10 Offer You Can't Refuse.
I continued to play Nishihara's 'game', tentatively sipping my soju along with a cup of water to keep me from getting completely wasted. It quickly became obvious what he was attempting to do, he was trying to ingratiate himself with me, all while asking subtle questions about myself... Particularly those about 'tough times', and substantial events in my life.
He was trying to figure out if I was a cape, which wasn't surprising given the ABB's current state. The gang only had two known capes, Lung and Oni Lee, and while they were both incredibly powerful, there was only so much they could do alone. Compared to the empire which had capes in the double digits, the situation was tenuous at best.
"Is something wrong, Kieu?" Nishihara quietly asks as I eye my last hundred.
"No. But I think I need to go soon, Mom likes when I help with her stall." I say, trying to find a way outta here.
"Oh? Leaving so soon?" he mutters as his eyes squint at me, his skeptical look not matching the thinning smile on his lips. Another shiver ran down my spine, as if I had my head in the jaws of the beast, waiting for it to close.
Not to mention the fact It was like I could feel him putting pieces of a puzzle together, one centered on my value as an asset.
"Sorry if it's sudden, but I do have lots of things to do, I need to study for my scholarship too!"
...
He slowly nods, "Very smart of you, I wouldn't dare tear a boy as young as you from his dreams... But, if I could ask for a favour? Something has come up since we started, Kieu."
I chewed the inside of my cheek, here it comes. "What is it?"
"Takata is only a few years older than you, Kieu, but I fear his 'enthusiasm' is pushing him towards bad ends. I would ask you to accompany him tomorrow night, to make sure he doesn't do anything brash."
"I'm not sure if Mom would-"
"I will have someone ask Miss Tiêuve permission first of course." he continues, "Do this for me and I will consider us, even."
"D-did I do something to offend you?" I question. I hadn't agreed to yet!
He grins mischievously, "Not at all! But after spending a thousand dollars to play, I should think some trust between friends is justly earned, ne?"
An offer I can't refuse, huh? Take the money, don't, either way I was trapped as soon as they called for me.
...
"Just this one thing?" I ask, "Because Mom wants me to focus on my studies."
He nods, "I promise."
...
"Ok..."
"Good boy." he says, his mouth contorting into a wretched grin. This fucker, did he have mics in my house!?
Holding my anger, I pocket my last hundred and exit, striding out as quickly and 'calmly' as physically able.
--------------------
I make it back home feeling like a nervous wreck, I had no idea what tomorrow's 'job' would entail, but I couldn't imagine it being anything good. I need a plan, an exit strategy incase everything goes tits up.
Tieu was already out manning her stall, leaving me alone to figure this out myself. Everything I warned her of before still applied, but that just meant we needed a REALLY fast way of making some cash.
Thankfully, not everything was going wrong today... I noticed a notification as I logged into my PHO account and almost did a jig there and then when I saw Canary's reply.
She loved 'Take Me To Church', sung my praises as an incredible musician and wished to work further with me... The only problem was the lack of restrictions she offered in the initial message, meaning she'd been the one to type it, instead of her lawyer or agent...
Since she was currently performing a concert across the country, my message wouldn't get through until tonight or tomorrow morning, depending on how after-concert parties were.
Rubbing my forehead and aligning my thoughts, I send her my own reply.
♦ Private message to Canary_Cryxx:
Guitar_Boy69:
Hi Canary, glad you like my song! I'd love to collab with you but I've been having some problems... You see, I live in Brockton Bay, the biggest shithole in America, and worse, my apartment is in ABB territory.
The gang recruits younger members and indoctrinates them, and they've started poking around me, especially after the 'Leet Incident' [Link]. I really, really want to work with you, but I need to get out of this place with my mother.
I'm willing to sell you Take Me To Church and write whatever song you want, I just need enough money to leave Brockton Bay... Quickly. Tomorrow night the ABB wants me to do something, and I'm not sure what will happen.
Please message back soon, there isn't anyone else I can really turn to...
-Kieu
And sent.
Was this going to achieve anything? I hoped so, but I doubted it. Canary might present herself as a kind person, but for all I knew she could be your typical narcissistic, vapid pop-star high on her own popularity.
Whatever, there's nothing to be done about it for now. Before I head over to help Tieu with her stall though I upload a couple songs to my new Youtube account and link them all to Canary, to sweeten the deal.
Which songs did I choose?
Roscoe by Midlake, and 45 by Shinedown, along with Good Riddance by Green Day which I'd sung fairly often while busking.
With that done, I log out, grab my guitar, and leave to join Tieu.
----------------------
POV : Tiêuve Ngọc La
Tiêuve rests her legs up on a cushion and releases a long, tired sigh. Kieu had shut himself in his room for the night, thought the faint reverberations occasionally coming from within made aware he was doing anything but sleeping.
She'd once dared to look through the door lock to see what he does night after night, only to be surprised further at finding it wasn't some strange masturbation addiction... Had this boy truly been exercising this whole time? And if so, when did he find time to sleep?
She knew for a fact he did this before she slept, and continued even as she awoke.
This wasn't the only mystery surrounding her 'son', though she intended to keep her promise of not looking into his past. His ability to write, recite, and play songs at the drop of a hat, his remarkable intelligence and wisdom for his age, his scheming and manipulative nature, which yes, she had noticed.
She had lived long enough to know when someone was trying to use her, she had never expected something like that from a thirteen year-old however, despite that, she allowed him into her home regardless.
Whatever circumstances forced him to adapt and become this way, she pitied him, and wanted to make his life worth living, as opposed to the firm, apathetic determination he usually held himself to... She saw that side of him sometimes, when he was focusing on something and accidentally lets his act slip, the expressionless stare that reminded her all too much of herself after the Leviathan...
She knew he could recover though, like she had, and while there would also be damaged, she would make him better. Even if events conspired to stop her... Her child had been forced into a desperate situation in the morning by the ABB, and had been recruited for a task tomorrow night.
She dearly wanted to intercede and do something she simply couldn't. All she could do is wait, watch, and pick up the pieces of Kieu that were left... The ABB would leave them alone after that, she hoped.
------------------
POV : Kieu
It was time... It'd just passed 10pm and the knocks on the door by Takata brought the impromptu dinner with Takeshita and Mr Hotaro to an end.
Tieu gives me a sad, sympathetic smile, "Be safe, Kieu..."
I straighten my back and nod firmly at her, "I will," I glance at Mr Hotaro, "Don't let me ruin dinner though, Tieu could use the company." I say and see the agreement in the man's eyes.
"Remember what I said, Kieu."
"Where are you going?" Takeshita asks with a tilt of her head, not knowing the severity of the situation.
"He's going to play with some friends, now come, finish your food."
"But I want to play too!" Takeshita exclaims as I reach the door.
"You haven't eaten your vegetables... You can go next time."
*Click*
"'Bout fucking time-"
"Shh, there's kids here." I growl and step past him, quickly shutting the door behind him.
"Lose the lip, brat, you're mine tonight, and what I say goes."
"Mr Nishihara said otherwise." I disagree.
"No, he said to watch me, which means you go where I go." he retorts, "The truck's outside, we got places to be."
----------------------
I still wasn't quite sure what we were doing, even after I entered a six seater-truck filled with ABB gangers. Each of them had weapons varying from simple metal pipes to knives and machetes. One even had a pistol in his waistband sticking out from under his shirt.
I had to admit, the idea of taking it and gunning down everyone in this godforsaken car did strike me, but the fear of reprisal held my hand. My heart dropped into my stomach when I thought of something potentially happening to Tieu, or even Takeshita and Mr Hotaro... They'd been kind to me, and I wanted to repay it.
Five minutes pass, and unable to hold my nerve, I finally speak up, "Where are we going?"
Daewon, the large Korean guy from yesterday is the only one to speak, "Merchant attack."
My brows raise to my hairline, a Merchant attack? Why the fuck was I being sent to fight an enemy gang!? I'm thirteen shitting years old for god's sake!
"Don't get cold feet now, brat, you're ABB now." Takata snickers from a nearby seat, though I could hear the tenseness in his tone. He was shitting himself too, not surprising as this didn't involve petty crap like stealing from kids.
The rest of the ride is silent.
When we finally reach our destination everyone shuffled out of the vehicle into an alleyway overlooking the waterfront. A pip wrench is roughly shoved into my hands, and I'm practically frozen when I see the one managing this 'raid'...
A fanged demon mask, black ninja-like bodysuit, strap of grenades across his chest a tanto on his hip next to a dozen or so knives. This was Oni Lee, one of the most dangerous capes in the city, and one known to liberally skirt around the Unwritten Rules.
His power was two-fold, the ability to teleport anywhere nearby with seemingly no restriction. And the ability to spawn clones in his original position after he teleports. These copies can last for a couple seconds, and they retain all the equipment the original had...
Combine this copying ability with the belt of grenades he had, and you have a teleporting, immortal suicide bomber... The only reason Lung was more powerful than him was because the guy didn't have a clear limit, he just continued to grow in power as fights went on, turning more dragon-like the stronger he got.
The fucking guy was able to fight on par with the Leviathan, which is saying something!
Oni Lee, if he had the inclination, could probably kill all the Merchants solo if he wanted... From what I'd read, the drug dealers were the laughing stock of Brockton Bay, the only reason the Empire and ABB hadn't removed them is because their territory is run-down trash, and because they help to keep the nazis and Asian supremacists away from each other.
A hard slap on my back bring me back to reality, courtesy of Daewon. "Focus, and listen."
I look back to Oni Lee and find that he's just leaning against the wall with arms crossed, allowing another ABB ganger to fill everyone in on the plan...
