“In this house, loyalty isn’t always spoken. You watch it. You read it. You measure who bows, who hesitates, who looks away first. If you know the hierarchy, you’ll know when something feels. . .off.”
The twins nodded in agreement.
“I like the idea of you giving me a crash course.”
“Good. Any questions?”
Aki added under his breath, “You’re an ally now.”
“How many men does each Claw have?”
“Thirty to sixty depending on the Claw.”
“What?”
He shrugged.
The number hit me like a body blow. That wasn’t a crew. That wasn’t a squad. That was a private army—disciplined, loyal, and deadly enough to take over small countries if Kenji ever woke up and chose chaos.
“So. . .the Claws are very much top Lieutenants?”
“Yes.”
“And the Fangs? How many men do they have under them?”
“That moresodepends on the mission. They don’t run and manage people like the Claws. They more so gather. . .up to a hundred or so men each, when they need something big done. They even grab people from other organizations.”
“How?”
“When the Fangs move, Kenji signs off on every name. Each man is paid triple hazard rates. They’ll fly in from Osaka, Seoul, or even Shanghai if needed.”
My pulse kicked up. Mobilizing that many people wasn’t just about having a lot of money. It was an unbelievable amount of power.
Not a massive criminal organization but an endless kingdom.
“Damn. I didn’t think that their jobs were that huge.”
We continued on, and the whole time I assessed all the people that walked by.
Everyone looked good. Their clothes were clean and well-fitted. Their skin glowed. Their posture was relaxed but engaged—the body language of people who liked their jobs and felt secure in them.
A young woman passed us carrying a stack of books, earbuds in, completely unbothered by our presence. She stopped, bowed at us, and walked on with a smile.
I glanced at Hiro. "They seem really comfortable here."
"They should be." Hiro's tone was matter-of-fact. "Kenji pays triple the market rate for all staff positions. Full medical and dental. If they have dependents—husbands, children, even retired parents—housing is free if they want it, or he subsidizes off-site apartments. Paid leave is generous. Also, there’s education benefits for their children."
I blinked. "Education benefits?"
"Full scholarships to any university in Japan. Some staff send their kids to schools in Europe or America. Reo makes sure the kids get into whatever place they want. Kenji covers it."
Shock hit me. “Seriously?”
The twins nodded like this was normal.
Hiro continued, "And Scales in his household get more. Much more. Private health insurance that covers their entire family. Retirement plans that vest after five years. Performance bonuses that can double their salary. Paid vacations—not just days off, actual trips. Last year, one of the Scales took her parents to Greece for two weeks. Kenji paid for everything."
I stopped walking.
