Lee Seng rubbed his neck and sighed. Instead of muttering underneath his breath, he simply stood up. Ritsuka and Evan grew antsy. This could go one of two ways and both knowing Lee Seng's track record, it would go in the direction that would keep Madam Yamada's decision the way it is.
"Madam Yamada," Lee Seng smiled. "If I remember correctly, you're a businesswoman, right? Your husband runs the Yamada Law Firm and you run Yamada Industries right?"
"Yes, w-what're you trying to do? Are you trying to get my son back by kissing my feet or something? That won't work on me." Madam Yamada narrowed her eyes at Lee Seng. Lee Seng sighed and fished for his phone.
"If I remember correctly, you and your husband invested a lot into my father's company, correct?" Lee Seng asked. His fingers moved fast as he signed into the cloud and fished for some files. "It says here you and your husband invested over a couple million in the last couple years… and in return you were offered some special services, correct?"
"We never got any services. The Creator was supposed to keep his end of the bargain but never did. Why do you bring this up? Are you going to give me what I want?" Madam Yamada raised an eyebrow while her sons watched Lee Seng. Lee Seng scrolled further down the document and nodded.
"Hmmm, it says right here in return for investment, bio-technological advances were to be implemented into Yamada Industries, correct?" Lee Seng asked, looking up at him.
"Y-yes, how do you… know all of that?" Madam Yamada looked at Lee Seng's phone. "I hope company stuff like that isn't on that phone for all to see…" Lee Seng smiled and clicked the phone off. He slid it into his pocket and shook his head.
"I may have no interest in running the company, but it doesn't mean I'm not given updates as to what's going on. Anything already submitted and agreed upon shows up on my side. Nothing in talks is shown to me."
"Why do you have such files if you have no interest in the company? A-aren't you trying to get my son and Evan back to go on your little suicidal trip? Why are you trying to strike a deal with me?"
"You said it yourself, ma'am." Lee Seng sat down and crossed his legs. "You're in charge, right? I'm coming to you like you said." Madam Yamada looked baffled by Lee Seng's words. "I remember reading a lot of the files when I was locked away in a penthouse two years ago. I remember the guards and Dr. Valentin making a big deal out of the agreement with our companies working together. Something about 'bio-technological advances' that would 'strengthen the people' and 'start a wonderful relationship between our companies.'"
"You don't, perhaps, have the item I've invested in, do you?" Madam Yamada asked. "If you do, I'll let my son and Evan go with you. If not, there's nothing I can do for you. Come on boys, let's go. It looks like you're not going anywhere." Madam Yamada began to turn the two boys around and lead them off further into the law firm.
"Mom, we're not kids anymore. You can't forebade me or Evan to not go somewhere." Ritsuka pulled away. "It's my decision and I'm going whether Ryu or you give us a car or not."
"Ritsuka, I will not have all of my children risking their lives for the betterment of the city! The Creator's lab blew up and now we're suffering the consequences. I should've never agreed to your father's proposal to work with them! Our stocks are suffering because of this damn climate change!" Madam Yamada shouted.
Ritsuka yanked Evan out of the way and moved him over to Ryu, shielding him from family squabble. Ryu sighed and looked at Lee Seng.
'He knew about the bio-technological deal but it didn't work out in his favor. He has nothing to show for it so things aren't going his way. Ritsuka's going to go no matter what and mother isn't going to allow a car…' Ryu thought. Lee Seng bit his lip, ruffling his hair. He looked over to Madam Yamada and sighed.
"Is it really the best time to be thinking about money in the state we're in?" Ritsuka asked his mother. "People are suffering right now. The thing we need to be doing is providing for them."
"And I want you here to do just that! Your brothers and sisters are all working hard to put the impenetrable city back together! What's the point of leaving? How is it going to save us?!?" Madam Yamada shouted back at her youngest son.
"Didn't you hear anything Lee Seng was saying?"
"It sounds like his problem, not yours! You will stay and help your siblings."
Ryu started to stand when another voice broke through. The sound of soft footsteps with the scent of lavender. Lee Seng turned and noticed a woman standing there dressed in adventuring gear.
"Mother, I think we should let them go." The woman spoke. She had black hair and similar facial features to Ritsuka. Madam Yamada turned and looked at her, appalled by what she just said. The woman stepped further into the living room, her hand tracing the outline of the large doorway. "If there's anything that can stop these monsters from continuing their journey into the city and the sewers, let's try. Ritsuka and his friends, here, have something we do not - a possible lead. We should let them search it out and if it —"
"It'll just end in resources wasted! I'm not sending one of our cars out there just for a maybe. I need to know this investment will be worth it!"
"Onee-san." Ritsuka whispered. Ritsuka's older sister ignored her little brother and kept her eyes on her mother.
"What's an investment if you don't know how it'll turn out? The premise sounds interesting and that's worth the investment in my opinion."
"What do I get out of it?" Madam Yamada asked.
"Possibly stopping whatever issues the lab has caused for us all." Ryu perked up. He wandered over to his sister and stood by her side. "Rumiko's right. This is the best thing we've heard in the last two months. Strange humanoid monsters constantly strike the city, whittling us down. They take the air supports down. They steal the bundles from those shipments from us. People are fighting as a result and there's no peace. Let's try their lead. If it doesn't go the way you want it to, I will willingly give myself up for the company."
"Ryu!" Ritsuka stepped forward. "You can't do that! You said the police force was where you wanted to—" Ryu stuck his hand out, silencing his brother. Ryu and Rumiko looked over to Lee Seng, who had taken his phone back out and was scanning something. They had silenced their mother with her exact approach and now had an opening for their brother and his friends.
"I'll ask the Numbers to see what the agreement was all about." Lee Seng shut his phone off and slipped it into his pocket. He stood up and turned to face the Yamadas. "If it's still doable, I'll find a way to get you what you were promised, alright?" Madam Yamada didn't answer. She simply walked away, leaving her two older children with Ritsuka and the others.
"Mother agrees." Rumiko nodded. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. She's been antsy because our father's not doing well." She looked over to Ritsuka. "Why didn't you tell any of us you were coming? This could've been solved if you'd just asked for me."
"I saw Ryu first so I…" Ritsuka's voice trailed off. Rumiko shook her head and moved over to Lee Seng.
"I hope my little brother hasn't caused too much trouble for you. I'm Rumiko Yamada." Rumiko introduced herself. Lee Seng shook her hand and nodded. Calis stood up and shook her hand.
"Lee Seng." Lee Seng introduced in return.
"Calis." Calis nodded. Rumiko nodded and smiled.
"Don't worry about the deal made between our parents." Ryu told Lee Seng. "The way things are right now, that's the last thing I'd worry about. I'd focus on the lead you have."
"What's this lead you're taking if you don't mind me asking?" Rumiko asked.
"An acquaintance of mine is four to five hours away. I think he's found something and wants me to come and see it for myself. Maybe it relates to the problem we're having here." Lee Seng answered.
"The monsters? The climate?" Rumiko asked.
"The monsters." Ritsuka answered. Rumiko nodded and looked at Ritsuka.
"It looks like you really do know what you want now, Ritz. Even arguing with Mother about it… I'm impressed." Rumiko smiled at Ritsuka, who responded with an eye roll. "Well, I hope one of our cars is worth it. We could use any help in trying to figure out where these monsters are coming from."
"They aren't anything we're used to seeing. Goblins, hobgoblins, beasts - that's normal, but twisted monsters? That's not normal." Ryu shook his head. "You said something about your 'father's skeletons.' Does it have to do with that?" Lee Seng nodded.
"D31 and those monsters are because of those 'skeletons.'" Lee Seng replied.
"Well, let's hope you hit a gold mine. C'mon. I'll take you to the back where all the cars are." Ryu motioned.
"Well, I'll head out now." Rumiko told Ryu. Ryu nodded and waved. Rumiko started off first, heading towards the stairs. "Oh!" She turned and looked at Ritsuka. "Whatever you do, come back alive, alright?" Ritsuka nodded and Rumiko responded with raised eyebrows. "Alright?"
"Alright!" Ritsuka grumbled. Ryu chuckled and started over to the stairs.
"Bye." Rumiko waved and headed down the steps.
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