Cajun Justice(100)

“I’m so sorry this happened to you, Bonnie-san.” Sato untied the knots on the rope that bound her.

When Cain saw this, he lowered his pistol.

Sato took off his shirt, and Bonnie emitted a slight gasp at the sight of the tattoos on his chest.

“That was from a past life,” he said as he covered her nude body with his shirt.

Yamamoto quickly picked up his sword from the floor and rushed toward the unarmed and now kneeling Sato.

“Watch out!” Bonnie yelled.

Sato looked at Yamamoto, but there was nothing he could do from his position. He turned and placed himself in front of Bonnie. At that very instant, Cain straightened his arms and pointed the revolver at Yamamoto. He squeezed the trigger and fired the remaining bullet. The single .38 full-metal-jacket bullet tore into Yamamoto’s shoulder, causing him to drop the sword and fall to the floor a mere foot from Sato and Bonnie.

Cain ran toward Yamamoto, who was reaching for the sword, refusing to give up. Cain stepped on his hand clutching the katana and felt the man’s bones break against the weight. He grabbed the sword out of Yamamoto’s mangled fingers and stared into the emotionless eyes of the yakuza’s head boss. Cain gripped the sword with both hands, just as he had learned to do at his kendo classes. He positioned his right foot in front of him and raised the samurai sword into the air.

“Cain!” Bonnie shouted. “Don’t kill him.”

He turned to Bonnie, still holding the sword at the ready.

“I’m safe now. Don’t kill him. He’s not worth it.”

Cain was looking at his sister when he heard the swooshing sound of disturbed air. He quickly turned to Yamamoto and realized he was dead. With one powerful swing of the blade, Sato had decapitated Yamamoto, sending his head rolling across the carpet.

“You’re right, Bonnie-san,” Sato said. “He’s not worth it.”

Cain dropped the sword and rushed to Bonnie.

“I always knew you’d find me,” she said. Tears of joy streamed down her face. “I never doubted.”

“Well, that makes one of us, because I certainly had my doubts.” After a moment of embracing his sister, Cain turned to Sato. “How do I know that this wasn’t just some internal rivalry, and now you’re taking over the yakuza as the new oyabun?”

“Cain, he risked his life to save me!” Bonnie exclaimed. “And he just killed the head of the Yamamoto-gumi.”

“You must believe me, Cain-san,” said Sato. “Had I known that Bonnie-san was taken and held like this, I would have corrected this much sooner.”

“How can I believe you after all I’ve seen?”

“I believe him,” Bonnie said. “Sato-san is a good man.”

“Yamamoto and I met as young boys in the orphanage,” Sato explained. “The yakuza became our family. As I grew older, I became disheartened by the violence. I was more interested in making my money legitimately and giving back to the communities.”

Sato turned to Bonnie. He reached out to shake her hand. She pushed it aside and tightly embraced him. “Thank you for coming for me. I will never forget you.”

Sato’s hardened eyes softened and he nodded his head briskly. He turned to Cain. “I have a helicopter here. I will take you and Bonnie-san wherever you want to go.”

“Thank you, but I already have transportation waiting outside.”

“I’ve never met a gaijin more resourceful than you,” Sato said. “You have saved my life twice, and I am forever in your debt.” He bowed in respect.

“Arigato gozaimasu.” Cain returned the bow. “You go ahead and hop in your chopper and get out of here. I’ll make sure none of this gets tied back to you.”

“Arigato,” Sato said. Before he left the room, he grabbed the noren, the yakuza’s brotherhood banner, from the wall and ripped it. He used it to wipe off Yamamoto’s blood from his sword and then tossed the blood-soaked noren onto Yamamoto’s headless body.

Cain wrapped his arm around Bonnie’s waist to support her. “Sis, how about getting the hell out of here?” On their way out, Cain turned back to look once more into the unblinking eyes of Yamamoto’s severed head. “Sayonara.”





Chapter 80



Bonnie was exhausted, and Cain supported her weight with his arm around her waist. “I kept sending you messages,” she said. “I knew you’d get ’em.”

“I always do.” He picked up the flare gun outside the room and walked alongside her as they made their way aft.

“Yep.” She smiled. “Ever since that day I fell overboard when we were just kids—that’s when I was convinced.”

“We’re connected,” he replied. “At the hip,” he added for levity.

Chief Alvarez, who was still bobbing up and down on El Viento, saw them staggering toward the rear of the yacht. He pulled the rope that started the outboard engine and met them at the Minashigo.

“Give me your hand, Bonnie.” Chief Alvarez helped her onto the small sailboat. Bonnie was still shaking.

“Alan Alvarez? Are my eyes deceiving me?” Bonnie said. “How many years has it been?”

“Hurricane and Claire’s wedding.” He embraced her. “You’re safe now. Just relax.”