Midtown Manhattan- Two am. 
  
Ko followed the directions to the letter. He called the number Sam gave to him and received a text message with the address to Tara’s gang’s safe house in midtown Manhattan. Thirtieth street on the east side. Fortunately just a few blocks from Koreantown’s late night restaurants. 
  
“Kayla, was your Pa Jun good?” Ko asked as they walked on the cold night streets. 
  
“Ya, real good!” she smiled. 
  
“Great!” he smiled back. “I bought more in case you get hungry later.” 
  
“Ok!” 
  
Throughout the night Ko’s demeanor remained calm, but his mind raced with dread as he considered his troubles. The turf war with the Kims, compounded by the Turks. Lastly the situation between the Kims and little Kayla. A whole other headache. 
  
“The Kims are gunning for all of us,” he muttered. 
  
“Did you say something, Ko?” 
  
“Oh?” He smiled, “No honey, I was just saying the building we’re staying at is right there.” He pointed at the structure down the block. 
  
“Yaan! It’s so tall,” Kayla cried with a sleepy eyed smile. 
  
It soothed Ko to see Kayla a little happy. But still, he had to keep his guard up, for both of their sakes. 
  
Shelter 
  
The building entrance housed an elegant lobby. Clean carpet and brass ornaments, but no doorman. Just a camera. When the elevator arrived Kayla marveled at its polished interior. 
  
“This is a nice building!” she said, “Oh, what floor are we going to? Let me press it!” 
  
Ko smiled, “Four. We’re going to four-D.” The fourth dimension, he thought. 
  
When they reached the apartment, Ko bade Kayla to be silent as the assassin instinctively pulled his gun after unlocking the door. When Kayla spotted the pistol she hid behind him. Ko carefully stepped inside and switched on the entrance lights, only to find a beautifully furnished, two bedroom apartment. 
  
“Yaaan!” shouted Kayla as she ran in the back of the well lit space. With new wood floors and a modern kitchen one couldn’t ask for a better place to sleep. 
  
“Kayla, wait!” Ko cried, but stopped short when he spotted a typed letter on the living room table. 
  
He picked it up and read it, “Hello Ko, there are clothes for you and child for event tomorrow evening in closet..address…Make sure you attend...everything will become clear…” 
  
“Ko!” Kayla screamed. 
  
“Eh?” 
  
Ko dropped the letter and ran to Kayla’s voice in the rear bedroom. When he entered he found her jumping on a full sized bed in what appeared to be a child’s room. 
  
“Look at all the toys!” she cried. 
  
Toys everywhere. On the bed sat ten stuffed animals. Bunnies, kittens, teddy bears. On a stand in front of the bed rested a flat screen TV with children’s DVDs. 
  
“Ko look! Magical Girl Sasha DVD’s! Play it for me, please!” 
  
“Ah..” 
  
As Ko took the DVD, with the pink haired magical girl on the cover, Kayla continued jumping on the bed and fell on top of the stuffed animals. Laughing loudly, like a happy child should. Ko offered a light smile, but refused to be overwhelmed by the situation. 
  
Keep your guard up, Ko, he thought. 
  
“Kayla, I know you want to watch the DVD but it's really late and you should get cleaned up and ready for bed,” he spoke softly. As if afraid to sound like a strict parent. 
  
“But I don’t have no pajamas~” she sang back. 
  
“Maybe you do.” 
  
He walked to the dresser in the brightly furnished room and opened it. Folded in the top drawers lay everything a five year old needed. Brand new clothes, socks, pajamas, and for multiple days. Ko gazed at disbelief at the garments, for it made zero sense.
  
It's as if these people expected Kayla here. But how would they know- 
  
“Ko!” yelled Kayla. 
  
“Eh?” Ko spun around in the little bedroom but didn’t see her, “Kayla?” he called out. 
  
“I’m in the bathroom!” 
  
“The bathroom?” 
  
So fast. Kayla slipped out of the bedroom so fast Ko neither saw or heard her leave. He made a mental note: Five year olds are slippery! He ran out following her voice into a pretty bathroom, and found her standing on top of a sink. 
  
“Oh, little one, please get down you’ll get hurt-” 
  
“Look at all the toys in the tub, can I take a bath?” she asked pointing into the tub full of squeaky ducks and other toys.  
  
A bath. That’s what he wanted her to do so she could put on some pajamas and fall asleep. Ko acknowledged that whoever stocked this apartment made it child friendly...how strange. 
  
“Yes, a bath is good. And there’s a toothbrush in a package so you can brush your teeth, ok?” 
  
“Yesh!” she smiled. 
  
“Heh, ok, I’ll run the water and you go pick out the pajamas you wa-” 
  
“I want to wear pink ones!” she yelped. 
  
“Oh, ok, I saw a pink pair. Go ahead and get them.” 
  
Settle Down 
  
Half an hour later Kayla flew out of the bathroom wearing her new pink pajamas, and wet hair. 
  
“Ko, can I watch the DVD now?” 
  
He smirked and put a dry towel on her head, “Sure you can.” He’d already set up the disc so as she jumped on the bed he pressed play. 
  
Exhausted and needing to sleep, Ko exited Kayla’s room for the kitchen to brew some tea- 
  
“Ko!” 
  
He stopped short in the living room and turned back. 
  
“Y-Yes, Kayla? Are you ok?” 
  
“Mmmm!” she pouted. 
  
“What is it? Are you hungry?” he asked, unsure. 
  
“No. Sit here, stay here,” she answered. 
  
“Oh.” I see. She doesn't want to be left alone. “Umm, can i get something to eat first?” 
  
“No.” 
  
“Oh, ok.”  He sat next to her and she quickly grabbed his arm, like a teddy bear. 
  
“Watch the DVD with me!” she said with a yawn. 
  
“Alright, but only for a little while.” 
  
Ko sat with his back against the headboard and stared at the screen. From Kayla’s sleepy face he’d figured she’d be knocked out within ten minutes and he could heat up the leftovers from Koreatown. 
  
That’s fine, I’ll just sit here a bit. 
  
Now comfortable, he watched the DVD he put on for Kayla. An anime about a troublesome high school aged magical girl who beat up bad guys.
  
“Wow, how could a girl with pink hair be so violent?” were the last words Ko spoke, sitting upright against the headboard, before drifting off to sleep with an already snoring Kayla attached to his arm.
  
The Magical Girl Sasha DVD, programmed to replay, watched over them throughout the night.
  
  
  
  
….