Aftg react

Part66

"Oh god" said Kevin horrified most likely wishing that Neil would swallow his tongue by accident, "haha" started Nicky awkwardly "is he really tattling on Riko to his brother?" he continue as he pressed his hands on his face screaming internally as some groaned back as an answer.
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It was enough to earn a thin smile from Ichirou. It was all Neil could do to not flinch when Ichirou said, "That is very bold."
"Yes," Neil said, "but it is the truth."
Ichirou said nothing for so long Neil wondered if he was supposed to get out of the car and walk away. Finally Ichirou gestured for him to continue.
"Riko has spent his entire life aiming to be the best player on the court," Neil said. "When he feels his superiority is threatened he lashes
out without concern for collateral damage. This past year alone is proof of his increasing instability.
"Kevin Day was your uncle's second largest investment, but Riko destroyed him over injured pride. At the start of his sophomore year Kevin had a seven-digit net worth between his professional contract, his spot on the national team, and his endorsements. He could have earned your family fifteen, twenty million a year after graduation. Now Kevin is starting over from scratch.
"Riko killed one of my teammates in August and admitted to it in a public location," Neil said. "In November he interfered with the Oakland justice system and left a money trail from California to South Carolina all for the sake of hurting another teammate, and in December he bought out a psychiatrist at Easthaven in Columbia to continue that torture. Over Christmas break he gave me back my natural looks so my father's people could find and kill me. He laid the groundwork for the confrontation in Maryland that ended with my father's death and this entire federal investigation.
"Last week he reacted to your father's death by beating one of his teammates within an inch of his life. He is lucky it was Jean Moreau; Jean knows who your family is and would never speak out against Riko. But Jean is in our custody now while he heals and Edgar Allan University has launched a quiet investigation into the Ravens. They will find out about the hazing and abuse your uncle condones and someone will have to answer for it. What happens if they stumble across evidence of Riko's manipulations during their search?
"I am not saying your brother is out of line," Neil lied, "but he is not being careful. He is escalating because he feels threatened, but there are too many people watching us now. They will catch him soon enough, and I am afraid of what will fall back on you. I won't ally myself with such a risk, so I cannot play for your uncle at Edgar Allan. I'm sorry."
Another endless silence followed.

They were tense waiting too, wanting to see what comes next hoping that it's nothing bad.
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A day or week or year passed before Ichirou said, "Look me in the eye and listen very carefully." Neil dragged his stare up to Ichirou's face. Ichirou's smile was long gone and his coal eyes seemed to bore right through Neil. "Where I come from, a man's word is only as good as his name and his name earns weight from the blood he has spilled for my family. You are untested and untrue. You are not worth the air you breathe. I would balance the red in my ledger with your death and consider it a fair repayment.
"However," Ichirou said, "you are your father's son, and your father was someone to me. He is the reason I came down here myself when I
could have sent anyone to speak to you. Do you know what I will do to you if I think you are wasting my time? Do you know what I will do to anyone you have ever met or spoken to? I will kill everyone who has ever stood by you and I will make each death last a lifetime."
It didn't sound like a threat; it sounded like a promise.
"What can I do to convince you I'm telling the truth?" Neil said. "Nothing," Ichirou said, and said a few words in Japanese to the two
men seated up front.
The front passenger pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. Neil
couldn't understand a word the man said, but he understood that angry tone just fine. For a wild moment he thought the man was arranging messy deaths for all of the Foxes. He clenched his teeth against a spike of panic and stared at the empty cushion between him and Ichirou. The passenger went back and forth for several minutes, then hung up and put his phone away. His tone was deferential when he said something to Ichirou.
Whatever the news was, Ichirou's expression didn't change. Ichirou tapped his thumb idly on his ankle as he thought. Neil didn't know how long they sat there in silence, ten minutes or ten lifetimes, but he was sure he'd die before Ichirou finally made up his mind.
"Perhaps your life has a price tag after all," Ichirou said. "Eighty percent of your earnings for the entirety of your career will be sufficient. I expect similar tithes from Day and Moreau; it is only reasonable considering my family funded their training. Someone will be in touch with you to make arrangements. If you fail to make the cut after graduation, the deal is forfeit and you will be executed. Do you understand?"
Disbelief knocked the air from his lungs; relief was so intense Neil thought for a moment he'd be violently ill. Somehow he kept his tone even when he said, "I understand. I'll talk to Kevin and Jean immediately. We will not fail you."
Ichirou slanted a hooded look at him. "Then for now you are dismissed."
It was so abrupt Neil almost forgot to say, "Thank you."
He tried to get out of the car without looking like he was making a mad dash for it and wasn't entirely sure he succeeded. He closed the door behind him and both drivers cut the engines on. Neil stood stock still as the cars pulled away and watched numbly as they rolled out of sight. Knowing they were gone did nothing to make him feel safer and Neil
sank to his knees on the asphalt. He dug his fingers into the taut denim over his knees and fought to get his racing heart under control.

Neil had done it, he actually managed to make a deal with Ichirou and even after seeing it on their own they could believe it and Kevin the most out of them all as he ran his hand through his hair tugging the slightest bit, this meant that if everything went well Neil, Kevin and Jean were free.