"Does the handjob come with a massage?" Trojan responds in flawless Japanese as they enter the hospital room.

The Yakuza heavy looks like he's ready to remain his stalwart self, initially replying (in Japanese)

"Fuck off, pig! I wanna speak to my lawyer." (Dick knows that one too)

Yakuza's 4x4 is wrecked by Hammer's 3x1

Hammer smiles, unfazed by the insult as the Viking menacingly eyes the Yakuza's I.V.

Dick's 2x6 is wrecked by Yakuza's 2x5
Dick's 2x4 is wrecked by Yakuza's 2x2

"Does the handjob come with a massage?" Trojan responds in flawless Japanese, trying to antagonize as he walks toward the bed.

The Yakuza continues his line of Japanese cop slurs, followed quickly by (in perfect English), "MAN WHAT?!"

Hammer watches the man crumble under Trojan's clever ruse.

2x5 for Trait: Nordic Tattoos and a mohawk

Yakuza is now "MARKED"

"WHAT'S YOUR NAME?! WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" snarls Hammer, his mouth foaming at the edges as the Viking shoots the Yakuza a terrifying look while bending his IV tube of precious painkillers.

"Ok. OK! I'm Eddie Yokohama, I'm...was Noriko's bodyguard." screams the Yakuza, the morphine no longer stopping the pain.

"And worth every penny, huh?" Trojan mocks as Eddie sweats. "Bodyguarded him right into a shallow grave. I respect the balls that took, man, but not the brains. I mean, he's Old Man Takematsu's son. Dude ain't gonna let that go. Course, my partner here ain't gonna let go of that IV bag until you tell us who gave you the order, either."

Trojan mouths "Takematsu" at Eddie while Magnusson's busy cranking down on the morphine drip. If Eddie wanted to screw them, now was when he'd do it. Dick's fingers slide a hair closer to his Beretta. Eddie had balls enough to straight-up kill Noriko Takematsu, maybe he'd have the balls to stand up to Dick and the Hammer. But Dick didn't think so. Dick figures Eddie's smart enough to realize the only way out now is through. Play the hand out.

(Takematsu), Trojan mouths again. "All we want is a name, Eddie. You're not the kind of guy who works alone. We want the bigger fish. Make it easy on yourself."

Sweat begins to bead up on Eddie's forehead and temples, the pain and stress of being worked over by two angry men getting the best of Eddie.

"T-T---Taketmatsu. Takematsu-san ordered the hit. I was just there to see Noriko went the right way. I didn't pull the fucking trigger, I swear!"

Dick shakes his head, as if to lament the state of a world where a father has his own son murdered. "That old bastard had his own son killed. That shit doesn't fly in my town, Eddie. Tell us about the case, Eddie. What was Noriko carrying?"

If you wanna know something and he won't tell you, cut off one of his fingers. The little one. Then tell him his thumb's next.

It was some classic hoodwinking, with some good ole' fashioned blinding pain thrown in for good measure, but Eddie was singing like a Japanese canary.

"I dunno, money from the night's take? I just work the rooms and make sure nobody tries to get between Eddie and the cash exchange. We were heading for the dock for the last drop off and got ambushed...Eddie took one through the windshield, collapsed over the steering wheel, then drove us into a building. The next thing I remember is waking up here."

"You didn't see who shot Noriko?" Dick asks. "A car, license plate, face, man, woman, anything? Your story might be bullshit, might not, but it doesn't really help your case if you're the only person we've got tied to the murder besides Noriko's father, and I doubt he's making headshots from moving vehicles these days."

"Its been a rough day. I'm tired and hungry, and I'd like nothing more than to write up the paperwork for this asshole as the shooter and put the thing to bed." Magnuson turns to Eddie. "You have two minutes. I don't have to tell you what happens to those who fuck Takematsu in prison."

"Noriko and his dad recently had a falling out over them sharing territory with the Northern Brotherhood. His dad wanted to secure Noriko's future before he kicked the bucket, but Noriko wanted no part of dealing with those skinhead bastards. The Brotherhood is full of ex-military types with itchy trigger fingers and plenty of training to get something set up..." winces Eddie, his eyes now closed to the nearly unbearable pain shooting through his forehead.

He grabs Hammer's arm in desperation for painkillers before continuing.

"...But if Takematsu wanted to help out Noriko, the last thing he'd do is order a hit on 'em. Doesn't make any damn sense. Other than Noriko, the only heir he's got is his daughter, Reiko. I don't think the old man had her in mind to run the show."

Asshole gives us Takematsu and then starts babbling about how it doesn't make sense? This skidmark needs to get his story straight.

Dick mulls it over like he's putting the pieces together. "Let him go, Hammer... for now, eh?" Trojan takes Magnusson aside and says, "Those skinheads in the cars today are making more sense now, as are the Feds from this morning. So Takematsu wants to deal with the Brotherhood, Noriko disagrees. The Aryans whack Noriko... but that'll start a war unless Takematsu really did give them his blessing or even masterminded it. Problem is, we can't touch Takematsu, not with him in bed with the goddamn mayor. Meanwhile, those pricks Johnson & Johnson show up 'cause of their RICO case between the AB and the yaks. Fuck, maybe they really were Feds."

Dick lets the silence hang there for a moment until he asks something else, in a voice that lets Magnusson know he's up to no good. "On the other hand, I think there's an angle here we can use to cripple the yakuza in San Francisco. And maybe the Brotherhood, too. But... it ain't gonna be entirely legal. Are you in, or should I stop talking, we go bust Eddie and/or some two-bit neo-nazi scumbags for this, and go back to our bad coffee and paperwork?"

Hammer mulls over Tojan's dicey proposition for a moment. "Fuck it. I'm down for a little extra-curricular activity. They ruined my van for fucks-sake!"

"All right, we figure the Brotherhood killed Noriko Takematsu. Possibly even one of the assholes who wrecked your van. Possibly a dead one, possibly that one dude you were talking to after the crash. I figure you pick, I don't know how bad your beef with him is. And why would Old Man Takematsu have his own son killed? I figure he was talking to the feds, or was going to. That'd be enough of a motive. And it's enough for us to move on Takematsu, but we'll have to do it hard and fast, like a cheap hooker. I figure we hit him at Noriko's funeral, we won't have to contend with his home security, and the men he does have will have to keep it low-key."

ACT 2


Golden Gate Park...two days later.

Early morning fog obscures most of the tranquil vista at the Japanese Tea Garden & Temple, funeral ceremony site for the late Noriko Takematsu.

As friends (dressed in black) and family (dressed in traditional white) begin to file past the two detectives on their way to the Temple; Trojan checks his Timex Ironman, noting that the shindig should be kicking off in less than an hour.

Looking back up at the procession, Dick spots Reiko, walking with her father a midst a dozen or so beefy looking types working security for the elder Taketmatsu.

Sitting in the Camaro, Hammer notices Dick's gaze following Reiko, and makes a mental note of it. He sips his coffee thoughtfully for a moment and double-checks his sidearm. "What do you think the odds are that I'll make the gig tonight instead of recovering in a hospital somewhere?"

"Better n' average," Dick theorizes. Trojan's already starting to sweat; his black suit and the kevlar underneath soaks up the sun in ways his usual Hawaiian fare does not. His tie lies discarded in the floor of the Camaro (too easy to get choked with it), and for once the detective is painfully sober and almost (almost) respectable looking.

Dick and Hammer move toward the funeral possession, making a bee-line toward Takematsu for a quick take down.

The Old Man's bodyguard quickly sees the two cops approaching, immediately putting himself between them and his employer.

"Private ceremony...leave now, no trouble." grumbles the mountain of a man, a formidable opponent of no-doubt former Sumo greatness.

Trojan nods politely, leaning past the Yokozuna and speaking directly to Takematsu.

(OOC: Adam, I'll leave it up to you what you say to deliver the 1st Degree effect)

While his companion, addresses the target, Hammer makes it obvious he's sizing up the large bodyguard, looking him up and down with a smirk on his face, and flexes his shoulders and neck, as if prepping for a fight.

"Hiroku Takematsu, you're under arrest for the murder of Noriko Takematsu. At least, that's what the FBI is going to tell you in a few minutes." Dick eyes the elder yakuza, trying his best not to make eye contact with Reiko... at least not yet. "Mr. Takematsu, you need to come with my partner and I. The feds won't try anything if they think you're already in custody." He looks at Reiko next. "I know this isn't the best timing, but you're exposed out here and I don't know how long we have. We need to move your father, now."

Old Man Takematsu seems genuinely confused with everything Trojan told him, most importantly it's not the bit about the Feds cracking down on his organization. He takes in the exchange between Reiko and Trojan and suspects the worst.

(in Japanese, but you kinda know where this is going)

"Child? What is the meaning of this. You and him...some damn gaijin round-eye?!"

Takematsu's bodyguard notes Hammer's provoking stance; quietly pulling out a walkie-talkie during the familial exchange and saying something while he adjusts his jacket, making sure both cops know he's carrying some artillery underneath his Italian silks.

"Father, I...." replies Reiko, panicking in the revelation as she moves toward the Old Man's bodyguard and pulls out his backup piece from inside the Heavy's waistband!

"You Americans are all the same. I thought you were different!" screams Reiko, pointing the pistol at Dick.

Dick wasn't expecting that, really. His face drops in true surprise as he stares slack-jawed at Reiko's barrel. Thinking quickly, he tries to hold it together long enough to keep them all alive a few seconds longer.

"You rotten bitch! I trusted you! After all we went through, all I am is a way for you to usurp your father?! It's why you had Noriko killed, after all! If you're gonna stab me in the back I can throw in with your dad just as easy!" Trojan prays to fuckin' God that line of stone cold bullshit confuses everyone there long enough to get some traction with Takematsu. The Hammer and him would be hard-pressed to take out everyone here, but get them infighting, and they might be able to do it piecemeal, right here, right now.

"Takematsu, trust me, your daughter's as dead to you as your son. I suggest you let me and my partner get you the fuck out of here."

"Reiko, stop this once!" orders Taketmatsu, as the Old Man steps forward to intervene, attempting to let calmer heads prevail to...well, no avail as Reiko's itchy trigger finger squeezes off a round, the bullet going wide of its intended target.

Taketmatsu's influence nearly sways the situation, but Dick decides to "Take One for the Team", moving in between the Old Man and Reiko. The enraged daughter (clearly) wants no longer wants any part of whatever Dick's trucking, fumbling with Oddjob's heavy pistol as her second shot also goes off its mark, barely winging Trojan in the arm.

Hammer's clearly have had enough with the muthafucking Japs in his muthafucking garden, magdumping his sidearm as Reiko and Oddjob are both SHOT with the searing kisses of hot lead.

At this point, Takematsu is a SUCKERED Old Man, mentally broken from his entire world (literally) falling apart in front of him.