ntothemsaying,

    “Yokocalledjustnowtotellmesomeruffiansandthugsjustwentintothebakerydemandingproteoheythreaterashthestoreifwedidn’tpayup.Amaliaisnowengagedinashoutingmatchwiththem.”

    19

    “I’llgo”saidDimitristandingup,greatlyarmed.

    “No.No.SitdownDimitri.Don’tbearmed.LetBigOtakecareofsuchsmallis.”HelookedmeaningfullyatBigO,whowentoutthroughthebackdoor.

    BigOstoodoutsidethedoorwayofthebakeryandsawsomethugsshoutingthreatsandobsitiesandseemedabouttotrashthebakery.Puttingbothhandsathiswaistheshouted

    “”Whatson-of-a-bitchesdaretoehereandcausetrouble?Scramouthereallofyou.”

    Thethugswerehaviimeoftheirlivesallpumpeduptogoonaspreeofdestruandintimidation.Sotheywereoopleasetofindthatsomeonedaredtosoptheirfun.Allthatindignationandangerweredirectedattheinterloperwhodaredtomeddleintheiraffairs.RushingoutofthebakerytheysurroundedBigO.OhempointedhisfiBigOshouting,

    “Howdareyoueandbuttinonourbusiness,youbald-headedmonkwhoshouldbepryinginyourtemple.”Sayingso,hisfistedarmshotouttohitBigOontheface.BigOcalmlyusedhisleftarmtodeflecthisoppo’srightfist,tookhalfastepforwardandusedhisrightfisttohithimrightattheterofhisheart.Thethuggroanedandfellbackseveralstepsbeforefallingtotheground.Hishandsclutchedathischestandherolledonthegroundinagony.Theotherthreerealizedthingsweren’tlookinggood,sotheytookoutthekheyhadtheircealedintheirbootsandpreparedforbattle.BigOslowlyuhebeltaroundhismonk’shabit,threwitonthegroundandstoodtherebare-chested,withbotharmsfoldedbeforehimwaitingtofight.ThethreethugsstaredunbelievinglyatthetattoooftheheadofaredoxonBigO’schestandtotteredbackseveralstepstremblingandstuttering,

    “You...you...you...YO!!!”BigO’sinfamousreputationasthe#1cold-bloodedkilleroftheunderworld,whohadassassinatedsomanypeoplethathehimselfhadlostt,wasstilllegendandbeingbandiedaboutoreets.SeeinghiminpersonscaredtheseMafia‘wannabes”somuchtheystoodquakingbeforehim.

    “Iseethatyouhaveheardofme,”saidBigOcoldly.“Soyoumustbefamiliarwithmyfavoritewayofkilling.Whoeverisnotafraidtodieexperienselfhowitfeeltohavehisneckbrokenbyhand.”

    “No.No.No...Wedonotdare”saidthethreethugs.Theypickeduptheirfallenradeandranfromsight.BigOpulledonhishabit,tieditwithhisbeltandwalkedintothebakerysaying,

    “Don’tbeafraid.Idon’tthinktheywilldaretoebaymore.”Thebeautieswhohadallgatheredtoviewthefrontatioheirhands.MaryandSheihadoncebeenabductedbyBigO,butwereluoughtobesavedbyRichardandJamaz.Theyhadheardthatherepentedandhadbeonk,spendinghistimeinprayerinasmalltemplebytheke,sotheywerenotafraidofhimanymore.Theygavehimthumbsupandsaid,

    19

    “Yreat!”

    “Youarewonderful!”BigOwasabashed.HeblushedfuriouslyaoreporttoMr.Kaffee“MissionAplished”!

    WhenDimitriheardMr.Kaffee’sreportthattheihadbeenpeacefullyresolved,henoddedandsaidsorrowfully,

    “Onthesurface,everythinginthissocietyseemscalmandpeaceful,butactuallytherearethugsandruffianswhopreyandbullytheweakandthei.Itisthesameeverywhere.Allthecrowsintheworldarebck.EveninmyKingdomofDreams,thereisthissupervilinCyclops.Is

ntothemsaying,

    “Yokocalledjustnowtotellmesomeruffiansandthugsjustwentintothebakerydemandingproteoheythreaterashthestoreifwedidn’tpayup.Amaliaisnowengagedinashoutingmatchwiththem.”

    19

    “I’llgo”saidDimitristandingup,greatlyarmed.

    “No.No.SitdownDimitri.Don’tbearmed.LetBigOtakecareofsuchsmallis.”HelookedmeaningfullyatBigO,whowentoutthroughthebackdoor.

    BigOstoodoutsidethedoorwayofthebakeryandsawsomethugsshoutingthreatsandobsitiesandseemedabouttotrashthebakery.Puttingbothhandsathiswaistheshouted

    “”Whatson-of-a-bitchesdaretoehereandcausetrouble?Scramouthereallofyou.”

    Thethugswerehaviimeoftheirlivesallpumpeduptogoonaspreeofdestruandintimidation.Sotheywereoopleasetofindthatsomeonedaredtosoptheirfun.Allthatindignationandangerweredirectedattheinterloperwhodaredtomeddleintheiraffairs.RushingoutofthebakerytheysurroundedBigO.OhempointedhisfiBigOshouting,

    “Howdareyoueandbuttinonourbusiness,youbald-headedmonkwhoshouldbepryinginyourtemple.”Sayingso,hisfistedarmshotouttohitBigOontheface.BigOcalmlyusedhisleftarmtodeflecthisoppo’srightfist,tookhalfastepforwardandusedhisrightfisttohithimrightattheterofhisheart.Thethuggroanedandfellbackseveralstepsbeforefallingtotheground.Hishandsclutchedathischestandherolledonthegroundinagony.Theotherthreerealizedthingsweren’tlookinggood,sotheytookoutthekheyhadtheircealedintheirbootsandpreparedforbattle.BigOslowlyuhebeltaroundhismonk’shabit,threwitonthegroundandstoodtherebare-chested,withbotharmsfoldedbeforehimwaitingtofight.ThethreethugsstaredunbelievinglyatthetattoooftheheadofaredoxonBigO’schestandtotteredbackseveralstepstremblingandstuttering,

    “You...you...you...YO!!!”BigO’sinfamousreputationasthe#1cold-bloodedkilleroftheunderworld,whohadassassinatedsomanypeoplethathehimselfhadlostt,wasstilllegendandbeingbandiedaboutoreets.SeeinghiminpersonscaredtheseMafia‘wannabes”somuchtheystoodquakingbeforehim.

    “Iseethatyouhaveheardofme,”saidBigOcoldly.“Soyoumustbefamiliarwithmyfavoritewayofkilling.Whoeverisnotafraidtodieexperienselfhowitfeeltohavehisneckbrokenbyhand.”

    “No.No.No...Wedonotdare”saidthethreethugs.Theypickeduptheirfallenradeandranfromsight.BigOpulledonhishabit,tieditwithhisbeltandwalkedintothebakerysaying,

    “Don’tbeafraid.Idon’tthinktheywilldaretoebaymore.”Thebeautieswhohadallgatheredtoviewthefrontatioheirhands.MaryandSheihadoncebeenabductedbyBigO,butwereluoughtobesavedbyRichardandJamaz.Theyhadheardthatherepentedandhadbeonk,spendinghistimeinprayerinasmalltemplebytheke,sotheywerenotafraidofhimanymore.Theygavehimthumbsupandsaid,

    19

    “Yreat!”

    “Youarewonderful!”BigOwasabashed.HeblushedfuriouslyaoreporttoMr.Kaffee“MissionAplished”!

    WhenDimitriheardMr.Kaffee’sreportthattheihadbeenpeacefullyresolved,henoddedandsaidsorrowfully,

    “Onthesurface,everythinginthissocietyseemscalmandpeaceful,butactuallytherearethugsandruffianswhopreyandbullytheweakandthei.Itisthesameeverywhere.Allthecrowsintheworldarebck.EveninmyKingdomofDreams,thereisthissupervilinCyclops.Is