After climbing two steps and being provided a gentle boost from Chuck, Hiromi was seated on the mare known as Dolly. Hiromi began to laugh hysterically almost from the moment her butt landed in the saddle.

“Having a good time?” Chuck asked.

“Yes,” Hiromi said as she continued to laugh uncontrollably.

Plot synopsis- Ripley visits Australia and Hong Kong with Chuck, Chrysanthemum is debriefed, A family prepares for a cross country move, and Dr. Wagner’s superiors face a crucial decision.

 

~*~
 
On December 5th, Dr. Wagner and her team found a common denominator among four of the five unchanged patients. If this was the cause of why the DNA therapy hadn’t worked, the five remaining patients would remain their present gender the rest of their natural lives.

There was still some debate over whether the preliminary conclusion was correct. Patient 99's DNA donor lacked the same medical history as the other four donors. Or did she?

Dr. Wagner had one of her associates, Dr. Greta Schneider, make a trip to Massachusetts. For another $100, patient 99's DNA donor was willing to be examined for two hours on a Saturday morning.

The examination began with Dr Schneider re-taking the patient’s medical history. Question number thirteen was particularly relevant.

“No, never.”

“Are you sure?” Dr. Schneider asked. Her patient was fidgety and Dr. Schneider suspected the woman wasn’t being truthful.

After a half minute pause, the patient changed her answer. “Actually I have. It was two years ago.”

Dr. Schneider asked her patient to elaborate. Even a yes answer would leave differences when compared with the other DNA donors. After about a minute, Dr. Schneider got confirmation. All five DNA donors had one thing in common.

This information pleased Dr. Wagner. Her therapy could almost be regarded as perfect in its use to transform people. One more trial would be done to confirm the theory Dr. Wagner had for the failure of the DNA therapy.

In the meantime, something had to be done in regards to the five remaining women. All five now knowing their new gender was permanent.

Patient 133 had a proposal for Dr. Wagner and her superiors. “I can live with this, but can you help me out?”

The twenty-one-year-old white male turned twenty-four old Hispanic female sat cross legged in front of Dr. Wagner and four other panel members. When not busy talking, patient 133 would loudly blow the bubble gum she was chewing from time to time.

“What are you asking exactly?”

“I’d like to go in the military. Maybe the Marine Corps.” Patient 133 replied in a voice that had a hint of a Brooklyn accent that hardly matched her current form. 133's donor being from Guatemala before immigrating to the United States. “Can you help me out?”

A review of the patient 133's personal history showed he had been convicted of DUI manslaughter and was serving a fifteen-year jail sentence in a New York State Prison before volunteering to be one of Dr Wagner’s guinea pigs. Two years earlier patient 133 had crashed a car he was driving. This resulting in the deaths of an elderly married couple. A blood test taken at the time, confirmed patient 133 had a blood alcohol level of .15.

“We’ll try Miss. No promises can be made. It will be up to that branch of the military to make the decision.” The HHS representative replied.

“I can deal with that.” Patient 133 said just seconds before she popped her bubble gum once again.

Patient 133 almost got her wish. The Marine Corps said no, but the Air Force was willing to take the new woman. Twelve days after making her offer, patient 133 was renamed Guadalupe Gutierrez and on her way to Air Force basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas.

Patients 8, 41, and 145 had greater difficulty accepting their new gender but within a month of learning the bad news, decided they would try to move on. As patient 8 said. “If you're given lemons, make lemonade.”

Each was given a new identity, cash compensation, sufficient clothes that they could never wear the same article twice in ten days, and job training. Then former patients 8, 41, and 145 were let back out into society.

That only left Patient 99, the former Florida Sheriff. She was still refusing to accept her new gender.

“This is unacceptable. I’m not going to live like this the rest of my life. I refuse to!”

Patient 99 went on to make threats. She would contact an attorney, sue the people who did this to her. The Sheriff stating she had powerful and influential friends back in Florida.

“You can’t keep me here forever. I have rights.” Patient 99 said. She hardly acting like the passive South Asian woman Dr. Schneider had interviewed only a week earlier.

“We know that Fraulein.”

“How many times have I told you? Stop the Fraulein shit! So what are you going to do about me?” Patient 99 asked in a angry tone of voice.

Yes, what will Dr. Wagner and The Double Helix Project do with patient 99?
 

~*~
 
Hiromi returned to Dr. Fuschida on December 10th for followup. Four weeks had passed since Hiromi’s surgery.

After examining his patient, Dr. Fuschida announced. “You may return to all your normal routines now.”

“Thank you doctor.” Hiromi said as she began to get dressed again.

Chuck was at the appointment. “My girlfriend can start exercising again?”

Dr. Fuschida listened to a description of Hiromi’s exercise routines. “You may want to start off slowly in order to adjust to your implants.”

Later that evening Hiromi was surprised when Chuck informed her he wasn’t ready to engage in sexual intercourse quite yet. “I can wait a little longer if you can my little sports car.”

“No problem. I miss taking you for a ride.” Hiromi told Chuck, and she actually meant it.

“Lets wait another week or two. I rather not spoil those marvels you now have.”

Hiromi giggled. “You mean my big breasts.”

The appointment with Dr. Fuschida was at about the same time that Swan Song and Hiromi agreed on a place and date for a debriefing. Before beginning her mission, Tom Slater was made aware of the possibility she would need to meet with a member of Swan Song.

Six locations, From Singapore to London England, were designated as possible sites for a meeting. Each site was given a code name, based on a World War II naval battle. If Swan Song proposed to meet Hiromi in Switzerland, the code name used was Coral Sea. For Coral Sea and each of the other five locations, two rendezvous points were set up. The main, and a backup. For dates and months, bird names and mountains were used.

After the passing of two messages back and forth between Swan Song and their two field agents, a meeting at Philippine Sea on Blue Jay Matterhorn was agreed to. It all coinciding with a upcoming trip Hiromi had scheduled.

What did Philippine Sea/Blue Jay/Matterhorn mean? A meeting would take place on January 19th in Hong Kong. Two days before Hiromi Sato would close Kanagawa Bank’s purchase of the China East Commerce Bank.

Who would do the debriefing and what questions were to be asked had to be worked out by Swan Song. In the mean time, Debra Dudley had a preliminary report on the documents downloaded from Hiromi’s computer.

Using Powerpoint for her presentation, the forensic accountant briefed the other nine people on the financial intricacies of the Watanabe Yakuza. Their business interests, cash and stock holdings, plus companies and real estate they owned.

Debra’s briefing went on for some forty minutes. During that time, she had everyone’s undivided attention. In addition to the usual Swan Song committee members, prosecutors from the United States, Japan, and South Korea were present.

After her presentation was over, Debra Dudley answered questions for ten to fifteen minutes. Debra had come well prepared that day.

“Excellent work Ms. Dudley.” Grant Williamson told the accountant.

“Thank you Sir. We’re still sifting through documents as we speak. There are more arriving any where from two to five times a week. We’ll have a more complete picture in a few months.”

Grant Williamson checked his notes. “Unless anyone has something else to ask, you’re dismissed Ms. Dudley.”

Debra Dudley was out of the room a little over a minute later. “Do we have enough to prosecute?” Grant Williamson asked.

“Yes, we should have a very strong case.” Said the Japanese Justice official.

“I concur.” Said a US Justice Department official named Don Barton. “We have enough already to charge the Watanabes with bribery, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, and much more. An indictment would be over two hundred counts easily.”

‘But not murder.’ Grant Williamson thought, though he was hardly surprised. No well disciplined crime organization, and the Watanabe Yakuza certainly qualified as one, ever left an easily traceable trail when it came to murder. Who writes a check for a hit, at the same time saying that was the purpose of the transfer on the document itself?

Another important topic was discussed. One mentioned briefly during Debra Dudley’s presentation, but further elaborated on in a written report. The importance of getting Ripley out alive.

As good as the financial documents were, without someone to decipher them or give them context, they would be awfully difficult to use in a prosecution of the Watanabes. A good defense attorney could raise reasonable doubt about what some of the data said.

Inspector Yoshida spoke. “Beancounter is still refusing to talk. Any attempt at questioning her is met with a request from her to see an attorney.” Beancounter aka the real Hiromi Sato was being kept in solitary confinement at a prison facility in Northern Japan.

Grant Williamson wanted something meatier than mail and wire fraud to charge Goro Watanabe with. With what was gathered so far, prosecutors had enough to put the Oyabun away for life, but a murder conviction was a far sexier charge. If it involved a killing in Japan, Goro could face the death penalty.

After some discussion, it was decided to leave Ripley and Chrysanthemum in place. After the Hong Kong debriefing, the committee would re-evaluate the status of Swan Song.

“Major, I want you to work with Inspector Yoshida on drawing up a withdrawal plan for Ripley and Chrysanthemum. Make it flexible, we don’t know yet when we’ll need to implement it.”

“Yes sir.”

Not long afterwards the meeting broke up. Grant Williamson and Gabrielle Tanaka then spoke on the telephone.

“Agent Tanaka, I want you to do the Hong Kong debriefing. Can you handle it?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then begin preparing for it at once.” Grant Williamson ended the phone call seconds later.

‘There go my Christmas plans.’ Gabrielle thought as she hung up the phone. It was past midnight in Japan and it had been a long day for the FBI agent. A few minutes later Gabrielle was fast asleep and not long afterwards began dreaming of Captain Tom Slater.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi and Chuck left Japan for Australia on Christmas Day. They made the trip alone, not even Reina accompanying them. After an overnight stay in Sydney, Chuck and Hiromi caught a flight to Alice Springs.

Alice Springs, also known as‘Alice’ for short, is almost at the dead center of the Australian continent. A small city of a little over 26,000 people, it had been the birthplace of Chuck’s mother and her home since 2001. Rachel Stevens, Chuck’s older sister who lived in Darwin, was also present to greet Hiromi when she arrived in Alice.

Hiromi, who had been expecting a warm welcome, found the McBrides decidedly cooler than Chuck made them out to be. Mrs. McBride in particular. Hiromi wasn’t so sure the mother approved of her son’s choice in girlfriends.

Chuck and Hiromi spent parts of four days in Alice, before leaving for Melbourne on January 1st. After overnighting in the world’s southernmost major city, Chuck drove his girlfriend 3.5 hours to his Uncle Harry’s farm outside of Donald Victoria.

Harold McBride, his second wife Zeny, plus their five children lived on a cattle and sheep farm. On the way there, Chuck told Hiromi all about where his Aunt and Uncle lived.

“It’s a great big place. I always loved visiting there when Uncle Harry was married to Aunt Bea.”

Chuck had already explained to Hiromi that his Aunt Bea had died of cancer in 1991. “When was the last time you visited?”

“2002.” Chuck told Hiromi as he continued to describe the farm. Up till now Hiromi had Chuck pegged as a city dweller who would have been as totally out of place on a farm as Tom Slater would be. That judgment was now proven to be wrong.

Hiromi and Chuck got to the farm around 10 a.m. As soon as they parked the car, a man around sixty years of age came riding up on a horse. A boy around age eleven or twelve following close behind.

“Charlie,” The large framed man said as he got off his horse and immediately came over to Hiromi rather than his nephew. “Where ya been hiding this beautiful girl?”

“Uncle Harry this is my friend Hiromi Sato.”

“Nice meeting you Hiromi.” Harold McBride said before kissing Hiromi. “Any friend of my nephew is a friend of mine. Welcome to my farm.”

“Thank you, it’s a beautiful place.”

Hiromi and Chuck were then invited inside Uncle Harry’s home. There Aunt Zeny and the remaining McBride children were waiting for their guests. Within moments, Hiromi was made to feel like family. Chuck’s Aunt and Uncle showing Hiromi around their house, where she would be sleeping the next two nights, and telling her if there was anything she needed to just speak up.

“Thank you for letting us visit. I hope it’s not too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all. You and Chuck are always welcome to visit here. Are you hungry right now?”

Chuck and Hiromi had only eaten some fruit and drank coffee before leaving Melbourne that morning. “I’m starved actually.”

Uncle Harry laughed. “Good, Zeny is preparing breakfast right now. It should be ready in only a few minutes.”

Breakfast was on the table ten minutes later. Large heapings of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast made available for Chuck and Hiromi to eat.

Hiromi tried offering her assistance to get the food out on the table, but was turned down. “You’re our guest.” Said Uncle Harry.

Over breakfast everyone got to know each other better. Trying to sound modest, Hiromi said she and Chuck worked at Kanagawa Bank together, rather than saying she owned the place. Harry spent much of the meal asking Hiromi how she liked Australia so far.

“Are you Filipino?” Hiromi asked Zeny. Tom Slater again testing her Asian identification skills.

“Yes I am.”

“Kumusta ka?”

“Mabuti. Marunong ka ba magsalita nga Tagalog?”

Hiromi laughed. “No, that was about all the Tagalog I know.”

In addition to Chuck, Hiromi, Harold, and Zeny, the five youngest McBride children were also seated at the table. They ranging in age from age twelve to less than a year old.

“How old is she? Hiromi inquired about the youngest of Zeny and Harold’s children.

“Zarah is ten months old.”

“She’s adorable.”

Zeny McBride smiled. “Thank you.”

“Has Zarah begun walking?”

“No, but she stands up now by holding onto things.”

Chuck spoke up. “How are Jack and Emma? What are they doing these days?”

Harold told Chuck and Hiromi about his oldest children and what they were doing. Then the farmer added. “When we’re done eating, I got to show you around the farm Hiromi.”

“I look forward to it” Hiromi did look forward to seeing more of the farm. She was just under the wrong impression as to how she would get around the McBride estate.

For after breakfast was over, Chuck and Hiromi were led around the back of the house. Harold and Zeny’s oldest boy Michael had gone ahead of them. There was a reason.

“Ever rode on one of these before?” Harold asked Hiromi. Three horses were standing out back of the McBride home.

“Not even a pony.” Hiromi said nervously. It was only half true, Tom Slater could remember being taken for a pony ride at least once by his father. Hiromi Sato on the other hand had no such memory.

Uncle Harry chuckled. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Michael McBride brought what looked like a old mare over to Hiromi. The boy giving the reins to his father before running off to retrieve something.

“I don’t even know how to get on.”

Now it was Chuck’s turn to laugh. “Don’t worry my little sports car, I’ll show you soon enough.”

Uncle Harry then spoke to Hiromi. “Do you always go by Hiromi, or do you have a nickname?”

“Just Hiromi. Your nephew has a pet name or two for me.”

“Yes I noticed that.” Uncle Harry said with a chuckle.

Michael McBride came running back over. He was carrying a wooden two step ladder. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Sure is.” Chuck said with a laugh. “Let me give you a hand Kimi-chan.”

“I’m scared.”

“Don’t be,” Uncle Harry told Hiromi. “Dolly here is real gentle mare. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. Well maybe a fly.” The Australian said with that deep throated chuckle that was unlike anything Hiromi heard in her life before.

After climbing two steps and being provided a gentle boost from Chuck, Hiromi was seated on the mare known as Dolly. Hiromi began to laugh hysterically almost from the moment her butt landed in the saddle.

“Having a good time?” Chuck asked.

“Yes,” Hiromi said as she continued to laugh uncontrollably. “I never thought I’d be riding a horse in my life.”

Chuck was on horseback and alongside Hiromi by now. “Don’t worry Kimi-chan, I’ll be right beside you. You’ll learn real fast, trust me.”

“I will.” Hiromi told Chuck just before they rode off with Uncle Harry.

Hiromi and Chuck spent parts of three days at Uncle Harry’s farm. After dinner on the second day, Chuck went out to the porch with his Uncle. There they talked and drank beer together. Inside the house, Hiromi helped Zeny clean up after dinner.

“Have you enjoyed your time here?” Zeny asked.

“Yes very much. I had never been to a farm before.”

“I was like you once. Before I married, I grew up in Manila.”

“This must have been a big change then.”

“Yes, but I love it.” Zeny told Hiromi as they continued to clean up. Three of the five McBride children were there to lend a hand to their mother. Either by drying dishes after they were washed, putting them away, or by helping to clear the table.

“How did you meet Uncle Harry?”

“Harry and I were penpals.”

“I never knew anyone who met like that.”

Zeny told Hiromi how Harold was lonely after his first wife’s death from cancer, and was persuaded by a friend to subscribe to a mailing list for Filipina penpals. That was how Uncle Harry got Zeny’s address in Manila and the two of them began writing letters to each other.

“You didn’t know Harry before you two married?”

Zeny shook her head. “No, he came to Manila for a week after we had been writing for eight months. We spent time together and then Harry went home. Two months after the first trip, Harry came back. We married then. How long have you known Chuck?”

“Since October 2002,” Hiromi told Zeny. She was enjoying the conversation and decided to open up to her boyfriend’s Aunt. “We met by accident. One day in Tokyo, Chuck and I were both riding in separate cars when Chuck’s car rear ended the one I was in.”

Zeny laughed. “You really did meet by accident.”

“Yes we did. Neither Chuck or I were the driver. While the drivers and police sorted things out, Chuck and I began talking. We went out for the first time that night.”

Harold and Chuck were also talking outside the McBride house. “Charles, you got some little cowgirl there.”

“Yes. Hiromi wanted me to say again how she likes it here.”

“She took right to Dolly. Reminded me of when Zeny first got here. Zeny was a lot like your Hiromi. What does Hiromi do back in Japan again?”

Hiromi had been telling everyone she was an office manager. Chuck, after taking another swig of beer, was a little more honest. “She is a financial adviser to her family. Helps run their businesses.”

Uncle Harry looked his nephew in the eye. “There’s more to it than that. Isn’t there?”

Chuck never talked about Hiromi’s work. Here in Australia, far away from the Yakuza, Chuck felt safe to discuss it with his uncle. “She works for her Grandfather and cousin.”

Harold McBride listened to his nephew for the next few minutes without saying a word. The Uncle could see the difficult situation his nephew was in at present.

“Hiromi invests their money?”

“Yes and she is their financial advisor. Hiromi doesn’t kill people, if that’s what you mean. At least I pray to God Hiromi doesn’t.”

Uncle Harold looked at his pipe he had been smoking. “I don’t think that’s Hiromi either, if that means anything to you. Someone like that wouldn’t be enjoying herself like Hiromi has these last two days.”

Hiromi and Zeny were almost done in the kitchen. “Did you enjoy today?”

“Yes, I’ve never had so much fun in a long time. It must be a great deal of work to maintain the farm.”

Zeny nodded her head. “Yes it is, but the rewards I have gotten since marrying Harry and moving here have been a gift from God.”

Hiromi knew what Zeny was referring to. “Your children are lovely. All five of them.”

“I’m pregnant now with my sixth.”

“You are?” Hiromi asked. When Zeny said yes, Hiromi hugged her boyfriend’s Aunt. Zeny McBride was only eight years older than Hiromi Sato. They were more like sisters or cousins “I’m very happy for you.”

“Thank you. Don’t say anything to Harry. I haven’t told him yet.”

“I won’t.”

Chuck and his Uncle sat on the front porch without either saying a word for a few minutes. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional crowing of a rooster on the McBride family farm.

“How are you and Hiromi set financially?”

“We have plenty of money Uncle, if that’s what you mean.”

Harold McBride nodded his head. “Want some advice?

“Absolutely.”

“You remember the Griffiths, Fred and Rhoda?” Harold McBride asked his nephew. Chuck knew the people his Uncle was referring to. “Fred told me a week ago he is looking to sell the farm they have. Their kids are grown and all moved away.”

Chuck immediately got the point his Uncle was making. “I don’t know if Hiromi would ever go for something like Aunt Zeny did.”

“You will never know if you don’t try. Chuck, this is the honest truth, I think Hiromi would love it down here. You saw how she enjoyed these last two days.”

Chuck laughed. “I never saw Hiromi laugh so hard as when she got on Dolly yesterday.”

“Zeny was like that too. A city girl who didn’t know anything about farming. Go and talk to your Aunt now. Zeny would tell you how much she loves it here.”

Zarah McBride was at that moment crying inside the McBride house. Hiromi went to check on the baby girl and discovered her diaper was wet. “Zarah’s diaper needs to be changed.”

“Could you handle that for me Hiromi?”

Tom Slater had never changed a diaper in his life. Hiromi Sato on the other had a few very faint memories of doing so. “I’ll try. It’s been a long time since I last did this.”

Zeny came out of the kitchen and showed Hiromi where the diapers were kept. “If you need help holler.”

“I will.”

Uncle Harry was making a proposal to his nephew “Buy the Griffith’s place, make Hiromi a deal. Say you try it out for say, six months or a year. If she can’t handle it, you’ll go back to like before. Here’s an even better idea. Come stay here for a month. Zeny would like to go back home to visit her folks. I know you still remember what needs to be done around here, and I trust you and Hiromi to take care of the place while we’re gone. What do you think?”

“It might be an idea at that.”

“Before you do that Chuck, there is something else that will being done first.”

Hiromi changed Zarah’s diaper. When Hiromi was finished, Zarah was smiling and content again.

“You did a great job. In a few years you’ll know just what to do when Chuck and you have your first child.”

“Thanks.” Hiromi replied back with a smile. Changing the diaper wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. The diaper package did help a little. “I was glad to help out.”

Chuck and Hiromi left for Melbourne the next day around 2 p.m. After they were a few miles down the road, Chuck asked his girlfriend how she liked their visit.

“I had a great time. How about you?”

“The same. Uncle Harry said we can come back any time we want.”

“Yes I heard that.”

Chuck was mulling over the conversation he had with his Uncle the night before. While the Australian had spent much of his life in cities of Yokohama, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, he had always felt a little out of place in Asia. On the other hand, Chuck loved his native Australia. The people, the culture, the wide open spaces. Charles McBride could see himself living on a farm like Uncle Harold did and loving the experience.

That’s if Chuck had a wife and family to share his life with. If Hiromi would go along with all of what her boyfriend was proposing, which was a very big if. “Aunt Zeny and the kids love it there.”

“Yes they do. Zeny said it is a wonderful place to raise a family. I think so too.”

Chuck couldn’t help smile on hearing this. “Yes it must be. We’ll come back later on.”

“I’d luck that.” Hiromi replied back. On the way back to Melbourne, Tom Slater daydreamed about what life would be like with Chuck on a farm like the one Harold and Zeny lived on. Raising cattle, sheep, maybe even some pigs. And horses. Definitely some horses. Tom had enjoyed the time she spent riding Dolly out on the farm.

For a moment Tom daydreamed about Hiromi and Chuck having children too. This causing Tom to immediately shake her head.

“Everything all right Kimi-chan?”

“Yes. I just had a weird idea.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No, not really. I’m going to try taking a nap. Is that all right?”

“Of course. Sleep well my little sports car.”

Hiromi closed her eyes. As she did, Tom Slater tried pushing that weird idea out of her head. The one where she married Chuck and settled down with the man to have a family. Calling it weird was the understatement of the century so far as Tom was concerned.

Yet the idea refused to go away.
 

~*~
 
Back in the United States, Stewart and Midori Slater celebrated Christmas by themselves. Their daughter Susan had gone to visit Disneyland in California along with her husband and son. Debbie Slater was back home in Oregon. She unable to come visit due to her having to work Christmas day.

Midori missed her children that holiday but accepted it. She and her husband went to church in the morning, then had lunch afterwards. After arriving back home, Midori spent much of the afternoon talking to their children on the phone. One call Midori made was to her daughter-in-law Ilsa in Germany.

That’s when the Slaters learned their late son Stuart’s wife had become engaged to marry again. “Congratulations, I am happy for you. When will the ceremony take place?” Midori Slater asked.

“We’re thinking about May.” Ilsa Slater replied back.

Midori and Stewart loved Ilsa, and were indeed happy for her. At the same time, the news of Ilsa’s remarrying would almost certainly sever the ties Stewart Slater Jr’s parents had with their daughter-in-law and grandchildren. It becoming less likely Midori and Stewart would ever see their grandchildren Paul and Nicole again.

This reality was just beginning to sink in for Midori Slater, when the phone rang around 5 p.m. Tom Slater’s mother was busy preparing Christmas dinner at the time.

“Hello.”

“Merry Christmas Mrs. Slater.”

“Gabrielle, thank you for calling. Merry Christmas to you and thank you for the card”

“You’re welcome Mrs. Slater.” A minute or two of small talk passed before Gabrielle got to the point. “I’m sure you have been wondering about Tom.”

“Gabrielle I think about Tom every day. Is he still on the mission?”

“Yes, but he is safe right now. I know if Tom could, he would call you.”

“I know. He is busy now, I understand.”

Gabrielle talked to Mrs. Slater some more, then spoke to Tom’s father, then again to Mrs. Slater. Earlier on Christmas day, Gabrielle had talked to her own family. Both her sisters and their families were at present visiting the Tanaka home in Fresno California. A Tanaka family Christmas reunion was taking place, except for Gabrielle not being there.

Maybe Gabrielle had her priorities wrong, and consequently the Tanakas had been right about her career choice. Just three days earlier the FBI agent had her most recent job evaluation done. To say it was less than complimentary would be a understatement. Gabrielle now knowing for a certainty that she was in FBI Deputy Director Grant Williamson’s dog house.

And what for? For being frank about the survival chances for the agents Swan Song had in the field at present? Someone had to be their advocate, and Gabrielle was doing that important job. She wasn’t trying to protect just Tom Slater, but Tonichi Ogawa as well.

“Mrs. Slater, I want to wish you Merry Christmas again.”

“Merry Christmas to you. Give Tom a big kiss the next time you see him.”

“I will. Bye.”
 

~*~
 
Reina Shimizu kept busy while her boss was in Australia. After taking Hiromi Sato to Tokyo airport, Roger sent Reina off on a brief vacation for ten days.

The following ten days were hardly uneventful for Reina. Using a circuitous route for her own safety, Reina traveled to Nagoya Japan. Nagoya was the home of Tonichi Ogawa, and where he had been employed as a policeman before becoming Reina Shimizu.

On arrival in Nagoya, Reina went straight to a police safe house. Inspector Yoshida was one of the people waiting for agent Chrysanthemum.

“We hope your trip went well Tonichi-san.”

Chrysanthemum nodded her head. “Yes it did. I wasn’t being followed.”

A debriefing of Chrysanthemum took place over the next two day. While her role in Swan Song wasn’t as vital as Ripley’s, Chrysanthemum still gathered whatever intelligence she could about the Watanabe Yakuza. Having been Reina Shimizu and inside the Yakuza for the best part of a year, Tonichi had a great deal to tell.

After the debriefing was over, Tonichi asked about her wife and son.

“They’re doing well. I go and visit them at least once a week to ask if Momoko needs anything.” Said Nagoya Deputy Inspector Shinjiro Umetsu. “I’m afraid you can’t pay them a visit till Swan Song is completed.”

“I understand.”

Reina spent the rest of her vacation trying to relax. On New Year’s Eve, she went to vigil mass at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Nagoya. New Year’s Day being the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. A Roman Catholic Holy day of obligation.

This marked the first time Reina had gone to mass since beginning Swan Song. Feeling guilty because of all the masses she was forced to miss, Reina went to confession in the afternoon. After that was finished, she stayed in the church. Praying the rosary till mass began.

Besides a case of Roman Catholic guilt and the need to go to confession, the other reason Reina went to St. Michael’s was in order to maybe gain a glimpse of her wife and son. Even if she couldn’t approach Momoko and Raizo Ogawa and say hello and how much she loved them, just seeing her family would give Tonichi Ogawa a needed psychological boost before Chrysanthemum went back to her Swan Song mission.

Tonichi sat in the church’s last pew. This enabled her to see everyone who came into the church before 4:30 mass began. It was about 4:20 when Momoko and Raizo Ogawa entered the church.

‘My son is already walking. Oh how much have I missed all these months.’ Tonichi thought as she watched her wife and son walk towards the front of the church. Raizo, with a pacifier in his mouth and while holding his mother’s hand, was making the wobbly steps of a child who was just learning to walk.

Tears filled Reina’s eyes. She wanted to reach out, but couldn’t. Taking some Kleenex from her purse, Reina wiped her face.

‘Be strong. You’ll be back with them soon. Maybe in only a couple of months.’ Reina kept telling herself. During her debriefing Reina had been told of Dr. Wagner’s success with the revamped DNA formula. Tonichi would be a man again one day, and re-united with his wife Momoko and son Raizo.

Momoko and Raizo took seats in a pew about half way to the alter. St. Michael’s wasn’t very crowded for vigil mass. Taking a deep breath, Reina decided to seat herself in the row directly behind her wife and son.

It proved more difficult than Reina could ever have imagined. Her wife and son were right in front of her, but they were untouchable. Tonichi could smell Momoko’s perfume like never before.

Momoko’s perfume wasn’t the only thing her husband was paying attention to. There was Momoko’s hair, how long it was and how she wore it. The earrings she had on, the Roman Catholic cross she had around her neck, the color dress she wore.

Tonichi now knew how he took his wife for granted. Momoko worked so hard not just in her duties as a mother, but as a wife too. She worked hard to look her best for Tonichi. Did Tonichi ever take more than a few seconds notice? No, and therefore he hadn’t been a good husband.

One thing was sure, Tonichi would pay much more attention to his wife once Swan Song was over. He’d apply himself to Momoko, their marriage, and Raizo with the love and dedication they deserved. Tonichi would never take them for granted again.

Raizo Ogawa grew more and more fidgety with every passing minute. He was a handsome boy, Raizo getting the best of his mother’s gene pool. During the priest’s sermon the boy stared at Tonichi for the longest time. The only thing the boy’s father could do was smile and wave.

There was so much Tonichi wanted to say, but couldn’t. Maybe she shouldn’t have come that day.

After the our father, comes the portion of the liturgy known as the rite of peace also known as The Holy Kiss. A term that comes from The New Testament where it is mentioned five times.

“May peace be with you.” The celebrating priest said.

“And also with you.” Tonichi and Momoko replied back.

“Let us offer each other a sign of peace.” Momoko Ogawa then kissed her son.

Then Momoko turned around to face Reina and said with her right hand outstretched. “Peace be with you.”

“Peace be with you.” Tonichi replied back.

The mass was over fifteen minutes later. Tonichi trying hard not to look where her son and wife were headed when they exited. It would have been too painful for Tonichi if she had done so. Instead she walked to the West where buildings blocked out the setting sun.

Reina had no regrets over what she had done that day. That didn’t prevent Tonichi Ogawa from crying herself to sleep later that evening.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi went back to work on January 7th. The business of the Yakuza doesn’t seldom slows, and never stops entirely, holiday or no holiday. As soon as Hiromi got in to the office, she had to hurriedly prepare for another Yakuza meeting.

The meeting took place on January 11th. Goro Watanabe was there, but not Hiromi’s grandfather. In attendance were all the shareigashiras, plus Dai Hashimoto. The meeting taking place in a windowless conference room at the same building Goro had his office at.

This particular meeting wasn’t to discuss Yakuza finances, though decisions made that day would certainly effect them, but strategy instead. Over four months working within the Watanabe Yakuza had given Tom Slater a thorough education on how much business legal and illegal this Yakuza family had its dirty little fingers dipped into.

Movies like The Godfather or television shows like The Sopranos romanticize organized crime. There is little if anything that’s romantic about protection rackets, gambling, human and drug smuggling or sokaiya a uniquely Japanese form of extortion. Common theft is rarely a Yakuza activity. Japanese organized crime unlike say the US based Italian mafia, does their dealings semi-openly.

Like the bringing in of girls, often from the Philippines, to work as prostitutes. They are lured to Japan with offers of good money and honest work, then on arrival forced to sell themselves. Few Yokohama based prostitutes didn’t work for the Watanabe Yakuza either directly, or indirectly through the payment of protection.

If that day’s meeting wasn’t about the sex trade, it still had Tom Slater feeling corrupted by it. Tom had a very strong sense of right and wrong, one taught to him by his father. He may be on a mission for his government, but Captain Slater couldn’t help feel himself dirtied by the Watanabe involvement in human smuggling and the sex trade. After all, Hiromi Sato helped to invest the proceeds from women being forced to degrade themselves.

One of the shareigashiras spoke a certain upcoming business enterprise “Twenty tons of cocaine arrive in Yokohama next week.”

Twenty tons or forty thousand pounds of a white addictive substance men and women around the world snort up their noses in order to get high. The twenty tons of cocaine, which come in shipping containers mixed with consumer goods and pharmaceuticals, would be processed after arrival. The end product cocaine used by addicts isn’t pure, if it was the overdose rate would sky rocket. Instead it was a watered down version. Mixed with sugar, baking soda, or some other ordinary substance.

After processing the twenty billion tons would be sold on the streets of Central Japan. Much, but not all, destined for dealers who paid the Watanabe Yakuza protection money. Some of the processed cocaine would go to other dealers, including ones in the territory of the Inagawa-kai. While the port serving Tokyo had expanded tremendously in recent years, Yokohama was still the biggest arrival point in Japan for container ships.

The street value of those twenty tons was thirty million dollars or almost three billion yen. So those Watanabe Yakuza were talking real money on January 11th, 2008.

Hiromi was at the meeting to give her customary financial advice. She had no direct part in the smuggling or the selling of drugs. That didn’t mean Hiromi didn’t feel tainted from these business endeavors.

After all what was done with these illegal drugs? They were sold to the men and women of Japan, and as Stuart Slater told his son before Swan Song began, even children. To buy drugs from a dealer, there was no age requirement, and the dealer sold cocaine to anyone as long as they had the requisite cash needed to make a purchase.

If a person wanted to ruin their health through drug abuse, why should it concern Hiromi? The person was just damaging themselves some people would say without thinking the drug use out properly. There isn’t just the addict to consider when someone uses illegal drugs.

The buyer must come up with the cash or yen to pay for his habit. This often requires breaking the law. So drug abuse has ripple effects so far as other crime goes. Then there is the effect the drug use has on the addict’s family. Money meant for household expenses is instead spent on drugs. This often causing hardship for the addict’s family.

Then there were the addicts who got so hooked, they just couldn’t get enough. Two days before leaving for Australia, Hiromi read of a twenty-year-old Yokohama college student who overdosed. Had the overdose been a result of drugs sold by dealers supplied by the Watanabes?

Tom Slater didn’t sell the drugs to the college student, but her involvement with the Watanabes made the Army Captain feel as if she had stuck the needle in the addict’s arm personally. Not for the first nor the last time, Tom regretted ever volunteering for Swan Song.

To do her assignment, Tom had to turn a blind eye to many ugly happenings. Would the Captain’s moral compass survive Swan Song and revert to its pre mission state?

On the way back to her apartment that night, Hiromi considered leaking news of the cocaine shipment to Yokohama police. It would be a violation of orders given to her by the Swan Song committee, and possibly endanger both Ripley and Chrysanthemum. At least Tom Slater could live with herself by informing on the Watanabes.

Hiromi rode home with Reina that night. Chuck had gone out with one of his co-workers that evening after work. “We’re set for the Hong Kong meeting?”

“Yes Ripley-san. Saturday January 19th at 11 a.m.”

“I made the travel arrangements today. Just me, you, and Chuck are going.”

Reina nodded her head. “Yes I heard that from Roger.”

Hiromi had dinner by herself at the apartment. After finishing her meal, Hiromi watched television for a half hour or so. A documentary about birds was on. Tom Slater missed American football. She was only barely keeping up with the sport. The International Herald Tribune’s gave sparse coverage to American football. If there had been a game on that night, Hiromi would have turned it on.

Feeling exhausted both mentally and physically, Hiromi decided to take a warm bath that night. She wasn’t in the tub two minutes when Chuck arrived home.

“Kimi-chan, I so missed you.” Chuck said as he bent down to kiss his girlfriend. “I hope all is well.”

“I’m just tired. My neck and back are hurting.”

“Ah let me see if I can do something about those.” Chuck told Hiromi. He then kneeled down beside the bath tub and began to massage Hiromi’s neck and shoulders.

“That feels so good.”

“I’m glad you like it. Miss me today?”

“Yes, very much. Love you”

“Love you too. Is everything all right Kimi-chan? You seem to be stressed today.” Chuck asked as he continued to massage Hiromi.

Hiromi couldn’t talk Yakuza matters with Chuck or anyone else outside the Watanabe family. “Some things from work are bothering me today.”

“When home Kimi-chan, you need to forget about work.”

“You’re right and I’ll try doing that.”

Chuck ended his massage. “Mind if I join you after I take my clothes off?”

“No, not at all.” Hiromi replied back.

Chuck, the tall well hung and now tanned Australian thanks to his recent trip home, climbed in the large marble tub. Seating himself directly across from Hiromi.

“I got an email from Uncle Harry today.”

“Oh what about?”

“Aunt Zeny is pregnant again. Isn’t that great news?”

“Yes it is,” Hiromi said as she washed her arms. “Zeny told me she was pregnant when we were still at the farm.”

Chuck’s eyes went big. “She did?”

“Yes, Aunt Zeny told me last week that she was pregnant.”

Now Chuck began to laugh. “Ah, women always keeping secrets from their men. I hope you won’t do that one day with me my little sports car.”

Hiromi smiled. “No, I’ll announce my being pregnant by hanging signs on Tokyo Tower and The Sydney Opera House instead.

Chuck laughed his head off. “Uncle Harry is inviting us to come visit again. Would you be interested?”

“When are we talking about going back there?”

“March or April.”

By March or April, Ripley hoped Operation Swan Song would be at completion. The meeting in Hong Kong perhaps giving a clue as to the mission’s end date.

Tom Slater kept ordering herself that Chuck McBride had no part in her future, but the commands were like seeds that couldn’t find soil to plant themselves in. They weren’t taking root. For some unknown reason whether it was the body of Hiromi Sato, the dormant persona of Hiromi, the effect of female hormones the environment around her or something else entirely, Tom was increasingly unsure of her own identity. Was Tom Slater becoming feminized or a mix of himself and Hiromi Sato?

“We’ll have to see. I may be too busy then. Maybe we can go later in the year.”

“Remember summertime in Japan is winter in Australia.”

“Yes I know that.” Tom said as she looked Chuck straight in the eye. Those sparkling blue eyes the Australian had. Just looking at them made Hiromi.....

‘Damn it Tom Slater! Start thinking about Gabrielle and forget the Australian!’ Tom tried commanding himself. He truly hoped Gabrielle would be the one to do the debriefing. A day, even a few hours with the beautiful FBI agent would put Tom Slater back in touch with who he really was.

“You do want to go back and make another visit?”

“Yes of course. I had a great time.”

Chuck smiled. He would be patient with Hiromi, just like Uncle Harry advised hime. As for the other advice he received from his Uncle, Chuck was still thinking it over.

So, what are our plans for this weekend?” Chuck asked Hiromi.

Hiromi had some more immediate plans than what to do over the coming weekend. “I’m done bathing now. Let me dry myself off, then I will take you for a ride.
 

~*~
 
While Hiromi was taking Chuck for a ride, a woman in Virginia was slowly but loudly climbing the walls of the facility she was kept at. Patient 99 was still demanding a return to her birth gender. If this didn’t happen, she planned on telling the world what had been done to her.

Over five weeks had passed since Dr. Wagner and her associates told patient 99 nothing further could be done. All attempts to modify the woman’s behavior and attitude had failed to date. With no other choice, Dr. Wagner’s superiors were about to release the patient. Just not in the way she would desire.

Members of The Double Helix, the name for the secret government project that administered and ran Dr. Wagner’s work, were not ready to go public about the DNA therapy yet. It would be some time before the public heard about Dr. Wagner or her work. Mainly because of the National Security potential the therapy presented.

Using the therapy, agents were already being slipped into terrorist organizations around the world. Therefore the DNA therapy had to be kept secret. Patient 99's continuing threats were a threat to this secrecy. After high government officials conferred with one another, a plan was settled on for patient 99.

Before the plan was implemented, a last ditch attempt was made to encourage the patient. to accept reality. The first attempt was made with the help of a newspaper article. One that reported the disgraced Florida sheriff along with some other federal inmates dying as the result of a bus accident while being transferred from one federal correctional facility to another.

Patient 99 crumbled up the paper after she finished reading it. “You can undead me. I’m very much alive. Don’t tell me no one will believe me either. I was involved in Florida politics for three decades. There’s shit only I could know. People in Florida will believe me!”

Another attempt at making patient 99 see reality was made. A gender therapist was brought in to see the former Florida sheriff. Dr. Kassenbaum, after taking a thorough patient history, tried to point out the benefits of the DNA therapy.

“You are now thirty years younger.”

“But female.”

“Yes but if you......”

“Stop wasting your time and mine. I won’t accept being a woman.”

Dr. Kassenbaum told patient 99 about the surgery option. At first 99 showed some mild interest, that changed when 99 learned what female to male SRS did and didn’t do.

“Screw that. Now what are you fucking people going to do with me?”

The Double Helix project didn’t have all that many options. Patient 99 wasn’t the first unhappy patient they had come across. There had been over three dozen others after earlier DNA therapy trials. Then there were also the anomalies. Releasing a person with a white man’s head, but black woman’s body from the neck down would probably have endangered the secrecy of the Double Helix project.

To take care of(or dispose of) these men and women, a colony was set up on Baker Island in the Pacific Ocean. Problems soon followed, first because the people exiled to the island weren’t a happy lot. Fighting broke out one time when a supply ship visited the island. Baker Island wasn’t self sufficient to care for those residing on the island.

Disease broke out on the island also. A visit three months ago to Baker Island showed fourteen people had passed away. The island was overcrowded. Sending patient 99 there wasn’t really an option.

It was at a Double Helix meeting on January 2nd that Patient 99's fate was decided. Steps were immediately taken to put the plan in motion.

The first changes for Ken(Patient 99) were minor, but still provoked a reaction. “I won’t eat this shit. As for the clothes, you can all go screw your mothers before I wear any of this crap.”

“Patient 99 this is all for your well being.”

“Fuck you. Since when did any of you care about my well being?

Another administrator spoke. “Miss, this will be the only food and clothes supplied to you from this point on. I suggest you eat and dress yourself.”

Patient 99 wasn’t dumb. Someone who graduated law school and held political office for almost 30 years, is rarely lacking in brain matter. Thinking it over, Ken complied. She wouldn’t let these people beat her. Or worse, let some control technician get his rocks off as he watched her waltz around stark naked in the cell. Ken knew she was under video surveillance.

Ken examined the clothes for about a minute. “I don’t know how to wear this.”

“Someone will be in shortly.”

An Indian woman around thirty years of age entered Ken’s cell about two minutes later. She was wearing a lab coat and had a name tag on that said her name was Juliet Addison. “You need help I hear.”

“Yes, how do I wear this thing?”

“This thing you refer to is a Sari. Putting it on and wearing it is quite simple....”

“Then why aren’t you wearing one?”

“I am at work now. When not working I often wear these clothing. Now let me show you.”

Juliet took her time as she showed Ken how to wear the very Indian garment. “You will be able to do this yourself with practice.”

“Yeah. Like I want to be a fucking female the rest of my life.”

“The project is very sorry that it can not reverse the therapy that was given you. If we could make you male again, I assure you it would be done.”

“That is what everyone keeps telling me.” Ken said as he looked in the mirror. The Sari was a perfect fit.

“How do you like?”

“It is all right I guess.”

“I suggest you practice taking the Sari off and then putting it back on again. It only looks difficult at first, you will learn quickly.”

“What is next, makeup and earrings?”

“Only if you want I will leave you now. Eat the food we left you, it is quite good.”

Juliet began to turn around. “You people are trying to make me a Indian woman, aren’t you?”

“No we aren’t,” Juliet said as she once again faced Ken. “The project just hopes you will accept what happened and make the best you can of it.”

Over the next few days, Juliet made efforts to befriend Patient 99. Going for a walk with her, playing several games of chess with Ken. Sometimes just visiting patient 99's cell to chat.

None of this changed Ken’s attitude in the slightest. “I’m not happy and you can’t keep me in this place forever. I have rights.”

Ken was right about Double Helix’s inability to keep her incarcerated forever. On the other hand, she didn’t know how little the project cared for patient 99's rights if it endangered Double Helix’s secrecy.

After two consecutive days in her cell without any visitors, food was passed through a slot in the wall, Ken began to loudly protest her situation again. Even beginning to bang on the walls.

That’s when Juliet came in. Behind her stood two heavyset men. “Ken, you are leaving here.”

“Finally! Where to?”

The two orderlies came up on each side of patient 99. Each taking a hold of her arms. Ken struggled with the orderlies, but they were too strong for her.

Juliet took a syringe out of her pocket. The sleeve of the sweater patient 99 was wearing had already been rolled up in preparation.

“This will help you sleep.” Juliet said as she injected patient 99 in her left arm. Almost at once Ken’s legs got wobbly. A few seconds later everything went black.

When Ken’s eyes opened again, she was in a new location. A modestly decorated room, with a wooden chair a few feet in front of her.

Ken tried to swivel her head. No movement occurred. She then tried to move her limbs, nothing happened again. The one thing Ken could do was blink her eyes.

Talk was impossible also. By now Ken could tell her head was on a pillow and her body probably resting on some bed. Everything else was a mystery, Ken felt nothing right then except for a bit of hunger and thirst.

Ken had no idea how long she lay there,. but by the time someone showed up, the former Florida sheriff was growing frightened. A man came by and checked her very up close before disappearing from sight.

A few minutes later Juliet was in the room. She immediately taking the seat directly across from Ken.

“Good afternoon. If you can hear me, blink your eyes.”

Ken blinked her eyes. That was all she could do, besides think. Where was she?

Answers were about to come. “Good. Welcome to New Delhi India. That is where you are at present. There is a lot for me to go over, so I won’t waste any time.... ”

Ken watched as Juliet read off a legal pad she had brought with her. Like she had made out notes before coming in the room.

“First the project regrets what we are about to do to you patient 99, but you left us no other choice. The project could not let you prematurely disclose the existence of the DNA therapy.”

“Don’t fear. The paralysis you are presently suffering from will go away in three to four hours. By the time you are 100% normal again, I will be far away. Do you understand so far? Blink your eyes if you do.”

Ken blinked her eyes. ‘What a bitch this woman is.”

“Good. As I said before, you are now in New Delhi India. This will be your new home. The apartment you are in, and the possessions inside it are all yours. The project sincerely hopes you use them wisely. It will be so much easier for you Virada if you do.”

‘Virada. They fucking gave me a name. They are going to leave me here. I’m a US citizen, goddamnit!’

“In an envelope on the table next to me are documents you will soon be in need of. A new identity and name has been created for you. It is Virada Aggarwal. You are now a citizen of India.”

Ken blinked her eyes. She had just been deported.

“As a citizen of India, you are subject to its laws. At first you may be need of assistance in order to get acclimated and learn the local customs. A number is supplied for someone who can help you with this.”

‘The moment this paralysis is gone, I’ll start screaming bloody murder to anyone who will listen.”

“I along with the project would advise you not to protest like you threatened to do so back in the United States. The US embassy won’t believe you, nor will they allow you to re-enter the country. Due to a unfortunate accident, your name was placed on a list of suspected terrorists. You will automatically be denied a visa.

‘My whole life is a unfortunate accident to these cretins.’

“We suppose Virada you could go to the police with your story. The local authorities will hardly be amused. A Indian jail is not the most pleasant place to visit.”

Ken just blinked her eyes. She would strangle the woman known as Juliet Addison if she only could.

“It took a great deal of time and money to prepare your new identity. Also much expense was incurred in order to clothe you, get this apartment, and for other necessities you will now have.”

‘Am I supposed to be grateful, you bitch?’ Ken thought, as feeling slowly began returning to her fingers and toes.

“A bank account has been established for you. There are modest funds in it. The rent for this apartment has also been paid for the next two months. The project has given you a fresh start and provided enough resources in order for you to live adequately. Do you understand so far?”

Ken blinked her eyes.

“Good. A single sheet of paper in your identity packet has a name and street address. We have found you an employer, in two days you will begin training to become a customer service representative. You are expected by Mr. Singh.”

Ken blinked her eyes. ‘What a nightmare my life has become.’

Juliet was checking her notes. “I believe that covers everything. Virada speaking for myself I hope you accept what has happened. No one wishes harm to come to you. Accept and make the most of what the project has done for you. If you do and set aside any bitterness we think you’ll discover new meaning and purpose in life. Has feeling returned to your fingers and hands yet?”

Ken blinked her eyes.

“Then I am done.” Juliet got up from her seat and walked over to where Ken lay. She then spent over a minute applying something to patient 99's forehead. If Ken had only been able to look in a mirror right then, she would have seen a red color dot or bindi slightly above and between her eyes.

“You are now a Hindu woman living in India. Good luck Virada and safe journey.” Juliet then left the room.

The moment Juliet exited the apartment, Project Double Helix washed its hands of patient 99. Now Virada would have to make due.

What happened to patient 99 aka Ken aka Virada Aggarwal from that point is unknown. Virada called the number given to her twenty-one times over the first few days. Patient 99 still argumentative and demanding every time she called to be returned to the United States. Virada was told nothing more would be done for her. After eight days, the phone calls stopped and no further word was heard from the former Double Helix patient.
 

~*~
 
Before moving off a military base, a military member and their family must clear housing. To successfully accomplish this, Simon and Susan Zebriskie spent their last two weeks at Mountain Home AFB cleaning their house so extensively it would have passed any white glove inspection.

Stuart and Midori Slater came to visit before Susan and Simon made their move to Oklahoma. Ostensibly to help their daughter and son-in-law pack, but also in order to see their grandson Shannon. The couple would miss having Shannon only a long day’s drive away. After the Zebriskies moved to Altus, the drive for the Slaters would go from a little over 600 miles to almost two thousand.

“Any word from Tom?” Susan asked her mother as the two women packed.

“Nothing since I spoke to Gabrielle on Christmas Eve. She called to say Tom was safe and doing well.”

“Yes you told me.”

“I will be happy when Tom is home.”

By the evening of January 17th all the Zebriskie’s belongings were packed and the couple was ready to go. The Air Force would move most of the couple’s belongings, but not all. Simon Zebriskie had rented a small U-haul trailer to take valuables and goods the family would need on arrival in Oklahoma.

“Drive safely.” Midori told her son and daughter in the early morning hours of January 18th.

“We will Mom.” Simon told his mother-in-law. He then allowed Midori to kiss and hug him. “We should get to Altus by the 21st or maybe the 20th even.

“Take your time son,” Stuart told Simon. “Getting there safely is the most important thing.”

After saying their last goodbyes to Stuart and Midori, Susan and Simon climbed into their Toyota Tundra. With Simon Zebriskie safely secured in his car seat, the couple began to drive off. Midori and Stewart Slater waving them goodbye.
 

~*~
 
It was 11:15 in the morning on January 19th and Gabrielle was beginning to wonder where Tom Slater was. Their rendezvous was for 11:00 sharp. Gabrielle knew the Army Captain to be punctual.

Gabrielle had arrived at Tung Choi street also known as Ladies Street Hong Kong's largest and best known outdoor fashion market at 10:30. For Swan Song’s rendezvous with Ripley, Gabrielle had the help of two assistants to the Swan Song committee. They were seated in parked cars at both ends of the shopping area bordered on one side by Bourdary Street on one end and Dundas Street on the other. Gabrielle was in the shopping area itself. Waiting to make her rendezvous with Ripley.

At 11:25, Gabrielle radioed one of the other two team members. “Still no sight of Ripley?”

“No Sniper, none.”

“Positive?”

“Positive Sniper. There was only that one Rolls Royce to make a drop off here. Neither of the women who disembarked from the car fit the description of Ripley.”

For her stay in Hong Kong, Hiromi Sato was most likely staying at her usual hotel, the famous Peninsula. The Peninsula maintains a fleet of green Rolls Royces to transport hotel guests around the former British Colony.

Gabrielle knew unexpected events could cause a meet to abort. In case the Tung Choi meet aborted, a second rendezvous was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The possibility her meeting with Tom could be aborted troubled Gabrielle. Gabrielle worrying something terrible may have happened.

Then maybe again it was something else. “The two people dropped off by the Rolls Royce were both female?”

“Yes Sniper, they were. Neither fit the description of Ripley.”

“Describe them to me.” Gabrielle asked. The FBI agent listened quietly before replying. “What type of clothes was she wearing?”

“Jeans, they didn’t look fancy or anything.”

Gabrielle shook her head as she listened to the description. Men rarely had fashion sense. Wearing blue jeans wasn’t only for the middle class.

“Sniper, she wasn’t right anyway.”

“What do you mean?” Gabrielle asked and was immediately given an answer. “I’m going to check them out. Stay where you’re posted.”

It was a weekend and the fashion mart was extremely busy. Gabrielle spent almost ten minutes searching before sighting the woman described by her fellow agent.

The woman was standing with her back to Gabrielle. She was the right build for Hiromi Sato and the jeans the woman was wearing were designer made. Gabrielle got confirmation it was Ripley, when Chrysanthemum peeked around a corner wall.

“Taro-san, your friend is here.” Reina said to Hiromi. Ripley then turned around.

‘What have you done to yourself, Tom Slater?’ Gabrielle thought to herself as she joined Hiromi in looking through the same rack of clothing.

“Hi Gabrielle.” Tom said without looking her friend in the face. It was better if the two women acted like neither knew the other.

“Hello to you. What’s going on?”

“Quite a lot really. So where do we go now?”

Gabrielle gave directions to a safe house in the Sham Shui Po district. Reina repeated back the directions to Gabrielle while Tom just memorized them.

“Be there no later than 1:30"

“We will.” Tom replied back. Swan Song business would have to wait till later. “See anything interesting?”

“Lots.” Gabrielle said as she pretended to look through the clothing. ‘You for one thing Tom Slater.’
 

~*~
 
Before meeting Gabrielle at the safe house, Reina and Hiromi went back to The Peninsula. There they changed clothing, grabbed a snack to eat, and then exited the hotel a few minutes before 1 p.m. After a short walk, Reina and Hiromi grabbed a cab along Nathan Road.

To get to Sham Shui Po, Hiromi and Reina used two cabs. This was strictly as a precaution. The Sham Shui Po district is both the poorest and oldest part of Hong Kong. After paying off their second cab, Reina and Hiromi walked two blocks down a narrow alley way that was both strewn with garbage and had children playing in it.

Gabrielle answered the second floor apartment door only seconds after Hiromi knocked. “You found it all right.”

Hiromi and Reina both walked in. The apartment was not much better looking than the alley they just walked down. “Yes we did. Is Reina allowed to stay or should she wait outside?”

“Reina can stay,” Gabrielle said as she led Hiromi to a back room. “She can help herself to anything she wishes while we talk.”

The apartment had only two rooms. The front room was dingy and cluttered, befitting the Hong Kong neighborhood it was in.

Once they were in the back room, Gabrielle closed the door. As soon as that was done Hiromi and her shared a rather long and passionate kiss.

“Mom asked me to do that.” Gabrielle told Hiromi after their kiss ended but still in each other’s arms. Hiromi had to wonder what his Mom would say if she saw Tom and Gabrielle now.

“I hope there are no cameras in here.” Hiromi whispered in Gabrielle’s ear.

“None but the place is bugged.”

Hiromi and Gabrielle got down to business a few moments later, but first they had to straighten up the room. The apartment’s occupant was obviously male and not good at keeping things clean. Dirty clothes were strewn everywhere as were adult hardcore magazines. Not knowing what else to do with these, Hiromi and Gabrielle threw them on a bed which looked like it had been last made before the turn of millennium.

Later on Gabrielle would tell Hiromi that the apartment was loaned to Swan Song by the South Korean intelligence service, the NIS or National Intelligence Service. The NIS used the apartment for debriefings and as a safe house.

“When do you have to meet Chuck again?”

“He went to the races at Happy Valley. Chuck said they end around 1830 and he’ll go straight to the Peninsula afterwards.”

That gave Gabrielle four and a half hours to debrief Hiromi. Gabrielle had come prepared for the day. Four and a half hours should be more than sufficient.

Gabrielle quizzed Hiromi about Swan Song for the next three and a half hours. The computer downloads were a gold mine, but human intelligence or information on the Watanabe Yakuza was also essential to Swan Song. It would put everything learned so far into its proper perspective.

Hiromi told Gabrielle about what she learned on the Judge Song murder. “I’m still trying to trace the money trail.”

“That would sew it up nicely.”

“Yes, otherwise it would be hard to prove in a court of law. So far as I can tell the real Hiromi wasn’t involved in either ordering or paying for the job. It would be so much easier if she had.”

As the debriefing began to close, Gabrielle asked how Captain Slater was holding up. “How are you doing?”

“Ok I guess.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Tom Slater had always been taught to suck it up when bad things happen in life. He was rarely a complainer. “I’m fine Gabrielle, really.”

Gabrielle studied her friend before speaking. “Anything you want to ask?”

Tom asked about the downloads and if these were working out. They were and Gabrielle told the Captain that.

“That’s good. Will Swan Song be terminated soon?”

“By spring at the latest. We still hope to get downloads from Goro’s computers if possible.”

Tom nodded. “Reina is working on that. Did you talk to her already?”

“Last night. I debriefed her here till almost 2 a.m.”

Since Chrysanthemum was available, the Swan Song decided to debrief her again.“Reina did look tired this morning. She also knew where to go way too easily I might add.”

Gabrielle smiled. “Your powers of observation haven’t changed in the slightest Captain.”

“No I think they’re better. I think my gender change could have something to do with it.” That was the closest Tom had come to dropping the all-business facade she and Gabrielle were maintaining during the debriefing..

“Perhaps Captain. I have some good news to pass along.”

“What’s that?”

“Dr. Wagner has improved her formula. Over 80% success at returning a person to their original body now. No danger of abnormalities either now.”

“That’s good to hear.” Tom replied back with a slight smile.

“Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

Right then Hiromi’s cell phone began to ring. It was Chuck. “Can you excuse me for one moment.”

“Of course.”

Hiromi answered. “Hi....Not much.....I’m with a friend right now.......Can I call you back in a little bit?......Talk to you shortly.....Love you too.....Bye.” Hiromi then turned off her cell phone. “Sorry for the interruption. Will we be meeting again?”

“I don’t really know. Anything else?”

“No that’s it.”

Five minutes later Hiromi and Reina were back out on the main street. What had earlier been a bright and sunny day, was now overcast with sunlight rapidly fading. After a few minutes of trying, Hiromi finally hailed a cab for the ride back to Tsim Tsa Tsui and The Peninsula Hotel.
 

~*~
 
Hiromi didn’t go back to the Peninsula. Instead she had the cabby drop her and Reina off at a McDonald’s about a mile from the hotel After getting herself a French fries and drink, Hiromi sat herself at a table towards the back of the fast food restaurant.

Gabrielle Tanaka. joined her friend about fifteen minutes after Hiromi arrived at the restaurant. “Hi Tom.”

“Why don’t you order some food yourself Gabrielle and then join me.”

“I will. Anything you need?”

“Another french fries if you can, please.” Tom told Gabrielle.

Gabrielle was back about five minutes later. She had gotten herself a fish sandwich and diet soft drink in addition to the french fries Tom requested.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Gabrielle said as she took a seat in the booth directly across from her friend. “Think it is safe for us to talk here?”

Tom nodded her head. “We should be. Other than Chuck, only Reina came with me on this trip.”

“You could have local backup.”

Tom shook her head. “ Very unlikely if you mean the triads. They would cut my tits off before ever assisting the Watanabes.”

Gabrielle asked for Tom to elaborate on the why behind what she just said. Tom and Gabrielle speaking in Japanese the whole time they were in McDonald’s.

“About ten years ago a triad tried to move into the Yokohama area. It didn’t work, because Dai Hashimoto chopped off the legs of two triad members and mailed them back to their boss.”

Gabrielle was about to take a bite out of her fish sandwich when Hiromi said this but stopped in mid-air. “You’re joking?”

“No I’m not. Dai Hashimoto is one scary and paranoid son of a bitch.”

“Has he caused you any problems?”

“No, not directly,” Tom then told Hiromi of the incident from the month before. “It may be nothing or just a coincidence.”

“What do you think?”

“It wasn’t a coincidence and I haven’t a clue what the purpose of the meeting could be either.”

Tom was halfway through her second serving of french fries while Gabrielle still had most of her meal left. There was a lot of things both wanted to say to the other, and would have except for time constraints.

“I crave these things for some reason.” Hiromi said to Gabrielle. While in Alice Springs, Hiromi twice got food to eat at McDonald’s. Ever since she had a taste for that fast food chain’s French fries.

“Don’t eat too many of them.”

“Yeah, I got to watch my figure.”

“Such a lovely figure.” Gabrielle said with a warm smile.

“I gained three pounds last month” Tom said as she pushed the french fries to the side.

“Yes I noticed.”

“Oh these things. I was wondering when you were going to notice or comment.”

“They are kind of hard not to notice. Why did you get breast augmentation?” Gabrielle asked and Tom proceeded to explain.

Gabrielle nodded her head when Tom was finished. “Under the circumstances, I would have done the same thing if I had been you.”

“Thanks. How do you like them?”

“They’re very nice, I like them.” Gabrielle replied. Was her friend becoming vain about her looks like almost females were, Gabrielle included?

Gabrielle began to wonder. Did the DNA therapy cause psychological changes if a person remained the other gender long enough? It would be a good question for the FBI agent to ask Dr. Wagner the next chance they got to talk.

“I’m glad they meet with your approval. They’re a real pain in the neck.”

“I can imagine.”

“Chuck hasn’t said anything of late. He only said a few times that I was acting a little oddly but not since........over three months ago.”

“That’s good.”

Tom spent the next minute or two finishing their food and drink. Reina coming by to dispose of what garbage was left on the table.

“Is everything all right?” Gabrielle asked.

“This mission is very nerve wracking.” Tom said after a short pause.

“I understand. Other than Chuck, is anyone suspicious or giving you any trouble?”

“No, not really. Don’t worry Gabrielle. I’ll make it through this.”

“I’m your friend Tom. We met here so you can talk freely. What is going on? You seem different to me.”

Tom then told Gabrielle about the Midori episodes she was having but not how she was being feminized. Gabrielle listened quietly as Tom explained how she had two personas, but only one of which was ever in control.

“It’s like I’m in here, but she’s acting out.”

“That’s very disturbing. Maybe you should have told it to me during the debriefing.”

“What could you or Swan Song do about it but abort the mission?”

Gabrielle studied her friend’s face. She was more fearful than ever for Tom Slater’s safety, physical and now mental.

“Do you want to call your part of Swan Song to an end? No one can order you to continue the mission if you feel threatened.”

“No, not yet Gabrielle. I’d like to nail down who killed Judge Song before ending this show.” Tom said before peeking at her watch. “Shit, I’m going to be late getting back to the hotel.”

Gabrielle smiled thinly. “Men get used to waiting around for us.”

“Chuck is an angel so far as that goes.”

“What are your plans for tonight?”

“Go back to the hotel. Then dinner out with Chuck, afterwards we plan to go to a club. After that back to the Peninsula where I’ll get laid AGAIN.”

“Sorry Tom. I didn’t know anything about Chuck till after you left for Kushiro.”

“It’s not your fault Gabrielle.” Then Tom laughed for a moment. “You wouldn’‘t want to find a cheap hotel and get nekkid with me?”

“Sorry Tom. I got to prepare a report on your debriefing tonight. I’ll be leaving on a 9 a.m. flight tomorrow.” Gabrielle replied. If the FBI agent read her friend’s body language right, Tom was disappointed at Gabrielle’s turn down.

“Where to?”

“Back to Japan.”

“Keeping tabs on me?

“Swan Song is my only work now.”

“You spoke to my parents?”

“Yes at Christmas. They are doing great and they say hello and send their love. Your sister Susan and her husband are moving to a new Air Force base right about now.”

Tom got up and Gabrielle did the same. They then walking over to the McDonalds’ main entrance. Reina a few steps behind them.

“You be careful Tom.”

“I will. Did Dr. Wagner really improve that formula?”

“Yes, over 80% success at reverting a person to their original body. A little over 90% were returned to their original gender. The few that didn’t had one thing in common.”

Tom laughed as a cab pulled up to the curb. “I need not worry that. That’s good that the new formula works. I got to get going. Bye Gabby.”

“Bye.” Gabrielle told Tom before she climbed in the cab with Reina Shimizu. After the undercover agents were gone, Gabrielle took her cell phone out and placed a phone call.

“You can come pick me up now.”
 

~*~
 
Charles McBride was waiting patiently when Hiromi arrived at their Peninsula Hotel suite. “Kimi-chan, did you have a good time today?”

Hiromi and Chuck shared a brief but passionate kiss. Reina was standing nearby. “Yes, I did lots of shopping.”

“I saw that already. You had to drop your stuff off and then go back out again.” Chuck told with a chuckle as he and Hiromi ended their embrace.

In fact Hiromi had done very little shopping that day. The purchases being done by Gabrielle on Friday before her friend’s arrival in town. This in order to make it look like Hiromi did what she said she had been doing all day.

Four bags were placed against a wall in the suite’s living area. “Are we still going out for dinner?”

“Yes, if you want.”

“Let me freshen up first. We’ll go out in a few minutes.”

“I’ll be waiting Kimi-chan.” Hiromi then went to the bedroom.

Chuck and Hiromi went out to dinner not long afterwards. After their meal was over, Chuck had a suggestion. Why don’t the two of them visit a karaoke bar?

Captain Tom Slater was one of those men who only sang in showers, and even that was a rare occurrence. As Hiromi now, she decided to find out what she was missing. Hiromi telling Chuck she liked his plan for the evening.

The karaoke bar Chuck and Hiromi visited was in the Aberdeen area, on the south side of Hong Kong Island. The name of the bar being The Punchline. Because of its close proximity to Jumbo the famous floating(Not to mention touristy and overrated) restaurant, The Punchline was a very busy place on Saturday nights. Chuck and Hiromi were already in the Aberdeen area in order to eat dinner and decided to take their chances.

As a result of how busy The Punchline was, there was a considerable wait before one got a chance to sing. That didn’t bother Hiromi, for she needed time to choose a song. In the interim, she and Chuck talked, consumed a couple of soft drinks, and listened to some of the worst singers west of the Philippine Islands.

After an hour Hiromi still wasn’t sure what song to select. Chuck then made a suggestion. “How about this one? Kimi-chan you sounded lovely the last time you sang it.”

The song Chuck was pointing to was one Tom Slater was familiar with. It being on a favorite soundtrack CD of his one-time fiancee, Karen Gibson. Tom still remembering the melody and some of the lyrics.

“Yes I’ll give that one a shot.”

“Splendid. You’ll knock them dead Kimi-chan. I know it.”

An hour later Hiromi was finishing her song to applause from many of those in the bar that night. The loudest people clapping were male patrons. Hiromi questioned if it was her singing or her implants that made these men cheer.

Chuck wasn’t the least bit shy in telling all those around him, what he thought of Hiromi’s singing. The moment the song ended, the Australian rose from his table. Clapping and saying. “Bravo! Bravo!” Hiromi could barely avoid blushing because of this.

It was while Hiromi sang the Lea Salonga version of the song ‘Reflection’ from the Disney movie Mulan, that Chuck came to what he would term the biggest decision of his life.

‘You got to marry this girl. Where will you ever find anyone like Hiromi Sato again?’ Chuck asked himself. From almost the moment they first met in 2002, Chuck had been in love with Hiromi. So why hadn’t Chuck popped the question yet?

The only flaw Hiromi had so far as becoming Chuck’s wife, was the work she did. That had held back Chuck for so long, but the resistance was now fading.

That night Chuck made a decision. It partly based on the advice given to him by Uncle Harry a few weeks earlier. Sometime in the next six months, or no worse than the end of the year, he’d ask Hiromi to marry him. Chuck would wait for just the perfect moment, when he knew Hiromi would have no other answer for him but yes.

Hiromi continued to bang out her song. Were the lyrics she sang somehow conveying the feelings and contradictions felt by Tom Slater as he dwelled inside the body of Hiromi Sato?

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight
Back at me?
Why is my reflection someone
I don't know?
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am
Though I've tried
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
 

~*~
 
To be continued in Part Seven