This entry is partically being written to explain something to Saul, but then in another sense.. it's meant to remind myself of everything I've been shuffling through in the past two years.
My idea of organized crime is probably shoved way over and twisted around as many times as possible. Even perhaps as I don't quite believe it myself at times, I can't shove away all the proof I've recieved.
Two years ago.. roughly around June 21st.. I met my best friend to this current date, Cande Best. [ I call her Yuuriko now.. ] It was through her that I met the man who I first knew as Isato. I only conversed with him now and then within the first year, mostly attaching myself to Cande. Her and I were the best of friends, and that was that. The first year that went by was a piece of cake, nothing really happened at all, fortunately. But it would be the summer of '03 where everything just spiraled down the drain.
Cande started talking to me about her past. I had told her practically everything about me, but she had only given me little pieces here and there. I didn't want to push her under no circumstances, because I saw what it did to her to have to speak about it. But eventually one day, she asked me if I wanted to know about her history.
Arlington, Virginia : Cande was about 7 or 8.. Her father and mother faught all the time, she got blamed for everything her sister did. They lived in a bad neighborhood, but it never phased her from venturing outside. When her sister and parents were asleep, she'd sneak outside to the park. She just wanted to be alone sometimes. Cande had stopped speaking at all.. and the school was threatening to intervene if something didn't happen soon. But sitting on that park swing alone, someone soon began to swing her. Looking behind she saw an asian man, from what she could make out, probably chinese. She didn't move away or was frightened while he did. This went on for a few minutes, before he stopped her and pulled her from the swing. She sat on the ground, and he crouched down beside her.
" Why are you so alone, aren't you scared? "
" Never. It doesn't matter. "
" Oh yes it does. You should be sleeping. Taking care of your family. "
He paused hearing a noise from behind, he reached for his hip and turned around. Seeing no one.. he turned back to her.
" This neighborhood isn't safe. You need to go back to your apartment and stay there. Be a good girl, talk to them in school, and take care of your family. That's the most important of them all. Take care of your family. "
" What do I call you? "
" Father. "
With that she ran off and back into her apartment. That was the first time she had ever spoken to anyone in months.
Soon after that she continued to progress well in school.. but every night she'd run back to the park.. and he'd push her on the swing. It was the first time she felt that she ever had any real family. That was the first time she had ever known, love.
One day, coming home from school, she opened the door hearing screaming. Her father was leaving them... and they had gotten an eviction notice. The neighborhood was deemed 'unfit' for children, and all families with children were ordered to vacate the premises. They were to be out my tomorrow morning.
Running to the park that night.. she sat in the swing crying. She didn't want to leave! What about her new friend? The only person that ever sheded any emotional love to her at all?
He came behind her like the nights before, but instead of swinging her, he came infront of her, crouching before her. The tears came down her cheeks.
"I dont want to leave. "
" Hush hush.. don't cry.. "
She lept from the swing into his arms, crying into his shoulder. He smoothed back her hair. She felt his muscles freeze as there soon came voices behind them. He whispered quickly, thick in accent, to her now.
" One day, I'm going to come back for you. And you will have the choice to either continue the life you live now, or come and join me. Always take care of your family. Don't forget me. Grow up to be a strong young woman. Now go. Run, and don't look back. "
It was with that she ran, tears streaming down still. Her body convulsed as she heard gunshots from behind her, she started to turn her head.. but she heard his voice in her mind. " Dont look back.. "
Later on she confronted her mother.
" Mom, why did we ever move out that Arlington Apartment? "
" Oh.. there was the Chinese Mafia living in the side apartments. It was dangerous. "
And this was the beginning to an explaination and promise that was yet to come.
Within the month that she told me this.. she also let me in on a little detail herself. Isato? The man that was barely there and I conversated every now and then? He was an assassin. With all this information at once.. I was blown away. I didn't dare to ask questions.
It would be the last week of July '03.. that every bit of information that I had learned, would fall into play. Cande fearfully told me one night that two men had stepped up to her front yard.. and asked to talk to her. She agreed, and met them halfway. Shoving a gun into her side.. they asked her questions now.
" Do you know the man you're associating with, He's dangerous?"
" Aren't you? "
No answer.
" Where's your father? "
She faultered, confused.
" Father? My deadbeat father left my family along time ago. "
" Oh dont fucking play coy with me.. "
A needle was stuck into her arm, injection soon going into her blood stream.
" Stay away from the japanese boy. "
Slowly she drifted off to sleep..
The next morning, Cande told me she woke up in her own bed. Much of it seemed like a dream, almost like it had never happened. Of course I continued to panic myself. At the same time, Cande would tell me how heart broken she was. She loved Isato, had told him.. but he couldn't return her love. At that point, I really didn't get the point like I do now. Cande told me that I couldn't tell Kei about the two men. I asked her why?.. and then she told me finally, she knew what they wanted.
The guys who had been there the night before, were looking for 'father.' The man from Arlington. The man who said he'd be back for her, to give her a chance. And they knew about Isato and what she was getting into. She was so confused.. everything was coming all at once. All I could do was listen to what she had to say and comfort her, fearing when the men would be back for her next.
Perhaps a week.. a few days after that night.. I lose count after awhile.. Cande was so frustrated with Isato that she took a walk. Going to the park and sitting on the swing was her tradition over the years to blow off steam. A man came beside her.. the same man from the pair that had come the night before. He shoved her from the swing, onto the ground, atop of her.. gun pointed at her temple.
" Why aren't you afraid of me? "
" Your nothing to be afraid of. "
" Oh and you think this gun isn't something to be afraid of. I can see why he liked you now, even as a little girl. "
Silence.
" What do you want? Why can't you just leave me alone. "
" I must do more then that. Oh you'll see. Come back here, in an hour, or I'll kill you and everyone you've ever loved. That girl in Kentucky? Your japanese lover boy in Florida? All of them. "
He got off her and walked away. Sitting there in the dark.. she cried again.. like the time she had long ago.. when she had to move from Arlington, and he gave her that promise.
At this point, I was absolutely freaked. I couldn't do a damn thing to help here and these men were crawling all over the place. Talking to Isato.. I said nothing, waiting for Cande to finally return. And when she did.. her words were troubling.. brief.. every bit of it only worried me more. She said only that I wasn't to tell Isato anything, and that she'd be back soon. I begged her not to go. I pleaded.. I cried.. But she left. And I went into a flying warpath.
Isato didn't know that I knew of his occupation. At times I forgot, I didn't really believe it anyway. An assassin in this day and age? This stuff was only for James Bond movies at the box office, none of this was ever real life.. right? But as I talked to him.. he asked me one question, and he said that I had to answer it before he could help.
" If you can tell me what I do for a living, I'll lift the shade. "
" You're an assassin. "
" Well you're as knee deep in the rising water as she is. "
From that night on, I've known Isato as Keisuke Isato Narukage [ although this isn't his real name. This was simply the name his sister knew him as, so he kept it because she liked it. ] and there has been very few secrets between us.
Shortly after I filled him in on everything.. from the strange men, to her past that she told me about.. He sent an agent out to watch over her. This is the woman known as Oracle, the eyes and ears of Keisuke's team.
But back to Cande. She walked slowly to the swings, fear trembling through her. Gunshots fired causing her to jump, not far from where she was headed to. Finally reaching her destination she found it empty.. the man wasn't where he said he would be. Turning around she walked back towards her house, confused and upset.. Eyes were cast down to the sidewalk, arms crossed around her chest. But it was a pair of arms that stopped her from going any further. Looking upward.. she began to cry. It was him. After twelve years.. he had come back. She hugged him tight and just cried.. release.. Finally.
" The men, the two men they were after me.. what if they come back.. they want you, they--.. "
" Shh. Don't worry about them. Everything is taken care of. Do you remember what I told you all that time ago? "
" That you'd be back? "
" Yes. I said I would be back.. and I would offer you a chance. "
" But I can't.. not now.. my family.. Courtney.. and Keis-.. " She stopped.
" Yes.. I know about him.. don't worry about it. If he's your choice, that's fine. Know the price that comes with it though. I know you have a lot on your shoulders. Finish school.. take care of your family. But know that the offer still stands until you decline. "
" Mm father.. "
She held him tightly. Letting her go he kissed her forehead..
" Go.. and dont look back. "
Running to her house.. she never looked back.
Eventually this started the friendship deep between Keisuke, Cande, and Myself. We were a trio.. if one was going through something we all went through it. This continued through the rest of the summer.. but Cande's heart grew steadily worse. Slowly and slowly I learned " The Firm's " [ This is what I call Keisuke's work. Ever seen the movie, The Firm starring Tom Cruise? ] cause and was confused with it. Keisuke was a decendant from the Tokugawa era and was taken from his home at the age of twelve. He was trained in " The Compound " until he was Seventeen. He was then released and started his career as an assassin. He took down important head figures of the Japanese government in order for the Firm to replace them with those that held their cause. Eventually, the Firm will hold all places within the Japanese government, create a state of unrest, and erect to the public the direct decendant of the Tokugawa Emperor. He will take rule over the people and create a perfected society. This is what the Firm has been planning to do for centuries. Now whether it will happen within my lifetime.. I dont know. I only know that Keisuke belongs to the Firm until he dies. His boss, Tseng, is a monsterous bastard. He has no sympathy for Keisuke or Cande's affection. But back to the ending of the summer.
In September.. Keisuke told me that he had to leave. That I would probably never see him again. I needed to tell Cande that he loved her.. that she couldn't give into the Chinese Mafia and when the tides of war had faded, he would come to her. I was blown away.. I couldn't believe he was leaving. I didnt have time to ask questions.. I couldn't understand.
Eventually Keisuke spoke to her himself.. and told her that he loved her. But this would only follow a period
of five months where Keisuke was gone from our lives. It was hell. Let me tell you. Cande threatened suicide. The two men wouldn't leave her alone.. they came back. Everything just.. went to hell.
January 17th..'04. Keisuke returned. And he's been back ever since. I know this is really rushed.. but it was a lot of history to get through. Saul, if you need anything else you can always IM me on AIM at IIOkashiII okay? I want to talk about this and I hope it gives you a little more explaination.
Courtney