"The coldest temperatures of the season are expected in parts of the Northeast through this weekend. Low temperatures will be ten to twenty-five degrees colder than average through the Christmas Weekend for much of Stilwater. High temperatures will be about five to fifteen degrees below average.
This translates to highs in the teens and twenties, with some thirties toward the mid-Atlantic. Low temperatures will range from the single digits below zero to the teens from Steelport and Stilwater northward. Although it will freeze, we expect these temperatures to be record-breaking.
Cold plus windy equals blustery. With only high temperatures only in the lower twenties, Northeasterly wind gusts to forty-five mph, slamming the coast. It's only our second real cold snap of this winter season - Jack Fro…"
~
Li turned the tv off as she stood in her bedroom in Purgatory. No one needed to tell her it was cold, she could feel it coming. More than anything, she hated the cold now. She could see herself just hiding away, burrowing into her thick comforters.
Thoughts from when her Obachan told her stories from the days she was little back in Japan, always saying, ' Aomori hodo samui tokoro wanai'
Li smiled in thought. She snorted. "No place is colder than Aomori, my ass Obachan." As she finished braiding her hair in a single loose braid, wrapped it around her neck once, placed her fluffy black earmuffs on and pulled a black fuzzy hat on overtop, normally she could stand the cold, but since the accident, it seemed like she couldn't stay warm now that it got colder out.
Scarf, check, gloves, check, oversized hoodie, winter jacket, double check, two layers of pants; she stepped from her warm room, mind going over her next checklist.
Few important things to do today, one to collect her pending gifts at the mall and a few more things she thought to get. And two, get some extra food, snacks, and drinks for Aisha's house. Gat had been riding her ass about coming to the house because of the storm that was said to be coming. He stooped so low as to drag Aisha in on it, knowing she wouldn't refuse her.
'Another day.' She told herself. To think about what she was missing, or she was refusing to see. If Gat wasn't talking about it, she needn't think about it. "Alright, need to…. get… oh shoot!" Looking at her watch, she remembered Ren would normally head out around this time to Ish's.
Quickly shooting out a text to Ren, making sure things were good for her and her mom for the rest of the week, and to have Ren stay home, as it was much too cold for her to be out. Ren responded and sent a picture of her home gaming.
With one done, she shot out a text to Aisha and Johnny. They got the message she will be there later as she had to finish up at Purgatory, making sure the few Saints living there will have everything they need.
Kyouki made the morning rounds on the main floor, locking the liquor up, making certain there were enough cases of water. Quickly text her crew, the Lieutenants, had Shaundi head to Aisha's, then quadruple telling Carlos and Ramon to stay home with their family.
Finally, she texted Brian for him to meet her in Purgatory. She convinced him to come with her, inviting him to spend the holidays at Aisha's too, after already spending Thanksgiving with the Saints crew. Locking her room door as Brian was greeting her.
"Morning Ky."
Shocked, with a smile of greeting. "Morning… that was fast." Looking at her phone as she sent the message only two minutes before. Walking to her office, she did the last minute check if there were any messages, or anything that needed her immediate attention, before she left for the weekend.
He chuckled. "I was already on my way here. You got mail at the apartment."
"Oh, okay, thanks." She locked up her office. She leaned over the balcony railing. "Guys, I'm heading out. If you need anything call, don't text. Christmas food in the fridge all the trimmings just needs to warm. Merry HOLIDAYS!!"
"Merry Christmas Boss, Thanks!"
Li smiled as she tugged Brian along. Brian watched Li check the fridge and freezer in the remodeled mission kitchen. She looked through the cabinets, checking the heat, making sure everything was in place, and the crew that stayed there had wanted for nothing. She cares about the people she knows.
Another tug and they were heading up and greeting people, taking refuge in the mission from the cold. The wind whipped the door open from her hand. Li squeaked in surprise, grunted in agitation.
"Boss you aight? Boss?" came from the guards watching the doors.
A muffled. "Yes." answered them. Pulling the guys inside into the much warmer building. Trotting to the garage, she fumbled with her keys, pulling a glove off, braving the cold. She got the door opened, then pressed the starter on her car.
"Welcome Ky - sama."
Li sighed, pointed to the car for Brian to get in, and opened the heavy bay door so she could get out. She got in the car swiftly, pulled out, and Brian hopped out. He quickly darted into the garage, pulled the door back down, and came out fast, ensuring it was locked behind him.
"Thanks. Did you lock it?" When he sat back in the passenger's seat.
"Yeah, not that complicated. I see you don't like the cold."
Pulling off, she nodded. The car was just warming up, and she switched on the seat warmers. "Yeah, since my accident I just noticed from before Thanksgiving, I take longer to warm up. Or stay warm."
"Happened with my mom, said she was getting older."
Li snorted, taking off her hat and loosened her scarf. "Truth be told, I'm still thinking I'm eighteen. I just missed a few birthdays. Five years of my life, poof."
"What happen?"
"I 'died' in an explosion five years ago."
Brian looked at her and was shocked. "My condolences."
Li snickered. They chatted about Brian and his life before stopping in Stilwater. As they pulled into the mall's underground parking garage.
"Brian, can I ask you what's it like being undercover for so long?"
"Ah, you're always the outsider, or in my case, the Buster." He chuckled. "But we parted ways."
Li listened as she went to her first stop. "So, what made the cop, the ex cop?"
"I let my mark go."
Li paused for all of a millisecond. "Let the mark go, huh?" Troy let her go, but the Saints on a whole were his mark. He accomplished that. He was a friend, also a foe.
"It was almost hard to come clean. I fell in love too, so there was that. It was to save her brother's life and his friends. It was a tough call. Tougher when I made the call when we almost lost one. I had to watch one die."
Li's eyebrows rose. She knew how it felt, intimately. "Yeah, I know that song. Sorry to hear that. Your girl is pretty?"
Brian chuckled, head lowered blushing, Li chuckled with him. She thought maybe it was a tough call for Troy, maybe it was hard for him to come clean, maybe, just maybe, she could have taken the time to listen to him. But Troy had time. He had plenty of time to talk to her and let her know what was up with him.
Li continued to pepper him with questions about his days working for the other side of the law. It was then Brian got the feeling she could be looking for something with her questions. As Li just went from store to store getting her parcels.
It didn't fully register just how close his thought was until she asked. "Do you miss her, or think she misses you, even though you lied to her and everyone else?"
Brian saw the faraway look in her eye. Someone she misses or lied to and hurt her? "I do, but me being away keeps her and the others safe. I'm now the Mark." He saw her look at him with those oddly fascinating honey colored hazel eyes that looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but with a smile she nodded.
"Anything you ever need, you call, I got you. Might need to Canonize you."
Look of worry flashed across his face.
~*King's Grocery, Tidal Spring*~
The ride to gather groceries was the next on her list. Finding a spot closer to the doors was lucky. It was still early. Many people were out, but not so much for the lot to be crowded. Coming to the doors, they shushed open, grabbing a cart headed to get drinks, juices, and water. Some beers for the guys, wine for Ish. They picked up several types of meats for dinner for the next two nights.
Last stop was the vegetable section, just a few things for sides. She prepared dinners, lunches and breakfasts mentally, as they turned the corner. Just who she didn't need to see standing there.
Troy was in the fruit and vegetable section, idly looking at heads of lettuce. He saw her Hayat in the parking lot; he pulled in and went to where she would come last. Kyouki's food shopping habit is the same. He waited. Li froze to the spot.
"What's wrong?" Brian asked, looking between her and the man she was fixated on.
Swinging the cart around her pulse raced, she wanted to shoot him. "I gotta get outta here." She started to sweat. Going to an open register, she pulled out a couple of hundreds. Handing them to the cashier, she hurried out of the door, with Brian rushing out after her.
"Who was that?"
"My ex."
"Had he hurt you?"
"No, just lied to me. Seeing him makes me want to hurt him." Pressing the key to unlock the car.
As she was quickly putting things in the trunk, Brian went back into the store. Before she could stop him, Troy exited the store, spotting her. "Ky."
"No, I still want to shoot you." She called out of sight behind the trunk.
"Just listen please, I just got a few questions. Nothing about us."
Li's eyes narrowed. She can allow some civility. Deep under breath, she pulled the trunk down. "Aight." she came around to stand at the driver's side door, feigning interest in what Troy, the Chief of police has to say.
Troy swallowed, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I found some information you might be interested in. There's this company, an LLC based in Japan, Too-iu Soo…. - Sue-kai."
Li rolled her eyes, snatching the paper in his hand. "Toiu Sukai. And no, I don't know it. Why, you're the cop." Handing the paper back to him. Her lips pursed in agitation.
He cleared his throat. "They were the buyers and sellers for the Rollerz. Thought you mi-"
"Thought what… I'd take them out?"
Troy flinched at her accusation. Part of him did, part of him didn't. "Look, Sharpe took Lin and tried with you cause you and her stopped their flow. I was just saying 'cause that's why Lin ain't with us."
Li reeled. "Us? Us. 'Us' are the Saints, 'Us' Was Julius, Dex, Johnny and me. 'Us' walked into a trap, 'Us' knocked unconscious, shoved in a trunk, and shot in the stomach, 'Us' heard Lin take her last breath!" Li inched closer, pointing at herself enraged.
Troy backed away slowly. "Ky, listen…"
"' Us' didn't lie for years on end. You don't get to talk about 'Us' or Lin ever!" She screamed at him.
Troy's face twisted. "She was my friend too!"
Li's eyebrows rose. Her anger was getting the better of her. "Friend, when? When you were trying to get in my panties, or when you were too busy being a cop?"
~
Brian came out, hearing her yelling. With two full bags in his hands, he saw a crowd looking on. The look on Li's face wasn't just anger, she was about to attack.
"I apologized, I'm sorry, I don't know what else to do… Ky, I…. You're right, I didn't just come for that, sorry, I wanted to say…"
But before he could say anything else, she drew back. Brian pushed his way through the crowd, reaching out to stop her swing. Li blindly jerked from Brian's hand and shifted her weight, kicking him in the stomach, sending him landing hard on the pavement. The bags lost their contents, spilling out.
Cops patrolling the area alerted as Li lunged at Troy. Expecting the attack, he grabbed her, turning her back to face him. "Baby, don't do this." he harshly whispered, going to push her atop the hood of her car.
"I'm not your baby, get the fuck off me," Li growled back. He didn't release her fast enough, Li slipping out of her winter jacket from his grasp, turning to face him. "I told you not to touch me!" she slapped him.
Troy's face fell. He hadn't a clue she would be this angry still. He was fairly certain it had to do with Johnny, feeding her information about what went down. Troy needed to explain. He gripped the jacket in his hands tighter. Ignoring the stinging, his cheek felt.
The two officers that were patrolling stopped. "Get your hands in the air and get down on the ground!"
"Pick one, in the air or on the ground. Won't be both." Li turned her glare to the hands on her hips.
"Ky, let me." Troy stepped up, handing her back her jacket. "Police Chief Troy Bradshaw, I have this." Flashing his badge as he stepped in front of Li, blocking her from view.
"Sorry, Chief, we didn't recognize you. Are you certain you got this?"
Spewing curses from behind him. "I also don't need your help with your cronies." Kicking Troy in his back sent him stumbling forward.
"Get down on the ground now!" One of the two armed officers shouted, drawing their firearms.
Troy stood tall, his arms spread. "Stand down, now!" He knew a few of his boys were trigger-happy, but it would do nothing but piss her off further. "I have the situation. Just get in the car and go or you'll be on desk duty!"
Brian made the connection, Troy. This was Troy, the cop that Johnny was close to shooting him for. Brian rushed getting the produce back into the bags and hurriedly strode up to Li. Facing her when he stood between the officers and her. "I brought some vegetables for you. 'We should go, I'm the mark on the run.'" He whispered into her ear.
"What… Shit. Yeah." She picked her jacket off the ground and threw it in, went to the back, popping the trunk, with Brain dropping the bags in as the patrol headed off as instructed.
"I'm sorry about that. You didn't need to get this, thanks." She was shaking, she wasn't thinking, she just kept muttering her apologies, her vision getting blurry. Reassuring her he was fine, Li just checked him over. "I wasn't thinking, just acted. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I get it." Brian nodded, checking her to see if she was good, too. Troy turned his attention back to Li, who was no longer behind him.
"Ky, you… Whose this?" Troy pointed at Brian.
Walking around Troy. "Funny, you sound like Johnny."
"Ky, please?" He was begging. He just wanted to talk to her, but now she wasn't alone.
She got to the driver's side door. "None of your fucking business." Going to get in, she then thought better of it. "Oh, and if you pull this shit again, I'll send Johnny after you to finish what he started." She got in, revving the engine.
Troy watched them speed off. He was hurt and angry. She already had someone new and threatened to send Gat after him. He punched the air in frustration, grunting. "Damnit!" He may as well have shot himself in the foot.