by Rose Marie
“Yes, sir, Commander.” He pulls my head up kisses my lips and looks into my eyes.
“It's Ackman. Just call me Ackman.” I’ll follow this man anywhere.
Chapter Seven
Ackman
Not as Planned
“We got tu be in and out dinna take longer than necessary. Kill anythin’ walkin’ but dinna touch the Oyabun, do I make meself clear?” He was speaking tu me as if I dinna know this already. I was a SEAL. I know how to handle me business, but let me nephew tell it, I didna know a thing.
“Aye.”
“I wish I could have made a few explosives. I could have killed more people, but this needs tu be done quickly and quietly.” He sounded so sad at the fact that he couldna kill more people. If I dinna know him, I’d be in awe of how much dedication and thought he’d put into his craft fer killin’. I knew that fer me nephew, killin’ was his favorite hobby. It was his bad habit, and like all bad habits, it was hard to kick them, but in Conner's case, he dinna want tu kick it. He embraced and embodied it.
“Are the knives not enough? Would you like a gun?”
“Nah, I’ll make do wit’ the knives. I like it when the flesh is cut. Anyway, let's get in and out.” Noddin’ in affirmation, I watch him sprint off. I inspect me weapons, making sure me blades are sharp, and me guns’ suppressors are properly attached. I wait for Adam’s signal that he’d handled the cameras so I could crawl into the window I pried open. I get ready to I crawl through, knowing that a shift change was happening.
Once I get the okay signal, I quietly raise the window and slip inside the house. Damn, the blueprint Adam showed us was on point. I follow the plan's instructions and go to the kitchen, where I see two guards laughing and talking over tea.
“Anata wa baishunpu no guchi o kuso no aji o te ni iremashita ka?” (Did you get a taste of that fucking the mutt of a whore?) The other grunted and shook his head.
“Īe, watashi wa doa o keikai shinakereba narimasendeshitaga, -go de kanojo ga de shita oto o tsukaimashita.” (No, I had to stand guard at the door, but I did use the sounds she made later.) Angry at wat the feck I’d just heard, I sneak up behind them, a knife and each hand and slit each of their throats without a second thought. Me girl was severely battered and raped, yet they have the nerve to stand here laughin’ about her bein’ assaulted? They’d all pay. I know Conner said, don’t kill HIM, but feck that! They will all die!
Like a hurricane, I rip through the house slashin’ and shootin’ one arse hole after another. They are all guilty; I’ll feckin’ murder them all! I dinna think I’d be the type want tu take a life out of anger, but here I am. I gave up me cushy life fer her, and I dinna regret a damn thing, so I’m goin’ tu take wat the American government taught me and apply it to this life.
Once I get done sweepin’ the bottom floor, I run up the stairs tu the room that held the bastard that orchestrated it all. I listen closely, hearing voices and grunts I instantly reconize the sounds of sex. Perfect, in the midst of passion, people let their guards down. But where are the guards?
Signalin’ tu a camera in the house, I see the lights go out. Thank goodness Adam is on our side. I push through the door and crawl on the floor to the nearest curtain and hide behind it.
Standin’, I peek from behind the curtains; I finally realize why there were no guards at his door.
I watch as the guard Adam had shown us a picture of thrust into the very target, I was here tu kill, the Oyabun. I watch in surprise as he’s fecked up the arse by his bodyguard, squealing fer more. I would never blackmail a person fer bein’ gay or whatever they claim tu be, but feck this. I’m usin’ everythin’ that I can. So, I pull out me camera and start recordin’.
“Kenji-kun ga daisukidesu. Hai akachan anata no o shiri wa totemo kimochigaī!” (I love you, Kenji-Kun. Yes, baby, your ass feels so good!) His guard grunted, still thrustin’ hard.
“Watashi mo anata o aishiteimasu akachan (I love you too, baby.) Damn, Adam has the best technology. This Nightvision camera is incredible. I stop recording and quickly send copies tu Conner and Adam tu secure them. Havin’ seen enough, I step from behind the curtain, lettin’ the moonlight shine in the room. Once they stop feckin’, they scramble tu reach behind them tu grab a weapon, but they were tu late because I had me gun out and shoot his lover in the leg, causin’ the Oyabun tu tense up, drop his gun and look after his lover. Screamin’, his lover, rolls around, clutchin’ his blood-soaked thigh. Before anyone could threaten me or say anythin’, I press the play button, and they both stop in their tracks.
“What is this about? You are from the Irish Mafia, correct? What have we done to offend the Irish Don? We have always been on good terms wi-”
“This has nothin’ tu do wit’ the Irish Don and everything tu do about how yu treated Jazmine.” At hearin’ Jazz’s name, he tensed up and narrowed his eyes.
“What does my family business have to do with you?”
“Everythin’ since she’s been me woman fer a while now. The shite yu and yer disgustin’ minions have done tu her make me sick tu me stomach. I came in here tu kill yu, but I've found out somethin’ worse than death accordin’ tu yer standin’ in society. While I find it shockin’ that yu are gay, I dinna hold any prejudices, but I know itsna the same for Japan. I know homosexuality isna something that is recognized in Japan. Tu have somethin’ such as this exposed not only with sound but video proof i will not only ruin yu but yer whole criminal organization.” I see him visibly swallow and look away wit’ shame written all over his face.
“And befer yu try anythin’ I already have copies sent out so if yu do anything stupid you and yer lover will be exposed faster than you can blink.” Both men look at each other thinkin’, then lower their heads in solidarity. “Yu know I came here prepared tu kill yu. I wanted tu end yu fer wat yu did yu me girl but look at yu bastards scared tu come out fer fear of losin’ everythin’.”
“The mutt bitch disgraces the family even more put-” I silence him by shooting his arm then aimin’ fer his chest ready tu say feck it all.
“Dinna feckin’ speak tu me of disgrace I will-” I go tu pull the trigger again, but I’m stopped.
“Commander!” Turnin’ I stare in surprise when I see Jazz standin’ at the door.
“Wat the feck are ye doing here?” She walks over, pulling the gun from me hands, then turns tu look her uncle in the eye.
“I came to speak to Ojisan.” His eyes widened, then he steps out of bed, and tu me surprise, he doesna show any sign of being shot. I missed?
“Feck that I want yu out of here. I’m going tu kill them all!”
“Commander, I get that you’re upset, but I’ve decided that I want to handle this myself. I want to speak to Ojisan in private. Please.” As proud as I am of her fer wantin’ tu face her battles head-on, I couldna help but be angry.
“After everythin’ that has been done tu yu, and everythin’ we’ve given up, yu want me tu just give up fer a talk?” I ask her grittin’ me teeth.
“I’m sorry but you’re wrong. Ojisan is the one who saved me. He’s never touched me once. He might have been complacent while others hurt me, and though some would say that is just as bad, to me it isn’t. As much as I hate that he never intervened, I still appreciate him for being the one to clean my wounds and-”
“Feck cleanin’ yer wounds! He should have stopped it all! He sh-”
“I get that, but things are different here in Japan and in the Yakuza. We don’t go against hierarchy here. We have a different way of doing things. Don’t bring your Irish-American views into this.”
“HE FECKIN’ ALLOW HIS MINIONS TU RAPE YU!” Her face went red and she looked down, ashamed.
“I… please just let me speak with him.” I narrow me eyes at the woman I’d given up everythin’ fer and decided tu trust her instead of gettin’ even angrier.
“Make it quick.” She goes to open her mouth in protest, but I raise a brow, makin’ her shut it.
“Yes, than
k you, Commander.” She turns tu him, bows then throws him a robe. Catchin’ it, he shrugs it on after he walks tu the bathroom and comes back wit’ another robe fer his lover. Walkin’ out of the room, I dinna shut the door but stand there offerin’ them enough privacy tu talk. I was close enough tu get in tu listen in and help if anythin’ happened.
“Why did you come back, Jazmine?”
“I don’t know. At first, I came back because I wanted to kill you myself, but then when I came upstairs and saw what was happening, I just… couldn’t.”
“Do not disgrace me further by pitying me. If you want to kill me for everything, I have allowed to happen to you, I will accept my fate like a man.” I peek in tu check on the situation since they had grown quiet, surprised tu see they are facing each other glarin’.
“I really should kill you, but...” Her uncle sighed and sat on the bed.
“I do not know why you came back here if it was not to kill me. What he said is true; I should have never let anything happen to you from the moment I brought you home.” Jazz balls her fist and shakes her head.
“No, you should have protected my mother when she came here seeking help. How could you allow your despicable father to throw out your sister, causing her to work the streets?! Then once she dies, you bring her child here only to allow her to be at the mercy of your terrible Wakagashira. How could you?!”
“You act like I had a choice in the matter, Jazmine.”
“DO NOT GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT EXCUSE!! YOU SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED ME!!” He sat there saying nothin’, and if it werena fer his lover limpin’ over tu him tu clean his wound, he probably would never have moved. The lover spoke up.
“Kenji, please drop the act.” To me astonishment, the Oyabun deflated, and the once firm face, he had turned to one of remorse and regret. His lover Michi turned tu Jazz, and just as she did tu Conner, he dropped into a Dogeza, shockin’ even Jazz. “Jasmine, what Kenji has allowed to happen to you is without a doubt terrible and deserving of death, but I ask you to please forgive him, or at the very least let him live. It’s selfish of me, but I ask that you give him a chance to explain himself. There is nothing he can say to alleviate your pain but at least allow him the opportunity to-”.
“He doesn’t deserve any of my sympathies, but… I want to know why... why did you allow that to happen to me?”
“Kenji-Kun… tell her.” For a second, no one says anything, Jazz sighs and turns to leave when her uncle's voice stops her.
“I loved my sister, dearly. She was this family’s pride and joy. We wanted to keep her out of harm's way and out of the business… or so I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“I woke up in the middle of the night and saw my father feeding aphrodisiac alcohol to Hina. She had no idea what it was, I’m sure, but I did because I decided to stay and see what would happen. Not long after, he climbed on top of her. Though he did not penetrate her I… I should have rushed in and killed him then. His assault on her continued almost nightly, and surprisingly without her knowledge of it. Well…at least she made it appear as if she didn’t know. I was complacent, thinking if she doesn't know, it wouldn't hurt her, but little did I know she was only pretending because of her shame.
Weeks later, when we met with the Mexican Cartel, no one expected Hina to meet and fall in love with Javier. Nor did I expect her to come to me asking for help to get away because she would kill herself if she stayed in Japan. Not only that, but she also knew I knew what our father had done to her, so she guilted me into helping her. Once she disappeared, I had to feign ignorance. I was successful until father found secretly installed video surveillance in the house and caught Michi and I… uhm, post lovemaking, and talking about helping Hina.
He was so angry he beat me senseless, saying the vilest things about my sexuality, even though I don’t think father cared that I was gay considering what he was doing. I believe he only spoke like that about me because he didn’t want the others to find out about himself, so he continued and claimed he’d disown me. Truthfully, I was happy. I wanted him to disown me, then maybe Michi and I could move to America or Italy, where same-sex couples are at least allowed to hold hands and live together freely. I just wanted to be with Michi, and he’d just presented me with what was my opportunity. Most Yakuza lose a finger or receive some sort of disfigurement when they dishonorably leave our branch. I was willing to accept even losing an arm or leg for Michi, but father was cruel.
He only planned on letting me go long enough to see if Hina would reach out to me. It was in that scary moment I realized my father didn’t care about me one bit, he only cared about one thing, and that was getting Hina back. When I told him, I refused to find a way to contact Hina, he stopped torturing me and went after Michi. I- uhm… Michi is strong, so I didn’t think it would bother me much until he brought me in the hall, laid Michi’s hands flat on the table, and threatened to chop the both of them off. I’m ashamed to say I broke.” I look tu Jazz tu see her standin’ there red in the face, but it's shockingly devoid of any tears. That’s me girl. Dinna let this bastard see yu cry.
“Not long after that, I found a way to reach out to my sister, but I couldn’t in good conscience call her. Thankfully Michi agreed with me. We were prepared to protect her happiness at all costs, even with our lives. I felt I owed her that much, but…” he sighed and Michi placed a hand on his shoulder. “Father found the information, reached out to the Mexican Cartel, and they went to get Hina. From my knowledge, Javier was out making a run when they got to her before he got back. They took her, beat her, and did other unspeakable things. By the time Javier found her, she was only a shadow of her former self and didn’t even remember him. He tried to get her to see reason, but she ran away from him, getting herself in even more trouble until she made it here. By then, she was so broken and battered that father didn’t want her, not only that she, for some reason, wouldn’t tell father where Javier was. He’d made himself a wanted man of both the Cartel and the Yakuza, as he stole money from my father and jeopardized several aspects of both our business dealings.
He so desperately wanted to get Hina, but she didn’t want him because she didn’t know him anymore, and with father kicking her out, the only place she felt she could go was the redlight district. Javier tried to get to her many times, but father was bitter and made her work herself into the ground until she ultimately died giving birth to you. When Javier found out about Hina, I heard he formed his own Cartel, cleaned out his father’s group, and took a hit out on both men. When he ultimately succeeded in killing his father, my father started to fear for his life, so he faked his death but not before making it so you couldn't be found in the foster system by Javier. Around your third birthday, Javier almost caught on to father’s deception, so I was sent to retrieve you an-”
“Wait! So, you’re telling me this whole time you’ve been nothing but a puppet to a monster who was supposedly dead and that my father wanted me this whole time?” When he shook his head yes, me heart fell and went out tu Short Stuff. “You’re also telling me you never ordered any of the heinous things done to me, but that monster of a man did, and you had no choice but to comply? That’s bullshit! Why not kill him and take over?!”
“That’s easier said than done. Father has the whole Japanese government in his pocket. Do you think I’d order you to kill the Prime Minister of all people while there were children in the house? I more than anyone know you’d never go on a mission where children were within the house for fear of traumatizing them.”
“So, I was set up?” He looked at her and nodded once, and bile rose in my throat. What kind of sick bastard would do such things tu his children and grandchild.
“Unfortunately. Even more so, even if I were to take over, our Yakuza branch is the kind where you are only allowed to pass down Oyabun via bloodline. Father had deemed you a liability and feared you’d marry thus ruining the line with your unpure blood and me… once he found I was gay, he had me sterilized. Fat
her was paralyzed from the waist down thanks to an attempt at his life by Javier’s men. He refused to have any more children for fear of bringing another gay man into the world, or a woman who he deemed as a whore. He wanted this line to die out with me.”
I was so busy listening tu the story, I dinna see Conner walk past me and into the room until he was standing behind Jazz and threw something in the middle of the three people standing quietly in thought. Once the object makes a thud on the floor, the gasp of horror had me runnin’ inside tu see wat they were makin’ a big deal about. Me eyes go wide and me stomach drops as the severed head of the elderly Oyabun rolls on the floor.
“Well tu feckin’ bad he’s not goin’ tu get what he wants.” We all turn tu Conner tu see him bathed in blood smirkin’ makin’ Kenji, Michi and Jazz jump back.
“Balor, what is… what are you-” Kenji stumbled over his words as Conner stepped forward pushin’ Jazz behind him toward me.
“I’ll make a deal with yu. I will keep all of yer secrets and make sure yer bloodline continues, but yu have tu find a way tu shut the media up about the assassination attempt and pay Onefishtwofish reparations fer all the fecked up shite yu allowed tu happen tu her.”
“What? How could you make sure our bloodline continue? Neither Jazmine nor I can have children.”
“I looked into her records, she’s got some scars from the abortions yer shitty father forced on her, but itsna impossible fer her tu have children.”