It was late afternoon when everyone woke up, needing coffee and food. Noriko got up first, as per usual, but was tired until she had a second cup of coffee. Hiroto came next and he helped her prepare the food.

"I was surprised that no mafia crew tried to crash the party last night, since all of SWORD was there, even the old Mugen guys."

Hiroto replied, "everyone there would've kicked their asses, including us. They tried to do it once, with Doubt and Mighty Warriors combined. Kohaku had joined a Korean Mafia gang to lead those two crews. He did it as they promised to take down Kuryu. Long story short, Masaki and I were involved indirectly too and a united S.W.O.R.D. won. Since then there hasn't been a big rumble involving everyone again."

"Ah, so they learned their lesson back then. It just seems things are too quiet." Noriko sighed and then sat on her husband's lap.

"I agree, something will surely happen and in a bad way. We're ready if it does," Hiroto said confidently. "After all, I married a hellcat." He teased her, but gave Noriko a coffee kiss.

"It won't be Asuga and I causing a storm this time, especially since we now split our time between the Amamiya House and here."

Masaki walked in, wearing his black jeans and nothing else. "Is there any fresh coffee?"

"Yeah a new pot just finished brewing. Is Asuga up yet?"

"No, but when I bring her coffee, its smell will do the trick." Masaki prepared two mugs, but had his first, before pouring himself another. "Are you going to take your expensive tequila to the house?"

"Yeah, I was thinking of having it all displayed in that old china cabinet, the one with the glass doors."

"I like that idea too Noriko," Hiroto approved. "We can wear backpacks to carry them over. Want to do it today?"

"Sure. We can decide together what to do with the other gifts, once Asuga is fully functioning." Noriko winked at Masaki.

Masaki suggested, "I'd wrap the bottles in something, so they don't bang against each other and break."

"We can put clean clothes around them, since it doesn't hurt to have spare jeans and shirts there too."

"MASAKI IS THAT COFFEE I SMELL?" Asuga yelled from their bedroom.

"And off he goes, the obedient servant," Hiroto teased.

"Shut up," Masaki replied and had to hastily explain, "no not you Asuga, that was at Hiro."

Before Hiroto got mad, Noriko distracted him, "let's go shower, before they do and use up all the hot water." She got off his lap and pulled him to the bathroom.

It wasn't long before the whole room was steamy and not just because of the hot water. In the end they had two showers, one of which was used to actually get clean. They shared a towel, which made Noriko giggle as they stumbled past Asuga and Masaki.

"It doesn't matter if you walk by naked, you're identical twins after all, and I've already seen all that Hiroto has to offer, even if it was accidental!" Masaki laughed as Hiroto tried to throw a punch, without loosing the towel.

Asuga pointed out, "but you two aren't identical brothers... should I steal that towel?"

"Keep your eyes on your own husband!" Noriko retorted and pulled her man into his room, slamming the door.

They heard both Masaki and Asuga laughing, but then Asuga said, "I would never betray you or her like that and neither would Hiro. I remember all too well what happened last time she thought that."

"They know that and so do I."

After that their voices disappeared. Hiroto and Noriko exchanged a look. They got dressed and began packing the tequila bottles into back packs.

"These are heavier than I thought!" Noriko groaned, as she tried to shoulder the pack.

Masaki walked into the room. "We'll ride with you, I'll take the pack."

Asuga followed behind him, but was just wearing a bra and the new bullet proof vest that had been a wedding gift. "I'm ready to ride."

"Maybe to ride Masaki, but not on the street," Noriko disagreed.

"But it's hot out!" Asuga protested.

"At least wear a t-shirt, because if a bee stings you between the boobs, you'll regret it. I'm even riding in jeans, the vest and a shirt, because you're right it's so hot."

"Damn it, I hate when you're right. Fine I'll wear a shirt."

Hiroto winked at Noriko, she'd learned how to get Asuga to do what she wanted, without having a big argument. Both him and Masaki were wearing the vests with t-shirts too, this time neither would wear their leather jackets. They left together, the guys in the lead. Truth be told the twins loved riding together with their husbands. It was like a family outing, especially due to their destination. Even though the brothers didn't wear their helmets, their wives still did. The breeze felt fantastic, but stop lights and signs, that arrested their movement, made it seem more sweltering. The Amamiya house was cooler then the apartment, only because the over grown trees kept it shaded from the sun. On arrival they all dismounted under the car park.

"The vest and pack are making my back sweat," Masaki complained. "I'm glad to take both off now."

"You and Hiro can sit at the table, I'll get you cold drinks and turn the fans on." Asuga served Masaki first, then gave Hiroto a beer.

"Cold beer never tasted so good," Hiroto sighed. He was a dutiful husband, "do you need help with the bottles Noriko?"

"No, it's okay, thanks. Just relax."

It didn't take her long to organize the tequila and she took a picture of the finished display, on her cell phone. "Asuga can you take the clothes and put them away?"

"If you share the popsicle you're eating."

Noriko handed her sister the rest of the orange creamsicle. "There are two more in the freezer."

"Yeah, but I don't want a full one."

"Nori why not have a chilled tequila shot, there's a bottle in the freezer." Masaki suggested.

"I don't drink and ride... well at least not normally." She grinned sheepishly.

Hiroto was about to agree, when Masaki's ringing cell phone interrupted. He looked at his brother expectantly, and was quickly filled in on the situation. "We four have a job,. Saigo just called that a school bus of little kids was hijacked. The Doubt gang apparently kidnapped the kids, they've got more members again, which means someone is bankrolling their crew. He's requested us to find the kids and have them returned safely."

"That's his job, why ask us?"

"Because the bus was last seen going into Little Asia. That's mafia turf. It's easier for us to go in, than him. He's paying well for our services because media is involved."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Asuga announced.

"Let me call Ice and ask if they've heard anything. Ryu who's now with Doubt, use to be a Mighty Warrior." Noriko pulled out her cell and made the call.

Hiroto added, "I remember him, he's the guy who slashed Smoky on the back. The doc had to give him a lot of stitches. I wouldn't mind punching that guy again."

Masaki finished his whisky on the rocks and cleaned up his glass. He put his vest back on, but didn't bother with the back pack. Hiroto and the twins did the same.

"What's Ice say?"

"Jesse thinks it's either that the kids are being sold overseas or taken for organ harvesting. Ice said that Jesse's prison buddy Pho is on his way to Little Asia too, because Pho is like an avenging angel when it comes to children. Jesse knows not to mess with jobs involving kids, for that reason alone."

Asuga said, "those sick bastards. I already like this guy Pho."

They left the Amamiya House and rode for Little Asia. First they would check the area where organ harvesting happened, then they'd find out if there was a shipment for kids waiting to go out. As luck would have it, they spotted the school bus parked in a back ally, near the place where Noriko had rescued Jamuo that one crazy night. They carefully approached the bus and everyone jumped, when Noriko's cell began to ring. Hiroto and Masaki checked the bus and found it empty.

"Hey Ice, what's up?"

"Jesse just got a call from Pho, he's found the bus."

"Yeah so did we, but no one's here. Did Pho tell Jesse where he went?"

"The kids are being used for organ harvesting. Pho didn't have time to tell us where he was."

"Okay thanks, text me if he gives a location." Noriko hung up with Ice and told the others about the call.

Masaki called Fujio. "Hi. Is Tsukasa with you?"

Fujio replied, "yeah he's here... You're on speaker phone, go ahead."

"Tsukasa where's the place you dumped the twins' ex, the organ harvesting area?"

Tsukasa told the cross streets of where it was. Masaki thanked them and hung up. "We have a bit more to ride, let's go!"

It didn't take the four of them long to reach the place Tsukasa had described. They parked the motorcycles and went forward on foot. A man came flying out a window with a thud. Looking in throuth the broken glass,  they saw Pho fighting.

"We're joining him. While the men fight us, find the kids and get them out to safety."

Noriko held out her fist, "live strong."

The others smashed their fists into hers and said in unison, "live strong!"

The guys split from their wives. Masaki kicked in a door and Hiroto ran in letting loose with a flurry of superman punches. Masaki followed him inside. Noriko signalled to Asuga and they came in the wake of their husbands. Anyone still groaning and trying to get up, the Twins stomped on, knocking them out cold or breaking a leg. They kept to the shadows and hid behind anything that was big enough.

Pho threatened to crush the skull of the man he had in his hands. "Tell me where the kids are or die!"

The man begged and tried to stab the guy that held him, but the pressure on his skull from the two massive hands, made him suddenly point to stairs that lead down. Noriko and Asuga didn't wait to find out if Pho really could crush a skull. They ran towards the stairs. Going down they slowed, in case someone was waiting at the bottom. Their instincts were right, and they had to fight too. The thing about twins is their team work was off the charts. Noriko was using Hiroto's old knuckle punch and those that didn't stay down, Asuga disabled. The next wave of thugs had knives and the vests protected all the vital organs. Asuga was cut on the arm and Noriko lost her shit on the offender. Pho, Masaki and Hiroto caught up to them and cleared the way for the twins. When they heard the cries of children, Pho's rage made him plow through the thugs with renewed vigour.

Asuga was nervous, "Pho reminds me of a charging rhino." Her joke made her sister grimace.

"Let us go in first. The guys upstairs had knives and guns," Masaki warned.

"We know they've got knives, I took one from the asshole that cut Asuga.

They heard gunshots and then Pho roared. The twins were glad to be wearing their vests and that their husbands did too. They saw blood on the floor and figured that Pho had been shot, but not stopped.

"Noriko, Asuga!" Masaki shouted, "come now."

The twins moved as one and saw children tied up in a room. Noriko went to work cutting the ropes, while Asuga stood guard.

"Children, is this all of you?"

One little boy spoke up, "no. We've been here two days. Men took some of us away and those didn't come back. They herded a new group down the hall."

"Asuga, you take this bunch out. Call Murayama to get his truck or maybe Cobra for back up. I'm going to look for the other children."

Asuga grabbed her sister's arm. "Be safe."

"You too! There may still be thugs outside. Children obey her, she'll save you all."

The little boy asked, "who are you?"

"We're the Amamiyas, formerly known as the Chiba Twins."

"Children stay behind me, hold each other's hands. Let's go!" Asuga moved out with the kids.

Noriko waited until she saw they'd all gone up the stairs, then she continued to check rooms for the little ones. One door was locked and its window blocked. She threw caution to the wind. "Children are you there? Try to make a noise if you are."

She pressed her ear to the door and heard a thump sound. Whether it was a thug or a kid, she didn't know but still kicked in the door, knife ready. It was dark, but Noriko was able to see the hall light reflect in eyes and then she heard whimpers. The children had duct tape over their mouths and were tied together with what felt like an electrical extension cord. It would take a bit to cut through.

"It's going to hurt to have the tape removed. Try not to make a sound," she warned. "I'm here to save you."

The first piece of tape came off and the little girl cried, but the noise of fighting drowned out the sound. Noriko got the cord cut and told the children to help each other get the tape off. She checked the hall to make sure no one was waiting for them. She put a finger to her lips and the children nodded. "Hold on to each other. Keep your eyes on me only, or you'll have nightmares at home."

Before they began to move, she head voices in the hall and then cursed when her cell notified of a text. She had the children hide along the wall, behind the open door.

"Norkio?" Fujio called out.

"What are you doing here, it's dangerous!" She grabbed him by the shirt pulling him into the room.

"Curiosity and we figured it was bad, so Tsukasa wanted to come check it out. He knows this place." Fujio quickly explained. "We'll help you get the kids out."

"Here, put on my vest if you're going first." Noriko took it off and helped adjust the straps. "They've got guns."

Tsukasa said, "we called Murayama, he's on his way. Asuga was talking to Cobra, when we got here."

"Shit... sorry kids." Noriko apologized for swearing.

"My daddy says SHIT all the time." A young voice said from the darkness.

"Let's go. Tsukasa stay behind me if you see a gun. Noriko you protect the rear." Fujio lead the group out into the hall and up the stairs.

To everyone's relief they ran into no problems. They brought the children to where Asuga was.

"Murayama's bringing the truck with Furuya. They heard about the kidnapping on the news. Cobra and Yamato are coming too, but I told them not to bring their whole crew, because of the gun fire." Asuga explained.

Fujio wanted to go back in. "Asuga give Tsukasa your vest. We're going back in to help the Amamiya brothers."

"I'm going back in too. I'll stay behind you two. I'm sure there are more kids." Noriko stated and her eyes showed there was no use arguing with her. "Children stay with my sister."

Another boy from the first group asked, "are you superheroes?"

Tsukasa smiled and crouched down to the kid's height. He ruffled the child's hair. "No, just every day good guys."

Noriko was impatient, "come on, the job's not done."

Fujio and Tsukasa took lead and once more they went inside to search for children. They could hear more gun fire. "If video games are right, that sounded like a 9mm fully automatic gun."

"That must be Pho and the guys drawing attention. Be careful and keep going," Noriko warned.

The next room they saw operating tables. Unfortunately she also saw a butchered child. Turning to the side, Noriko vomited. Tears blurred her vision and she had problems catching her breath. Fujio left Tsukasa at the door and came to bring her out. "No one can help in here. Just think of how many kids we're saving." He gave her a hug and then turned back towards the door.

She pulled herself together. "Right. I'm okay. Good thing Pho didn't see this."

Onward they went, more doors, but no children. It felt like a horror movie, with red lights, plastic curtains, screams and yells. Noriko had fear travel up her spine and she held on to the back of Fujio and Tsukasa's shirts. Maybe it was because they had to protect her or just manly instinct, but their courage ramped up. The next scream, had her pushing past them and running down a hall littered with unconscious men.

"MASAKI!" Hiroto yelled as he saw his brother shot by multiple bullets. He watched in horror, thinking his brother was dead, but unable to go to him. Gunfire had him pinned down behind a metal cabinet.

"HIROTO?!" Noriko screamed.

"STAY BACK!" Hiroto shouted, now scared his wife might die too.

Fujio and Tsukasa managed to restrain her and keep Noriko out of the gun fight.

Masaki sat up. The vest had saved his life, but the impact the bullets made, still hurt. Bruises were much better than death. He made eye contact with Hiroto. With hand signals they planned how to deal with the 9mm.

Noriko sent a text to them both, but Masaki replied that Fujio and Tsukasa shouldn't get involved. So she texted Asuga asking if Cobra had arrived yet. Before her sister could reply a hand landed on her shoulder. Reacting before looking, Noriko almost stabbed Yamato. "Damn it, sorry!"

Cobra shook his head, "our faults for not warning you. You three should get out, we'll handle it with the Amamiya brothers."

"Pho is also up ahead somewhere. We've got vests, but be careful, I can't handle any of you dying."

Yamato said, "we came already knowing that we might not make it out alive. But these bastards hurt kids."

"We'll be careful. You boys keep her safe." Cobra put on the vest and checked Yamato's too. Then staying low, they joined the fight.

"Let them clear out the thugs and we'll get the remaining children after that." Fujio convinced Noriko to leave, to Tsukasa's relief.

**~~~~~**~~~~~**

Cobra made it to Masaki's side, while Yamato joined Hiroto across from them. They texted each other the plan on how to deal with the remaining thugs. No one knew where Pho was or if he was even still alive. With a last hand signal, Masaki and Cobra moved in to take out the automatic guns. Neither had fear due to being so focused on defeating the thugs. Cobra went low and took out the legs of two thugs firing rounds wildly. Masaki's kicks put them asleep. Two down four more to go. Their actions, gave Hiroto and Yamato a chance to move forward to better cover. Then they rushed two men from behind. Punches to the back of the neck and only two gun men remained. As four they rushed the thugs, who were no match.

"Pho?" Masaki shouted.

"Over here, one guy hamstringed me. I can't move."

Yamato went to Pho. "I'll help you out, think you can stand?"

"Just leave me, the kids are more important." Pho declined.

"The twins already got most of them out. We'll clear the building, then they'll get any of the kids left. Just go with Yamato." Cobra explained.

Masaki, Hiroto and Cobra continued to disable thugs. They too came upon a room used for surgery, but other than blood, they found no bodies. After making it through the whole building, without coming upon any more mafia men or Doubt members, they decided to do a sweep for children. Thinking their war was over, they weren't as cautious as before. No one expected the man who came out of a freezer. Hiroto's instinct kept him from being stabbed badly, but he still got a cut on his thigh that would need stitches.

Enraged Masaki growled, "no one stabs my brother and walks away." He kicked the big knife so hard, that it turned it into a projectile that cut off the hand of the man sneaking towards Cobra from the side. Then he kicked the stabber in the throat. "That's justice, but I want revenge." Masaki stomped on the knees of the man, crushing the bones in multiple places.

"That's enough," Hiroto pushed Masaki back.

"Can you ride?"

"What do you think?"

"Not so fast assholes," Ryu said from behind them.

Hiroto saw a flash of a knife and before he could react Masaki arrived, threw a kick that blocked most of the blow.  The blade still managed to hit his arm.  Masaki also got cut, but again only to the point of causing some bleeding and nothing too serious.

"That's gonna need stitches. Call the doc to meet us at the apartment," Hiroto suggested. Then smiled as Cobra landed a haymaker on Ryu, breaking his jaw.

"You brothers can't seem to stay out of trouble, good thing I'm here," Cobra joked. While tenderizing Ryu's ribs.

Masaki nodded, "we'll give you a cut of what Saigo was going to pay."

"I'd rather have you owe me." Cobra's smile looked a little wicked due to the red lights.

Together they went up the stairs and outside. Asuga and Noriko ran to them, relieved that everyone was okay.

"We didn't see anymore children, but we can go back in for another sweep just in case. Amamiyas give your vests to Murayama and Fujio." Cobra took charge.

"Anyone got a flashlight, cell lights aren't enough," Fujio asked.

Furuya looked in the truck cab and found one flashlight. "I want it back."

While the four went back in to look for any remaining kids, the Amamiya brothers checked on Pho and the children. Pho would ride in the truck cab and get taken to a hospital. Tsukasa was already watching over the children in the truck bed, instructing them to all sit and hold on to the ropes.

"Are you two the Amamiya Brothers?" Asked the little boy who'd thought they were superheroes.

Hiroto answered, "yes."

"Are the twins your sisters?"

Masaki smiled, "no they're our wives." He kissed Asuga on the cheek, keeping it clean for the kids.

"OOOOOOHHHHH!" The children all said.

Hiroto went up to the truck, "do you have any brothers?"

"No, but this is my sister."

"Then protect her well."

"He's the best brother in the world!" The sister announced.

Hiroto made eye contact with Masaki, "maybe, but I think I have the best brother in the world too."

Masaki held out his fist to Hiroto, who did the same. Noriko and Asuga joined them. "Live Strong."

Fujio, Murayama, Cobra and Yamato came out of the building, each carrying a child. "These four couldn't walk. They'll have to go to the hospital with Pho."

After giving the vests back to the Amamiyas, the children were handed up to Tsukasa.  Then Fujio and Murayama got into the truck bed with them. The weakest child, Pho held in his arms.

"Thank you, all of you, for helping tonight. We'll share the payment."

Pho said, "it's a man's duty to protect children."

Murayama and Furuya said at the same time, "no payment needed for us Oya High guys either... not for saving kids."

Hiroto nodded, "tomorrow, Fujio and Tsukasa should come over for dinner at our place. Noriko will text you the address." Then he told Pho, "we'll pay for your medical fees."

Asuga announced, "Murayama, Furuya, Cobra and Yamato, I'll ride by with your rewards tomorrow around noon too. I won't accept no as an answer."

"Thank you," the four guys in question obediently accepted.

Masaki reported, "Saigo will meet you at the hospital. From there after the children have been checked by doctors, their families will be contacted to pick them up."

"The doc is on his way to the apartment," Noriko added. "Let's go."