Full Circle

By Jeffrey Allen Davis

Maria “Star” Gonzales is dead. The autopsy rules it a heart attack but Jamie, Dave, and the others cannot bring themselves to believe that the vibrant, young woman could have died from such natural causes. They decide to attend the funeral and do a little snooping while in Jameston.

In the town of their founding, the team of martial artists find themselves in the middle of a war between their old enemies, the Renegades, and the Japanese organized crime family known as the Yakuza. To add to the chaos, a former assassin for the Waruiyatsu ninja clan now works as a bodyguard for Hiroshi, the head of the Japanese syndicate. Could they be behind the death of Adventure’s friend? Or could Ben Shalley, whose hand is in all of the crime in the state, have faked the autopsy report to manipulate Jamie and the others? More importantly, could this all lead to the explanation of another mysterious death that has already plagued our heroes?

Finally, Yoshi has been talking with the elders of the Funakoshi family about a big decision that could lead her to the fulfillment of the prophecy that was given to her by Elvara Winterbreeze the day that she came to know Jesus. But how will this decision affect her friends . . . and Jamie, in particular?

As the members of Adventure face the past that turned them into a fighting team, they find a surprising ally. Will they now come Full Circle?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeffrey Allen Davis
• Release date: Aug 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370056156

Jeffrey Allen Davis

Jeffrey Allen Davis writes from a suburb of St. Louis, MO, where he lives with his wife Vickie, two step-children Jayson and Breeanna (yes that's really the spelling of her names), and his daughter Kaitlyn (part-time). An ordained minister, Davis’s writing tends to take place within a Christian worldview, even if the story isn’t overtly religious.Davis spends his time watching Christian and martial arts movies, hanging out with his family, studying the Word, and contemplating the joy of Reformed Theology.In his day job, Davis works as a loyalty travel agent. He is slowly learning the industry and has finally gotten most of the airport codes committed to memory.He is also a very political person who enjoys discussing his conservative views. On top of that, he will gripe--to anyone who will listen--about how Marvel Comics ruined Spider-Man by ret-conning his marriage to Mary Jane. That and how Wizards of the Coast ruined D&D with the 4th edition of the game.

Book preview

Full Circle

Book Six of the Adventure Chronicles

by

Jeffrey Allen Davis

GCD Publishing

Smashwords Edition

Copyrighted Material

© 2017, Jeffrey Allen Davis

This book is a work of fiction. Places, events and situations in this story are purely fictional. Any similarities to actual persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Cover Art by Nathan Bonner

Cover Layout by JL MacDonald

Christian Fiction

http://jeffreyallendavis.wordpress.com

http://gcdpublishing.wordpress.com

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible verses are quoted from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.

To David Nall.

You left this world at too young an age.

I wish I could have said goodbye.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

****

Full Circle

Prologue

August 9, 1993

Monday, 9:32 PM

Below a small, long-closed convenience store on the outskirts of Jameston, Missouri, the basement had been converted into a casino. Craps tables, roulette, cards . . . any game of chance could be found here. Wealthy individuals from all over the state—as well as the surrounding states—would come here and gamble away small fortunes. To these people, a hundred thousand dollars was petty . . . mere pocket change. But in large numbers, these people were quickly making this casino the biggest income generator for the gang that ruled the small town.

As the people who came here were so diverse, it was with wonder that two Japanese individuals . . . one man and one woman . . . garnered so much attention when they walked in the door on this warm summer evening. The man looked around the room, his eyes settling upon the door at the opposite side of the casino. He walked purposely toward it, the woman following a respectable distance behind.

As they reached the door, the woman blurted out in their native language, Are you sure that you don’t wish for me to accompany you?

He shook his head with a smile. Wait here.

"I don’t trust this Benjamin Shalley," she returned.

Nor do I, was the man’s response. Your hearing is excellent. If I need you, then I trust that you will come at the correct time.

She bowed to him and he returned the act of respect. Then the man turned and opened the door, stepping inside.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he realized that he was in a room with four American adolescents. He closed the door, as the one who his aide had mentioned outside said, in perfect Japanese, Greetings Hiroshi-san. Please, take a seat.

Hiroshi walked to the center of the room and sat at the circular table that occupied it. He looked casually at the four gang members. To what do I owe the pleasure of your invitation, Shalley? His words were in English.

Ben also converted his speech to his native tongue. "Since your family’s arrival in Southern Missouri a couple of months back, our partnership has been one of mutual benefit. At first, I was concerned that you would decrease our profits, but we’ve actually been doubling them based on our records from this time last year. I really wanted to trust that you respected us as much as we respected you."

Hiroshi cocked an eyebrow. Then I do not see a problem.

Ben turned and grabbed a vinyl bag from a smaller table and tossed it to the Japanese man. What do you make of this?

Hiroshi examined the bag. It had a strong zipper on top for closing it. The zipper had been broken off at this point, however. On the side of the bag were written the words PROPERTY OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE. Hiroshi shrugged and dropped the bag on the table. It would appear to be a bag for carrying money. What is your point, Shalley?

This armored car was robbed on the outskirts of the Bluff yesterday morning, was Ben’s response. The drivers said that they were attacked by Asian men. Ben glared at Hiroshi and folded his arms across his chest. "Our agreement was that the Renegades would get a cut of any of your activity in Missouri or Northern Arkansas. Where’s our twenty percent of this heist?"

Hiroshi looked down at the bag, at a loss for words. Had some of his people robbed this truck without his knowledge? I have no indication that my family had anything to do with this.

The largest teen—a Hispanic youth by the name of Mike Noddingham—swore. We’re not playin’ games with you anymore!

Hiroshi sighed in mild annoyance. I am not playing games.

Mike reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun, aiming at Hiroshi’s head.

Just then a four-pointed shuriken embedded itself into his right hand.

The large adolescent yelped and dropped the gun just as a Japanese woman charged into the room. Before Hiroshi even had a chance to register what was happening, Maori had kicked one of the boys who was still seated, sending his chair falling backward. She had used another well-placed kick to break the leg out from under the chair of the other boy who was still sitting, dumping him to the floor. And she now had Mike on his knees, twisting the small finger of his left hand.

They say that this is the weakest part of the human anatomy, she told the Renegades’ enforcer as she moved his finger, forcing his entire upper torso to follow. "I believe you Americans call it a pinkie?" Her voice held not the slightest accent.

Mike glared at her through pain-filled eyes. I’m gonna kill you!

She smiled at him. Her smile was actually quite striking. I don’t think so. She then gave a sharp twist of her wrist, snapping his finger. The big teen cried out in pain as she let him go, dropping him to the floor where he grasped his left hand with his right, which still had her throwing star embedded in it.

Hiroshi smiled and climbed to his feet. Impeccable timing, Ms. Kabayashi. He turned to look at Ben. If any of my men were responsible for the robbery, then I will learn of it and they will be punished. I am a man of honor, Mr. Shalley. That is something that I had thought of you. But a katana does not make someone a samurai. He walked over to stand at the door, waiting for Maori to follow. Our arrangement is now changing. Do not expect any tribute from us any longer. Then the two turned to leave, leaving Ben to glare after them as Mike’s cries of pain filled the room.

Chapter One

August 10, 1993

Tuesday, 7:54 AM

Maria Gonzales opened the front door of her house and plunged inside, slamming the door and fastening every lock. She turned and ran into the bedroom, tossing her camera onto the bed. She then moved to her closet, where she grabbed her suitcase, stuffing clothes inside without regard to folding them.

As she packed, Maria looked up. I hope I’m doing the right thing, Lord. She had already dropped off the backup package and mailed a set of the evidence to the only people she could trust. What she had witnessed this morning was entirely too important to not be told to someone. And the only people whom she could trust with that information lived two hours away, in the town of Sera.

She finished packing and grabbed her camera again, then ran to the front door. After unlocking it, she plunged outside and closed the door behind her, not even bothering to lock it back. After jogging to the back door of her car, she opened it and tossed her suitcase and camera inside. Slamming it, she turned and ran around to the driver’s side front door. She climbed in and closed it, then started the engine and backed out of the driveway, heading up the street. A couple of turns and she was on Main Street, headed for the highway that would take her toward the Bluff . . . and Sera.

* * *

She’d been driving for ten minutes and was in the rural area on the outskirts of Jameston when she heard the loud BOOM and realized that she had experienced a blowout. Sighing in frustration and fear, she pulled her car onto the shoulder of the road next to a cotton field and climbed out after popping the trunk.

She examined the tire on the back driver’s side and her heart dropped into her stomach. There was a bullet hole in it.

Then she noticed the red dot appear on her arm. She followed it up to her shoulder, then lost track of it as it moved up her face to settle on her forehead. She did not even have time to scream before the gunshot echoed across the rows of cotton.

* * *

The assassin put his gun away, pleased with the sighting mechanism. He looked down at the woman whose life he had just ended. She had been quite attractive. Such a waste.

He walked around the car and opened the back passenger’s side door and grabbed her camera. Pulling it out, he opened it, horrified to find that there was no film inside. A thorough search of her suitcase turned up no film, either. His heart pounded in his chest as he wracked his brain for ideas. Then he settled on a plan. He would wait until dark and search her house.

* * *

The courthouse lawn was filled with demonstrators this morning. There was an important discussion going on inside and the people were very interested in the vote that would result.

Jamie pulled his 1985 Chevy Cavalier into a parking space in front of the town library, across the street from the courthouse. He climbed out of the driver’s seat as Yoshi did the same from the passenger’s seat. He looked at the demonstrators and sighed. Without exception, they were all in agreement with him. But, would it make a difference?

I think that this will be enjoyable, commented Yoshi.

"I don’t know if I’d go that far, returned her clan brother. But I definitely think it’s important. He opened the back driver’s side door and grabbed two signs. Which one do you want?"

"I want the one that says Abortion is Murder," responded his clan sister, so he handed that sign to her. He would keep the It’s a Child, Not a Choice sign.

As they moved into the crowd of demonstrators, Jamie spotted Dave Isaac standing near a picnic table, upon which his very pregnant wife sat with a sign that