A gesture of good faith (Bitsevsky Park)

[Zixin Kao]

Ryker

There was a world where powerful men marking a woman as sister meant she was hands-off. Maybe Ryker didn’t need to violate her safety to get what he wanted. In this world, he could cast that web of power over her pretty face and she would dote on his every desire from then on out. Brother dearest would be none the wiser if a beloved sister was in love. He smiled to himself at that thought. Who wouldn’t love a face like Ryker’s?

Unfortunately, this world disappeared a little over a month ago, and it faded to oblivion when he was inside Butryka, which meant the most creative possibilities were blunted by harsher memories inside.

Still, he thought about how to make it happen.

Zixin

They were rather stand-offish. Zixin didn’t judge. He knew he was an imposing figure. He paid little attention to the exchange between Pavel and Ryker, and over a woman. Zixin judged Ryker’s taste well, but this was the time for business. Play would follow soon enough, but the insight was tucked into the back of his mind none the less. He addressed the sister first, but was sure to include both of them as he spoke.

“Thank you for the condolences. My dearest Aunty Yun will be greatly missed, which is why I am in Moscow. I am wholly dedicated to finding my Aunty’s murderer, because isn’t family the most important empire of all?” His gaze settled on Pavel for that one. The mafia families were all about loyalty. Blood run like rivers around the moats of their fortresses, and they were famous for it. Zixin wasn’t insincere when he said as much even if his tone danced the sword edge of sarcasm.

“See, I am aware that the man who carried out this attempted assassination on your brother was Yakuza, but he is not Edenokoji-gumi. In fact, he is unaffiliated in Moscow completely. It is fortunate that Ryker here was able to find you in time to intervene before you made a grave mistake. Had you sent an assassin of your own into Edenokoji territory, well, they would have perceived it as a Vasilev-unprovoked attack. War is bad for business for us all, is it not?”

He glanced at Ryker who was still fidgeting with that knife. Zixin’s mouth smirked at the sight. He had a fondness for swordplay more than knives simply for the grandiosity and spectacle of it. The Chinese Daos and Jians were his favored blades; known as the gentleman of weapons.

He nodded at Ryker, signaling the next step of their plan was to be put into action, who promptly flicked his knife closed and lay it on the ledge next to him in order to retrieve a wallet. As he was sending his messages, Zixin turned back to their guests.

“I am a stranger to you. You’re both reasonable to doubt me. So allow me to prove what I say,” he nodded toward the path on which they both just came. Within a few minutes a new figure showed himself.

Kiyohito

Kiyohito’s approach did not slow as he came into the light. His face was all stoney planes and angles and otherwise expressionless. His attention slipped carefully from one person to the next until it landed solely on Zixin; the ring-master of this show.