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Charisma
Pg 126
Dagwood: If you can get Archer to pair with you, then I'll give you the job.
Woah, scary Kouki-face. Very serious and tough.
Kouki: [...Bastard...]
Outside. Archer is toting a soggy McDonalds bag.
Archer: You know where Ken is?
?: He didn't go out to eat?
?: He's in the office.
Archer glances over and sees through the office window that Dagwood has his arm around Kouki's neck and is pouring on the oily charm. Sleaze. He can't see Kouki's face, since his back is turned.
Pg 127
Dagwood: HaHaHa. What are you so uptight about, Ken?
: It's not like I'm trying to push some dangerous job on you.
: I'm telling you this as a favor!
Archer is now out of sight next to the window. He's listening in.
: That kid's got his dumb brother to take care of; he's got it tough too, y'know what I'm saying?
Pg 128
: It's not gonna turn out bad, eh, Ken?
Kouki: ....I got it.
: I'll think it over.
: [I know these guys' tricks.]
Flash-back to the police office.
Quincy: Look over this list, Kouki.
Pg 129
: This is a list of all the underage fatalities who were mixed up in the drug trade.
: They become great friends with the gang kids, and after they have squeezed all the sweet juice out of them they throw out the trash.
: If you disregard my advice and get involved with Archer Rogue
: He's going to end up on this list as well.
Pg 130
Archer and Kouki are on the roof of the market. Kouki is pensive, while Archer has a knowing half-smirk on his face.
Archer: What's wrong, Ken?
: You didn't eat and break is over.
Kouki: Ah, yeah.
: What are you smiling about?
Archer: I was just thinking how cute you were when you were drunk.
Kouki blushes and buries his head in his hand.
Kouki: Please! Forget about it!
Pg 131
Kouki: [If I let this chance slip it'll become impossible to get into the inner group. But it'll definitely put Archer in danger. I'll puzzle it out.]
: [Think of another way, Kouki!]
Pg 132
That night, Archer and Murphy are watching a baseball game on TV.
Archer: Hey... Murphy.
TV: Just hitting! New York Mets "Rocket Dug." Three base hit! Mets one point gain!!
Archer: Don't you think I should help Ken?
: Murphy?
: ...I get it... I won't do anything dangerous.
TV: Two runners get to home base!! Mets win a losing game!!
Archer: I get it.
Pg 133
Meanwhile, at Forbes' place:
Forbes: What are you doing, Ed?
Ed is tying his tie.
Ed: I've decided. I'm going back to my kids, Forbes.
Forbes: I don't remember giving you permission to be discharged.
Ed: "Discharge"? Just look at me.
: I'm alive and kicking already.
Forbes: Your body is the only thing that's well.
Pg 134
Ed: The kids'll be in trouble too, without me there.
: I quit my old job so I have to search for a new place.
: And you're just a classmate from college. I can't take any more advantage of you.
Forbes: Just a classmate?
Ed: It's true, isn't it?
: In all honesty I have no idea why you've been
: so good to me.
: I'll pay you back someday.
: But for now I want to hurry and meet the kids.
: Let's go.
Pg 135
Forbes' gets a painfully tight grip on Ed's arm. His face is stern, and maybe a little angry?
Ed: ....Forbes...
Forbes shoves Ed back.
Ed: Forbes!
Pg 136
And holds him pinned with one arm to the wall. His other hand touches the side of his face.
Ed: Why....
Forbes: You have complete freedom in this room.
: If there's something you want
: I'll bring it to you, anything.
: But from now on
Pg 137
: You won't take one step out.
He leaves and slams the door, resting back against it as Ed pounds at it.
Ed: Forbes!
: Stop messing around! Open this door!
*don don don* *bang bang bang*
: Forbes!
*don don* *bang bang*
: FORBES!!
*don don* *bang bang*
Pg 138
*don don*
Elsewhere, another door is being banged upon. Archer looks up from tucking Murphy into bed.
Voice: Gatito! It's Aida!
: Open the door so I can come in.
Archer pulls it open as far as the chain allows. A lovely young woman looks in.
Aida: Gatito, it's me. Do you remember?
Archer: Yeah, Deano's .....
Aida: Deano hasn't come home in three days. Please, come with me.
Pg 139
They hurry through the Bronx.
Aida: A girl named Rocco died in the hospital. Chemical poisoning. Bad drugs are being circulated.
: Some group called "Medicine" has been sweetening the street kids, and they seem to want to compete with "Cali."
Archer: You have some idea of where Deano went?
Aida: I do. There's only one place. But as he is now, he'd have no business going there.
Archer: But, that's...
Aida: It's where he goes when he needs a fortress.
Pg 140
Somewhere derelict: a man is a bloody shell.
Auckland: You pigs! You're all cattle! Bunch of black footstools! Die! You'll all dieee!
Deano and his gang are impervious to the insults.
Pg 141
Lott: We've asked him what we wanted to ask. Let's take care of him.
Louka: Lott!
Auckland: I did that girl! She let me!
: For drugs, she'd do it as often as I wanted!
Rocco's brother: Fuck! I'll kill him! I'll KILL him!
Another man holds the crying, raging man back.
Man: Todd!
*gata* *sound of a door shutting*
Deano shuts the door. We zoom in on the gun tucked into his pants.
Pg 142
Archer: Where's the entrance?
Aida: This way.
*DON DON* *BANG BANG*
*DON* *BANG*
Gunshots ring out.
Pg 143
*gatsu* *crash*
A body impacts with the wide window nearest to Archer. The body slides down the inside, leaving a bloody smear. Archer stares. Deano is standing on the other side.
Pg 144
Deano: War has begun.
[Note: In katakana beside the above phrase it says: "The Day, Break Out." But *cough* I chose to ignore it.]
Pg 145
Archer: You've returned to the gang then, Deano?
Deano: ...That's right...
Archer: ... How many people have died...?
Deano: Including Rocco, five.
Archer: So that coffee market must be...
Deano: Gatito.
Pg 146
Deano: Gatito.
: Forget what you saw tonight.
: I don't intend to get you involved in this.
Archer shoves away his comforting hand.
Archer: Aida asked me to stop you.
Deano: I'm sending her away from N.Y.
: She's pregnant.
: With my child.
Pg 147
Aida: I have no intention of leaving Manhattan.
Aida and Louka appear at the door.
Deano: Didn't I tell you to take her home, Louka?
Louka: She's your girlfriend. She's stubborn as a horse.
: How am I going to stop her?
Aida: If you don't intend to change your mind, then let me stay on here with you.
: Deano.
Pg 148
: It's only fair.
Archer has continued to think.
Archer: ...What kind of information do you want
: Deano?
Pg 149
Deano: Gatito.
Archer: I'm not going to take part in your war. I'm going to do what I need to to protect you.
Aida: No, Gatito!
Archer: You helped me out.
: You made me understand my blood brothers.
: I like that you're strong.
: You let me hide behind your back.
: Because you were large enough.
Pg 150
: Just say the word, Deano.
: Do you need me?
: Can I be--
Pg 151
: useful to you
: Deano?
The next morning, at the warehouse:
Kouki: Dagwood.
: Dagwood!
Pg 152
Dagwood: Yo! You're early, Ken.
: ...How about what we talked about yesterday? You make a decision?
Kouki: About that...
: As I thought, I......
Archer: Dagwood.
Archer appears behind them in the milling crowd.
Kouki: Archer?
Archer: I heard about it from Ken.
Pg 153
: Let me in on it too.
: On that good and profitable job.
Kouki: Archer, wh-
Archer: There's money.
Dagwood: Right! Then you'll become one more associate.
: Come see me after work today.
Overseerish man: DAGWOOD!
Pg 154
The man rushes up and whispers in Dagwood's ear.
Kouki: Archer, what the hell are you...
Archer ignores him to talk to another worker.
Archer: What's the trouble?
Worker: There's a dead man rolled up in front of the warehouse!
Archer smiles grimly, and Kouki catches a glimpse of it.
Pg 155
There is blood smeared all over the rolling door.
Voices: That's horrible.
: Some gang war?
Kouki looks again, but Archer is no longer smiling.
Kouki: [---I thought I saw him smiling.]
Voices: Why in front of our warehouse?
: Did the police get called?
The police arrive and start breaking up the crowd.
Police: Move away! Move away!
Kouki: [--Did I imagine it...?]
Police: Hey, stop shoving! Who's in charge here!?
: I said "STOP SHOVING!"
As Kouki is pushed apart in the crowd he looks back once more. Archer is again smiling grimly.
Pg 156
We finally see the body. Auckland has been pinned half-upright to the door with nails through the sleeves near his elbows. The door is smeared with blood and the words: THE DAY.
Archer: War
: has begun.
[Note: Once more "The day, break out."]
Next: Volume 2, Part 5
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