The end of the work week, when Li had killed Mark Gabby just the week before, this was the turn of the week. The radio DJ, known as Veteran Child, was expected to meet with, to turn in his end of the income of sales to his boss, the Sons of Samedi leader, The General.
Veteran Child was up early, much too early for his taste, well before the sun showed itself to warm the winter skies over Stilwater. Just as he was going to complain about having to stand out in the cold, as he does every two weeks, an elaborately detailed green Hounfor pulled up just in front of him, the door opening by itself, sent a chill colder than outside up the DJ's spine.
"Morning. General… Mr. Sunshine." He murmured and nodded once he sat, grateful for the warmth inside of the modified hearse.
"Good Morning." The smooth Caribbean accented leader of the Sons of Samedi greeted in return. "I know it is early for you, but money never sleeps." He chuckled, taking a puff of his cigar. Mr. Sunshine snorted as he turned away from Veteran Child. He disliked the young man, but because of his usefulness to his commander, left the young man be.
With a nod of his head, Veteran Child nodded as well. He wanted to go back to bed, well smoke a bowl, and then go back to sleep. The General offered a drink to his lieutenant across from him.
"No thank you, sir."
The General smiled and nodded, ready to get down to business. "Well, shall I ask, how have the week's profits been?"
Veteran fished in his pocket, leaned over in the tailored limo, handing a few wads of wrapped bills to General's second, watched as Mr. Sunshine passed the bills over to their Boss.
Feeling the heft, or lack thereof, The General frowned. "I feel there are many singles where there should be fifties. Was there a problem?" Holding the thick wad, gauging the weight. He showed genuine concern as he looked at the DJ.
Veteran Child agreed, he wiped his hands on his pants, "Yes, about that.. I… Well, I couldn't get a hold of some of my guys."
Handing the money back to Mr. Sunshine for safekeeping, looked puzzled, the question on his even swarthy face, "Do these men, they steal from the General?"
Panicked, the man instantly covered for his boys. "No. NO! I'm not saying they are stealing from you at all, it seems to be…." To see Mr. Sunshine was holding a conversation with The General as Veteran was speaking to clear up this matter, and his rudeness has now pushed the young DJs patience, "Yo, Papa Shongo, I'm talkin' to The General!"
The look that crossed the one called Mr. Sunshine was anything but, his face twisted so that it would have curdled fresh milk on the spot, he turned his head, setting his eerie light brown eyes to V.C. "Out d'ere you may be popular DJ, Veteran Chile, but in ere ya do well ta rememba yer place."
That was a warning if there was one ever heard, and it's something about this man that sent V.C. into a silent rage, "My place… Who the fu-? Man, fuck off!" V.C bit back, ready to fight the man. He is too terrified to cross in broad daylight, let alone a darkened alley. Testing the net he knows only extends as the General sat to mediate.
The General placed a hand on his long-time friend's shoulder, stilling him. "My friends, please, let's be civil. Veteran Child, please look into the matter about the missing money… If one of your bag boys is indeed alive, I have heard of recent incidents. Take one of his hands… I doubt he would dare to be late again." The General chuckled, as this was a trifle easy to remedy.
The look of horror on V.C's face said it all, he sputtered, before he found his voice. "Y-y-, What! You want me to cut off some dudes' hand?"
The General smiled as he raised his hands. "If he stole from me, he needs to learn, yes?"
"Yeah, I guess… Yeah, that… um… makes sense." The man was not wrong. They could count it as a warning for someone like his boss.
"Is dis a problem?" Mr. Sunshine glared at the boy nearest him. Another hand on his arm stilled him. Silence again with a soft pat on his shoulder.
The General with a nod. "If your bag boy is not alive, we have a greater problem." The cool accent of The General has made the hairs stand up on the back of V.C's neck.
If V.C. thought that Mr. Sunshine was creepy, the look that the jade green-eyed General just gave him sent his soul from his body. Veteran Child swallowed hard. "I got this. Yeah, I got this." He was shaking. 'Please let Gabby be alive.' They drove in silence until they dropped V.C. off at the studio.
~*Philips Building.*~
The top floors of the skyscraper had the best view of Stilwater. The "face" of Ultor, the Head of Special Projects, Dane Vogel. A man who was driven to bring to the rest of Stilwater the glory he brought to Saints Row after Richard Hughes' death.
From sun up to sun down, Dane works tirelessly to build "A brighter future and a better life." As is the Ultor Motto entailed. Presently Dane was preparing for the meeting with one of the handpicked employees who was a major credit to the Ultor team, the Head of Security one Dexter Jackson, former Strategist of the Third Street Saints.
The intercom buzzed, breaking the silent musings of the department head. "Mr. Vogel, Mr. Jackson to see you."
"Thank you. Send him in Jamie." Dane rose from his leather-backed swivel chair and adjusted his tie. The door opened, welcoming Dex into the modest plush office that overlooked the city.
"Good Morning Mr. Vogel, how are you?" Dex greeted with an extended hand.
Clasping hands, Dane smiled. "Please, no formalities. Dane is fine."
"Thank you, Dane." Dexter chuckled.
Dane gestured to a seat at the coffee table as he sat opposite. "Good, very good, actually. It's been a while. How's the family?"
"I have no complaints at all. The coffee samplers you sent last month, Ava has not stopped gushing about it, had to order two boxes because she loves mixing them."
As Dex was filling Dane in on the gift he gave, Jamie walked in with cups of freshly brewed coffee, placing one down in front of Dex then the other to Dane, leaving the tray with milk, creamers, and sugars as quietly as she entered.
"That's wonderful, absolutely wonderful. You tell her I hope she makes it to the Holiday party. But I must admit, I called you here for something not work-related. Can you believe it?" Chuckling as he adjusted himself in his chair pouring some cream and sugar, "I have a question for you, though."
Curious, Dex watched while pouring sugar into his mug. Dane went around to his desk, reaching into his desk drawer pulling from it a folder. When Dane sat back with a sigh, placing it on the table, Dex raised an eyebrow with a sort of smirk frown on his face.
"You can ask me anything. I'll do my best to answer."
"Good, I was hoping you'd say that. Here." Sliding the folder to the man across from him, Dex placed his cup down and handled the folder, flipping it open, his brows drawn together.
"She's beautiful if I were a few years younger and not married… wait… Kyouki?" A color photograph of her entering the nightclub the other day, and at the mall with the girls, was there for Dexter to see.
Dane's eyes lit up, raising them expectantly in anticipation. "Oh, you know her?"
"Yeah I did, once, she… she's dead. I mean, the woman here looks just like a friend of mine who died." Dex shook his head. He had to admit, she is undoubtedly a knockout, but he remembered the night she died, or thought she died?
"No, those are from the other night. Her name is Kyouki."
It was Dexter's turn to look at Dane in question. "She was a... Is... a good friend of mine, from my street gang days. I did not know she was alive." 'How is she alive?' He flipped through the photos of Kyouki as he sat, seeing the brown-skinned woman next to her. There was no doubt it was Kyouki when a photo of Gat and her with Ramon was at their garage. It was then he knew it was indeed Kyouki amongst the living. "You wanted to know about her, right, if I may be frank?"
Dane licked his lips and smiled. "Would you be willing to tell me everything you know about her?"
Dex's eyes narrowed, he felt slighted, no matter what he does, Kyouki is the ghost subject, with Julius she took over as leader, commanding respect from even the stray gang members of rival gangs, and now his new boss she is back to ruin shit again for him.
"Kyouki 'Li' James, Japanese born with martial arts training. Honestly, if she were around during the time you looked me up, she would run the Masako, or training them." He was being honest. Part of him wishes she would have stayed dead.
"Hm, James." Dane rubbed his chin in thought.
Dex cleared his throat. "I can't tell you much else about her. She has always been mysterious, really. She is a good kid, big heart. Lived with her grandmother down by the marina, and she was dating Troy Bradshaw."
"Chief of Police Bradshaw?" Vogel was surprised.
Dex nodded. "Yeah, he might be better off asking. They were closer." Handing the folder over. Still shocked to see her, he had been so busy involved with his life, the city, and projects that Dane had set up, he knew nothing of the outside, just what's in the papers.
Dane reached for the folder, taking it back from Dex. "I will, thank you. You helped more than you know. I may have something special for you soon. Please, finish your coffee. Tell me anything else, if it comes to mind." Dane raised his mug, as Dex raised his in agreement.
Dane was now thinking about how he was going to get to meet this mystery woman, Kyouki. He had been fantasizing about her since bumping into her those months ago, and he was keen to bump into her more, so now he has a last name that "Li" didn't provide.
~
With coffee and conversation concluded, Dexter excused himself and headed back to his office. Walking through the corridors, he looked around. For the past several years, he has lived a better life than that of when he was running with the dead-end street hustle.
He did, however, pull a Kyouki and moved his family out a year after he started working for the Ultor Corporation. He was Head of Security for the whole of the Ultor executives; Dexter also oversaw the recruitment of men and women who were to be a part of the elite team known as the "Masako".
Dexter did not want to lose this position and if Dane Vogel was looking for Kyouki, possibly to replace him. He heard nothing of her revival. That is that he focuses solely on work more than the outside world. It got him wondering if Troy knew she was alive.
~*July of 95'*~
Troy came in and saw Li was sitting with Dex as they went over how to lure out Angelo Lopez. "Aye, I got a lead on where the Los Carnales cut all their shit."
Dex didn't bother to look up. "The Carnales."
"Wha?" Troy's brows knitted. "Huh?"
"Rio Grande. Jesus." Rolled his eyes as he looked at Troy with his hands out waiting for the man to catch what he said. Li looked between them both like it was a tennis match, and Troy was on the losing side.
Troy's face scrunched even more confused as he shrugged. "What the fuck?"
Dex threw his hands up in frustration. "It's LOS Carnales or THE Carnales… you know what? Never mind, this idiot wouldn't know Spanish if Alejandro himself woke from the dead to give a Spanish lesson."
Dex stormed out of the office with Li watching on, absolutely floored. Dex just blew up.
Shocked that they never even considered it a possibility because, if you know Dex, he remains the most level-headed out of the four of them.
"You should have known better, Dex has been on this for a while… even before me, but, quick Spanish lesson… Los and The are interchangeable, but you cannot put them in the same..." Li stopped mid-sentence, seeing Troy looking even more confused with what Li was saying along with Dex's outburst, she patted his shoulder without another word and left after Dex.
~
Once outside, Li caught Dex about to leave. It wasn't like him to blow his top like that, even at Johnny, with who he stays frustrated.
"Dex, you good?" Li asked as soon as she settled in the passenger's side.
Dex just sighed as he looked out the window of the car, waiting for her to buckle up. "Yeah, just tired. Let me ask you a question. Why are you here?"
"Cause you look like you need to talk."
"No, why are you running with the Saints?"
Li nodded, understanding. "Oh, because Julius and Troy saved my life."
"Is that all?" Dex smirked. He knew they saved her life, but didn't think that was the sole purpose for running with a gang.
Li nodded. "Yeah. My turn. Why are you here?"
That question echoed, but to hear Li say it, Dex was not sure if he should even tell Li that they offered him a position with Ultor Corp. It would get him out of the headache that he was already in and make an honest living instead of dealing with the shit he knew he was too smart for.
"Because I want to clean the streets." He answered finally, as they pulled up to get something to eat.
"A very honorable pursuit, and once that's done, then what? I don't think this is something you plan to do for the rest of your life, right?"
Dex looked over to Li. "How old are you?"
"Just turned 15."
"You should be in school." Pulling up to a Freckle Bitches.
"Spring break, and this is my club after school."
"What?"
"You know, a… umm… ok, in Japan teens join after school groups, cooking, archery, tennis. The Saints are now my after school group. I am honorably helping clean the streets, too." Li smiled up at him.
Dex snorted, returning her smile and laughed, "Alright, thanks. So what will you do once the streets are clean?"
Without hesitating, she knew what she was going to do. It's part of the reason she tries to not make friends with her new best friends, or even like the guy who helped save her life.
"Nihon no furusato." The girl said with a sigh.
Dex looked at her, puzzled. "What does that mean?"
"It means, home to Japan." She reached into the bag and pulled out some fries.
"You make it sound like a bad thing. I thought you were born here?" The light was green, and they drove on. Dex nodded. He knows things, knows she'll be off for some months once summer break hits. She would be gone maybe for good when she leaves one day. "I won't say anything to the guys, especially Johnny. Let's get these streets clean."
"No. They brought me here. Hold up now, you want me gone? And why Johnny?"
Dex couldn't believe she didn't know, and now he knows she is really one lucky kid. She doesn't need to be in this racket either. "Yeah, you're too young to be running with a gang." Reaching in the bag, he pulled out his burger.
~*November of 98'*~
Ky said good night to him as Dex nodded, returning hers with his goodbye. The sun was setting over Stilwater; he pulled his phone out, dialing Li's boyfriend.
"What's up, Dex?"
"Drop it, I know you're a cop..."
It took a moment for Troy to process what Dex had just said. "The fuck are you talking about?"
"Come on, man, who you think you're talkin' to? The tactics, your constant questions, the police station thing, your shitty ass haircut...you got cop written all over you."
This pause took longer. Troy swallowed and sighed heavily. "So, what are you gonna do?"
"Nothin." Dex could go after Li in that second, telling her Troy just admitting what he had been thinking for the longest time now. "I highly doubt you want your girlfriend to find out. You know how temperamental she can be."
Troy's heart stopped at the mention of Li. "What?"
"I'm out Troy. Ultor offered me a job. I'm droppin' my flags and goin' straight. Just want to make sure that we're not gonna have a problem. I won't mention it to Li. She just left here while I'm speaking to you. I can still catch her if you want…"
Hearing nothing but silence on the other end, Dex confirmed Troy was a cop, and he watched Li drive to who knows where. This was no longer his problem. He packed the rest of his things and slipped off with no one questioning him.
~*September.*~
'Dex, I'm heading out. I'll see you tomorrow night.'
That was what he heard Kyouki say two weeks before he left for his new job. He stood overlooking the city from the temporary corner office as the news reported the explosion of Richard Hughes' yacht.
He knows it was Kyouki who would be crazy… no, vindictive enough to blow him up. He backed her into a corner when she had been forced to murder the previous Mayor Marshall Winslow. Hughes didn't know that Li fumed about it for months, coming to Dex because of how she had to kill Winslow.
'How can I kill Hughes? He deserves to rot!'
Pulling his old cell from his pocket, he doesn't know why he still carries it around, maybe for sentimental reasons, he figured. He turned it on. The second it booted up messages he saw from Kyouki, six missed messages, not too bad. He went to open the last message from her.
Dexter! Dinner at Mimi's you coming? <
Then, like a flood, message after message hit his phone to the point of glitching from today alone, people from his crew looked and were looking for him, messages from all the Soldiers in the crew, save for Johnny, and Troy.
Yo Dex where U @, Li is dead from that explosion! <
That's when he learned Kyouki was in the explosion as well.
'Home to Japan.'
He felt his eyes sting, wiped a rogue tear. She went home in the worst way. She cleaned the streets and was going to go home. Julius gave up and let her lead when that mantle was supposed to come to him.
'What are you doing here? You aren't going to still do this for the rest of your life, right?'
He took her words and took the offer presented to him. He got out and went to keep the streets clean. Gathering himself, he went to Dane Vogel's office, knocking on his door.
"Oh Dexter, what can I do for you?"
"Yes, the security you want setup doesn't have a name. I think I have one." Dane gestured for Dex to continue. Dex cleared his throat. "How about Masako? It means Justice in Japanese."
"Wow, that's an illustrious name. Any reason?"
"No, no reason. Night Mr. Vogel."
~*S.R.1*~