All Cards on the Table

Kimiko Tamatsuki drove down the 305 highway, barely keeping control of her tiny Honda N-box, while committing the cardinal sin of reading her smartphone while driving. Oh, please don't pull me over; she kept thinking to herself as she zipped past one of the many highway patrol cars.

"...reports of an altercation causing traffic to back up along highways 25 and 305, people are advised to avoid the area as best they can...".

"...witnesses report seeing open fighting on the highway..."

Kimiko honked her horn as she pushed past other cars, turning onto the road heading to the northbound access. If the social media feeds were up to date, whatever was happening wasn't that far away, and she wanted to be there to see it for herself. With luck, she'll have a chance to get the most exciting Instagram snapshot in her life; one that would keep her online traffic coming back.

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Time stood still for a moment as Kyoko and Kyosuke's eyes met, and Kyoko quivered with uncertainty as she stumbled out of the trunk and onto her feet. Around them, cars streamed past them with abandon as Kyosuke escorted her to the motorcycle.

"We have to get going," he urged. "These two were part of a larger group and as soon as they don't report in, the rest will be headed this way."

Kyoko looked at the two men sprawled on the ground. "What happened to them?"

"They fell down," Kyosuke quipped with a bit more sarcasm than he intended as he got back onto the motorcycle, urging Kyoko to get on. "Get behind me and hold on tight."

Kyoko looked at the motorcycle's seat dubiously, "Um... are you just trying to get me to put my arms around you?"

"No, I'm trying to keep you from falling off when we get some distance from the men who tried to kidnap you," Kyosuke snapped with authority, as he gunned the motor.

Acceding to the situation, Kyoko climbed on the back half of the seat and wrapped her arms around Kyosuke's torso as he leaned forward and accelerated into traffic.

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Akito Yamamoto hung up the phone as he drove west across highway 20 towards Shinjuku City. If his contacts were to be believed, his targets were in the wind and needed to be secured as quickly as possible. This was supposed to be so easy, he fumed. No one was supposed to be hurt! He swore after that last incident with the club he would be the one to control the situation, no matter what it took.

It was a big part of why he had quietly supported the partnership with the Oyama syndicate. Of course he wasn't blind to their underworld dealings, but he was convinced that the devil you knew was better than the one who hunted you. Was that a mistake, he feared. He had assumed this kidnapping was the actions of one of Oyama's enemies, most likely General Tanaka's people. It was a logical conclusion; if kidnapping Kyoko caused the partnership to fail, then the Oyama syndicate would most likely fall. But if the men who did this terrible act turned out to be members of the Oyama crew, even if against orders, then this deal would fall solely on his head, that he would never be able to forgive himself.

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Kyosuke exited the 305 highway and searched for the nearest alleyway away from the public view before coming to a halt. It wasn't realistic to drive a motorcycle designed for one with a passenger if he had to potentially be dodging attackers before he could secure alternative transportation. He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Hello? Yeah, I found her and managed to get her out of immediate harm."

"Well, you better keep moving then because right now the word is out on the streets," Yoriyoshi's voice on the other end warned.

"Any hints on who did the kidnapping?" Kyosuke asked.

Yoriyoshi paused to make sure no one in the restaurant was listening in and lowered his voice. "Hard to say... Ikemoto-san's put out a statement vowing whoever's behind it is going to regret ever coming near his family. Oyama's people are claiming they'll make sure they'll get her back... not quite sure what they mean by that. Tanaka's are denying everything, but there are rumors that they've put out a bounty for anyone who brings her to their headquarters alive."

"Geez... how much?" Kyosuke whistled.

"What, are you seriously thinking about that?" Yoriyoshi exclaimed with disbelief.

"Course not," Kyosuke scowled. "I just want to know how hot a price I have on my head."

"Well, stay mobile," Yoriyoshi advised. "You're all over social media and there's no telling who's on who's payroll, so watch your back."

"Roger that, check back when we reach Minato then," Kyosuke said, ending the call.

Kyoko looked at Kyosuke with a mix of indignation and incredulity. "You said you were a cook...!"

Kyosuke tilted his head with disbelief, "You really want to do this now?" He paused to take a breath. "I told you the guys who took you have friends and the word's already out that they no longer have you, so we have to keep moving," he urged.

"Why did you lie to me?!" Kyoko demanded.

"I-I didn't lie to you," Kyosuke defended. "When I signed up with the Army, my MOS was 92G, a Culinary Specialist, a cook. Special Ops didn't come until later, and most of it, I'm not allowed to discuss anyway."

"You could have at least said something about... you know..." Kyoko threw up her hands in confusion.

"What did you want me to say? If I said I was a front-line infantry or Special Ops, would that have made any difference with how you saw me? Because it doesn't change how I live my life today; I'm not in the Army anymore, so whatever I did in the service is in the past. I...do work out of Hana noodle shop..." he hedged, then thought to himself, well, that's sort of true. He doubted she wanted to hear the full truth now or ever. "Right now, though, how about we get you home first, then you can decide whether you ever want to see me or not from the safety of your penthouse apartment and not with an army of goons looking to cash you in like a lottery ticket to the bigger syndicate boss."