Not long after I showed them the text, everything kinda went to hell real quick. Kirisawa and Eiki both got on the phone with New York, trying to share what we knew, and straighten out the jurisdiction bullshit. This didn't just involve Japan anymore, but I think they were trying to prevent FBI from swooping in.

Then, the boys tell me that all the guys they dragged in? They were the right ones, but they were making it seem like we missed something, besides the guys that got away. Apparently they called themselves dog food, and that there was way more to come. Hanai explained that people often referred to cops as dogs and pigs, and that they were basically insinuating that they were the bait, that we hadn't caught the people that were considered above them yet.

"Okay, but who the hell is above them then? Those fuckers in New York or someone completely different?" Tennoji asks, looking to Hanai.

Hanai dug through papers, but was listening still. "I don't know... I'm guessing since they fled the country I'm gonna say it was the New York guys, but I can't be certain." He admitted, still digging through a pile of papers.

Before any of us could say anything, Kirisawa and Eiki got off the phone, drawing the attention to them. "The NYPD agreed to work with us on this one, considering it started here, and that we know more about the case then them. We will be going to New York to work with one of their units." Kirisawa announced, and everyone stopped what they were doing at his words.

"We're partnering with mine and Shay's old unit actually, for this case." Eiki informed us, though his gaze landed on me.

I had never gotten along with the guy that ran my old unit, and he was pretty much an asshole to most people in general, but especially me. He thought I belonged in jail. I couldn't really blame him. I cleared my throat. "Does Patrick still run it?" I asked, and Eiki merely nodded, frowning slightly. Great.

               "Great." I muttered sarcastically, as everyone started to gather all our notes from the case.

              "Alright, we leave tomorrow morning, so pack enough to stay for awhile, and bring any of your personal case notes, all of that. Get out of here and get ready." Kirisawa announced, as he took a drag off his cig. He looked serious, more serious than usual, and it made me wonder what was said in the phone call, but I didn't dare ask.

             Everyone started grabbing everything they needed from the office, basically all our notes, and evidence went into a box, combining everyone's separate notes, and any physical evidence  and lab reports went into the box as well. We actually didn't have an enormous amount of physical evidence,  mostly those papers we grabbed the night we almost got them from the school building, and bullet casings, and a few more things from the warehouse when they had to come get me. All in all, it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Most of our case relied on catching them in the act at the warehouse, but it was enough.

              We all left to the elevators, heading for home, to go pack, meaning none of us would get much sleep. "Hey Red, why don't we go to your place first, pack your stuff, then go crash at mine so I can pack." Tennoji suggested. He waited till everyone else had started walking away, before asking me.

               "Okay..." I agreed, even though the whole thing sounded kinda inconvenient. "Wouldn't it be faster just to.." I trailed off, glancing over at him, as we walked to the subway, heading for my apartment.

              He shrugged it off, turning away from me, but not before I caught him blushing, his face a light pink. "Maybe I just wanted to hang out with you.. That so bad?"

              "No." I told him laughing. "Even though we're going to New York together tomorrow." I added, laughing even harder.

              He cracked a smile at that, his usual lopsided grin. "It's been a long day, we both almost died, just humor me." He told me, ruffling my hair, before reaching down to grab my hand.

               "Hey." I glared, though I wasn't really mad, as I patted down my hair with my free hand, letting him keep hold of the other one.

When we got to my apartment, I let him help me pack. I just shoved clothes in my bag, basically anything casual that I could run in, hoping a weeks worth of clothes would be enough. I packed a separate bag with an extra gun, bullets, and a knife, though I know airports don't allow it, I figured there was going to be some sort of exception or check in for that sort of thing.. I mean, we were cops.

"Where did you get all that anyway?" Tennoji motions to my stash, and I shrug.

"Some from New York, some here and there... Anyway.." I changed the subject abruptly. He narrowed his eyes, but let me get away with it.

"Right. Well, Ya got everything you need?" He asked, and after I double checked, we headed back out, towards his apartment.

"So what's the deal with your old unit?" He asked, as we waited in the subway.

I glanced over at him, sighing. "They were... Okay... I guess...." I said carefully, just making him even more curious.

           "I'm not stupid, I picked up on that there was more to the story." He snorted, looking at me again.

             "They were okay... The guy that runs it, well, we didn't get along... He doesn't get along with most people.. But he pretty much hates me, and thinks I should be in jail." I told him quietly.

"What an asshole.. Don't let it get to Ya, hopefully he's less of an asshole when we get there." Tennoji scoffs, and we get off the subway, heading to his apartment.

He immediately packs a bag, stuffing his clothes into the bag, not even bothering to fold them. He double checks his stuff, and sets an alarm, before we both awkwardly look at each other, trying to figure out sleeping arrangements.

"I can sleep on the couch." I offer, going to lay on the couch, but he stops me.

"You don't have to. Besides, I would never make you take the couch. I'll take the couch if it really bothers you." He insisted, grabbing my hand, and leading me away from the couch.

"If what bothers me? And oh you'd never make me take the couch huh?" I grin, letting him pull me.

"Course not, I'm a gentleman remember?" He joked, leading me to his room, offering me the bed. "And I meant if sharing a bed bothers you..." He trailed off quietly, quickly heading for the door of his room.

"Oh." Is all I manage, sitting down on his bed, looking at him. I guess it didn't really matter did it? But what were we now? I knew we were friends, partners, but something more I thought. We never talked about it, or labeled it.

             "Hell, we already shared the bed at your place, and well.." He trailed off, running a hand back through his messy dark red hair.

            "And you've kissed me." I blurted, though I slapped a hand over my mouth after, earning me a laugh from him.

             "Yea, I did. Not to mention you wouldn't look away after I got outta the shower." He winked, going to sit next to me on the bed.

             "Fine. I can share... Idiot..." I groan, laying back on the bed, as I curled up on my side.

             The bed dipped down, as he laid back too, behind me. "I'll be good, I won't try anything." He added, though I could hear the smile in his voice.

              "Okay." I sighed, but then I felt an arm snake around my waist, pulling me back, into him. "So much for not trying anything."

              "Hey, this is perfectly innocent okay?" He teased, laughing. I could feel him laughing, his chest pressed to my back, and him breathing on my neck. How the fuck do people sleep like this? Just what the hell am I to him?

              "Yutaka?" I ask, his first name sounding odd, because I rarely used it.

               "Hmmm?" He hummed, and I couldn't tell if he was already half asleep or what.

                 "What am I to you? I know we're partners... But..." I trail off, getting nervous, my voice shaking slightly.

               "Yea, we're partners, friends, and all that." He agreed.

                 "Oh..." I said cooly, trying not to sound as disappointed as I actually was.

                "Shayla... I'm just teasing." He admitted, laughing. "We are all those things, but yea, you're more then that. Least I hope so... With the case, we don't have time for a real date right now, but eventually, I wanna take you on one. I want you to be mine Shay. I want you to be my girlfriend." He told me, quietly, his fingers playing with the ends of my hair, as I rolled over to face him.

"You ass... Why couldn't you just tell me that earlier." I grinned, slapping his arm lightly.

"Because it's more fun teasing you." He admitted. "In all seriousness Red, yea, we're more. Be mine? I'll take you on a real date when we have time... But be my girl?" He asks, his thumb tracing my jawline, and just barely skimming the edge of my lips. His usual teasing demeanor gone, as he looks at me.

"Yes." I tell him, smiling slightly. He smiles back, before giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Good. Ain't gonna find a better guy anyway." He winked, back to his usual sarcastic self.

I narrow my eyes at him, trying and failing to look irritated with him. "You're an idiot... You know that?"

"So you keep telling me." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Goodnight Shay."

"Goodnight Yutaka." I mumbled back, and for once, I sleep pretty peaceful, no dreams, no nightmares.

The alarm clock goes off too early the next morning, but I know we have to catch the plane to New York. "Ugh.. Five more minutes... Please..." I whine, not wanting to get up.

"We gotta get up, come on.." Tennoji tells me, and his phone starts buzzing. "It's Hanai." He tells me, before answering it.

"Hello?" Tennoji answers, listening to whatever Hanai has to say. "I mean, that's easier, we can all ride together, if there's enough room... Who are Ya picking up first?" He asks, making me think we're all riding together to the airport.

"Okay.. Skip Slaven's and just come here...." He tells Hanai, though his face turns red at whatever Hanai says to him. "No asshole, but... Just shut up, she's at my place... Just hang up and worry about driving...moron." He says, before hanging up the phone.

"What did Hanai say?" I ask curious, though he just shakes his head, his face getting more red.

"Uh we're all riding together in one of the vans to the airport." He stammers, letting me know that's not all that was said.

"What made you blush hmmm?" I raise an eyebrow, grinning.

"Nothing, don't worry about it.. Just Hanai being an asshole.." He muttered.

"Alright... Let's get ready then." I tell him, going to change, and check my bags one last time.

          A black van with tinted windows, that would normally look suspicious, was parked in the apartment parking lot. It was Kyobashi that opened the door for us, as we were greeted with wolf whistles and cat calls. "So you finally gave in to the sexual tension?" Kyobashi asked, a pervy smile plastered on his face as he pushes his glasses up.

          "Nothin happened ya moron." Tennoji scoffed, throwing his bag in, before hopping in the van. He scooted over, making room for me, as I hopped in, carefully placing my bags on the floor.

           "You would assume that." I rolled my eyes at the glasses wearing hacker, before strapping in and leaning back against the seat.

          "It's not an unfair assumption. We did catch you sucking face when we fished you out of the water." Hanai pipped up next, from his spot. Hanai rode shotgun, while Kirisawa drove. There were two long back seats, that faced each other, big enough for three people per seat. Kyobashi, Eiki, and Asano sat in the way back, facing me and Tennoji.

             "Shut it Hanai." Tennoji snapped, prompting laughs from everyone.

             "So if nothing happened, would you want my Wednesday spot? I still have an opening for a Wednesday girl?" Kyobashi teased, though Tennoji shot him a glare.

           "You're a fucking pervert Kyobashi." I shook my head laughing, but Tennoji cut in.

           "Just because nothing happened does not mean she isn't off limits. She's off limits got it?" He said seriously, draping an arm across my shoulder.

            "Possessive.... and obvious." Asano mused, in his normal quite fashion, only mumbling a few audible words.

"Good for you." Eiki said smiling.

"Whatever, just don't let it affect work." Hanai added, and though I couldn't see him rolling his eyes, I was almost positive he did.

After a half an hour car ride of what felt like non stop teasing, we finally made it to the air port. We checked in, certain bags having to go through a different security, though we got to transport our weapons being cops, we weren't allowed to have them with us during the flight for obvious reasons.

I started fidgeting nervously as we all took our seats, knowing I not only had to go back to New York, but I had to work with Patrick again. "Ya okay Red?" Tennoji asked from his seat next to me. "I almost thought ya would be more excited, going back home for a bit."

"New York doesn't feel like home anymore. Japan does." I shrugged. It was true, though I was born and raised in New York, it didn't really feel like home anymore. Home was with the second unit, home was where Yutaka was, and Japan felt more like home now.

"So Japan and the second unit finally feel like home then." He grinned, seemingly happy to hear it.

"Yea." I agreed before leaning closer. "Home is where you are." I told him quietly, before I turned back to looking out the window.

Hanai made fake gagging noises like he heard me. "That was utterly sappy, and disgusting. Save it for when you're alone."

"It was sweet." Eiki disagreed cheerfully.

          "Plus, I'm not looking forward to working with Patrick again." I admitted, completely ignoring Hanai and Eiki's commentary.

            "What's your old unit like?" Tennoji asks, the others going quiet, like they wanted to listen as well.

         "Patrick takes his job very seriously. Though he's also the type where he doesn't respect anyone, unless you prove yourself worthy of his respect. He automatically looks down on you from the start, until you prove your a good cop to him." I explained, starting with Patrick. "That being said, he thinks I'm the scum of the earth." I snort, knowing that probably hasn't changed.

             Eiki cuts in, continuing my explanation. "Patrick can be kinda cold.. he goes by Pat if he knows you, but it's Patrick until he approves of you." He added, before switching to telling them about a different member of the unit. "Richard is probably the most personable, and the nicest. He tried to get along with everyone. I was roommates with him while we were at the academy." Eiki continues, moving on to the friendliest of my old unit, next to himself of course.

              "Rich and Eiki were and probably still are, good friends. They're probably the nicest of the unit. Kate, is the last, though I don't know who replaced me and Eiki." I took over explaining, wondering if they even bothered to replace us. "Kate can be kinda cold, and she works her own way. She's stubborn like that, and prefers to work alone. She'll share info with us, but usually doesn't work with a set partner throughout the day. She's friendlier then Patrick, especially once you get to know her." I paused, thinking of her. I actually did like Kate, and got along with her well enough.

"She's crazy off the clock. Girl likes to party, especially drink. She really lets loose. She was nicknamed Godzilla because of it, though we usually only call her that when she's drunk." Eiki added, laughing.

"Yea... going drinking with her is an experience to say the least." I snort, remembering when I did go out with Kate once. Probably worst hang over I ever had the next day. "That's it, plus whoever they replaced us with." I added.

              "Well, we'll find out when we get there." Kirisawa announced, leaning back in his seat.

              I did the same, looking out the window, until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, and eventually dozing off.

            It was the wheels of the plane hitting the ground, shaking me awake once we landed. "We're here." Eiki announced, a little before the announcement rang out over the intercom in English, that we were indeed in New York.

           We all quickly grabbed our carry ons, before exiting the plane, and heading to baggage claim. After we got our bags, an unexpected sight greeted us, or rather I only expected Richard to meet us at the airport, but instead we were greeted with all of my old unit, Patrick included.

            Richard enthusiastically held up a sign, that was what I assumed was supposed to say,Welcome Metro Pd second unit, but the Japanese was slightly botched. Richards dark blue eyes widened when he finally spotted us, waving enthusiastically.

They all looked pretty much how I remembered them. Richard still had a kind demeanor, his curly brown hair occasionally falling in his eyes. A little shorter then Patrick, but just as fit, and casually dressed in jeans. Patrick too, had brown hair, but it was straight, parted to the side, and his blue eyes were lighter, and usually icy, and most often glaring at someone. He however, wore a suit.

Kate, was probably the shortest out of all of us, and looking at her you never would have guessed someone so small had acquired the nickname Godzilla, but she was more then she looked. The short woman always kept her long blonde hair pulled back, though her bangs grazed her dark blue eyes, that always seemed to be shining with mischief. She dressed fairly causal as well, and I was surprised she had even shown up. She was usually a hard woman to track down, unless she stopped in at the end of shift.

"Hey Richie!" Eiki was the first to call out, making a beeline for his friend.

Patrick's cold gaze flickered over our group, though his eyes narrowed slightly when they landed on me. He then looked at Eiki and Richard, who had already started chatting and catching up.

Kate, however, bounded straight over to me, eyeing the group. "Got transferred to a group of lookers. Shay, you lucky bitch." She mused, looking at me, then blatantly started checking out the boys. Kate also had no filter, and would say whatever she was thinking, much to Patrick's annoyance.

I shook my head, laughing at the blonde. "You never change Kate."

"Damn straight. So who's the dark haired one that looks like he could fall asleep any second? He's cute." She rambled, winking towards Asano, who looked confused at the sudden attention.

"Whoa there Kate, chill. Plus he's kinda quiet, a little on the shy side." I told her quietly, but she merely rolled her eyes in response. "Seriously, you might scare him." I added.

"If you won't give me a name I'll just go find out myself." She shrugged, moving to walk away. I quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards me.

"Shusuke Asano. Please, go easy on him Kate, I mean it. He's nice, but quiet." I re iterated, and she finally gave up for the time being. Patrick interrupted us anyway, clearing his throat.

             "Are you going to introduce us to your new unit Eiki?" Patrick cut in, looking towards Eiki, not even bothering to spare me a glance.

            Eiki stopped chatting with Richard, looking towards Patrick. "Yea, sure thing Pat." He agreed, before beginning introductions. "Hiroshi Kirisawa, head of second unit." He points towards boss first, before pointing at each of us as he introduces us. "Kazusa Hanai, resident profiler." He continues, adding in a bit of what each member was known for. "Shusuke Asano, our best shot and sniper." At this, Kate let out a low whistle, prompting a blush from the shy man.

             Eiki cleared his throat, before continuing. "Katsuyuki Kyobashi, our computer specialist." Which was basically a nice way of saying Kyobashi was our resident hacker when needed. "Yutaka Tennoji, one of the top case closers, and of course you all already know Shay." Eiki finished.

            Before Patrick could say anything, Kate began introductions, though with just the three of them, it obviously didn't take as long. "I'm Kate, this is Pat, and Richard. We still haven't quite filled our last two spots, so we have members from other units rotate occasionally." She explained, before Patrick interrupted.

           "Patrick, I prefer Patrick. You'll meet anyone else that helps fill in the gaps later, as she mentioned we haven't quite filled in Eiki's spot." Patrick added, clearly already not happy with this whole thing.

            "It's hard to replace Eiki and Shayla." Richiard cut in, trying to smooth over the fact that Patrick basically refused to even acknowledge my existence at this point.

             Of course, Patrick snorted at this. "I'm surprised NYPD's charity case is still on the streets, and not behind bars, where she belongs. Still playing detective, Slaven?" He finally spoke to me, raising an eyebrow in question. He said it with a straight face, like he didn't just insult me.

            Before I could even say anything, Tennoji beat me to it. "She isn't playing anything asshole. Who the fuck are you to say that to her? She's not one of yours anymore, and you've got no right to talk to her like that. She's one of us, and she's been busting her ass same as the rest of us trying to put these assholes behind bars, so ya treat her with respect, got it?" Tennoji glared, stepping forward to meet Patrick's gaze.

             "And just who are you that it matters?" Patrick asked, almost amused by Tennoji's outburst.

             "Her partner." Tennoji fired back, not moving an inch.

             "How do you know your partner, wasn't involved? Some of the men involved were from her old gang. What makes you think she isn't playing you?" Patrick asked, finally voicing what I knew he was probably thinking all along since he looked at the case.

           "She's not involved. I trust her with my life, which is a hell of a lot more then I can say for you asshole." Tennoji defended, while the rest of us kinda just went silent, watching the two argue in the middle of the airport.

              "Have you even seen her file? Do you know how many deaths she's responsible for?" Patrick scoffed, disbelief written on his face as he spoke. "Or do you feel sorry for her just because her father used to beat her up?"

            Tennoji's hand balled up into a fist, looking like he was getting ready to punch him, and I was getting ready to help, when Eiki cut in. "Enough. Enough Pat." Eiki snapped, fire flashing in his normally calm brown eyes.

            "Richard can show you where you're staying, we'll share notes later, then we can work the case separately. Just stay out of our way, and we should be fine." Patrick told us, before walking away abruptly.

            "Ignore him. Nice to meet you all, glad to see ya again, Eiki, Shayla." Kate waved, before leaving herself.

             Richard scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, before showing us the way to the exit of the airport. "This way everyone."

Richard led us to what looked like a rental van, similar to the one we had taken to the airport earlier. The beginning of the ride was awkward, to say the least, especially after that episode in the airport.

Richard cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence first. "Eiki's told me a lot about all of you, and I know you're all here for work, but hopefully when the case slows down I can show you all around New York." He offered, smiling slightly, as he drove.

"Sounds good, you always knew all the best places that were hard to find." Eiki agreed, speaking up from his seat behind me.

"So are we going to the station later then?" Kirisawa asked, taking a drag off his cig.

"Yea, I can come pick you all up later, give you a few hours to settle in." He nodded, pausing for a moment. "I'm sorry about Patrick, that's just how he's always been, he gets better once you get to know him, and regardless if his people skills suck, he's good at his job."

"He gets better if you're not me that is." I chimed in, still irritated. He had no right to bring up my file, regardless if it was something everyone would see soon enough. He especially didn't have to share about the issues with my dad, before I had even got to tell them myself yet.

"I'm sorry Shayla. He had no right to bring any of that up." Richard apologized, even though it was Patrick that should have been.

"Not your fault Richie." I told him, sighing. It had been a long day, to say the least.

Not long after, we pulled up in front of a hotel, all of us piling out of the van with our bags. Well, all of us but Eiki, who was actually going to stay with Richard during our stay, so they could catch up. "See you later guys!" Eiki yelled from the passenger seat window as they drove off, leaving us to check in.

Richard had already reserved three rooms for us, meaning we would be sharing. Kirisawa and Hanai roomed together, Asano and Kyobashi, leaving me with Tennoji, surprise, surprise.

               Tennoji fidgeted as we got into the elevator, casting a sideways glance at me, like he was waiting for something. Though I really wasn't in the mood to talk about things, I didn't want to take it out on him. "Yes?" I finally ask, looking at him.

             "Is it true? What that asshole said." He finally blurts, looking slightly embarrassed.

             "Yea. I was planning on telling you everything, letting you guys see my file. I killed people... I didn't exactly have a choice, but I hated myself for it." I admitted quietly.

               "That's not what I was asking about, but thank you for telling me." He answered, shaking his head. Oh.

               "Yea.. both my parents were junkies." I snort, knowing Patrick hadn't spilled that, but it explained things to an extent. "They both used to shoot heroin, among other things. So they would both occasionally get pissed over something stupid, and smack me around."

He frowned at my words, and slung an arm around my shoulder, before murmuring quietly. "I'm sorry Red."

"Don't be." I shook my head, not wanting him to be sorry. The past was the past, I can't change it. I finally was starting to feel like I could move forward, instead of always looking back.

The elevator going off interrupted us, and we headed towards our room. Tennoji opened the door, letting me walk in first. As soon as we put our bags down, and sat down ourselves, I felt like I should probably just tell him. I know that I originally planned to wait to tell everyone, but his opinion had mattered, and the rest of the guys had a general idea.

              I took a deep breath before starting. "I was born and raised in New York. We lived in a shitty little apartment by the Bronx, both my parents were junkies, and involved in everything illegal you could possibly imagine." He moved to sit next to me as I began, and I shot him a grateful smile before continuing.

               "I had seen my mother inject heroin into her veins for as long as I could remember, at least in the seven years I was with her. She always told me at the time it was medicine, but she was cranky without it. My old man, he was no different, only he had more vices then her." I snort, still remembering what I could of their faces.

             "They had both been good looking once, but drugs and alcohol aged them both. My mother, from what I remember, had my red hair, with green eyes. She was always annoyed, didn't want to keep me. She thought I was an inconvenience, that I cost money to keep and feed." I paused again, gathering my thoughts.

        "My father was involved in every illegal thing possible. Drugs, alcohol, you name it, he probably did it. I didn't understand at the time, but he was involved with gangs, selling drugs. He always faintly smelled of whiskey. He was angry when he got home, and didn't want me either. The only reason he kept me, was he didn't want the cops sniffing around." I explain bitterly, trying to picture him as well. Though I still remembered how he looked, even if it might be a little fuzzy. "He had brown hair, and my eyes are his. His always looked cold, distant, like he had seen and done a lot of things, the kind that would haunt a person." It was a look I knew all too well myself.

"I wasn't supposed to call my parents mom and dad. It was like if those words were said, it made it real, and they didn't want to be parents. My dad always told me stop annoying Stella, that was my mother's name, and mom told me stop annoying Matt, my dad." I stop a minute, glancing at Yutaka, before continuing. "Stella constantly told me I was a sniveling little bitch, and she hated when I cried. She'd smack me if I irritated her enough, or god forbid I ask for food." I snorted, remembering how my so called mother looked at me like I was just an annoyance. "She asked my father if they could get rid of me, he always told her no, that the last thing they needed was cops around."

"That's fucked up." Yutaka finally said quietly, and I shrugged, before continuing.

"Matt was usually the one that dealt with me, when he got home. He always told her that he would straighten me out. He'd drag me into my room, dragging me by my arm, before beating my ass. He would hit me until I finally shut up, and if I cried more, he would keep going until I stopped." I shuddered, remembering the time he broke my arm.

"I once pissed him off so bad, he broke my arm. Just snapped it, like it was a fucking pencil." I could still hear the sound of bone cracking, the immense pain, as it hung useless at my side. "My mother had let it slip I was an accident, that they never meant to have me." I shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips. "At the time I didn't understand, and she wouldn't tell me. So I asked my dad, and kept crying and asking him what that meant, a big mistake on my part. He was so pissed he broke my arm."

"He broke your fucking arm? You were just a kid." Tennoji cuts me off, incredulously, looking at me like I was crazy.

"He did." I confirmed, nodding. "Anyway, when I was about seven, I finally had enough. Matt was at work, Stella was so fucking high she probably couldn't see her own hand in front of her, and I could finally just reach the lock on the door if I stood on my toes."

"You just left, then joined the gang right?" He asked, curious.

"I didn't join right away, but it wasn't too much later that I met Ethan, yes." I nodded, before continuing. "I made the alleys of New York my home, staking out restaurant dumpsters for food. It was gross, but better then going hungry. It was during that time that I met Ethan. He looked like some kind older man, offering to take me into a home for kids that had no home. But I was very wrong to trust him in my desperation." I was so stupid to trust Ethan, but he gave me a home. The problem was the cost to keep that home.

              "He's an older man, with cold cruel blue eyes, Ethan. He gave me false promises of a loving home, and though I got a home, the cost was too great. He wanted emotionless soldiers, and if we weren't willing to become that, he'd beat you until you were willing." I recalled, since I myself hadn't been willing. "You were constantly under surveillance, with no escape, but we got food, our own rooms, and basic education. Then we were trained with guns, and how to fight."

             "Eiki mentioned you tried to quit once." Tennoji interrupted, looking me over. He reached over, gently squeezing my hand, before I continued.

"I did. Unfortunately, they never let you out alive." I admitted quietly. "I mentioned it once, to Ethan. He had his goons beat my ass for even thinking it. I could barely breathe, let alone stand. I remember a few of my ribs were broken, and I passed out from the exhaustion, and the pain...." I trailed off, remembering that I woke up a few days later.

"It hurt so bad, I almost wished I was dead. I was hospitalized, and they always threatened to do it again, and make sure I died, if I tried to leave again." I explained, before continuing. "They made us fight each other, Ethan got sick, twisted amusement out of pitting us against each other. He always said the strong survives, and firmly believed in the kill or be killed." I frown, remembering how many times I had to fight the boys.

"None of us wanted to fight our own, but he made us, and would beat the shit out of anyone who disobeyed, to the point you couldn't even move." I admitted, remembering when I took the beating, instead of shooting Daniel.

          "The one who shot me, did you have to fight him? He seemed to be talking about something..." Tennoji trailed off, probably thinking of the day Daniel shot him.

           "Danny? Yea... we were friends once." I admitted, nodding. "What he was talking about that day though, Ethan gave me a gun, and threw me into the room he usually threw me in when he wanted me to do something...." I trail off, remembering the cold, dark room with the window and one lonely light.

          "Usually it was some poor bastard that I didn't know, and I had killed multiple people in that room... people that probably didn't deserve to die." I pause, taking a deep breath. "I didn't know the people I killed, not really. I remember all their faces though, to this day.... I disgust and hate myself for every life that I ended.. their faces, and last words haunt me..." I admit before remembering I was supposed to be telling him about that day with Danny.

             "I remember it all, and I used to cry, and make myself sick over all the blood on my hands... but that day, when Ethan threw me into the room with a gun, it wasn't some stranger, it was Daniel. He wanted me to shoot, and probably kill, my best friend... and I couldn't do it." I continue the story quietly, realizing the irony, how I couldn't kill someone I knew, but I had killed countless strangers before then.

             "You still had a conscious red... no matter what, you still cared... that's a good thing." Tennoji cut in, pulling me towards him. His dark grey eyes met mine, as he looked me over, not with hate as I had always feared, but understanding.

            "Thank you... but the irony was, I couldn't kill someone I knew. I barely managed to kill the strangers.. but I couldn't kill Daniel. I tossed my gun on the floor when I recognized it was him, and so did Daniel...."

            "I bet Ethan wasn't happy about that was he?" He asked, though I'm sure he already knew the answer.

          "No, he wasn't." I agreed. "One of us had to take punishment, and one look at how scared Daniel was, and I offered to take it... they beat the hell out of me, and I almost had to be hospitalized again.. I woke up bruised ribs, and could barely function for awhile.." I admitted, looking at him.

My phone suddenly buzzing interrupts the story, and a glance at my inbox shows I have a new text, with a video attached. There's no sound on the video, but the scene is all too familiar, as I watch. It's a video of the airport, showing Patrick and Yutaka arguing.

"What the hell?" Tennoji curses, as he watches the video over my shoulder, and we both read the text.

Looks like the cops are too distracted fighting each other to notice something right under their noses. Next time, I may just take my shot, who should I get first?

"That fucker." I curse, before closing out of the text. "Well, looks like we should get ahold of everyone, we've got work to do."