"Mr. Vogel. Mayor Hughes is on the line."
Dane raised his eyes from his paperwork. "Thank you, Jamie." he cleared his throat and then picked up the receiver. "Mayor Hughes, what an unexpected surprise."
Mayor Monica Hughes, the widow of Richard Hughes, looked over the mounds of files on her desk. Mostly complaints. Mostly because of the gangs that have been terrorizing the cities' inhabitants. Had been, the Saints had been dutiful to rid the city of the gangs that plagued it.
"They did a damn better job at extinguishing crime than Bradshaw."Monica thought about that for a moment, narrowing her eyes. She heard the news and watched tv to keep up to date with the latest goings on that her team didn't catch. With a shake of her head, she continued to look over the next report. A city meeting from the most recent disruption to the lives of her people. The unsanctioned demolition of the Pagoda Tower in Chinatown.
"Can you see it, my dear, the vision that I have for my city?" Richard asked of his wife.
Monica sighed. The one time she took a step to ask for help, to seek the one who saw her husband last. Rumor had it that one of the head Saints killed her husband. Not that it mattered. He was an asshole. But he had vision.
It seemed like time was repeating itself with the destruction that went on for the past few years. And with one askance, it snowballed. Sunnyvale Gardens in Shivington were ablaze. Then the trailer parks, the mall, and the land plotted for new homes. All of it compiled one unto another and now with the Tower added to that, Monica grew a headache. She couldn't believe it. At the helm were the Saints.
As Monica took her glasses off, she rubbed her tired eyes. She remembered the R&D Lab of Ultor destroyed as well. That made her smile. She hated them. When she asked for help to deface the property of New Saints Row, she wanted Ultor to suffer. Any way to make them pay was a good thing. But now, the tally of everything, she would have to bow to ask for assistance. She would have never considered joining hands with Ultor, but what choice did she have?
After all, Ultor was the one who left her near scraping with nothing but her late husband's name. Stealing the project that he worked years on, just to see the very company that was interested in making the investment wipe his name from what was his. Yes, she was at his side when he was lobbying to become Mayor but lost to Winslow. Yes, she pushed for Richard to go for the Mayoral campaign, which resulted in him becoming another statistic that year in a long list of bodies of the Saints. No, Kyouki had on her wrap sheet.
That girl brought peace, even if her methods were unorthodox. Though, who knew that she was the leader of the Saints, she thought, through hearsay, that the leader was a man named Julius Little. That wasn't for her to decide, not right now. Monica couldn't care, she needed to fix the damages to the city that girl did. Gritting her teeth, reaching for the phone, called the man she had been seeing in the papers for the past few days. Pleasant, false smiles as she invited the young man to her office for discussions.
"Am I doing the right thing? I have to admit, Ultor did a beautiful job with Saints Row." She let out an exasperated sigh. Monica reached over to the intercom and pressed a button. In a quick second, a young woman entered her office.
"Ma'am?"
"We will have a guest arrive later. Please cancel everything for the rest of the day."
"Yes, ma'am." The door closed behind the junior secretary.
Monica sat back, shaking her head. The joint effort, omission of her late husband's name. Ultor snatched the plans faster than they made the agreement. Yes, she reluctantly made the call to Dane Vogel. Closing the file, she turned to look out of the window. "Ultor has the means to build what my ass of a husband started. I need to see what he envisioned. I just don't have to like it."
Dane smirked, then burst into a full smile. He had been trying to get a foothold to even speak with the Mayor for some time. With most of Kyouki's men having gathered what they did, Dane could breathe without having them report to his wife.
Dane was giddy. His backup plan was going to get pushed through. He could feel it. Without Kyouki's say, he will see the Glory of Ultor, he would see the repulsive common man no more. Yes, Kyouki was not the Mayor, she didn't officially own anything.
Gathering his plans, blueprints, and cost estimates, he was shortly out of the door.
"Jamie, direct all calls to my personal phone. I have business out of the office today."
"Yes, Mr. Vogel."
Mayor Monica Hughes visits with Dane Vogel to discuss the former Hughes Initiative project and gives Dane the go-ahead. Dane states that the deeds and subsequent city is under Kyouki's control. Hughes informs him that with the right amount of money, it can sway anyone. "Stopping the Saints is imperative." Mayor Hughes demanded in a stern tone.
Anyone except Kyouki. "Money she has. She's not the type of woman to be bought."
"Ridiculous, the Saints are a dying breed. Without any lucrative ventures, they may as well disband. They need money to survive." Monica stated.
Dane snorted, shaking his head. "What you would be doing would surely insult, Madame."
Monica's eyes narrowed. "I fail to see how you would know so much about them." That was one thing she learned from her late husband. By any means secure people for the "cause", as they can easily persuade people like sheep to slaughter. "If money doesn't work, try other alternatives. After my husband's demise, the city was at peace."
"Then homegrown terrorists flooded the streets. What you are saying is, you want me to kill Kyouki?"
"If it came to that." Monica nodded in agreement.
"As interesting as that sounds, a necessary evil she is, I assure you. It would do little good for either of us. Again, she has control over the city's public, which neither of us could ever hope to achieve. I aim to get the deeds from her one way or another."
Monica scoffed. "Control hardly, there is non… What is your interest in the despot?" Monica's hands were neatly folded on the desk, curious as to his answer.
With that, Dane adjusted in his seat. "Please, do not refer to my wife as such. She has been through enough." With a smirk, Dane watches as Monica Hughes' jaw hits the proverbial floor. "I will also add that I aim to produce and procure the properties she claims she owns. I want to see them myself. Also, funds for the construction have been acquired. So you needn't worry about a thing."
Furious clicking sounded in the expansive office. Furious keystrokes tapped out password combinations.
"The fuck is it?"
Two more attempts. Racking his brain, surely this one will be it. The anticipation when the screen flashed red, he got the confirmation that the password failed. He groaned, not noticing the door open, revealing one who was not at her desk before he first came to the office.
"It's more money, more power. All one word, no capitals."
Dex jerked to face Dane's secretary. "How… When?" He moved to the side when she came around, tapping the password in.
The screen lit up and all the files he, himself, helped create were there. "Thanks."
A curt nod given. "He is out for the day. Just make sure to log out when you are done." Jamie walks back out of the room.
Dexter shook his head and chuckled. Turning his attention back to the monitor in front of him, he wiggled the mouse to open the notes. While integrating the new storage devices, Dex discovered that Dane had a habit of leaving his personal life on the business computers.
As Dex read over folders, many notes in each, he read one, that in Dane's ramblings he was not only going to take the deeds Kyouki has, not killing her but much worse. In a medically stable fog, to do as he pleases with his "turbulent unbroken wife".
'I will break this mare to have her at my beck and call. She is stopping me from achieving the unification and cleaning of this filthy city.'
Dex sneered at that. Seeing Dane's thoughts about Kyouki, the man felt disgusted. What also fascinated him was in a partnership with someone by the name of Philip Loren, a Belgian businessman. Coming to settle in Stilwater, bringing in more than ten figure numbers for insurance alone.
He had to tell Ky. What Dane plans to do with her, why he is even with her in the first place. Plans with Mayor Hughes, plans to use her to kill off the other degenerates.
Wiping clean to build anew.
Dex looked at his watch. "Shit, I need to get to the church." Logged out and shutting the PC down, Dex hustled out of the office.
"He will be in later today. If it's important, you may call his personal cell."
"Too bad. Ah, Mr. Jackson. How are you today? May I a word?"
"Mr. Gryphon. What can I do for you? I'm in a bit of a hurry." A few papers slipped from under his arm when they shook hands.
The shorter, portly man bent down to pick up the fallen documents.
"Do you happen to have a free folder, Ms. Osprey?" Dexter asked from the floor.
Eric Gryphon briefly looked over the notes, then looked up when Dex smiled with his hand out. "New plans?"
Dex took a pensive glance at Jamie, who returned the glance. "No, something old, just cleaning files for the new boss." With a hasty departure, Dex breezed past Gryphon as he headed to the elevator.
He called some of the Masako down to bring Kyouki to him. She needed to see. And the safest place would be his office. "Any means, bring her in now. Oh, kill any man with her, without predigest." Dex tucked the folder in his desk and waited anxiously.
Kyouki moaned as she felt the muscles pop in her lower back and hips as Johnny stretched her.
"Oh, this feels so good. But people are watching."
"So?" Johnny pressed against her leg as he took a quick glance around the gym.
"Right, forget who I'm talking to."
Johnny shifted to switch legs, pressing Kyouki's leg back to her head. He rubbed her leg to not have her pull any muscles, also to lessen pain, if any.
Another satisfied groan helped her to sit up. "Thank you. I have somewhere to go, oop, right now." Ky dusted herself off.
"Where to?"
"Visiting the leader of the Saints."
"I'm coming with." Johnny got up, brushing off his pants.
Ky shook her head. "Nah. Head to see about Luz and Mrs. Laura. Do that for me."
Johnny sighed, nodding. Ky patted his arm, heading from the gym out into the warm morning air, greeting people as she got in her car.
"~ If your game is on, give me a call Boo…" Ky sang as she pulled into an empty space. Getting out of the car she hummed, complaining the sun was blinding, as not one cloud was in the sky. "Be your lady baby…~"
Some people entered the refurbished church, she behind an older couple on her accent up the steps. Last time she was here, at the funeral. Before that her realization. "Dex sure picked a place." Ky said aloud.
As the couple in front of her stepped to the side, Ky saw a man standing in the aisle with his back to her. Thinking nothing of the man, she sat waiting. Minutes ticked by as she looked at her phone. The battery would be dead. She sat back. It was just a few minutes after eleven.
Someone cleared their throat.
"The fuck took you so long. Oh, you ain't Dex. Sorry Playa."
Kyouki froze. She looked to where the voice came. She knew that voice. One she heard more than enough times that in her coma, she could still hear him. "Neither are you..."
Julius Little turned himself to see a young woman he knew glare up at him. "Kid? You look different, did you-"
"I didn't do shit to my hair." Ky stood up, pointing her finger, then balled a fist at the former Saints Leader.
The room grew warm. Ky was taking in this now old man looking back at her. She could feel her face morph into that of a monster. That's how badly she wanted to rip him apart. Though there were too many people to witness the slaughter presently.
Julius looked around, snorting. "What are you doing here? Where's Dex? Better yet, the fuck you doing alive?"
Kyouki nodded with a mirthless laugh. "Well, obviously, I didn't die. As far as Dex, I'm waiting for him too. Now, seeing you here, I didn't have time to plant a bomb in the church, so this'll have to do." Ky reared back, punching Julius in the mouth, watching him sprawl back flat on his ass.
People who saw the interaction moved further from away to another part of the church.
"You don't… fuck… know what the hell you're talking about!" Julius shouted, holding his face checking his mouth for blood.
"Oh yeah? Why don't you educate me."
Getting up to his feet, he backed away. "I don't gotta explain shit to you."
Kyouki's lip curled into a snarl. "Five years gone. This is where we're gonna have to agree to disagree. I owe you five years' worth of ass-whoopings for putting me in a coma, my Obachan's death, and Lin's death. All the shit you put me through, and maybe much more. You bitch!" Kyouki reached for her pistol, knowing shooting him would be satisfying.
"Woah! You gonna pull a gun on me?" He exclaimed, putting his hands up in defense.
"Why not? Don't you think you need to feel some of what I've felt? Hmm?" She advanced on him, inching him to the door. Others around them now filed out quickly.
"Kid, why don't you just put the gun down? We both know you're not gonna use it."
Ky smirked. "Not yet I'm not, 'cause that would be too easy." Drawing back the slide, that familiar click echoed between them.
Julius' eyes widened. "Stop!" his hand waving frantically.
Ky pouted. "I never thought I'd see you beg, Julius… I like it." a smile crossed her face.
"I'm not beggin', I'm tryin' to talk some sense into you."
"Talk some sense? I'm done listenin' to your bullshit. I've had your pussy, bitch ass voice ringing in my head while I was out." Pressing Julius back against the wall. "My family had to deal with my death cause of you, fuckhead. You deserve more than a simple shot from me."
Julius observed the gun and the menacing look that Kyouki was giving him gladly. "Look Kid, put it together, Dex wanted us in the same place..."
"Yeah, and why'd he want that? He said nothing to me to make me think otherwise."
The sound of doors opening from the other side of the church rang out. Ky jumped and ducked, Julius did as well. Memories of the church being flooded by Vice Kings rushed back. The Masako men poured into the church.
"Not these bozos again!" Ky grabbed Julius, aiming the gun at his head, using him as a shield.
"Aye, can we kill each other later?"
Ky looked at Julius, who looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Mr. Jackson wants a word. You need to come with us." One of the heavily armed guards said.
Ky groaned. "Fine, fuckit." Ky released the old man, then ran out the side door nearest her with Julius right behind her. A shot whizzed behind Ky and past Julius' head.
They hopped in Kyouki's car when they ran around to the entrance of the church. The sound of them calling her faded as they ran.
"I'll kill him after I take care of you." Ky said as she started the car. The sudden sounds of tires digging into the pavement. Screaming as the car pulled off, drifting around the corner. One guard tripped running shot at the car, hitting the back window before it was out of sight.
The Masako clamored into their trucks after Kyouki. One reports back to Dexter what happened.
"The hell is wrong with you? You actually shot at her? Fuckit, just bring her to me. Don't shoot her!" This was one of those times when he should have gone himself.
Outside his door, Eric smiled.
Kyouki tore through the city with the Masako after her. Screeching around corners, Ky went to call Dex, Johnny, or anyone but her phone was dead.
"Fuck. Why does Dex want me dead?" Slamming on breaks, she backed the car up and down a back alley.
Julius chuckled. "Just like old times, Playa..."
Ky didn't spare him a glance as she was dodging cars. "No..." Kyouki floored it when they were by the Colosseum near the shore.
A perfect hiding spot. "Get'cho ass out my car." She said once she parked under the boardwalk.
She could hear them, the Masako, speeding past, both peeking from their position and watching several large trucks speed past. Kyouki grabbed Julius by his collar, dragging him across the street to the ruins for tourists.
"Who the fuck you piss off?" Julius asked.
Kyouki shrugged. "Husband maybe. He is a sneaky bastard like someone else I know." Kyouki's false smile faded as they walked the grounds. She pulled her gun and shot Julius in the stomach without a second thought. The same place William Sharpe shot her.
Julius slumped to the ground, stunned and in pain. "Husban- Jesus, I th-thought we were… past this..." he gasped.
"Not by a fuckin' long shot. Who paid you to kill me?"
"Hughes."
"Woah, you a real snitch bitch." It impressed Ky.
"Don't you get it? The Saints didn't solve a goddamn thing. Drugs were still being pushed, innocent people were still getting killed… all we did was turn into Vice Kings that wore purple..."
"Because you ordered us to! You kept that shit going. You reaped the benefits of Lin, Johnny, Me, Dex. Fuck, even Troy because you are a greedy sonofabitch!" Kyouki kicked him in the wound. "Oh, and then you let me take the rap for Winslow. You said I assassinated Hughes. Blamed me? You sounded like such a pussy..." Ky kicked him again.
Julius was in pain. Doubled over, holding his side. "I watched you become a sociopath… Just like Johnny."
"Don't you eva' let Johnny's name come out your mouth again." She hit him with the butt of her pistol. "You suddenly wanna be the killer with a conscience? Could have dropped your flags and written a book like King. You never shoulda come after me … YOU TOOK MY LIFE! MY LIFE FOR YOUR FUCKING AGENDA!" Kyouki screamed in his face, kicking him again.
The old man struggled to sit up. Hurting he was, he breathed hard through the pain. "You…. tellin' me if I woulda asked, you woulda… walked… away? You would have said yes?"
"Yes. And it became my city."
"Jesus, you haven't learned a goddamn thing."
Kyouki's eyes were blurry. Everything she had been through was because of this man. Instead of being able to thank him. Every thought of every horrible act she had committed. If she had just been home that night, none of it would have happened.
Kyouki sniffled and took aim once more between Julius's eyes. "Wrong. I've learned that bein' in charge is better than bein' a bitch ass muthafucker who keeps her mouth shut and does what she's told." She slid the safety off. "Your time's over, old man."
"What's happened to you?" Julius looked at the young woman. No longer the Kid he saved, the girl who did what he couldn't when he started the Saints, his reason for starting the Saints. She was the monster he designed. And that monster has bitten the hand that fed her. Julius looked down the barrel of the gun. One last ditch effort to plead to her humanity. "You owe me Ky. If it weren't for me, you woulda died on that street corner."
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been in a goddamn coma."
"Then I guess that makes us even..."
The summer wind whipped around them. The sweet summer scents, delicious foods cooking, laughter in the distance, seagulls cawing overhead. Kyouki snorted with a soft smile. Julius breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to let him go. Then the shot reverberated off the stone ruins right in Julius' ears. The sickening squelch right between the eyes, killing him.
"Not really. I woke up…"
Kyouki made sure he didn't move, made certain he would never get up again. From a safe distance. She called, after charging her phone, a half hour ago to Jane Valderamma. Stating that she saw someone was with Julius Little, but she feared for her safety and called right away. She had called Troy to let him know, too. When he arrived, she could see Troy looking around for her. She flashed the headlights of her car and drove away. Called Johnny on her way home, she needed to change, blood on her clothes and shoes.
"You good?"
"A little. See you when I get home."
"It is the end of an era. They found the body of gang icon Julius Little this morning. While the time of his passing has yet to be determined, his multiple gunshot wounds have ruled out accidental death. Does this mean that the gang epidemic is finally coming to an end? Or is this simply one more casualty, a Revelation of his past, or an end of an era? I'm Jane Valderamma, Channel 6 News."