“You alright?”
“Still … woozy.”
“Can you fight?”
“Don’t know.”
Satoshi looked up to see eight or ten men heading their way through the arena. Then he looked back to Tengu, who saw them too.
“Alright. Get behind me, brother. Until you get your bearings.”
Satoshi didn’t need to be told twice. He stumbled to a spot behind Tengu and watched the men approach. He willed his head to clear so that he could see straight, but no such luck. From experience, he knew the only thing that would restore his mental clarity after such a blow was time. Which he didn’t have now.
At least Tengu would buy him some time. He must have picked up some Muay Thai at some point, because his style was Thai kickboxing distilled to its most brutally effective form. He never threw a punch when he could throw an elbow, and didn’t even use his arms at all when a kick or knee would do. Whereas Masa used his speed to tire his opponents, Tengu opted to simply use his bones as clubs to batter them.
Satoshi had seen Tengu fight a number of times. Each one was etched in his memory as a special occasion. Despite his blunt features and rough manner, Tengu was a poet in a fight. A poet who worked in blood and bone and battered flesh. Judging from the assailants coming for them now, nothing short of a masterpiece would get them out of this alive. Satoshi watched from behind as the first assailant came up to Tengu, and the performance began.
The first man approached at a quick trot, then a gallop, until he was close enough to lunge at Tengu. Tengu’s upper body swayed back at the same time as his knee shot up to catch his attacker in the solar plexus. As the man reeled back, Tengu caught the man’s jaw by hooking his fingers over his lower teeth, then pulled the man’s head towards him as he see-sawed his own upper body forward, catching the man full in the face with his forehead. When Tengu’s knee connected, Satoshi heard the breath forced out of the man. But when his forehead connected, Satoshi could feel the crunch in his bones. The man crumpled. He wouldn’t be getting back up.
The next two came at once. Tengu swept the first one’s leg, as the second one quickly closed. Before the second man could react, Tengu sprang up at him elbow-first. He drove the sharp part of his elbow into the underside of the man’s chin, connecting with such force and intensity that the man’s head snapped back with a brain-rattling pop.
Tengu was already throwing a left hook, followed quickly by stepping in for a right elbow at his next attacker. But by now the man he had taken down was getting to his feet. He had a furious look on his face that he trained on Satoshi. Time was up. And whether Satoshi was ready or not made no difference—now he had to fight.
His attacker threw a few quick jabs his way, followed by a clumsy hook. Satoshi dodged them, but just barely. The ringing in his head was throwing his timing off, and his blurred vision wasn’t helping any. Instead of his usual fluid movements, he felt like he was just barely staying ahead of the other man’s attacks. Another blow shot by his face, with barely enough time for him to move out of the way. He tried to get the man in a move that would let him dislocate his shoulder, but his grip was weak and his hold clumsy. The man easily slipped free and landed a hard blow to Satoshi’s ribs, sending him reeling.
His attacker was advancing quickly and seemed likely to lay Satoshi out—until a crumpled body came flying through the air and knocked him to the ground. With his attacker still pinned under the limp body, Satoshi delivered a devastating kick to his face. Not exactly an honorable move, he thought as he watched blood pour from the man’s caved-in nose. But then again, neither was sending nearly a dozen men out against two.
Satoshi looked over. For some reason his gaze went right to the stands, where he saw Masa standing and watching. Masa looked furious.
Satoshi looked back to see Tengu encircled by men who were closing in tighter. He was keeping them at bay for the moment with vicious blows and lashes to whoever got close, but they would overwhelm him soon. Satoshi didn’t have a choice now, he had to join the fray. He took off at a run for the man closest to him.
The guy didn’t see him until Satoshi was practically on top of him. Still moving at a running pace, Satoshi grabbed the man and, while spinning him around, used his momentum to launch him into the next guy with a satisfying thud. They both went down, though the man he used as his battering ram popped up faster than Satoshi expected. As he came at him, Satoshi was able to successfully hook his arms around the man’s shoulders in a grappling stance. Then, with a vicious twist and a hard wrench, he popped the man’s shoulder from its socket, sending him to the ground screaming.
A quick scan revealed there were only three others left standing. Then Tengu threw himself at one of the others, taking him down with a crunch of bone and a scream. He popped up and launched himself at the last man, taking him down in a hail of vicious hammer-blows to the head.
Then there were only the two of them standing in the circle.
Satoshi realized, for the first time, that the arena had gone silent. He looked up, but the space Masa had occupied was now empty. Figured.
Tengu was breathing heavily, blood streaming down from his nose. Aside from that and some bruising around his forehead and on his arms, he seemed to be no worse for wear. He looked at Satoshi and nodded when he saw he was mostly unharmed.
They started for the gate.
When Tengu reached it he issued a throaty growl. The enormous bouncer from before stepped aside. Tengu picked up their overcoats and respirators, tossing Satoshi’s back towards him.
Then he cast a slow glance at the men crowded around the exit and growled again. His look was pure venom, and they melted away before it, clearing a path to the door leading outside.
Tengu had earned his name that night in the arena as he had torn through their attackers with a ferocity that was simply demonic. Some of the men shot them nasty looks. But nobody else was going to be dumb enough to challenge them. Even the lot of them together weren’t willing to fuck with Tengu, not after that performance.
Then they were outside. Satoshi had never been so happy to see the hazy night sky of Tokyo.
They walked quickly, trying to make it away from the festival before anyone else decided to have a go at them.
“You alright?” Tengu said.
“I’ve been better.”
“You came out okay, all things considered.”
“Thanks to you.”
“Meh. Like I said, you gotta look out for your family. Even when they do stupid shit like that.”
“Sorry.”
“Naw, I’ve pulled dumber stunts myself. Come on, let’s get you home.”
“Hospital. I need to go to the hospital.”
“You get banged up that hard, huh?”
“No, but Hisoka was heading to the hospital when I came here.”
“Shit. Anything serious?”
“I don’t know.”
“What the fuck are you doing here, then?”
“Hating myself. Getting my ass kicked. Looking for Masa.”
Tengu just shook his head. He hailed them a cab, then poured Satoshi into the backseat. When he got in up front, the cabbie nervously glanced back before jerking a thumb in Satoshi’s direction.
“He hasn’t been drinking, has he?”
“No, fighting.”
“Oh … well …”
“I’m taking him to the hospital. So just drive us to … which hospital again?”
“Hiroo Hospital,” Satoshi said into the seat cushion.
The driver looked hesitant.
“There’s an extra five thousand yen in it if you’re quick and discreet.”
“Yes sir,” he said, pulling into traffic.
Tengu had to half-walk, half-carry Satoshi through the hospital until they found Hisoka. They arrived outside her room to see a doctor emerge and close the door.
“We’re looking for Hisoka Namonai,” Tengu said.
The doctor looked up to see two thugs who were clea
rly on the Path. Both had bruised faces and bloody knuckles. One was practically draped over the other’s shoulder and could barely stand.
“I think you better tell me who you are and what you’re doing here first,” the doctor said, crossing his arms over his chest. He moved so that he was between them and the door.
“This is her boyfriend,” Tengu said, lifting Satoshi with a shrug. Satoshi groaned.
“Has he been drinking?”
“No, fighting. But everyone makes that mistake.”
The doctor didn’t seem to like that response.
“Well, you’ll have to come back later. I’ve just given her a mild sedative to help her sleep.”
“I need to see her,” Satoshi said.
“Well, maybe you should have been here with her instead of out fighting.” The doctor looked back and forth between the two of them.
“What are you looking at me for?” Tengu said. “I agree with you. But he’s here now, so is there a way he could just go in and see her?”
“No.” The doctor walked up to them. He waved a hand in front of Satoshi’s face, then shone a penlight into his eyes. Satoshi barely responded. The doctor sighed.
“Your friend here is concussed. Get him home and put him to bed. He can see his girlfriend in the morning.”
“What’s wrong with her?” Satoshi mumbled.
“Placental abruption. If you care to know.”
“Serious?”
“Moderate. She should be fine, with routine monitoring.”
“Anything I can do?”
“In your state? Just rest.” The doctor started walking away, then stopped. “And flowers. I recommend you bring lots of flowers with you as soon as you can. Because your girlfriend is pissed.”
“You weren’t there for me.”
Satoshi had taken the doctor at his suggestion, but the flowers hadn’t helped. Now they lay scattered on the linoleum floor, where Hisoka had tossed them from her hospital bed. There wasn’t another chair in the room, so Satoshi swayed woozily by the bed. He probably should have slept longer, but he’d wanted to be here first thing in the morning. It was literally the least he could do.
“I know. And I’m sorry. I just want you to know that it rips me up inside.”
“You’re not the only one being torn up inside,” she said reproachfully. She started crying silently again.
Satoshi hung his head. “Is it serious?”
“The doctor thinks it’s not a big deal, with constant monitoring and frequent appointments. But don’t try to change the subject.”
“Sorry.”
Hisoka had always been the reserved type. But now Satoshi almost wished she would yell and scream at him. That he could understand. But when she spoke now, her calmness chilled him. She looked out the window at the gray sky beyond and shook her head.
“I’m scared, because soon we’re going to have this child. But I feel like it’s just me. My parents are long gone, I don’t have them to help me. Your mother and I are … civil, but that’s about it. I’ve got friends who are supporting me, but they’re not going to raise my child with me. I need you for that.”
“I’m here for you.”
“Are you? Because if you’re not, you can just tell me. I’ll do this by myself. I’ve made it this far without you, or anyone, really. I can do this too.”
“I know you can,” Satoshi said. “You’re a survivor. But you don’t have to be alone in this. I’m here.”
“Prove it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“I like it here,” Chobei said, surveying the room. “It has a certain air of sophistication that’s almost regal.”
Tamazaki glanced around at a room awash in cheap gilt-plated fixtures and purple drapes over a red carpet. He wondered if he and Chobei were seeing the same thing right now, because the hostess club he saw was tacky as hell.
“I’m glad you like it,” Yoshii said. He leaned back in the overstuffed vinyl booth they all sat around. “And I’m glad you and your men could find the time to enjoy our hospitality.”
“Of course. One can’t work all the time.”
In truth, Tamazaki was hard pressed to think of much “work” that had gotten done in the last week. Kido had been out for most of that time recovering. Tamazaki had been stretched thin trying to manage his own crew and keep an eye on Kido’s. It had been hard. Lately Chobei’s behavior had started to rankle the troops. He had caught some of his men talking about whether they might be next to incur Chobei’s wrath for the crime of having fingers. Tamazaki had rebuked them, but he had been worrying about the same thing himself.
Chobei had always been a terrible boss and leader, but recently he had been getting worse. Tamazaki used to think that if it weren’t for his mother and the weight her name still carried, he would have faced an open revolt a long time ago. But now he wasn’t so sure.
Because while some of the lieutenants and lower soldiers serving under Chobei grumbled and complained, others were fiercely loyal to him. It wasn’t surprising that these men were the ones most like Chobei in temperament. Violent. Extreme. Unpredictable. They considered themselves and their way of doing things the next evolution in the underworld pecking order. Their devotion to this madman frightened Tamazaki. But he dared not voice his opposition, for fear that the wrong people would hear and report this to Chobei. He had seen too often what happened to people like that. Best to play the part.
“Has your mother mentioned anything about who is to lead next?” Akiyama asked. “Just out of curiosity.”
“She hasn’t said anything explicitly to me. But she has been more involved in my affairs, as if she’s trying to round out my knowledge. From that, I assume that I am to lead.”
“And I couldn’t think of a better person to take the helm,” Yoshii said without skipping a beat. “You’ve certainly inherited your mother’s strength and resolve. With her wisdom and counsel, you will be unstoppable.”
“Thank you, Yoshii. I must say, I trust in your counsel as well. You too, Akiyama. Sometimes I think you and those in your faction are the only other bosses with the insight to advise me. I fear I’ve surpassed many of the other bosses.”
“Yes, and soon your knowledge will surpass even ours,” Yoshii said with solemnity. Tamazaki had to give him credit for keeping a straight face.
“A true prodigy,” Akiyama agreed.
“Besides, Chobei, with new leadership, we could possibly begin to incorporate some … fresh ideas,” Yoshii said haltingly. He hastened to continue, “Don’t get me wrong, your mother has been the perfect leader to heal the warring factions and consolidate the Kaisha. But her thinking on certain matters remains … behind the times.”
“I don’t hold it against you,” Chobei said. “In fact, I’m starting to feel the same way. What were you talking about?”
Yoshii and Akiyama exchanged a glance. Yoshii turned back to face Chobei.
“Well, I suppose the big one for us would be her ban on women. I’m not talking human trafficking or anything, we’re not monsters. But we know brokers around the world willing to send beautiful women here on tourist visas on a rotating basis. They get to make more money than they could at home working in our hostess clubs, and we get a fresh supply of beautiful women. Everyone comes out a winner. But it falls afoul of your mother’s strict code.”
Chobei nodded. “Seems reasonable. I could have a word with my mother—”
“No, please, don’t trouble yourself,” Yoshii said quickly. “That’s quite alright. You have plenty on your plate as it is. Just something to think about for the future, when you are in charge.”
“Then there’s the matter of not going behind the organization or its members,” Akiyama put in.
“A fine rule, to be sure,” Yoshii said. “But when a body has cancer, it needs to be excised.”
“Are you thinking of anyone in particular?” Chobei asked.
“Vasili Loginovski,” Yoshii and Akiyama said simultaneously.
Chobei looked thoughtful. “He’s perhaps a bit sanctimonious, I’ll give you that. But he’s a good boss, and an asset to the organization in that sense.”
“True enough,” Akiyama said. “But then, anyone with his territory would be a fool if they weren’t pulling in money. He’s got docks and major hubs like Shibuya, Roppongi, Ebisu, and everything in between.”
“He was instrumental in bringing your mother to power, which is about the only good thing to say for the man. But he’s too brash and arrogant for leadership.”
“To be sure, I don’t trust him the same way I trust you,” Chobei said. “It’s like he looks down on me. Doesn’t see me as an equal.”
“Our foreign friend has his moments as a boss—though fewer and farther between as he gets older—but he is and will always be an outsider. Your mother, wise woman that she is, was perhaps a bit hasty in giving him a seat at the table.”
“He does not necessarily understand the Japanese code of honor and respect that we live by,” Akiyama said.
“I share your doubts about Vasili,” Chobei said. “Though I must give him credit for helping me with the Taira-kai. Without his guarantorship in my dealings with them, things would not be going so smoothly.”
“He … his what?” Yoshii said, his eyes suddenly sharp.
“Vasili has vouched for me in my dealings with them. I appear to have overstepped my bounds, but he has offered to act as guarantor for me. Merely a temporary measure.”
Yoshii shot a brief but significant glance in Akiyama’s direction. He looked away just as quickly.
“How are things with the Taira-kai?” Yoshii asked.
“Peaceful, for the moment. Though I am not encouraged by their continual advances into my territory.”
“Nor should you be. I wonder if, perhaps, they aren’t testing your resolve?” Yoshii said innocently enough. Tamazaki noticed his sideways glance at Chobei while he sipped his champagne, as if gauging whether he had hit the mark.
“That would be foolish of them. They don’t have the men here to hold their position, should it come to hostilities.”
Tokyo Noir: The Complete First Season Page 47