Midnight 
  
After two hours crossing out of New Jersey, Ko and Kayla reached the borough of Queens, New York. They drove to the Flushing section, home to the largest Korean population in the city.  
  
Most of the suburban businesses were closed for the night. Only a few people walked the November winter streets this late. Better for Ko. As a seventeen year old driving a brand new black Kia sedan, he needed to keep a low profile. 
  
“Ko?” muttered a sleepy Kayla, buckled in the passenger seat. 
  
“Yes?” 
  
“I have to pee~” 
  
Ko mentally kicked himself, he should've expected this. “Right, no problem. We’re at our destination.” He pulled the car into a large auto repair shop with signs written in Hangul Korean. 
  
Ko and Kayla exited the car and she quickly grabbed his hand as they approached the dark entrance. Ko remained guarded as he expected to meet his dead boss’s crew, the Hans. But no one emerged from the building. 
  
He grew concerned while noting his car was the only one in the desolate parking lot. This was all wrong. 
  
“Ko? Is my father here?” Kayla asked, staring up at him, wrapped in her pink coat and white hat. 
  
“No, umm,” He stalled, “Please give me a second, Kayla.” Ko knocked on the bolted front door while keeping his eye on the street traffic. Making sure he wasn’t followed. 
  
“This place is scary,” said Kayla. 
  
“Don’t worry, we’re good,” he assured her. A second later the bolted door opened. A large Korean man loomed before them. Ko knew him. 
  
“Hey Joon, where's Sam?” Ko asked as the man looked past him out into the street. 
  
“He’s waiting for you in the back.” 
  
Ko and Kayla followed the big man Joon through the garage to a rear office where a second Korean man in a suit spoke on a phone. An older man with a receding hairline who smiled and hung up when Ko walked in. 
  
“Ko! Kayla!” said the man raising up from his desk and leaning down to greet Kayla, “Heavens, you’re safe! I knew Ko would find you!” 
  
“Hi Sam. Is my father here?” asked Kayla. 
  
Sam gulped but continued smiling, “Umm, no, he’s not here at the moment. But soon Ko will talk to you about that,” said Sam, with a caring tone.  
  
Ko quickly glanced at Sam with a confused look. Sam dismissed it. 
  
“Ko?” cried Kayla. 
  
He turned to her, “Yes Kayla, you wanted to go to the bathroom?” 
  
“Mm!” she nodded. 
  
“Ok, it’s right down that hall, do you see the door?” he said, pointing down a dark hallway.  
  
Kayla grabbed his leg, “No.” 
  
“Hm?” Ko tilted his head, unsure of her problem. 
  
“It’s dark,” said Sam with a smirk. “You have to go with her.” 
  
Ko shook his head at Sam, “What? But she knows how to use a bathroom.” 
  
Sam frowned at him, “Don’t be dense, son.” 
  
“Oh.” 
  
Ko truly didn’t catch Kayla’s intention. Why would he? He’d never been around children before. But in his profession missing cues gets one killed. 
  
“Ok, come on Kayla.” They walked down the hall to the toilet, Sam followed. “Um, you go inside and I’ll stand right outside the door and you can hear me, ok?” 
  
Kayla turned away with a frown, but accepted, “Mmm..Ok, but stay outside the door!” 
  
“I will, I’m talking to Sam,” he replied with a smile. 
  
Kayla half heartedly accepted the assurance and entered the tiny bathroom alone. Ko closed the door and immediately spoke in a loud whisper to Sam. 
  
“Sam, what the fuck? I’m here to drop her off with you, not explain to her what happened to her father!” 
  
The older man shook his head, “Ko, things have changed in the last twelve hours, look!” Sam scrolled his phone for an online Korean language news article and displayed it. 
  
Ko grabbed the phone reading the headline, “Three men killed during a shootout in Bridgeport Connecticut….victims...Art Han..Suk Han.” 
  
Ko’s eyes narrowed. The men killed in the article were Kayla's uncles, and her last paternal blood relatives in the United States. They were also the closest thing Ko had to friends in the States, which meant, “Kayla has nowhere to go, and neither do I,” he said while staring at the wall in the dark hallway. 
  
But Sam appeared impatient with Ko’s somber attitude. “Ko, I know you’re not stupid so I won’t spoon feed you. But we, the Han clan, are in a state of war right now and…” Sam looked around and whispered, “And we need all the morale and help we can get. Because it’s not just the Kim’s warring with us, Ko. It was the Turks who killed Art and Suk!” 
  
Ko’s eyes widened, “The Turks? Are they working with the Kims?” 
  
Sam shook his head, “Maybe, I don’t know. But I'm telling you a lot has happened in the last twelve hours and everybody is weaponed up. I have most of our guys guarding the dock exits and the wiring companies-” 
  
“You don’t have enough men, Sam.” Ko snapped. “And by now the Kims know I’ve taken Kayla back, so they’ll be looking for her, and me.” 
  
Sam lowered his head and humbly spoke to Ko. “They’re gunning for all of us because the Kims and the Turks want control of the Golden Triangle shipping lanes from the docks, but that's our fucking turf. And that’s why we need your help, Ko.” 
  
Ko nodded hearing the veteran capo loud and clear. He turned to answer him but the toilet flushed in the bathroom followed by water running in the faucet. 
  
Sam stood in front of the teen assassin, “Ko, Kayla’s going to come out that bathroom. And she’s going to keep asking about her father. And the only one in a position to manage her situation is you!” 
  
Ko shook his head, “No, no! I am not in the position to tell her-” 
  
“Please, for the love of family, please shut up for a minute and listen!” Sam snapped. 
  
The bathroom door opened. Kayla stepped out with her palms in front of her. “Ko, there’s no paper towels to dry my hands.” 
  
“Oh?” Ko answered with care, now fully aware she was an orphan. An orphan like himself. “No problem, run over to Joon there, he’ll give you one, and you come right back.” 
  
“Eh?” she looked down the hall at the big bodyguard, who picked up a paper towel roll, “Oh..will you stay right here?” 
  
“I’ll be right here talking to Sam.” 
  
Kayla ran toward the bodyguard in the office and Sam spoke quickly. 
  
“Ko, things are different now. And in this emergency situation I had to seek help from the largest crew in the city. They did business with Boss Joo Han and apparently, for some reason they won't share, they’re interested in you and Kayla.” 
  
Ko tilted his head at Sam, “Who’s interested in me?” Being new to the city Ko had no idea who or what crew Sam referred to. Unless Sam meant,  “Wait, do you mean those Chinese gangster girls. Bad Tara and Kitty?” 
  
“Yes, you know them?” Sam asked gleefully. 
  
“No, not at all. I’ve only heard rumors about them. But why would they be interested in me and Kayla?” 
  
Sam frowned at the teen. “If I had to guess it's because you’re the best at what you do. And Kayla is the daughter of Joo Han and they know she matters to the Kims.” 
  
Ko squinted, leery of Sam’s weak answer. The truth was Ko had never met the outlaw sisters, Tara and Kitty. And didn't understand their concern with him. 
  
“This sounds shady, Sam,” Ko muttered with his back against the wall. “And I don’t have anywhere to take Kayla to sleep tonight since I was staying-” 
  
“Yes you do!” Sam interrupted Ko while pulling two keys out of his pocket. “Tara’s people provided a safe apartment for you and Kayla.” He handed the keys to Ko. “I don’t know where the apartment is. You’re supposed to call this number and someone will tell you the address. All I know it’s in midtown Manhattan, they wouldn’t tell me anymore.” 
  
Ko shook his head while gazing at the key in Sam’s hand. “Why would Bad Tara’s people offer Kayla and I a safe apartment?” Ko felt uneasy about the whole situation and asked, “Sam, who are Tara and Kitty? What do they want with me and Kayla?” 
  
Sam nodded at the concerned Ko, “Listen to me. Kayla’s father worked with them and they claim to know you and because of that they’re offering us help against the Kims and the Turks.” 
  
“What? Sam, I don't know them! Why are they doing this?” Ko asked. 
  
“Ko?” Kayla called out behind him. 
  
He hadn't noticed her walk toward him in the hall. “Yes, Kayla?” 
  
The five year old appeared scared and looked away. Ko leaned down and whispered calmly. “Hey little Kayla, what’s up?” he cracked a fake smile for her. 
  
“Mmm, I’m hungry, and I’m sleepy.” 
  
“Ah.” Ko took the keys from Sam’s hand and gazed at the floor before answering, “Ok Kayla, we’ll get some Pa Jun in the city and there’s a nice bed waiting for you in the city,” he said patting her head, “Is that ok?” 
  
Kayla smiled, “Ok.” 
  
Ko knew she was used to not seeing her father for days at a time, but he’d always come back. This time he wouldn't. Ko hated this situation and turned to Sam, but Sam spoke first. 
  
“Ko, for whatever reason Tara’s crew is interested in you and Kayla, and if you help them they’ll help us. So please, take the child and secure the muscle this clan needs,” said Sam. His fearful voice expressed the severity of the situation. 
  
At that moment Kayla latched on to Ko’s leg in an attempt to hurry him along. 
  
“Mmmm~” she whined. 
  
“It’s ok, we’re going now,” said Ko. He then turned to Sam. “This whole situation sounds bad.” 
  
Sam placed a hand on his shoulder, “If it’s all a trap then trust your gun and spring it. Aside from that, it’s the only path we have right now.” 
  
Ko lowered his eyes to gaze at Kayla who smiled at him. He sighed before answering, “Right, I’ll do what I have to do.” 
  
“That’s all we ask, Ko,” said Sam. 
  
A few moments later Ko and Kayla stepped out into the November night. The air grew colder since their arrival. 
  
“Ko, look, it’s raining!” said Kayla with her hands out feeling the drops in the parking lot air. 
  
“Oh,” Ko replied while pulling her coat hood over her head. He bundled her tighter as the light drizzle began to pour in the cold night. “Yes Kayla, it’s certainly… 
  
  
...raining.” 
  
  
  
 ..