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“I know you are doing this to save my family. I forgive you,” Yuuto says.
“I am sorry, Mr. Yumiko,” I say, raise the pistol, and take a deep breath letting my cheeks fill up with air. I blow it out and see him nod.
Bang!
There’s a splash followed by screams behind me. I know Artyom’s men are holding the remaining Yumikos back. I can’t look at them.
“Good, now it’s your turn, Artyom,” the Siren says.
“Boat ahead!” Someone calls out.
“It’s just another one of my boats. I’m going to watch from there,” the Siren says and then speaks into her cellphone. “Bring the Tentacle Two alongside.”
Ninety minutes later
The rain has just about stopped. I know these storms. It’s going to come back even harder in a little while. Artyom left a few of his men to guard me while he went and possibly put a hit on Ivan, the current Bratva Avtariet. Everyone else went below to get out of the rain. We’re under an overhang, giving us a little protection from the weather.
Artyom returns carrying a twelve-gauge pump shotgun. He’s followed by a group of people, including Katana, his men, and the remaining Yumikos. They are all gathering around on deck.
“C’mon, chum,” Artyom says. The word chum comes out of his mouth in a sinister, mocking tone. It’s a bluff to tell everyone that he’s going to go through with killing me. I think. At the same time, I’m not sure if there’s any other play here.
Artyom waves his hands to get everyone to gather around. He’s guiding me over to where Mr. Yumiko was standing and goes to where I was standing a few hours ago.
“This man has caused all of us problems,” Artyom is looking around as he’s giving his speech. “He was executioner to many of our colleagues, without authority from Ivan Vasilek, beloved leader of Bratva. I discussed with Ivan moments ago, and I do not act here without the authority to do what I am about to do.”
Artyom raises the shotgun, and I see and hear one of the scariest things in the world. Theclick-clickof a round being pumped into a shot-gun chamber. Artyom just sealed himself in as next in line to the Bratva throne. I don’t blame him. It is the smart play. If this really is it, I want Mari’s face to be the last thing I see. I look around the crowd to find her. Mari, her sister standing next to her, and everyone is looking at Artyom or me. Everyone except their Uncle Maresuke Yumiko. I follow his sight line to see he’s the only one looking at the Siren’s boat. She’s standing atop her bridge while her men are lined up using model ships attached to the railing as cover, with their guns pointing at the crowd on the Splash. Maresuke pushes his nieces down and jumps on top of them.
“Get down!” I yell at everyone.
Boom!
I hear it, and there is tremendous pain in my gut.Mariis all I can think of as I hit the freezing cold water. I’ve been shot before. It usually takes a little while for the shock to wear off before feeling the pain. This time the bullet hit my stomach like a punch from champion boxer Mike Tyson. A hit, that’s what it was, not a bullet entering my body. I realize what happened. Artyom hit me with a rubber bullet while the Siren decided to have her people aim at everyone on the Maximum Splash. But I didn’t hear a succession of gunfire after the shotgun went off. Her men didn’t shoot.
There is a lot going on, on the boats, so if I stay quiet enough, I think I can swim to the Splash’s diving platform without being noticed. I need to figure out what to do as I swim.
The Siren already planned to take out Katana and take over the Yakuza. I don’t know if she suspects Artyom of double-crossing her and is now going to sort it out by force. It would be harder for her to take control of the Russian Bratva without Artyom, but she might take that chance while she has the upper hand.
I can swim and make it to shore. Even help make sure Mr. Yumiko made it, go on the lamb with him, and eventually get messages to Mari and his family. The thing is, can I trust the Siren not to call my bluff about having someone watch out for Mari?
23
MARIKA
“Have all your men lower their weapons,” Sonomi’s wretched voice comes over a megaphone. Uncle Suki starts to get off Honey and me but uses his arms, outstretched behind him, to keep us in back of him. I look over his shoulder to see what he is shielding us from now. There are men in military-style uniforms positioned along the railing of Sonomi’s boat with guns pointed at us. Each has his head or upper body hidden behind decorative model ships on top of the railing. The ships look like the ones in the mural at the Siren studio housing level.
“What the hell is this?” Artyom shouts back to Sonomi. “There is no need for this!”
Artyom obviously wasn't expecting her to have this much backup and does not sound so happy about it. Uncle Suki stays in front of us and takes Honey and my hands in his. Uncle tightens his grip in a way he’s done before to help calm us down when we were worried. Honey, fortunately, isn’t looking at the new threat. Her head is leaning against our uncle’s back.
“Tentacle crew, if they don’t put their weapons down in five seconds, kill them all,” Sonomi says to the men on her boat. Honey’s cries grow louder as we hear the beginning of a countdown. “Five, four...”
“Put your guns down!” Artyom shouts at his men, and they all comply with his command. “Now, explain! What is this, Sonomi?”
“I received word that a man my people were questioning has left my studio before the interview was complete. I want to know if you and Katana know anything about this man’s departure,” Sonomi says over the megaphone.
“What the hell are you talking about? We just formed a commission!” Artyom argues and starts saying what I’m pretty sure are curse words in Russian under his breath. He's losing his cool now too.
“And we will have our first meeting here on board my boat. I’m sending men to escort the two of you here,” Sonomi informs Artyom.
