Ashes to Ashes (Book Two of The Kazuya Series) (✔️)

三十一 (Thirty-One)

A/N:

Hi...

Didn't die.

Still alive.

Just...dealing with some stuff.

Also, I can never remember if Damien is i-e-n or i-a-n or if Colten is e-n or o-n. Forgive me and just hang with me. ☺️

You all are what keeps me going some days!!Love you all!!! ❤️

-B.

~~~~~~~~~
(Elle's POV)

"Didn't know how much I missed this."

"Which part?"

"All of it." I felt him smile as he pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

He'd managed to talk me into getting in the bath with him. First he tried for a shower but I wouldn't allow him to stand that long with the injury to his thigh so I made him change it to a bath.

Sitting up, I pulled my knees to my chest and turned around to face him. 

"What is it?" He questioned, seeing the look on my face.

"How do you think things will turn out? Do you think Damien has anything good enough to put an end to all of this?"

"Everything will turn out fine, Elle."

"That's not good enough for me. Fine is not good enough. I can't do fine."

Koan sighed, running a wet hand through this hair.

"Sometimes fine is all we're going to get."

Later, we all gathered in the living room as Damien arrived. He arrived with one of Kintaro's guys carrying a couple duffel bags full of clothes and stuff.

"Cut straight to the chase." Kintaro said, everyone seemingly sitting on the edge of their seats.

Damien reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder. From there he pulled out a few pictures and placed them on the coffee table.

"Recognize these faces? These are the faces of the people who framed you."  

Everyone said no...

Except one person.

"I recognize them. All three of them."

"Who are they?" Seiichi asked in a forceful tone.

Colten, gripping Renzo's hand in one of his own, reached out and began naming each person.

"Who. Are. They?"

"That's where it gets tricky and dangerous." Damien said, crossing his arms.

"Why?"

"They're FBI agents." Colten said.

"Excuse me?"

"The case dad and I were helping the FBI build against you all...they were the lead agents. They were hellbent on getting you all locked up. Said some shit about how it would be a good warning to all other families. How it would be a starting point for destroying all major crime families and making the country a safer place." Colten explained.

"They were pissed when it didn't work out?"

"Pissed? No, they were beyond pissed. They had spent years getting started and compiling evidence against you all. They brought us in on it only when they were most confident that they could lock all of you up."

"So they decided to blow up a couple buildings and kill and injure countless innocents to get what they wanted?!"

"Dad and I heard they lost a lot when their case fell apart. Heard they were all demoted. Heard their boss say that they embarrassed the bureau and a bunch of other shit."

"So what now? We have any proof?"

Damien then laid out very incriminating photos and showed us a video. The video showed all three agents walking into the hospital through different entrances with backpacks only to come out later with no backpacks.

"Also know a guy who managed to track purchases of everything they used to make the bombs. Used fake names and some prepaid Visa cards but used their real credit cards to get those Visa cards."

"What do we do with it all?"

"I will leave that for you all to decide." Damien said.

Arguments and discussing ideas went on for the following three hours. When it got a bit heated and the frustration began to get to everyone Kintaro declared it bedtime and said a decision would be made in the morning. He wanted everyone to sleep on it and think about it.

Koan was asleep before I was as I couldn't stop my mind from running a thousand miles. Every scenario ran through my head and none of them seemed favorable. Koan and I went through so much because of these agents. They took my mother from me. They took Koan from me.

Kissing his forehead, I got out of bed and snuck my way to the living room. I had made it outside before I was caught.

"Going somewhere?"

"They've gone through too much already." I replied.

"We figured it'd be you or your brother." Damien smirked.

"We?"

"Got any specific plans or anything?"

Hugging the folder of pictures and evidence to my chest I shrugged. "Maybe."

He chuckled. "Well I've got some...loaned resources in case this happened."

"What resources? Loaned from who?"

"My boss."

"Your boss?"

"Mr. Bianchi."

"Who would he help? Who is he?"

"An ally of The Kazuya family. More importantly though...a big Ryu fan and, as we know, Ryu and Koan are quite the friends. Helping Koan means helping Ryu. Mr. Bianchi is also one not unfamiliar with...doing what is necessary for those he loves."

"So you're going to help?"

"Plus some friends. We should get going before anyone else wakes up. I believe your husband won't be too thrilled about your idea."

The drive back to the city was quiet. I rehearsed everything in my head over and over again until I had it memorized. We were about twenty minutes out when Damien spoke.

"We aren't waiting until morning."

"We aren't?"

"No, they could realize we're gone by then and start this way. Plus it's much better when they really aren't expecting anyone."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Don't worry, Elle. It'll all work out."

"And if it doesn't?"

"I've heard great things about living in either Japan or Italy."

~~~~~~~~~~
(Koan's POV)

"The hell is she thinking?!" Colten shouted.

Minutes ago, I woke to discover Elle gone. I was quick to search the house and wake everyone else.

"Protecting us." I said, tugging on some shoes.

"Protecting you." Mom corrected.

"And Damien is with her?" Shiro asked. "Why? Why would he agree to go with her?"

I knew the answer but I didn't say it. I knew it had something to do with Ryu. It had to.

"What will she do?"

"Whatever it takes to makes us free."