to give her these looks that reminded her a lot of my father. Yet I barely remember the man, Mikey, not from back then."
"You're nothing like your dad, Karina," Mike said in a low voice.
"I know, but I'm very aware of where I've fallen short, Mike. The last thing I want to do is raise a daughter who can't fight for herself, especially one with the unique nature all of you share. Liv has to be able to stand on her own two feet."
The orange-masked turtle shook his head. I don't know what it is with these women. Both her and Becky, I don't think they see the same thing when they look in the mirror as we see in them.
"You are a fighter, Karina. You put up with Raph," he said lightly.
She smiled slyly. "He's easy when you know how to handle him."
"And do you think any random woman could walk right up to him and charm his socks off?"
"You guys don't wear socks."
"For real, Karina. Why do you think it's okay to be meaner to yourself than you'd be to someone else?"
The woman didn't have an answer for that.
"Liv has a strong-willed, compassionate, smart Mama; exactly what she needs to be raised the right way. You have to stop second-guessing yourself at some point."
"I know. I understand that what I do and how I think about myself will impact Olivia eventually. It's not easy to change old mindsets, but I'm working on it."
Mike looked over his shoulder to see Olivia crouched on the bed beside Nate, who'd rolled back onto his side. He looked back at the woman with a confident smile. "You've got it in you, Karina."
"I hope those two can be as close to each other as you are with your brothers," the woman said wistfully.
"There's not much choice in this family." Mike chuckled. "Togetherness should be our middle name."