The thing that is bothering Akihito

The thing that is bothering Akihito must be huge enough for him to resort to this and if Asami's predictions are correct, it has something to do with him.

The humorless laughed stopped and the yakuza turned ice. His dark eyebrows narrowed, the muscles of his face tightened as he dialed Kirishima's number.

"Kirishima, Akihito sneaked out. Gather the rest at the penthouse in five minutes," he ordered coolly.

Asami went back in the room, donning his dress pants and white shirt. Leaving the top three buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, he went to his safe, punching in the code to retrieve his gun. He was surprised that the keys to the Vespa were missing. So, Akihito found out the code to the safe, Asami thought grimly.

By the time he stepped out from the room, four of his best men: Suoh, Kirishima, Toru and Ando had gathered in the living room, perfectly dressed in their black suits. Asami accepted the glass of liquor from Kirishima and drained the brandy in one shot, welcoming the strong fiery liquid down his throat.

Kirishima was the first to speak, "Asami sama, twenty men are downstairs and they are ready to move."

The yakuza nodded in response before turning his attention to his personal guard. "Suoh, have the men located Ishida?"

Suoh stepped forward. "Yes, Asami sama. I've just received reports that Ishida is currently at home. Kanda and Makoto are currently stationed outside his apartment."

"Send them in. I want some answers and if he's unwilling to provide them, break his fingers– one at the time," Asami ordered as Kirishima refilled his glass.

"Understood," replied the bulky guard.

"Put it on loud speaker, I want to hear that bastard scream," Asami ordered again, swirling his brandy.

Suoh did as he was told. He barked the orders on the phone before setting it on the table in front of Asami. None spoke as they listened to the rushing footsteps up the apartment where Ishida stayed. Kanda rapped his knuckles on the door, calling out for Ishida's name.

Eventually, a disgruntled reply came and the door was opened. Ishida didn't even have time to finish his sentence when the guards attacked. A loud crashing sound was heard and then, silence.

"Where is Takaba Akihito?" one of the men growled and a loud smack could be heard.

Ishida groaned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Smack

"Where is he?" The voice was louder this time.

"I don't know who Takaba Akihito is," Ishida croaked.

Smack

Asami lost patience and grabbed the phone. "Kanda, break his finger," he ordered.

"Yes, Asami sama," Kanda replied before addressing his partner. "You heard the boss, his finger."

"No, please no. I swear I don't – ARG!" Ishida screamed and a loud bone crushing sound was heard.

"Takaba Akihito, where is he?" Kanda growled at the sobbing Ishida. When Ishida didn't reply, Kanda spoke, "Asami sama, he's still not talking, your orders?"

If Ishida were right in front of him, Asami would have personally sliced off his tongue. Controlling his anger, he ordered again, "The next finger."

This time, Kanda needn't addressed his partner.

Crack.

Ishida screamed from the pain.

"Speak or I'll break the next," Kanda bellowed.

Still sobbing, Ishida finally replied, "Cl—club Ageha."

"Asami sama, what should we do with him?" Kanda spoke through the loud speaker.

"Bring him to the warehouse and tie him to a chair, I want to know what he said to Akihito," Asami said, passing the phone back to Suoh. He stood up, buttoning his shirt. "Kirishima, who owns Club Ageha?"

Kirishima stepped forward to fix his boss's cufflinks. "I believe it's the Kuroda-gumi."

Asami knew his lover was snooping around the Kuroda-gumi lately; Toru reported that Akihito even took some shots of him with Sakaki. Since both clans posed no threats to Asami, he let the matter slide.

Fully dressed now, he took the gun from the table, checked the magnum. Satisfied with the condition of his gun, he kept it in his shoulder holster and scanned the four men in front of him.

"Let's pay Club Ageha a visit."

Xx Business as Usual xX

It took great pains but Akihito managed to secure a waiter's uniform after knocking out cold a worker named Jun who was throwing the rubbish at the back alley.

The black dress pants, long sleeve white shirt, bow and vest were one size too big but Akihito figured he couldn't be too picky about it at the moment. Besides, he needed some room to hide his mini recorder so it was a blessing that the shirt wasn't tight fitted.

After hiding the unconscious worker behind a huge rubbish bin, he walked into the club through the back door and into the kitchen. He was initially worried if someone might recognize that he wasn't Jun but everyone was minding their own businesses that no one gave him a second look. One uniformed worker went out for garbage disposal; one uniformed worker came back in and that was it.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing here, newbie! Get your ass to work," a man with a high chef hat shouted.

That made perfect sense why no one recognized him, Akihito thought and quickly walked pass the angry sous chef.

"Newbie, take this to Kuroda sama," one of the chef's assistants ordered, pushing a dish of freshly sliced sashimi to Akihito's hands.

Akihito took the offered dish, scanning around for the door. Fortunately a worker came in to place an order so he was saved from asking the angry chefs to be shown to the door. He pushed the door open and was greeted with loud music, thick smoke and people- a lot of people.

Club Ageha bore no resemblance with The Fixer. Everything about the club screamed cheap; the music, the interiors, furniture - even the patrons looked a class lower than those who frequented Sion and The Fixer. Now he understood why it was so darn difficult to get into those clubs.

Pushing unnecessary thoughts away, Akihito ordered himself to stay focus on his job. He moved around, scanning the club for possible places that the yakuza bosses might be having their discussions, all the while avoiding looking like a lost sheep.

He lifted an eyebrow when he scouted two men in dark suits guarding the elevator. They must be on the top floor, Akihito told himself. Straightening his back, hands gripping the plate of sashimi tightly, he walked to the direction, praying that his courage wouldn't fail him.