My Yakuza A.J. Llewellyn (ebook reader with highlighter txt) 📖

metal grill. A man ran from between two buildings. He was dressed in a black jumpsuit and wore a knitted cap. He jumped into the back of the van as soon as the driver opened the rear door.

Shiro felt the sun exploding from inside his body.

Kono jumped beside him and sat down, grinning.

Chapter Seven

“Thank God almighty, Kono! Do you know what I’ve been through?”

“Ouch, your face looks bruised up. How did that happen?”

“Well, some of the boys got carried away, Kono, and he got some unintended street justice. He was taken in as a cop killer after all,” Jerrell said as the van sped off once more.

“A little bruised up? My entire body is bruised up! Your goons could have beaten me to death!”

“Feisty, isn’t he?” Jerrell asked leaning around Shiro to look at Kono.

“Well, it wouldn’t have been the same if the boys had been in on the know. Sorry.” Kono studied Shiro’s face. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“How’s your chest?”

“It hurts.”

Kono’s cheek muscles clenched. “He was tortured back in Japan. Remember?”

“Of course I remember.”

Kono undid the fastenings on Shiro’s bulletproof vest.

He slipped his hand under the folds of Shiro’s T-shirt and glanced at Jerrell.

“No bleeding, thank God.”

He glanced from Jerrell back to Shiro, his tone soothing.

“The Chief thought this operation was too valuable to be blown by a security leak so only one of the guys was let in on the truth. He was the one who stopped the beating. It was vitally important that everyone who saw what was transpiring before their eyes believed it was real. When you were put in the van just now, hundreds of photos were taken of your face and they’ll get back to Japan where they need to be believed.”

“Okay, I can understand that,” Shiro replied, a grudging tone to his voice. Then, “Well, I’m glad you’re happy with the plan because it wasn’t you getting your ass kicked, literally!”

Before Kono could respond, the van slowed down and turned into a garage and came to a stop. They heard giant doors being closed, then the back door opened. As the three men looked out, they saw two members of the anti-terrorist task force SWAT team standing a couple of feet from the back door.

They got out and Shiro’s chains and cuffs were taken off him. They led Shiro to a chair with bright lights over it where a man stood with a medical bag, waiting. Shiro resisted, looking imploringly at Kono. He was petrified that something very bad was about to happen to him.

Jerrell spoke up.

“It’s okay Shiro, I promised you that a doctor would look you over and he’s a doctor. Please…”

Shiro sat down, shaking, until it was apparent from the man’s actions that he was a doctor. He first checked over all of the recent bruises and contusions, then looked at Shiro’s chest.

“This is terrible, Lieutenant. Whoever did this should be behind bars,” the doctor stated.

“Or far worse,” Kono added. His hand went to Shiro’s shoulder, having a visibly calming effect on the young Hawaiian.

After the doctor gave Shiro two injections, one for tetanus, and the second shot being B-twelve, he gave him a couple of small local injections in the chest area and sutured the worst of the puncture marks. He okayed Shiro for further travel.

“Take these antibiotics. And don’t stop taking them even if you feel better.”

The doctor and Jerrell got into the van and left the scene to be dropped back in the city. Shiro and Kono walked to their new wheels, a Ford Tempo.

Kono checked the trunk. Plenty of clothes, emergency food and medical supplies and a brand new cell phone for each of them.

“What happened to my other one?” Shiro was dispirited. “What if my grandma tries to call me? What about my mom back in Tokyo?”

“Calm down, Shiro. All the numbers have been programmed into this phone,” Kono said. “We have to discuss what you’re going to say when you call Nobuo. By now, he has to know I’ve been killed.”

He slammed the trunk closed.

“So where are we going?”

“A little farther out on Long Island.”

They got into the car and Kono floored the gas.

“My arm’s a little sore,” Shiro complained as Kono took a sharp turn.

“Well, that’s an improvement. A little while ago, you said your entire body was sore, right?” Kono asked with a little laugh.

“Very funny. I mean the shots made my arm sore. That B-twelve shot hurt like hell.”

“It was for your own good. Now we have to lie low and check in once in a while with my boss.”

“I need to call my grandma.” Shiro’s glance was fearful. “Can I call her?”

Kono thought about it. “Well, we’ll see. You’re supposed to be in custody, remember?”

“Yes, but I’m allowed a phone call and my new cell phone’s untraceable. Right?”

“Right. We’ll work out exactly what you should say to her, too.”

Kono leant back, eyes on the road.

“You look damned good for a dead guy.”

Kono grinned.

“I feel pretty damned good. Let’s get checked into the hotel and relax. It’s been a stressful twenty-four hours.”

“You’re telling me! Oh, and remember, no dumps for a hotel. You said Sheraton!”

Kono smiled. “Yes, I promise, no dumps. But it’s no Sheraton, either. It’s a very nice vacation rental in Centerport Harbor, near the town of Sunken Meadow. It’s a really nice room with ocean views, a balcony where we can watch the boats sail by.”

“And you’re sure it’s nice?”

“Fantastic.”

“How did you find this place?”

“My boss has a time share there. He organised for some food to be delivered. Of course, we can do some shopping in a couple of days once the dust settles.”

“Okay.” Shiro grinned. “I’ll wait to kick up a stink once I get a look at the place. The last one was flea-infested.”

“We’ll have a nice dinner tonight. Will that make you happy?”

“After what your cops did to me since I ‘murdered’ you, about the only thing that would make me happy would be for you to fuck me!”

Kono’s head snapped around to