When she was little, Oichi had been taught how to play strategy board games like chess, shogi, go, and makruk. She had taken a liking to them and the intricacy of learning and understanding each individual piece and its capabilities. However, no matter how many times she played her father, she never seemed to come out on top. After many attempts of beating him in shogi or chess, she began to realize she could never best him. When she asked him why she couldn’t, he’d told her something she’d never forget.

“It’s not enough to understand the pieces on the board. You have to understand the one controlling them. If you don’t know the nature of your opponent, then you can’t possibly know how to beat them.”

It was a great lesson for Oichi. After that, she began to study everyone and everything…viewing all as potential combatants and foes to be understood and torn down. She gained a keen eye and a gift for understanding other people swiftly. That was why, after meeting Isaac Young, she knew he would betray her. He was cold and calculating, though clearly not very intelligent. He wasn’t very good at holding his cards close to his chest. However, his proposition had been too good to pass up. All she had to do was wait for the fool to play his hand, and then she’d capitalize on it. So for the next few months, Isaac Youngs campaign was financed and supported by Oichi’s criminal syndicate. Rebranding her organization as the Tiger Crime Syndicate, she began opening up more drug running routes with the Machetazo drug cartel. Money flowed in, she would invest a small portion to whatever Young needed for his campaign, and he’d speak highly of the Tiger family in return…things were going well, and Oichi knew it. The pieces on the board were moving exactly as she wanted them too. She could afford to relax a little.

So here she sat, next to Todd Edwards at a round table outside an ice cream shop. She was licking a strawberry ice cream cone while Todd simply fiddled his spoon in the bowl of his moose tracks ice cream. He had a smile on his face, but it was slightly pained, like he was forcing it. Oichi sensed his discomfort and leaned close.

“Your ice cream is melting.”

“Oh! Sorry.” He quickly tried to act interested in his ice cream, but Oichi just giggled.

“Don’t be sorry. Tell me what’s got you so down.”

“I’m not down.”

“Indeed.”

“…Don’t look at me like that.” Todd groaned, looking at the table as Oichi gave him a very accusing glare. “Damn it, you learn that trick from my mother?”

“I promise, I just want to know what’s wrong, Todd. Rough police work?” Oichi asked. Todd shook his head.

“No, nothing that simple.” He muttered. “Though…I suppose…maybe something like that. Look, it’s not easy to explain, and I don’t want t-”

“Shh!” Oichi giggled, hushing him. “Just tell me, already.” Todd gave a sheepish smile and relented.

“So the police have been given an anonymous tip that we could have some extremists in New Mercia lately…some…Islamic extremists.”

“You mean Islamic terrorists? Where?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a tip off we received, so the entire police force is on high alert and keeping our eyes out for suspicious activities. But, it’s like walking on eggshells. We can’t just question every Muslim we come across without looking like we’re profiling and only giving us more of a bad reputation.” He answered. “I’d love to help with the investigation, but I’ve been assigned some pretty long tour duties for the next few weeks. With new drug cartels popping up in town too, there’s more and more fear of too much drug traffic in the streets, so we’re having to crack down.”

“Well, I suppose it could always be worse.”

“Hmph, yeah…I could be at that dumb Isaac Young rally now instead of with you.” Todd smiled. Oichi’s smile flickered a little, taken aback by this news.

“Isaac Young is holding a rally right now?” She asked, curiously.

“You didn’t know?” Todd asked. “Yeah apparently he’s visiting the low-income housing communities up Elfwood Ave. Supposedly he wants to win their votes. Damn, I hate politics.”

“Yeah, I do too.” Oichi muttered. She finished her ice cream and then reached into her purse. “Excuse me one moment, Todd.”

“Sure! I’ll be here.” Todd grinned. Oichi stood up and walked away from the table and dialed up Marcus quickly. She only had to wait for two rings for an answer, and she didn’t wait for him to speak first.

“Young’s holding a rally right now. Did you know about this?!” She demanded.

“He’s what?” Marcus asked, clearly as surprised as she was. “This is news to me…he said he’d keep us in the loop towards his activities and needs.”

“Maybe he didn’t want us there for this one…tell me what you know about the projects near Elfwood Ave.” Oichi hissed. “What gang activity do we have there?”

“That’s where he’s rallying? Well…I don’t know how much good it’ll do him. Those projects are owned by Los Puños Rojos. They’re a Mexico based street gang that’s working their way up into larger leagues.”

“Working their way into bigger leagues?”

“They don’t have much street credit with larger gangs and factions in this gang war, so they haven’t made a name for themselves. They’ve tried going for larger level crimes and trying to go for shock in awe, but they haven’t branched out past their own territories very much. They’re hardly even a blip on our radar right now.”

“…But imagine how popular they’d become if they could take out the Tiger Syndicate.” Oichi hissed.

“You think Young is-”

“I do! That bastard will learn what happens when you double cross me. We’re going to hit Los Puños Rojos first. Get together a hit team and march them into Elfwood Ave. Vandalize their areas of operation and kill any that resist. We’re going to use this to send a message.”

“I’ll get on it. You should come back in boss…we’re going to need you if we’re about to go to war.”

“I’m in the middle of something…I’ll be back in an hour or two.”

“…The cop again?”

“Would you like me to send YOU a message too, Marcus?” Oichi hissed darkly.

“Th-that won’t be necessary, ma’am…see you soon!” He swiftly hung up, and Oichi put away her phone walking back to the table where Todd was texting on his phone and had a sour look on his face. He looked up as she drew close and he beamed.

“Hey! Everything go okay?” He asked.

“Some unfortunate family issues. It’s nothing to worry about.” She smiled, reaching over and touching Todd’s hand. She rubbed it and Todd took hers as well. They stared at each other like this for a few minutes. Just stay with him, Oichi thought to herself. The organization can last a few more hours. Just look into his eyes for a while longer. When she was with Todd, her fears and stress just all seemed to slip away like removing a heavy coat. It was liberating. However, the closer she came, the more another voice snapped at her. A voice reminding her of her duty. Todd was another piece on the board…know his role and leave it there. She had obligations to fulfill…and it was best that Todd was kept well away from it.

“…I have to go Todd.”

“Guess it was something to worry about.” Todd sighed sadly. “Can I give you a lift?”

“Actually yes,” she smiled, glad to have an excuse to stay with him a while longer, “could you drop me off at home?”

“There’s nothing we can or should do, ma’am.” Marcus tried to reason. Oichi was sitting at her desk in her manor. After Todd had dropped her off, she’d called Marcus to come and see her immediately. Here they sat, her eyes glaring outside, as if waiting for the heavens to reveal a sign. She could practically visualize the image of her strike team approaching the Elfwood Ave. projects…the fires going up.

“Why not?” She demanded.

“We don’t know if Young is actually hiring the Rojos to come after us! We could be sparking a war without reason. Besides, we need to maintain the good will of the people! Wasn’t that what we worked so hard to maintain? Attacking those projects will ruin the good will we established.”

“You’re not wrong, Marcus.” Oichi agreed. “But something doesn’t sit right about this…something is really wrong.”

“So you’re burning property on a hunch!?”

“It’s more than that. Young has kept us close in every move he’s made until now. He’s a coward by nature! Why suddenly go to a gang infested neighborhood without us as back up? That’s not his style.” Oichi hissed.

“Say you’re right…what do we prove by doing this?” Marcus asked.

“I’m not aiming to prove anything!” Oichi snapped back. “I’m cutting off the head of the snake before it can bite my ankle!” Just as Marcus was about to respond, his phone rang and he answered it, putting it to his ear.

“This is Marcus….” He answered. His eyes narrowed and he bit his lip. “Are you sure?.....No of cour….YOU WHAT!? Are you certain!?” He shouted. Oichi stood up and Marcus looked back at her, his face going white. “You better be sure…..okay….How many?...Where’d they go?......Right….Yes, come back and lay low. I’ll tell her.” He hung up and groaned, leaning against the table.

“What is it?”

“The Rojos ambushed out arsonist team…two died in an exchange of bullets. When they tried to get away…they were cut off by the Machetazo.” This news shook Oichi to her core, and she nearly fell back in her chair.

“The Machetazo!? OUR Machetazo!?”

“They had the cartel tattoos and carried the machetes that their enforcers are known for. The only three survivors swear by it. They’re heading back to one of the warehouses to lay low.” Oichi let out a shriek of fury and slammed her fist on her desk, her teeth grit and her eyes blazing.

“Traitors…fucking TRAITORS!” She screamed. “I’ll paint the goddamn street with their blood!”

“Ma’am, we need to be calm!”

“Send an order to all of our drug warehouses to tighten their defenses and arm themselves! The Machetazo know every drug house we have and will probably start hitting them hard!”

“Of course. What about you?”

“I need some time to think…a war with one street gang is one thing, but traitors…traitors I will not abide.” She snarled. As Marcus walked out of the room, Oichi leaned down on the desk and covered her head, trying hard not to lose her temper again.

Life is not a chessboard. Pieces don’t suddenly turn against you sporadically. She’d been sloppy…she’d grown too used to complacency. How could she have missed this? She’d thought of Young as no more than a cowardly fool, but to have bought off the Machetazo AND the Rojos…he likely used Tiger Syndicate funding to pay for this mutiny…oh the bitter irony that Oichi likely paid for her own execution. Her fingers clinched and unclinched several times as she thought about the mistakes she’d made...and the mistake Young had made in crossing her.

Oichi picked up her cellphone to call Marcus to give some more instructions. It was important that Young be found before he reached out to anyone else. He had to be cornered fast. Not only that, but if the Machetazo had already started hitting her warehouses, they had to reach out to any other cartels under their alliance and encourage them to move shipments to new locations. But she was finding it hard to trust anyone now. Who was left!? Many of her own lieutenants would see this as an opportunity to discredit her and push for her to step down. Some would remain loyal certainly…but would it be enough.

“I can’t afford to fail here…not after I’ve come this far.” She hissed. She started to dial in Marcus’s number.

*crash*

Oichi froze and dropped her phone. That was a window breaking! Someone was inside her house. Oichi sprinted to her room and moved to her bedside table, opening a hidden drawer to reveal a gun inside. She then moved to the wall by her bedroom where her fathers katana stood on the wall. She pulled that down as well and slipped behind her bed, ducking down and loading the pistol.

Even as she tried to think of who it could be, she already knew. She was already sure that it was someone out to get her. Was it Machetazo? Rojos? Young? One of her own? She didn’t care anymore…not now. This whole damned city was corrupted to the core. She’d tried the careful route. She’d tried diplomacy and delicacy. It had all been for naught. As she cocked back the hammer of her revolver and unsheathed her sword, Oichi silently made a resolution with herself and to the intruder.

“If this city is to be saved, it won’t be through words and politics…it will be through bullets and blood. That is the currency of crime. I’ll see every one of them dead…starting with you.”