ENGLISH VERSION - Second Star to the Right (Mikey Bonten x OC)

Chapter 13: Black Snakes

POV MIKEY

My jaw clenches, body tensing. He'd better have a fucking good reason. Ayana turns her head, still shaken, but she quickly regains her composure.

The guys stop their card game, all eyes turning to Takeomi.

"Is it urgent?"

"Wouldn't have interrupted if it wasn't," he insists. "Koko, Sanzu, you too."

I crush my cigarette in the ashtray and stand up. "Keep an eye on her." I tell Rindou and Hanma.

We follow Takeomi to a separate office. Koko settles comfortably in a chair, while Sanzu perches on the armrest, arms crossed.

"What's the problem?" Koko asks.

Takeomi checks the door before stepping closer.

"The Black Snakes just pulled one over on us. They intercepted a big meth shipment we were expecting Monday."

His words hang in the air, his expression as hard as his tone.

"They've got some nerve," Koko mutters, thinking out loud. "But if they start muscling in on our business, this is going to cost us. Messing with our revenue streams... that's unacceptable."

"The real question is, how'd they even know about it?" Sanzu growls, already rolling up his sleeves. "This screams traitor to me."

"Don't be paranoid. We probably weren't the only ones who knew about the shipment," Koko says, calm and collected.

He's got a point.

Takeomi nods. "Also, I've learned a bit about their boss. Goes by the name Ghost. Fresh out of prison, with strong ties to the Yakuza. Probably got the intel from them."

"Not surprising. The Japanese mafia isn't exactly fond of us. We stole their business and took over as the underworld's top dog. No wonder they're backing the Black Snakes," Koko deduces.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Sanzu murmurs, pulling a syringe from his pocket. He presses the needle against his forearm.

"Put that shit away," Takeomi snaps.

"Shut up," his brother replies without looking up, lost somewhere between anger and exhilaration. "Helps me see things clearly."

Koko rolls his eyes, exasperated, but lets it go. "Anyway," he continues, darkly, "they're no amateurs. They're dangerous, organized, and their influence is growing fast."

A heavy silence settles, like a vice tightening around us. The thought that this gang could pose a serious threat to Bonten is suddenly more than a possibility.

Takeomi goes on, his voice grim. "Oh, and apparently, they mark their loyalty with a snake tattoo."

A snake tattoo... It vaguely reminds me of an old story that involved Baji.

Sanzu lets out a dry laugh. "A tattoo as a symbol of loyalty? Real original."

Takeomi shrugs. "Yeah, it's their signature. And they left us a message."

His expression turns darker. He takes out his phone and shows us the screen. I move closer to look at the photo. I recognize one of our guys, the one who was supposed to handle that shipment. He's hanging upside down, naked, outside one of our warehouses. A snake has been carved into his chest, coiled around our own symbol.

"The others found him at 9 PM tonight," Takeomi says.

Sanzu's lips twist into a sadistic grin. "They think they can scare us with this shit? If I get my hands on one of those little snakes, I'll make him wish he was never fucking born."