Amateur Night

By lawless

Sano stood to one side of the door, holding a wooden lampstand in his right hand. At the sound of the knock, he answered, "Yes?"

There was a slight commotion outside. Muffled voices. And then: "Room service."

Sano stood with his back pressed to the wall beside the door. "Just a second," he said. He kept his grip on the lampstand and set the chain on the latch. Then he turned the doorknob and opened the door to the end of the chain, then flattened himself back against the wall. He heard the wheels of a food cart rearing back and then shoving forward as the man outside put all his weight behind it.

The chain snapped like a string and Hyottoko came charging through the door with Besshimi fast behind him.

Sano timed his first blow perfectly. He stepped out from his protected spot next to the door and smashed Hyottoko squarely in the teeth with the solid base of the wooden lampstand. The big man's remaining two front teeth were shattered. He sucked blood and pieces of tooth back into his throat and stopped dead in his tracks, gagging and trying to cough out the broken teeth.

Besshimi, rushing in fast behind him, couldn't stop and slammed into Hyottoko, sending him crashing into the room service cart. Hyottoko went down hard but Besshimi managed to stay on his feet. He turned to face whoever hit his companion. Sano calmly stepped forward and kicked his right knee. There was a sickening crack and Besshimi was sent crashing to the floor.

Sano turned and saw the third guy. Shikijou was not as large as Hyottoko but his scar-covered physique, partially revealed by the deep V-neck of his t-shirt under a dark gray suit jacket, was frightening. He took one look at Sano and the wooden lampstand in his hand and grinned.

Sano got into a fighting stance. This seemed only to deepen Shikijou's amusement. Back in the room, Besshimi was trying to get up on one leg. Hyottoko was still sprawled on top of the overturned room service cart. Suddenly, Shikijou charged at Sano. He was so fast, Sano had little time to react. He lashed out with the wooden lampstand to meet Shikijou's charge. He hit him square in the chest, but the man took the blow and fell forward, grabbing Sano's arm and charging right into him.

Sano was slammed backward, Shikijou right after him. The bigger man managed to land a heavy chopping blow to Sano's chest. The force was strong enough to open up Sano's stitches and he shouted in both pain and rage. He swung at Shikijou and smashed the base of the lampstand into his temple. The crack of the blow could be heard in the bedroom. Shikijou was knocked to the side, lost his balance and fell down, disoriented.

Besshimi was now crawling forward, dragging the leg with the broken knee. He swung a fist at Sano, who evaded but not fast enough as he caught a stinging blow to his left ear. He lunged and shoved Besshimi away with a sweep of his arm. The hallway was empty. He rushed down towards the elevator. He reached it just as the doors opened, revealing Takeda Kanryuu inside.

He was alone.

Sano grabbed him by the collar of his mint green suit, twisted his arm up his back and stepped behind him on the elevator. Takeda turned to face him and spat, "YOU FUCK—"

"Call off the dogs, Kanryuu," Sano said lowly, gripping his arm tighter and pushing higher, making the man scream out in pain.

Hyottoko, who had recovered from his fall, and Shikijou were rushing towards them. They stopped when they heard Takeda shout. They hesitated. It was all the time Sano needed as the elevator doors closed.

"You are fucking dead, you know that, right?" Takeda said to him when they were alone.

Sano did not respond as he searched Takeda's body for a concealed weapon. He knew from experience that Takeda wasn't the type to carry. The hussler got all the protection he needed from his cadre of bodyguards and fighters and he rarely, if ever, went out without his yakuzaescorts. But Sano suspected that this was no yakuzaexcursion. No, this was Takeda's private vendetta, if his bringing along Hyottoko, Besshimi and Shikijou was any indication. These men were not yakuza.

Sano found a 9mm Glock 26 in one of Takeda's many pockets and held it up in front of him.

"I'm going to kill you."

"Sure," Sano slipped the gun in his jacket side pocket. He'd have to lose it before he got to the station but it might come in handy.

"You and that bitch doctor –"

Sano shoved him hard against the elevator wall, using his body weight to press him against the cold metal, his forearm applying pressure against his nape. "Call her bitch one more time. I dare ya."

After some length, Takeda made some odd noises and it took Sano a while to realize that he was laughing. Sano loosened his grip on him and Takeda continued to chuckle. He said, "God, you poor, miserable fool."

The elevator reached the lobby, and Sano had to act casual. He kept a firm grip on Takeda's shoulder as he guided him across the lobby.

"Do you really think you can get away with this, you fucker?"

"Shut your mouth," Sano snapped.

"You should have gone down when I told you so. That's your fucking problem."

"I said shut your fucking mouth." Sano spied Megumi coming in through the main doors, carrying a tray of coffee in one hand and a small brown bag in the other. Breakfast. She had gone out for breakfast. Thank god they didn't catch her first.

She spotted them at once. At the sight of Takeda Kanryuu, she visibly stilled, but she kept her composure. She strode towards them. Sano looked at her tense, beautiful face and admired her courage.

"Darling, look who I found," Sano greeted, keeping a firm grip on Takeda's shoulder. "It's our old friend."

Megumi smiled tightly. "Hello, Takeda-san. What a surprise." She caught Sano's gaze questioningly.

Sano kept it all in, his face never revealing anything but his eyes spoke volumes. A warning. "I say we should take him back to that coffee shop, talk about old times."

"I should get something from –" Megumi started but Sano interrupted her.

"Nah, it's alright. I got your purse right here. We should go." Sano stood, pulling Takeda along with him. As he did, he leaned into Megumi as though to kiss her on the cheek, but instead he whispered, "We leave. Now."

Sano bagged his head and pushed him down. Takeda's face connected with the cement ground and he grunted in pain as Sano roughly tied his wrists together with Takeda's own belt. When he was finished, he left him there and stepped over his prone body towards a nearby trashcan. He fished something out of his pocket. There was a clang as the heavy metal object reached the bottom. Then he wiped his hands along the sides of his jeans and made his way to the station.

He reached the platform and scanned the crowd for a familiar figure. He heard someone step behind and he whirled around, half-expecting Hyottoko or Shikijou, but it was only Megumi.

"Is it over?" She asked.

He nodded. His heart was in his throat.

She studied his face for a moment. "Are you okay?"

He nodded again and shoved his hands in his pockets. They talked. The sound was drowned out by the train arriving. They both got on, moving in unison towards the seats in the back. Others filed in as well. The train began to move.

Sano let Megumi take the window seat and he folded himself on the seat next to hers. There was a third seat beside the ones they occupied but no one dared to come near the bruised and bloodied man and his woman.

It was a bright day. Warm but not hot. The city seemed to be finally cooling down from summer's heat.

"Now what?"

"I made a promise."

"Is that all there is to it?"

"No."

"You're not going to tell me what happened?"

"No. It's over."

"It's over with me too?"

"No, it's not over with you."

"Why? You going to stay and take care of me?"

"You can take care of yourself."

"You think so, huh?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Well, I guess I'll see you around."

"I guess."

"When?"

"What do you mean, 'when'?"

"When? When will I see you around?"

"Name it."

"Six months."

"All right. Six months."

"Where will I find you?"

"I'll find you."

9. Any way the wind blows.

AN The end.