Chapter 07

## Chapter Seven

This is the seventh chapter of the *Banana Fish* manga.

## Summary

As Griffin continues to struggle for his life, Ash and Max face challenges in prison and Eiji is told he needs to go back to Japan.

## Plot

Garvey begins to move in on Ash to have his way with him but quickly finds Ash turning the tables on Garvey when a sheet is thrown over his head and Ash rams him into one of the walls. The teen then propels himself from the bunk ladder to kick Garvey on his back.

Outside the cell, the shouts of the inmates catches Max's attention. Thinking that the inmates are shouting for Garvey, Max pushes his way through to the cell door and is shocked to see Ash using the bed sheet to choke Garvey. Seeing that Ash is willing to kill Garvey, Max pleads for him to stop since he would be charged with first degree murder. Realizing that Max is right, Ash releases Garvey, much to the disappointment of the prisoners who willingly admit they had misjudged Ash.

As Ash leaves with Max following after, a trio of men discuss how Dino had been right in his description of Ash and begin talking about their next course of action.

Meanwhile, Max has caught up to Ash and admits that his fighting skills will cause the others to not try anything funny for a while. However, he points out that the same thing could cause Ash to become disrespected, but the teen confesses he doesn't care about being disrespected by the prisoners. The admission makes Max ask himself if Ash is truly Griffin's brother. He then suddenly wonders if there was a reason behind Ash allowing Garvey to attack him earlier and remembers the capsule he was given after saying his head was hurting. Max then theorizes Ash using the capsule to slip a message to Eiji when he visited with Ibe. With everyone possibly assuming Ash is gay, no one would have been suspicious when he kissed Eiji and this was most likely when he passed the message to the Japanese man.

In the city, Eiji meets with Ibe who right away scolds his assistant for being away so long and especially when he nearly got kidnapped again. After Ibe accepts Eiji's apology, the younger man requests Ibe follow him to a clinic. Once they are allowed in by Shorter, Eiji asks how Griffin is doing and hears that said man is not doing well.

Eiji explains to Ibe that Griffin is Ash's older brother and was shot by one of Arthur's men. He adds that they couldn't risk taking him to a hospital since they would risk being found by the mob. Ibe asks how this is all relevant. Eiji states that they were able to figure out what the Banana Fish is and why Charlie and Max were trying to figure out what it is.

After a quick introduction, Meredith tells Ibe that he has the unwanted honor of knowing Ash and presents a vial of the small sample of Banana Fish he had hidden from Arthur and his men. While he doesn't know much about the narcotic, he does confirm that it's a powerful hallucinogen similar to LSD but even that particular substance only lasts about eight hours at its strongest level whereas the Banana Fish substance appears to be permanent and causes aggressive self-destructive behavior. When Eiji mentions how Charlie had told them about the numerous unexplained suicides, he points out how each person involved were rivals to Dino Golzine. He then adds how Griffin had addressed Abraham Dawson as "Banana Fish".

At Falkner Prison, Ash is being dragged somewhere by Max who tells the teen he needs to meet with a lawyer friend who's visiting him. Ash orders Max to stop getting into his business but the older man refuses to since Ash is facing one of the top five mob bosses on the East coast. Ash suspects that Max is acting out of guilt and leaves Max to meet with George Scott alone.

George sees how stressed Max has become from the situation at hand but is forced to deliver the news that, while he can get him out of jail, he stands no chance in the case regarding his son Michael and may not have a choice but to drop the suit. Max is not very accepting of this as it poses the possibility of not seeing his son again as his ex-wife Jessica Randy is sure to gain sole custody, mainly due to the fact that Max is currently in jail and Jessica is more financially secure than Max. Even with these facts, George admits that custody cases mainly favor the mother and that dropping the suit could spare Michael from more pain. With his own situation seeming hopeless, Max confirms that Ash will not accept George's help and the two soon part ways.

In the cells, an inmate calls for Ash to inform him that Max is wanting to meet him in the workshop. Although he is aware that Max just went to speak with his lawyer, Ash decides to go.

In the city, Eiji is shocked to hear Ibe state that they will need to return to Japan. Ibe tries to explain how dangerous the situation is becoming. While he is aware of how close Eiji and Ash have gotten, Ibe warns to Eiji could still be a target to those after Ash and it would be too risky for him to stay. He reminds the young man that the Corsican mafia is very real and very dangerous. Confessing how hard it was to get Eiji's parents to agree to allow their son to come to America, Ibe doubts he can face them again if he were to be hurt or worse. While Eiji is grateful for all that Ibe has done for him, he remains firm in not leaving America.

Their conversation is interrupted by Nadia who comes to inform them of Griffin's condition. As they hurry to the room where Griffin is, they arrive just as Meredith announces he has passed.

Eiji immediately becomes wracked with worry about how Ash will take the news of his brother when Ibe suggests they speak to Charlie as he would be better suited on how to handle things. Shorter agrees with Ibe about this and that Eiji should distance himself from the situation since he is sure that Arthur will likely return and will use Eiji as a means to get to Ash. Seeming to accept this, Eiji asks when they should inform Ash. Ibe suggests they wait a while since it's possible that Dino has Ash under surveillance and learning of his brother's death might push Ash over the edge and make him vulnerable to a possible ambush.

Ibe leaves to call Charlie and has an angry outburst in the hallway.

Back at the prison, Ash enters the workshop and is nearly struck with a two by four. He is able to dodge it and finds himself facing three men who claim to know Ash has a "treasured item" hidden somewhere and that they plan on taking it.

Elsewhere, Max is on the phone with Charlie when he learns Griffin has died. Although shocked by what he's just heard, Max listens as Charlie instructs him not to tell Ash about his brother since Captain Jenkins is doing everything he can to get Ash out of prison and Ash learning this upsetting news might ruin things. Max agrees but is so shocked by the news that he ends the call early and misses hearing Charlie try to speak to him more.

In the workshop, Ash is cornered by the lead man who remarks how Ash could have played things with Dino to his advantage and could have gained possession of his assets if he allowed Dino to adopt him. Ash mocks their idea of "having it made" as he refuses to live a life involving narcotics and prostitution. The man does not take the insult lightly and warns Ash to tell him what they need to know as he begins to choke the teen.

At their cell, Max returns and finds Ash is missing. A passing man is surprised to see Max there and informs him that someone had gone to Ash with the claim Max had been waiting for him in the workshop. At this, Max panics and hurries off to locate Ash.

While Ash is being choked, he is told that his life will be ended since he refuses to talk but quickly changes things when he brings out the hidden fork and places it to the man's neck. Ash tells the man to pass a message to Dino that he should bail Ash out of jail or else Ash will go to the cops about Banana Fish and everything else Dino is involved in.

Just then, Max bursts into the room and pleads for Ash not to cause trouble. He nearly announces what's happened to Griffin but catches himself before he can. Regardless, the men agree to pass on the message and leave. With the three now gone, Max tries to check on Ash but the teen questions what he was trying to say about Griffin. Max tries to play dumb about it, but Ash forces him to come clean and confess that Griffin was killed the previous day by one of Dino's men.

Ash is stunned by the news and begins plans to escape the prison. Max tries to stop him but is kneed in the stomach with the warning not to interfere or else Ash will kill him.

Angered by Ash's attitude, Max retaliates.

## Characters

* Ash Lynx
* Garvey
* Max Lobo
* Eiji Okumura
* Shunichi Ibe
* Shorter Wong
* Griffin Callenreese
* Dr. Meredith
* George Scott
* Nadia Wong

## Trivia

* Max is divorced and has a young son.

* Griffin's time of death is listed as 12:32 p.m.