In Cold Blood [Ash Lynx] - Banana Fish

Six - Don't Play

The street is quiet. Too quite.

The sound of car sirens and commuters walking along the busy streets of New York sounds further away than before and the hair on the back of Tora's neck stands on end.

With an unlit cigarette hanging out her mouth and an eyebrow raised, Tora looks to her right.

"What did you just say?"

With three other guys standing behind him, he removes his sunglasses from his eyes, hooking them over the collar of his t-shirt and wiping a hand on the side of his trouser leg.

"I said: You're on the wrong side of town. Need some help from a local?"

Tora lights up the end of her cigarette, inhaling and exhaling smoke before she turns to the group. "That's what I thought you said."

"You're not from around here, are you? You're not even Chinese." Eyebrow cocked and a sinister grin on his face, the guy takes a few steps towards her. "What business do you have here?"

Tora shrugs. "I don't know what you mean."

One of the other guys speaks up from behind him. "We mean talking to Nadia Wong."

The first guy nods. "What reason would you have to talk to her?"

Flicking the spent ashes from the end, Tora motions to the restaurant behind her. "We just chatted, you know, 'girl to girl'."

He huffs menacingly. "Is that so? Well, whatever business you have with Nadia, you have with us too. Her brother used to be our boss, you know."

Tora blows the smoke into the bitter air. "What makes you think I have business with you guys? Maybe my business lies elsewhere?"

He scoffs. "Like who? Ash Lynx?"

The guys laugh together, the first crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe." Tora shrugs.

"Sing has chosen to ally with Ash these days, so," He steps closer to her. "I'll ask again, what's your business in Chinatown? Jap?"

Reaching the end of her cigarette, Tora looks down at her yellowed fingers, considering crushing the butt against his cheek, only to drop it to the floor and kick it to the side.

She flashes him a sweet smile. "How about we agree I got lost and I walk away, huh?"

He reaches a hand to the side of her head, stroking her long hair with his fingers. "I think that's probably for the best. You seem like a clever girl."

"So where's this new leader of yours then? Don't fancy taking me to see him before I leave? Or do you not like following his orders?" Tora questions.

The guy scoffs, furrowing his eyebrows. "Sing's out doing 'whatever'. Most likely roaming the streets for our missing guy."

She raises an eyebrow. "What missing guy?"

"That's none of your business." He sneers, raising his hand to her head, attempting to grab hold of her scalp. Tora slaps his hand away, grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm behind his back.

The three guys quickly pull out their guns, aiming them at her threateningly.

She slides her hand out of her pocket, flashing the blade of her pocket knife and resting the cold against his neck. Holding his wrist in one hand and pulling him down with her knife in the other, she uses him as leverage.

"From what we've established, I don't think you know what my business in Chinatown is at all." Tora hisses into his ear. "But I think by now you understand that I'm not someone you should mess with. If they make any sort of movement towards us, I can slice your neck quicker than that. You seem like a clever guy."