TITLE:   HITOGOROSHI
AUTHOR:  DONNILEE
E-MAIL:  DONNILEE@SNET.NET
RATING:  NC-17
CATEGORY: SK/O - MSR
CLASSIFICATION: CASEFILE
SPOILERS: NONE.

SUMMARY: Nanami's brother is accused of murder.  Can 
Walter figure out if he really did it?

DISCLAIMER: All characters used from the show, The X-Files 
are the property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and 
Fox Broadcasting.  No copyright infringement intended.  No 
money made here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hitogoroshi means 'murderer'.

THANKS:  As always, to my wonderful beta reader, FatCat, for all 
her hard work.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 1 (G)
ARLINGTON ART'S CENTER
WILSON BOULEVARD
ARLINGTON, VA

I was just ending a call with Sotheby's Auction House when my 
assistant, Carol MacKenzie opened the door and walked into my 
office without knocking.

I frowned at her and pointed to the phone.  She bowed her head, 
waiting, but looked agitated.  I returned to my call.

"That will be fine, Frank.  I'll talk to my guys.  The pieces will be 
transported tomorrow."

We exchanged pleasantries and hung up.  I turned my attention to 
Carol.  "What's wrong, Carol?  And why didn't you knock?"

"I'm sorry, Nan!  There's an urgent call from your brother on Line 
Two.  He said it was an emergency."

"Thank you, Carol."  

She nodded and exited the office, closing the door behind her.  I 
frowned as I picked up the phone again and punched Line Two.  
"Kenichi?"

"Nanami!  Tank God you there!" he exclaimed.  His English was 
not as good as mine, but his accent wasn't usually this apparent.  
Only when he was upset did it come through loud and clear.

"What's wrong?  Carol said it's urgent."

"Nanami, I in jail!"

"What?"

"Jail, this my one phone call."

"Jail? You were arrested?"

"Ya, day arrest me for MURDUR!"

"Murder?  Slow down, tell me what happened."

"I coming back to dorm after last class.  Police stop me outside 
dorm and arrest me for murder of a couple who work at hospital."

"Did they say why?"

"Just say day have witness.  I no do it, Nanami!"

"Shh, I know you didn't do it.  Have they set your bail?" I asked, 
my heart beginning to pound.  'How could this have happened?' I 
wondered.

"Day say $40,000!"

"Oh my God!  That means I'd need $4000 to bail you out."

"I sorry, Nanami.  I don' know what to do!"

"Calm down, I'll get you out of there.  Don't talk to ANYONE.  Do 
you understand me?  Don't talk to anyone until I get you a lawyer."

"O.K."

"Tell them I'm coming up for you.  What jail are you in?"

"I in Whaley Ave. Jail in New Haven, but they say just holding.  I 
be transferred to maximum security if not bailed out."

"I'll be there, Ken.  Try to stay calm.  We'll figure this out."

"Tank you, Nan.  Oh God, I so scared."

"I know.  It will be all right.  Tell them I'm coming and give them 
my cell number if they need to check.  I don't want you transferred 
before I get there.  If they know I'm coming, maybe they will 
delay.  It will take me a few hours to get a flight."

"O.K., I tell them.  Hurry, Nan."

"I will.  Adiosu."

"Goodbye."

I hung up and realized my hands were shaking.  What the hell?  I 
immediately picked up the phone again and began dialing.  I 
glanced at the clock.  It was 3:30 PM.  I wondered when the next 
flight to Bradley International was leaving.

XXXXXXXXXX

FBI HOOVER BUILDING
THIRD FLOOR - A.D. SKINNER'S OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D.C.

My intercom buzzed.  I frowned at it and hit the button.  "What is 
it, Kim?  I'm in a meeting."

[I know, Sir.  I'm sorry.  There is a woman on the line, a Nanami 
Akaki.  Says it's an emergency.  She has to speak with you."

"I'll take it," I said and picked up the phone.  I glanced at Mulder 
and Scully who were both giving me expectant looks.  No doubt 
they were relieved to be interrupted.  I was on the tail end of a butt 
reaming over their expenses on the last case.

"Nan?" I asked as I picked up the phone.

I heard Scully whisper to Mulder, "The Curator at the Arlington 
Arts Center.  Maybe they had another theft."

Mulder whispered back, "Notice he called her Nan?"

I ignored them and listened as Nanami's frantic voice came 
through the phone.  [Walter!  Oh my God.  I need your help!]

"Slow down.  What happened?"

[Kenichi, my brother, he's in jail!]

"He's the brother in California?"

[No, he transferred to Yale last semester.]

"What did they arrest him for?"

[Murder, but I know he didn't do it!  He's the gentlest man, Walter.  
You have to believe me!]

"I believe you.  Did you get any details?"

[No, but I have to leave on the next flight out at 5:00 PM for 
Bradley.  I'm going to bail him out.]

"How much?"

[The bail is $4,000.]

"They gave him a $40,000 bond?" I asked.  That didn't sound 
good.  "Do you have it, Nan?"

[Yes.  It will be most of my savings, but I have it.  Do you know a 
good criminal lawyer in Connecticut?]

"I'll find one and call you.  I think I know someone but I want to 
call him first and see if he's taking new clients."

[I'm leaving now to go home and pack.]

"Do you need money for a hotel or anything?"

She hesitated.  [No, I'll figure it out.  I have credit cards.]

In a snap decision that surprised me, I blurted out, "I'm coming 
with you.  I'll pick you up at your place.  I'll run home, pack a bag 
and come get you.  Call the airline and book two seats."

[Are you sure, Walter?  You don't need to do that.]

"I know I don't," I said softly.

She was silent a moment and said, [Thank you.]  Then she hung 
up.

I turned to Mulder and Scully who were waiting patiently for once.  
They waited for me to speak instead of bombarding me with 
questions.

"Nanami's brother was arrested for murder in Connecticut," I said 
simply.

Scully's eyebrow went up.  "Any details?"

"No, she just talked to him.  His one phone call was to her.  She's 
flying out in an hour and a half.  I'm going to go with her."

"Sir?" Mulder asked tentatively.  "Is the FBI involved?"

"Not yet," I said standing and pulling my jacket off the back of my 
chair.  "I'm going anyway."  

They looked at each other.  The implications were clear.  I was 
doing this for personal reasons.  Scully sighed.  "Sir, I don't mean 
to pry, but ... is this a good idea?  She's still a material witness in 
the thefts at Arlington Arts Center and that hasn't gone to trial yet."

I shrugged into my suit coat and reached for my trench coat on the 
coat tree next to my desk.  I stopped and turned to look at her.  I 
swallowed, wondering at my own willingness to jump and run 
after her.  I wanted to help her.  The urge to protect her was nearly 
overwhelming.  I couldn't remember if I'd ever felt like this.

Gruffly, I muttered.  "I'll take my chances.  You're dismissed.  I'll 
contact you when I get back."

I slung my coat over my shoulder, picked up my briefcase and 
headed for the door.  Mulder and Scully stood up and followed me.  
At the door, Mulder laid his hand on my shoulder.  "Sir?"

"What?" I nearly snapped, in no mood to be questioned by these 
two.  

"If you need our help, give us a call," he said quietly.

Scully gave him an odd look but said nothing.

I nodded my thanks to Mulder and turned to go through the door.  
As I went through the foyer I said, "Kim, cancel the rest of my day 
and tomorrow.  I have an emergency.  I'm going out of town.  I'll 
call you with details later."

"Yes, Sir," she said easily, apparently unruffled by the sudden 
change of plans.  She was a great Assistant.  I made a mental note 
to do something nice for her.

I walked out without looking back.

XXXXXXXXXX

Scully turned to look at me while we stood in front of Kim's desk.  
"What's that all about?"

I smiled and waggled my eyebrows.

Scully rolled her eyes.  "Be serious, Mulder, she's half his age!"

"So?" I replied.  "She's obviously more than a material witness to 
him.  He doesn't run off half-cocked over stuff like this and he 
called her, Nan.  Pretty personal, don't you think?"

Kim smirked and looked down at her desk.  

I turned from Scully to Kim.  "Kim, what do you know that we 
don't?"

She looked up, blinking innocently.  "Not a thing, Agent Mulder."

Scully laughed and I shook my head in amusement.  "Loyal to the 
end, eh, Kim?" Scully teased.

She shrugged and smiled, but didn't say anything more.

"Come on, Mulder.  It's none of our business."

Curiouser and curiouser.  I knew Kim knew something, just by the 
smirk on her face.  It was hard to picture Skinner involved in any 
type of romantic relationship, particularly one with a girl so young.  
Then again, how much did we really know about Walter Skinner?

Scully peered at me as we made our way to the elevator.  "What's 
going on in that head of yours, Mulder?" she asked.  Her tone 
suggested a mild reprimand and that I should drop it.

The elevator doors slid open and we stepped inside as two other 
agents exited into the hallway.  As the door closed, I mumbled, 
"The old dog."

"Mulder!"

XXXXXXXXXX

NAMAMI AKAKI'S APT
NORMANY HOUSE APTS
1702 N. KENT STREET
ARLINGTON, VA

My tires squealed as I pulled up to the curb outside her building 
and angled the Lincoln into a parking spot. I killed the ignition and 
jumped out, only to see her emerging from the front door, dragging 
a suitcase on wheels.  I hurried over to her and took it from her, 
carrying it to the car and popping the trunk.  I shoved it in and 
slammed the trunk, escorting her to the passenger side door.

She turned just before getting in and looked up at me.  "Thank you 
for coming, Walter.  That's not why I called you.  I wanted the 
recommendation, but ... I wanted to let you know I would be out 
of town.  I know it was presumptuous of me to think you would 
care, but ..." she trailed off.

I picked up her chin with two fingers and gazed down into her 
face.  "I would have gone nuts if I called and couldn't get a hold of 
you," I responded, hearing the gruff quality of my voice and 
wondering at it.

She smiled at me, her face sad.  "You're such a good man, Walter 
Skinner."

I cupped her face and leaned down till my lips were near hers.  "I 
care about you, Nan.  I don't know what we're doing.  I don't know 
where this relationship is going to go, if anywhere.  I want to try 
though.  Let's just play it by ear and see what happens."

She nodded and stretched up on tiptoes, pressing her lips to mine.  

I was soon lost in the feel of silky lips sliding under mine.  I 
hummed and pulled away.  "We need to get going," I said 
reluctantly.

She nodded and got into the car.  I closed the door and rounded the 
front of the car, sliding into the driver's seat.  I backed out onto the 
street and as we pulled into the travel lane, I said, "Tell me 
everything you know so far."

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 2 (PG-13) 
BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WINDSOR LOCKS, CT
LATER THAT EVENING

We disembarked from the plane.  I went to round up our luggage 
while Nan went to rent a car.  Within twenty minutes we were on 
the highway, headed for New Haven.  

I got on my cell phone and called the jail at Whaley Avenue.  I 
identified myself as an Assistant Director with the FBI and asked 
that Kenichi Akaki be held until I could get there.  The flustered 
man on the other end of the phone didn't ask any questions.  I think 
he thought that I was coming there to question him and somehow 
the FBI was involved already.  I didn't disabuse of him of the 
notion.  He assured me that he was not scheduled for transfer until 
tomorrow morning.

I then called and got us rooms at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in 
town.  Speaking of presumptuous, I got one for us and one for Ken.  
I hoped she wouldn't mind.  She listened while I made reservations 
though and didn't object.  I put it on my credit card.  Despite what 
she'd said, I knew she was cleaning herself out to raise bail for her 
brother.  I didn't want her to go into debt over this.

An hour and half later, we were entering the police station that 
housed the holding jail.  We didn't even need to call a bail 
bondsman.  They hung out like vultures outside the doors of the 
police station.  I took care of paying the bond first and Kenichi was 
released into my custody.

I got my first look at the brother I'd heard briefly about.  He was a 
handsome kid, twenty-two years old, five foot, eight inches tall.  
His hair was below his shoulders and held in a ponytail.  He was 
short, but obviously fit and he clearly worked out.  He was wearing 
jeans and a snug polo shirt that outlined the muscles of his torso.

As he entered the room, escorted by a policeman, his whole body 
sagged with relief and he rushed to gather Nanami up in his arms.  
He lifted her off the ground and buried his nose in her hair.  
"Thank you for coming, Nanami.  I don't know what's going on."

"I'll find out," I said.  

He looked up and seemed to notice me for the first time.  
"Nanami?" he asked.

She actually blushed slightly and said, "Ken, this is my friend, 
Walter Skinner.  Walter, this is my brother, Kenichi.  We call him 
Ken for short."

I stuck out my hand.  "Pleased to meet you."  Feeling a need to 
establish my place, I put my arm over her shoulder, leaned down 
and kissed the crown of her head quickly.  I said, "I'll talk to the 
cops and see exactly what the charges are and what the deal is 
here.  Why don't you two wait over there," I said, pointing at the 
chairs along the wall.

I stepped around her to head over to the glass partition and request 
to speak with the arresting officers.  I glanced at Ken and he stood 
there with his mouth hanging open.  He was looking back and forth 
between Nanami and I.  I heard him say, "Geez, Nan, he's a damn 
giant!"

Her giggle warmed my heart, but I shook that off and put on my 
A.D. face.  I flipped my ID at the cop at the window and said, "I 
want to speak to the arresting officer in the case of the State vs. 
Kenichi Akaki."

He examined my ID carefully, decided it was legitimate and said, 
"O.K., hold on a sec."

"What's his name?"

He smiled.  "Janet Kudro."

I pressed my lips together and muttered, "Sorry, bad assumption."

He just chuckled and left by a side door while I waited.  Within 
minutes, a tall statuesque blonde appeared in the lobby and 
frowned at Ken and Nan where they were now seated in a row of 
chairs along the wall.  Then her eyes turned to me. 

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes, I'm Assistant Director Skinner," I said, introducing myself 
and holding out my hand.

She shook it in a firm grip as we checked each other out.  She was 
easily five foot, ten inches tall.  Her hair was rolled up into a bun at 
the back of her head, making it impossible to tell just how long it 
was, but judging by the thickness of her bun, it was fairly long.  
She looked more like a fashion model than a cop.  Her gold shield 
hanging around her neck dispelled any ideas that she was anything 
but a cop.

"Detective Janet Kudro," she said, finally introducing herself to 
me. 

"Is there someplace we can talk in private?" I asked.

She nodded and waved for me to follow her.  I turned to Nan and 
pointed to the door so she knew I was leaving to speak with the 
Detective.  She nodded, looking worried.

Detective Kudro led me down a long hallway and finally into a 
room that looked more like a break room than a conference room.  
There were coffee and donuts scattered over the counters and a 
fiberglass topped table in the center of the room with four chairs.  
She waved at the chairs and said, "Have a seat.  You want some 
coffee?"

I looked at the pot and it looked like mud, but I was tired so I 
nodded.  "That would be great," I said.  "Just black," I added.

She nodded and poured me a cup into a Styrofoam cup and handed 
it to me, sitting down opposite me.  We were silent for several 
moments and then she asked, "What's the FBI's interest in Kenichi 
Akaki?"

I weighed how much to tell her.  I could tell she was sharp.  Her 
eyes bored into me and didn't back down an inch.  I decided 
honesty was the best for now.  "It's personal at this point.  I need to 
know what's going on before I make a decision."

She nodded, but had a funny look on her face like she didn't 
believe me.  I thought she would have been relieved.  "Who told 
you about the case?"

"His sister," I replied, sticking with my honesty.  "Why?  You look 
like you expected me.  You don't seem surprised that I am here."

"Well, I'm not, although I didn't expect an Assistant Director."

"Can you tell me about the case?"

"I hesitate if you're not here on official business."

"I'm going to get him a lawyer and all this will have to be disclosed 
anyway.  The lawyer can get order to have the murder book and 
file turned over if I want to look at them."

"Then why don't you?" she challenged.

She was a tough cookie.  "Because I don't want to step on anyone's 
toes.  I know how the locals cringe when they have to deal with the 
Bureau.  I'd rather do this the easy way.  Besides, we both know 
the real investigation isn't in any book."

She smiled then, realizing I was flattering her.  "Very smooth," she 
teased.

I smiled at her.  "What's the real deal?  How tight is the case?"

She frowned.  "It wouldn't be tight at all except that we have a 
witness."

"A witness to the murders?"

"No, a witness to the kidnapping of the couple."

"Where were they kidnapped from?"

She hesitated.  "From a vacation home ... in Kingston, Rhode 
Island."

"Ahh!" I said, as the light bulb went off.  Now we had kidnapping 
and transporting across State lines.  That meant the FBI could have 
jurisdiction if it wanted it.  "So that's why you weren't surprised to 
hear the FBI was here.  Well, I'm not here officially ... yet," I 
added, leaving the minor threat dangling.

She looked at the table then back up at me.  "So what do I have to 
do to prevent the FBI from taking over my case?" she asked 
bluntly.

I smiled.  "Share with me.  Let me help."

"You're sympathizing with the perp.  That wouldn't be a good 
move on my part."

"Maybe, maybe not.  I know his sister.  I've never met him before."  
The silence stretched.  "Or I can call a couple of my agents down 
here to dig through your investigation with a fine tooth comb."

She sighed.  "All right, what do you want to know?"

XXXXXXXXXX

FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT

We arrived at the hotel finally and I had a copy of the Murder 
Book in hand, outlining the detail's of Janet Kudro and her partner, 
Kyle McCue's investigation into the kidnapping and murder of a 
couple from New Haven.  The husband was an orthopedic surgeon 
and the woman was a nurse.  The Murder Book was a term used to 
describe the three ring binder of paper trail that was created for 
every murder.   I sat down on the bed and began to read through 
the material I'd been given while Nan visited privately with her 
brother in the next room.  

While Nan was convinced of his innocence, I knew nothing about 
him, so I was reserving judgment until I'd looked everything over.  

The couple had vacationed in Rhode Island.  Supposedly they were 
snatched from their cabin retreat.  Later they were found dead in 
New Haven.  It was still unclear where they had been killed, but 
both had been stabbed repeatedly and the woman had been raped.

The 'witness' that Janet had spoken of was weak.  Her name was 
Patricia Soule.  She was a 45-year-old housewife who said she saw 
the white van at a convenience store where she had stopped for gas 
and milk on the Rhode Island/Connecticut border.  She claimed the 
driver was Oriental, about twenty to thirty years old, and although 
she hadn't seen the victims, she thought she'd heard voices when he 
opened the back of the van to load in his purchases.

Later, she'd picked Kenichi out of a line up.  He owned a white 
Dodge Caravan that matched the one described by the witness.  
She hadn't, however, gotten the license plate number, wasn't sure 
the man had others in the van with him, and wasn't sure how tall he 
was.  She did know that he had long hair pulled back in a ponytail 
and wasn't much taller than her.  She was five foot, six inches tall.

The van was confiscated and being processed by a crime unit but 
no information was available on the results yet.  I assumed they 
were looking for the victim's fingerprints, blood or fibers that 
would connect Ken to the victims.

A Dr. Joseph Stern had done the autopsies on John and Nancy 
Cavello, 52 and 50 years old respectively.  He reported that the 
man had been tied tightly and showed ligature marks on his wrists, 
ankles and neck from a thick hemp rope.  He'd been stabbed in the 
torso fifteen times and bled to death when one such stab had 
punctured his aorta.

The woman was in equally rough shape.  She'd been stabbed ten 
times but had been raped both vaginally and anally, suggesting 
either that the perpetrator used some sort of instrument or he was 
incredibly well endowed.  The police were obviously voting for the 
use of some instrument or another that had caused the extensive 
tearing to her tissues.  

A background check had been run on Ken and although he had no 
record, it was discovered that he was a black belt in karate.  The 
police were supposing that this along with the use of a gun or knife 
had been sufficient for him to overpower and contain two victims.  
In addition to this, some sort of oriental symbol had been left on 
the bodies on a business size card.  No research had been done into 
the symbol.  I considered that a serious oversight, one that Mulder 
and Scully would never make.

I wasn't buying it.  Much of their speculating was just that.  There 
was no hard evidence here, only circumstantial evidence.  Unless 
they turned up something in the van, a good lawyer would tear this 
case to shreds.  There was nothing to directly connect Kenichi to 
the victims.  I had a feeling that the police were feeling pressure 
from the public to make an arrest and Ken was the first suspect that 
even remotely fit their possible scenarios for the abduction, rape 
and murder of these two poor people.  His dorm was a mere four 
blocks from the victims' place of work but that was tenuous at best.  
He did have a part time job as a mail clerk in the hospital.  

The paperwork included all the sensational headlines that had 
appeared in the papers.  

"Young Engineering Student Goes Mad".
"Yale Yuppie Accused of Double Murder".
"Mayor Vows to Find the Killers".

Yup, even the mayor was involved, meaning political pressure had 
probably been put on the department to make an arrest.  Fucking 
politicians should stay out of police work.  They inevitably 
botched up good investigations by leaving the investigators hog 
tied, or forced them into a moving on suspects before they were 
ready.  What these idiots didn't realize is that if you arrested the 
wrong man and it became known later, it made everyone, the 
politicians, the police and the entire system look like morons.

My phone rang and I snatched it up off the bed.  "Skinner."

[Sir, it's Mulder.]

"What is it, Mulder?" I asked, hoping he wasn't going to ask me 
about some stupid X-File he wanted approval for at a time like 
this.  Couldn't it wait until I got back?

[Sorry to disturb you, Sir.  I had the Gunmen do some checking, 
and they have a name of a good lawyer in Connecticut to call to 
help you out.]

I sighed deeply, feeling guilty for assuming he'd called me for 
some selfish purpose.  Although self-centered in the extreme at 
times, Mulder did have a good heart.  "Thank you, Mulder.  I 
hadn't found anyone yet.  That was on my list for tomorrow.  Ken 
has a preliminary hearing day after tomorrow and I don't want him 
going in there without giving a lawyer time to look over this 
mess."

[How's it going, Sir?]

"All right, I guess.  We bailed him out.  We're here at the hotel 
now.  I convinced the investigating officer to hand over a copy of 
the Murder Book."

Mulder chuckled. [How'd you manage that?]

"I threatened to have agents come down here and go over her case 
with a fine toothed comb."

[I'll bet that went over like a lead balloon.]

It was my turn to chuckle.  "Well, there's kidnapping and 
transporting across state lines as well as rape, murder and assault 
with a deadly weapons charge.  So the Bureau could come in if we 
wanted to."

[Do you want us to come up there?]

"No, not yet.  I'm reading now and this case is looking really weak.  
I'm hoping a good lawyer can tear it to shreds.  So what's this guy's 
name?"

[Lou Cavatebelli.]

"Little Italian?" I blurted out without thinking.

Mulder laughed.  "Yeah, and according to the Gunmen, he's a huge 
man, but considered one of the best criminal lawyers in New 
Haven County.  He's based in Waterbury, though."

[Give me the number.  I'll call him first thing in the morning.]

"Do that.  I already called him and told him to expect your call."

I cleared my throat, unused to feeling gratitude toward Mulder.  
"Thanks, Mulder," I said quickly.

[No problem, Sir.  If you change your mind and need us for 
anything, let us know.  Or if there is anything we can check out for 
you on this end, let us know.]

"Well, maybe there is."

[What's that, Sir?]

"I'd like to fax copies of these autopsy reports up and have Agent 
Scully take a look at them and see if she sees anything this doctor 
might have missed.  I don't think so."

[Why don't you Fed Ex the entire thing and I'll whip up a profile 
for you.]

"You don't have to do that, Mulder."

[Can't hurt,] he said in his classic style of understatement.

"No, I suppose it can't.  I'll be up first thing in the morning and get 
another copy made and fax it over.  That alone will take me a 
while."

[Hard to do without the whole case, but I can at least do a 
victimology and piece something together from whatever you 
have.]

"O.K., I'll do that.  Talk to you tomorrow, Mulder."

[Right.  Take care.]  He hung up without saying goodbye, a 
peculiar habit I noticed both he and Scully possessed.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 3 (NC-17)
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT

I finally finished reading and gathered all the information up and 
packed it neatly into the envelope.  I secured it in my locked 
briefcase.  

I decided to change my clothes and slipped into some sweatpants 
and a wife beater tank top and then went and knocked on the 
connecting door to Ken's room.

He opened it quickly and then physically took a step back when he 
saw me standing there in my bare feet and casual clothes.  His eyes 
perused me up and down, once, quickly and then he swung the 
door wide and motioned me in.  "Hi," he greeted me.

"Hi.  I finished reading through the material I got from the 
investigating officers."

"Did you find anything?" Nanami asked.  She was sitting cross- 
legged on the end of his bed.  I walked over and sat down next to 
her, putting my arm over her shoulder.  She leaned into me, resting 
her head on my chest and Ken sat in the chair by the window.

"Their case is weak," I said.

"It is?" she asked.

"Yes.  They are still processing your van, however," I said to Ken.  
"I have to ask you this."  I paused.  "Are they going to find 
anything?"

"Like what?" he asked defensively.

"Fingerprints, blood, rope, a knife, any weapons of any kind?"

He swallowed and frowned at me.  "Not unless someone planted it 
there," he said immediately.

I nodded.  "Sorry, I had to ask."

"It's all right," he said, but I could tell he wasn't happy that I'd 
questioned him.

Nanami pulled away from me and asked, "You don't think he did 
it, do you?"  She looked terribly wounded.

I rushed to reassure her.  "No, I don't."

She deflated and leaned into me again.

I turned to Ken.  "No offense, but you're not a big guy.  Without a 
gun, for which there has been no mention, I don't see you being 
able to subdue two fully grown adults with karate and a knife.  
That husband, if he were any kind of man would have fought for 
his wife even if he didn't fight for himself.  The fact that he was 
able to be subdued, tied up and stabbed to death ... we're talking 
about a lot of rage and a lot of strength.  He wasn't a small man, 
maybe five foot, ten inches tall and 185 pounds.  Women can often 
be subdued by a smaller man ... but not a guy that size without 
some serious weapons or circumstances."

Ken nodded, taking a deep breath.  "They kept mentioning that I 
knew karate."

"I know that too, and while martial arts are a valuable fighting tool 
... I don't see that as a valid argument.  Lots of men know how to 
fight in one way or another.  The fact that this guy used a knife 
means he likes to be up close and personal to his victims.  That 
takes a very sociopathic personality not to feel any remorse or 
sympathy for your victims.  It takes a lot of rage."

"Why is this happening to me?"

"A witness claims to have seen you in a convenience store in 
Rhode Island driving a white Dodge Caravan.  She claims she 
heard voices coming out of your van when you opened the door to 
put things inside."

"I've never even been to Rhode Island," he said sullenly.

"Do you have an alibi?"

"Not really.  The murders apparently took place two days ago, or 
that's when they were found anyway.  I was in the library studying 
till late.  The librarian was there, but I don't know how observant 
she is."

"We'll talk to her."

"What am I going to do about this hearing?" he asked. 

"I'm contacting a lawyer tomorrow morning, a good criminal 
lawyer that's been recommended by one of my agents.  His name is 
Lou Cavatebelli."

"You think he can help me?"

"We'll have to wait and see, but I want to get you to him as soon as 
possible in the morning.  I'm also copying the files and sending 
them to my agents.  Agent Mulder is going to draw up a profile of 
the UNSUB for us and Agent Scully is going to look at the 
autopsies to see if anything might have been missed."

"Can I go home tomorrow?"

"To your dorm?" I asked.

He nodded.  "I'd like some fresh clothes."

"Sure, we'll get them, but I want you to stay there.  If someone is 
trying to frame you, they might pay a visit to your dorm room.  Do 
you have a roommate?"

"Yeah, Tom Hathaway."

"Call him in the morning and see if he can stay someplace else for 
a couple days.  I may try to convince the cops to stake out your 
room and see if anyone tries to get in."

"Why?  You don't think this is a simple case of mistaken identity?"

"Might be.  Do you have any enemies?" I asked.

He paused.  "Not that I can think of right now.  I mean, I've had my 
differences with other students, but nothing serious.  I try to get 
along with everyone.  I keep to myself mostly.  I'm not a party 
animal.  I concentrate on my studies."

I nodded.  "All right.  Let's all get some sleep.  It's going to be a 
long day tomorrow, and we may have to split up." I stood up, 
pulling Nanami with me.  

She was yawning and said, "Good idea.  Good night, Ken."

"Night, Sis."  He eyed me warily but didn't say anything as I 
followed her through the connecting door into our room.

Once inside, she went straight for the shower and I followed her, 
stripping off my clothes.  I found her clothes scattered on the 
bathroom floor where she'd dropped them.  I looked through the 
glass door and could see the fuzzy outline of her slender body as 
the water cascaded over her.

I felt my groin stir and firmly told it to calm down.  She was tired 
and upset and I wasn't going to be groping her every chance I got.  
Just because we'd slept together once didn't mean she would she 
would appreciate my attentions now.
 
I pulled the door back and slipped in behind her.  "Mind some 
company?" I asked.

"Not at all," she said and smiled, turning to see me.  We switched 
places and I wet myself down.  We washed each other, me bending 
down so she could reach my shoulders.

Her arms ended up around my neck, rubbing soap over my 
shoulders.  I pulled her to me.  We were both slick with soap lather 
and without warning she pulled up on my shoulders and wrapped 
her legs around my waist.

I moaned softly.  "Dangerous move, Nan."

"How come?" she teased, wiggling her hips against me and making 
my dick begin to rise.

"I was going to be a gentleman tonight, but if you're going to tease 
me, I might lose my resolve."  My hands slid down and cupped her 
small derriere, easily supporting her weight.

"Who said I wanted you to be a gentleman?" she asked cheekily.

I smiled at her. "I figured you were upset and tired and I didn't 
want to push it.  I mean, I know we were together once, but it was 
... strange circumstances."

"I planned on getting together with you again, Walter.  It wasn't a 
one-night stand for me.  Was it for you?" 

"NO!" I exclaimed.  "I just ... shit, I didn't want to push it."

She smiled and leaned in close.  "Push it, big man."

"Oh fuck," I muttered and took her mouth under mine.

The kiss went on for a long while as our tongues dueled for 
control.  When we finally came up for air, I was panting and my 
cock was fully hard.  

I wrapped one arm firmly around her waist, and pulled her away 
from me slightly.  

XXXXXXXXXX NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

She reached between us and lined me up with her juncture.  Her 
hands went back to my shoulders and she let her weight sink her 
down. 

I groaned feeling the muscular ring at her entrance give way and 
slide down over my engorged shaft.  The drag of her soft, wet 
inner skin was exquisite as she slowly sank down.  My head 
burrowed deeper and deeper inside her.  She was so tight and so 
wet at the same time.  I felt my shaft butt against her cervix and 
took a deep breath.  She bounced and the final bit of me sank deep 
into her belly.  I groaned as I felt the delicious bump of my pelvis 
against hers.  It wasn't a fluke.  Her tiny body had taken my entire 
cock a second time.  Her face grimaced slightly in discomfort.

She lifted slightly, moaning and began to post up and down on my 
shaft.  I moved back a step and let the hot water cascade over us as 
she rode me, supporting her back and her butt, with one palm on 
each. She pulled up with her arms and then let her weight carry her 
back down, over and over again.

I could feel her walls tightening around me and groaned, "Oh 
Jesus, Nan.  So good."

She was purring like a kitten as she slowly made love to me.  She 
moved nice and slow, not rushing and pulling me almost all the 
way out and all the way back in again in long, sure strokes.

XXXXXXXXXX

I could feel my whole body quivering as his thick, long shaft 
impaled me in a steady rhythm.  His fingers teased my nipple and I 
nearly shrieked at the sensations he was causing.  I felt the inner 
walls of my pussy tighten and a new bolt of arousal sang through 
my veins.

My hands were trembling as I held tightly to his massive 
shoulders.  I ran one hand down and over his magnificent pectoral 
muscles.  The muscles quivered under my touch and this slight 
show of vulnerability made me bold.  I began riding him harder 
and faster.  I looked down and was nearly dizzy from the sight of 
his huge phallus disappearing inside me.  My pelvis ached from the 
pressure but it was divine.

We groaned together and I found myself chanting as his cock 
crushed my clitoris between us with every stroke.  "Oh yes, fuck 
me, Walter.  Oh, fuck me with your big cock.  Love your big cock.  
Oh yes, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!"

He roared, "Oh fuck yeah!"  His hands went to my waist and he 
began to assist me in raising myself up and down.  I was now 
being lifted up and slammed back down onto his waiting shaft.  I 
felt like I was being impaled on a telephone pole.  There was no 
pain though.  I was so wet, there only exquisite pleasure as shivers 
chased themselves up and down my spine.  The sting of the water 
pelting my skin heightened all my nerve endings.  I was so 
sensitive that the slightest stimulation was like shocking me with 
lightening.

I cried out, feeling my orgasm begin in my clitoris and spread out 
through my womb.  My vagina contracted harshly and warmth 
rushed up my torso.  "I coming!" I shouted, immediately thinking 
that probably sounded stupid, hating my accent.

It seemed to turn him on though and he pounded me even harder, 
his stiff cock never slowing its assault.  The continued stimulation 
on my clitoris pushed me further into my convulsions.  I writhed 
atop his cock and then felt him pulse hotly and begin to empty into 
me. 

He shouted, "Oh Nan!" Then he just grimaced in pleasure as he 
pumped himself inside my still convulsing body.

XXXXXXXXXX END NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

We both nearly collapsed from exhaustion afterwards, but 
managed to rinse off again, dry ourselves and stagger to the bed.  
Nanami was exhausted as I was.  I set my travel alarm for 6:00 
AM and looked at the clock in dismay.  It was midnight and I was 
exhausted.

We crawled naked into bed and I spooned up around her.  My chin 
rested on top of her head and her feet were brushing my legs just 
below my knees.  Jesus, she was so small.  I wanted to talk to her, 
but we needed rest.  She hummed and snuggled back against me.  I 
held her snug against my torso, slightly amazed once again that 
this beautiful young woman wanted anything to do with me 
romantically.  I had no idea where this relationship was going or if 
it would last.  I reasoned, however, that I had nothing to lose by 
trying.  I was tired of being alone and lonely.

XXXXXXXXXXX

ATTORNEY LOU CAVITABELLI'S OFFICE
GRAND STREET
WATERBURY, CT

Ken, Nan and I entered the office at 8:00 AM after grabbing 
breakfast, copying files and spending a long time at the local police 
station faxing information to Washington, D.C.

A cheery secretary ushered us to a waiting room with several 
grungy looking chairs.  I was having my doubts, looking around at 
the spare furnishings.  A man who looked disheveled and homeless 
was sleeping in one of the other chairs.  The secretary winked and 
shrugged as if this were an every day occurrence.

We had barely seated ourselves when a man emerged from the 
hallway to the waiting room.  His enormous frame filled the 
doorway.  He was maybe five foot, ten inches tall, but he easily 
weighed 300 pounds.  He wore a wrinkled dress shirt tucked into 
brown slacks.  His belt strained against his girth to hold up his 
pants.  His tie was askew and his shirtsleeves were rolled up.  He 
wasn't wearing a jacket.

"Akaki?"

Ken stood tentatively.  Nan and I stood with him.  "Ah, you must 
be the Assistant Director," he replied, nodding to me.  He turned to 
Ken and said, "Kenichi Akaki?"

"Yes, Sir," Ken replied politely.  Lou stuck out his hand, ignoring 
us and focusing solely on Ken.  "Just Ken for short," he added.  
"And this is my sister, Nanami."

She stuck out her hand and he shook it.  She said, "Nan for short."

He smiled and then said, "Well, come on in, let's get started."  He 
ushered us through the door and down a narrow hallway.  Not 
exactly luxury accommodations.  We entered a small conference 
room with six chairs and seated ourselves around the rectangular 
table.

I set my files on the table.  I had weeded out the things from the 
police file that he wouldn't be allowed to see just yet, and brought 
everything he could legally see at this point.  I slid it across the 
table.  "I'm Walter Skinner," I introduced myself.

"I never would have guessed," he said cheekily and I scowled at 
him, not amused with his humor.  It didn't seem to daunt him 
though.  "I'm obviously Attorney Cavatebelli, but everyone calls 
me Attorney Lou.  My friend, Melvin, told me what was going on, 
but it was bare bones.  He didn't have much information."

"The majority of the police investigation is in that file.  We are still 
waiting for tests to come back that they were running on Ken's 
van."

"Ah yes."  He pulled the folder towards him, but didn't open it.  He 
looked at Ken and said, "Young man, tell me your story."

"You don't want to look at the files?" I asked.

He turned to peer at me myopically from behind his glasses.  "I'll 
read it all later.  Right now, I want to get to know my client."

Well, guess he put me in my place.  This guy certainly wasn't like 
any attorney I'd ever dealt with.  The looks of the place or his 
demeanor wouldn't sell him.  Nonetheless, Mulder and the 
Gunmen said he was the one of the best criminal attorneys in 
Connecticut.  I had no choice but to trust them.  Time was running 
out.  This guy had one day to get his shit together for the hearing.

He turned back to Ken.  "So Ken, tell me what happened.  Tell me 
everything you know and leave nothing out.  Give me every detail, 
even if you think it means nothing."

XXXXXXXXXX

We spent the next two hours in the conference room.  Ken really 
knew very little, but he detailed his arrest and confinement and 
subsequent phone call to Nan.  Then he told of Nan bailing him out 
and his surprise at seeing me with her.  He went on to say he was 
even more surprised when he found out that I worked for the FBI.  
That ended his story.

Lou turned to me and asked, "How did you get involved?"

"Nanami called me for help.  I decided to come with her."

He looked back and forth between us, his brow creasing slightly.  
He turned back to me and said, "You are a friend?"

I hesitated.  I didn't know what I was to her.  "I met Nanami 
recently during the investigation of some thefts at the Art Center 
where she works."

He peered at me, clearly sensing that wasn't the whole answer.  
Nanami surprised me when she said, "Walter was assigned as my 
protection as we suspected that someone might want to harm me.  
We ... hit it off," she said cryptically.  Then she said, "He's my 
boyfriend."  Then she glanced at me nervously, clearly unsure how 
I would react to that pronouncement.  We hadn't really discussed it.  

I flashed her a smile and turned to Lou.

Lou smiled widely then and nodded.  "I see."  I scowled at him 
again and he just laughed out loud.  "Don't worry Mr. Skinner.  I'm 
not here to judge or complicate things.  I just needed to know if the 
FBI is officially involved or if this was personal."

"It's personal, for now.  There is interstate kidnapping involved.  I 
could bring in my agents, but I'm not going to do that right now.  I 
want to see how things go first."

He nodded.  "O.K., then.  Let's see what our New Haven police 
have done in this investigation."  He opened the file and picked up 
the first piece of paper and began to read.

He set it down.  "Why don't I cut you guys loose?  I'll read this 
today and call you with any questions.  Is there a number where 
you can be reached?"

I pulled out my card and slid it across the table.  He picked it up 
and peered at it.  "My cell phone is on there, try that first.  If for 
some reason you can't reach me there, call the office number and 
my secretary can track me down at the hotel or elsewhere."

"Very good.  Be here at 9:00 AM tomorrow morning.  I checked 
the docket and you're scheduled for a 10:00 AM hearing.  Not 
much will happen there.  The judge will be trying to decide if there 
is sufficient evidence to continue your prosecution or whether to 
drop the charges."

"What are the chances of the charges being dropped?" I asked.

He looked at me.  "I'll let you know after I read this file."

I nodded and we all stood up.  He addressed Ken again.  "Try to 
relax, son.  I'll do my best for you.  If you didn't do this thing and I 
don't think you did, then we'll find a way to prove it." 

"Thank you.  Do I need to sign a retainer or something?  I brought 
my money," he said.

Lou smiled.  "Not to worry there, son.  It's been taken care of."

"What?" Nanami and I both said with surprise.

He grinned wider and said, "Mr. Mulder has wired me a $5,000 
retainer and agreed to pay your legal fees."

Nanami and Ken looked at each other and both their jaws dropped.  
Ken said, "He shouldn't have done that.  He doesn't even know 
me!"

Nanami turned to me and I shrugged.  "I'll talk to him.  We'll 
discuss it later."

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 4 (PG-13)
JIMMY'S CHARCOAL GRILL
GRAND STREET
WATERBURY, CT

We went to the end of the block and ordered lunch in a small 
luncheonette called Jimmy's Charcoal Grill.

Ken asked, "Who is this Agent Mulder?"

"He works for me," I explained.

"Why would he pay for me?"

"I don't know.  I've never said anything directly, but judging by my 
reaction, he knew I was involved with Nanami in some personal 
way."

"I'll say.  Boyfriend, huh?" he asked, addressing Nanami.

She darted a glance and me and said, "Sorry, Walter."  Turning to 
her brother she straightened and said firmly, "We haven't really 
discussed what we are to each other yet."

"Why not?" Ken asked.

Nanami gave him a dirty look.  "It's very new, Ken, and not really 
any of your business."

"Sorry," he muttered, looking down at his half eaten grilled 
chicken sandwich.

She reached across the table and took his hand in hers.  "I'm sorry, 
Kenichi-wa.  I'm just on edge."

"I'm not helping, either, I'm sure.  Ken, your sister and I were 
thrown together during a case where my agents were investigating 
thefts from her gallery.  I ended up staying at her place to protect 
her and ... things got a little out of control."

"You in the habit of sleeping with people you meet on cases?" he 
blurted out.

"Kenichi, that's enough!" Nanami's voice roared across the 
restaurant, attracting attention.

"Well?" he asked me, not backing down.

"No, I've never done that before.  I'm not in the field much 
anymore.  I drive a desk most of the time.  I'm a supervisor."

"Back off, Ken.  I said this was none of your business and I meant 
it.  But just to settle your hackles, let me tell you something."

He looked at her sullenly.  "What?"

"I seduced him, not the other way around.  He was a perfect 
gentleman sleeping on my couch until I crawled into his lap!  So 
put your belligerence away.  There's no place for it, here.  You 
might still be in jail if Walter hadn't helped me."

He didn't respond.  Instead, he took a bite of his sandwich and 
chewed slowly.  After swallowing he said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Skinner.  
I don't mean to seem ungrateful for your help."

"It's all right," I said.  

Nanami looked at me and then at Ken.  "No, it's not all right.  I 
don't know where this relationship will go, Ken.  But it's MY life 
and it's MY choice.  You know why I came here.  You came for 
the same reason.  We are not in Tokyo anymore.  You have no 
right!" she hissed, waving her finger at him.

He slumped slightly in his chair.  "You're right, Nanami.  I'm 
sorry.  I'm on edge."

I stayed silent, having no idea what this exchange was all about.

She seemed to accept his apology and we finished eating.  I 
ordered us coffee.  While we were waiting for the waitress to come 
back, Ken said, "Families are run differently in Japan."

I nodded and said, "I heard about a lot of the differences, but you 
don't need to explain something this personal to me."

He looked at me.  "Yes, I do.  In Japan, in old families like ours, 
it's important to ... obey the family wishes."

"I see," I said.  I didn't really, but I knew that the culture was vastly 
different over there from ours.

"We have strong work ethic.  Sons will usually follow their fathers 
into whatever business their father is in or chooses for them."

"Ah," I responded.  We waited while the waitress plunked our 
coffee cups down and walked away.

"Women, while they can go to school here or at home and have 
careers, are still expected to do what the parents choose for them to 
do."

I looked from Ken to Nan and could still feel the tension there.  
"Nanami has always been smart and creative girl.  She didn't want 
to go to business school and return to Japan to work for Nissan.  
My father is a design engineer and my mother is an accountant.  
They both work for Nissan."

"And they expected you two to work for Nissan," I concluded.

He nodded.  "I want to be an engineer, but I was more interested in 
structural engineering and architecture.  Nanami didn't want to go 
into business, sales or accounting."

"What happened?" I asked.

"We both rebelled.  Secretly, we made a plan.  We pretended to go 
along with our parents, and they sent us both over here to become 
fluent in English and go to school, with the understanding that we 
would return."

"But you're not returning," I stated.

"No, we are not.  We went to school long enough to apply for 
loans, grants and scholarships.  Eventually, both of us were granted 
full scholarships.  Nan went to school and learned art appreciation.  
I went to school for structural engineering, while waiting to see if 
the scholarship I really wanted would come through."

"Did it?" I asked.

"Yes, I got scholarship to Yale School for Architecture."

"Congratulations, that's quite a feat."

He smiled.  "Thank you.  So now, with scholarship, we were no 
longer dependent on our parents for money for school."

"So now you could tell them that you weren't coming back."

"Right.  We've both done that, and essentially ..." he trailed off.

"We've been disowned, Walter, both of us.  My parents are old 
school.  They want nothing to do with children who don't obey.  
They hate western culture and think it corrupted us.  We rebelled 
long before we ever left Japan, but they don't know that."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

Nanami shrugged.  "It's the way life is sometimes."

She sounded so sad.  I leaned over and kissed her temple gently.  
"But you are not without people that care about you," I assured her.

She smiled and looked at me from underneath her lashes. 

I felt warmth spread through my chest and inhaled deeply.  Her 
hand came up to my cheek and she pressed it there.  "You are a 
kind and gentle man, Walter."

I smiled.  "I've been called lots of things, but kind and gentle aren't 
on the list."

She and Ken laughed then.  Ken said, "You are like my father in 
some ways.  I can see you are used to being obeyed."

I felt a sinking feeling replace the warmth in my chest.  I frowned.  
Was that what I was to her?  A substitute father?  It would make 
sense.  I was certainly old enough to be.  I looked down at the table 
and clenched my jaw.

"I have upset you," he said.

I looked up at him.  "Look, I can't give you definitive answers 
about this relationship.  It's too new.  I can tell you this, though.  I 
care very deeply for Nanami.  I would never intentionally hurt 
her."

He nodded.

"Walter, I know what you're thinking and you're wrong," Nan said, 
placing her hand on my forearm.

I stared at her.  "Am I?

"Yes," she replied.

"Not the time to talk about this.  We have lots of things to do," I 
said.

"Later then," she agreed..

I raised my hand to flag the waitress' attention and she came over 
and dropped the check on the table.  I scooped it up and paid for 
our meal, amidst protests from both of them.

XXXXXXXXXX

ATTORNEY LOU CAVITEBELLI'S OFFICE
GRAND STREET
WATERBURY, CT

We spent the rest of the day running around.  We went to Ken's 
dorm and packed a sizeable suitcase with clothes and toiletries for 
him.  I met his roommate and told him it might not be a bad idea if 
he stayed somewhere else, just in case.

I called Detective Kudro and asked if she could place someone on 
stakeout at the dorm.  She hedged, saying she had to ask her 
Lieutenant and didn't know if they had the manpower.  I told her it 
would make me happy if it were done.  She sighed and told me she 
would see what she could do.

Then we got a call from Lou Cavatebelli and went back to his 
office.  After seating us, he pulled out the symbol that had been left 
on the bodies.  He'd blown it up onto a regular size sheet of paper 
and slid it across to Ken. 

"Do you know what that means?" he asked simply.  "Do you 
recognize it?

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oh shit," Nanami whispered.

Ken looked up from the symbol and held Nanami's gaze.

"You recognize it, obviously," the attorney said casually.  "What is 
it?"

"It's a gang symbol," he said.

"What gang?"

"I'm not sure.  I've been gone a couple years now.  Could be Moka 
Red Gang, could be the Dragons."

"No," Nanami interrupted.  "Kenichi, that's Shinjuku G's and they 
have yakuza backing."

"Shit," he said.

"In English please?" I interrupted.

Lou was now looking at Nanami and then back at Ken.  "This was 
found on the bodies.  Are one of you going to tell me about it?"

Kenichi nodded at Nanami, indicating she should be the one to tell 
about it.

She sighed.  "Japan is rife is street gangs, and motorcycle gangs in 
particular.  It's a huge problem.  Nearly 85% of street crimes are 
attributed to the bosozoku gangs.  They used to be much larger.  
Now there are more gangs with fewer members.  They can't defend 
their territories as well and it erupts in violence.  Sheer numbers 
used to defend a territory.

"However, they were still manageable for a while.  But the 
government cracked down in the last decade on the yakuza."

"What's that?" I asked.

She held my gaze.  "The Japanese mob.  Our version of your 
organized crime mobsters.  You know them because they all wear 
tattoos, some of them, full-body tattoos."

"What does organized crime have to do with street biker gangs?" I 
asked, slightly confused, but not liking where there conversation 
was going.

Ken swallowed.  "Many mobsters were taken down by the 
government.  They needed to replace their numbers.  In addition, 
some of the laws changed and the previously shunned Korean and 
Chinese workers were now able to get upper class jobs.  Before 
they were underclass, and there was wide spread prejudice, so they 
were ripe for recruiting into the mafia.  Now that they could have 
better jobs, it wiped out the recruiting pool for the mafia.  So two 
things happened.  One, the yakuza started recruiting bosozoku 
members to join their organized crime families."

Lou asked, "And the second thing?"

Nanami answered.  "The gangs started asking the mob for 
protection of their territories.  Watch my back sort of thing and 
we'll help you out.  Exchanges turned into commitments.  Now the 
gangs are paying exorbitant 'protection fees' to the mob to operate 
on the streets of Tokyo and elsewhere.  They can't pay the fees, so 
they resort to crime to get money."

"What kind of crime?" Lou asked.

"Stealing, beating ... murder," Nan finished quietly.  "Whatever 
they have to do to get the money.  Large chunks of robbery stash 
has been found to be paid to the yakuza by bosozoku."

"Hmmmm," Lou hummed, his lips pressed together.

"You never belonged to a gang?" he asked Ken.

Ken looked mortified.  "No!"

"How rich are these gangs?" Lou asked.

"Depends," Ken said.  "They start out riding scooters and graduate 
to low cc motorbikes.  You know when they start getting mafia 
support."

"How?" Lou asked, although I could tell he already knew the 
answer.
"They start driving Nissans, Sedans and beefed up limos with 
bulletproof glass and tinted windows."
Lou eyed Ken speculatively.  "You know a lot about this," he said 
without accusation. 

"Everyone does.  It's common knowledge in modern Japan.  It's a 
huge crime problem.  It's in all the papers and magazines.  All 
crimes connected to either the yakuza or bosozoku are reported on 
constantly.

Nanami looked at Ken.  "We may have a much bigger problem 
here than a futarigoroshi."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Double murder," Ken replied.  "Yeah, I think we have a much 
bigger problem."

"Any of these gangs have a reason to have it in for you?"

He swallowed and looked at Nan nervously.  I watched her nod 
slightly as if giving him permission for something.  "No, but they 
might have reason to have it in for my father."
 
XXXXXXXXXX

FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT

We returned to the hotel to find a courier had dropped off a 
sizeable package for me.  We returned to the room and I ripped it 
open.

Scully had reviewed the autopsy reports and said they were 
thorough except for one thing.  No toxicology had been done on 
the bodies.  She felt this was significant in light of the fact that 
they had probably been subdued and killed together by a lone 
perpetrator.  Drugs could explain how a lone man so easily 
overtook them.

I called Detective Kudro and mentioned this to her.  She seemed 
annoyed, although I wasn't sure if it was at me or at the coroner.  
She said she would call over there and request the toxicology tests 
be done on both bodies.

Then I moved to Mulder's profile, which, given what he had to 
work with was quite extensive.  I knew they both must have 
worked all day to get this stuff prepared.  

He concluded that the killer was sociopathic, remorseless, and 
probably hired to kill.  The amount of rage displayed was personal, 
but because the rapes appeared to have been done with objects, he 
didn't think the man was a rapist by nature, but was probably told 
to violate his victim that way.

He felt the display of the bodies was supposed to be sending 
warning of some kind, although he couldn't hazard a guess at this 
point what the message might be, or for whom.

I handed the reports to Nanami to look at as I pulled out my cell 
phone.  I called the X-Files office and got no answer, so I called 
Mulder's cell phone.

[Mulder.]

"Mulder, it's Skinner.  I got your package, thank you.  How'd you 
get it back here so quick?"

[Fed Ex Custom Critical - they pick it up and drive it straight 
through to the destination.  Cool huh?]

"Bet that cost you," I commented.

[$900 big ones,] he replied.

"Ouch.  We'll deal with getting you reimbursed later.  By the way, 
why did you send a retainer to Cavatebelli?"

[I wanted to make sure he held some time for you.]

I growled at him, "I'm not an idiot, Mulder.  Please don't treat me 
like one."

He chuckled in that maddening way of his.  [Sir, I've known you a 
long time.  You don't drop what you're doing and run off for no 
reason.]

"I've done it for you," I reminded him.

[Yes, you have, but we're your friends and subordinates.]

"And?"

He hesitated and then said, [She must be very important to you, 
Sir.]

Ah shit.  "Did I say I wanted to discuss this with you, Mulder?"

[No, but you asked about the money.  I'm telling you.  I have 
money.  It's not a big deal.  I heard you asking her about money 
and figure she doesn't have much.  He's a college student and he's 
probably broke.  Although I'm sure your salary far exceeds mine, I 
doubt you have thousands to be throwing around to help your 
girlfriend's brother out with.]

"I didn't say she was my girlfriend," I responded, feeling prickly 
that he had seen through me so easily.

Another silent pause.  [She is, isn't she?]

"I don't know what ..."

Nanami turned to face me.  She was watching me like a hawk as 
soon as she heard the word, girlfriend.  She'd called me her 
boyfriend.  Now she was waiting for me to deny it to Mulder.  She 
knew what I'd been asked.

"Yeah, I guess she is, Mulder.  Look, it's really new, all right.  I 
don't need a lecture from you."

[I wasn't going to give you one,] he said placidly.  [Guilty 
conscious?]

"Damn you, Mulder!" I hollered into the phone.

He just chuckled again.  [Take the money.  If they want to pay it 
back, we'll work something out later.]

I knew Mulder had money from his inheritance.  Now I was 
wondering just how much it was.  I wasn't really any of my 
business.  He'd done a generous thing, and a profile without being 
asked and I was giving him a hard time.

"I'm sorry, Mulder.  I'm a little tense.  I don't mean to bark at you."

[Don't worry about it.  I'm used to it and it's what you do best, after 
all,] he said flippantly.

"Don't push it," I growled.

He laughed again and disconnected the call.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 5 (NC-17)
YALE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH LAB
YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CT
MIDNIGHT

Izo Norogumi looked over his shoulder when he heard a sound by 
the door.  The potential intruder passed by and he looked back at 
the computer.  'Probably a cleaning crew person,' he thought as he 
dismissed the noise and looked back to the computer screen.

"Come one, come on, come on," he whispered.  What seemed like 
minutes, but was probably only seconds later, the computer 
beeped.  A message flashed in the screen:  DOWNLOAD 
COMPLETE. 

He popped the CD out of the CD burner and snapped it into a jewel 
case, sliding it into the pocket of his lab coat.  He clicked out of the 
program he was in and moved to another location and opened a 
word processing program.  He left that running.  He walked out 
into the hallway, looking both ways.  There was no one around this 
time of night.

He walked quickly down the hall and into the men's locker room, 
opening his locker and putting the CD in his duffle bag and pulling 
it out, setting it on the floor.  He took off his lab coat, hanging it in 
the locker, tucked in his shirt and zipped up the bag.  He pulled out 
his leather coat and shrugged into it.  He shut his locker and spun 
the dial.  He turned, picked up the duffel bag from the floor. 

As he straightened, he heard the door open on hydraulic hinges.  
He snapped his head up and came face to face with a man he didn't 
know.  "Who are you?" he asked.

"Are you Izo Norogumi?"

"Who's asking?"

"I work for Rintaro Akaki," he said calmly.

"Oh," Izo replied, visibly relaxing.  "Yeah, I'm Izo.  What does he 
need from me now?"

The man smiled at him and he felt a cold shiver snake up his spine.  
The man pulled out a gun with a silencer attached and pointed it at 
his chest.  "No!" Izo hissed harshly.

"I'm afraid so."

PUFT. PUFT. PUFT.  Three muffled shots sounded in the 
emptiness of the room.  Izo looked down at the blood blossoming 
on his chest and staining his shirt.  He dropped the duffel bag and 
fell to his knees.  "Why?" he whispered, then coughed and blood 
spurted out of his mouth.  

The man approached him slowly, reached down and unzipped the 
duffel bag, snatching the CD and putting it in his pocket of his long 
leather coat.  He bent down to look Izo in the face.  "Actually, I 
work for Razan, not Rintaro.  You were not supposed to frame his 
boy for murder, only for assault."

"I ... got carried away.  Please, take me to hospital.  I will make 
restitution," he coughed out.

The man smiled.  "You just did," he said calmly.  He straightened, 
turned on his heel and strode out of the locker room.

Izo looked at the door and felt pain wash through his body.  He 
couldn't breathe.  His vision went black.

XXXXXXXXXX

YALE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH LAB
YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CT
MIDNIGHT

I stood with my partner, Kyle McCue, looking at the man on the 
floor of the locker room.  Kyle sighed.  "This just got a lot more 
complicated, didn't it, Janet?"

I looked at him.  "I'm afraid so.  Shit, I wanted this to go away."

"Me too.  The mayor is breathing down the Lieutenant's neck on 
this one," Kyle reminded me.

"Yeah, well, let him breathe.  I'm sick of this."

"What?"

"Not following my instincts," I replied.

Kyle eyed me speculatively.  "You don't think the Akaki kid did it, 
do you?"

It was my turn to sigh.  "No, I don't.  Now it looks even worse.  A 
fucking Assistant Director with the Bureau springs him from jail.  
What are the chances he has a pretty solid alibi for earlier this 
evening?"

Kyle looked at her.  "The kid has a hearing in the morning.  There's 
nothing to say these are related?"

"I know.  My gut tells me they are though.  Japanese perp, 
Japanese victim.  Shit."  I paused.  "I'm gonna have to call him," I 
told him.

"Who?" Kyle asked.

"Walter Skinner."

"The FBI dude?"

"Yeah," I said, sounding resigned.

"You think that's a good idea?  Do we want the FBI horning in on 
this?"

"I don't see where we have a choice.  He did say if I kept him in 
the loop, he'd keep the Bureau out," I told Kyle.

"You believe him?" Kyle asked incredulously.

I turned and looked him in the eye.  "Yes.  For some reason, I do."

"Call him then," Kyle said.  "It's your call.  You talked to the guy."

"I want to solve this too, Kyle," I replied, hearing the hesitation in 
his voice.  "But I don't want to put an innocent man away either."

He sighed.  "No, neither do I."

The EMTs arrived at that point and began bagging the body.  The 
medical examiner's team was done with the scene and the body.  
Now they just needed an autopsy.

I pulled her cell phone off her belt and pulled Walter Skinner's 
card out of my jacket pocket.  I dialed the number and waited.  A 
sleepy female voice answered the phone.  [Ya?]

My brow crinkled.  "I'm looking for Walter Skinner."

[Who's calling please?] she asked politely.

"Detective Janet Kudro, New Haven P.D.," I told her.

[Just a second.  He's in the shower.]

"He can call me back."

[No, hold on.]

She heard rustling and waited.  About a half a minute later he 
finally came on the line.  [Skinner,] he announced himself.

She held the phone away from her ear slightly.  She wondered if he 
always barked like that.  "It's Janet Kudro."

[What's going on?]

"We have another body."

[Another rape and murder?]

"Not this time.  Looks like an execution."

[Of whom.]

"We don't know yet.  Young Japanese male, approximately 25 
years old at the Yale University Lab."

[I'm on my way.]

"Wait!  He's on his way to the morgue already."

[Can you hold the autopsy?]

"Why?"

[I'd like my pathologist to perform it.]

"You told me you wouldn't take over my case," she reminded him.

[I won't.  If the coroner has a cow, ask if she can assist, just 
observe.]

Janet sighed.  "All right.  When can she get here?"

[I'll call you back.  I have to fly her up here.]

"Right, later then.  I'll be at the station preparing wads of 
paperwork."

[Can I come to the scene first, just to look around?]

"I can't stop you," she said.

He sighed loudly.  [I'm not taking your case, Detective Kudro.  I 
promise.  I just want to look around.  I want to help, like I said.]

"All right, we'll wait for you."

[We?] Skinner asked.

"Me and my partner, Kyle McCue."

[I'll be there in 20 minutes.]  He ended the call.  

She sighed and hung up.  "He's on his way here."

Kyle didn't respond.  He just looked at her.

"He said he isn't taking over the case."

"Maybe we should let him," Kyle suggested.

"What?" she asked, surprised.

He shrugged.  "I don't know.  I have a bad feeling about this one."

XXXXXXXXXX

NEW HAVEN COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE
NEW HAVEN, CT
NOON

Dr. Joseph Stern turned out to be very friendly and receptive, a 
nice change from what Scully was normally used to.  He readily 
agreed that they could do the autopsy together.  He would put her 
down as an observer, but she could assist, unofficially.  He seemed 
excited to have an FBI pathologist in his autopsy bay.  He kept a 
running litany of questions going about the equipment available to 
her and questions on forensic evidence.  Scully was actually 
enjoying herself.

She was currently taking pictures of the tattoos on the arms and 
chest of the corpse before they began cutting.  They rolled him 
over and she took pictures of the tattoos on his back.  He was 
rearranged on the table face up and the doctor began with the Y 
incision, while Scully took fingerprints.  

Mulder was waiting just outside to take the prints to the local field 
office in Hartford and have them run through AFIS.  He was also 
sending them to the Gunmen.

He gave her a peck on the forehead and whirled around, off on his 
mission.  He'd been glad when they received the call from Skinner 
to come to Connecticut.  They'd been in the office over a week 
catching up on old paperwork and filing, and she knew he was 
restless as hell.  

He could never be behind a desk for long.  Although annoying 
sometimes, it was that restless energy that was part of his charm, 
his excitement when he was on the hunt.   Even though he was 
loath to admit it, she knew that Skinner was relieved to have their 
help as well.  He felt like he was really doing something to help 
young Kenichi besides making phone calls.

They'd hopped the first plane out of D.C. after receiving his call 
slightly after 6:00 AM this morning.  They were in Connecticut by 
10:00 AM and two hours later; here she was in the autopsy bay.

The doctor was careful and precise.  She didn't know if this was 
normal for him or if it was because she was there that he was being 
particularly diligent.  It didn't matter, really.  This time he ordered 
all kinds of blood and toxicology tests done.  He'd looked at Scully 
sheepishly when he ordered an assistant to take the vials of blood.  
She knew he was embarrassed that he'd had to be asked to do that 
on the first two victims.  She graciously didn't say anything, 
knowing that it wasn't standard procedure unless drugs, alcohol or 
some other evidence indicated a need for it.  It wasn't really his 
fault.

They worked companionably throughout the afternoon and when 
they were finally done, and cleaned up, Dr. Stern said, "It was a 
pleasure working with you, Dr. Scully."

She smiled at him.  "Likewise," she replied. 

"This is an odd case."

"Yes, it is."

"I hope what we've done here helped."

"I'm sure it won't hurt," she replied, slightly amused.  "Let me 
know as soon as the blood tests come back?"

"Definitely."  He patted his pocket.  "Have your number right 
here."

"Thank you, doctor.  I'll look forward to it."  They shook hands and 
Scully left, hailing a cab to take her to the hotel.  Regardless of the 
shower she'd taken this morning, the autopsy bay always left her 
feeling like she smelled of formaldehyde and dead people.  She 
wanted to shower again before meeting with Skinner to go over 
what they had so far.  She called Mulder to let him know she was 
finished.  As it turned out he was already on his way back to the 
hotel as well.  He would meet her there.

Skinner had said nothing about the fact that they only rented one 
hotel room.  They weren't on official FBI business after all.  I 
guess because he was sharing a room with Nan, there wasn't much 
he could say.  She smirked at that, shaking her head, considering 
that Mulder's radar had been on the money when he'd suggested 
A.D. Skinner was involved with the young curator.  She could 
hardly believe it, but she guessed stranger things had happened.  If 
she thought about it, Skinner was a good-looking man.  He was 
certainly buff and his baldness took nothing away from his 
imposing stature.  

She thought Mulder towered over her.  Skinner literally dwarfed 
Nanami.  He was six feet, two inches tall.  She was four feet, 
eleven inches tall.  It was almost comical.  On the other hand, she'd 
seen the way they looked at each other.  Although it wasn't quite 
like she and Mulder, she recognized the look.  They were 
definitely taken with one another.  She was happy for him.  She 
hoped it might improve his disposition to have a woman in his life.  
She chuckled at that selfish thought.  

She reached the hotel and hurried up to the room, finding that 
Mulder was already there.

XXXXXXXXXX

FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT

I was going to call the Gunmen when Scully arrived.  Her 
announcement of a shower derailed that idea.  I asked to join her.

She smirked and looked at me.  My cock was straining against my 
pants just from the thoughts of her in the shower.  I grinned, 
looking down.  "He's aching to escape," I joked.

She laughed, "Who would that be, Agent Mulder?"

"Junior Agent Mulder," I cracked.

She barked out another laugh and waved to me to follow her as she 
whisked by me on her way to the bathroom.  I jumped around like 
a little kid and padded after her, undressing as I went.  Man, I was 
whipped.

We were quickly naked and in the shower.  After washing our hair 
and soaping each other I bent her over in front of me and began 
fondling the lovely cheeks of her ass.

XXXXXXXXXX NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

My fingers dragged through her nether lips.  She was warm and 
moist.  I pulled my finger up to my mouth and tasted her.  She 
watched over her shoulder and moaned at my actions.  I grinned 
smugly at her.  "Tease," she gasped.

I rubbed my cock up and down the crack of her ass, teasing her 
some more and she began wiggling her butt at me in open 
invitation.  I stared at her beautiful ass and stroked myself with one 
hand.  "Now," she demanded.

I chuckled and used my thumbs to spread her apart.  I entered her 
slowly, feeling her moist walls part and enclose me in her tight, 
warm tunnel.  I moaned loudly and felt my hips meet her butt 
cheeks.  I felt myself bottom out against her cervix and ground into 
her.  She gasped.  I began to stroke her slowly and she let out a 
sigh of pleasure.

Her little cunt was so tight every time and I felt sparks of pleasure 
shoot up my spine with every stroke.  She began thrusting back to 
meet my strokes and groaned out, "Harder, Mulder."

Who was I to complain?  I began to stroke her harder and little 
faster.  She had her hand between her legs, diddling her clit and 
she began howl, "Ohhh, Ohhh, Ohhh!" with every stroke. 

I leaned forward, grabbing her breasts, one in each hand and using 
them for leverage to pull her back against me.  One of her hands 
remained on the shower wall for balance, the other between her 
legs.  "Oh yeah, Mulder.  Oh yeah, just like that.  That's the spot, 
just like that."

I smiled, feeling her walls tighten and knew she was close.  I 
picked up my pace until I was slamming into her harshly and 
stroking as fast as I could.  I felt my balls tighten and pull up 
against my shaft.  Her vagina felt like velvet and I was breathing 
hard.  "Come on, Scully.  Come for me!" I growled.

She grunted and slammed herself back into me and I felt her 
muscles quiver on my shaft.  Then she was hollering with pleasure 
as her slick insides vibrated along my cock.  I couldn't hold out 
anymore and I shouted, "Oh yeah, here it comes!"

I let myself go, stroking short and hard a few times then holding 
myself inside as I felt my balls cringe and then I was coming, 
filling her with the fruits of my climax.

XXXXXXXXXX END NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXXX

We remained like that, my cock pulsing inside her until I grew too 
soft to stay and slipped out.  I hissed as my cock hit the air and we 
washed each other again and rinsed off.

As we emerged from the steamy bathroom, my phone was ringing.  
I dove for it, snatching it up off the nightstand and answered it, 
"Mulder."

[Dude, you got trouble, man.]

"Langley?"

[The one, the only,] he joked.

"What do have for me?"

[You're not going to like it.]

"Lay it on me."

XXXXXXXXXX

There was a knock on the door and I answered it.  Mulder stood 
there with a frown on his face.  I saw Scully appear behind him.  I 
opened the door wide and they walked in.  "What's going on?  We 
just got back from the hearing a little bit ago."

"What happened?" Scully inquired.

"Cavatebelli got it continued for two weeks so he can review the 
evidence."

"Is that good?" Mulder asked.

I nodded.  "I hope we can get the charges dropped by then.  How'd 
the autopsy go?" I asked Scully.

"Just fine.  I took double Polaroids of the man's tattoos."  She held 
out her hand and I took them from her.  

"I'll show them to Nan, see if they mean anything to her."

Scully said, "Before I left the coroner's office, I faxed them to the 
Gunmen to research as well."

I nodded again.  "Nan is next door with her brother.  Was there 
something else?"

Mulder frowned again.  "Yes.  Langley dug up some information 
on that symbol that was in the files."

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 6 (PG-13)
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT
RESTAURANT/LOUNGE - 3:30 PM

Nanami, Kenichi, Walter, Scully and I all sat around a table in the 
dining room of the hotel's restaurant after ordering a late lunch. 

"Who should start?" Skinner asked.

I said, "Let me tell you what Langley dug up."  For Nan and Ken's 
benefit I said, "Langley, Frohike and Byers are friends of mine that 
are very good at acquiring information through unofficial 
channels."

Scully snorted and everyone chuckled at that.  "What did they 
find?" Nanami asked, looking pensive.  Walter gave her an odd 
look.

I looked at her.  I took a deep breath.  Softly, I asked, "Is your 
family involved with the Japanese Mafia?"

She swallowed harshly and glanced at Ken.  He stiffened in his 
chair and I waited for the flurry of denial that I was ready to 
combat.  Finally, she said, "Yes."

I knew my eyes widened.  I hadn't expected her to admit it.  "Do 
you know what goes on?"

She looked at Ken again.  He decided to answer this one.  "It's a 
long story.  Suffice it to say that my uncle, my mother's brother is a 
saiko komon.  That's a senior advisor to the supreme boss.   Our 
supreme boss would be like a mafia capo.  A saiko komon would 
be like a mafia consigliore," he explained.  

Scully asked, "Is your father in the mob?"

He looked at the table and then at Scully.  "That's a good question.  
Nan and I have long suspected that he has done work for them, out 
of respect for my uncle Rintaro.  When asked, he has always told 
us it was none of our business.  My mother denies it all."

I didn't know what to say at this point when Nan said, "What did 
your friend find?"

I pulled some notes I'd made out of my jacket pocket.  I skimmed 
it, even though I knew what it said.  "He found out that the yakuza, 
your mafia has ties to American companies with interests in 
microchips.  Early this morning, the body was found of a young 
Japanese male, approximately 25 years old in the Yale University 
Lab's locker room.  Fingerprints show him to be one, Izo 
Norogumi, a member of the mafia in Japan.  After questioning the 
staff, the New Haven detectives determined that he was working 
there as a lab assistant under the assumed name of Chen Lee."

I had everyone's undivided attention now.  I'd been doing some 
serious research and phone calling since Scully went into the 
autopsy bay.  "Here's the best part, and I haven't told the detectives 
yet, Sir," I informed him, looking at Skinner.  "I figured I'd give 
you the pleasure."

"What?" he asked gruffly.

I smiled at Kenichi.  "His fingerprints match a print that was found 
on the woman murder victim's body."

Skinner smiled.  "You're sure?"

"Absolutely.  I'm having the lab fax me the verification so you can 
take it to Kenichi's lawyer.  That should be enough to have them 
drop the charges, I hope.  If not, it casts enough reasonable doubt.  
I think this Izo was our killer."

"That's great news!" Nan exclaimed.

Ken looked less excited.  I smiled at him.  "What's on your mind?" 
I asked.

"Then who killed this Izo?"

Scully cut in.  "That's the mystery question.  Detectives Kudro and 
McCue are working on that.  I think that Mulder has a theory 
though."

They all turned back to me.  "I think you were purposely framed, 
Ken.  I suspect someone had a grudge against your family for some 
reason and hired Izo to frame you."

"How does this hurt my family?  We are disowned."  He looked 
down again, the knowledge obviously hurting him.

"I'm not sure, but I think he screwed up.  Maybe he killed the 
wrong people, maybe he went too far.  His style indicates someone 
with an incredible amount of rage.  While people like that are good 
killers, they are often not good assassins, because they can't control 
themselves.  I suspect, given that he's a known member of the 
mafia, and he was killed execution style, that he screwed up and 
paid the ultimate price."

Nan was blinking rapidly.  "Do you think my uncle is behind this?"

I swallowed.  "I don't know.  The Japanese mafia is known to have 
an interest in microchip companies here in the U.S.  Guess what 
the lab at Yale University was doing research and development 
on?"

Nan nodded and said,  "Microchips."

"Right!  Therefore, not being one to believe in coincidences, I 
think there has to be a connection.  I asked the guys to trace any 
connections they could find.  Here's where it gets complicated."

"There's more?" Skinner asked.

"Much more.  The guys got into the University computers."

Ken gasped.  "They hacked into the University?"

I smirked.  "Don't ask."

"Now I know what you mean by unofficial channels," he 
mumbled.

I ignored the comment and went on.  "They were able to view the 
history on the computers in the lab and discovered that lots and lots 
of research files have been copied and downloaded off that 
computer over a period of time.  The last download was done just 
moments before the body of Izo Norogumi was found."

"What does that mean?" Skinner asked.

Scully answered.  "We think Izo was stealing research and sending 
it to the Japanese mafia."

"For what purpose?" he asked.

Scully held up a finger.  "That, we don't know."

Scully looked at Nan and Ken.  "Tell us what you know about the 
Japanese Mafia."

Nan took a few minutes to gather her thoughts and then asked, 
"What do you want to know?"

"Well, anything, structural hierarchies, what businesses they 
dabble in, do they answer to anyone.  Are the enforcers always 
under someone direction or do they have autonomy?"

"Well, let's see.  Kenichi already explained about the dumicho and 
the saiko komon.  There is also a so-honbucho, which is a 
headquarters chief.  There is one of those in every city.  Unlike 
here, the mafia is not hidden.  You know where their headquarters 
are and they even put up signs.  Although in the last few years, 
communities are taking a stand and forcing them out.  Each so-
honbucho has a wakagashira, a number two man and he is a 
regional boss that oversee the gangs that are recruited to do the 
mafia's dirty work."

"Go on," I encouraged her.

"Each Wakagashira has help as well.  He is assisted by the fuku-
honbucho.  Often there are many gangs, and each fuku-honbucho 
will oversee several gangs of his own.  A lesser regional boss is 
called a shateigashira, and he has assistants also, called 
shateigashira-hosa.  They will generally be at the head of each 
gang and the main contact or liaison to the mafia.  The actual bike 
gang members are called shatei, or younger brothers.  They can be 
wakashu, junior leaders within each gang as well."

"Whew," Scully whistled.  "That sounds complicated," she 
commented, scrunching her brow as she scribbled notes on her 
pad.

Our lunches arrived and we all made room for the plates.  In 
between eating her lunch, Nanami continued her dissertation on the 
ins and outs of the mob.  I found it unusual that she knew so much 
about it.  Then again, if she suspected her uncle or being in it, or 
knew that he was, she may have researched it.  On the other hand, I 
got the feeling that organized crime in Japan was not underground 
like it was here in the States.

"Most new members are recruited from the bosozuku, the street 
punks that love motorcycles.  Literally translated, it means speed 
tribes."

"What about businesses?  What do they have their hands into?" 
Scully asked.

Ken sighed and nodded at Nan, indicating he would answer this 
one.  "If you're looking to focus on one enterprise, you'll have a 
problem.  They have their fingers into everything."

"Like what?" Scully coaxed.

"Corporate extortion, smuggling drugs, money laundering, 
narcotics, real estate, gambling, sports, entertainment, stock 
manipulation, tourist scams and worse."

"Worse?" Scully inquired.

He swallowed.  "They also run sex tours, prostitution, slavery, 
pornography.  They run guns as well, I'm sure."

"Jesus," I whispered.  "What do you mean, sex tours?"

"They take wealthy business men to Bancock and other places or 
tour the prostitution rings throughout the country.  They buy 
unwanted Chinese females and press them into being comfort 
workers."

The Scully eyebrow nearly disappeared into her hair it shot up so 
far.  "Comfort workers?" she repeated derisively.

He looked at her calmly and smiled.  "Nice euphemism, huh?  
Many older Japanese men have a taste for very young women in 
schoolgirl outfits.  Some Chinese women are bought for as little as 
$5,000 and put to work in the mizu shobai."

"What's that? Mizo ... what?" I asked.  

"Literally translated it means 'water business', but it refers to a 
network of bars, restaurants and nightclubs that offer prostitution 
on the side.  The sex tours go into Bancock and other areas where 
virtually any sexual taste can be met."

"That's disgusting," Scully grumbled.  "Makes me sick to my 
stomach.  How could anyone sell a child?" she asked angrily.

I looked at her, knowing her pain over Emily was surfacing as it 
always did when harm to children came up in a discussion.

Ken said, "In China, the law restricts couples to only one child and 
the cultural preference is for boys.  So, if they mess up and have a 
second child, or if they have a girl and want to try for a boy, they 
will often sell the girl.  They lure them with promises of good jobs 
and a good life.  Only when they get to Japan, they are made into 
prostitutes."

"It's sick," Scully declared, pushing the rest of her lunch away, 
appetite suddenly gone.

I put my hand on her arm and she relaxed a bit.  Ken nodded, "I 
agree.  I did not make the business, Ms. Scully.  You asked."

She sighed.  "I know.  I didn't mean to sound angry with you, or 
that I thought you were involved."

"I understand.  It is for this and many other reasons that Nan and I 
wished to live in the United States and leave our country and its 
backward conformist ideas behind.  It is for this that we have been 
disowned.  Japanese culture values obedience above all.  Not just 
in the mafia, in the family unit as well."

"How big is the mafia in Japan?" I asked.

"Huge," Nan said simply.

"What's huge?" I asked.

"At last reporting there was something like 110,000 active 
members divided into 2,500 families.  It would be impossible to 
keep them all straight."

"Holy shit," I exclaimed.  "How mad did your rebellion make your 
father?" I asked Ken.

He looked at me like that was a dumb question.  "Enough to 
disown us, Mr. Mulder.  It doesn't get much worse than that."

Maybe not to him, I thought.  There were things much worse than 
being disowned.  Being raped and murdered among them, but I 
didn't say anything.  In Japan, maybe being disowned was worse 
than death in their minds.  What did I know?

Walter had been silent this whole time, and then asked a final 
question.  "How can you tell if someone is in the mafia?  Is there 
any thing about them, clothing, jewelry, that sort of thing that 
distinguishes them immediately from the rest of the population?"

Nan looked at him and said, "Oh yes.  Most yakuza members favor 
tattoos, elaborate body murals that cover the entire torso, front and 
back.  If seen naked, a fully tattooed yakuza looks like he is 
wearing long underwear."

XXXXXXXXXX

Walter gave her another odd look and said, "Have you seen one 
naked?"

She smiled at his minor display of jealousy and said, "No, but I 
have seen pictures."

Scully, Ken, and I all started to laugh.  Walter actually turned a 
slight shade of pink and hastily took a slug off his soda glass to 
hide his embarrassment.  We finished lunch and went back to our 
rooms.  I called the field office and found out the print verification 
has arrived by fax.

Scully and I left to go get it for Walter.  Then he was going to take 
it to the detectives and Ken's lawyer.  There was something 
niggling at the back of my brain.  I was missing something about 
this case and couldn't figure out what it was.  It was going to drive 
me crazy until I figured it out.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 7 (NC-17)
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT
WALTER & NAN'S ROOM

"What's your father's name, Nan?" I asked carefully.  I wanted to 
have someone dig into that bastard's background, but I didn't want 
her to know it yet.

"Razan Akaki," she answered without hesitation.  She paused.  "I 
really don't want to believe that my father has anything to do with 
this."

"But?" I asked.

She sighed.  "But I just don't know, Walter.  That's what bothers 
me.  Something is bothering me.

I sat on the bed and held up my arms.  "Come over here and tell me 
about it," I coaxed.

She came easily into my arms and snuggled up to my side as I lay 
on my back.  Her head rested on my shoulder.  "I had a bad 
thought when Agent Mulder mentioned that he thought Ken had 
been framed."

"What's that?"

"Well, in Japan, conformity is praised.  The worst thing is to have 
your reputation besmirched or to ruin the reputation of your 
family.  You follow?"

"Yes.  Go on."

"So if someone was trying to discredit Kenichi, it would be a much 
worse punishment to him than it would be to the average 
American."

"I understand you, but I don't see where you're going with this."

"Well, my reputation has suffered also."

"Guilt by association?"

"No, because of the thefts at the Arts Center.  I'm the curator but 
I'm also in charge of security.  Allowing my exhibits to be stolen 
casts doubt on my abilities to do the job correctly."

"No, Nan!  You didn't 'allow' your exhibits to be stolen.  Some 
scumbag did that on purpose because he wanted the money he 
could gain from fencing them."

"Did he or she?  Or did they do it to discredit me?" she asked 
wonderingly.

"You mean you think someone could have it in for your family and 
therefore be trying to discredit both you and Ken."

"Yes, that was my thought.  I don't really have any evidence of 
that."

"I don't see it, Nan, but then you understand Japanese mentality on 
these things and I don't."

"I know, that's why I told you.  It's an angle you would not think of 
on your own."

"Well you got me there."

I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.  She purred and 
stretched against me and I felt my groin stir at the contact.  Her 
tiny hand ventured under my polo shirt and began traveling back 
and forth over my abdomen.  I sighed with pleasure at this simple 
touch.  Before I knew what was happening, she had my shirt 
untucked and hiked up to my neck.  Her wet, little tongue was 
making an adventure of mapping out my chest.  When she suckled 
my nipple, I bucked so hard I nearly threw her off the bed. 

She chuckled but didn't stop.  Then she whispered, "I feel so safe 
with you."

I stiffened and she lifted her head.  "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," I stuttered.

She gave me a look that said she didn't believe me.  "Are you 
sure?"

"I'm sure," I whispered.  'Liar!' I shouted to myself.  Was that was 
this relationship was for her?  She felt safe?  She had been violated 
in a way, her gallery had.  They had slipped past her defenses 
making her feel vulnerable.  Now her brother was under attack for 
some unknown reason, which would make her even shakier.  He 
knew that extreme trauma or extreme circumstances could bring 
people together.  A need to feel alive and be comforted could do 
weird things to a person who felt their solid ground suddenly 
become shaky.

She looked like she was barely more than a child.  Oh, she was a 
woman, no doubt, a tiny one, but a sophisticated woman.  She was 
also literally half my age.  I could be her father for Christ's sake!  
Father?  Was that it?  She'd left the security of her family.  She'd 
rebelled.  Maybe she felt safe until she had been robbed.  Now she 
didn't.  Was I just a substitute for her father?  A replacement to 
make her feel safe and secure?

Despite all these questions whirling in my head, my body ignored 
them and continued to be aroused by her return to my skin.  Her 
hands skimmed over me, undressing me.  "I need you, Walter," she 
gasped out.  

I undressed her still wondering if I was doing the right thing.  She 
needed me?  Maybe she did, maybe she needed me to feel safe.  
The big, bad, Assistant Director riding to the rescue.  Was this 
some misplaced sense of security on her part?  On the other hand, 
did she want me as a lover?

My heart ached at the thought that this could all end when she 
regain her sense of personal safety.  Again, despite that, the sight 
of her tiny breasts as she hauled her shirt over her head made me 
suck in my breath and hold it.  She wiggled out of her Capri pants 
and flung them off the bed.  I slid her panties down and tossed 
them after her pants.  

XXXXXXXXXX NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

I would figure this out later.  Right now, I needed her.  Jesus, did I 
need her.  The words slipped out, "Jesus, I need you, Nan."

"Yes, Walter.  Take me."  I rolled her over onto her back.  "Nail 
me with that thing."

I barked out a laugh.  "What's gotten into you?" 

"You, I hope!" she teased, reaching down and grabbing my shaft, 
leading it to her center.  I slid my hand down and swiped her slit.  
She was warm and moist and ready.

I used my fingers to open her lips and placed the head of my cock 
at her entrance.  I looked down and moaned, now fully erect.  God, 
I looked so big next to her.  I slipped one hand under her ass, 
lifting her towards me.  She wrapped her legs around my hips, 
"Come on, Walter. Fuck me."

I couldn't say no, despite my misgivings.  I thrust into her and only 
got about four inches of my cock inside.  She squealed.  It felt like 
her tight ring of muscle wanted me out, like it had a mind of its 
own.  It was undulating on my shaft and it felt so good.  I groaned, 
"Oh my God, Nanami.  Did I hurt you?"

"No!" she squeaked.  It was my turn to look at her like I didn't 
believe it.  She sighed and then said, "A little, but ... I like it," she 
confessed and I saw her suffuse with color.

My breathing sped up.  "What did you say?"

She bravely opened her eyes and met my gaze, her face burning 
with color.  "I ... Walter, just take me, please."

I pulsed in and out of her, not driving any deeper, teasing her and 
said, "No, tell me what you were going to say."

She groaned and thrust her hips up trying to impale herself on my 
cock.  I pulled back preventing her from doing so and she 
whimpered.  It was sexiest sound I thought I'd ever heard.

She gasped, stuttering, "I may be ... modern woman ... but still ... 
like to be taken at heart."

I was puzzled and must have looked it.  I asked, "What do you 
mean?"

"I like to be ... under you ... pleasing you ... taken.  Oh God, 
Walter.  TAKE ME!"

I groaned, still pulsing my hips and laid my lips on her ear.  "What 
does that mean to you?  What are you saying?"

"I like you in charge.  I like to be taken.  I don't even mind ... a 
little roughness.  It turns me on.  You turn me on.  Make me soooo 
wet!" she babbled.

I couldn't believe this beautiful little sprite was saying these things 
to me.  I felt my cock swell harder, torn between disgust that the 
idea turned me on, and raging lust that was flooding my loins at the 
moment.  I growled, "Tell me what you want."

She groaned, just from the command, the sound of my voice and it 
was intoxicating.  "Inside me!" she squealed, bucking against me 
again. 

I couldn't hold back anymore and drove into her harshly.  I buried 
another four inches and looked down.  She was writhing under me 
as I held myself up on my hands, just our pelvises touching and my 
cock nearly buried inside her.  "So full, Walter.  Oh fuck me."

Jesus Christ.  What was it about this little, miniature woman that 
made me lose all control?  I began pumping, looking at our joining, 
seeing her little snatch collapse under the assault of my cock and 
spread wide to accommodate me.  Damn she was so tight; it was 
unlike anything I'd ever experienced.  I'd had some tight woman 
before.  Not to be immodest, but I knew I was well endowed, most 
woman felt snug to me, but this was unreal.  It actually almost hurt 
me to get inside her.  Not as much as it hurt her though.

She was crying now and I stopped, looking down at her.  Her eyes 
flew open again.  "No, don't stop!"

"Nan, I'm hurting you," I hissed.

"No!  Good tears, happy tears.  Walter, please!  FUCK ME!"

Jesus.  I began pumping again, harshly, but still holding back, 
seeing myself sink a little deeper with every stroke.  I stroked her 
little pussy and rubbed her clit feeling more lubrication coat my 
shaft and make my entrance a little easier.  I slowly worked my 
cock into her.  The feeling was incredible.  Nothing had ever 
gripped me like this.  I hoped I didn't embarrass myself and come 
in about thirty seconds.  

She was split wide apart and I couldn't believe how she was 
stretched.   Yeah, I'd been here before, but I was watching now and 
realizing just how miraculous it was that she could take me in her 
little body.

Without warning, a thrust sent me in to the hilt and I pressed her 
cervix up into her womb.  She stiffened and then screamed, 
"Ohhhh, Goood!  Yeesss, so full, so full!"  Her walls collapsed on 
me, quivering with release as I held myself buried inside her and 
wiped my fingers over her clit.  She flailed under me, arching her 
back.

I dropped my head down, hunching my shoulders and nipped at her 
earlobe, using one hand to lightly pinch her nipple.  They were 
rock hard and sticking out in invitation.  I couldn't resist.  I nipped 
again, and she orgasmed again as I began pumping into her, using 
short strokes, trying to loosen her up.

She eased up a little as she came down from her climax.  Every 
stroke felt like it was being pushed back out by her strong vaginal 
muscles and the feeling was exquisite.  "Oh God, Nan.  You feel so 
good."

"Ug, Uhhmmm, Uhhh," she grunted.  She was making odd, little 
animal sounds as her head tossed on the pillow and I'd never seen 
anything so sexy.

I picked up the pace and slammed into her, pulling almost all the 
way out and rocking her body on the mattress as I buried myself 
again, feeling my balls slap her ass.  My groin was tingling and my 
balls were swelling.  I knew I didn't have much time left.    I kissed 
her, pinching her nipple lightly.   

She came a final time and I exploded inside her, drenching her 
with my seed.  "Nanami!" I shouted.  "Oh God, Baby!  I'm 
coming!"  

XXXXXXXXXX END NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXXX

She shuddered once more underneath me and then lay still, 
panting.  I collapsed on top of her and inhaled the scent of her hair 
and sweat.  My now flaccid penis snaked out of her when she 
contracted her muscles and I hissed as it hit the air.

I rolled off of her and saw my cum oozing out between her legs.  
She hummed in delight and turned on her side to face me.  "That 
was really good," she murmured.

I smiled.  "You're an incredible woman, Nan."

She smiled and said, "You're an incredible man, Walter.  God, no 
one's ever made me feel like this."

"Safe?" I asked, feeling another pang somewhere in the area of my 
chest.  I couldn't let this go.  Now that my passion was spent, I 
knew I had to give it some serious thought.

She fell asleep.  I dozed for a few minutes but then got up.  She 
was emotionally exhausted as well.  I didn't bother putting on any 
clothes.  The room was warm.  I sat in a chair by the window, 
angled so no one could see me sitting there nude.  I looked out the 
window and let my mind go.

At one point Nanami had told me that she learned karate to protect 
herself.  Although she was a bit of a protected princess at home 
and all the family business was kept from her, she'd never been 
sure of her place.

Logically, it made sense that she would feel better here in the 
States.  Then her security had been ripped away from her when the 
Arlington Arts Center was robbed, not once, but twice.  The more I 
thought about it, the less insane her idea sounded.  I wondered if 
someone was trying to discredit both her and her brother.  I wish I 
understood more of the Japanese mentality.

I sighed and made my way over to the mini bar in the room, 
finding a small bottle of scotch and pouring it straight up in the 
plastic highball glass that was wrapped in plastic film.  

I returned to the chair and lifted one leg to perch my heel on the 
edge of the chair.  My cock was still slightly swollen from its 
workout, lying hot and heavy against my thigh.  I felt depression 
come over me like a shroud as I sipped the scotch and looked at 
her on the bed.  She was so unearthly beautiful, and so ... young.

I didn't want to consider it, but I knew I had to.  Was this 
relationship for real?  I didn't want to think Nanami was anything 
but perfectly honest, but get real.  What could she see in me?  I 
was a balding, 50-year old man with a bad attitude and a badge.

Unless that was it?  She had mentioned once that she knew 
robberies of this nature where no one was hurt were not on the top 
of anyone's priority list.  Sleeping with me would ensure that I kept 
my interest in her, in the case, and kept investigating.  Could she 
be that devious?  I didn't think so.

Then again, how much did I really know about her?  She said her 
father was not in the mob, but her uncle was.  What are the chances 
its not a family enterprise that has been going on for generations?  
She could have learned some devious tricks of the trade.

I felt a wave of guilt for thinking she could be that devious.  She'd 
given me no reason to think so.  I looked at her again and gulped 
some more scotch.  It burned going down.  The fact remained, with 
me infatuated with her, I would be there to solve her case, and 
now, her brother's case.  She knew I wouldn't let either thing go on 
the back burner.  'Hell, I'd jumped out of my chair in the middle of 
the afternoon to go running after her.  How pathetic did that make 
me?' I wondered.  

'Having a bit of a mid-life crisis?' I thought sarcastically.  I could 
remember sneering at older men when I saw them with younger 
women.  Thinking that they were insecure and needed a young 
chickie on their arm to feel important and pump up their egos.

Now, here I was with a woman half my age.  Was she really 
interested in me?  If so, why?  What did I have to offer her except 
a stiff dick that still worked at 50?  She could get that anywhere 
and with someone much closer to her age.  Was she looking for a 
sugar daddy?  Some older man to take care of her and protect her 
like her father once did?  If that was the case, I couldn't play along, 
no matter how good the sex was!  I wanted something real, a 
relationship that would stand the test of time.

Time, that was a joke.  Even if I lived another 30 years, which was 
unlikely, given my family history, she'd only be 55 by then.  What 
was I thinking?   Thirty years from now?  What the fuck?  What 
about tomorrow or next week?  Here I am questioning her 
intentions and yet I'm thinking about what it would be like if we 
were together 30 years from now.  Ridiculous! I'd be lucky if we 
lasted another month.

I frowned and sighed again, downing the last of my scotch and 
staring at the glass as it dangled from my fingers.  I looked at her 
and felt an ache in the middle of my chest.  She was so beautiful.  
Of course she is, you idiot.  She's 25-years old.  They're all 
beautiful at 25 years old.  I couldn't decide if I was more disgusted 
with myself for succumbing to my urges or for questioning her 
honesty.   Or was I just plain disgusted that I was doing what I had 
condemned so many others for doing ... acting impulsively and 
chasing after a young girl half their age.  Pathetic!

I heard the rustle of the sheets and looked up.  She stood up, totally 
unselfconscious about her nudity.  She was my chippoke doru, for 
sure.  My?  Easy there, old buddy, don't go there, I warned myself.

"What are you doing, Walter?  Come back to bed," she coaxed, 
holding out her hand.

I shook my head.  "I'm thinking."

She looked at the glass in my hand and raised an eyebrow.  "Not 
good to think and drink at the same time.  Usually means thoughts 
aren't good."

Perceptive little sprite, wasn't she? I thought.  "Nan, I've enjoyed 
being with you so much," I began.

She frowned fiercely and stomped over to me.  I put my leg down 
on the floor and looked at her.  Sitting here, with her standing 
between my legs, we were nearly eye to eye.  She moved between 
my legs and put her hands on my shoulders.  She squinted at me 
and asked bluntly, "Why does that sound like the beginning of 
good-bye?"

I reached up and cupped her cheeks.  "You are so beautiful," I 
whispered.

She smiled and shrugged, but said nothing.

"I'm not what you need, Nanami."  She opened her mouth to 
protest and I put two fingers on her lips.  Rather than be chastised, 
she sucked them into her mouth and swirled her tongue around 
them.  I grunted, feeling my dick twitch.  Shit.  Get a grip, I 
reprimanded myself.  I yanked my hand back and took gentle hold 
of her biceps.  I could wind my hand entirely around her small 
arms.  "Nan, I'm old enough to be your father."

She looked at me, saying nothing, obeying my unspoken directive 
to stay quiet.  I swallowed and continued.  "I can't help thinking 
that you are with me just because I represent safety to you."

Her eyes blazed but still she stayed silent, staring at me.  I couldn't 
keep up the staring contest and looked away, suddenly very 
uncomfortable.  "Nan, admit it.  What do I have to offer you?  I'm 
a 50-year old, balding, has-been with a career that teeters on the 
brink of destruction on any given day.  I'm old enough to be your 
father, and I'm taking advantage of you.  You make me feel young, 
Nan, but I'm not.  That's the bottom line.  I don't even know if I 
want a family at my age.  A partner, even a wife, maybe, but I 
don't know about the rest."  I trailed off, and looked up at her.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 8 (NC-17)
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT
WALTER & NAN'S ROOM

"Are you finished?" she asked in a persnickety voice.

'Uh oh,' I thought.  I nodded but said, "Not really, but go ahead."

She held up a finger for each point.  "First, you arrogant fuck!  
How DARE you pretend you know what I need?  You're not what I 
need?  Who says, o' swami?" she asked sarcastically.  "Second, I 
know how old you are, Walter, and frankly, I don't give a damn.  
That's not why I'm with you."

I smiled my mind flashing on the famous line of Rhett Butler.  
"Third," she said sharply, holding up another finger.  "Yes, I feel 
safe with you, but I could get a dog too!  I meant emotionally safe, 
you jack-ass!" 

'She really had quite an extensive vocabulary of swear words for 
someone who wasn't originally from here,' I thought idly.

"I may be small, but I am a black belt.  I'm not some wilting flower 
that needs to be protected.  What the hell made you think I was 
with you for that?  A bodyguard?  I don't need a fucking body- 
guard, Walter!"  

I opened my mouth but she cut me off.

"And I don't know what I want in the future.  I may want kids, I 
may not.  I haven't thought about it that far.  I don't even know how 
you feel about me, really.  You said you wanted to try and make 
this work.  I took you at your word.  Are you going to break it 
now?  I think you're a lot of things, Walter Skinner, but I never 
thought you were a fucking coward!" she screamed.

"Coward?" I growled, pulling her closer and putting my nose up to 
hers.  I put on my best intimidating A.D. face and she didn't back 
down one inch.  

"Yes, a fucking coward."

She winced at the grip I had on her arms and I deflated, letting go 
of her, disgusted that I had grabbed her so hard.  She was so tiny.  I 
looked up at her and she had tears streaming down her face.  She 
looked like a lost, little girl.  "Oh Nan," I whispered sadly.  "I just 
don't want to hurt you.  I'm sorry."

She didn't ask permission, she simply slid into my lap, straddling 
my legs.  She plastered her little body against mine and rested her 
chin on my shoulder.  She tipped her head and spoke into my ear.  
"Walter, I'm only going to say this once.  So pay the fuck attention, 
would you?" she declared, a hint of her accent coming through.  I 
noticed it came out when she was upset.

I swallowed harshly and nodded.  "I'm listening," I croaked out.  

"Good.  I don't know why I'm pulled to you like a magnet, but I 
am.  I crave you.  I don't know if it's your size, or what.  I don't 
really care to be honest.  I love the size of you.  Yes, that makes 
me feel protected and safe, but not physically, emotionally.  You 
are good man, Walter.  I love your basic honesty, your goodness, 
and your love of justice.  All 'dese tings," she spit out, getting 
choked up.

I pulled back, putting my arms around her back and hugging her to 
me.  I looked into her face.  "Nan ..."

"Shush.  I not finished yet," she said.  She worried her lip with her 
teeth and I found myself leaning toward her, kissing her swollen 
lip as it emerged from her teeth.  She sighed.  "I know I haven't 
known you long, but I feel like I know you, Walter.  I felt like I 
knew you that first night in my apartment and that you were meant 
to be there.  That you had been sent to me."

"Sent to you?" I asked, probably looking as confused as I felt.

She gave me a sad smile.  "You not a believer," she said softly, no 
accusation in her voice.

"Of what?"

"Fate, destiny.  I get feelings.  I just know things sometime."  Her 
accent was so endearing.  It made her so unique and seem so 
vulnerable.  A wave of emotion welled up in me and I felt my 
chest grow warm and a lump form in my throat.

Gruffly I said, "And what do you feel, Nanami?  What do you 
know?"

She rubbed her cheek on mine, my razor stubble scratching her 
smooth, baby-soft skin.  "I know I'm meant to be with you.  Don't 
know why.  Don't care.  I fell in love with you that first night, 
Walter," she said softly.

I gasped, hearing her words.  She fell in love with me?  Oh God.  
"Oh Nan, you shouldn't love me," I began, feeling my stomach 
clench.  Knowing I shouldn't, but wanting to believe her so badly.  
I wanted it to be true.  I wanted to be loved so badly it was like an 
ache inside me that never went away.

She smoothed her hands over my face, brushing my lips with her 
thumbs.  "I hate to break the news, big man, but you have no vote," 
she said seriously.

I laughed.  I couldn't help it.  I began to cry and laugh at the same 
time.  She rubbed her hands up and down my arms, cooing to me 
and gentling me as I began to sob.  I clung to her and she 
whispered lovingly in my ear, telling me how beautiful I made her 
feel, how much I aroused her, how much she trusted me.  I let go.  
For the first time in 30 years, I let it all go.  All the emotions came 
pouring out.  I sobbed like a baby.  She licked my tears off my face 
and rubbed her hands and her body all over me.

When I finally got myself under control, she was still there.  I was 
clinging to her and my cock was rock hard again and standing up 
behind her ass.  How many years had it been since I'd gotten hard 
twice in one day.  Maybe she did give me some youth back.  

Her little, sharp teeth tugged on my earlobe and I groaned.  She 
whispered, "I love you, Walter, whether you love me back or not."

I sucked in a final hiccup of emotion and brushed her hair away 
from her ear and kissed it.  I rasped into her ear, my voice rough 
from the tears, "I'm a damn idiot, Nan.  I'm out of my mind, but I 
love you too.  God help me, I love you too."

She pulled back, grinned saucily and said, "Then why don't you 
fuck me."

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" I teased.

"No, I prefer kiss you with this mouth," she said, her accent still 
peeking through.

"Then do it," I demanded in a rough voice.

She shivered.  "I like you in charge, Walter, in the bedroom."  She 
paused.  "Don't think that applies to the rest of the time," she 
announced.

I laughed and shook my head in amusement.  "I won't make that 
mistake.  I promise."

"Good, later I tell you all my sexual preferences and all my 
fantasies."

"I don't know if I can survive it."

"You will, big man.  You're gonna make them all come true."

I groaned and hugged her to me.  "You're incredible."

"I'm horny," she declared.  She reached behind her and grabbed my 
shaft. 

I moaned at the feel of her hand on my turgid flesh and croaked 
out, "Spread your legs wider."

She did without hesitation and I took myself in hand as she 
balanced herself on my shoulders and her knees.  I felt the tip start 
to penetrate her.  It was exquisite as always.  This time though, I 
didn't feel the urgency.  I'd already come before and I hoped I 
could make this last for us this time.

XXXXXXXXXX NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

I was still wet from earlier, his seed acting as a lubricant.  
Otherwise the sheer size of him could be daunting.  He slid in with 
surprising ease and I let my weight carry me down, burying him 
inside me.  What was it about this man?  He made me feel so 
complete.  I just sat there for a moment, enjoying the feeling of 
being connected.  His hands slid to my rear end and engulfed my 
cheeks in his enormous palms.  There was something so naughty 
about being with such a big man.  I couldn't even explain how 
arousing it was to me that I felt like I was being taken by a giant.

There was no taking this time.  This was sharing, this was making 
love.  He loved me!  He'd said he loved me.  I'd fretted about 
saying those words, telling myself it was too soon, and I would 
scare him away.  Seeing his face when I awoke had sent my heart 
plummeting.  I knew that look.  He was questioning 'US'.  I 
couldn't let it happen.

There was something so compelling about him to me.  It went 
beyond sexual attraction, although I'd be lying if I said his body 
wasn't gorgeous to me.  It was in his soft, brown eyes, the curve of 
his full lips, and the grip of his large but gentle hands.  

I began to slide up and down on his shaft and watched his face 
grimace with the pleasure of the sensations.  I rode slowly, 
kneeling up as high as I could go and then sinking back down, 
slowly but surely until he was buried.  I was captivated by the 
feeling between my legs, the look on his face, the love I could see 
in his eyes.  He was in awe of us and I was too.  It was a miracle, 
but one I was sure was meant to be.  

I breathed out through pursed lips as I felt jolt after jolt of soft 
sensation build me up toward a climax.  He leaned forward and 
suckled my nipples, which were hard as pebbles and distended to 
the point where they throbbed and ached.  I moaned at the feeling 
of his hot, wet mouth on me.  His hand left my ass and traveled up 
my back.  He petted me gently, as though I were made of glass.  

I groaned, leaned back, throwing my head back, and feeling my 
hair brush the tops of his thigh.  He let go of my nipple with an 
audible pop and looked up at me, pupils dilated and his mouth 
open as he panted gently, matching me stroke for stroke.

I felt his balls press into the crack of my ass at the bottom of every 
stroke and it sent more shivers up my spine.  This was the way it 
was supposed to be.  I'd never felt this close to anyone in my life.  
He began swiveling his hips as I descended, entering me at a slight 
angle and crushing his pubic bone against me, torturing my clitoris.

His hand came up into my hair and we kissed, slowly.  He tipped 
my head to the side and deepened the kiss.  I hummed and spared 
with his tongue, thrusting my own in and out of his mouth, 
matching our rhythm below.  He broke the kiss and murmured, "So 
good, Nan.  Oh God, how did I get this lucky?"

"Hmmm, you deserve to be happy, Walter," I said softly, never 
pausing in my lifting and descending.  I felt my juices flowing out 
around our joining and he sped up slightly.  I grunted as I felt my 
arousal hike up another notch.

XXXXXXXXXX

She had to be the most amazing creature I'd ever seen.  Her 
grunting turned to humming, then to a constant moaning that 
signaled that she was starting to cum.  Her soft, high-pitched 
whimpers were my undoing.  "Oh, ooo, oh, ooo," floated into my 
ears with every stroke and I sped up again, thrusting up into her 
and pinching one nipple gently while I kept her tongue occupied 
with mine.

Her eyelids fluttered, and her eyes rolled back in her head.  I felt 
her vagina begin a series of hard contractions that squeezed me so 
tightly it made me shout, "Ahhhh, Gooodd!"

I couldn't hold out any longer and felt my balls coil and tighten.  
My shaft swelled and hardened even further and then I was 
coming, tingles racing down the backs of my thighs as I ejaculated 
long, hard, stinging ropes of cum inside her little vessel.

XXXXXXXXXX END NC-17 PORTION XXXXXXXXXX

She bit my shoulder and my hips bucked, releasing one more 
spasm before I fell back in the chair, totally sated.  She fell onto 
my chest and her hands rested on my shoulders.  Her face nuzzled 
the hair on my chest as she rested against my breastbone.  My 
hands slid down to her ass, cupping her gently.

"I'm sorry, Nanami."

She lifted her head, her eyes droopy and satisfied.  "For what?" she 
asked simply.

I slid my hands all the way up her back, loving the feel of her silky 
hair as it slid over my fingers.  "For doubting you," I answered.

She flashed me a soft smile and kissed the bottom of my chin.  
"You're forgiven.  Don't let it happen again," she said drowsily.

I couldn't help chuckle at the feisty, but boneless little bundle in 
my lap.  I sighed and petted her hair, loving the feel of it.  She 
made adorable little grunts and hums of contentment as she 
snuggled in closer.  I gazed down at the top of her head, wondering 
what I did to deserve her.  I wasn't going to question it anymore 
and to hell with the rest of world and what they thought.  Nanami 
was mine, for now anyway, and I was going to run with it.  I would 
stay with her for as long as she would allow me in her life.

XXXXXXXXXX

Next thing I knew I was waking up to the sound of someone 
pounding on the door.  I jerked awake.  Nanami stirred in my arms 
and I carefully stood up cradling her in my arms.  Her legs 
instinctively went around my waist and I chuckled at my little 
barnacle.  I set her on the bed and said, "Just a minute." 

I didn't want to shout and wake her fully.  Whoever it was must 
have heard me because the pounding stopped.  She looked up at 
me with sleepy eyes and said, "What's going on?"

"Someone's at the door.  Shhh, go back to sleep.  I know you're 
exhausted.

My back ached from falling asleep in the chair, another reminder 
that I wasn't in my twenties anymore.  I grabbed a pair of sweat 
pants from my suitcase and slipped them on, not bothering with a 
shirt.  I couldn't believe I'd fallen asleep.  When was the last time 
I'd done that during the day? 

I opened the door and went rigid, seeing an older Japanese man 
standing there that I did not recognize.  After all this talk of mafia 
and such, I was instantly on my guard.  "Who are you?" he asked.

I raised my eyebrows and moved to more effectively block his 
view of the bed.  I felt vulnerable being only half clothed, but I'd 
be damned if I'd let him know that.  "You knocked on my door.  
Who are you?"

He blinked slowly as he pulled off his gloves one finger at a time.  
"I'm Razan Akaki."

I had to physically stop myself from gasping.  "One moment 
please," I said.  He nodded and I shut the door.  I strode to the bed 
and shook Nan gently.  "Honey, wake up."

She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at me.  "What's wrong?"

"Your father is here," I whispered, wondering why I was 
whispering.  

Her eyes flew open and she was instantly alert.  "Oh God!"  She 
looked wild and panic stricken.  What had this man done to her?

"Easy, baby, I'm right here."

She took a deep breath and nodded.  "Take him to Kenichi.  Tell 
him I'll be over in a minute."  She slid off the bed and headed for 
her suitcase, yanking pants and a blouse out along with fresh 
panties and bra.  I grabbed a dress shirt, slid my sweats off and 
quickly pulled on a pair of boxer briefs, dress slacks, and socks.  I 
slipped my feet into my shoes, not bothering with a tie or buttoning 
the top three buttons on the shirt.  I strode to the door and opened it 
again.

He was standing calmly with his trench coat draped over his arm, 
wearing a conservative gray suit.  I nodded at him and stuck out 
my hand.  "I'm Walter Skinner."

He shook my hand.  "Razan Akaki.  Is that my daughter's room?" 
he said with a slight curl of disgust to his lip.

I gave him the A.D. death stare and he seemed to deflate a bit, 
adopting a bland, neutral expression.  "Yes, it is."  I wasn't going to 
lie to him.

We stared at each other, checking each other out for a few 
moments and then I said, "Nan asked me to take you to Kenichi's 
room and she will join us there in a minute."

He swallowed.  "She was not decent?" he asked.

I bristled.  "She needed to change her clothes.  She will meet us 
down the hall," I repeated.

"In the middle of the day?" he pressed.

I stared at him.  "Sir, with all due respect, it's none of your 
business."

"None of my ..." he sputtered, then seemed to get himself under 
control as I continued to stare him down.  I'd never lost a staring 
contest in my life, except to Nan, and he was going to be no 
exception.  He was the first to look away.

"Show me to Kenichi, please," he said stiffly.

XXXXXXXXXX

FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT
KEN'S ROOM

I nodded and proceeded next door to Ken's room, rapping three 
times.  A moment later, he opened the door.  He didn't look 
surprised to see his father there and waved us inside.  He did look 
curious.   "Daifu.  Father," he greeted him formally in English.

The man entered and I shut the door behind us.  They faced off and 
there was silence for several moments.  Finally, Ken said, "What 
are you doing here?"

"I came to help."

Ken released a sound that was unidentifiable and then said, 
"Why?"

"You're my son," he said simply.

Ken held his gaze for a few moments then lowered his lashes.  
"Am I?  You disowned me, father."

"I've reconsidered.  I was hurt and acted rashly."
 
Ken raised his eyes again and Nanami knocked on the connecting 
door.  I strode to it and opened it.  She entered, her back straight.  
She was in full control now.  I stepped back and let her enter.  I 
backed up to the wall between the door and the desk and tried to 
make myself unobtrusive.

Razan glanced at me but then turned to his daughter.  "Daifu," she 
greeted him as formally as Ken had.  No hugging or kissing, no 
affection.  This was just plain weird.  I assumed daifu must mean 
father

"Otome," he responded.

She couldn't quite suppress the tiny gasp that came out of her.  She 
gave him the same inquisitive look Ken had.  He nodded and 
smiled.  It softened his countenance considerably and he said, "I've 
come to mend some bridges, children."

They both remained silent, obviously not knowing what to say or if 
his intentions were pure.  Nanami finally said, "How did you know 
to come?"

He looked at her for a moment and then said, "Rintaro called me 
and told me Kenichi-wa was in trouble."

Nan frowned.  "How did Hakufu Rintaro know?"

He looked down.  "I'm not sure."

Nan gave him a look of disbelief.  He cleared his throat.  "I think 
he knows people over here.  Who knows how your hakufu knows 
anything."

Nan was silent a moment longer and then said, "Well, you're a day 
late and a dollar short."

"What does that mean, otome?"

"It means that we have helped ourselves, Daifu.  Or more 
precisely, Walter has helped us."

He turned now to look at me and I met his gaze easily.  He was not 
a tall or imposing man by stature, but something in his bearing told 
me not to take him lightly.  He asked, "And exactly who are you, 
Walter Skinner?"

"I'm an Assistant Director with the FBI," I replied, deciding to 
throw the credentials out there first.

"What is your interest in helping my children?" he asked.

I glanced at Nan and she nodded at me, giving me permission to 
speak freely of us.  She smiled softly and I smiled back, feeling my 
tension melt just from looking at her.  I raised my head back up to 
look at her father.  "I see," he said stiffly.

"Do you think so?" I asked sternly.

He stared at me again.  I raised an eyebrow, challenging him to 
make an issue of it.  "You are obviously involved with my otome, 
my daughter," he repeated in English.

"She told me you disowned her," I reminded him.

He cleared his throat again.  "I decided I was being a slave to old 
traditions.  I love my children, Mr. Skinner, despite what they may 
think.  I wish them no harm."

"Is that so?" I asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that these murders and the robberies at Nan's gallery are 
all highly suspicious and I suspect they may all be connected."

"Connected?  What robberies?" he asked turning to Nan.

"My gallery was robbed twice in the last month," she replied.

He nodded.  "So both my children have found trouble in the West, 
eh?"

I took a chance and said, "Or trouble was brought to them from the 
East."

His eyes flew up to meet mine.  "What do you mean?" he 
demanded.

I shrugged.  "You tell me.  Your son was framed.  Why?  Who 
would want to harm him?  Put him off the street for life; maybe 
even get him the death penalty?  Do you have any enemies that 
strong, Mr. Akaki?" I asked casually.

He was back to staring at me.  "I don't like where this conversation 
is going."

"Too bad," I said placidly, having read his body language.  He was 
afraid.  Something wasn't right here.  I approached him, using my 
height and proximity to intimidate him a little.  I leaned into him, 
but not too close, just enough to make him uncomfortable.  I knew 
I'd found the spot when I saw him stiffen slightly.  I kept my voice 
low and calm.  "I think you and I need to talk privately."

"What for?  I came here to support my children, nothing more."

"Your children, or just Ken?"

"Both my children.  They have both had hard time," he said, his 
own accent appearing.

Nan said quietly, "You said you didn't know about the robberies."

He whipped his head around to look at her.  "I didn't."

She looked at him and asked, "Then why would you come for 
me?"

He swallowed.  "I came for Ken, but knew you would be with him 
and you would be upset as well."  Nan backed down, accepting his 
explanation, but I didn't.

He was lying.  My bullshit detector was going off like crazy.  I just 
looked at him and let one side of my lips rise in a smirk I knew had 
sent Agents scampering out of my office in fear for their jobs.  He 
tried to remain placid but I could see the tick of the muscle by his 
mouth, and the stiffness in his spine.  "Would you like to meet 
Agents Mulder and Scully?  They are helping out on your son's 
case."

"Yes, I would," he replied.  I nodded and went through the 
connecting door to retrieve my cell phone and just in case, my 
weapon.  I strapped on my shoulder holster and Sig Sauer.  I 
flipped open my phone and hit the speed dial for Mulder.  He 
answered on the second ring as I walked back into Ken's room.  I 
surreptitiously watched Razan, and saw his eyes widen slightly at 
the sight of my gun.  Good, let the little prick sweat, I thought.

"Mulder, where are you?"

[About five minutes from the hotel.]

"Is Agent Scully with you?"

[Yes, Sir.]

"Good, meet us in Ken's room when you get here."

[Is something wrong, Sir?]

"I'm not sure yet."  I glanced at Mr. Akaki and then said, "Nan's 
father has come here."

[From Japan?] he asked in astonishment.

"Yes, and I would like you to meet him."

[Ah,] Mulder said, as if the pieces had just clicked into place.  
[You want my reading on the man?]

You just had to love Mulder when he seemed telepathic.  I grinned 
in spite of myself.  "Why, yes.  That would be fine, Agent 
Mulder," I said, giving nothing away.

[Be there in a flash,] he said in a singsong voice.

I had to clamp down on my desire to chuckle.  "See you in a few 
minutes."  I disconnected and turned to find them all watching me.  
"They're five minutes from here.  They'll be here soon.  Please sit 
down, Mr. Akaki.  I'll get the chairs from our room as well."

He nodded and took one of the two chairs in the room.  Nan and 
Ken sat on the bed next to each other, looking nervous.  I retreated 
into our room, grabbing up the two chairs by the backs and 
carrying them into the room, setting them against the wall.  I sat in 
the other chair next to Mr. Akaki and said, "You have questions, I 
assume."

"Many.  First being, where is the case against my son?"

"We have found new evidence.  We hope to have the charges 
dropped by tomorrow."

He visibly sagged in his chair.  "Thank God."

"It's not a done deal," I cautioned him.

He nodded.  "I assume you will tell me of this evidence."

"That depends."

"On what?" 

"Let's make a deal," I proposed.

"What kind of deal?"

"I'll answer all your questions if you answer all mine."

"Not much of a deal, Mr. Skinner."

"The only one that's going to be made here."

"You are in control here?" he questioned.

"For now," I added.  

"Why do I sense this hostility, Mr. Skinner?"

I met his eyes and held them for a moment.  "I'm in love with your 
daughter, Mr. Akaki.  You hurt her.  I don't suffer that lightly."

He frowned, nodding.  Somehow this didn't seem to piss him off 
like I expected it would.  His nod was almost one of approval.  "I 
was mistaken, Mr. Skinner.  I am here to right some wrongs."

"I hope so," was all I said.

XXXXXXXXXX

PART 9 (PG-13)
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
400 SERGEANT DRIVE
NEW HAVEN, CT
KEN'S ROOM

Mulder and Scully arrived at that moment and I let them in.  We 
made introductions and Mulder and Scully sat in the chairs I'd 
brought in from next door.  Mulder had that glint in his eyes that 
said he knew something I didn't.

I raised an inquiring brow at him and he smiled, not responding.  
Apparently, now was not the time.  "Well," he said, addressing 
everyone.  "Where do we start?"  He turned to look at Scully.

She smiled and said.  "We've found out a lot.  We even have a 
suspect for the murder of Izo Norogumi."

I watched Akaki and saw his shoulders twitch at the name.  "Oh, 
that is news," I said.

Scully nodded.  "We traced Izo's regular postal packages to Japan.  
They led to a man by the name of Aratomo Mori."

"What did that get you?" I asked calmly, watching Akaki rub his 
sweaty palms on his trousers.

Mulder smiled.  "Well the guys dug up some info on this guy.  He's 
a player."

"Player?" Mr. Akaki asked, not understanding the term.

Mulder looked at him.  "He's Japanese mafia, an under boss of 
sorts.  I'm not good with the titles.  The interesting thing is that he 
owns 51% of a company with offices in both Japan and the U.S.  
The company is Mori Enterprises.  Guess what they do?" he asked 
facetiously.

I smiled.  "Gee, let me guess.  They manufacture microchips?"

"Ding, ding, ding!  Tell him what he's won, Scully!" he said, 
practically bouncing in his seat.  I couldn't help but smile at him.  
Nan and Ken were amused as well, but trying to hide it.  They 
were obviously intimidated by their father.

Scully grinned at him and shook her head in amusement.  Then she 
continued.  "We had the guys dig into their financials."

Akaki said, "They should be public record."

Scully smiled a knowing smile.  "We looked into the records that 
aren't public knowledge."

He just frowned, not quite understanding, but obviously feeling out 
of his depth.

Scully said, "A search of his personal records found quite a stash 
of income, regular payments made to him by another corporation.  
These payments have not been reported for tax purposes, not here 
in the U.S. anyway.  What the payments are for isn't clear, but we 
suspect it's for microchips."

"Who's making the payments to Mori?" I asked.

Mulder grinned.  "Our old buddies, Roush/Pinck Pharmaceuticals, 
also known as RP Industries," he concluded.

"Oh shit," I whispered.  Mulder and Scully were nodding.  "This 
keeps getting bigger and bigger, doesn't it?"

Akaki was pale now and looking at his lap.  "Mr. Akaki, is there 
anything you'd like to tell us?" I asked quietly.

He looked up at me and I saw out of the corner of my eye that Nan 
and Ken were staring at him.  They were obviously completely in 
the dark.  I knew, however, that Nan suspected her father's 
involvement.

"I risked a lot by coming here," he said finally.

"Father?" Ken coaxed.

He swallowed and looked up.  "You know of me?" he asked 
Mulder.

Mulder nodded.

"What do you know?"

"I know that you have stock in Mori Enterprises.  I know that you 
have stock in Roush/Pinck Pharmaceuticals.  I know you work as 
an Engineer for Nissan, your brother-in-law is a high level advisor 
in the Japanese mafia, who also happens to own stock in Yale 
University Research Labs."  He paused.  "And I know that 
Aratomo Mori has," he paused and looked at his notes.  "Takuro 
Kato on his payroll," he concluded.

Akaki put his hand over his brow to shield his eyes.  Everyone was 
silent, waiting, letting him compose himself.  He finally looked up 
and said with venom, "I could kill Rintaro with my bare hands."

Ken and Nan gasped.  

He swallowed and said, "Takuro is your killer, Agent Mulder."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Mori Enterprises is a front.  It does indeed make 
microchips but it's also a business used to hide mafia activities.  
Many of Rintaro's men have been hired at Mori Enterprises to have 
a legitimate front and reason to be in the United States."

"That's not enough to suspect somebody."

"No, its not."

"Why do you think Takuro Kato is our killer of the killer?"

He met Mulder's look with one of his own knowing looks and said, 
"Because he is an assassin."

More gasps from Ken and Nan. 

I stood and Akaki stood with me.  Mulder and Scully jumped to 
their feet as well.  Mulder said, "I think you need to come down to 
the police station with us, Mr. Akaki.  I think we may need an 
affidavit from you regarding your knowledge of these events."

He nodded, looking pained.  He turned to Nan and Ken, still silent 
and still sitting on the bed.  He smiled at them sadly and said, "I'm 
sorry children.  I made a big mistake.  I will see if I can fix it."

"What are you talking about?" Ken said, clearly distressed.  Nan 
picked up Kenichi's hand and sandwiched it between both of hers.

He said, "It's a long story, but this all started because I wanted my 
children to come home."

"I don't understand, Father," Nanami whispered.

He smiled again.  "I know you don't.  All will be revealed."  He 
nodded as if that were the end of the conversation.  Mulder and 
Scully followed him out into the hall.

I turned to Nan and approached her.  I leaned down and kissed her 
forehead.  She raised teary eyes to me.  I said, "You two stay here 
and keep each other company.  I'm going to go with Agents 
Mulder and Scully and sort this mess out.  Close the door and keep 
it locked."

She nodded.  "Keep me posted, please," Nan said.

I kissed her softly on the lips.  "I will.  You have my cell phone 
number if you need anything."

She nodded.  Ken said, "Thank you, Mr. Skinner.  I'm sorry I gave 
you a hard time.  You have been very good to us, especially Nan."

I smiled at him and shook his hand.  "My pleasure," I said.  I 
turned back to Nan.  "I have to get going."

"I know.  Good luck, Walter.  Be careful.  Don't trust my father."

I nodded solemnly and went out the door after Mulder and Scully.

XXXXXXXXXX

NEW HAVEN POLICE DEPARMENT
NEW HAVEN, CT
8 HOURS LATER

Janet Kudro was shaking her head as she read through the 
information that Mulder had handed her.  As she finished, she 
pushed each paper to her partner and started on the next one.  
Scully appeared and unloaded a bag with six coffee cups inside 
and distributed them around the table.

Kyle McCue whistled in astonishment at whatever he was reading.  
Janet looked up and said, "I wasn't sure you'd keep your word.  I 
still expected you to take over at any minute."

"I told you I'd share if you would."

"This is way over my head," she said quietly.  "You will be 
investigating this?"

"Yes, but the information on the killers is yours to do with what 
you like.  Your people have Takuro in custody.  It's your ball game 
now.  The investigation into the other aspects is international.  The 
Bureau is going to have to get involved."

She nodded.  "You can have that one," she said.

We all chuckled.   She finally turned to address Mr. Akaki.  
"Thank you for coming in, Sir.  We appreciate everything you've 
done."

"You're welcome.  My boy will go free?" he asked again for the 
tenth time.

She smiled and nodded.  "Yes, I'm sure of it.  His lawyer was 
already in Judge's chambers this afternoon with all the new 
evidence.  There is a hearing scheduled for tomorrow morning and 
the Judge expects to drop all charges.  It's merely a formality."

Akaki nodded and sighed.  "I'm so tired," he admitted.

"Let's get back to the hotel.  There's nothing more we can do 
tonight," I announced.  

Janet and Kyle stood up and shook hands all around.  "We'll be in 
touch," I told Janet.

"Thanks again."

We all strode out and headed for our cars.  Mulder and Scully rode 
together and I asked Akaki to ride with me.  I wanted some time 
alone with him.  After we were buckled in and I started the car, I 
pulled out into traffic.  I let the silence go for a minute or so and 
then asked, "Are you in danger now?"

He seemed to weigh the question carefully.  "I'm not sure.  I will 
talk to Rintaro.  He is not fond of being disobeyed.  I never should 
have started this though.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Do 
you have children, Mr. Skinner?"

I shook my head in the negative.  "No, I'm afraid my wife and I 
couldn't have any."

"Wife?" he asked suddenly.

I smiled.  "I'm a widower, Mr. Akaki.  She died a couple of years 
ago."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. 

I nodded but otherwise didn't respond.  "If you are in danger, or 
think you are, let me know.  I might be able to arrange some 
protection for you and your wife."

"Rintaro would never harm my Kaoru."

"Are you sure?" I asked, glancing at him and then back at the road.

"Yes.  Rintaro and I have always had an understanding.  I loved his 
sister, Kaoru, but I was not, how would you say, of the right 
class?"

"Something like that."

"Yes, well.  I knew of some of his activities.  I was visiting Kaoru 
one evening.  Not a smart thing to do but I was smitten."  He 
grinned at his own foolishness.  I smiled with him.  "I was leaving 
the house and heard a commotion in the back yard.  I went around 
to the back and witnessed something I shouldn't have."

"Bad?" I asked.

"Very bad.  I witnessed a murder, Mr. Skinner."

"And the killer was?"

He hesitated and then said, "Rintaro."

"Oh shit," I replied.

"Oh shit, indeed.  He dragged me back into the house while his 
underlings got rid of the body.  He was going to kill me too.  
Kaoru begged him for my life.  Told him she loved me.  He could 
not resist his beloved sister.  We made a deal that night.  I would 
be given family blessing to marry Kaoru."

"What was the price?"

"My silence, forever."

"I see.  About the murder, or about everything."

"Everything.  I refused to work for him.  I am a legitimate 
businessman, Mr. Skinner, but I have kept my secrets.  I've known 
of many of Rintaro's misdeeds and never breathed a word."

"He trusts you."

"Yes, he does.  Now I have betrayed that trust."

"You didn't mention him in all of this."

"He wasn't directly involved, only his people.  I asked him to see if 
some of his associates could scare my children, not harm them, but 
make life difficult so they might want to return to the bosom, so to 
speak."

"Never occurred to you to ask them to come home, huh?"

"They wouldn't have.  They love America.  It has infected their 
souls."

"We're not all scum, you know?" I said defensively.

He smiled.  "I know.  I realize that now.  We have very set ways in 
Japan.  It was humiliating to me to have both my children rebel 
against me and cut the apron strings.  I was furious and humiliated.  
I made rash decisions, disowning them."

"So Rintaro's contacts in Mori's business agreed to do this for him 
but they went overboard."

"WAY overboard.  I wanted Nan's life difficult.  I didn't want her 
reputation ruined.  I wanted my son scared, not framed for murder.  
Izo lost control.  It was only after the murders I found out what a 
hot head he was through my brother-in-law's contacts.  I 
complained to Rintaro, told him he needed to control his people, 
they were out of hand."

"He wasn't upset by that?"

"No, he agreed with me."

"And Izo's murder was the result," I finished for him.

"Yes," he answered simply.  "I'm sure Rintaro ordered that 
assassination.  I could never prove it though.   I will keep another 
secret, Mr. Skinner.  If you're a smart man, and I think you are, you 
will keep it too."

I swallowed and nodded, understanding the threat.  I didn't want to 
piss off the Japanese mafia.  Not a good plan for continued 
breathing.  The microchip scam though, I could do something 
about.  "What about the microchips?"

"That is stickier.  The information I gave you ... if anything will 
enrage Rintaro, it will be that, not the murder."

"He'll be more upset about Mori's selling microchips under the 
table than he will be over a murder?"

"Of course.  He ordered the murder.  His money is in Mori 
Enterprises.  If Mori is hiding profits from him, there will be hell 
to pay."

"Do I need to concern myself with this end of it?"

"No, I don't think so.  That will be between Rintaro and Mori.  I 
will stay out of it.  You go after your buyers of microchips, Mr. 
Skinner.  My finances will survive even if Roush/Pinck 
Pharmaceuticals goes completely belly up."

"Glad to hear it."

We had reached the hotel and I pulled into the parking lot and 
parked.  I shut off the engine but made no move to get out of the 
car.  Neither did he.  We unbuckled our seatbelts, and he turned 
slightly to face me.  "I trust you will try to keep my name out of 
this."

"You have my word," I promised.

"Is your word gold, Mr. Skinner?" he asked calmly.

I met his gaze and said, "Twenty-four karat, Mr. Akaki."

He smiled and said, "I believe you.  Isn't that odd?"

We both laughed at that and then he got somber.  We were both 
silent for a few seconds and then I said, "Ask me."

He smiled at my perception.  "How long have you been with my 
Nanami?"

"A short while, since her gallery was robbed."

He nodded.  "Does she love you?"

"She says she does."

"Can you know love in such a short time?" he asked.

I looked at him.  "How long did it take for you to know that Kaoru 
was the one for you?"

He smiled.  "About five minutes," he joked.  He let go of a self-
deprecating chuckle.  "Touché, Mr. Skinner."  He paused.  "Do you 
love her?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation, realizing it was true all over again.  
I whispered, " It was like magic, as if we were meant to meet and 
be together."

"How old are you?"

"I'm 50," I admitted.

"Mmm, I'm 55," he said conversationally.

"I know I'm old enough to be her father," I said.  "That doesn't put 
brakes on my heart, Mr. Akaki.  I'm a disciplined man, an ex-
marine, an Assistant Director used to giving orders."

"And?"

"And I'm helpless when I'm with her."

"You're a big man," he said, and I knew he meant physically.  
"You will not hurt her," he said emphatically, his hands clenching 
into fists in his lap.

"I will never hurt her," I promised.  I held up my right hand and 
used my left index finger to point to my other palm.  "She holds 
my heart right here in the palm of her tiny hand."

He smiled.  "You will take good care of her?" 

"Always, to best of my ability."

He nodded, and without another word, exited the car.  I got out, 
locked the car and followed at a short distance.  It seemed I had the 
blessing of the Akaki patriarch.  I wasn't sure if that was a good 
thing, but I was sure it couldn't hurt.  I knew he didn't approve of 
me sleeping with his daughter.  I'm sure he thought we ought to be 
married.  On the other hand, he knew she was an adult and there 
was nothing he could do to stop it. 

Only time would tell how this would all play out.  I just hoped my 
investigation into the microchip trail wouldn't land me in the 
middle of a mafia war.  I would have to step very carefully.  I had 
someone I could see myself having a future with now.  Now was 
not the time to get careless.  I'd already gotten a call from the 
Director about the microchip investigation.  He'd asked me to head 
a task force to look into it.  I couldn't really refuse.  I did tell him I 
needed to finish up my business here first.   He'd agreed but told 
me not to take too long.  

Mr. Akaki got himself a room and I helped him bring his luggage, 
which he had left at the front desk up to his room.  Once he was in, 
I retreated to our room.  I found Nan awake, naked and in bed.  I 
took a quick shower and then slid into bed with her, spooning her 
small frame.  

"You're still alive, I see," she murmured.

I had called her once from the police station to tell her how things 
were going.  I'd left out all the details.  It was past midnight now 
and I was exhausted.  "I will tell you all about it tomorrow."

"You must be exhausted."

"Yes, but it was a good day."

"Was it?"

"Yes, we resolved a lot of things."

"On the case?"

"The case and personally."

"You discussed me, didn't you?" she asked.

"Briefly.  He's accepted me as a part of your life."

"Really?"

"He doesn't really have a choice," I mumbled, burying my nose in 
her hair.

She chuckled softly.  "No, he doesn't.  Sleep.  We will talk 
tomorrow."

"Mmm, tell you everything tomorrow," I promised as I felt sleep 
tug at my brain.  I had no idea what the future held for us.  It 
wouldn't be an easy road no matter what.  I realized though that I'd 
never had any choice.  Maybe fate had intervened to put her in my 
life.  I didn't know if I believed that or not.  However, I trusted 
Nan, and she said it was destiny.  I would have to hope she was 
right.  I was too far gone now to turn back.  I was along for the 
ride, wherever it might take us.  

I closed my eyes and was asleep in seconds.  

THE END.