The entire route had Kari on edge. She had tried to piece everything together in her head, but still found herself raising more questions than she could answer. Andrew led her towards the car while he started to shake his head at the entire ordeal.

“I’m sorry about her, I didn’t know she was working today, honestly.” Andrew said. He made his way around towards the driver’s side door before turning back to Kari.

“Do you know who Patty is?” Kari asked.

“No, I don’t.”

Kari shook her head and took a seat up front before they started to make a move again. While they pulled away, she stared back at the boutique in the rearview mirror.

“That was Isamu’s wife.” She muttered to him.

“No kidding?” he replied.

“Andrew, I need you to be honest with me,” she turned over to him and gave him a cold stare. “I don’t think us meeting was lucky. I know you know who Patricia was and I know you’re lying to me.”

“Is that what made you leave?”

“Yes, I didn’t care about the people I killed, but she was different.”

“I get it,” he cut her off and raised his voice. “You didn’t really care about all the people you killed before, just when you killed the wrong one?”

There was silence. After a few moments, he finally turned back to her to utter a quick apology.

“I spent a lot of nights trying to get over that. Have you ever had remorse for anything you did before this?” she asked softly, choking back another tear.

“No, I don’t. It’s the only way to get past this,” he started to ramble again. “You know what type of job that was and what came with it. Right now, I need you to keep cool.”

“I am being cool!”

“You’re over thinking this entire thing. I really need you to be cool before we meet the boss,” he said firmly before steering the vehicle past the next intersection. “If I knew that you would get so upset over this, I wouldn’t have asked you to do this.”

The revelation hit her, only prompting her to ask, “Why did you pick me?”

“I know that day bothered you, and it was luck that brought me to you. I’ve watched a lot of people just throw their lives away, and when I saw you I thought I could help you. Now, we’re about to meet the boss and you have to promise me to keep calm.”

“Who’s the boss?” She asked again, only for Andrew to hold his tongue. He refused to give her an answer which prompted Kari to repeat, “Who’s the boss?”

“You’re about to meet him,” he finally spoke. “Just promise me you’re going to keep cool because he doesn’t know anything about you. In fact, don’t even tell him your fake name, everybody knows you’re Kari and they don’t suspect shit.”

She went cold. The pieces were starting to fall into place and things had started to become clear after looking ahead. Just a few blocks down, she could see the Hinobu Castle in all of its glory casting a shadow over her.

“What the hell is going on?” she asked again.

“Kari, I need you to be cool. If you want out now, tough shit.” he said before starting to slow the vehicle down while making an approach to the Castle. “Then there’s going to be a lot of problems. We are too deep in this and you’re going to end up hurting both of us.”

She tried to keep her breathing steady before trying to fumble around for her sunglasses. It was clear at this point that they were heading for the Castle, and by now she had started to understand everything. The pistol under her jacket pressed against her chest, providing her a sense security knowing it was so close.

Using it would break her oath, but when push comes to shove, she was ready to throw it all away and gun her way to safety. The two had made their way to the parking garage across the road from the establishment where they had been stopped by a guard in a booth.

“Hey there, blondie.” The guard hollered over to Andrew as he reached towards the control panel to open the gate.

“Tony, my man,” Andrew shouted back before lifting his thumb and pointing it to Kari. “Me and the lovely lady are here to meet the boss.”

“Oh yeah,” he muttered before leaning down to get a look at Kari. After seeing her black shades over her pale face, he said, “Nice to meet you.”

Kari smiled back to him and gave a quick nod as she started to pat the bag in her lap. The guard had pressed a switch on the panel before him, causing the guard rail in front of them to rise up. Andrew pressed his foot into the throttle and continued to drive the car up towards a handicap spot near the front.

“We’re going to meet the boss in a few minutes,” Andrew said while bringing the vehicle to a stop. “Are you going to be cool?”

“I’m cool.” She said back with a hiss.

“Say it again, but without the attitude.”

“I’m cool.” She repeated firmly.

Andrew nodded in response before finally stepping out of the car. The two had slowly made their way back down and towards the Castle. Up front, a few more guards had been posted by the entrance. The security at that place was considered flawless—and it needed to be. The complex stretched multiple stories and had operated as a casino and night club. Many high profile figures from the Paradiso area would find themselves inside the building. Every day, thousands of dollars would go in and out of the establishment.

It was the main cash cow in this organization and one of Paradiso’s main attractions. Kari clenched the bag tight after being waved through the front. On the inside, she had been amazed by the number of slot machines and tables that had been stretched out across the first floor. Most of the casino staff had not been on floor just yet, but by night fall it was expected for the building to be covered with bystanders.

Stolen story; please report.

“So, what do you think of the place?” Andrew asked.

“Looks like this place would have done better in something like Vegas.” Kari replied.

“No way, it’s fresh blood out here. You have no idea how many people come into this. It’s a Wednesday and we’re going to have hundreds of people here. Casino, night club, drinks, music—this is the place.”

“I see,” she said while keeping close to him. The two had started to approach a large wooden staircase that had spiraled it way up towards the second floor. “I didn’t think mixing an eastern style temple with a casino would be a hit.”

“You need to be here Saturday night when they’re doing the annual party. The mayor, a few members from congress, and everybody worth knowing is gonna be here.”

“Is that why the boss wants to see me?”

Andrew laughed and brushed of the question, continuing leading her up the stairs. Soon after, they had found themselves approaching a small room where a meeting was being held. Through the wax paper sheets over the door, she could make out three or four silhouettes while to the right she noticed a large burly figure. She took a deep breath.

“Wait here,” Andrew said to her as he hurried ahead. Shortly after, the smaller figures had stood and made their way out through the side. She had tried to keep from making contact after a few men in suits passed through the door. Andrew called out once more, “Alright, shoes.”

She stepped over towards him and kicked both of her sneakers off by the edge. Andrew quickly slid his shoes off before trying to line them up. Once they stepped through, Kari immediately seized up at the sight od the boss.

“Blondie, how are you doing?” Isamu called out to him as he lit up with excitement.

“Great, until I had to show my face around here!” Andrew jokingly shouted back, causing Isamu to break out in laughter. Kari’s heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. She could not keep her hands steady or even find anything to say. The two had been drowned out by her ever-increasing pulse that had started to bang in her head.

“This is the new guy,” Isamu slurred his words for a moment, “New girl?”

“Yes, this is the one I was telling you about.” Andrew replied before giving her a nudge.

Kari cupped her hand over her mouth, letting out a quick cough and saying, “I’m Kari.”

“Yes, yes, Kari! Please, have a seat,” Isamu declared as he lifted his hand to her. Kari lowered the bag onto the table before sliding her feet under. “I’ve been told that you’re really good under pressure.”

“Yes,” Kari hesitantly said back. She nervously began to readjust her glasses before pulling them from her face to finally rest her eyes on him. “I’ve been told that too.”

Isamu laughed, “I hope that the job has been treating you good. I believe you guys got to meet Tina. I hope she was not a handful.”

“She was,” Kari stuttered before stopping and finally saying, “she was something else.”

“My apologies. I will make sure somebody talks to her,” he reached over for a napkin on the table and started to wipe his forehead. “I am glad you are here.”

“Kari,” Andrew spoke up. “I know we were talking about a promotion earlier, but it’s a little bit different than that.”

“I know of your exploits,” Isamu spoke up, this time causing Kari to become pale. “I know that you have a handle on the dangerous side of this life. Now, I wanted to make you an offer.”

Kari stuttered once again and asked, “What is that?”

“I was once a high-profile target in this city. The amount of influence I have was enough to get some of the crime lords to hire guns to get me. They tried once,” he motioned his hand to his side where he had been struck by one of her bullets years earlier. “They sent somebody to try and kill me, and they took everything but my life.”

She tried to focus on keeping her breathing under control in an attempt to stop her from breaking out into tears.

Isamu continued, “I believe that person who tried to kill me before is coming for me. Now, I know that this is not your line of work, but I need a new guard. I will promise you better pay—to the likes which you’ve never seen.”

“Who is trying to kill you?” she replied.

“I don’t know, but she is very dangerous. This will only be temporary until I have to leave. How much are you getting paid now?”

“After each drop,” Kari lowered her head while she started to mumble. “It’s around twelve thousand a month.”

“I will give you two million to do this.” He declared, causing her mind to turn away from the grizzly images of him holding Patricia in his arms. They had played over and over in her since she laid eyes on him.

“Two million?” she gasped.

“I will give you it in segments,” he continued before crumbling up the napkin in his hands. “There is a party this weekend, and its likely they will try to strike me before then. I will give you five hundred of it this weekend. After a month, another five hundred.”

“Five hundred dollars?”

“Five hundred thousand dollars,” Isamu corrected her. “I would not ask you to do this if I didn’t know you could do it. This person is coming for me, and I need somebody who will be calm and collected enough to keep me safe when the time comes.”

He thinks I’m trying to him. Kari had started to become even more bewildered by the sudden offer but had thought of her oath and the money. The stakes were starting to heat up and she was starting to find herself being pushed into a corner. Isamu dropped the napkin as a few tears started to build up in his eyes. Once again, the memory of that day continued to play out all over again.

“She took everything from me,” Isamu’s voice started to crack. “I don’t know when she will strike next, but I need you. I need both of you.”

Kari clenched her teeth before taking a deep breath. She could try and live life without firing a gun, but she could not escape the guilt. That day, she would not have hesitated to unload her UZI on the limo to splatter him and his wife if it weren’t for that fateful encounter. It was her fault that he was left widowed. She again started to think about Ricardo and his daughter who would be growing up without him. Andrew reached over and place his hand in the center of her back.

“We know you are the best for the job, please consider it.” Andrew softly spoke to her.

After a moment of collecting her thoughts, Kari finally asked, “Five hundred thousand?”

“That’s after this weekend. The second payment will be in a few weeks, and then staggered out,” Isamu started to collect himself while wiping the tears from his face. “There will be no penalty if you do not accept, but if something were to happen to me, then this entire operation will crumble.”

The thought of having to defend the man she tried to kill had been off putting, but she was starting to be draw not the money. If something had happened to him, she felt the guilt from that day would only continue to pile up until her eventual end.

This is how I can right this wrong, she thought to herself before finally nodding and saying, “I’ll do it.”