The twelfth chapter of the Banana Fish manga.
Summary[]
Suspicion and betrayal surfaces thanks to a hidden asset of the Lee family that threatens the entire group and their mission.
Plot[]
The next morning, Ibe walks into the study to find Max already awake due to having trouble sleeping after their discovery on Banana Fish the previous night. Max admits that he had thought the term Banana Fish was actually a code Dino and his mafia were using to establish a new drug smuggling route since other cartels had done something similar. Max then confesses that he doesn't know the pharmaceutical side of things well but does notice that the date gathering on Banana Fish has been taking place possibly as early as when he and Griffin had been in the military.
Because of similarly reported incidents on other soldiers having taken place before and after Griffin's episode, Max believes this gives them a new layout of things but is prevented from explaining when they suddenly hear Ash calling out to them. Everyone in the house rushes to the library where Ash right away corners Yau Si under the assumption the Chinese teen had tampered with the computer. When Yau Si claims he is innocent, Eiji and Ibe back him up by claiming Yau Si would have had to go past them in order to get to the library. With the teen cleared, Ash next questions Suk-Leui on her whereabouts. The elderly woman claims that she would not dare touch anything belonging to the home owner and Max tries to calm Ash by stating someone her age wouldn't know how to handle a computer.
However, Ash doesn't buy that someone of older age wouldn't know how to use a computer and reveals his suspicious attitude to be due to the primary account's password having been changed since they hacked into it. With everyone in the house seemingly being cleared of changing the password, Ash now thinks that the professor himself might have changed it from another system.
Hearing that Professor Alexis Dawson may be alive sends Yau Si into a hopeful state but causes everyone to become upset when Ash states that they are now locked out of the computer due to the number of security levels preventing anyone from hacking it again. Ash is visibly the most upset by this as they can no longer gather any more data. The others try to comfort him by stating they were able to get a lot of information already thanks to the work he had done in getting into the computer to begin with.
As the others head to breakfast, Ash turns to Max to ask where the print outs are. Max confirms that he has the papers but is refusing to give them to Ash as he has figured out what's happened. With Max figuring it out, Ash admits that he was hacker. He confesses to finding out that the military is involved somehow but that having the printed information will put him on equal grounds with Dino. Max scolds Ash for wanting to use the information to settle a score against Dino but Ash says otherwise. While he mocks Max for appearing scared, Ash does understand that the situation is bigger than both of them but continues to refuse to back down since Dino has caused so much trouble to those close to Ash and this possibly being the best chance to stop him.
Max tries to deny allowing Ash from doing this as he calls it a suicide mission since Ash is basically rushing things without thinking. He promises to give Ash the information only when Ash cools down and starts thinking clearly. Ash says he'll get the papers from Max which makes Max claim the teen will have to kill him to get the data. Ash is stunned by this and the two are forced to keep their conversation between them when they hear someone shouting for Shorter and Eiji comes to check on the two.
Later while out on the balcony, Shorter informs Ash that Yau Si and Suk-Leui are who they claim to be and their backgrounds are perfectly clear. Hearing this, Ash believes he's let the situation cause him to become somewhat paranoid and doesn't notice how Shorter is being haunted by his encounter with Lee Hua Lung in which Shorter was forced to agree to send detailed reports on Ash and the group to Lee Wang Lung. Shorter naturally tried to refuse to do such a thing as he would never betray his friend. His attempt would come to a tragic end when Wang Lung states that Shorter will be contacted by a Yut-Lung who will provide new orders to the young gang leader.
Ash notices Shorter acting odd but the older leader shrugs it off as being tired and hungry. Ash heads back inside and Shorter is alone for a moment until Yau Si arrives. Yau Si tries to appear friendly but Shorter quickly shoves him against a wall and calls out his claim to be Dawson's adopted son. Though Yau Si claims the story is true, Shorter spots a bracelet of a third dragon on Yau Si's wrist and recognizes it as the symbol of the Lee family. With the bracelet confirming his suspicions, Shorter determines that Yau Si is actually Yut-Lung.
Moving inside, Yut-Lung confirms he is of the Lee family as the seventh and youngest brother. The news of a seventh son takes Shorter by surprise as the former head of the Lee clan was known for only having six sons. Yut-Lung explains how his family was like many others in that they participated in murders and assassinations, usually of their own family members, to obtain the power they presently have. He further details his involvement in the family business as being the one that works from the shadows which is why his existence is not well known to others.
Shorter questions why Hua-Lung is suddenly asking for information on everyone in the group but Yut-Lung refuses to answer as he claims his brother has done things for their benefit. Knowing the others, especially Ash, will start to wonder where he is, Yut-Lung ends their conversation by telling Shorter he will follow his orders as if they were from Wang-Lung himself.
In the living room, Ibe has just gotten off the phone with his publisher and informs Max that the publisher will work with the consulate and immigration offices concerning his and Eiji's visit and needing to head back home. He feels bad for leaving Max to handle everything but Max feels it's meant to be since meeting with Griffin's brother.
Ibe then reveals that once he has Eiji safely back in Japan he plans to return to help finish things. Max voices how this might not be possible since it would look bad on Ibe due to overstaying his visa and a return trip to America would be very difficult. However, he sees the real problem being that Ibe still hasn't talked to Eiji about going back to Japan. Ibe admits he hasn't talked to Eiji because he is very well aware of the fact that Eiji will most likely either run away again or will hate Ibe for making him return home. As he debates using some kind of sedation on Eiji, Ash volunteers to speak with him. Max and Ibe are unsure of this as they fear Ash may be too harsh in telling Eiji to return home but Ash keeps the reality of the situation at hand clear. Although the two don't like how Ash will handle things, they are still grateful he is willing to risk being hated so they won't have to be.
Outside, Eiji is stunned at Ash telling him he has to return to Japan since he might risk getting caught in a bloodbath and can't be looked after. Although hurt, he understands what Ash is saying and knows there isn't anything he can do to change his mind as he feels he is not able to provide help. Ash tells him otherwise as Eiji was able to help him more than he realizes and is envious of the safe life Eiji has in Japan. Eiji reluctantly agrees to go back to Japan and requests a moment to get use to the idea of leaving. Ash allows this and heads inside to send Ibe to comfort Eiji and doesn't notice Yut-Lung having seen the entire situation. Shorter understands the need to send Eiji home but admits he will miss him.
Ibe heads outside to comfort Eiji. He informs the younger man that Ash didn't mean to be so harsh, but Eiji is already aware of this. Even though Ash is younger than him, Eiji is aware of their real-life experiences being drastically different and that he cannot contribute much to help Ash.
Inside, Ash is barely handling things better than Eiji as he drinks a glass of alcohol and is startled by Max sneaking up on him. The fact that Max was able to surprise Ash tells the older man that Ash didn't like having to tell Eiji things he didn't mean. While Ash tries to keep a brave facade, he tells Max that it stands to reason Dino might get ahold of the same information they did and that it would put all of them at risk instead of just Ash and getting Eiji back to Japan would give him the best chance to survive. He then declares that he will return to New York soon despite how dangerous it would be to do so and makes Max promise to hang onto the information so that it will give Dino a hard time trying to get the information out of Ash.
Max decides to head back with him and plans to give the information to the chief at the New York Tribune as he plans on getting to the bottom of things. Ash comments how Max should say goodbye to Michael before he heads back to New York since there is no guarantee he'll live through the situation.
In another room, Yut-Lung informs Shorter that his next task will be to kidnap Eiji. Shorter is shocked to hear this being asked of him and listens how Yut-Lung had been instructed to bring Ash to his brother alive and using Eiji as bait will most likely be the best way to do that since Ash has sensed Yut-Lung is hiding something; this being the first time that anyone has caught onto the teen. With Ash appearing to not let his guard down around anyone but Eiji, Yut-Lung admits it's too challenging to get close to the teen and is therefore impossible to catch him. With Eiji's honest and innocent nature appearing to be Ash's one weakness, Yut-Lung decides this will be the best chance to get him before announcing that Arthur has left Ash's gang to join Dino and that the Lee's have made ties with the mafia boss as well.
Angered, Shorter draws a dagger but Yut-Lung doesn't appear frightened by Shorter's intention to kill him as he informs Shorter that there are people watching his sister. With the threat of his sister's life being in danger should he harm Yut-Lung or anyone in the Lee family, Shorter nearly stabs Yut-Lung but purposely misses so as to not risk Nadia's life. He then tells how he had been raised to respect the Lee family as many believed the Lee's protected them and spilled their own blood so others wouldn't but now Shorter sees the Lee's as no better than Dino and his mob.
Shorter leaves and Yut-Lung nearly collapses from the situation but is halted when Suk-Leui informs him his brother is calling.
At Jessica's home, she is on the phone with George Scott when Michael gets her attention by telling her there's men outside their home. Before she is able to do much, three men of the Chinese gang force their way inside. Jessica is able to fight back and distract the men long enough to allow Michael a chance to run to the kitchen for safety.
Despite Jessica putting up a good fight, the men are not scared off as they continue to advance on her and George hearing everything on the phone.
Characters[]
- Shunichi Ibe
- Max Lobo
- Eiji Okumura
- Ash Lynx
- Yut-Lung (as Yau Si)
- Suk-Leui
- Lee Hua Lung
- Shorter Wong
- Jessica Randy
- Michael