Part 10 (2/2)

Jack cut off a taxi as he drove down a side street to the right. The cab driver laid on the horn while Jack turned his body to hide his face as he flipped off the cabbie.

I should have been far enough away that they could never tell it was me.

He took a right as he saw a van pull out of a parking s.p.a.ce, and then gunned it so he could slip right in. As Jack jumped out of the car, he popped the trunk. He yanked his jacket off, grabbed his gray sweats.h.i.+rt, and slipped it on. He shoved a gym bag aside, grabbed a white baseball hat, slammed the trunk shut, and then walked back toward the caravan. The baseball hat's strap was too tight, so he loosened it and then pulled the brim down low. As he turned the corner to the restaurant, he slowed and fell in step behind two couples who were ambling along. When the people in front of him stopped to look in the jewelry store window, Jack did, too.

He glanced across the street to see Fat Man and Big Nose by the cars. Fat Man spoke into one of the cars.

At least three guys stayed in the cars. Did the others go to the restaurant? Or the department store next door?

Big Nose kept looking up to the second floor of the restaurant.

They have to be in there.

Jack looked at his reflection in the window and frowned when he realized why the baseball hat he wore was too tight. It was Replacement's. He scowled at the pink logo.

The people Jack was using for cover moved on, so he walked as well. The next store was perfect-a coffee shop. He kept his eyes on the cars across the street while he tried to order the closest thing on the menu to a regular cup of coffee. Then he sat at the window and waited. He didn't have to wait long. Paolo and a giant walked out of the restaurant, toward the waiting cars.

That guy with Paolo has to be six foot six and three hundred plus pounds. I definitely didn't miss Goliath in the house.

Big Nose held the SUV door open for them. Once everyone was in, the cars pulled away. Jack sipped his coffee.

They went to see who they thought was responsible. Prescott clued them in that the guy was Asian. Ilario said they're arguing with the Yakuza. Paolo is either giving ultimatums or arranging a deal. Either way, someone in there knows something.

Jack tossed his coffee in the trash and headed next door.

The first floor of the building had a wide staircase covered in red carpet. A hallway went a short distance to a door with a keypad entry. Two gold lions stood on either side of the stairs. Next to one of the lions was a sign on a stand. An arrow pointed up and, printed beneath it was: GOLDEN BLOSSOM. Jack headed up the stairs.

The second floor opened onto a large, dated restaurant. Huge, round tables for eight filled the room. Covered in white tablecloths, all the places were already set with silverware, water gla.s.ses, plates, and napkins. Jack took a quick glance at his watch.

11:15. Their buffet must start early.

There were perhaps three dozen people seated at tables with a half-dozen employees moving back and forth with carts and trays of food. A young girl hurried up to him, greeting him with a customary Chinese bow.

”How many, please?” she asked.

”One.” Jack took his cap off.

”This way.” She bowed again and led Jack over to a square table with four place settings. Another waitress rushed over to quickly remove three of them.

”Would you like a drink?”

I'd love you to leave a bottle.

”Tea, water, and I'll get the buffet.” Jack returned the smile that seemed to be constantly on the young girl's face.

”Very good. Thank you.” She bowed again and rapidly headed off toward the kitchen.

Jack put his hat down on the chair next to him, got up, and headed toward the back where the restroom sign pointed. He noted the tan, circular floor in the middle of the room.

Dance floor? Maybe they do weddings.

The restrooms were in the back, down a small hallway. Jack frowned. The men's and women's rooms were the only two doors in the narrow corridor.

Where are the offices?

He opened the men's room door and walked over to the row of four sinks. The bathroom was large with six stalls and four urinals.

No windows.

Jack had just finished was.h.i.+ng his hands when the door opened and four men walked in. All four were Asian, and around five six except for the guy on the left. At five ten and two hundred pounds, he was much larger than the other three slender guys. They were all dressed in business suits, but Jack knew from the way they lined up in front of the door they weren't businessmen. Three wore blue, and one wore black.

Three are j.a.panese and one's Korean. Looks like I've come to the right place to find the Yakuza.

”Why are you here?” Black Suit asked.

Jack looked over at the urinal and then back to the guy and smirked. The man on the end laughed and then quickly stopped.

Black Suit bared his teeth. ”Talk.”

”Why don't we sit down over a cup of tea?” Jack turned his hands out.

Black Suit shrugged. ”Kick his a.s.s.”

The three others started forward.

Jack didn't wait for someone to throw a punch. He lunged forward, grabbed the big guy's shoulder with his left hand, and then hit him in the throat.

Fight them one at a time. Drive them toward the urinals.

Jack grabbed the large guy with both hands. Jack's muscles fired from his feet, traveling up his thighs, and his strong back muscles kicked in. The big guy's legs were already wobbling so Jack used him like a battering ram as he drove him into the other three. Three of the four men tumbled into the back wall. The laughing guy fell, and Jack heard his head crack on a urinal before he hit the floor.

Black Suit was fast. He sidestepped the big guy and kicked at Jack's ribs. Jack didn't block the kick but twisted out of the way so the kick just missed.

Jack punched hard, but Black Suit tilted his head. As Jack's fist pa.s.sed his face, he grabbed the back of Black Suit's head and slammed him face first into the stall door. The laughing guy wasn't moving. The third guy got to his feet but didn't stay there long. Jack's first punch broke his nose, which made him fall back onto the big guy. Like playing a drum set, Jack unleashed a flurry of blows on the men, and then, panting, he straightened up.

Black Suit was back up on his feet. A thin blade was in his hand, and he wiped his b.l.o.o.d.y nose with the sleeve of his suit. Jack's lip curled into a wisea.s.s grin.

”That blood's going to be hard to get out of that suit. If you don't drop that knife, there'll be more of it.”

”You want the knife?” He swung the blade in a big arc.

”I actually said drop the knife.”

Black Suit lunged with a straight thrust, but Jack blocked it with his right forearm. Jack's hand opened and grabbed Black Suit's arm. Jack's legs settled into a deep horse stance, and he pulled the man's arm straight. Jack yanked up with his right hand as his left forearm smashed into the man's elbow.

As the bone snapped, the man gasped but didn't have a chance to scream out as Jack's left fist crashed into the side of his head, and he crumbled backward onto the tile floor.

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