Chapter 10

Hunting Ground

A/N: I promise the story takes a deeper turn. No more fluff chapters, no more introducing characters you already know. Get ready people. This is gonna be a long one too.

Nai clenched her fists before glancing down at her watch, five a.m. on a Thursday. Perfect for illegal business.

Her uncle's office was packed with a little less than half of the men employed by the family. "Let's go! Our boys are with Izumii at the warehouse. Mr. Shiki your car is on point; there will be a police bike behind you. Dad..." she drifted off as he looked to her, this amused smirk on his face, "...we're going in together. The transporter is bringing up the rear."

She left the office and walked through the house. Her usual two men joined her halfway down the hall and the umbrella opened as they walked outside. Three black cars idled in the drive and Celty waved to Nai. Nai nodded quickly in the Dullahan's direction and slid into the third car.

Her father grinned at her, "Scared sweetheart?"

She smirked at his mocking tone, "Nope."

Celty couldn't help looking over her shoulder every two blocks. The cop behind the lead car had his lights and sirens on, they were drawing so much attention.

It was unnerving, Shinra relayed the message to her, the bag she was carrying had drugs in it.

It wasn't really anything new. Ikebukuro had drugs, of course, but not organized drug crime. It was another level for the city. Another level for the yakuza, and for this Nai girl too. Shinra seemed really worried about her.

If she had a lip she'd bite it in worry.

They all took a turn and the warehouse came into view. The cars stopped and Celty climbed off her bike. She dropped the black duffle at the feet of the man who climbed from the car with Nai.

He smirked at her, "Oh transporter? Are we too good for you?"

She whipped out her phone, "I'll collect my money later."

Nai walked after her, "Celty. What's wrong?'

"I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right."

"We're yakuza. We aren't supposed to give off a fuzzy feeling."

"Shinra is worried about you. Just be careful."

"Celty..."

"I think Shizuo is worried too."

Nai huffed before changing the subject, "I'll bring you your money later."

"We do have to do this on time daughter." Her fathers condescending tone reached her ears and she clenched her fist.

They paraded inside as Celty rode away, her father to her left and Mr. Shiki to her right with a dozen men in suits and dark glasses behind them. Ran Izumii hobbled over on his crutches like a puppy, eager to be by Nai's side. She crossed her arms, "Well?"

"These are my guys. Hiroshi, Horada, and Kisuke."

Nai pulled off her glasses and took her time putting them away in the breast pocket of her blazer. She walked over to the young men, her heels echoing in the space. "You're kind of predictable Izumii. I've heard the name Horada before."

The blonde tensed.

"Izaya Orihara tells me you joined the yellow scarves then turned on their leader."

Horada scratched his head, "Yeah-" Izumii shot him a look and he stood tall and put his hands at his sides, "I mean... yes ma'am, I did."

Nai smirked and returned to her spot, "The three of you have very little power. I want you to fully understand that you answer to the Hagane clan." She paused for effect, "Each of you have been chosen to distribute a new drug around the city. The territories will consist of West Gate Park, Sunshine 60, and Ikebukuro station. You are allotted no more than six underlings and you can choose where to place them within these areas. If you fuck up and get arrested or killed I will not bail you out or take revenge."

The three looked at each other and Mr. Shiki took a step forward, the duffel bag in his hands, "The laws of the Yakuza are the same in every city, you are to respect city boundaries. Do not leave Ikebukuro."

One of the twelve men opened the duffel and pulled out three smaller black bags. Nai watched him, and held out her hand for one. She opened it, rummaged around, and pulled out a tiny plastic bag housing three small pink pills.

"You will be charging American dollars for these. Do not change the price to be any lower than fifty dollars. Don't worry about where the money is coming from or where it will go. Someone will bring you new supplies and pick up any money you've made. You will be paid at this time also."

The three boys were smirking now. The idea of big league work actually excited them. Nai checked her phone as she handed the last bag to Horada who was directly in front of her, "Don't try anything stupid or I will kill you." She spoke low to all three men and they nodded.

Izumii hobbled forward handing all three a small slip of paper, Daifu spoke up as he did so, "These are your entry cards to an event tonight. You will be representing the Hagane family. Don't embarrass me or my brother."

Nai rolled her eyes and lit a cigarette, "Any questions?" She was answered with the very clear bang of a gun. She dropped her cigarette with a curse and reach for the back of her pants as two more shots rang out.

She ran outside with five men, guns drawn, and there was a blue japan-made car speeding off. The cop who escorted them jumped on his bike and followed. Her father joined her at the car, "What the hell was that?"

Nai sighed, "I would love to know."

Nai wasn't exactly a wallflower but these sorts of people made her skin crawl.

Woman dressed up like escorts, lips shining in lip-gloss, and men in suits grabbing ass and laughing obnoxiously at their own jokes.

She couldn't relax right now, there was too much to think about. Who shot at them earlier and why? She also thought it was odd that they weren't particularly aiming to really shoot at anyone… Maybe just trying to grab attention… trying to get her and her father to come outside…

"Without our umbrellas!"

Several people turned to look at her but she ignored them, rushing outside the club and pulling out her phone. She shoved her drink at a passerby as it rang.

"Hello?"

There was an echo, "Izaya, where are you?"

The line went dead and she felt someone standing a little too close, "I'm right here." Izaya's burgundy eyes twinkled in the neon sign of the club and he grinned widely at Nai. "What brings you to Shinjuku Nai-kun?"

Oh right, this was Tezuka's club; the Noramibu clan was throwing a party. A way to get word spread about the new drug. His family paid for enough of the drug to hand out at said party. She remembered a young girl offering her one of the tiny plastic bags when she arrived.

"You know why. I'm sure Tezuka invited you to this thing himself.

Izaya smirked, "Why were you calling me?" she opened her mouth and he waved around an envelope, "Maybe for these?"

"What is that?"

"I'll show you if you have a drink with me."

"You should take him up on his offer Nai." Tezuka grinned at her.

Nai flared her nostrils a bit, forcing a smile, "You didn't have to come looking for me Nora."

The two males exchanged glances and the young clan-head cleared his throat, "No need for formalities. I called Mr. Orihara here on your behalf. I heard about the shooting and thought I would help."

The woman balled a fist at her side, "Really?"

"Yes, we can't have one of the five families getting found out this early on can we?"

"Are you trying to make a fool of me Nora?"

He stood next to her, placing a firm hand on her elbow and leading her back into the club. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Do I really have to try?"

"The men in that car were FBI Nai-kun."

"Shit…" she cursed as she sifted through the photos.

Izaya stretched across the plush bench they were on, smirking as he sipped whatever was in that girly martini glass. "No need to panic, you were only passing drugs right?"

"And what happens when they come looking for the money?"

"You assume I know what you're talking about."

Tezuka laughed as he rejoined them, "Because you do know. No need for games Mr. Orihara."

Nai waved for a girl with a drink tray, snatching the glass when she got close enough. How the hell did the FBI find out about the drugs that fast? She put a hand on Izaya's knee and lent closer to him, "How much do you know about the Nebra Corp?"

Izaya lit up, "I can find out anything you want Nai."

Tezuka cleared his throat, "American company, I gave them the papers on Yagiri to get them to buy out."

The information broker chuckled. How cute, mr yakuza was trying to impress Nai and do his job, "They produced drugs legally and illegally in America." Izaya added.

"That's why I called them."

Nai turned on Tezuka, "Did you check to see if the FBI was watching them before they shipped business over here?" He sipped his drink instead of answering and Izaya chuckled again. The young woman rolled her eyes, "All the families involved could get stuck in this because you didn't pay attention."

Tezuka smirked, "But they got pictures of you and your dad. The rest of us had no such incident."

"Nai." Daifu Hagane glared at Tezuka as he beckoned for his daughter, "We're going to leave now. I don't appreciate another member of the five families mocking what happened to us. I'm sure his father wouldn't be too happy to hear about it either."

Tezuka stood and bowed his head. His father was a very strict and scary old man. Although he was no longer head of the clan, he kept his son under his thumb. "My apologies."

Izaya watched as they walked away and was very much amused with Tezuka's present expression,"Well, that was bold."

"I think you should stick with your alliance to the city you live in Orihara."

He smiled, "But I do love Ikebukuro, and every human in it."