The reception isn't all that great, but the antennas are managed in a perfect position for just a few channels to surf through. Work of the Weaver spreads out with each flicker of the television screen as Yi pushes a button with her face up close towards the TV to try and find some news media. Most of the specials are done, so eventually she simply leaves it on whatever channel is on at the moment and heads into the kitchen to grab a soda.

Wei Ao pages: What sorta security has the apartment got?

You paged Wei Ao with 'Heavy deadbolt lock, chain, regular doorknob lock.'. As she makes her way into the kitchen, the door-handle clicks, and turns - the deadbolt slides back, and the chain falls out. All in one smooth motion - with next to no warning. The door opens, and then a well-dressed Asian youth begins to enter. The face of the stranger coming through the door - recognizable after a few moments as Tong Wei Ao, if she turns to see him. A face from home...

The black-clad and glasses-wearing boy grins widely. "Howdy pardner." he says, as the front door closes. His accent terrible - plainly unaccostomed to English. He's clearly come up in the world, though... Especially with the clothes. A tight, black suit in the latest HK fashion. A silk shirt in a deep blue.

Yi turns as the door bolt slides open, surprised in expecting it to be Nevada actually back early. Not to her luck, though. As features are made out in the blinking christmas lighted arena and flickering rays from the television in the corner, Yi stiffens. "Wei?" The look on her face, close enough to being incredulous or disbelieving. "{What are you... how...}" Her wits come back to her as she forgets completely about her soda. He may or may not notice it, but her eyes unfocus from his face to look behind him briefly for 'backup'. For a moment, it's just a standoff. Her apparel was changed into some dark blue sweats and a white t-shirt earlier.

There's the sound of movement in the bedroom. Drawers being opened. Wei Ao nods, and turns to reset the locks and bolts on the door, before turning back and straightening his suit. The boy tilts his head, and continues to beam. "{Good to see you can still speak the language of home. I'm disappointed you don't look very happy at seeing an old friend.}"

Yi arches an eyebrow, before turning partly to listen at the drawers being opened. Debate goes quickly in her mind, as well as questions whizzing by. "{Oh don't think I'm not happy to see you, Wei. But you seem to have forgotten about manners in visiting another's home. Whatever happened to respecting territory?}" She taps a finger to her cheek with a wry grin and a wink. Then, she's turning to go into the bedroom via the very short and narrow corridor to investigate said noisemakers.

She nearly bumps into a tall, beautiful young woman - also black-clad, like Wei, but in expensive leather. Finely tailored, the jacket - zipped up. Sinfully tight PVC flows over her curves, coming down to functional, yet exquisite boots. The whole picture is marred slightly by a few small cuts and tears in the jacket and pants - hints of blood underneath. The woman also wears small, dark glasses. Her hair falls down either side of her face to shoulder length, and the hair behind falls beyond - to the small of her back. She stares blankly at Yi - eyes unreadable behind the glasses. Face betraying nothing. "{Meet 'Ji Ti', Yi!}" Wei calls out, following the other Gnawer. "{An associate of mine. Sorry about your territory... but you must understand. We have reason to worry in America. A friend looking for you was killed only days ago, by someone perhaps close to you. You even, we may have heard.}" The smiling boy shrugs lightly as he approaches. "{Caution is important, in a strange land.}"

Yi backs up just as quick, as Ji Ti and her nearly have a collision. Her own body doesn't back down, but she does narrow her eyes up at the woman. "{Please, if you wanted to talk, sit down on the couch in the common room.}" Ever polite, if a bit facetious, she motions for the woman to go join Wei in the bigger room. "{I doubt, Wei, that you waited almost eight months to come and tell me that.}"

Wei inclines his head, and moves to take a seat on the couch. "{Indeed. We are very relieved to find you such a hospitable guest. We were rather nervous, I'm afraid.}" Ji snorts, faintly, and just keeps her eyes on Yi as she moves through to the common room. Not sitting, or saying a word. Wei pulls his glasses off, and folds them up in one smooth motion. Slipping them into a breast-pocket, he leans froward and smiles broadly. "{A lot can happen in eight months, though. But it doesn't seem that you needed reminding.}"

Yi follows the woman shortly down the few steps out of the corridor, and takes a moment to flick off the merrily buzzing TV. "{Certainly. For one, your style of dress has certainly turned up a bit.}" Yi pokes a bit at the Gnawer's sleek clothing. Compared to her own sweat pants and t-shirt, there's a big difference. Ji gets relatively ignored save a polite glance every now and then. "{You don't have to worry about me, Wei. I -did- pass my tests.}" Even now, the Veil is kept on that teetering edge. She's not sure about Ji. Still, a smirk crosses her face. "{What brings you to my home away from home?}" Yi doesn't sit down either, electing instead to lean up against the wall near the kitchen doorway.

Wei Ao's smile turns faintly secretive. "{Your real home. There are exciting things happening. Ken is thinking about you, you know. A mutual friend - Andy Lai - was generous enough to volunteer to check up on you. He's been rather upset by the results, though. You and your American friends are perhaps a little /too/ cautious.}" At that, the impassive Ji merely frowns. Waves of dislike radiating out of her - though it hardly makes her any less attractive.

Yi crosses her arms lightly over her chest and nods a little. "{The cautious don't make as many mistakes, Wei. If Lai wanted to know where I was, he could have just knocked like you. I'm sure he is resourceful enough.}" She doesn't look too impressed with Ji's general frowning. Maybe Yi's used to it, hanging around a stoic John nowadays. "{Ken, Andy, and you too? You three starting something big or what?}" She acts nonchalant. Essentially, she is. Presenting a cool exterior is something she's learning quickly.

Ji turns her head slightly to Wei, and frowns at him, instead. He shrinks a little under that gaze, and clears his throat. Giving her a smile with only a hint of sheepishness, before looking back to Yi. "{Well, uh... We haven't started anything, really... but we've found a few ways to make a lot of money, and thought you'd like to be involved. You know how Ken is. Always thinking of what's best for his friends.}" Ji's frown intensifies, and Wei notices it, even without looking. His mouth twists a little. "{So. Where's Jun Ti?}" Ji Ti appears satisfied with him, now, and looks back to Yi.

Yi quirks her head at a slightly inquisitive angle. "{Jun Ti? I don't know any Jun Ti.}" She looks over at Ji. "{Your family?}" Gaze flickering between the two, she did notice the frown on the woman's face. "{Unless you came here by boat, I think you both might be a little tired, na? Time zones are a little different. Drinks?}" She remembered her soda. The little stalling, to think about money making schemes and her possible involvement with them. She slips into the kitchen anyway, not waiting for their answers which would most likely be polite declines of hospitality. The sound of the refridgerator opening and closing is followed by a fizz of a couple soda cans opening. "{I never knew Ken was so wanting to help,}" Yi says from the kitchen, easily heard in the common room. "{He was always looking out for himself first, you know? Bold though, would be that sort of a helper.}"

Ji cuts Wei off, before he speaks. Her voice would almost be considered musical, if it weren't so razor-sharp and to the point, now. "{He is my brother, and kin. He came here, looking for you and your treacherous friend. What did you do to him?}" she snaps. Wei looks vaguely uncomfortable, and frowns a little. A touch of wryness. This isn't a new topic.

Yi returns with a couple mugs of Coke, which she sets down on the makeshift plastic porch table supported by Yellow Pages and boxes. "{Your brother.}" She gazes at the dark soda for a little bit, then straightens to look Ji in the eye. "{Was killed. But seeing as you call my friends treacherous, you probably knew that already.}" Her note of Wei's discomfort is taken mentally. "{I am sorry for your loss, Ji Ti.}" For a moment there, her words are actually sincere sounding.

Wei Ao frowns a little more, looking at Ji with concern. The woman doesn't appear to have any reaction to the news, other than a slight stiffening. Wei clears his throat. "{Ji was concerned with her brother's welfare, and justifiably so. She did not mean--}" He's silenced by her tight bark. "{Shut up!}" A little more calmly, the woman reaches up to remove her glasses, and stare at Yi, piercingly. Her eyes ablaze with hatred, and a hint of loss. "{Are you sure? Are you sure it was him? When? Where? Who? Who did it?}" The questions are fired out rapidly, and with a tight voice.

"{I have never seen your brother, so I don't know. If he was here, then he was probably killed by the man he was tailing. A few days ago. I don't know where. A man here known as John.}" Yi answers the Walker's question with a quietly calm face. "{He, was not vigilant enough I suppose, and was caught.}" Now, she arches her brow a bit suspectingly. "{You both know the rules to the game. Respect another's territory. And if you're going to sneak around in it, make sure you don't get caught.}"

Ji spits on the floor, deliberately. "{When did all the Litany's laws start to apply to kin?}" she hisses. "{Tell me about this John.}" she adds, more quietly. Too late for a reasonable tone, or a request. Wei sighs, and drops his head a little. "{Ji... We can deal with him later. We're here for Yi.}" he says quietly.

Yi narrows her gaze down at the spit on the carpet. "{I didn't say it applied to kin.}" She looks from the Walker to Wei. "{John is an acquaintance of mine. If you want to know more, then you'll have to find him out because I don't get involved when I don't have to.}" Her dark gaze returns to Wei. "{Here for me...for what?}"

Ji frowns, and her eyes narrow at Yi, and she's about to speak, but Wei pleads, "{Ji. Please. You're not doing our real cause any good.}" He looks back at Yi. "{She is upset. Please, we only came to talk with you, really And pick up Jun.}" Ji exhales a little, and some of the tension leaves her face. She walks quietly over to sit next to Wei, and melts gracefully into the couch. Reaches to put her glasses back on, and stares at the floor. Wei gives her a brief look, then continues to Yi. "{Ken /is/ always interested in the welfare of his friends.}" he says, lowly. "{Unlike Bold. Bold has been most /un/helpful. And the truth is, you could provide useful skills or contacts. Ken would like to see you being well-involved in our business expansions.}" He smiles slightly, sparing another cautious glance for the silent Ji. "{Blood runs thicker than water, in many ways.}"

"{Considering Bold is /dead/, he would be unhelpful,}" Yi retorts a little bitterly, though the sour tone doesn't carry in its direction towards Wei. "{Maybe Grandmother didn't tell you, but I try to avoid getting involved with triads when I can.}" Her gaze settles on Wei. "{Ken's getting big ideas... what does Grandmother think of it? I heard he was alpha of West Wind now. They have to hold the sept from the Red Sand bloodsuckers as is.}" There it is. Mention of vampires, and bristles start rising. "{What is it exactly, that you want, Wei?}"

Wei smiles as Yi catches the barb. Something of a hint of malice to his smile. "{Grandmother Rui doesn't think anything about Ken's part in this business, as far as I know.}" The smile deepens a little. "{There's not a person in the tribe who doesn't know things might have gone a little differently if you hadn't left. To be honest, Ken does a very good job. Has lots of spare time. The words of kin and humans are useful street gossip, when it comes to deterring the Red Sand cowards.}" Wei pauses, and casts a look over to Ji. She's still sitting, motionless, like an exquisite sculpture made with the couch in mind. The Gnawer visitor looks back to Yi with the fire of mischief in his eyes. "{Big things are happening, Yi. We run our own businesses, with no Elders to tell us what to do, or steal the profits. It's not Gaia's work. It's a part-time job. But it's a reuinification of the tribes. Bringing the youth together. The ones who actually want to /do/ something, and take life with both hands! Getting paid for working, and getting something in return for the tools that Gaia gave us to defend her. A balancing. An equalization. Making things /fair/.}"

Yi lets her eyes move away from Wei to watch Ji. The Walker's absolute stillness is making her all the more curious, and slightly edgy. "{The Elders know what they're doing, Wei.}" Yi's eyes slide back to the Gnawer. "{It's good to hear you and the others have started adding more to our tribe's assets. But... our fight for Gaia is a full-time job. And we are rewarded when we win another piece of Her back. When we cleanse the Wyrm from corrupting a section of the streets. When a tree can actually grow in Hong Kong, Wei, that is reward enough.}" She tilts her head some with brow arched. "{You still haven't told me, what you want from me.}"

Wei tilts his head. "{We haven't been adding to the tribe's assets. It's not like that. What we do has nothing to do with the tribe, don't you see? It's something of /ours/. Lai, and Ji - they're both White Eagles--}" Ji interrupts, quietly, and softly. A deadly assurance to the words, though: "{Dragon Fangs.}" She continues to sit, motionless, staring into space just above the floor, with her legs crossed, and hands folded perfectly over her knees. Wei looks vaguely uncomfortable for another moment, then continues. "{The point is, we have people from all the tribes. Not just the Rat's Tail. And we're all willing to work.}" He swallows a little. "{Ken would rather talk to you about exactly what he wants you for, but your American contacts and friends will undoubtedly be useful. It's not a case of need, Yi. We are your friends.}" His sudden smile contrasts poignantly with Ji's emotionless stillness and silence. "{It's an open invitation.}"

"{Right.}" Yi taps a finger on her crossed arm, giving Wei an answering arch of her eyebrow. She turns her eyes to the woman next to him, and tilts her chin slightly. "{And your opinion of all this?}" For the moment, she occupies part of her mind with a quiet mulling over of Wei's proposal.

The Walker looks both surprised and annoyed to be addressed, and stares up at Yi with unconcealed hostility. "{You ask for the opinion of a stranger?}" She looks sidways and frowns at Wei, who shrugs. "{She is a friend, Ji, but she may also be useful. Don't judge too hastily.}" Ji responds by leaning closer to Wei, turning her face full to him. "{She calls the killer of my brother 'friend'.}" she states flatly. Challenging Wei with her eyes. Melting him, it seems.

Yi eyes the relations between the two, and shrugs at the hostility. It was to be expected. "{I don't want your opinion of me. I wanted your opinion of this whole deal, since it seems you're in it too.}" Yi levels with the Walker, the eyebrow now arched in her direction inquiringly.

Ji looks even more surprised for a moment, and stands up suddenly. A bitter smile splashing over her face for a moment as she laughs. It's a beautiful, musical sound - touched with something chilling. Something highly unpleasant, and foreboding. "{In on it? Wei. You simply must educate her more, if you trust her so much. I will leave you two 'Bone Gnawers' to talk. I have a man to hunt down.}" She gives the Americanism a disdainful touch as she stands gracefully and shakes her head, lightly - the hair falling perfectly down her shoulders as she strides elegantly towards the bedroom again. Wei winces, and looks down at the floor as she begins to move away.

Yi sniffs softly. "{-In it-, not 'in on it'.}" Correction made, Yi watches the Walker head towards the bedroom. "{So much for manners,}" she sighs out softly in that direction as her eyes go back to Wei. "{Ken is heading all this?}"

The Walker catches the words as she steps into the bedroom, and flashes a small, malicious smile to Yi and Wei before heading for the bedroom mirror. Wei continues to keep his head down until he is certain she is gone, then looks up. A little stress evident at the edge of his expression. "{Ken is not heading. But Ken is important, and has a voice. As does Ji. Ji is important. It is not good to speak ill to her.}" he says, quietly. Studying the floor, now.

Yi narrows her eyes now that Ji has likely stepped sideways. "{She probably knows how the Dragon Fangs got taken over in the first place.}" A can of Coke fizzes open with a look, and Yi sips. "{Wasn't expecting Ken to be at the tip of the mountain. But... I'm more troubled about the lack of elder knowledge here, Wei.}" She inclines her head, voice soft with silk, low toned just to be sure that Ji isn't simply listening in from the hall.

Wei leans forward and murmurs lowly. "{Ji does. There is...}" He looks vaguely worried for a moment. "{There are some within the Eagles who are not satisfied with Eldership. But they do nothing but talk. There is nothing to be concerned about.}" An obvious lie. However, he changes the topic quickly, with the beginnings of a smile. "{It is liberating, though. We simply choose not to inform the Elders of these things because they are not important. As agree all those who deal with us. Not important. We invest in foreigners, and the rewards are great, but they have nothing to do with our work for Hong Kong, the Sept, or Gaia. It is merely a side-business.}"

Yi sips her Coke again, then moves to set the barely drunken can down onto the makeshift table, in essence moving closer to Wei. "{Just business.}" She straightens back up, mind turning over what she does know, and what she wants to reveal. "{Nothing to do with the family, or Gaia.}" The words carry an emphasis, a stabbing at the guilt factor. "{Then.}" She turns off to the side a bit. "{I'll be going back.}"

Wei raises an eyebrow. "{Oh good. I'll arrange for you to leave with us, and meet with Ken and Lai. Then you can perhaps meet some of the others. They might know you, even.}" He smiles, broadly. "{The Sept will be so happy to have you back again. This silly American errand over.}"

Yi shakes her head slightly in polite refusal. "{I'll be over there on my own time, Wei. As for Grandmother's errand, well it is between me and her.}" She swoops up the Coke but holds off on drinking. "{I'll definitely be happy when I see the others again.}"

Wei blinks, a little surprised. "{So. What will you be doing when you're back home? Are you staying home, again?}"

"{Doing what I always do, Wei...}" Yi gives it a little pause, and then adds with a distinctly imitation fervor, "{Try to take over Hong Kong!}" It might not get through to Wei, the reference being an American cartoon regarding a couple of lab mice. She clears her throat and regains some seriousness from the grin that was spreading. "{Home?}" Dark eyes smile over at Wei as she answers, "{I will be where the Mother calls me to be.}"

Wei's own look darkens a little. "{Will... you...}" He stops, and clears his throat. Looking a little nervous. "{Yi. This is important. Are you accepting, or rejecting our offer? I have been given permission to tell you as much as you want to know, if you're curious. As much as you need to know to convince you. All that /I/ know, if need be.}" The sentence holds some weight. As if knowing is something valuable that he, himself, strives for.

Yi wets her lips with some Coke, and then smiles though it seems a bit wry to effect. Serious matters are played off with airs of nonchalance and lack of worry - in essence a way of coping. "{Do you buy a car just based on looks, or do you evaluate its features and options first? Did you buy your shoes without trying them on to see if they fit first?}" Yi looks at Wei squarely, as if her query would be her answer.

Wei's face hardens. "{America has spoiled you into believing you have that luxury.}" he states flatly. "{You forget your roots, perhaps. You become more like the Eagles.}" He tilts his head. "{Would you shop around for survival?}"

"{Have I?}" Yi finishes her Coke and almost slams the can down onto the tabletop. Her eyes meet Wei's with a glint of challenge. "{I've not forgotten anything Wei. I remember it well. You, though, seem to have forgotten me.}" She stands back up stiffly. "{Survival also depends on knowing. I won't stick my head in the box unless I know there's not a blade waiting to slice down.}" She crosses her arms over her chest and peers at him with a piercing gaze.

"{Don't think small.}" the boy states, flatly. Eyes dull. "{The box might be the key to the room slowly filling with gas. We're your friends. We want you in with us. We don't want to see you hurt. It should be a simple choice, if you'll only hear us out.}"

Yi shrugs, tilting her head expectantly. "{So?}" She's waiting.

Wei's mouth twists, and he lowers his head a little. "{You /have/ to know by now that we don't feel it will be in anyone's interests if Elders were to feel that they'd been left out of this. Or that we were rebelling against them. That's not what's happening, but they will want a piece of the pie that they have not worked for. Like the old warlords. It is no different.}" He looks up at Yi. "{Your silence is important, if you choose not to take up our generous offer, at any rate.}"

Yi waves with a semi-circular motion of her hand. "{And if the elders were to find out?}"

Wei's nose wrinkles. "{They would overreact. Maybe stop some of our business. You know how things are. They would take what they saw as profitable, and claim ownership under the Litany. Though we have half-moons who still debate over this. Business is not a kill. But the Elders think this way, and you know it.}"

Yi snorts quietly. "{As if Grandmother would mind much,}" she mutters to herself. "{They wouldn't overreact unless you were doing something wrong, which so far sounds like nothing's wrong yet except not telling them the news.}" She lifts an eyebrow at Wei. "{I'm surprised they haven't heard it from overall gossip. Foreigners were always a big thing to talk about, let alone dealing with one. So who is the lucky guy?}" The tone comes smoothly, inquiring simply to put her fellow newmoon at ease with letting information go. If nothing else, trying to add to a little persuasive information gathering.

Wei tilts his head. "{Guy? Nono. There is no one contact. We move /our/ people overseas for a little, and find someone willing to do work. Be a contact. No-one contacts us. We contact them.}" He frowns a little. "{It is secret, because it is illegal. Simple. We do not buy the police often, and we do not tell people. True secret, on our side. That may also be a point against us if the Elders should find out. They will be angered at being made to look foolish.}"

"{It's an old practice, I'm sure.}" Yi dully eyes Wei. Her lips tighten to a grimmer line, trying to maintain a hint of a smile behind them. Then, she exhales and picks up the empty Coke can. "{What sort of work?}"

"{Drugs. Counterfeiting. Theft management... Club ownership, but not to such a degree. We do not do so well with our removed presence.}" Wei shrugs, and leans back in the chair. "{It is mostly management of foreigners as they do their thing, and send us our share. And keeping it secret. However, the blood-suckers cause trouble. Red Sands - which is where Ken came in. He is most effective in his control.}"

Yi steps towards the kitchen a moment, and tosses the can from the doorway into the bin with a clunk. 2 points! Turning back to Wei she nods slightly with the information. "{Anything else? What about the Kuei-jin?}"

Wei sniffs. "{Quiet. Frightened of something. We think it might be us. It is strange, but a pleasant benefit of what we have been doing, perhaps. The cohesion - maybe /they/ see the Garou uniting beyond the bonds of Tribe. Forging good relationships free of those boundaries.}"

Yi says no more regarding the vampiric types, and simply nods. A couple of minutes pass with just silence, before she exhales a little louder. "{Well, thank you for the information Wei. I suppose you will be going back soon as well?}" The quiet move, not quite going for any checkmate yet.

The boy sighs, and scratches the back of his neck. Looking vaguely wistfully towards the bedroom. "{I... do not know. We were to return with your answer, or...}" He blinks, catching himself, and stops. Still looking at the bedroom. "{Bring back Jun Ti...}" He murmurs. "{I don't know why they were following that man. It wasn't you. It is 'Dragon Fang' business, as Ji says.}" The boy looks vaguely concerned. "{I don't think we will leave until he is dead, now. She is angry, and heartbroken.}"

"{They'd be better off striking a deal. Like her dealing with the loss without the loss of his life.}" Yi shrugs and leans up against the wall. "{He knows what he's dealing with. Jun Ti, apparently, didn't.}" For a moment, she sounds rather unsympathetic. "{You should tell her she's better off having John as a friend than an enemy. But, that's coming from a friend of her enemy, isn't it?}" The smile that crosses her face is wry. "{My answer, Wei, will go with me. Anything else, or are you done with your business talk?}"

Wei grimaces at the mention of 'deals'. "{Ji is ruthless. She will not have too many problems, I am sure. She talks often of the Hidden Snake and the IceWalker. She merely wanted to get to the Hidden Snake through this man. Now we may spend much time here looking for the Snake, if she thinks the IceWalker will lead her to him.}" Wei leans forward. "{Ji may be one of the first of us to make Fostern. She has tried once and failed. She will not fail the second time, I am sure. Please choose your words carefully around her. She takes offense quickly.}" He blinks, realizing he's said too much, pulling away. "{We will talk again, maybe. You should really think carefully about how you talk to the Elders. As a friend, Yi, I would ask that you don't talk about us.}"

Yi glances sidelong at Wei, and pushes off the wall to head towards the door. At the entrance to the apartment, she turns back to him expectingly. "{Good night, Wei.}"

Wei's eyes narrow, and he stands stiffly. "{I see.}" he murmurs, quietly. Slipping the shades back on, he stalks over to the door he broke in through. As he passes close to Yi, he reaches to kiss the palm of his hand, then presses it lightly against her. "{See you over the ocean, then.}" he murmurs sadly, stepping through the door, quickly.

Yi's reply is a simple nod in silence, and the door behind Wei shuts with a couple of clicks of locks.