New-York, January 2022. Life was slowly taking back its place after the pandemic. The Smith family passed throw those moments like others, being stuck in their house or illegally going out, not really fearing the law. They had a business to run after all and the New-York police department was half corrupted.

But that pandemic had also been a way to expand the family's business with the Chinese Mafia. Medical supplies were more valuable than gold at that time.

Tonight, Salvatore Smith had a meeting in a private club, owned by one of his Chinese partner. Itwas a habit after every successful deal, share a drink.

Salvatore Smith: Congratulations Zhang, it was, as usual, a great deal for both of us.

Zhang: Thanks Smith. This time, I plan to take some days off and enjoy what you, American people, have to offer to tourists. If you have recommendations, please tell us.

Salvatore Smith: I am sure that your team have already prepared a complete itinerary for you and your family. (He thought a second.) A musical, maybe? We can have the best seats for you.

Zhang: Thats sounds great, my wife loves all those chanting movies... you are definitely helping me to gain points.

The two men had drunk a reasonable amount of alcohols and Salvatore needed a technical break. After doing his business, he checked his phone and made a quick call to his eldest son. They exchanged for a few minutes until his attention was focused on a woman behind the bar. He ended his call, quickly looked in direction of the table where he was sitting with Zhang and saw the businessman talking on his phone. Salvatore stared again toward the bar to see if that woman he saw was still there and she was. He walked with his superior aura through the bar and took a seat. He patiently waited for the waitress to notice his presence.

Waitress: What can I serve you? (She eventually looked at him.) Salvatore!

Salvatore Smith: Fumiko, it's really you... What are you doing here, behind that bar? You work here?

The waitress was shocked to see that man in front of her. She would have never imagined to cross his path ever again. He was staring at her with his black eyes, but not in an intimidating way.

Fumiko Tanaka: Euh... yes, I'm working, as you can see.

Salvatore Smith: Why are you working here? It's far from what you studied at school. You should work in a big company, not in a place like this or be married with kids at home!

Fumiko Tanaka: Sometimes life is not going as expected... are you here to order a drink? If the manager sees me talking with a client for too long, he will misunderstand the situation.

Salvatore Smith: Here... (He handed her his business card.) Call me tomorrow and I will find a more suitable job for you.

Fumiko Tanaka: Salvatore, please, forget that you saw me here tonight... (She couldn't look him in the eyes and refused the card.)

Salvatore sighed. He didn't understand her reaction. It was true that they never saw each other after those few weeks together, but they had shared something that was meaningful at the time. An unnamed relationship that brought comfort to them during a tough time. She was way too young for him and he, in some sense, had regrets to have use that innocent girl to ease the pain of losing his wife. He wanted to help her.

Salvatore Smith: Call me! (He put the card in his hand.) If you don't, I will have to come back here tomorrow night!

Salvatore stood up and went back toward the corner reserved for him and Zhang. The Mafia Don didn't have the time to sit back that yells and gunshots were heard. He jumped behind one of the couches and took out his gun, scanning the place to identify who was attacking and from where. Zhang also protected himself with the table before some of his men came as shields in front of him. The clubbers were running for their lives.

Salvatore looked in direction of the bar, but he couldn't see Fumiko.

Two guards had been touched and were bleeding. A woman with a very short dress and high heels fell on the ground while running and people walked on her without remorse. Even in that panic ambiance, Salvatore stayed calm. He immediately called his son for back-up. He looked once again at the bar, and he saw an Asian man pointing a gun toward the floor.

Salvatore didn't hesitate a second and stood up from his safe position and shot the guy. There was another man near the entry door that ran away, understanding that things were not going well for them.

Salvatore ran toward the bar, and he discovered Fumiko lying on the floor, blood coming out of her abdomen.

Salvatore Smith: Fu**... no no no... Fumiko, listen to me, don't close your eyes, listen to my voice... it's going to be okay...

Salvatore put his hands on the injury. He yelled at a male staff member to call for an ambulance. The man was trembling but managed to call.

Things were less chaotic now in the club. All the clients in state to leave were gone. Zhang had given orders to help the injured and to find who dared to attack that place while he was there.

Zhang: Smith, are you alright?

Salvatore Smith: Yes. (His tone was cold.) When that fu*** ambulance will arrive?

Minutes seemed hours for Salvatore. He was talking nonstop to maintain Fumiko conscious and she was babbling, pointing at her bag, under the counter.

Salvatore Smith: In few minutes, you will be in the hospital with the best doctors of the city, so stay calm, everything is going to be okay.

Fumiko Tanaka: Sal... Salvatore... (She coughed blood.)... please... Suki... my Suki...

Salvatore Smith: Suki?

Fumiko Tanaka: Please... protect... alone... our...

Fumiko closed her eyes few seconds and Salvatore patted her cheeks to keep her conscious. There was no music playing now in the club. Salvatore heard the sound of the rescue vehicles approaching. He turned his head to look at the entry door and he saw his two eldest sons and 6 of his men entering.

Gabriel: Father, are you hurt somewhere? What happened?

Salvatore Smith: No, I'm fine. Some men attacked the club.

Dante: We should go, it will be noisy in few minutes between the cops and reporters.

Salvatore Smith: No, I need to take her to the hospital.

Dante: Why do you care? She is only a waitress! Let's go!

Salvatore Smith: No, not before I am sure that she is okay. Gabriel, look under the counter, there must be her bag.

Dante rolled his eyes; he didn't understand his father's interest for that woman. Gabriel didn't talk back and looked for the bag.

Less than a minute later, several medics entered. Dante was on alert. Salvatore let two of them provide first aid to Fumiko.

Gabriel had found the bag, and he was already checking inside. He grabbed her wallet. He had her ID card and her phone. He approached his father who was looking at that woman with worry.

Gabriel: Father, what do you want to know about that woman?

Salvatore Smith: I don't know, she was pointing at her bag, babbling inaudible words. Check if she has photos of her family or an emergency contact on her phone.

Gabriel: Her phone is locked, hold on.

Gabriel asked for a second to the medics and he unlocked the phone with the woman's finger. Then, he changed the setting to unlock the phone with a 4 digits code that he chose, 1234.

The screen background was a photo of that woman and a little girl. They were smiling, wearing accessories like big glasses and funny hats. Then, Gabriel checked her messages but no traces of a husband.

Gabriel: There are only photos of her and a kid. She barely has 10 names in her contacts' list. She exchanged texts with a Suki but it's not in English.

Salvatore Smith: Eh you! (He called one of the employees.) Do you know if Fumiko has a family? Someone to contact in case of emergency? Her address?

Employee: I know that she has a daughter, that's all. She never talked about her private life, and I only know this because I treated her application form.

Medical staff: Excuse me, we have to go to the hospital quickly. The patient needs an urgent surgery, her state is critical.

Salvatore looked at the inanimate body on the stretcher. He had to make a decision. He couldn't let her alone.

Salvatore Smith: Gabriel, Dante, find her address and go there to inform her family. I'm going with her to the hospital.

Dante: Why are you so involved? You know that woman?

Salvatore Smith: Yes, I knew her a long time ago. So, just do as I say and keep me updated!

Dante: We have to play the messenger now... Pfff...

Gabriel: Enough Dante! Don't worry Father, we will do the necessary. (He nodded to his men.) Keep the Don safe!

Salvatore quickly left with his men while Gabriel and Dante took a separate car after recovering that woman's address from the club employee. The drive was silent. Dante was behind the wheel and Gabriel was continuing his inspection of the phone. He copy pasted the last text message sent on a translation app.

Gabriel: It's confirmed, she is Japanese. Her last text was to her daughter apparently. She told her to have dinner and to not sleep too late... and to be sure to lock the door correctly.

Dante: So that woman works in a bar by night and leaves her kid alone at home... mother of the year...

Gabriel: Let's try not to make judgement, we don't know anything about that woman's life.

Dante: We are going to that woman's apartment at 1.00am, don't be surprised if someone calls the police.

Gabriel found more photos of the child. She clearly had Japanese traits but there was something that intrigued him, her eyes. When he zoomed on one of the photos, he saw her beautiful dark blue green eyes, and it was not something common with Asian people.

He couldn't take off his eyes from that photo for long minutes. Why? Because he had himself the same type of color... the only one in his family to have inherited his father's eyes color. Gabriel didn't want to make any assumptions and kept that for himself for now.

Dante: It's here... not the best area of the city.

Gabriel: Let's keep a low profile. Our job is to inform her family, that's all. Try not to scare that kid if she is alone.

Dante: I am sure that she will freak out anyway... and she will probably not even open the door... because if she does, she is really stupid!

Gabriel didn't answer to his brother. His arguments were valid. They both walked toward the old building. The door giving access to the stairs was not secure, anyone could enter easily, not a safe environment at all. The apartment was on the top floor. The corridor was decrepit, with empty cans of beer on the ground.

Dante: Charming place, really...

The two men were in front of the apartment door. Gabriel knocked and waited few seconds, focusing his attention on any noise coming from inside but nothing. At that hour, the kid must have been sleeping. He knocked a second time, a bit louder this time, in case of an adult was inside but nothing.

Dante: You have her keys, open the door, we are not going to spend the night here.

Gabriel: I wish I did not have to trespass someone else's house at that hour with a kid alone inside! (He took the key and unlocked the door.) Hello? (His tone was calm and his voice low.)

The brothers entered the apartment and closed the door behind them. Gabriel switched on the light. They looked around; the living room was clean and well-ordered. There was a kitchen corner and a small table where only two people could eat. There were two doors, one of which indicated bathroom. The other one was probably the bedroom.

Gabriel didn't knock and directly pushed the door, sure that the kid was asleep, and he stopped when he noticed the empty bed.

Gabriel: The kid is not here!

Dante: What do you mean? (He entered the room too.) The bed is undone. (He approached the window.) It's locked, she didn't leave from here.

Gabriel was about to look under the bed when the woman's phone rang. He nodded to his brother and looked at the ID caller, Suki. He picked up the call but didn't say anything. He heard a little voice murmuring an unknown word, Okāsan. Not hearing an answer from her mother, Suki held her breath, scared to be discovered by the two intruders.

Suddenly, the wardrobe door opened, and a tall man's silhouette appeared, with something in his hand. The little girl let escape the phone she was holding and tried to hide herself as much as possible behind the clothes, hugging her knees against herself, in fear.

Gabriel: Suki... (His voice was soft.) Don't be afraid, we are not here to do anything to you... (She didn't move an inch.) We came here because your mother had an accident, at work. (She looked at him with teary eyes.) Look, I have her phone and the keys of your house, we only came to take you to her.

Dante was silently observing the scene. It was rare to see his older brother speak so gently to someone. He even bent down to her level.

Gabriel: Kid... I know all of this is scary but are you okay to go with us to the hospital? Your mother was worried about you and asked for you.

Gabriel offered his hand, but she didn't take it. Suki didn't trust that unknown man that had entered her house in the middle of the night. She needed to escape. She slowly stood up from her position and the man did the same. He sided a little to let her come out of the wardrobe and it was the occasion she waited to run away.

Unfortunately, she barely did three steps when a powerful arm grabbed her by her waist, lifting her from the floor as if she was weighing nothing. She didn't have the time to yell that a huge hand covered her mouth. She was locked against that second man's chest, unable to move, at their mercy.

Gabriel: Dante, what are you doing?!

Dante: What do you think am I doing? You want to let her leave or alert everyone? I have no time to lose to try to persuade a kid!

Gabriel was not at ease with his brother's way to deal with the situation, but he was short of options. Time was running, and nothing could help that little girl to trust him enough to follow him. He bent at her level once again to captivate her gaze. She was crying and her beautiful eyes were even more shining.

Gabriel: Suki, I swear, we are not bad guys, we are only here to help. Trust me, nothing will happen to you. So, please, calm down.

Dante was not a patient guy. He knew methods to force someone into a sleeping state and he didn't hesitate to use them against the little girl. In an instant, she was not moving in his arms.

Gabriel: You shouldn't have done that!

Dante: I didn't hurt her. She will be asleep for a moment, at least, until we can deliver her to her mother. That was our job, nothing else! Let's go! (He put the kid in his brother's arms and left.)

The two brothers were quick to get in the car. Gabriel put the little girl on the back seat and sat on the passenger seat. Dante started the engine, and his brother called their father to inform him that they were on the way to the hospital.

Gabriel told his father that they had found that woman's daughter and that there was no trace of a man living in their apartment.

**********************************************

Salvatore was in the waiting room of the emergency unit when his son called him. He was surprised to hear that Fumiko had a child alone. Nothing was logical in her life. Well, nothing that he thought should be her life. She was brilliant, beautiful and kind. How could she end up as a single mother, working in a club as a waitress and living in a poor neighborhood. He called one of his men.

Salvatore Smith: Find me all information about Fumiko Tanaka. I want to know everything that happened to her during the last 12 years!

Man: Yes Sir.