This is the seventeenth chapter of the Banana Fish manga.
Summary[]
Dino and Arthur leave the compound to test Banana Fish.
With the two away, daring break-ins and escapes are made.
Plot[]
Dino tells Colonel Holstock that there are still many witnesses that need to be disposed of before they continue forward with their agenda, including anyone else they plan to use as a test subject and the Dawson brothers. With the colonel confirming that all tests that took place in Vietnam were covered and only two men were noted to have survived besides Abraham Dawson. Griffin who had survived but was killed by Abraham not long ago and Max who is now a reporter and currently in their custody. The senator warns Dino that they want the captives dealt with and Dino promises that this will be handled.
Yut-Lung has snuck back to his room undetected and is worn out by what he had seen. He wonders what Dino and his associates are planning to use Banana Fish for when he notices something in the newspaper that gets his full attention.
In another room, Eiji is tossed into the room. The guards inform him that he won't have to carry out the acts that Ash once had to do since Dino prefers boys like Ash but advise Eiji to act how he'll need to in order for Dino to keep him around. They leave and ignore Eiji's demands to be released. After breaking a chair against the door, Eiji begins crying as he remembers Shorter and is sad that he will never see him again.
Outside the manor, Sing Soo-Ling is doing observation and passes along information of the number of guards at each gateway and the security system. Needing to know the interior layout, Sing asks if anyone in Ash's gang has been inside. Alex answers that he has been inside a few times but has never gotten farther than the front hallway. He states that the inside of the mansion is rather large but agrees to write down what he knows and draw a map. Kong questions why they're wasting their time with this instead of just charging in. Sing explains that it will be a great advantage to them since it would help them to know where to find their bosses as well as having the best chance to come out of things alive.
Arthur is surprised to hear Dino has plans to go out that night. Dino explains that there's a little ceremony that night related to Banana Fish and Dino will be needed to make sure things are handled properly. When Arthur questions if they were still going to kill Ash that night, Dino sadly dismisses this plan since the ceremony for Banana Fish is more important. He then puts Arthur at ease a bit when he offers to have the young man join him for the meeting in order to better prepare to be his right-hand man as he sees a certain cruelty in Arthur that Ash doesn't and believes it will fit the plans involving Banana Fish. Arthur quickly accepts the offer.
From his window, Yut-Lung sees Dino heading out. He then removes his earring that is revealed to be a communicator and radios Suk-Leui that he needs to speak to Hua-Lung regarding important but secret information that needs to be kept from Wang-Lung.
That night, Dino and Arthur are about to head to the meeting when Dino notices Arthur appears distracted. Arthur questions if Dino is not worried about leaving Ash alone. Dino assures Arthur that he has taken the needed precautions to make sure that Ash doesn't escape. He does hope that Ash will not try to escape, and risk being shot since Dino wants to be there for his last breath nearly as much as Arthur does.
Sing notices Dino and Arthur getting into cars and leaving the compound. With the two biggest concerns away, Sing claims this will be their best chance as he believes the staff will start slacking off and this will give them the best chance to break in.
In a dark area, Ash hears someone calling him and sees his brother Griffin before him. Griffin tells a young Ash that he has to leave to serve in the military but promises to write often and think of his little brother every day. As Griffin is about to turn away, his image changes into Eiji's. Ash awakens from his slumber muttering Eiji's name but becomes fully alert when he sees Yut-Lung standing before him.
Seeing the treatment Ash had gone through, Yut-Lung provides ointment for the neck wound Arthur caused. Ash questions how Yut-Lung got there. Yut-Lung explains that he used his skills to put the guards to sleep before giving genuine condolences for Shorter. Ash becomes annoyed as he blames Yut-Lung for being the one who put Shorter in that position in the first place. Ignoring Ash's hostility, Yut-Lung points out how Ash has seemed so unbreakable to that point but sees how vulnerable he becomes when someone he cares about is in danger, a trait that Yut-Lung thinks will be the end of Ash one day.
Knowing that Ash would never leave his friends, Yut-Lung decides to give Ash a chance. He tells Ash that Dino and Arthur are away for the night on another task and security all over the compound is greatly relaxed at the moment but the security around Ash is still tight and double in numbers than anywhere else although Yut-Lung assumes that the guards don't realize what Ash is truly capable of as they may think he is just a run away who got caught. With this being the golden moment for an escape attempt, Yut-Lung gives Ash the key to his shackles but tucks it into his waistband since he firmly believes that Ash would attack him as soon as he's free. Ash admits as much but promises that he will end Yut-Lung's life one day. Certain Ash is telling the truth, Yut-Lung wishes Ash good luck and dismisses himself.
At the Carlyle hotel, a hotel maid enters a room and is terrified to find a deceased man and a woman covered in blood and holding a knife. When the woman starts walking toward the maid, the maid quickly backs away while calling for help. Right as security arrives, the woman pleads for help before plunging the knife into her neck.
In a different room, Dino gets word of what has taken place and is pleased with the outcome. He asks Arthur how he feels about the situation and is pleased to hear the younger man's ambition has not wavered. However, he warns that Arthur will need to impress their arriving guests if he wishes to keep moving up in their world.
Back at the manor, a guard is suddenly attacked and killed which alerts other guards who meet the same fate thanks to Sing and his Dragon Fang. With these guards dealt with, Sing instructs Ash's gang to get into the mansion while his gang distracts any other guards. They agree to meet in an hour before going their separate ways.
In the execution chamber, Ash grips the chains at his wrists and begins swinging. The noise from this awakens Max and Ibe in time to see Ash swing himself onto the beam above him. Once he's balanced, Ash unlocks his shackles and goes to free the two older men.
Characters[]
- Dino Golzine
- Colonel Holstock
- Senator Kippard
- Yut-Lung
- Eiji Okumura
- Shorter Wong
- Ash Lynx
- Sing Soo-Ling
- Alex
- Kong
- Bones
- Frederick Arthur
- Griffin Callenreese (flashback/dream only)
- Gregory
Trivia[]
- During their time in Vietnam, Griffin was 19 and Max was 21.