North Holland
Up in Northwood, one could find the aftermath of yet another shooting - but this time a media craze was happening. The site was the North Holland basketball courts where the sound of gunfire had taken the neighborhood by surprise.
With the streets blockaded, the whole basketball court and the entire neighborhood was cordoned off by the LCPD; only residents and first-responders were allowed in at this point.
One of those cars that were allowed through was a black Landstalker SUV with police sirens on top wailing the red/blue colors as it was allowed passage by the other uniformed cops.
Once it stopped, the Landstalker's door opened. A Caucasian man with brown hair and a mustache stepped out - a local from Dukes, he was raised in an Irish family: Catholic, troubled, fighting and already judged. He answered to the name of Francis McReary, the Deputy Police Commissioner of the city.
The Dukes-based cop walked away from his vehicle and was allowed to enter the crime scene as the yellow police tape was held upwards by a patrolman, granting him access to the closed-off area that the police had come across.
A long track of black trail marks that were coming from a car speeding through the street, with shell cases of a semiautomatic that was heard throughout the neighborhood being fired lying around, with it all ending its paths to an Marbelle sedan that had crashed against the metal fence of the basketball courts that had broken the car's engine and put it out off commission.
The Irish man turned to the patrolman. "Who responded first to the call?"
"Gang unit," The black patrolman responded. "They were a block away."
The last statement earned a pointed look from Officer McReary as he glanced at the officer with a frown. "Was she by herself again? Her unit, I mean."
"That I cannot comment on, sir," The patrolman replied to that question with caution, "But she's not complaining, and frankly sir, neither am I."
"Okay, where's she?"
"She's in Lancet, sir. With the witnesses," The patrolman responded, "Shooter's brought to Holland's, keeping the shooter's family away from the victim's folks, they brought him there."
"You mean the shooter survived? Jesus, that's a new one." McReary said before asking."Who's the victim?"
The patrolman is shaking his head. "You're not going to believe who got shot."
It happened that a firetruck with sirens on was allowed to enter the scene, just when McReary was told the name of the gunshot victim.
With an infuriating sigh, he responded then by saying.
"Fuck me…"
Meanwhile
While the night was still young, it was going well in Beechwood City, an area that was home to the local Jamaican restaurant and hotspot - The Homebrew Café. A local but also popular hangout serving as the main conjugation for the Yardies, the heart of the Jamaican neighborhood and to some extent organized crime.
Inside the café, the thick cloud of smoke was billowing from ashtrays, the content of the use being that of either tobacco, oil, or cannabis. Both food and illegal substances were openly used in this small spot of Liberty City.
With the loud music of Reggae being heard from the radio, the local visitors were either seen smoking, drinking, playing pool, darts, eating, or playing the lone arcade machine in the building.
Naruto was seen doing just that, as he was chowing down on a local dish of stewed pork with rice and beans. For Niko, a simple bowl of soul which reminded him of the days of the merchant navy.
Both were eating while standing at the counter,
"Man, this is good. I may have to order a second plate." Naruto said as he finished off his plate.
"I guess all that running around would have you hungry, but thanks for coming with me. I've been needing to get out of the house…and away from Roman for a bit. Always calling to bowling that one." Niko said as Naruto chuckled.
"Now you know how I feel." Naruto said. "A shame Jacob couldn't join us… I'm actually debating trying some of that weed."
Niko looked at him funny. "You smoke that stuff?"
Naruto took a swig from his beer and nodded. "Yup, I do it regularly, it helps with the sleep, stress and thoughts from back in Iraq. You never tried it?"
"Where I'm from, it's looked down upon. Personally, I'm not against it…just not for me. I like to keep a clear head most of the time." Niko told him before looking around. "But hey, I'm someone who drank Vodka at a very young age, but that's another story."
"Well, If you ever need some, Jacob and Badman can help out," Naruto suggested, "Roman introducing those two to me was one of the best things that happened to me in LC."
"You were sayin', me breda."
The two turned to see Lil' Jacob and Badman arrive to get some cheers from the crowd. Jacob had called ahead for his meal, a big ol' bowl of banana fritters.
"Jacob, good to see you both." Naruto said, greeting them both.
"Right man, good seeing you, breda." Badman said before grabbing the tray. "Sorry mi man, but I got a meeting in da back. Seen?"
Niko, who was eating his soup, had already been struggling to understand Little Jacob, yet this guy who hadn't even noticed him, was already on another level of unable to understand him.
"It's good, man, no problem," Naruto said to the tall Jamaican and added, "See you later."
"Respect, rasta," Badman said as he walked off towards the counter, where the barman, a fellow Jamaican, was seen clearing the door for him.
And for anyone who noticed, the kitchen where the food was being cooked - a few Jamaican guys in plain clothes were seen waiting and spotting Badman before the door got closed.
Niko was one of those who noticed it and asked right up to Little Jacob. "Your friend got business?"
"You could say that. He's da leader, and I am his right-hand man." Jacob remarked, munching off on some flitters. "Ah, that's the good stuff, right there."
"That, surprisingly, it is," Niko admitted, "I never thought I'd be eating from a smoke filled restaurant, but I have to say - it's good food."
"That's da beauty of Liberty City, rasta - we is a multicultural city. Just got to test it properly, see?" Jacob said, jabbing his fork into his food, "Dis is America, sight."
Niko chuckled. "Just like Roman said, he only seem to attract the wrong types of Americans."
"Wut, like I and Ruto here?"
"No, the money lending ones," Niko replied with a soft chuckle, "He always managed to make money go away fast."
"That, he's like any American then," Naruto commented before turning to a waitress, "Another refill, please."
"Bumbaclot, Ruto, 'nuther one?" Jacob asked, surprised. "How much?"
"Just at his second one, why?" Niko asked.
"Mi man here almost ate out twenty out here one time, man." Jacob told him how he witnessed that. "Tell yu what, Niko. Never pay his tab, or you down-load on green."
The three men continued on eating while socializing a little in the Jamaican restaurant.
2 Hours later
With a few hours having passed by and midnight already passed, the Beechwood City neighborhood for most part was already asleep or at least indoors, except for Tutelo Avenue.
That would be the case for anyone who was still hanging around the Homebrew Café. Where local hustlers were seen standing outside and smoking in groups while they'd also be getting some fresh air from the very often hot building where the restaurant was more crowded from time to time.
Among them was Naruto, seen leaning against the large Jamaican flag painting that was part of the local community - as he was seen instead smoking just a regular cigarette having run out of his own supply, and he waited outside for his friends who were still in the café.
Looking out, the blonde saw that out on the street, even across the Broker-Dukes Expressway, business for the Yardies was happening as dope peddlers were seen standing by the road and selling dope to customers while the local working girls were up and ready to do their work.
One Voodoo lowrider in a dark color that looked a bit rusty, happened to then drive up the curbside as a dealer approached the window.
"Wha'gwan, what you want?" The dealer asked the customer. "Mi got some mad grass for you to have."
"Nah, no weed, but I gotta ask, bro." The tweaky looking customer asked up. "You got some SPANK dust by any chance?"
The question caught the dealer by surprise, causing him to raise his head. "SPANK? Nah, man."
"Shit, shit, SHIT!" The customer cursed as he then drove off. Leaving the dealer alone, confused, and with no sale.
"Raasclaat." The dealer muttered under his breath as he walked back to the wall to continue smoking.
It was then that at that same interaction, Naruto had observed the whole of it and could see the driver wasn't in his best shape, arousing some suspicion of that behavior he had been seeing over the past few months.
'It's not the first time I've seen addicts like that guy…'
Just then another car happened to pull up on the street. This one of the more clean kind that wouldn't normally turn up in this part of town in such an hour. A Red Cognoscenti car with dark tinted windows was stopping up to the curb of the café.
"Hey, who's that?"
"Must be sum youth."
The car however didn't lower its window, eliciting a nervous but understandable reaction from the Yardie members who were stepping a few feet back or reaching for their belt.
An expensive car appearing from out of nowhere, with tinted windows in the middle of the night? That could only mean trouble.
"Stop playing around."
The couple of braided Jamaican gangsters looked to the source and saw Naruto walking up to the Cognoscenti and-
*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*
The tension just broke off to new levels as Naruto had just tapped multiple times on the driver's side window with his fist.
"Lower the window, Xin, before I bust it open and drag you out of it."
The response came quick, with the driver's window starting to lower down fast and-
*K'CHUNK!*
In a split moment the barrel of a pump shotgun with a wooden stock was pressed against the chest of Naruto, right in front of the café.
Naruto didn't seem too troubled, his words nonchalant. "If you're going to kill me, at least have a shell chambered."
That response earned him a raucous laugh in return as the man wielding the shotgun replied.
"Hahaha! Of course you'd know."
The guy rolled down the window and in it sat a late-teens Chinese guy. "Naruto, been a while."
"It has only been a month or so. Xin."
"Really? I didn't count."
The apparent owner of the car was Xin Shan, one of the upcoming soldiers coming from the Liberty City Triads. Known for being trigger-happy, even by Red Pole standards for the Triads, he was eager to take orders from one of leaders belonging to the syndicate - of which his sister was a Master-of-Arms under.
Naruto and Xin happen to have known each other after he needed a quick ride out of a robbery stint, when he 'convinced' Naruto to drive him to safety away from the police, earning him a bit of clout with the Chinese gangster.
They kept tabs on each other, and in the months Naruto had been here, even earning him friends in higher places.
"Okay, Xin, whatever brought you here to Beechwood City?" Naruto asked him straight away the question. "You don't normally come around these parts."
"For one, I do come here for the occasional cheap weed, to correct you there,"Xin corrected, pointing his first finger out before raising the second. "And two, I came here on an official business trip, orders."
"From whom?"
"From Kenny, my boss," Xin explained, his expression souring just a tad, "Apparently your friend busted up a shop, the one on Camden Avenue, the Chinese retail shop."
"Oh, that old man…" Naruto remembered as he did a fare for that man once, a scheming bastard who would sell a cheap antique from his home country and sell it twice for what it was worth.
"Yeah, he pays protection to Kenny, but has his windows busted in." Xin said as he looked at the café's entrance. "Apparently the guy who did it was spotted here and I-"
"That's my boy Niko, so sorry you can't do anything to him," Naruto said to his Triad acquaintance, knowing exactly what Xin's business was, "He told me what he did, said he only took the job to reduce his cousin's gambling debts."
"Oh, who ordered it then?" Xin asked, wanting to find this information. "Because Kenny's pissed off at the moment, and I gotta go back to him with a head on a platter."
"Vladimir Glebov, that asshole who collects for Faustin." Naruto responded.
"Russians…" Xin sighed, shaking his head in disappointment, "Of course it's the Russians…"
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Xin's reaction and could see there was something going on. "Problems?"
"Long story, just some territorial disputes between us and the Russians, especially Faustin," Xin explained, waving his hand off as the two of them walked down the street, "Anyway, can I ask you a favor?"
Seeing him getting asked for another fare, Naruto shrugged and asked. "Name it."
Ten minutes later
As things went back to normal inside the café, Niko was still seen at the counter by himself as Little Jacob went into the back of the kitchen, allowing him a measure of privacy.
Privacy he didn't mind as he now was seen drinking a filled glass of rum. Normally he'd like vodka but for once he wanted something different as he was in a different place.
"Niko."
He felt a hand tap on his, and as he turned around, he saw it was Naruto…with the car keys dangling in his hand.
"Hey man, I got to go with somebody." Naruto said to him in a hurry. "Take the cab, okay? I'll see you at the depot tomorrow."
Niko was sober enough to figure it'd be better to just leave, dropping his glass at the counter.
"Was thinking of going anyway," Niko said as he stood up and asked, "Let's go."
"Alright," Naruto turned to the counter and said. "Tell Jacob we're gone, man." He pulled out a few buck notes and placed it on the table. "Thanks for the food."
The guy behind the counter wavered them as the two men leave the building as he then happened to then turn on the radio a bit louder now that he could, just when a breaking news update from Weasel News came in, and this was a serious one:
"Just a few hours ago, a drive-by shooting in North Holland has shaken the citizens of the neighborhood. With multiple reported to be wounded and one confirmed death-"
Easton Medical Center - Algonquin
Things were hectic in the South Algonquin hospital with the latest arrival of patients that came in from North Holland. Several police officers were seen guarding the doors, blocking the many journalists, concerned citizens and even North Holland residents from entering the medical facility.
"Everyone step back!" One officer told the crowd. "Nobody is allowed in."
"But we have to know what happened!" One journalist asked with her recorder out. "What happened to A the Unruly? Is he in critical condition?"
"Was this gang related?"
"Are there any more victims?"
"Do the police have any leads?"
The cops were keeping the crowd inside as one man managed to enter the premises without much attention drawn to him.
…
Inside the building, one person could be seen walking their rounds in the waiting room, with the only unscathed survivor of the North Holland shooting that spread like wildfire in news across the city.
Luis was the pacer, as the sleeves of his clothing were covered in dried blood that luckily didn't belong to him. He still however was struggling with the fact of what he just had gone through.
For some reason, he wasn't approached by the police or some detective for interrogation, likely assuming he was in shock. But he was used to such outbursts of gun violence that it didn't bother him - but this was different.
This was a close call.
"Luis Lopez."
Opening his eyes, he looked at the floor and noticed a pair of black heel boots. His gaze trailed upwards and found that they belonged to a lady wearing a black coat with a buttoned purple belt, as she wore underneath a pair of blue jeans that were showing her assets down below to be quite big.
A blonde woman who had long braided hair and was seen wearing a badge from her belt - one of the LCPD.
Luis sighed in resignation, shook his head and looked back down, knowing exactly who he was speaking with. "Yugito."
"Luis." She returned as she held a small notebook and a pencil. "I'm here for the shooting you were in. Mind if I ask you a couple of questions?"
"I don't talk to cops, you know that," Luis responded without raising his head. "So drop the hero act, because I know you're still angry over our-"
"Our thing has nothing to do with it, Luis," Yugito fired back, with a clear hint of anger that she gave away, "You know better than that."
The two had, for the lack of better terms, 'a bit of history' - both had been in a relationship that started with a little fun in the Maisonette 9 bathrooms…
"Listen, I'm sorry, okay? But I can't talk about it," Luis explained, his tone softening, "What happens on the streets stays on the streets. Even when I'm not involved, I can't talk to the police, let alone someone from the gang unit."
"That I know, Luis." Yugito spoke as turned to the end of the hallway. "Are they still-"
"They've finished operating," Luis finished, "I've been waiting here while my ride gets here."
"Can you tell me where Mr. Lopez is?"
The two turned their heads around to find a couple of homicide detectives talking to the nurses at the entrance hall. After Yugito, they would be having their turn.
"I'll see you around, Luis," Yugito said, patting him on the shoulder while walking past him, "And good luck, you're definitely going to need it."
"Yeah, I know," Luis sighed, left by himself for a brief period of time right before the two homicide detectives stopped in front of him.
"Mr. Lopez. Mind talking to us for a moment?"
As she proceeded to walk down the hallway, Yugito looked into a couple of open doors to see if she could spot the gunshot victims she was looking for. As she was also about to ask a nurse-
"Yugito, here!"
Hearing that, the female detective turned back and saw that inside the room: where she saw both her friends Karui and Samui laying on beds in gowns.
"Karui!" Yugito walked up to her and embraced her into a hug. "Thank goodness you're alright."
"Ah, just a flesh wound, no biggie." The dark-skinned redhead was still laying down on the bed as she gave that remark. "I got lucky, but Samui…"
That made them turn then to the other bed where Samui was lying, sleeping peacefully with a few tubes attached to her arms as a small breathing mask over her mouth.
A hard sight to see, Yugito still asked. "How bad?"
"She got hit twice in the abdomen, and once in the shoulder," Karui explained, "The doctors were able to get those bullets out, but they say she's going to stay here for a while."
Yugito turned back. "And you?"
"Like I said, I got lucky." Karui smiled sadly. "I can leave in a few days, but I'm honestly more worried about Ay."
Yugito was about to ask what the doctors told her friend about the North Holland hero. The main thought on her head being what could possibly be worse than getting shot?
That news however would turn everyone's heads around.
Meanwhile
Francis International Airport
Driving now in Xin's Cognoscenti, Naruto was just arriving at Liberty City's airport, with Xin in the shotgun seat, they had to go past the main entrance driveway, where many people were seen getting either in or out of the main building.
Naruto was quick to ask. "Where do I need to go?"
"Just drive up to one of the side entrances, " Xin stated to him, "We already bribed a guard on the east side, so we can evade normal control then."
"Right."
The car drove past the front building, just as a group of travelers happened to come out. With many seen waiting outside being locals from Liberty City awaiting someone to pick up.
Two of those who were waiting were a sibling pair from Meadows Park, alongside their elderly mother who couldn't contain the joy of waiting at home to embrace someone.
"Ohhh, soo excited!" the small Irish elderly woman said, smiling. "I cannot wait to see how she grew up to be."
"Okay, Ma, never seen you happy like this." Her only daughter, the redhead and reserved Kate McReary said to her mother as she stood by her side. "You could've stayed at home, me and Packie are enough."
"Maybe Katie is enough, sure." The bald headed, troublemaker, proud Irish and youngest male sibling of the McReary's, asked for confirmation. "But are you sure you got the right time when they were going to land?"
"I am one-hundred percent sure, Patrick McReary." Maureen McReary stated with full confidence, "I may be old, but something like this I will not forget, not in the name of all Goodness. So stop your whining and be glad that for once you're doing something good instead of emptying the bottle like your brothers."
"Jesus Fucking Christ, ma-"
"Language." Maureen McReary stressed out, causing her son to track back on that last comment.
"Sorry, ma."
"Excuse me, excuse me." An airport security guard armed with a service rifle started making an announcement, "Please make way for the next group of travelers coming out."
Some of those who were waiting, like the McReary family, started backing down as then another group of travelers was seen coming out of the entrance, with most of them being tourists and businessmen coming out already walking to their destination.
But coming out of that group was someone who stood out, with her two sets of luggage that she strolled with her and the outfit she wore that was quite eye catching - a blue denim vest and skirt with dark blue tights, a brown belt, brown boots, and a black shirt that has white and black striped long sleeves. The girl was of average height and had crimson red hair that was standing out from other strains of red.
And it was that strain of color that caught the old lady's attention right away.
"Narumi Uzumaki!"
The girl turned her sights to the voice that called her name, and spotted the old lady standing between two others as her face turned into a bright smile as she waved back.
"Grandma Maureen!"
She ran up to the old Irish woman and let her luggage down to hug her, much to Ma McReary's delight as she did not hold back.
"Ahhh, it's so good to have you in my arms." She said taking in some space and checking on her appearance. "And look at you, you just look like your grandmother when she was young as I was, such a beauty."
The blushing came as fast as the smile as Narumi humbly replied. "Please, stop!"
"And look at what you're wearing, just like her!" Ma said, inspecting her clothes and chuckling, "She also used to love to wear such rebellious clothing, never an easy woman."
"Oh this, you like it?" Narumi asked, showing her clothing off a bit with a chuckle. "It's nothing, just something I wore at a cosplay event."
"A cosplay event?" Kate asked, smiling as she guessed. "You mean those fan events for Japanese animation, am I correct?"
"Yes, that's it." Narumi said rather nervously. "Funny thing is, I was with friends at a cosplay event right before I got on the plane. So that's why I didn't get a chance to change clothes."
(For anyone wanting to know, she's wearing Android 18 outfit as cosplay)
"Well, either way it looks good on you. Perhaps too good, I can already see some morons glancing at you like a pack of meat." This time it was Packie speaking as he extended his hand and introduced himself. "Patrick McReary, nice to meet you, but you can call me Packie."
Narumi smiled back and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Packie."
Shooting straight, Packie smiled at her. "Say, you're interested in-"
"Patrick, not now," Ma McReary scolded him, "Grab her baggage and let's get home. Kate, mind helping him?"
"Will do, ma!" Kate said, grabbing the first luggage, "Have you eaten anything, Narumi?"
"Not much, airplane food isn't known to be good." Narumi said shyly, "But I'd love to have some Ramen to be fair."
Maureen couldn't help but laugh at that. "But tell you what? I got some prepared for you back home. Let's go."
The four started making their way out of the busy airport as the car wasn't far away in the car park, with Packie and Kate seen carrying Narumi's luggage. But if they stayed a bit longer, they would've noticed something.
As one person was seen carrying a Duffel bag over his shoulder, the man was wearing military camo pants with steel boots and a noticeably empty leather cut jacket that he was clean - yet inside he was checked by security for this obvious style of clothing.
It then happened that the man spotted his ride - a man seen on a motorcycle with a similar set of clothing, only on his leather cut jacket was a patch.
The Lost MC patch - from the Alderney Chapter.
The biker noticed the guy with the leather cut and saw that he was approaching him before he then recognized the guy and greeted.
"Hell brother, welcome to Liberty City."
The man just silently nodded and hopped into the back before the bike then roared through the street and drove off on the road. Letting the wind go through his black hair as he went through the city's streets.
As more and more people were seen leaving the airport, one pair were about to enter it.
"Alright, you can go."
After a few minutes, the guard pole was raised upwards as Xin's car was allowed through.
seeing that indeed the guard was bribed, Naruto then thought it was the right moment to ask some valid questions.
"Okay, Xin. Tell me what's going on." Naruto began as he drove slowly. "You told me this was important, spill."
Xin looked around and knew he had to be honest with him, so he began with a question. "Okay, have you heard about Mr. Jaoming?"
"Like Hsin Jaoming? Yeah, I heard of him." Naruto remembered that name. "He's the head Triad in this city. What about him?"
Hsin Jaoming was a name in this city, especially for those of the Asian underworld. Having come as an immigrant, he climbed the ranks of the gang life on his charisma and ruthlessness, the latter of which earned him the highest respect amongst Triad gangsters.
A man like him was not to be trifled with, standing on perhaps the same level as the Italian Mob figures like Jon Gravelli. Respected and feared - but it was the fear that he was well known for.
And fear was power.
"Well, would you wanna guess; the old man wants to retire from being the boss." Xin admitted to him. "And already some big players are out there wanting to take his seat. Like his own sons Chan and Zhou Ming."
The car happened to then slowly stop, parking up an empty spot in the private section of Francis International Airport where mainly jets were allowed to stay.
Naruto recognized some of these names and asked. "Zhou Ming and Chan Jaoming…They really want to take over?"
"Yeah, Zhou's been the one that every Tong thinks has the best shot at being the next boss, but that doesn't mean Chan's outplayed yet," Xin continued, explaining the current state of the succession crisis going on, "Both are good earners, have a lot of influence, and they got a lot of soldiers to back them up. But-"
"But?" Naruto questioned.
Xin sighed as he ruffled his hair. "Things are getting heated, Hsin's getting paranoid and there are rumors going on about a rat sniffing around. It even caused some of our local allies to be suspicious, like the Koreans and the Jamaicans - let alone this stuff called SPANK."
"SPANK?"
"Some new product on the street - don't worry about it." Xin waved it off. "But let me get back to the succession. Word is my boss, Kenny, is about to throw himself into the race of being the leader."
"You mean your boss, Wu 'Kenny' Lee, right?" Naruto knew that name too. "So it's a three-way race, is what you're saying."
Xin nodded. "Right. In fact, it's pretty much already started 'cause everyone is now pulling a shitload of favors, getting rid of a lot of obstacles and kissing a lot of asses to get on Hsin's good side." Xin frowned. "Meaning everyone else is getting pressured to do more work."
Hearing all that at once, it was an inside look not many like Naruto would be able to hear about the secrecy of Chinese organized crime. So the blonde ex-merc knew this was best yet non-spoken to others.
"So why are we here?"
Xin pointed out. "Because of that."
Pointed upwards - a few lights were seen up the sky as it was slowly descending towards the airport, revealing it to be a private jet airliner that was landing down.
Inside the private jet coming straight from Hong Kong, a young mid-20's man was seen staring out the window and taking in the city's light that he last saw in his teenage days as a tourist. But he was no mere tourist nor was this just a mere vacation.
Huang Lee, a member of the Triads in Hong Kong. He was however not a big shot, but a mere 'spoiled son' whose father happened to be a major leader within the organization. That said, he was trustworthy enough to be sent on an important task by the heads of the Tongs in China, to deliver something important to their contacts in Liberty City.
But that important message now sidetracked the mind of Huang as he just had received word the week before his departure of the assassination of his father. Multiple gunshot wounds, with the only evidence found - and withheld - that one of the shooters who was caught and shot dead, was a member of a hired crew from Liberty City. All signs pointed to a hit.
So now Huang was given responsibilities that he had to fulfill even when it was against his own wishes, but one thing was on his mind:
To find out who sent the assassins to Hong Kong, ascertain their full intentions, and avenge his father. He'd sworn it on his grave that he would not rest until he'd finished his mission.
"Mr. Lee, just telling you, we're about to land."
Hearing the announcement on the intercom from the pilot, Huang began to prepare himself as he had at least packed one suitcase of clothes, while the second case carried something else.
Something that his uncle asked for - an item of his late father that would bring him into better standing with some very important people.
"Guess you're getting what you wanted, Uncle Kenny."
As they waited against the car, Naruto and Xin were just both talking, the latter of whom was smoking while asking some questions.
"So you went to Iraq to avoid prison time, correct?" Xin asked, "By joining Merryweather? Now that merc group's known for some bad shit."
Naruto nodded. "Yep."
"I mean real bad shit."
"I know."
"I mean REAL bad shit." Xin specifically stated that. "You know what I mean, these guys acting like cowboys shooting up Iraqis left and right for fun. Like what they did to those civilians in that square."
"Yeah, I know. But I wasn't working with those dumb fucks." Naruto replied, staring at the sky, "While those guys were messing around in Baghdad, I was assigned to the Triangle, went to Mosul, Fallujah, those spots."
As he watched on, the clouded skies made him miss those skies in Iraq, wherein the days when on those rare, calm days, he would stare at the heaven colored skies full with stars that were perhaps the best time to waste on. Where the star-studded night sky with the Starry Band of the Milky Way.
Warm summers, cloudless skies in the night, with uncountable amounts of stars shining out, it was one of the beauties of Iraq that he couldn't deny what he was missing - watching nature at its normal course.
"Those nights in the Iraqi summer still beat the shitty weather in Liberty City."
Xin was about to lit a cigarette until he heard that. "Huh?"
"Nothing, just nothing." Naruto waved off as he smiled. "Just speaking to myself."
Hearing that, Xin then turned to the runway and noticed something as he tapped Naruto.
"It's landing."
There the jet was seen landing over the runway - meaning the waiting now was over.
…
After a few moments of the landing, Huang stared out the window and spotted one car waiting out there close to the spot the pilot was going to stop, and noticed two men standing outside and waiting.
"Great," Huang groaned at his welcoming party before he grabbed both cases of his and prepared himself.
"Let's go."
As Naruto stepped up a few feet forwards, he saw the door was being opened and there came walking out the guy they were to be picking up - carrying a large, stained wood suitcase.
"Mr. Lee? Huang Lee?"
Huang walked down the last step. "Yeah, that's me."
"Alright then," Naruto said as he got to the point. "I'm Naruto, the guy behind me is Xin. We're here to bring you to your uncle."
"Good," Huang said as he rolled his neck, "Because I'm tired from a long flight - could use a drink."
Then out of nowhere, a pair of lights turned on from the far distance, as two black Karin Sultans were seen speeding up to them, with black-tinted windows.
"What the fuck?"
The two cars stopped sideways as all doors opened, allowing a veritable army of armed masked men to charge with guns.
Naruto's eyes widened and reacted quickly-
"SHIT!"
The first gunshots were heard as Xin started shooting back, having already reached for his Mossberg and firing at the two vehicles multiple times.
Naruto and Huang quickly ducked for cover behind the Cognoscenti, as it was pelted by bullets all over the place with the windows getting shot out first.
"It's an ambush!" Naruto exclaimed, "Xin!"
"Underneath the seat!" Xin shouted as he fired-
BANG!
Naruto was quick to reach under the seat, and pull back to find a loaded Glock 34. It was nothing like the SIG P226 he'd used in Iraq, but good enough for most jobs.
"Get them!" One of the masked robbers shouted. "Move!"
Two of the robbers were seen shooting and moving forwards with the amount of covering fire that they were being provided with.
"Now!"
Xin quickly got out of cover and kneeled as he fired one shot at the nearest robber - hitting the bastard in the chest as he dropped to the ground within seconds.
"Shit!" The second robber tried to make a break for it, but was unlucky as Naruto drew a bead on him.
Wasting no time - Naruto fired multiple times at the robber, hitting him center-mass multiple times for good measure while the thug was caught off guard, seriously wounding the guy who was bleeding out fast.
"Damn it, look out!"
Naruto then kept on firing on the Sultans - spraying the cars with bullets as this time the attackers were seen hiding into cover, with even wounding one of the guys in the foot when he tried to get to cover.
"We gotta move, man, now!" Xin yelled as he loaded shells into his shotgun. "Cops are gonna be here soon."
"Yeah, they'll hear that." Naruto replied, loading a fresh mag into the pistol as he turned to Huang, "Get in the backseat fast. We're bailing!"
"Wait, the briefca-"
As Huang ran into the open door, he fell forward as a bullet wound exited from behind his head. Naruto snarled in anger—the mission had failed…and now he and Xin had to leave before it got way too hot.
"Cover me, I'm checking this guy."
His time in Iraq had told him that it wasn't a fatal headshot, but the mission was still a failure if Huang didn't make it to the hospital.
One way or another, heads were gonna roll for this if this guy dies.
"Get the bag! Get the bag!"
Then one of the shooters was seen running for the suitcases as he was being given cover before he run back to the others.
Xin tried to shoot them, but got forced back to cover when a bullet bounced off the car, very close to him and turned to Naruto who was tending the arrival.
"And?" Xin asked. "He dead?"
"Bullet hit a vein, guy's losing blood." Naruto said as he grabbed for a piece of clothing and bandaged around the head wound to stop the bleeding. "We gotta move, now!"
The roaring sound of the Sultans' engines turned on, as they drove off with their shot-out windows, leaving their colleagues behind in their own blood.
"Fuck! FUCK!" Xin cursed. "They're bailing!"
"No time to vent - we gotta move, now!" Naruto said as he put the gun away. "Put him in the back!"
The two men quickly grabbed the knocked out Huang and laid him in the backseat before they closed the doors and drove off in the car. Wasting no time and driving away from the scene.
As they left, the police sirens could be heard nearing the scene, with the only witness being there being the pilot who was safely hiding in the cockpit, having not moved an inch since the shooting started.
Actor - Alderney
After a few hours had passed - a couple of members of the Lost including Johnny and Jim were seen waiting outside as they were expecting someone important.
"So he actually did decide to come by plane." Jim noted as he had his arms crossed. "Heard he was hesitant to come here, but if he's coming…"
"That means it might be official." Johnny stated as he spoke to Jim silently. "He was mentored by him before he left for Japan."
"Yeah…figures…kid was abandoned by his own damn kin…" Jim remembered. "And yet God tasked one of us to tutor him?"
"You know I gave up on religion a long time ago, Jim." Johnny said. "So save it for church."
"Here he comes."
The members of the Lost stared out to see then the first arrival of the Lost MC Tokyo Chapter - who was unbothered by the fact he must've had a jet leg and yet still wanted to get on a bike ride.
Once parked, they notice the spiky dark hair, and the cut he wore - with on it the patches of the Lost, his accomplishments and the bottom rocker that he displayed proudly.
Lost MC
Tokyo
"Hell alright, brother." Johnny walked up as he started first. "Welcome to America."
Stepping up from the seat, the biker went up to shake Johnny's hand - with a strong grip being given.
"Good to see you, Obito."
That was the identity of the biker - Obito Uchiha, just arrived at the Acter chapter of the Lost. Having come down all the way from the Far East to discuss important business.
"Good to be here."