In the dark there are no strangers

There are no strangers at all

~"Lost Boy," The Midnight

The dumb one was at least smart enough to realize he shouldn't trust him, but not smart enough to prevent Yut-Lung from noticing his mistrust. Yut-Lung lasered his focus on the blond man, the one with the same coloring as Ash but none of Ash's intelligence, and smirked. The other man scowled.

That one would be useless. No doubt Golzine knew that he was stupid and was only using this one for the bare minimum he could offer. He was hardly worth Yut-Lung's time.

Yut-Lung tilted his head back. Shorter and the Japanese rat had been dragged out of the room. Now Hua-Lung was leaving, and Yut-Lung could only dip his head in subservience as his brother passed him, squeezing his shoulder as if to say chin up. It wasn't like Golzine would do anything with Yut-Lung that Hua-Lung hadn't done with him dozens if not hundreds of times.

"Take our guest to his room," Golzine said to one of his faceless bodyguards. Just like the blond one, they were useless, their features not worth memorizing. "I'll be with you shortly." He smiled at Yut-Lung.

He curved his lips into a demure smile. "Can't wait." He wished he had alcohol, or something, to dull the inevitable pain. Oh well. If he managed to find what he needed to in order to destroy his brothers, it'd be worth it. Nothing pained nothing gained, or so his mother used to say when she was teaching him things, like how to ride a bike. She'd kiss his scraped knee and say that. They said you never forgot how to ride a bike, but Yut-Lung was fairly certain he'd forgotten, because simple pleasures like bike riding were irrelevant to his life ever since she'd been ripped away from this world.

"When I see to you, we'll have our other guest join as well," Golzine added.

Yut-Lung cocked his head. So Golzine was into threesomes. He wasn't surprised. "Shorter?"

"No, the Japanese one."

The blond idiot let out a cackle. "Ash will flip."

Welcome to hell, you oblivious moron, Yut-Lung thought. Ash will burn you alive. He wondered what Eiji would be like afterwards. Would he hate Ash, then, for not saving him? Would he still cling? Yut-Lung was betting on the former.

"Hm." Golzine stayed seated as Yut-Lung rose. "I'll call Abraham to get to work with the other one. Shorter Wong."

"Him too?" asked the blond kid.

You're a true idiot, and not a naive one like Eiji. I think I hate you even more than Eiji, Yut-Lung decided.

"No. He will be our test subject," Golzine said. "Abraham was looking for one."

Abraham Dawson. The scientist whose nephew he pretended to be. The scientist who made Banana Fish.

I'm not lying! he'd insisted to Wang-Lung.

Yet. His hand drifted towards his throat.

"I heard Chinatown had a new boss anyways," Golzine added to the walking dumb blonde joke as the bodyguards led Yut-Lung out of the room.

The words burned against Yut-Lung's bones. You're going to kill him? Shorter was such an idiot. They told him to leave. Hua-Lung offered him praise, and he refused it to stay with a useless Eiji, and now he would die for it. After Banana Fish? Because of Banana Fish? He didn't know. He needed to know, if he wanted to use it.

The guards escorted him to a lavish room with a wooden headboard and ornate curtains. Yut-Lung watched as they used the lock. The code solidified into his memories.

I thought you looked like Eiji.

And there were tears, warm, against his face, or there had been back then. Stupid. Shorter should have been crying for himself. Though Yut-Lung didn't think crying was ordinarily part of a gang member's repertoire. It certainly wasn't a part of his as part of the Lee clan. His brothers told him not to cry, because his mother cried and it made them angrier.

You're nothing but a venomous snake.

Bred by other venomous snakes. Yut-Lung studied his image in the mirror, untwisting his hair. It fell over his shoulders in a black waterfall. Hua-Lung was right; he really did look like his mother.

It'd be a shame about Shorter. He was at least smart enough to realize how fucked up the Lee family was, instead of blindly following them. Yut-Lung grabbed a comb and untangled his hair. Fuck, there weren't any tangles. He still kept combing.

An alive Shorter with a grudge could be most useful to him, especially if Shorter owed him. Suppose Golzine found another subject, and then—I could set everything in motion sooner than I'd planned.

He pictured Golzine's face again and scowled. For sleeping with the likes of that man he'd deserve to take over sooner rather than later.

Yut-Lung pressed his ear against the door. It took him only a few seconds to slip through the hallways. Golzine's voice still rumbled from the same room he'd received them in, and the dumb blonde's twerpy voice. He wound his way through the mansion's hallways, taking mental note so that he wouldn't get lost. A moment that lacked concentration could have disastrous consequences. Like when his mother didn't lock the door that night long ago.

The keys were easy enough to find. Golzine wasn't stupid, but neither was he as smart as Yut-Lung was. It only took a few seconds to put the guards to sleep with his needles.

Shorter was in a room across from the lab. The pungent odor of cleaning fluid stung Yut-Lung's nostrils as he slid into the room. Bright lights glistened against the wall. He squinted.

"The fuck do you want?" Shorter demanded, lounging back against the wall as if he didn't have a care in the world. Yut-Lung could see through him. "What, Golzine wasn't interested after all? Not blonde enough?"

Yut-Lung scowled. "You think he cares? Or that I do?"

"Don't you want to make your brothers proud?" shorter wasn't backing down. Fool. He was like Ash in some ways, Yut-Lung supposed. He cared too much.

"Why didn't you listen to him?" Yut-Lung asked. "You could be eating hot pot with your sister."

"While Eiji and Ash die?"

That confirmed it. He'd already known, and yet it still struck him in the abdomen, a soft shock. "I didn't realize you were vulnerable, too," Yut-Lung said.

Shorter blinked. "Huh?"

"With your loved ones," said Yut-Lung. "Ash, and Eiji too. You could have escaped and had our family's esteem. Now Golzine plans to kill you."

Shorter clenched his fists.

"By giving you Banana Fish," Yut-Lung added.

Shorter's eyes widened slightly. Ah. So he did know more about it.

"I don't want the approval of snakes," managed Shorter.

Fine, I'll be a snake then. "What about the gift of a snake, then?" Yut-Lung held out the key.

"The fuck?" Shorter's brow creased. "This is some kind of trap."

"Yes," said Yut-Lung. "It is. I'll collect on a favor someday, but don't worry, it won't concern any of your loved ones."

"I don't believe you." Shorter stared at the key. It glinted against the blinding lights.

"I don't have all day." Yut-Lung tossed it at him. "Your choice. You get to escape, but you can't take Eiji with you. Leave that to Ash, or to someone else. I hear the Chinese have a new boss. Maybe you can work with him; they all idolize you anyways." That much he knew.

"How do you—"

"I hear things." Yut-Lung paused. "Don't tell my brothers."

"Why would I care to keep it—"

"I'm going to kill them," Yut-Lung said icily. "You should be happy to hear that. And maybe the favor I ask of you will be if I require your help." He turned on his heel as Shorter's mouth fell open.

They have scorned and condemned me, but my time will come.

It's just around the corner. And this will help me.

"I'll tell my brothers you saved me," Yut-Lung said to Sing Soo-Ling. The kid showed up with Shorter to help save Ash and blow up Golzine's mansion. And thanks to the chaos, in Yut-Lung's pocket he held the rest of Banana Fish. He should have known Shorter couldn't stay away, but at least he was alive.

Sing was brilliant for fourteen, but still fourteen, which meant he didn't quite seem to have realized that Shorter couldn't be the boss of the Chinese if he was on the Lees' bad side, which he was. Or maybe he just didn't care. If that was the case, that would benefit Yut-Lung. This can work.

Yut-Lung placed the binoculars down. Sing grabbed them to peer out of the helicopter himself. Good. He didn't trust Yut-Lung either.

"You helped Shorter escape," Sing remarked. "He told me."

"And if you ever repeat that, I will throw you out of the next helicopter."

Sing snorted. "I'd like to see you try."

Yut-Lung glared.

"So you're undermining your brothers," said Sing. "Why?"

"Why does it matter?" Yut-Lung focused on the lights of the city below. They sparkled like yellow and crimson diamonds, and Ash's car drove straight into them, the lights swallowing him up.

"If there's going to be a Lee civil war, I'd like to know whose side is the winning side."

"Mine is," said Yut-Lung instantly. "But there isn't going to be a war." He could use Banana Fish to depose them. The poor bodyguard Golzine had chosen in Shorter's place. That was gruesome. If it had been Shorter, Ash would have been even more incensed, and Yut-Lung wasn't sure he wanted to picture that. "You admire Shorter, don't you?"

"Sure. He's been good to all of us. He's—"

"Not in charge of Chinatown as far as my brothers are concerned," said Yut-Lung. "But he can be, when I'm in charge. Or you can be. I don't really care. You're both good."

Sing narrowed his eyes. "I'm not interested in selling out someone over me for power. That's you."

Yut-Lung contemplated slapping him. "My brothers are something else entirely."

"Like what?"

"Like, you don't need to know."

"Like, if you want my support, you should start talking."

"I give the orders here."

"That was a request."

"Shut up."

"Keep talking. I wanna know."

I'm going to shove you out of this helicopter, Yut-Lung decided. He glared at Sing. "I'm in a living hell. I don't tell you because I don't want you to be dragged into that hell."

Sing gaped at him. And then a laugh broke through his lips. "That's so cheesy."

Something cold settled in Yut-Lung's stomach. He peered outside again. The city lights obscured any stars.

"But you make it sound real," said Sing. "We'll be in touch."

Wang-Lung was the only one home. Figured. Hua-Lung was at least nice to him even if only because he wanted to get into Yut-Lung's pants. Wang-Lung complimented Sing and let him go. Good.

"You," said Wang-Lung. "Stay a minute."

"Fine." Yut-Lung stayed standing, playing with the edges of his hair. Wang-Lung wouldn't be distracted by it, though, unlike Hua-Lung.

"How did Shorter Wong escape?"

He knew this question was coming. "I've no idea. But if they wanted to give him Banana Fish, I can't think that it was in any way beneficial for—"

A hand struck him across the face. Yut-Lung stayed standing. Damn, it stung. But he wasn't going to fall. Not this time.

"That was not your goal," Wang- Lung informed him.

"I did—"

Wang-Lung grabbed him by his hair, throwing him down. His own hair wrapped around his throat. Yut-Lung gagged. So much for staying on his feet. But shit—breathing was—

"Your goal," Wang-Lung said, peering down at him, his knee on Yut-Lung's chest to pin him to the ground. His hand gripped Yut-Lung's hair, strangling him with it as if it was a rope. "Was to figure out what Golzine was up to, not rescue replaceable—"

I'm replaceable to you, but you are to me. "I didn't! Sing even said I didn't!" It came out a croak. His face burned, swelling. Any second now and he'd have to resist physically, and that would—

"You probably lied to him. You lie all the time." Wang-Lung yanked the hair tighter.

Now he couldn't breathe at all. Yut-Lung tried to stay still—stay still, he'll let go, it won't last, it will end, he has more uses for me—but shit. Panic pricked his fingertips. Something dark and slimy grabbed the back of his neck. Black dots popped at the edge of his vision.

He jammed his knee up. Right into Wang-Lung's groin. He rolled over, spitting and hacking. Air flooded his lungs, like sandpaper against his throat. He could think again.

He couldn't get up. His legs felt like jelly. He rested his chin on the carpet.

"You—" croaked Wang-Lung. "You—"

Fuck.

"Don't you ever," said Wang-Lung. The floorboards creaked as he got to his feet. "Raise your hand to me again."

There was no escaping it this time. Yut-Lung closed his eyes. "Technically, it was my knee."

The swiftness of the kick was enough to tell Yut-Lung that, at the very least, his words found their mark.

"I don't trust him," said Shorter.

"You can't trust a snake," said Sing. "He sounded serious about trying to take his brothers down, though." He waited for Shorter's reaction. Shorter Wong was the type of person Sing wanted to be: bold and fearless, quick-thinking and quick-acting. Yut-Lung lurked in the shadows, moving slowly no matter how fast his thoughts rushed. "Any loyal person in Chinatown should warn them." Then again, none of them knew a seventh Lee son existed.

Shorter slid his eyes towards Sing. He rubbed his forehead.

"How's Ash?"

"Hiding out with Eiji. I haven't spoken to him much."

Sing knew enough not to ask why, exactly. He knew when Shorter showed up at his place, demanding they help free Ash and someone named Eiji without even knowing that Sing had already taken steps towards that, he seemed frantic over something. But then Shorter had given him a nod of approval, and it was enough. To be noticed.

If you get involved, you risk your sister and everyone in Chinatown. Sing knew Shorter had already asked Nadia to stay with Charlie for the time being, but it wasn't sustainable. She had a business to run. But if you don't, you'll be abandoning your best friend.

Sing had asked him how he got out when he first showed up, and Shorter said it didn't matter. Yut-Lung bluntly owned up to it, though. "I'm going to go talk to him."

Shorter shrugged.

"Are you going to talk to Ash?"

"Are you always this nosy?" Shorter asked, lifting his sunglasses.

"Yes," said Sing. "I want to know everything."

Shorter waved his hand. "Get lost."

Yut-Lung made you betray Ash. That much Sing was pretty quickly able to piece together. But he still didn't quite understand why Yut-Lung would then help him out since he hardly seemed the type to do anything unless it spun around to benefit him.

He sent Yut-Lung a text. meet me for coffee.

No.

fine ill meet your brother instead

It better be important, Yut-Lung responded.

Sing doubted Yut-Lung's definition of important was the same as his was, but it didn't matter.

When Yut-Lung arrived, he moved stiffly. "Aged a bit?" Sing jeered.

If looks could kill, Sing would be skinned alive. Yut-Lung dropped into the chair. He was wearing sunglasses. Sweat shone on his forehead.

"Or imitating the person you helped free?" Sing asked.

"Do not make me slap you."

"So your bogus threats have shruken. At least it's not being pushed out a helicopter." Sing stretched. "I want to know why you helped Shorter go, and what exactly you plan to do with your brothers, and whether it's worth it because if you go ahead and get yourself in trouble, I have a half-brother to think about—"

"That's something you still haven't learned," said Yut-Lung. "If you want to be a leader in our world, you can't be loyal to people at the expense of everyone else. That's Ash's problem. That's Shorter's problem. If you want to—"

"I don't want to be like you," Sing cut in.

"Obviously not," said Yut-Lung. He was quiet. "I have an ace card."

"Then show it to me. I'm sure they'd pay me enough for a nice apartment to hear that their little bastard brother is—"

"Banana Fish," said Yut-Lung. "And if you say a word—"

"Please say you'll hang me by my toenails or something dramatic; your threats today are too boring." Sing frowned. "Wait, what the hell is a Banana Fish?"

"Ask Shorter to ask Ash," said Yut-Lung. "Unless the best friends are no longer best friends." He almost sounded optimistic at the prospect.

Sing arched his eyebrow. "You want everyone to be as lonely as you are?"

Yut-Lung stiffened. "It will put my brothers in a coma. There will be no war. There will only be a younger brother taking—"

"You don't think people will be suspicious—"

Yut-Lung dropped his gaze. "Not if you and Shorter back me."

Who else are you planning on working with? "And Ash?"

"He hates me for kidnapping his friends."

"Maybe if Shorter worked with him," said Sing, and then scowled. That's exactly what you were planning, isn't it?

"If he wins against Arthur," said Yut-Lung. "There will be a war, but between them." He leaned to the side. His hair seemed almost greasy as opposed to how sleek it looked last time Sing saw him, despite Yut-Lung coming from his house this time and not from a blazing inferno.

"Hey," said Sing. "Are you—Yut-Lung?"

Yut-Lung's head slumped forward. Sing hesitated, and then reached out to push his shoulder.

Nothing.

Are you kidding me?

He jabbed him with a straw. "Hey! Loser. Bastard Lee. Snake. Wake up." He was breathing, thank God. His face looked white as a corpse, though. Bloodless. "Wake. Up. Or I'll call your brothers."

He made no movement. Fuck, so he really was out of it. Did he pass out? Was he on something? His breathing seemed shallow, fast, like someone who had been stabbed, but he obviously hadn't been.

Sing cussed. If he left him here, he might get mad and turn the tables on Sing. If he called his brothers, they'd ask questions. Or Yut-Lung might die and then all hell would break loose if everyone found out he was the last person seen with him. Sing yanked out his phone.

"What?"

"Hey Shorter," said Sing. "You know that favor you owe Yut-Lung? I think you have the chance to make that up right now. Do you know a doctor who works in the underground and also can you rent a taxi because I'm broke?"

Yut-Lung's voice echoed. You can't be loyal to people at the expense of everyone else.

I'm not doing this because I care about you. I'm doing it because I'm thinking of everyone else I care about.

Besides, if it benefited him, Yut-Lung surely wouldn't complain, would he? Unless he wanted to die.

Well, whether you want to or not, you don't get to right now.