“Agent Ripley, did you ever pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?” an occupant of Firecracker Four called out over a loud speaker. “Agent Ripley......”

The Hiromi Sato persona had no recollection of the Operation Swan Song recognition code. Hiromi bided her time as the Firecracker cars continued their slow approach.

Once again, Tom Slater tried to crawl out underneath the weight of the Hiromi Sato persona. The woman was again too strong. Hiromi Sato was just too determined to defeat all those she regarded as her enemy.

Chuck then took a moment to speak again. “Who is Agent Ripley, and what’s this Poughkeepsie shit?”

Synopsis- The Swan Song committee tries to reel in Agent Ripley with a plan called Operation Firecracker.

Thank you to Puddin and John for their help.

Author’s note- Let me remind readers, in Japan cars are driven on the left side of the highway.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi was furious as she stormed out of her grandfather’s house. She would not go away without a fight. As she climbed into the Fairlady, Hiromi’s mind was already fast at work. What would be her next step?

First thing, Hiromi wanted to get as far away from Keiji Watanabe as possible. Hiromi barely gave Chuck enough time to get in the Fairlady, before she began the drive back to Yokohama.

Chuck both saw and sensed the fury Hiromi was keeping barely contained at that moment. The Australian wisely decided to say nothing for the time being.

Roger and the rest of Hiromi’s security detail had been outside of Keiji Watanabe’s home when their boss exited. Seeing that Hiromi had left the house, Roger and company jumped into their SUV and drove off also. They would have to do their very best to keep up with the lead-footed Yakuza accountant.

Hiromi and the Fairlady were out onto the service road a few minutes later. It was a few minutes before high noon, therefore traffic was light. Before Hiromi turned onto the main road, she passed some men who were busy at some type of work.
 

~*~
 
As soon as Hiromi made the left turn and had traveled approximately a quarter of a mile up the road, one of the work crew took out a communicator. “Ripley is on the way.”

Major Ed Hollins and the Firecracker team were less than fifteen miles away when the message from the spotter was received. The Major then communicated to the people under his command. “Operation Firecracker is now go. Lets get a move on, people.”
 

~*~
 
Gabrielle Tanaka and Inspector Yoshida were at a Japanese Self Defenses base about 20 kilometers west of Yokohama. There they would both listen to the chatter between Major Hollins and the rest of his Firecracker team and track Hiromi Sato’s journey back towards Yokohama. The beeper placed on the car by Conceirge was still at work.

“Ripley took Route A back into Yokohama,” Inspector Yoshida said to Gabrielle before taking a sip of some coffee.

Gabrielle just nodded her head. She still had strong reservations about Operation Firecracker’s chances of success and at its ability to avoid injuring Tom Slater. No matter what her present mental state was, Gabrielle still loved Tom Slater.

Maybe Operation Firecracker would not fail. If Gabrielle had been religious, she may have been praying right that moment for success. In Virginia, Dr. Greta Schneider and associates were available to give Agent Ripley the DNA formula again even if Dr. Wagner was unavailable at present.

Before going on vacation, Dr. Wagner had written a memo to the rest of the Swan Song committee. It said if Agent Ripley was immediately returned to his original form and gender, they may well snap out of her present mental state.

Grant Williamson had read the memo but made no decision as of yet. From past experience Gabrielle knew her FBI superior all too well. She wouldn’t be at all surprised if Agent Ripley was detained in Japan for a debriefing first before the DNA serum was given to her. The short term was all that mattered to Grant Williamson; that was the kind of prick the Deputy FBI Director was.
 

~*~
 
Twenty-four-year-old Toyo Ito kissed his girlfriend Reiko one more time, then started up his motorcycle. A few seconds later, Toyo began his journey back to Yokohama.

Toyo Ito, a second-year medical student, had spent Saturday night at the home of his girlfriend. The two young people taking advantage of the fact that Reiko’s parents were away for the weekend.

On particular Sunday, Reiko and Toyo rose late. After last lovemaking session, the two twenty-somethings had breakfast together. Reiko and Toyo flirted with one another as they ate their meals.

Like the saying goes, all good things must end. Reiko’s parents called shortly after 11:30 to say they were on the way home. That left Toyo no choice but to clear out. Toyo didn’t want to incur the wrath of Mr. Ichiyama.

Toyo planned a leisurely drive back to Yokohama. He wasn’t known to push the limits of the motorcycle he owned. As a student who just did an emergency medicine rotation, Toyo was all too aware of what speed and or reckless driving can do to the human body.

Just as he turned on the main highway, Toyo made a mental note to himself. To stop at a Yokohama department store before home. That in order to get his mother a birthday gift. The mother of Toyo Ito would turn fifty-two in four days.
 

~*~
 
Seven vehicles comprised the Operation Firecracker team that would try to reel Agent Ripley in. As soon as Hiromi Sato came within ten kilometers of Point Delta, the vehicles began to take up position.

Hiromi still fumed at what had happened to her. She would not be pushed aside by her grandfather and would fight back instead. Hiromi would be Oyabun one day. Keiji Watanabe had miscalculated again, so far as his granddaughter was concerned. This time there would be fatal consequences.

Before anything could be done, Hiromi would have to get back to Yokohama. Hiromi had already decided, she would go for a long jog as soon as she got home. Ever since she took up long distance running, Keiji Watanabe’s granddaughter this particular form of exercise to meditate. There was a great deal for Hiromi to think over later that day.

Hiromi’s brain was already fast at work on her Yakuza future. Therefore she didn’t pay any more attention than usual to the two large trucks that lay ahead of her. They were no match for the horsepower of the Fairlady or the SUV Roger and company were in. They would both easily overtake the slow moving leviathans.
 

~*~
 
Roger had to work hard to keep up with his boss. With the road clear Hiromi drove her sports car to the limit. Roger had to keep the Pathfinder’s gas pedal relentlessly pressed to the floor in order to keep up with Hiromi.

It was as Hiromi began to make her move around the first of the two trucks, that a convoy of vehicles began to come onto the highway.

Roger had seen the cars and SUVs, but was more pre-occupied with Hiromi and the Fairlady. Then for a split second, one of the trucks for a split second came over into the way of the Fairlady, before it corrected itself.

“Look, that idiot almost hit Taro-san,” Said Kimo.

“Yes, I saw it,” Roger growled back. That was when phase two of Opeartion Firecracker went into effect.

As Hiromi made her move to pass the second truck, the five car Firecracker convoy came up furiously from behind. Before Roger could react, two cars passed him, one of which immediately swerved in front of the SUV the bodyguard was driving. This resulted in Roger hitting the brakes.

More importantly, Roger had been separated from the Fairlady. The rest of the Firecracker convoy flew by the SUV. Roger had been boxed in and had no where to go.

As soon as the other four Firecracker vehicles got by, the car immediately in front of Roger, took off like a rocket. Whatever lay beneath the hood of that particular car, it was too much for the SUV Roger was driving. Very soon all five Firecracker vehicles had gotten past the trucks and were between Roger and Hiromi.

Roger had been outsmarted, and cursed as a result of what had happened. The British bodyguard pushed his anger aside as he prepared to overtake the trucks. That’s when phase III of Operation Firecracker took effect. The two trucks now took position in a way that blocked any traffic from getting past them. The trucks were being driven fender to fender alongside the other and this prevented Roger Hyde and company from getting back to their boss.

“Shit,” Roger said as honked the horn and flashed his lights at the trucks, all to no avail.

“We can’t get around them.” Yuri said from the SUV’s front passenger seat.

“I know that!” Roger said angrily. “Get the boss on the phone, fast.”
 

~*~
 
Hiromi hadn’t a clue about the events that had taken place behind her, when a familiar ringtone filled the Fairlady. Without hesitation, Chuck answered the phone that was in the Fairlady’s center console. Chuck pressed the speaker button so he and his wife to hear whatever Roger had to say.

“Yes, Roger, why are you calling?” Chuck asked. The cell phone had caller id, and Charles McBride had long since memorized the cell number for Hiromi’s head bodyguard.

“I need to talk to Sato-san.”

Hiromi hadn’t seen the convoy yet, because she was focused on the road in front of her. While she drove, Hiromi Sato frequently answered or made cell phone calls, so she had a head piece on that included a microphone. “Speaking.”

“Boss, trouble is approaching. Five...”

Right then the Firecracker convoy caught up with Hiromi and another Fairlady, swerved in front of Hiromi. Almost immediately, the car began to slow down, forcing Hiromi to do the same.

Hiromi looked out the side and rearview mirrors. She could see at least three other vehicles beginning the process of encircling her. “Yes I see them. Can you come to my assistance?”

“No boss, we’ve been cut off.”

Hiromi and the Fairlady continued to slow down. If the current pace of speed continued, Hiromi would soon have to stop.

One of the cars that encircled the Fairlady, was a white SUV directly to Hiromi’s right. The left side passenger window was down, and a non-Asian man was motioning with his finger, as if to tell Hiromi to pull over.

Chuck then spoke up. “Kimi-chan, maybe we should pull over.”

Hiromi’s made some fast calculations. She wasn’t about to stop without a fight. “Never.”

What happened next, took the entire Firecracker team by surprise. Hiromi swerved the Fairlady to the left, shifted gears, and then began to overtake the car in front of her by driving on the road’s shoulder.

Hiromi’s attempted maneuver would have never had a chance, except for the fact that the driver of Firecracker Two took his eyes off the rearview mirror for two seconds. Two seconds was all Hiromi needed.

A highway sign was on a collision course with Hiromi Sato. Major Hollins who had tried to direct Hiromi to pull over just moments earlier, had no other choice but to message the Firecracker team. “Back off! Back off!”

The driver of Firecracker Two suddenly hit the brake which allowed Hiromi to pass and almost caused a collision between three of the Operation Firecracker vehicles.

Hiromi missed the highway sign by a matter of inches as she swerved back onto the highway. Now with the Fairlady in front of the people trying to catch her, Hiromi was using every inch of the highway as she raced towards Yokohama.
 

~*~
 
Charles McBride completed the process of peeing in this pants about the same time Hiromi swerved the Fairlady back onto the highway. He had never been more scared in his life than when Hiromi took off down the shoulder in order to escape capture.

Chuck, who had never been particularly religious, had just asked God to get him and Hiromi home without further episodes like the one they had just experienced. Little did Chuck know, but the fun was only just beginning.
 

~*~
 
Zig left....Zag right....shift gears....avoid...accelerate....check mirrors for cars chasing you...zig left again. These were just a few of the maneuvers and actions taken by Hiromi and The Fairlady as they darted between cars, trucks, and motorcycles alike in order to avoid capture by Major Hollins and the Firecracker team.

Keeping ahead of the people that pursued her was no easy task for Hiromi. It was good that she was accustomed to driving very fast. A driver used to a more casual pace would have either cracked up their car or been captured already.

Hiromi almost collided with a four door sedan. She had overestimated the speed of the vehicle as she tried to overtake it. Only a last second swerve to the left averted collision.

‘How about if I change course? Turn back to Lake Yanagawa?’ Hiromi asked herself as she pressed the accelerator of the Fairlady to the floor. ‘No, keep going forward. Otherwise it will look like a retreat.’

As adrenaline raced through her body, Hiromi thought of her attackers. Who did they work for? Why did they want to capture Hiromi Sato?

Hiromi needed answers but they would have to wait. The only task that mattered now was to get to Negishi Bay in one piece.
 

~*~
 
Thanks to GPS, and a tracker he had long ago placed on his Taro’s car, Roger Hyde was able to follow the chase from miles away. For once in his life, the British bodyguard was happy his boss drove the way she did.

Roger considered Hiromi a skillful driver but knew his boss was outnumbered and in serious danger of being caught. Roger therefore had Kimo make a cellphone call to the Negishi Bay apartment building.
 

~*~
 
In the aftermath of its war with the Inagawa-kai, the Watanabe Yakuza had set up a command post in the Negishi Bay apartment building. This allowed the organized crime family to know where its most important personnel were at all times.

The command post was manned twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That particular Sunday, Genji Matsuda was in charge of the post and had two men working for him. It was a quiet afternoon and Genji was smoking in his back office when he was unceremoniously interrupted by one of the other command post workers by the name of Masato Uchiyama.

“Sato-san is in trouble. Roger is asking for immediate assistance.”

The news of a Watanabe Yakuza Saiko-komon in distress caused Genji to let the cigarette he was smoking fall from his lips. Then Genji excitedly jumped from his chair. “Then see to it at once.”

Luckily for Genji, the third person in the command post, was already fast at work. He had fed Hiromi Sato’s location into a computer, then her intended destination and lastly the direction she was coming from. Within a minute the computer displayed a list of the closest Watanabe Yakuza personnel who could come to Hiromi Sato’s assistance.

By the time Genji and Masato were out of the office, the computer had begun printing the list. Even before the printer had finished its job, the three men in the command post were busy working the phones. Help would soon be on its way to Hiromi Sato, but would it be too late?
 

~*~
 
Others were alerted to what was happening to Hiromi Sato. Among them was Radek Krejci, the head of security at the home of the late Goro Watanabe. Radek immediately deployed three cars full of his best men. If Hiromi Sato kept on her present track towards Yokohama, none of these Watanabe security personnel were likely to be of help. Radek still sent them on the odd chance Hiromi may reverse course and head back towards the Mt. Fuji area.

Keiji Watanabe was also told of what was happening to his granddaughter. There was nothing Keiji could do, and as a result he was feeling both frustrated and concerned about his granddaughter’s safety. Any attack on Hiromi was also an attack on the Watanabe Yakuza.

Personnel at the Negishi Bay apartment building were put on high alert. Every able-bodied Yakuza, both male and female, began preparations for Hiromi Sato’s arrival and the outrageous possibility her assailants would take action at the apartment towers.

Any Watanabe Yakuza resources that could be of help to Hiromi were being deployed. Would Hiromi be able to avail herself of this assistance?
 

~*~
 
Hiromi’s game of cat and mouse with the Firecracker team was working so far. Skillful driving by Hiromi had kept her in front of the Firecracker team.

By now, Hiromi had guessed the intentions of the people pursuing her. Namely that they wanted her alive. If their only goal was to kill her, Hiromi would have been doomed. Outnumbering their prey five to one, it would be easy for the attackers to force Hiromi from the road at the worst possible moment. There are many driving techniques available if one is trying to cause a fatal car crash.

On the other hand, only the most restrained tactics can be used if one is trying to force a car to stop without crashing. Knowing her pursuers wanted her alive, made Hiromi even more determined to thwart her assailants. She also knew what tactics were likely to be employed against her. Hiromi would use this knowledge to her advantage.

Less than five minutes into the pursuit, and while speeding down the inside right lane, Hiromi made a sharp last second left turn to exit the highway, just barely missing the car known as Firecracker Two in the process.

Firecracker Two, One, and Five were unable to make the turn, but cars Three and Four did, speeding up the dirt road in pursuit of Agent Ripley.

“That road is a dead end.” Said a voice from Firecracker Five over the radio channel all seven of the operation’s vehicles listened to. While preparing for the Operation, Major Hollins looked into the possibility of listening in on Hiromi Sato and other Watanabe Yakuza. Whoever said organized crime wasn’t clever, didn’t know the workings of the Yakuza. All the families in Japan had long ago invested in encryption technology that made their cellphone communications undecipherable to anyone trying to eavesdrop.

Major Hollins, in Firecracker One, was already checking the GPS unit. Sure enough, the image that came on display showed the road to end by a nearby lake. There was no other outlet from the road Hiromi Sato was driving on at present.

“We got her.” Major Hollins said as he began to give orders to the two other cars that didn’t make the turn. They would meet back up with Firecrackers Four and Five when they exited the road. Major Hollins felt certain that Agent Ripley’s capture was only moments away.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi sped down the dirt road. Apparently oblivious to the fact it would soon end. Chuck by now was visibly shaking in the front passenger seat.

Alongside the left side of the road was a thick forest. On the right, a drainage ditch and more forest. If Hiromi and Chuck abandoned the Fairlady, they were unlikely to get very far.
 

~*~
 
Roger Hyde was getting a sick feeling. The two trucks were not just blocking the road now, but bringing all traffic behind them to a crawl. The bodyguard was cut off from the person he was paid to protect. If any harm should come to Hiromi Sato, Roger knew his plus Kimo and Yuri’s lives would almost certainly be forfeit.

“Where is Taro-san going now?” Yuri said as he followed the tracking display on the front dashboard.

“She just left the highway.” Kimo added before he began shaking his head.. “There’s no way out.”

“Fuck,” Roger said as he tried to get around the truck in front of him only to be thwarted once again. “We’re screwed. All of us.”

“Maybe not,” Yuri said as he looked at the tracking display. The Russian born bodyguard had once been a member of his country’s Spetsnaz. “Taro-san really has guts to even attempt the gambit she is pulling right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you remember what they called the diplomatic protection drill?” The ex-Spetsnaz officer asked. Roger was formerly a member of the British SAS, so Yuri would have been astonished if Roger didn’t know what he was referring to.

“Yes, I do. I sure hope it works.”
 

~*~
 
“What do you mean she stopped?” Major Hollins asked Firecracker Four over the radio. For some unknown reason, Hiromi Sato had stopped her car about a half mile short of where the road ended.

“She stopped sir. Why, I don’t know. Should we go in?”

Major Hollins thought for a few moments. “Affirmative, but take it slow.”
 

~*~
 
Among the first people to be called by the Neigishi Bay apartment command post were three Watanabe shareigashiras. In each instance, these two men and one woman(along with any associates or bodyguards who were with them) jumped in their cars and began to drive on a intercept course to meet up with Hiromi Sato and the convoy that chased her.

The second person to be called, and by Genji Matsuda himself, was Dai Hashimoto. The Saiko-komon at the home of his youngest son. Dai was playing with his grandson Keiji Hashimoto, when one of the Saiko-komon’s men begged their boss to forgive the interruption.

“Hashimoto-san, we just been told Sato-san is on the way back to Yokohama. At least five cars are after Sato-san and her bodyguards have requested assistance......”

In quick succession, Dai gave his grandson back to his mother, said a hasty goodbye, and exited the house. The Saiko-komon barked out orders to the five men with him as they climbed into two cars. The home of Dai Hashimoto’s son was less than ten miles from Hiromi Sato’s last location.

Dai was a man of his word. Keiji Watanabe had once asked Dai to make sure no harm ever came to his granddaughter. Dai and his men would do everything possible to ensure just that.
 

~*~
 
Firecracker Three and Four were doing as Major Hollins instructed. Drive up the dirt road, the two cars flanking each other.

The Fairlady was a couple hundred yards ahead, still stopped and pointed in the direction of the approaching cars.

“Agent Ripley, did you ever pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?” an occupant of Firecracker Four called out over a loud speaker. “Agent Ripley......”

The Hiromi Sato persona had no recollection of the Operation Swan Song recognition code. Hiromi bided her time as the Firecracker cars continued their slow approach.

Once again, Tom Slater tried to crawl out underneath the weight of the Hiromi Sato persona. The woman was again too strong. Hiromi Sato was just too determined to defeat all those she regarded as her enemy.

Chuck then took a moment to speak again. “Who is Agent Ripley, and what’s this Poughkeepsie shit?”

Hiromi didn’t answer her husband’s question. First Hiromi took her foot off the brake. Then she began to shift gears.....
 

~*~
 
“What the fuck???” Said the driver of Firecracker Three as he saw Hiromi Sato and the car she drove, coming straight at him. “Off the road! Off the road!”

Hiromi Sato had indeed executed a version of what Yuri called the ‘diplomatic protection drill.’ Hiromi had driven rapidly back in the direction of those trying to capture her. As they had to ensure Agent Ripley’s safety, both Firecrackers Three and Four had no other choice but to clear the road.

They barely made it as Hiromi sped in between the two vehicles and back in the direction she came. Unfortunately for Firecracker Three, its evasive maneuver resulted in the SUV ending up in the ditch along side the road. While none of its occupants were hurt, Firecracker Three was now out of commission.

Firecracker Four was able to recover and take back off in pursuit of Hiromi Sato. As it did, one occupant of Firecracker Four radioed ahead.
 

~*~
 
Roger Hyde got a lucky break. The trucks that blocked the road were made to move over by a Japanese patrolman. This finally freed Hiromi Sato’s bodyguards from the trap they were in. As soon as he was clear of the trucks, Roger put the accelerator to the floor in order to close the gap between him and his boss. A speeding ticket was the least of the man’s worries.

Like before, Yuri was paying close attention to the GPS display. “I think Taro-san is headied back to the main highway.”

Roger’s cellphone began to ring. It was the command post at the Negishi Bay apartments. They had called to notify Roger that help was on the way.
 

~*~
 
So far as Hiromi was concerned, she was in little need of assistance. Once back at the main highway, she sped back into traffic. Hiromi barely missed a collision with a family station wagon in the process.

Major Hollins had just got the message that Agent Ripley had turned tail and was headed back to the highway. The men of Firecrackers Five and One added to the catalog of mistakes made that day by stepping out of their vehicles as they waited for Ripley’s capture, caused by Major Hollin’s overconfidence in his Firecracker plan.

Major Hollins was one of those who disembarked. The Army officer wanted Captain Slater in his vehicle for the ride back to base. When she was brought in, the Major planned to give Ripley a piece of his mind for endangering the people who were there to capture her.

So when Hiromi pulled back on the highway, she was once again able to get in front of the blundering Operation Firecracker team. Hiromi again took advantage of every inch of road and other traffic as she evaded her pursuers.
 

~*~
 
At the Japanese SDF base, Gabrielle Tanaka listened to the pursuit with barely concealed amusement. “Tom is being chased by the Keystone cops.”

“What?” Inspector Yoshida asked as he looked up from his coffee.

“Never mind.” Gabrielle replied. The Japanese policeman was usually an ally of the FBI agent but hadn’t gotten her little joke. If Gabrielle had said the same thing within listening range of Grant Williamson, she would only have gotten in more hot water than she was already with the Deputy FBI Director.
 

~*~
 
As Hiromi continued her successful game of cat and mouse, her trip up the side road was reaping a beneficial side effect, Yakuza help had begun to arrive for Hiromi.

Roger took a moment to call Hiromi again. “Boss, help is here. I’m about two kilometers behind you and trying to close.”

“10-4.” Hiromi said as she swerved in front of a slower moving vehicle. Firecracker One was the closest Swan Song car to Hiromi’s tail.

One of the shareigashiras summoned to the scene, now joined in the chase. Akira Sudo was behind the wheel of a silver Jaguar and tried hard to run interference for Hiromi.

“Boss, the silver Jaguar behind you is one of us.”

“10-4.” Hiromi said at about the same moment another Yakuza car got into the fray. Even with the help she had gotten now, Hiromi found it increasingly difficult to dodge Firecrackers Five and One. Their drivers were almost as skillful as the Yakuza accountant.
 

~*~
 
Shareigashira Akira Sudo began to run interference for Hiromi Sato by tangling with Firecracker Two. The third closest chase car to the Yakuza accountant.

Akira had sworn his loyalty to both Keiji Watanabe and the Yakuza he was Oyabun of. Hiromi Sato was Akira’s superior, not to mention granddaughter of the Oyabun. Akira didn’t think twice as he took the dangerous moves he did. It was his duty to protect the leaders of the Watanabe Yakuza even if it meant placing his own life at risk.

That went for the expensive Jaguar Akira drove also. Akira would use it as a tool to thwart Hiromi Sato’s attackers.

More traffic was about to get on the highway. Akira was right alongside Firecracker two. The driver of Firecracker two wanted to overtake Akira, but couldn’t. The clever Yakuza was trying to box him in.

And it succeeded.
 

~*~
 
The furthest back of Hiromi Sato’s pursuers, was Firecracker five. In it was first Lieutenant DW Connors. Only moments earlier, Firecracker five had an accident. It striking a family station wagon and forcing it off the road. DW couldn’t help but think who had been in the vehicle and how they were doing.

“This isn’t working,” Said the driver of Firecracker five. He was referring to Operation Firecracker.

“You think so?” DW Connors asked with more than a hint of sarcasm. When he got a moment, the DW would call for ambulances to come to the area. In the meantime, Firecracker five would continue on with the operation.
 

~*~
 
Toyo Ito continued to use his motorcycle with his caution. Traffic was beginning to thicken due to the proximity of Yokohama.

Suddenly Toyo heard his cellphone begin to ring. Toyo asked himself who was calling, his parents to ask where he was? Or was it Reiko?

The memory of the previous night caused Toyo to smile. With his mind distracted by the previous night’s pleasures, Toyo had no idea how close he was to danger.
 

~*~
 
After his successful boxing in of Firecracker two, Akira Sudo turned his sights to Firecracker one. Maybe Akira could slow this vehicle down also.

Firecracker One’s driver was named Alex Snodgrass and hw wasn’t ready to slow down. Major Hollins wouldn’t let him in any case. So after catching a glimpse of Akira Sudo’s approach, Ron pressed Firecracker one’s pedal to the floor.

Alex kept Firecracker One in front of the shareigashira with his application of extra speed, but it also meant vehicles ahead would get in the way even faster. One of which was Toyo Ito and his motorcycle.

Toyo never knew what hit him. The aggressive driving of Alex Snodgrass resulted in a collision between Firecracker One and the motorcycle being ridden by Toyo Ito.

The result was Toyo Ito was thrown through the air. Just before his body hit a guardrail head first, Toyo's last thought was of how beautiful his girlfriend Reiko was.
 

~*~
 
"Shouldn't we stop? Asked Alex Snodgrass.

Major Hollins shook his head. "Just call for an ambulance."
 

~*~
 
At first, Dai Hashimoto was worried he and his men would arrive too late to assist Hiromi-san. As it turned out, they got on the highway just seconds before Hiromi and the last four Firecracker vehicles zoomed by them.

“We must keep up.” Dai directed the driver of his car. A few seconds later a BMW convertible driven by Watanabe shareigashira Ryuku Kinjoh joined the battle. Ryuku would try her best to tangle with Firecracker Five in order to keep it off Hiromi Sato’s tail.

“You go, girl!” Ryuku Kinjoh said to urge on her friend, who was the only other high ranking female member of the Watanabe Yakuza besides herself. The use of a very American expression was nothing new for Ryuku. She had lived in the USA for two years as a child.

In a car seat behind Dai Hashimoto was Sadao Koba. Sadao had just text messaged bodyguard Yuri so Roger Hyde could inform Hiromi that more reinforcements had arrived.
 

~*~
 
“Shit how many of them are there?” Major Hollins asked out loud. The Army Officer had only now begun to think that Operation Firecracker may have gone badly wrong.

The Swan Song committee hadn’t expected this fierce a resistance from Agent Ripley or for so long. Nor had Major Hollins anticipated the arrival of Yakuza reinforcements to help Ripley. Major Hollins by now wished he had assembled a bigger team to capture Hiromi, but it was too late to do anything about it.

Despite the dwindling odds of Operation Firecracker succeeding, Major Hollins wasn’t ready to abandon the operation. He had orders too. Hiromi Sato had to be captured, but without the snatch endangering Japanese civilians.

The city of Yokohama continued to approach with amazing velocity. If Hiromi Sato wasn’t reeled in soon, Operation Firecracker would have to be abandoned.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi continued to dodge all pursuers. Firecracker Four was now the closest pursuit car to the Yakuza accountant’s Fairlady. Car Four was just to the right and slightly to the rear of Hiromi.

Now tired of the chase, Hiromi took her most aggressive action yet. Through precision use of the brake and steering wheel, Hiromi made the Fairlady begin to fish tail in the direction of Firecracker Four.

Firecracker Four’s driver was alert, and saw what the Fairlady and Agent Ripley were trying to do. The driver, under orders to avoid any collision that could be life endangering to Agent Ripley, did the only thing he could, swerve Firecracker Four right to avoid contact with The Fairlady.

The action Hiromi Sato had just taken, was what some call a fly swat maneuver, a highly dangerous driving tactic that usually results in injury to pedestrian bystanders or to occupants of the car being swatted, plus damage to the car that conducts the fly swat.

In this case, no collision between Firecracker Four and the Fairlady occurred. That didn’t mean the ‘fly swat’ didn’t work. For the driver of Firecracker Four overcorrected to his right, which caused the SUV he drove to hit the guard rail that separated east bound and west bound traffic.

Firecracker Four suffered body damage from its collision with the guard rail. The car began to slow down. Then, even more bad luck for ‘Operation Firecracker’ took place.

Only seconds after Firecracker Four got back on the road, the car’s right rear tire blew. Firecracker Four was at such a high rate of speed by then that it took a minor miracle to prevent it from colliding with other traffic as it pulled off the highway.
 

~*~
 
Roger and company were back on the scene by now. The bodyguards assigned to Hiromi Sato finally able to catch a glimpse of their boss in action.

“The boss really has balls,” Kimo said.

“That she does. What a shame the Watanabes are about to get rid of her. I’d want the boss on my side any day.” Roger said to Yuri and Kimo, both of whom agreed with the British bodyguard’s evaluation of Hiromi Sato.

“Why haven’t these cocksuckers called it quits?” Kimo asked. “They must have no fucking brains at all.”

“They sure don’t. Maybe they’re waiting for reinforcements to arrive,” Roger said as he noted the caution now taken by Hiromi Sato’s attempted kidnappers. It was Roger’s strongly held opinion that the fly swat maneuver had scared the shit out of whomever these men were.

“You could be right. They aren’t Yakuza, that I’m sure of,” Yuri said as he watched another car driven by a member of the Watanabe Yakuza join in the battle.

“Agreed. If I had to make a guess, it would be these idiots didn’t know the boss had a first class driving instructor not too long ago.”

When Hiromi Sato first came to study in Tokyo, she had a single bodyguard assigned to her by Keiji Watanabe. A recently discharged member from the Russian military, who taught Hiromi advanced defensive driving skills over a period of two months. “Thanks, Roger, but Taro really was a fast learner.”
 

~*~
 
“Fuck.” Major Hollins exclaimed out loud as he watched the loss of Firecracker Four. The odds for a successful snatch of Hiromi Sato had decreased greatly, but the Army Major refused to give up. Somehow, Agent Ripley would be stopped and taken into custody by the Firecracker team.

With Firecracker Four out of commission, car One became Hiromi Sato’s closest pursuer. For the moment Hiromi took less risky evasive actions.

“Maybe we should call this off,” said the driver of Firecracker One.

“No fucking way. We will get this lunatic, one way or the other.” Major Hollins had lost all patience and some might say reason by this point. The Army Major was still in a state of disbelief in regards to Captain Slater’s failure to recognize that the Firecracker team was there to help her. Had the man gone renegade or turned bad since the previous August?

Time was almost out for the Firecracker team. Yokohama’s city limits were only twenty kilometers away. During the setup phase of Firecracker, The Swan Song committee agreed with the local Japanese police not to conduct operations beyond a certain point.
 

~*~
 
So far, the Watanabe Yakuza had run interference but had otherwise stayed back as they watched one of their highest ranking members artfully dodge the people chasing her. It had been a spectacle well worth watching.

“Sato-san is very brave.” Said the driver of the vehicle Dai Hashimoto was in. By now they were directly behind Firecracker One.

“Ram them.” Dai Hashimoto ordered the driver of his car. The driver didn’t argue but did as Hashimoto-san ordered him.
 

~*~
 
“What the fuck,” Major Hollins said right after Firecracker One was hit. “Do they want to kill us all?”

The destruction of Firecracker One was exactly what Dai Hashimoto had intended. Little happened as a result of the first collision, so Dai instructed his driver to try again. The second effort was little better than the first. All the ramming maneuvers ended up causing was body damage to the vehicles involved.

It was the third ramming of Firecracker One that had the desired result Dai Hashimoto had hoped for. The blow caused the car, with Major Hollins inside, to begin to spin. Too much application of the brakes by Firecracker One’s driver in combination with a too-high a rate of speed caused the SUV to lose all grip it had on the roadway. The car overturned not just once but twice.
 

~*~
 
“Holy shit,” First Lieutenant DW Connors said from the comfort of Firecracker Five as he watched car number One finally settle on all four tires. From the moment Firecracker began, DW had believed the operation wouldn’t be the slam dunk almost all other members believed it to be. Three wrecked cars were far worse than anything the first lieutenant had imagined.

DW Connors, who was Major Hollins second in command for Firecracker, had seen enough and therefore radioed the remainder of the snatch team. “Firecracker Five to Firecracker Two, mission abort. I repeat, mission abort.”

A mile back, the occupants of Firecracker One were injured but not critically so. All three men had suffered concussions, and two of them had broken bones also. Major Hollins was among them, his collarbone fracturing as a result of car One’s second tumble.

Firecracker Five and Two would eventually reverse course and come to the help of their comrades. All three men in the wreckage of Firecracker One would spend at least one night in the hospital. No doubt about it, Operation Firecracker had been a complete clusterfuck and as a result Agent Ripley was still free.
 

~*~
 
Gabrielle Tanaka was still with Inspector Yoshida when the abort message was sent by Lt. Connors. “Inspector, can you do me a favor?”

“Possibly, Gabrielle-san. It will depend on the nature of the favor you request.”

“Has a psychological evaluation ever been done of the real Hiromi Sato? I would like to read it, if there was. Could you get a copy for me?” The present location of the real Hiromi was a prison in Northern Japan. As requested by Japanese and Swan Song authorities, the real Yakuza accountant was being held in solitary confinement.

“I can do that for you, Gabrielle-san.”
 

~*~
 
Roger Hyde had seen the Firecracker team break off the chase. He then called Hiromi Sato. “You’re clear, boss. Can you please slow down now?”

Hiromi did as Roger asked, and began to drive at a less risky speed. As she did, the car with Dai Hashimoto inside passed Hiromi.

“Boss, Dai-san now is right in front of you. I’m directly to your rear,” Roger told Hiromi. He also mentioned to his boss that there were at least eight other cars full of Watanabe Yakuza in close proximity. “Let all of us safely escort you home.”

“10-4.” Hiromi said as she continued to drive at a more subdued pace than was usual for her. Her life had just been threatened, therefore an escort into Yokohama seemed wise.

People at the Negishi Bay Apartments had been alerted in advance. When Hiromi arrived home, she had several heavily-armed men wave her into the garage. Inside the garage itself, security was incredibly tight.

Hiromi parked the Fairlady a few moments later. After a pause of a few seconds, Hiromi lowered the driver side sun visor so she could check her makeup and hair.

All Chuck could do was silently stare at his wife. They had just spent a half hour being chased at speeds well over 200 kilometers per hour, and the first thing your wife does is check her appearance. ‘What kind of woman are you married to?’ Chuck asked himself.

As Hiromi checked her appearance, the driver side door was opened for her. Dai Hashimoto was there to offer a hand to his fellow Saiko-komon. Hiromi swung her legs out of the car and accepted Dai’s gracious offer of assistance to stand up.

On the other side of the Fairlady, Chuck got assistance from Yuri and one of Dai’s men. With his feet now on firm ground, Chuck continued to feel wobbly from the experience he had just endured.

Hiromi and Chuck were quickly ushered onto a waiting elevator for the trip to the forty-fifth floor. They didn’t make the trip upstairs alone, Roger, Dai, and two more Watanabe security men climbed in the elevator also.

Security on the floor Hiromi’s apartment was located was at least two times its normal level. Hiromi and Chuck were shown straight into their living quarters.

Once inside, Hiromi and Chuck were asked to sit down by Roger. The Australian wanted to change clothes after his ‘accident’ on the way to Yokohama but complied with the bodyguard’s request.

Hiromi was another matter. “I want my privacy, now get out.”

“Boss, give me and Hashimoto-san a few minutes to check the apartment out. I promise, we won’t take long.”

“All right, but then I want you to leave at once.” Hiromi said as she defiantly walked towards the kitchen area.

Roger and Dai’s search of the apartment took nearly ten minutes. Each took approximately one half of the apartment for their own, then when finished Dai and Roger each went back and double checked the area the other had already surveyed.

In such a heavily guarded building, these searches would seem an act of paranoia but they weren’t. That day’s events, plus the recent assassination of Goro Watanabe and the betrayal of Reina Shimizu, were strong reminders that Watanabe Yakuza security wasn’t all it should be. Under those circumstances, a thorough check of Hiromi Sato’s living quarters wasn’t out of line.

When he and Dai were done, Roger reported back to his boss. By then Hiromi had gotten herself a soft drink and was sitting on a sofa in the main living room.

“Everything is clear, boss. Your grandfather asked for you to call him.”

Hiromi was in no hurry to talk to Keiji Watanabe. “Now leave me.”

“Before I go, is there anything I can get you?”

“No, now leave me.”

Roger tried to tell Hiromi that Juanita would soon be upstairs to see to any of her and Chuck’s needs. Hiromi said nothing and looked uninterested, so Roger left apartment without another word being spoken.

Dai Hashimto was the last person to exit the apartment. Before he left, the Saiko-komon made an unusually deep bow towards Keiji Watanabe’s granddaughter.
 

~*~
 
The safe arrival of Hiromi Sato at the Negishi Bay apartment house in no way signaled that Roger Hyde’s work was through. Roger still felt stressed from that afternoon’s events. He would have to seriously re-evaluate the security arrangements of the person he was paid to protect.

Another complication in the work that lay ahead for Roger was Hiromi’s planned move to Hong Kong. Roger had yet to see Hiromi Sato’s new home, and therefore had no idea what the security arrangements would be like in Hong Kong.

Roger was supposed to be make a reconnaissance trip the next day to Hong Kong for just that. The just-failed kidnaping or assassination attempt would keep Roger away from that vital work. All of Hiromi’s present security arrangements would need to be re-evaluated first.

“How is she?” Yuri asked Hiromi’s head of security as Roger and Dai stepped out of the apartment.

“Taro-san is fine.” Roger told the Russian bodyguard. The head of Hiromi Sato’s protection squad could have added, but didn’t, ‘She feels better than I do at present.’

“That is good to hear.” Yuri nodded. Hiromi Sato’s bodyguards weren’t out of danger yet. The breakdown in security that day could still have fatal consequences for Roger, Yuri, and Kimo.

Kimo spoke. “I called Oyabun as you told me. He asked for you to call back as soon as you were free.”

“I got work to do then,” Roger said to both Yuri and Kimo. “No one is to go inside without their being searched first. In addition, I’m to be notified of all visitors.”

“Roger, we’ll do as you say.” Kimo replied.
 

~*~
 
While Roger returned Keiji Watanabe’s phone call, Dai Hashimoto began to make security measures of his own to protect Hiromi Sato.. The first step he took was the placement of two of his own security people outside Hiromi Sato’s apartment. Dai would take it upon himself to see to the safety of Keiji Watanabe’s granddaughter.

Dai wanted to know more of what went wrong that day, but postponed the matter for now. The Saiko-komon felt fairly certain another attempt would be made against Hiromi Sato. The people who attacked that day would either return or give up. The former seemed more likely. No matter, the Watanabe Yakuza would be prepared. Hiromi Sato would never have to defend herself without assistance again.
 

~*~
 
Shortly after Keiji Watanabe finished his phone conversation with Roger Hyde, Ai Toguchi walked into the room. “Did something happen?”

Keiji, in a rare moment of melancholy, shared what happened to his granddaughter with Ai. “Hiromi is at the apartment now and safe.”

“That is good news,” Ai replied. Later on when she had time to think, Ai began to get frightened. Would the beeper she placed on the Fairlady be discovered?
 

~*~
 
Once he and Hiromi were alone in the apartment, Chuck went into the master bedroom in order to change his wet pants and underwear. In the end, Chuck decided to put on a whole new set of clothes. Chuck also used this time to ponder the adventure that had just happened.

When Chuck returned to the living room, he found his wife also deep in thought. “My head feels like it is ready to explode,” Chuck told Hiromi. The Australian was a frequent sufferer of headaches.

Hiromi appeared to care very little about her husband’s health. She then took that particular moment to stand up and make an announcement. “I will now take a shower.”

Chuck felt an almost irresistible urge to scream at Hiromi for recklessly endangering their lives. Instead Chuck spoke in a more civil tone of voice. “Kimi-chan, I love you very much, but what just happened....”

“What just happened is some people tried to capture me. I fought back.”

“Yes, kimi-chan but....”

“But what? Was I supposed to just let them capture me?”

Chuck again thought of the missing scar. After that day’s events, It had grown very difficult to dismiss the notion that the woman with him now wasn’t the real Hiromi Sato.

“Hiromi, I didn’t say that. What you did was very dangerous.”

“I had no choice. To save me, I had to fight.”

Chuck noticed how Hiromi made no mention of saving him. What then was going on?

“I will go change clothes now. When I come out you tell me if you still want me as your wife.” Hiromi then marched into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Chuck shook his head. He did love Hiromi Sato and he wouldn’t leave her. There was a question that still begged to be answered. What happened to the Hiromi who so loved to ride a pony only six months earlier?
 

~*~
 
A preliminary post mortem on Operation Firecracker would not be complete for another three days. The anger expressed by Japanese officials over what happened the afternoon of July 6th came much quicker.

It forced Grant Williamson to call a Swan Song committee meeting to order Sunday 1 p.m. Washington DC time or the wee hours of the morning Monday July 7th Japan time. The still hospitalized Major was replaced by his second in command, Captain Andrew Higgins.

“Seven civilians were taken to area hospitals with various injuries. One motorcyclist is in serious condition.” Inspector Yoshida reported to the rest of the committee.

During the chaos of Operation Firecracker, Five cars that were in area were in some type of collision or forced off the road. Six people riding in those vehicles, including a four-year-old boy, had to receive medical care afterwards. All were expected to live, in fact only one of the six was still hospitalized.

Toyo Ito was not as fortunate. His skull had been fractured in two places from his being thrown from the motorcycle after colliding with Firecracker one. At present it wasn’t known if Toyo would live.

“Inspector I assure you.....” Captain Higgins began to say but got cut off by Inspector Yoshida.

“Major Hollins exceeded his orders. He was told before hand not to put innocent people’s lives at risk.” Inspector Yoshida had been unfairly ripped by his own superiors before coming to that night’s meeting. The senior Yokohama policeman felt, and rightly so, that the Firecracker fiasco was not his fault.

“Inspector I am no more pleased with what happened today than your superiors. If Major Hollins disobeyed orders, the United States Army will take proper action,” Grant Williamson said. The FBI Deputy Director was indeed displeased with Operation Firecracker. By Grant’s calculations he would soon get grief from his superior at the Hoover Building.

In the meantime Grant wished someone would change the topic for him. Captain Higgins soon obliged him.

“We must regard Agent Ripley as non-cooperative from this point forward.”

“She could be a real member of the Yakuza now,” Grant Williamson remarked next.

Gabrielle then voiced her opinion. She held back nothing in her reply. “I don’t think so. The DNA therapy and another catalyst or catalysts has caused psychological changes in Captain Slater. Dr. Wagner has stated so.”

“I concur.” Inspector Yoshida added. “Let none of us forget Dr. Wagner’s report from last spring. It said some trauma, mental or physical, could be at fault for Ripley’s present behavior.”

If looks could kill, the one Gabrielle got from the FBI Deputy Director would have dropped her in a split second. Gabrielle Tanaka hadn’t just made Grant look like a fool, but got others to go along with her. Grant would have ordered Gabrielle to return home immediately if it wouldn’t have further complicated Swan Song. Other than Director Williamson, Gabrielle was the only person in the FBI familiar with all facets of the Operation.

“Anything new from Concierge?”

Inspector Yoshida shook his head. “Nothing yet. We did send another email message to Concierge tonight.”
 

~*~
 
The Swan Song meeting was adjourned not long afterwards. As it broke up, Inspector Yoshida approached Gabrielle. “Here is the report you requested.”

“Thank you, Inspector, I appreciate it.”

Gabrielle went straight to her apartment. She was both physically and mentally exhausted, but sleep would have to wait. In order to save Tom Slater, Gabrielle would get into the head of Hiromi Sato. Maybe that would help the FBI agent find a way to save her friend.
 

~*~
 
As Hiromi Sato slept soundly in her 45th floor apartment, other members of the Watanabe Yakuza were awake on floors below her. Most were there to see to the Saiko-komon’s security. Others, a small handful, spent time discussing what had happened the day before.

The news of the attempted abduction of Hiromi Sato and her successful defense had spread quickly within the Watanabe Yakuza. Other than Hiromi, there had been over twenty Yakuza witnesses to the chase. All had come away impressed with Hiromi’s bravery and skill in face of danger.

When it came to stories and rumors, the Watanabe Yakuza was not unalike non-criminal enterprises. The grapevine could work very fast. There were exceptions; the demotion of Hiromi Sato was known to very few people, for example. On the other hand, the events of the afternoon had spread with lightning speed, as had the opinions of those who watched it in person.

Twenty-two floors below Hiromi Sato were three Watanabe Yakuza members. They smoked, drank and talked before going to bed for the night. All three lived in the Negishi Bay apartment building. Two of them had a wife and children.

“Sato-san taught those gaijin a lesson today,” Said the first Yakuza.

“They were gaijin?” Asked the second Yakuza. The third Yakuza kept quiet for the most part as his two friends talked.

“Yes, they were gaijin. Sato-san defeated all seven cars of them.”

The second Yakuza shook his head. “Ten cars of gaijin.......”

Hiromi Sato’s defense of herself had already become a legend inside the closed world of the Watanabe Yakuza. Like most legends, the facts got skewed after many re-tellings.

“Not ten, seven. Remember I know Sadao Koba. He was with Tiger-san when this happen.”

“Ten, seven, does it matter?”

“No, Sato-san defeated them all whatever the number.”

“Sato-san is very formidable. We should respect her even more after today.”

The second Yakuza drank some more beer before replying. “I don’t know about you, but I would want Sato-san on our side if another war were to break out.”

“You can say that again.”

“Do you think she will be the next Oyabun?”

Keiji Watanabe commanded the respect of the Yakuza he ruled. At the same time, its members knew his becoming Oyabun again was just a temporary measure. After all, Keiji was well into his seventies.

“If Tiger-san isn’t promoted, then who else is left?”

The second Yakuza nodded his head. “All I can think of is Sato-san.”

“Ishimoto-san is another possibility.”

The second Yakuza seemed dismissive of Hideichi Ishimoto’s chances of promotion. “I never thought I’d see the day we would have a woman as Oyabun.”

“It will never happen,” growled the third Yakuza in the room. “No woman will ever be a Oyabun.”

The first Yakuza spoke again. “You may be wrong, my friend. Sato-san is no ordinary woman.”
 

~*~
 
After a good night’s sleep, Hiromi felt fresh and invigorated the next morning. She and Chuck were in the middle of breakfast, when Roger Hyde paid a courtesy call.

“Boss, we have a different arrangement for you this morning.”

“What kind of arrangement?”

“We had your work brought here.”

“I have to go to the office.”

Chuck stayed out of the argument that had broken out between Hiromi and Roger. He was still afflicted with a severe headache, and had already made the decision to take that day off.

“The Fairlady is in need of repair.”

“Why? It wasn’t damaged yesterday.”

“Hashimoto-san thought it wise to have it checked. Kimo will take it to the shop this morning.”

“Then get me another car.”

“Boss, we still don’t know all the facts surrounding yesterday. It is safest for you to stay here.”

Roger and Hiromi continued to argue. The British bodyguard stood his ground, and called in reinforcements. Roger called Keiji Watanabe and had him speak to Hiromi.

“Granddaughter, you are to stay at the apartment today.”

“I have work to do,” Hiromi replied. In spite of several reminders to call her grandfather the day before, Hiromi had not.

“All work will be brought to you. I’m coming to Yokohama today. We will speak when I get there.”

Hiromi lost the battle over where her work would be done that particular day. After breakfast was finished, Hiromi was escorted to the 44th floor. There Hiromi found her secretaries Aki and Suki, plus her assistants Ryoji and Yuka. A makeshift office had been created for Hiromi. Her computer, desk, and even her office chair had been brought from Watanabe Trucking and set up for the Yakuza accountant’s use.

While not happy with her arrangements, Hiromi still had work to do. Hiromi settled in at her desk shortly after 8 a.m. Almost immediately, Suki Kobayashi brought her Taro tea along with that day’s newspapers.

Hiromi had the privacy of her office. Outside, security was incredibly tight. Supervised personally by Dai Hashimoto. The Saiko-komon still sworn to his pledge to Keiji Watanabe that he would keep Hiromi Sato safe.

Chuck remained behind in the apartment one floor above. By late morning, Chuck felt a little bit better and decided to report in for work at Kanagawa Bank.
 

~*~
 
Shinya Hashimoto, a cousin of the Saiko-komon of the same family name, owned the auto repair shop most frequently used by the Watanabe Yakuza. After he was informed a vehicle belonging to Hiromi Sato had been brought in, Shinya took it upon himself to inspect the car.

Nothing seemed amiss as the Fairlady was put on a lift and then raised into the air. After this was completed, Shinya did a visual inspection.

It didn’t take long at all for Shinya to find the remote beepers. Bodyguard Kimo, who was standing just a few feet away, was asked to come over.

“This doesn’t belong.”

“Roger has a tracking device on the car. He placed it himself a while back.”

Shinya then showed Kimo the second electronic device he discovered. “Then what is this?”

Dai Hashimoto, Roger Hyde, and Omar Rafique were all summoned to the repair shop. It wasn’t till after they arrived, that the electronic gizmos were removed.

“That’s mine,” Roger said after the first beeper was detached. “In light of how Sato-san drives, I placed this on the car. That is how I was able to track Taro when she was being chased yesterday.”

The second beeper was detached and given to Omar for inspection. “It is a remote device of some kind.” Omar couldn’t say much more. His field of expertise was computers, not simple electronics.

Dai then looked at the device. “Who placed this on the car?”

Roger then answered. “That is a very good question.”
 

~*~
 
It was shortly after seven, when Hiromi re-entered her apartment. Chuck was seated on a couch and Hiromi went straight over in order to kiss her husband.

“How do you feel?”

“A little better. I went to the office around eleven.”

“Yes, I heard that,” Hiromi answered back. Juanita Perez then informed her employer that dinner was ready.

Not long into dinner did Chuck notice the warm loving Hiromi seemed to be in session that evening. The combative angry Hiromi of the day before was nowhere to be seen.

“How was your day?”

“All right.”

“You didn’t call me.”

“I was busy.”

“Too busy for me?” Hiromi asked with a pout.

Chuck put down his fork. “I’m never too busy for you Kimi-chan. I love you.”

“Love you also. If I can make the time, maybe we can go away for a few days... say next week.”

The battle between the Hiromi Sato and Tom Slater personas still raged on in the body they shared. While Hiromi was still dominant, the events of the day before had created small fissures in the grip she had. The sighting of Major Hollins, and the use of the Swan Song recognition code, had revitalized Tom Slater.

Plus there was Chuck. It had been Tom Slater who had said yes to the Australian’s marriage proposal. There had been no doubt in her answer.

Chuck allowed himself a smile. “I’d like that. Anywhere in particular you want to go?”

“Australia? Maybe visit your uncle again.”

Chuck began to laugh. “You so enjoyed riding that pony.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Uncle Harry and Aunt Zeny would tell us we’re welcome any time, but I have to tell you it’s winter there now.”

“I forgot. There has been a great deal on my mind,” Hiromi said just before a phone in the apartment began to ring.

Juanita got it for her employer. The person calling was Keiji Watanabe.

“Granddaughter, how are you tonight?”

“I’m well, grandfather.”

“That is good to hear. Could you come over now? I have a few things to speak to you about.”

Tom Slater’s temporary grip on the body she was in, began to slip. Hiromi Sato remembered her grandfather and his future plans for his granddaughter.

“Are you here in Yokohama?”

“Yes. I am across the hall.”

“Is it all right if I come in fifteen minutes? I will have finished dinner by then.”

“That is acceptable.” Keiji Watanabe then hung up the phone.
 

~*~
 
Keiji wanted to see Hiromi in order to hear her version of what happened the day before. After Hiromi was finished, a few Yakuza matters were discussed. Keiji’s planned move and demotion for his granddaughter didn’t come up.

Hiromi went to Kanagawa Bank to conduct business the next day. Roger had fought his boss hard over her safety, but lost. Hiromi told Roger there was bank business that needed her attention that couldn’t be done anywhere but Kanagawa.

If Roger was thwarted in his attempt to have Hiromi continue conducting business, at Negishi, the British bodyguard did get his way when it came to his Taro’s other security arrangements. Hiromi’s security detail was again enlarged to its post-Goro Watanabe assassination size. Also the use of decoy cars would be reinstituted.

Hiromi’s car was still being serviced on Tuesday, so other transport had to be found. Ryuku Kinjoh graciously came forward and offered the use of her BMW convertible. Hiromi accepted without hesitation.

Security at Kanagawa Bank was also made extra tight. Every person who entered the bank building was scrutunized by guards placed at the door, and by a video surveilance system. A successful capture of Hiromi Sato had been made harder than ever.
 

~*~
 
The American contingent of Swan Song weren’t busy with plans for another snatch operation. Instead, the after-action reports on Operation Firecracker were being studied. All were scathing in their opinion of Major Hollins’ decision making.

None more so than a report written by Kanagawa prefecture Detective Tadaharu Ichiba. Ichiba had detailed Major Hollins failings in great detail: A good leader will adapt when a plan doesn’t go right. Major Hollins made no attempt to tweak Firecracker while the Operation was in progress. That, and Hiromi Sato’s unplanned-for resistance, were considered the biggest causes for Firecracker’s failure.

Captain Higgins tried to stand up for his superior officer. “I think this report is unfair. Whoever wrote.....”

Inspector Yoshida was quick to cut the Army Captain off. “Detective Ichiba is a highly trained policeman in addition to having served five years in the Self Defense forces before that.”

“You don’t think his view is colored by what happened?”

“Not in the slightest. Have you forgotten other people listened in on Firecracker’s communications? If you need a reminder of what Major Hollins said, I’ll quote from the transcript.”

“No, Inspector, that’s not necessary.”

Major Hollins had been released from the hospital and was at present recovering at Yokota Air Base outside of Yokohama. It would be some time before the doctors released the Major to his Firecracker duties again.

Grant Williamson had heard unofficially that Major Hollins was about to be recalled. Grant was of the opinion that the Major deserved to be sacked. Even better, sent to an army outpost in the arctic till he reached retirement.

Captain Higgins made one more attempt to defend his superior officer. “How about that patrolmen who disobeyed orders and freed up the traffic behind Ripley?

All Kanagawa prefecture patrolman were supposed to be briefed that an Operation was about to take place. One wasn’t, a young patrolman missed his scheduled briefing due to illness in his family. He was the same one who broke up the road blockade.

“What about him?” Gabrielle asked. “Obviously Hiromi Sato or her bodyguards radioed ahead for help. In my opinion the Watanabe Yakuza were better prepared than you and Major Hollins were.”

Captain Higgins positively scowled at Gabrielle Tanaka. What did this FBI agent know about military operations?

Inspector Yoshida spoke. “It has been decided by officials in Tokyo to terminate the Agent Ripley phase of Swan Song.”

Grant Williamson had an immediate question. “Inspector, can you share with us how that will be done?”

“No sir. Only because I have no knowledge of what are the plans at present.”

“Keep us informed. Anything else to discuss?”

Inspector Yoshida answered Grant’s question. “We have discovered Raizo Taneda, the brother of the man who murdered Goro Watanabe, was heavily in debt to the Yakuza known as the Yamaguchi-gami.”

“Would the Yamaguchis have reason to want Goro Watanabe dead?”

“Perhaps,” Inspector Yoshida said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It is more likely someone guaranteed the brother’s debt would be paid off if Doho killed Goro Watanabe.”

Gabrielle then spoke. “I agree with Inspector Yoshida. Someone had to be on the inside. Doho Taneda could not have committed the murder without assistance.”

“The investigation is still in progress,” Inspector Yoshida told the rest of the committee.

“Any word yet from Concierge?”

“No sir,” Gabrielle Tanaka said in reply. With nothing else to discuss, the Swan Song meeting was adjourned.
 

~*~
 
After the meeting broke up, Gabrielle went back to her apartment. Since she felt hungry, the first thing Gabrielle did was prepare herself some dinner. She heated up some Chinese food from the day before.

While Gabrielle ate, she again read the psych evaluation on Hiromi Sato. After her first read of the report, Gabrielle asked herself why she hadn’t thought of this earlier. After deeper reflection, the FBI agent concluded the report wouldn’t have been likely to alter Swan Song if all three countries who wanted Goro Watanabe imprisoned had knew how disturbing it was, since they all thought that destroying the Watanabe Yakuza was more important than any danger to the mental health of whoever infiltrated that Japanese crime family.

The report on Hiromi Sato couldn’t have been clearer. She was a undeniable sociopath, without regard for anyone’s feelings but her own. The pscyhiatric report said one cause of Hiromi Sato’s mental illness was her feelings of abandonment, incurred after her parents separated and she was raised far away from the Watanabes.

When Hiromi came to Tokyo to go to college, she still felt distant from her blood relatives. Hiromi didn’t get the emotional support she needed, and began to plot how she could get even with her family. When an opportunity to work for the Watanabe Yakuza presented itself, Hiromi grabbed it. Her ultimate goal was the destruction of everything she had been denied for most of her life.

Now things began to make sense. Even in jail, Hiromi had presented herself as a very strong woman. This and the change in behavior by Agent Ripley were connected. Gabrielle still believed Tom Slater’s breakdown was connected to Agent Chrysanthemum’s death, and that resulted in the strong Hiromi persona taking control.

All of this was well and good, but how could Tom Slater be saved? Gabrielle told herself there had to be a way to counteract the Hiromi Sato personality, but what? First things first, though. Agent Ripley had to be caught. Then the mental changes to Tom Slater could be addressed. Maybe Gabrielle could talk to Dr. Wagner again when the scientist returned from her honeymoon.

In the meantime, Gabrielle had to call the Slaters. After the greetings were over with, Gabrielle gave Midori Slater an update.

“Mom, we tried to capture Tom but it didn’t work.”

“Gabrielle what do we do next?”

“Frankly, Mom, I don’t know.”
 

~*~
 
“I will leave now.” Keiji Watanabe told his wife. They were in the bedroom of the apartment they at the Negishi Bay apartment tower.

“What time should I have dinner prepared?”

“The same time as always,” Keiji said to Ai. Invariably the couple had dinner at 7:30 every evening. “We may go back to the lake tonight.”

“Riko and I will begin to pack then,”Ai told Keiji before he exited the room.

Ai was still in the process of getting dressed for the day when her husband announced his intent to leave. As soon as Keiji was out of the apartment, Ai turned on her personal computer. It wasn’t till another thirty minutes had passed before Ai had time to use the machine.

The first thing Ai did after she got signed onto the internet, was check a special email account setup just for Operation Swan Song. There were two emails there addressed to Agent Concierge.

Ai read the emails three times before she deleted them. To get answers to the questions asked of her by The Swan Song committee would take Ai at least a day, probably longer.
 

~*~
 
Just as in the aftermath of Reina Shimizu’s betrayal, another inquest-like meeting was called by the Oyabun of the Watanabe Yakuza. This time Keiji Watanabe wanted to know all the circumstances behind the attack on his granddaughter.

Hiromi gave her version of what happened. “I do not know who these people were. They were gaijin, that is all I know.”

“Granddaughter, we are all glad you came out unharmed,” Keiji said to the room full of people. Not long afterwards, Hiromi was dismissed in order for her to tend to her duties as a Watanabe Saiko-kamon. As there were still concerns for Hiromi’s safety, she would again work at a office designed for her at the Negishi Bay apartment tower.

Hiromi’s bodyguards were the next to be questioned. All three men were nervous, Roger Hyde perhaps the least of the three. Roger, Yuri, and Kimo, all had good reason to fear punishment from the Watanabes after their failure to protect Hiromi Sato.

All three men were soon relieved. The meeting that day hadn’t been called to hand out punishment, but rather to learn the causes behind the events of Sunday afternoon.

“If it is all right, I will leave for Hong Kong tonight.” Keiji Watanabe gave his permission before dismissing the British bodyguard. At this point in time only Keiji Watanabe, Hideichi Ishimoto, and Dai Hashimoto knew the intended purpose of Roger Hyde’s trip.
 

~*~
 
Chuck had gone to work at Kanagawa Bank that particular morning. It wasn’t till past 12 noon that Chuck took time out to call Hiromi.

“I’m all right,” Hiromi replied when Chuck asked how she was was.

“That’s good, Kimi-chan. I have a suggestion, would you like us to eat out tonight?”

Hiromi paused for a few moments. She was tired of being cooped up at the apartment building. Yes there was a great deal of work that needed to be done, but Hiromi felt a strong urge to get out sometime that day.

“Yes, we can do that. I will call Juanita and speak to Roger.”

After telling Juanita not to prepare dinner that evening, Hiromi spoke to her bodyguard. “Chuck and I will eat out tonight.”

“All right, Boss, but I need to know where.”

“Yojimbos. Will there be a problem?

Yojimbos, a steak and seafood restaurant, was Watanabe Yakuza ran and operated. “No, boss, none at all. One other thing, for the next few days it will be Yuri that will see to any of your needs. I have to go away on business.”

“Has my car been repaired?”

“No, not yet. It should be shortly,” Roger told his boss. The Fairlady had undergone a transmission overhaul which wasn’t completed yet.

“Tell Yuri I will go to the office tomorrow.” Hiromi then hung up the phone.
 

~*~
 
“What will we do now?” Dai Hashimoto asked as soon as Roger was gone. Besides he and Keiji, five Watanabe shareigashiras were at the meeting.

“I will personally see to this matter,” Keiji said to all those present. After which the shareigashiras who had been in attendance on Sunday were asked to give their version of what happened.

When that was completed, the time had come for Keiji to break the news about Hiromi. “She will be leaving for Hong Kong on July 27th. My granddaughter will live there from that day forward.”

Nobody spoke for ten seconds. Then Katsuaki Koike decided to break the ice with a question. Katsuaki hadn’t been present on Sunday, but had heard many eyewitness account of Hiromi Sato’s ride home. “Will Hiromi-san still manage our money?”

“Yes, she will, my granddaughter assured me of that. She will still be service to all of you.” Keiji expected some questions but obedience also. All the men in the room, Ryuku Kinjoh hadn’t been invited, had sworn their loyalty in the past to Keiji Watanabe. “All of you may stay in contact with Hiromi.”

Another shareigashira had a question. “With Hiromi-san in Hong Kong, who will do the audits?”

“Ryoji Ishii will take that responsibility beginning on the 27th. Any financial matters other than your own personal investments, should be brought to the attention of Ryoji-san.”

Katsuaki Koike watched Dai Hashimoto closely. Dai was seated at Keiji Watanabe’s right hand, and, other than that one question after Roger Hyde left the room, had said very little that day.

‘What do you think of this, Dai-san? Don’t you see the mistake Oyabun is making? We need Sato-san more than ever now.’

The thirteen Watanabe Yakuza shareigashiras were unusually young for people with so much power in Japanese organized crime. Only three of the thirteen were over forty years of age, and only one (Hideichi Ishimoto) over forty-five. This a result of the war with the Inagawa-kai in 2002-03. Seven shareigashiras, two Saiko-komons, plus then Oyabun Hideki Watanabe had been killed in that struggle.

With ages that ranged from 54-year-old Hideichi Ishimoto, to 25-year-old Akira Sudo, the overall average age of the Watanabe shareigashiras was only thirty-five years of age. Then there was the age of Keiji Watanabe to consider. He was seventy-five years of age. A impartial observer with some justification could say a generation gap had formed in the Watanabe Yakuza.

Katsuaki Koike, who was thirty-five years of age, related more to the young shareigashiras like Akira Sudo who was at the meeting, 27-year-old Ryuku Kinjoh who wasn’t in attendance and most importantly Hiromi Sato. Their modern attitudes and beliefs towards the world around them and how the Yakuza should work, were more in synch with Katsuaki than the more traditional views of Hideichi Ishimoto, Keiji Watanabe, and perhaps Dai Hashimoto.

Then again, what did Dai think of Hiromi’s demotion? As far as organizational charts are concerned, the two Saiko-komons were equals. Then there was reality, Hiromi Sato was arguably the brains of the Watanabe Yakuza, Dai was certainly the body or muscle. Each needed the other, but were hardly equal.

That was it. Dai concluded that he needed Hiromi if he was to prosper. Someone would have to help the Saiko-komon see this, but who? Dai, with good reason, was feared by people inside the Watanabe Yakuza not just outside. There were few living people who would be willing to tell Dai he should re-think a decision he had made.

As for Hiromi Sato’s replacement, Ryoji Ishii was by all accounts talented. Hiromi was also talented, but had proved herself to be brave and cunning also. Then there was how she dispatched the traitor, Reina Shimizu. She could be ruthless too if needed. How many financial advisors even in the world of the Yakuza could claim to have all three of those attributes? So far as Katsuaki knew, Ryoji had never proved himself in a fashion similar to Hiromi Sato.

Another sharegashira at the meeting asked the question that Katsuaki couldn’t bring himself to say out loud. “Why is Hiromi-san moving?”

Keiji showed no sign of annoyance at this question. “As you know, my granddaughter was recently married. She expressed her wish to live a different life now. One separate from her current duties.”

Katsuaki knew this was not true. Only the previous week had he met with Hiromi to discuss some financial matter. At no time did Hiromi hint she would be departing the Watanabes. In fact, she had made mention of some audit she would soon conduct in Katsuaki’s territory, to take place in August, after her grandfather had said Hiromi would be gone.

Why did Keiji feel the need to lie? Was it because Keiji Watanabe knew some of the people in the room would be none too happy at the loss of Hiromi? The person who had just not increased their personal wealth but was maybe best able to guide the family in the future.

Katsuaki believed he knew the reason Keiji Watanabe was using for the demotion of his granddaughter, that Hiromi was a female. Unless there was some bit of Watanabe knowledge that Katsuaki wasn’t privy to, it was the only reason that made sense.

Hiromi’s job performance certainly couldn’t be the cause of her removal. Katsuaki didn’t know one single member of the Watanabe Yakuza who didn’t hold Hiromi in high regard when it came to her financial ability.

For someone young and fairly new to the world of Japanese organized crime, Hiromi was unusually wise in Yakuza matters, both financial and non-financial. The previous Sunday should have been the last proof needed of Hiromi’s value to the family.

Only one conclusion could be made when all of this was considered. That Keiji Watanabe was out of touch. At the same time no one was ready to openly challenge him. That could change, or at least Katsuaki Koike hoped so.

Maybe Keiji sensed his last statement wasn’t believed. For he changed topics. The meeting went on for another hour before it broke up. Katsuaki, not a person known to dawdle, was on board an elevator with its doors almost ready to close in less than two minute. That is when Akira Sudo rushed to get on board also.

After the doors were closed, the twenty-five-old sharigashira, whose face was marked by a long knife scar below his right eye, spoke. “Katsuaki-san, could you join me for dinner tonight?”

Akira Sudo was known as ‘little tiger’ within the Watanabe Yakuza. Short in height and stocky, the protégé of Dai Hashimoto had a reputation for ruthlessness that rivaled that of the Saiko-komon. Akira’s nickname derived from that of his mentor.

Katsuaki answered immediately. “Yes, I can. Will we eat at the usual place?”

“Yes. If it don’t displease you, I would like to ask Ryuku-san to join us.”

“No, it doesn’t displease me, Akira-san. You will be the host, you may ask anyone to come that you wish.”
 

~*~
 
Ai Toguchi, along with her bodyguard Ana, had just arrived back at the Negishi Bay apartment tower. Ai had been out for over two hours. She would have to begin preparations for dinner in not too long.

The elevator that would take Ai upstairs had Akira and Katsuaki on board. A the two shareigashiras stepped off, they noticed they were in the presence of Keiji Watanabe’s wife. Both men bowed before they continued on their way. The conversation Katsuaki and Akira barely missed a beat from their encounter with Ai Toguchi.

Ai, who prided herself on her strong sense of hearing, couldn’t help but overhear a small snippet of conversation. As she stepped on board the elevator, Ai tried hard to consign what she heard to memory. What Akira and Katsuaki had discussed was the kind of information Agent Concierge’s controllers were seeking.

As she rode upstairs with Ana, Ai’s cellphone began to ring. “Hello”

“I will be late for dinner,” Said Keiji Watanabe. No hello, or inquiry about how his wife was that day came before his announcement. The elderly Oyabun did not know as yet how his statements that day had potentially weakened him.

“All right. Do you know what time you will be home?”

“No I don’t, but have a meal prepared,” Keiji said before he hung up on his. All Ai did was sigh. Her husband was as impossible as ever. The only good news for Ai was that she felt certain her days of remaining married to the monster were few in number.
 

~*~
 
Chuck got back to the apartment building at 6 pm. It was the Australian’s good fortune that his wife Hiromi called it at a day only moments before. On Chuck’s way upstairs, the elevator stopped at the 44th floor to pick up Hiromi.

“Kimi-chan, it is so good to see you,” Chuck said to his wife once she was on board the elevator. Since four bodyguards were in the elevator with the newlyweds, Chuck would wait to give Hiromi a warmer welcome. For now, the newlyweds held each other’s hand.

“I want to freshen up. Then we can go out for dinner.”

“Let’s do that,” Chuck replied as the elevators doors opened on the 45th floor.

It took about a half hour for Hiromi and Chuck to freshen up and change clothes. When they finished, the newlyweds left the apartment they shared. Yojimbo’s was only a twenty-minute car ride away.

When she arrived in the downstairs parking garage, Hiromi was happy to see the Fairlady was back. She would drive it to Yojimbo’s. Even for this short and relatively safe outing, three cars full of bodyguards would accompany Hiromi.

Hiromi and Chuck entered Yojimbos by the back entrance. Bodyguard Yuri was the one to hold the door for them. The Watanabe Yakuza that oversaw the restaurant would be there to greet Hiromi at the door.

Akira Sudo made a very deep bow to his Yakuza superior before speaking. “You honor me, Sato-san, by your presence tonight. This way, please. I have a private room ready for you and Charles.”

To get from the back entrance to the private dining room, Hiromi had to pass down a hallway. In every doorway that Hiromi passed by, a restaurant employee stood bowing in acknowledgent of who came to visit that day.

As Hiromi prepared to step in the private room, one of the restaurant employees began to clap their hands. In only a matter of seconds, all the restaurant employees began to applaud.

Once they were inside, Chuck pulled a chair out for his wife to sit down in. Akira was ready with a wine list the moment Hiromi was comfortable.

“I hope there we will something to satisfy your taste, Sato-san.”

“There should be, thank you.” Hiromi replied. She had always liked Yojimbo’s for eating out. The restaurant always served excellent food and was smoke free. For some reason Akira Sudo shared Hiromi Sato’s aversion to cigarette smoke.

“Sato-san, would you like to join Koike and Kinjoh-san? They will be dining here with me tonight. We’d be most honored if you ate with us."

Hiromi shook her head. “No, we want to dine in private.”

A waitress around thirty years of age stepped forward. Akira Sudo introduced her. “This is Minni, she will take your orders. If there is anything I can do for you, Sato-san, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“We would like a few minutes to decide on our orders,” Hiromi told Akira and the waitress. Akira then left his guests.
 

~*~
 
Ryuku Kinjoh got to Yojimbo’s five minutes after Katsuaki Koike arrived. The two Watanabe shareigashiras waited at the front of the restaurant for Akira Sudo to show his face.

“You made us wait, Akira-san. I hope there was a good reason,” Ryuku said when her host finally showed up.

“A thousand apologies Ryuku-san. We have a visitor tonight, Sato-san is here.”

“Oh, she is,” Ryuku said in surprise. As for Katsuaki, he had noticed the stepped up security and had begun to wonder what was its cause.

“Yes, Sato-san is. She is in the private dining room. We will eat and talk out here. Come this way.”

Akira showed Ryuku and Katsuaki to a table in the back of the restaurant. It would be there that the three Watanabe shareigashiras would discuss the future path of the Watanabe Yakuza.
 

~*~
 
Ai Toguchi had heard nothing new from her husband. Therefore she took her beloved Cherry for a walk at 7 p.m. They did not get back to the apartment for nearly thirty minutes.

When Ai returned, she knew Keiji was present. All the lights in the apartment were turned off. After she handed Cherry to Ana, Ai went to locate her husband. She hoped Keiji wasn’t angered by her temporary absence.

“I’m in here,” Called out Keiji Watanabe. Having heard Keiji’s voice, Ai made her way to her husband’s private office.

As soon as Ai was in the office, a light was turned on. Ai then saw Keiji was seated in the unusual position of in front of his desk facing towards the door. On each side of the Oyabun were two Yakuza bodyguards.

“It is good you are back. Now explain this.”

Ai watched as Keiji opened the palm of his right hand. In it was the beeper that Agent Concierge placed on Hiromi Sato’s car three days earlier.

Seeing she had no other choice, Ai tried to bolt from the room. Two bodyguards who were outside the office easily stopped the attempt at escape.

Ai was then dragged back into the office. The woman was hysterical, saying she had been ordered by the police to put the gadget on Hiromi Sato’s car.

Keiji didn’t know till that night that it was his wife who betrayed Hiromi Sato and the Watanabe Yakuza. After the discovery of the beeper, two bodyguards had stepped forward to say Ai had touched the Fairlady. That was hardly conclusive evidence, for the two bodyguards could have been covering for themselves.

Now Keiji knew the truth. He walked up to Ai and slapped her with the back of his right hand.

Cherry had heard his owner in distress and hurried into the room. A bodyguard at the doorway grabbed the daschund and began to muzzle the dog.

“What are we to do, Oyabun-san?” A bodyguard near the door asked.

“Show them to the street.”
 

~*~
 
To be continued in Part Twelve