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Yakuza

Lauren Prentice, recent Ph.D. and wounded Iraq veteran finds himself in the Hawaii Kai region of Oahu, Hawaii,
struggling to support his wife and improving his lot.

The acceptance of a position as a bartender at a Koko Marina restaurant and bar influenced by racial tensions found in the Islands, the Drug Trade, and Government involvement, along with a snapshot of the Hawaiian lifestyle, is a major influence on Lauren’s journey.
Enjoy!

Yakusa, Chapter I

Yakusa, Chapter I

YAKUZA, Chapter One By James Strauss The basin that has become known as Hawaii Kai was there thousands of years before Homo sapiens came along to reshape and remodel it. A man name Kaiser happened on the scene after World War II and using huge amounts of explosives...

Yakuza, Chapter II, by James Strauss

Yakuza, Chapter II, by James Strauss

YAKUZA Chapter II  The altercation came after the end of his first week in his new job as bartender at Zippy's.  That he had lasted the week without complaint had earned him dinner every night, before his shift began.  Ochuru called him in and gave him the reward, in...

Yakuza, Chapter III

Yakuza, Chapter III

YAKUZA Chapter III   Lauren spent his single day-off doing damage control at home. His wife was a shattered wreck, having been told nothing by her employer except that her services were no longer needed. Lauren would not, could not, tell her what the DEA task force...

Yakuza, Chapter IV

Yakuza, Chapter IV

YAKUZA Chapter IV Lauren opened the Apple computer and took half an hour of bar work time to figure out how he was going to access what he needed to access. He finally logged into the free Wi-Fi Zippys provided, and punched in “Yamashita.” The results surprised him....

Yakuza, Chapter V

Yakuza, Chapter V

YAKUZA Chapter Five  True to his word, the sergeant’s truck showed up in the night to pack all the belongings they had. It didn’t take long and didn’t come anywhere near to filling up the storage area in the back of the truck. When they got to Shapiro’s place the kids...

Yakuza, Chapter VI

Yakuza, Chapter VI

YAKUZA Chapter VI   Lauren was nervous, as he worked to finish the home-built suppressor for the Mannlicher. He had no doubts about testing the weapon and getting his ‘dope’ right for the shot. Sniping was ninety-percent preparation, equipment, and intellect. Taking...

Yakuza, Chapter VII

Yakuza, Chapter VII

YAKUZA Chapter VII   Lauren marveled over the awfulness of Hiyashi’s Karaoke singing, and the obvious fact that his drunken behavior had no effect in diminishing his stature with the men he was obviously in charge of. The Asian mentality was, in many ways, inscrutable...

Yakuza, Chapter VIII

Yakuza, Chapter VIII

YAKUZA CHAPTER VIII   When he arrived to open at the usual appointed time the bar was somehow different. The place was full. Lauren hadn’t been there to either unlock anything or to serve any drinks, but the Honolulu Police contingent and their Yakuza...

Yakuza, Chapter IX

Yakuza, Chapter IX

YAKUZA Chapter IX The Zodiac headed toward the cliff face. The rough lava wall plunged twenty-five feet into the heaving sea. Further toward the shore, in the direction back toward Zippys, surfers rode breaking waves which expanded in size as the rollers were pushed...

Yakuza, Chapter X

Yakuza, Chapter X

YAKUZA Chapter X   Lauren tied the gently bobbing boat off using bow and stern cleats, throwing a couple of rubber bumpers over the side, making sure he didn’t damage the swim step extending two feet from the stern of the big yacht. The magnum revolver hung down a...

Yakuza, Chapter XI

Yakuza, Chapter XI

YAKUZA CHAPTER XI Lauren brought the twin-hulled Fool’s Gold down off plane, as he eased into the lee waters of the southernmost unnamed island just off the Lanakai coast of Oahu. He’d been to the three small islands years before but, since they lacked any source of...

Yakuza, Chapter XII

Yakuza, Chapter XII

YAKUZA CHAPTER XII The Navatek hatch to the main deck was just off the top of the gangway. Lauren guided Shapiro through it and into a huge flat cabin that extended fifty feet wide by sixty feet in length.  The single unsupported room took up more than half the deck...

Yakuza, Chapter XIII

Yakuza, Chapter XIII

YAKUZA Chapter XIII   None of the men, sitting sprawled around the corner of the great cabin, said anything for almost a full minute following Ashton’s stunning comment and Yee’s accurate analysis of it. Lauren was the first to speak. He did so by whispering a...

YAKUZA,  Chapter XIV

YAKUZA, Chapter XIV

The Navatek ripped through the torn sea at high speed; its passengers isolated twenty feet above the wild close combat of ten-foot cross-swells fighting it out for dominance. The Molokai Express was actively at its most dangerous, as offshore winds were reaching...

Yakuza, Chapter XV

Yakuza, Chapter XV

YAKUZA Chapter XV Lauren surfaced in the rolling roiling and broken waters of the Molokai Express, the powerful vessel above him allowing only the bright glow of reflected light to appear along under it’s rising and falling twin hulls. Both ends of the vessel, rising...

Yakuza, Chapter XVI

Yakuza, Chapter XVI

YAKUZA CHAPTER XVI “Fuentes,” Lauren said the captain’s name, looking at the envelope of documents with the Letter of Marque on top, but making no move to take possession of it. He had the vague feeling he wasn’t supposed to actually possess it yet, or if ever,...

Yakuza, Chapter XVII

Yakuza, Chapter XVII

Yakuza Chapter XVII Lauren felt himself being trundled along through the bowels of the ship, carried by three men holding his ankles, his waist and one cradling his neck.  The pain from the effects of the electric stun gun was excruciating, but his inability to get a...

Yakuza, Chapter XVIII

Yakuza, Chapter XVIII

Yakuza Chapter XVIII   The .410 bird shot load blasted out of the revolver barrel at a thousand feet per second, sending most of its tiny shotgun load into Ashton’s right foot. The man screamed before going down in a heap to the deck, both hands moving defensively to...

Yakuza, Chapter XIX

Yakuza, Chapter XIX

YAKUZA CHAPTER XIX The ship accelerated at a furious rate with the U.S. destroyer Chaffee falling in behind it, no doubt running at flank speed. Lauren eased his way and then inserted himself into the bolstered chair next to where Shapiro stood on his own. The...

Yakuza, Chapter XX

Yakuza, Chapter XX

YAKUZA CHAPTER XX The ship glided across the small chop inside the reef. Lauren watched swimmers along the shallow waters of the pristine sandy beach take note. Shapiro pushed a button and a shrill howling began to wail forth from outside speakers. The ship continued...

Yakuza, Chapter XXI

Yakuza, Chapter XXI

Yakuza Chapter XXI Lauren, in front of his ‘amigos,’ hit the upper Lido deck cabin door running, changed course slightly with the way the bridge attached to the top of the stairs, and then went through the deck hatch at a dead sprint, his small but powerful compact...

Yakuza, Chapter XXII

Yakuza, Chapter XXII

                                      YAKUZA                                          Chapter XXII A big gruff looking man in full Navy uniform stepped between members of Delta Force gathered together at the top of the gantry. “I guess your job, whatever the hell it...