Gone was the icy looks Katya was prone to giving now replaced with curiosity and seriousness.
"You took him home didn't you?" she asked warily whilst Touya chuckled. "You didn't leave him anywhere."
"I'm hurt," said Touya clutching his chest in mock pain. "Am I that distrustful."
"Be serious," she said.
Touya coughed and pulled himself to his full height.
"Kyler's information suggests that last night wasn't very peaceful for the city," said Touya. "The Forest Snakes turned everything on its head in their search for Wing's missing son."
"We expected that," said Katya pointedly.
"Yes," Touya agreed. "But there's been a missing persons complaint with the police."
Katya's eyes widened at that, in any case, any time, getting the police involved in their business was never a good idea.
"They actually filed a complaint?" she asked. "Are they crazy, they work below the board as much as us."
Touya chuckled, "Yes but in this case the law is with them, it's Wing's son."
"Oh you can't be serious," said Katya clenching her fists. "Jin's terrified of his father."
"Doesn't mean anything," said Ly coming forward. "We've got no evidence and the boy isn't all there himself."
"Ly's right," said Quedell. "The boy here's about his father, or even hears that word, he goes crazy, what's going to happen when he actually sees the man."
"But then we can't let them meet," said Katya. "We can't give up Jin."
"If the police find us then that decision might not be in our hands," said Touya. "But don't worry, I can guarantee that boy's save at least of the next forty-eight hours…can you do anything in the meantime?"
Katya frowned as she thought about it. If the police were involved in this case then what on earth could she do without landing herself and the prowlers in hot water.
"What about your doctor friend…Kriti?" asked Ly.
Katya thought about her then immediately shook her head. She was already in enough trouble yesterday, no way she could bring her further into this.
"Is there anything we can do?" asked Katya frowning.
Touya gave grin as he stepped forward, "Yes, we give up the boy and go on with our lives."
Katya looked at him horrified, "How can you say that?"
"Sometimes things like these happen," he said with a smile. "You can't do anything about it."
"You-," Katya started but she stopped as she heard a loud ruckus from inside the compound.
***
"For god's sake catch that little animal…!" came a loud voice from inside the compound which Katya equated to Kovit's.
There was a loud clucking sound reminiscent of a chicken and suddenly with amazing speed, a large bird vaulted out the side gates shocking her.
"What…the…hell?" she asked as the bird ran in circles as Kovit and a group of people all rushed out.
"Hey boss," said Kovit greeting her quickly as he tried to jump on the bird which moved out of the way and clucked in scorn.
"Dammit!" Kovit growled. "Get him."
"Kovit," said Katya quietly and Kovit quickly turned to see a dangerous glare from his boss.
"Uh…yes boss?" asked Kovit.
"Pray tell, why are you playing with a chicken?" she asked.
To the side Touya let out a snort of laughter, something she ignored.
"It was in the compound sir," he said. "We were trying to clean it up, there were two others, one a rooster, we caught the rooster and the other chicken but this one outran us."
She looked at the chicken and then at her men being a made a fool out of by the white bird.
"You are all idiots," she said with a sigh. "There are six, seven of you and one chicken, how the hell are you not able to corner."
"Uh…that," said Kovit. "It's ridiculously clever sir."
Touya let out a proper laugh as he came to stand next to Touya, "I can attest to that."
Katya looked at him, like he was an idiot and Touya shrugged.
"I've tried to catch chicken before, ridiculously fast," he said. "But truth be told, you should be able to catch this one with how much numbers you have."
Kovit scowled, "The bird's a damn menace."
The street was filled the noises of shouts and a clacking chicken as her men ran around trying to grab the little monster.
"…not that way man, it's going to run…"
"Wait, I think I've got it…"
"It's too fast."
"Just grab the thing already."
All the while Katya stood back with her eyes twitching and Touya stood next to her suppressing his laughter. Quedell however had no such need and he was guffawing with laughter to the side.
"Oh…oh this is comedy gold," he said in between laughs. "You can't get something better if you pay for it."
"Morons!" shouted Katya. "Corner it to a wall or something, it's just a chicken."
"Make sure to catch it!" Touya shouted after her. "That's going to be our dinner!"
Katya glared at Touya who shrugged innocently, "What, might as well make use of it."
"I'm taking the chicken," she said scowling and Touya looked at her with surprise.
"What on earth do you need a chicken for?" he asked.
"I don't," she replied. "But I don't want you to have it."
"You're really petty, you know that," he said as he now leaned against her, at this point she just sighed.
***
At this point Touya looked at Kyler who nodded and walked away. Katya who appeared to be immersed in the chicken game did not however notice this.
He stepped a fair few feet away from the ruckus and Katya.
"Do we need to take action here?" asked Quedell.
"No," said Touya. "At least not yet."
"But we might be forced to," said Ly. "They've got the cops involved, is that why you sent away Kyler?"
"No, I'm trying to find out about this Wing's history," said Touya. "If he can flip his finger and turn the city upside down then he's not small time, I don't want to be caught unawares."
"You think there's something there?" asked Ly.
"I know there's something there," said Touya. "The man took charge of the Forest Snakes, made it into something more ruthless and efficient, his wife committed suicide apparently, two days prior and his child is absolutely terrified of him, if there's nothing there then I've got no brains."
"What about he…him?" asked Ly pointing at Katya.
"What about him?" asked Touya. "He's a friend, we need to help him and we require his help."
"Oh come on Touya," said Ly. "You didn't really need his gang, you could have brought in workers from oversees, hell, Mei could help you here."
"Yes," agreed Touya with an exaggerated nod. "But his gang did the damage."
"Was it just me or did we all feel that a couple of minutes ago?" Quedell asked grinning. "When you were looking at the guy, it seemed like there was a moment-."
Quedell quickly cut himself off after a dangerous glare from Touya. He then thought back to that moment and all of sudden he felt his body seize up. His heart beat had increased and he had an untold feeling, something he couldn't say he had experienced prior.
"Damn," he cursed under his breath turning around and looking at Katya's back.
Ly sighed as he looked at Touya and Quedell glanced clueless, back and forth between Touya, Katya and Ly.
***
Katya turned to her side ignoring the ruckus as they were still trying to catch the one chicken, only to see Touya had disappeared from her side. She turned back to see Touya looking at her with a strange gaze only feel her body tense as heat climbed from her nape. She shook her head quickly, she was feeling all sorts of weird these days. Maybe she needed to have a talk with Kriti.
"Touya," she said as she walked over with a complicated gaze, thinking back to the conversation they had.
Touya snapped out of his daze as he he looked at her with renewed light in his eyes.
"Yes?" he asked.
"You can't just expect me to let Jin go," said Katya. "Not after learning what his father did to him."
"I understand," said Touya nodding. "But as I said these things happen."
She clenched snarled, "I don't want these things to happen."
"Call for a negotiation, maybe," said Touya shrugging.
It was an answer that made Katya pause.
"That…maybe," she said thinking.
"Well, you're short on options," said Touya.
Suddenly there was loud clucking sounds and a round of cheers as Katya turned to see Kovit raising the chicken by its legs and holding it up in the air like a trophy.
"Hell yeah," he said half crying.
Katya smiled as she saw it and she whispered, "Well done boys."
"You're a lot gentler than you let on, aren't you," said Touya looking at her with a smile as she realized he heard her.
She turned away replacing her smile with her prior ice cold look.
"I might try and see for a negotiation," she said suddenly changing topics but then her eyes hardened.
"I will not let them have Jin," she said looking at Touya with renewed steel both in voice and look, something that appeared to have surprised him, much to her satisfaction. "We're prepared for war, if necessary."