Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
"I am not saying your brother is out of line," Neil lied, "but he is not being careful. He is escalating because he feels threatened, but there are too many people watching us now. They will catch him soon enough, and I am afraid of what will fall back on you. I won't ally myself with such a risk, so I cannot play for your uncle at Edgar Allan. I'm sorry."
Another endless silence followed. A day or week or year passed before Ichirou said, "Look me in the eye and listen very carefully." Neil dragged his stare up to Ichirou's face. Ichirou's smile was long gone and his coal eyes seemed to bore right through Neil. "Where I come from, a man's word is only as good as his name and his name earns weight from the blood he has spilled for my family. You are untested and untrue. You are not worth the air you breathe. I would balance the red in my ledger with your death and consider it a fair repayment.
"However," Ichirou said, "you are your father's son, and your father was someone to me. He is the reason I came down here myself when I could have sent anyone to speak to you. Do you know what I will do to you if I think you are wasting my time? Do you know what I will do to anyone you have ever met or spoken to? I will kill everyone who has ever stood by you and I will make each death last a lifetime."
It didn't sound like a threat; it sounded like a promise.
"What can I do to convince you I'm telling the truth?" Neil said.
"Nothing," Ichirou said, and said a few words in Japanese to the two men seated up front.
The front passenger pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. Neil couldn't understand a word the man said, but he understood that angry tone just fine. For a wild moment he thought the man was arranging messy deaths for all of the Foxes. He clenched his teeth against a spike of panic and stared at the empty cushion between him and Ichirou. The passenger went back and forth for several minutes, then hung up and put his phone away. His tone was deferential when he said something to Ichirou.
Whatever the news was, Ichirou's expression didn't change. Ichirou tapped his thumb idly on his ankle as he thought. Neil didn't know how long they sat there in silence, ten minutes or ten lifetimes, but he was sure he'd die before Ichirou finally made up his mind.
"Perhaps your life has a price tag after all," Ichirou said. "Eighty percent of your earnings for the entirety of your career will be sufficient. I expect similar tithes from Day and Moreau; it is only reasonable considering my family funded their training. Someone will be in touch with you to make arrangements. If you fail to make the cut after graduation, the deal is forfeit and you will be executed. Do you understand?"
Disbelief knocked the air from his lungs; relief was so intense Neil thought for a moment he'd be violently ill. Somehow he kept his tone even when he said, "I understand. I'll talk to Kevin and Jean immediately. We will not fail you."
Ichirou slanted a hooded look at him. "Then for now you are dismissed."
It was so abrupt Neil almost forgot to say, "Thank you."
He tried to get out of the car without looking like he was making a mad dash for it and wasn't entirely sure he succeeded. He closed the door behind him and both drivers cut the engines on. Neil stood stock still as the cars pulled away and watched numbly as they rolled out of sight. Knowing they were gone did nothing to make him feel safer and Neil sank to his knees on the asphalt. He dug his fingers into the taut denim over his knees and fought to get his racing heart under control.
When he thought he could stand without falling down he followed Perimeter Road back around campus to the building where Kevin had his history class. The clock on Neil's phone said there were fifteen minutes left of the period, so Neil propped himself against the wall outside the door and waited. Kevin was one of the last out and he drew up short when he saw Neil.
"I'm taking you to Abby's," Neil said in French. "We have to talk to Jean."
"Not right now," Kevin said.
"Yes now." Neil put an arm out when Kevin looked ready to walk away. "Ichirou just came to see us."
Kevin choked on his first denial. His second attempt was hoarse with disbelief. "Don't joke about such things." Neil stared back at Kevin in silence until Kevin flinched and took a half-step back. "No. He won't even meet Riko. He wouldn't come here."
"Come on," Neil said.
He messaged Andrew on their way to Fox Tower, so Andrew was waiting for them on the trunk of his car. He had a small package in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The latter he tossed aside at their approach, and he got the locks undone as he slid to his feet. It was a short drive from the dorm to Abby's place. Neil knocked even though her door was unlocked, and Abby answered a few seconds later. She frowned at the sight of them on her doorstep but moved aside to let them in.
"Don't you have class right now?"
"No," Neil said. "Where's Jean?"
"He was asleep the last time I checked in on him."
"It's important," Neil said. "I'll wake him up."
Abby studied Kevin's bleak expression a moment before stepping aside. Neil took Kevin and Andrew down the hall, leaving Abby staring after them, and gave the bedroom door a cursory knock on his way in. Jean startled awake at the noise and started to sit up. Moving was a mistake, judging by the sound he made as he sank back to the mattress. Neil took advantage of his distraction and surveyed Riko's handiwork on his way to the bedside. Jean's face was pretty much a swollen bruise. Both eyes were blackened courtesy of a broken nose and stitches had patched his chin and cheek back together. Chunks of hair had been ripped from his skull, leaving bald and scabbing patches throughout. Neil forced back an unexpected rush of anger and sat on the edge of the mattress.