Vigilance
Explorer
“Hong Kong Knights, Part 3: Lessons”
Kata pulled up into the parking lot of the Enkai.
Despite the rain he was wearing only a black t-shirt, refusing to wear a jacket other than his Shinku Kobushi jacket which that bitch had ruined the night before. Weaving through the Lincolns and Cadillacs waiting for valet parking, he pulled his bike around back, pausing briefly to meet the gaze of a hard-eyed teppodama holding a barely concealed Uzi under a rain-slicked trenchcoat. He stopped at the door before another guard, one seemingly cut from the same block of granite as the one who guarded the entryway to the rear parking area and stated his business, “I need to see Mr. Takamitsu.”
The guard just grunted and knocked on the door. It opened into a small room where three more guards stood at the ready. One of the guards went deeper into the labyrinth that made up the back of the Enkai while Kata waited in silence, shivering in the air conditioned club.
Shogu stood motionless in the dimly lit room. His vision narrowed until he saw nothing other than his target. The sound of his breathing became the only sound, it’s measured beat like a metronome to a dance inside his heart. His katana was tucked into his belt the way the ancient Iaijutsu masters wore their blades. The metronome quickened, and with a Kiai he began to run. At the last possible instant he drew his sword. Like lightning the blade arched over his head and came crashing down on his target, the arm of a headless corpse stretched out on a table, severing meat and bone cleanly. In an instant he had cleaned his blade and resheathed it. Only after he had turned his back did a servant scurry from the darkness on the far side of the room and retrieve the severed arm, ferrying it into away. Shogo turned and stood motionless, once again facing his target.
The door behind him opened and Kata slipped in. He crossed his wrists behind his back and lowered his gaze, waiting in silence. After a moment Shogu turned to face the boy. “Where is your jacket, Kata?”
Kata stood completely still, never raising his eyes to look at his superior, “There has been a problem, Oyabun. I need guns…”
The backhanded smack rocked Kata back on his heels. He kept his arms crossed behind his back, his gaze lowered.
“You have all that you need Kata. You and your bosozuku must maintain a low profile until we have established ourselves here. You assured me you could do this. You have all that you need. If you cannot cement control of the streets, I will find someone who can.”
Kata nodded, remaining motionless as Shogu talked momentarily with a servant, who scurried quickly into the darkness and returned.
He handed Kata a small knife with a string tied around it.
“Now go.”
Kata pulled up into the parking lot of the Enkai.
Despite the rain he was wearing only a black t-shirt, refusing to wear a jacket other than his Shinku Kobushi jacket which that bitch had ruined the night before. Weaving through the Lincolns and Cadillacs waiting for valet parking, he pulled his bike around back, pausing briefly to meet the gaze of a hard-eyed teppodama holding a barely concealed Uzi under a rain-slicked trenchcoat. He stopped at the door before another guard, one seemingly cut from the same block of granite as the one who guarded the entryway to the rear parking area and stated his business, “I need to see Mr. Takamitsu.”
The guard just grunted and knocked on the door. It opened into a small room where three more guards stood at the ready. One of the guards went deeper into the labyrinth that made up the back of the Enkai while Kata waited in silence, shivering in the air conditioned club.
Shogu stood motionless in the dimly lit room. His vision narrowed until he saw nothing other than his target. The sound of his breathing became the only sound, it’s measured beat like a metronome to a dance inside his heart. His katana was tucked into his belt the way the ancient Iaijutsu masters wore their blades. The metronome quickened, and with a Kiai he began to run. At the last possible instant he drew his sword. Like lightning the blade arched over his head and came crashing down on his target, the arm of a headless corpse stretched out on a table, severing meat and bone cleanly. In an instant he had cleaned his blade and resheathed it. Only after he had turned his back did a servant scurry from the darkness on the far side of the room and retrieve the severed arm, ferrying it into away. Shogo turned and stood motionless, once again facing his target.
The door behind him opened and Kata slipped in. He crossed his wrists behind his back and lowered his gaze, waiting in silence. After a moment Shogu turned to face the boy. “Where is your jacket, Kata?”
Kata stood completely still, never raising his eyes to look at his superior, “There has been a problem, Oyabun. I need guns…”
The backhanded smack rocked Kata back on his heels. He kept his arms crossed behind his back, his gaze lowered.
“You have all that you need Kata. You and your bosozuku must maintain a low profile until we have established ourselves here. You assured me you could do this. You have all that you need. If you cannot cement control of the streets, I will find someone who can.”
Kata nodded, remaining motionless as Shogu talked momentarily with a servant, who scurried quickly into the darkness and returned.
He handed Kata a small knife with a string tied around it.
“Now go.”
