Blind Sight (COTK Book 1)

Chapter 7: Nekokami City

Catching himself tapping his fingers on the neck of his saké bottle, Ritsu grabbed it tightly and lifted it to his lips. Checking the others at the table, he was relieved to find no one was paying attention to him. He nervously set the bottle back down, trying to make as little sound as possible.

Sitting closest to him, on his right, was Hanzei, infamously known as the Skull Collector. The barbaric-looking and massive man was the undisputed crime lord in Nekokami City. Except for a few Kaunto, pretty much everyone followed Hanzei's orders. Those that didn't met an untimely end.

Personally, like many others, he'd been working under Hanzei for several years as a simple thug, following out the orders given to him. Five months ago, he'd been promoted.

For some reason that he didn't know, his boss had been "fired."

When he'd been called to Hanzei's office for his promotion, his boss's head had been mounted on the wall with dozens of others. Since then, he hadn't been in Hanzei's office, and he couldn't help but wonder if his head would end up next to his ex-bosses, or if more heads had been added.

As hard as he was trying to hide his nerves, he was sure the other people at the table had caught on. He was nervous because a matter he'd been assigned to deal with... wasn't going as well as Hanzei would want.

"Ritsu, how much longer till we receive the ransom for the bitch?"

Inosuke's smooth, buttery voice nearly made him jump out of his boots, but he managed to play it off with a shrug. Taking what he hoped was an unconcerned-looking swig from his saké, he set it down and wiped his chin. If he was honest, he didn't think Inosuke, Hanzei's second in command, bought it. The man had the position because he deserved it. Able to read people like a book, and play them like a fiddle, he kept Hanzei's men in line in a way that Hanzei himself couldn't.

"Should be tomorrow," Ritsu said, licking his dry lips. "Her father is going to give it up. He tried sending some blokes to rescue her, but they were easily dealt with. The idiot is out of options, and he knows it."

Hanzei's grunt made him instinctually move for the dagger strapped to his right thigh, but he fought the urge and caught himself before his arm moved under the table. Gulping in fear as Hanzei glanced at him, he tried to calmly take another swig of his saké.

Ritsu knew that he couldn't defend himself against Hanzei should the crime lord decide to actually kill him for his failure. That wasn't what scared him. What frightened him was how close he'd come to willingly giving up his own life. If Hanzei didn't intend to kill him right now, reaching for a weapon would certainly change that.

Inosuke continued on, "He'd better pay up soon."

Ritsu leaned back in his chair, realizing he'd been sitting rigidly in his chair for some time. He tried to relax. "He will, don't worry about it."

Forcing himself to keep the stress out of his voice, he was relieved when Hanzei finally turned back to the food in front of him. Weakness wasn't tolerated under Hanzei's command, and neither were idiots.

Ritsu wasn't stupid, and he knew Hanzei wasn't either, despite the man looking like a barbarian cannibal more than a sophisticated crime lord. Hanzei hadn't had any sort of uprising or threat to his control of Nekokami in ten years, which was superb for a crime lord.

Nekokami was not an out-of-the-way city in the Land of Wind, but most of the country seemed to have forgotten about it. Ritsu doubted that was actually the case, but for whatever reason, the Shinobi had never arrived to remove them from the city.

Many under Hanzei's command believed it was because of the crime lord's stringent rule to avoid Shinobi at all costs. Additionally, there were several rules about dealing with traders and travelers passing through the Shazo Pass. Thanks to his laws, they were able to keep away any unwanted attention.