The Next Morning 
  
Ko awoke early and spent the day entertaining Kayla while making phone calls to Sam and others from the apartment. Neither the Kims or the Turks have tried anything against the Hans as of yet, but he remained on edge as the evening approached. 
  
“Kayla?” he called to her from the kitchen where he brewed green tea, “Did you pick out a dress for tonight?” 
  
“I’m gonna wear the peach one with the sash!” she yelled from the back room. 
  
“Alright, please get ready. It’s getting late and we have to attend that event as per the letter we discussed.” 
  
“Ok!” 
  
Seven pm- The Lower East Side of Manhattan 
  
The letter for Ko in the living room contained an invite for him and Kayla with an address on it. However, the invite provided zero detail as to the event's purpose, or who’d host it. Ko would have to play it by ear as he and Kayla strolled the Manhattan sidewalks toward the location. As they walked Kayla held Ko's hand while checking her reflection in the passing storefront windows. 
  
“Ko, do you think I should’ve wore the blue dress?” Kayla asked. 
  
“Hm?” He glanced down at her. “You look like a princess in the dress you’re wearing now.” 
  
“Oh!” she blushed, “Ok, that’s good. Umm, you look nice in your new suit, too!” 
  
“Thank you.” He also checked himself in the window as they walked, “I think charcoal is my color.” 
  
“Hee!” She smiled, “Ko? Are there gonna be kids where we’re going?” 
  
“Maybe.” 
  
“Oh!” her eyes lit up. “So maybe we’ll have fun!” 
  
“Heh!” He smiled at her, “I hope so.” 
  
Ko and Kayla approached a nondescript building on a fashionable street. At the door a large man in dark sunglasses stood guard. Ko approached the man and offered the invites. The man stared at Ko. 
  
“Do you have any weapons?” the man asked Ko. 
  
“No, I don’t,” he lied. 
  
“Ok then. Go inside and take the elevator to the penthouse. Have a nice time.”  
  
“Thank you,” Ko answered as he and Kayla breezed past the guard, who closed the door behind them. But Ko looked back. That guard asked if I had a weapon but didn't frisk me. Why? 
  
After strolling through a narrow lobby, Ko and Kayla stepped in an elevator adorned with gold trimming and floor to ceiling mirrors. 
  
“Wow, another crazy elevator,” said Kayla, smiling while Ko pressed a shiny ‘P’ button instead of a floor number. “Ko? What does the ‘P’ button mean?” 
  
He smiled, “Power.” 
  
“Oh!” 
  
As the elevator ascended, Ko adjusted his suit and fixed Kayla’s hair. The penthouse sat on the fourteenth floor, but Ko felt the music bumping by the twelfth floor. 
  
“It sounds like a party. Oh wait, so that’s what the ‘P’ button means! Party!” she cried jumping up and down. 
  
“Heh, you’re too clever for me,” he smirked. 
  
When the elevator stopped and the doors opened a wall of music hit Ko. And he was certain it startled Kayla, who grabbed his hand while jumping behind him. 
  
Before them a sea of beautiful diverse people danced in mass in a large loft. Half were teenagers, and some of them- 
  
“Ko look!” Kayla pointed with glee. 
  
Around fifteen children of various ages played in a separate room with a clown making balloons. Behind the clown a lady painted faces and another made cotton candy on a machine. But Ko remained vigilant. He had no friends in the United States, let alone this party. He leaned down to Kayla while scanning the room. 
  
“Kayla, you can play over there in a little bit? But first I have to-” 
  
“What do you have to do that she can’t play with the other children?” a woman’s voice asked. 
  
Ko raised up with a spin. Before him stood a drop dead gorgeous young Asian lady in a tight burgundy dress and heels. Behind her loomed a large black man in a suit who glared at Ko. The lady eyed Ko from top to bottom before leaning down to greet Kayla. 
  
“Well hello pretty girl, I like your dress. What’s your name?” she asked Kayla. 
  
Kayla grabbed Ko’s hand and meekly answered, “My name is Kayla.” 
  
“Kayla? Well, that’s a lovely name for a lovely girl. And my name is Kitty.” She offered her hand to Kayla while glancing at Ko. “Nice to meet you, Kayla.” 
  
Kayla smiled and shook Kitty’s hand. “Your name is Kitty? Like a cat?” 
  
“More like a kitten, hee!” the lady winked at Kayla. 
  
“Oh!” Kayla glanced around, “So, is this your party, Ms. Kitty?” 
  
“Actually it’s my little sister’s party. Her sweet sixteen to be exact,” Kitty said standing up and making eye contact with Ko. “And what’s your story, handsome? Are you here at our party for a handout?” A sinister smile spread across her face. 
  
“Hmm.” Ko smirked at her words, but he treaded carefully. The second this woman said her name he knew she was the infamous Boss Kitty Alston. The little sister of Boss Bad Tara, the unquestioned leader of the largest, and most dangerous, organized crime crew in New York City. Ko glanced up at Kitty’s scowling bodyguard and knew not to insult this woman, for his and Kayla’s sake. 
  
“Ms. Kitty, thank you for your concern. But I doubt charity was the motive for my invite tonight,” Ko answered. 
  
“Hmph, your doubt is noted. But I wasn’t the one who invited you, Mr. Ko Lee. Heh heh,” she snarked.  
  
Ko squinted. This woman knew more than she let on, but he played her game. “Ms. Kitty, may I please ask, who invited Kayla and I?” 
  
“Hmm?” she replied, sizing him up with a look of power before moving close to him, and whispering in his ear, “You know you’re a lot sexier than she let on, tough guy.” 
  
“Ah..” Ko kept quiet. He had no idea who the she was that Kitty referred to as the beautiful gang boss leaned down to speak to Kayla again. 
  
“Kayla, sweetie~” said Kitty, “This party is for everyone so you can play with the other kids whenever you want. And don’t worry, Ko isn’t going anywhere.” 
  
“Ok, thank you,” Kayla meekly replied, hiding behind Ko’s leg. 
  
“You’re welcome,” said Kitty standing up and eyeballing Ko. “As for you buddy, enjoy the show.” 
  
“The show?” 
  
“Heh heh,” Kitty turned and walked into the partying crowd with a chuckle, her bodyguard right behind her. 
  
One second later, the room lights grew dim as a horde of yelling teenagers rushed to a stage near a large window. The loud chest pumping music over the speakers abruptly halted with a mock needle scratch sound. Immediately a dance track started playing, eliciting screams from the young adult audience. 
  
“Ko, I can’t see!” cried Kayla. 
  
“Oh, I’m sorry.” 
  
Ko pushed past the crowd to the front of the stage so Kayla had a clear view. But he didn’t know what they were in store for. Until the bass dropped. 
  
“Yaaaaaaaah!” 
  
The crowd screamed when a curtain opened and three female figures in long dresses danced to the music. Ko couldn’t make out their faces right away as the teens around him jumped up and down shouting. 
  
From the back a spotlight hit the three stage dancers who wowed the crowd with choreographed dance moves, and a little twerking for the fan's delight. But the bright light illuminated a lot more. For the leader of the dance crew, the lean raven haired one in front, flashed an eye at Ko, and he saw her face.
  
“Ko! They’re all great dancers!” screamed Kayla, “They’re like Kpop girls, only they’re not Korean!” 
  
“No, she isn’t Korean at all,” said Ko with his eyes firmly on the black haired leader. Clearly the best of the three. And the most… 
  
“She’s beautiful!” Kayla cried, pointing at the lead dancer on stage. 
  
“Hmph.” Ko smirked. 
  
The music raised to a heavy beat drop. At that moment the stage dancers ripped off the lower halves of their long dresses to reveal much shorter, and tighter, upgrades. The crowd erupted, “Yaaaaa, Rica, we love you girl!” They screamed at the lead dancer. And the dancer responded by blowing kisses back, before she turned and locked eyes with Ko. 
  
“Eh?” Kayla tapped his arm, “I think her name is Rica, and she’s looking at you!” 
  
Ko gave a wistful grin but kept his eye on the dancer, who commanded the stage. “Yes, Kayla. The dancer’s name is Rica Reyes. She’s a Sagittarius. And today is her birthday,” he said. 
  
“Wow, she’s so pretty, wait!” Kayla’s voice lowered as she looked up. “Ko?” 
  
“Yes?” 
  
“Do you know her?” 
  
He smiled but didn’t answer as the music stopped and the dancers gave their last stage pose. The wild cheering crowd clapped and hollered, “Rica, Nicky, Sammy! Aaaaaaah! We love you girls!” The three stage dancers bowed with humble thanks. 
  
Afterward, the dancer Rica hopped off the stage in her tight gold dress, and into the crowd of friends, fans, and love. She played cool standing tall in high heels on her lean defined legs. But the birthday girl-dancer didn’t take long before she pulled herself away from the masses, and inched in the direction of Ko and Kayla. 
  
“Ko! She’s coming over here!” 
  
More like cat-walked over with one foot in front of the other until she stopped in front of Ko, staring at him. And he stared at her, for a silent moment, before he bowed, “Happy Birthday Rica, thank you for inviting us to your party tonight.” 
  
Rica licked her glossy lips and smiled, “Hello Ko. It’s good to see you again.” 
  
“It’s good to see you too. It's been awhile.” 
  
“Five years,” she whispered, “that’s some while.” 
  
“Yes,” he nodded and looked down at Kayla hiding behind his leg, “A lifetime for some.”  
  
Rica smirked while lowering herself down to Kayla, “Hello Kayla, my name is Rica. How are you?” her voice alluring and calm. 
  
Kayla hesitated as if starstruck by Rica’s presence. She trembled before answering with a meek, “I’m fine, but how do you know my name?” 
  
Ko, sensing Kayla’s confusion, intervened. “Kayla, I want you to say happy birthday to Rica and to thank her for the dress and the Sasha DVD’s that she bought for you.” 
  
“Eh?” Kayla looked at Rica, “Those discs are yours? Oh, umm, happy birthday.” 
  
“Thank you. And I’m glad you like Magical Girl Sasha. Did you watch all the discs?” Rica sang the question to Kayla. 
  
“Oh, not yet,” Kayla looked around, “I watched season one but Ko made me get dressed because we had to come to this party but when I get back..umm...” 
  
Kayla trailed off, seemingly embarrassed. But Rica reached out and caressed her face, “You take your time and watch them you pretty thing. Those discs are yours now, ok?” 
  
“Ok, thank you.” Kayla blushed. 
  
“Heh heh,” Rica chuckled, standing straight up in her heels she eyed Ko, “Come on, let’s get her some cotton candy.” 
  
“Oh yesh!” Kayla laughed. 
  
Ko nodded, accepting his current situation. He and Kayla both were Rica’s guests, for the time being. 
  
Thirty Minutes Later 
  
Ko and Rica didn’t speak much beyond small talk. She spent the bulk of her time responding to party guests while he remained a step behind her. Some of Rica’s curious girlfriends gave her a hard time about Ko: 
  
“Rica, who is that boy? He is gorgeous! Are you dating him? Is he a Kpop singer? Is that little girl his daughter?” Asked the curious girls. 
  
“No, we’re not dating, Ko is an old acquaintance I invited. And yes he’s probably a Kpop singer, and the little girl is his sister,” Rica answered to all. 
  
But the birthday girl did break off enough time to laugh with Kayla, and make sure she had cotton candy. Afterward Kayla ran off to play with the other children. 
  
“She’s so adorable,” said Rica. 
  
“She’s a good kid. And stronger than she lets on,” said Ko. But he didn’t fully understand his purpose here tonight. Or why Rica chose to surprise him this way. “Rica, I don’t want to trouble you-” 
  
She cut him off. 
  
“Ko, I know you have a lot of questions, but today’s my birthday and I have to entertain guests now. But I have my reasons why I invited you tonight and why I put you and Kayla in one of my mother’s safe houses.” 
  
“I understand,” he replied. 
  
“I know you do, Ko. Especially now that you know it’s me. But I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me as I-” 
  
“Entertain guests,” he whispered back. 
  
“Yes, but we’ll talk more tomorrow. So make sure Kayla has a good time tonight. And you!” She moved close to him while wiping lint off his suit. “I want you to smile, Ko. It’s my party.” 
  
“I’ll do as you say,” he replied. 
  
“Of course you will,” said Rica with a cruel grin as she turned her back on him with a side glance. “You will, because you work for me now, Echo Lee.” 
  
“Ah.” He’d forgotten he told her his real name, five years ago, “But of course.” 
  
But as Ko spoke with Rica, he spotted two big dudes always hovering nearby, watching him. Her guards. He noted the people who surrounded her, and who she talked to and how they reacted. People of means and respect. All demonstrating who she really was... 
  
A Boss... 
  
Ko wasn’t surprised at all. For Rica was a notorious rifle assassin at the age of eleven. And now at age sixteen, she called the shots. 
  
Now that he understood this, his next words to her reflected this reality, “I’m at your service, Rica.” 
  
“Hmph!” she pouted with a smirk. Then offered a few choice words to him before stepping off. “You look really nice in that suit, Ko. I’m glad I picked it out. Charcoal is your color.” 
  
He nodded, “Excellent choice.” 
  
“I know.” With that she twirled in her tight dress and walked into the crowd of her awaiting friends. Without a look back at him. 
  
As Ko stood in the middle of the floor, watching her, he pondered the true reason she invited him to this party. 
  
To display her power. 
  
And to clearly let him know that she controlled his fate. 
  
  
  
  
 ...