Starting over

Chapter 22

In a distant town away, Luppi was running, panting, as sweat ran down his face. He was holding his left shoulder that was covered in blood. 'Dammit! Why me! Why now! I thought I got away!' He turned the corner down a large alley. He slipped and fell on the ground. Pain shot up his body as he held in a scream. He bit his lip sitting up. 'I got out of that retched town so I can finally develop a plan to catch that woman....and now...' He heard a crash and a whistle. "Oh, pretty boy. Isn't it about time we stop playing hide and seek? I do have a job to do you know. I think I have played with you enough. My boss is getting antsy."

Luppi growls and gets up. 'I'm not getting caught. Screw that!' He was about to run around the corner when suddenly, a sword pieced through his leg. His eyes widen and he screams out, falling back down to the ground. "I told you this game is over..." Luppi reached out for his leg. "Damn you..." A hand grabbed the hilt. Looking up, Luppi saw a tall, lean, well-built man with fair skin and brown eyes and shoulder length black hair that was combed back to the nape of his neck. He was wearing a plain black shirt, blue jeans, and a black jean jacket. He smirked down at Luppi. "Hello little bird. Looks like I finally caught you." He pushed down on the sword sinking it deeper into Luppi's leg.

Before Luppi could scream out, the man drops down and covers his mouth, muting his screams. "Ssshhhh...we don't want to draw attention to ourselves." Luppi struggled under him. "I guess I can tell you who I am and why I am hunting you." He chuckled. "My name is Ginjo. I am a hired gun basically. I have been paid to hunt you down and bring you in for hurting the same woman you have been plotting to kill." Luppi eyes widen. Ginjo removes his hand. "Someone...hired you!? Who!? Woman!? What woman!?!?" Ginjo chuckled. "You think I'm stupid? Fine...let us talk. You Luppi Antenor, have been plotting to hurt maybe even Kill the woman Oichi Yamamoto. The same woman you are holding a grudge against for ruining your life, or so you claim."

Luppi narrowed his eyes. "Claim!? No, you are wrong. It is that bitch's fault that everything is going the way it is. I will get my revenge." Ginjo chuckled. "Doesn't really matter to me but, I've been paid a large sum to bring you in. I thought it was a joke at first. Why would a nobody like you trying to cause trouble to one woman and then I did my research. You have a pretty disgusting hobby." Luppi glared at him. "You are going to have to kill me before I ever go back!" Ginjo smirked. "Trust me, I want to, but I have a job to do and unlike you I get them completed. He grabs Luppi and pulls him up. "Now let's get going."

He started to drag him deeper into the alley when he suddenly stopped. "Well now...this is interesting. I knew I was being followed but I assume you gave up." He heard footsteps walking from behind him. "You must be in a league of your own, to keep up with me." Ginjo turns around to the sound of the steps. He saw the smoke from a cigarette burning and a man walk out from the shadows. Ginjo chuckled excitedly. "You...Jetter told me to be on the lookout for you. Have you come to steal my target for your sweet daughter? Dante Yamamoto?"

Dante's eyes narrowed slightly as he blew smoke out of the side of him mouth. "No, I came to make a deal with you Ginjo." "A deal?" He asked. "You want to trade something for this sack of shit? You can always fight me for him?" "I'd rather not. I don't waste time fighting weaklings." Ginjo's eyes twitched and rubbed his hair back. "Weakling huh? That is some tough talk seeing how you could not even find the man who harmed your daughter. A hired gun did. Does that hurt your pride old man?" Dante gave him a blank stare. "Hardly...congratulations of finding that bug but I have bigger fish to fry. He was just a consolation prize. After that first meeting I had already tagged him and was following his every moves. Luppi's eyes widen in shock. "What!?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I was hoping that you would lead me to your boss but with the hired gun following you I knew it was only a matter of time before you got caught. You aren't as good at hiding as you think you are child." Luppi grits his teeth. "Anyways...that is where the deal comes in Ginjo. Whatever Jetter is paying you I will double it." Ginjo hums out. "You do realize who Jetter is right? Endless amounts of money?" "I know very well who he is trust me and that is why I know that even he has a limit. He wouldn't waste endless amount of money on one hired thug when he can get his cream puff, boy scout, of a guard to do it for free." "Okay, so what do you want from me?" "Simple, you have good tracking skills, and you are close to Jetter's new work partner correct?" Ginjo nods. "Yeah, so what of it?" "I want you to come work for me. You can bring Luppi to Jetter if you want so that he can think I owe him a favor. When your contact is done, I will contact you with a newly, high paying contact, that will fit to you pleasures. All I want from you is your skills of tracking and those assassin skills. What do you say?"