“You won’t believe who we just see in the lobby, Ryuku-san,” Said Sadao Koba.
“Who is that?”
“The dancer, Kristi Yamaguchi. She was just here.”
“Sadao-san, you are mistaken. That was not Kristi Yamaguchi who we just passed,” Ryuku said. ‘Hung over men and their fantasies.’
“Man say she with FBI,” Sadao said insistently.
Tsuki tried correcting her friend. “No, they say she from February.”
 |
Synopsis- As Agent Ripley makes her move to Hong Kong she begins to re-think her Swan Song assignment.
Thank you to Puddin and Kimmie for their help with this chapter.
Hiromi Sato heard the bolt slide into place. She was officially outdoors now and she had one hour to enjoy it.
It was a summer morning in Northern Japan. As she walked around the yard, Hiromi breathed in the cool air that came off the nearby mountains. Her ears picked up the sounds of distant workers. Sometimes, when out in the yard, she would hear the sound of a passing train, which she seized upon as a slight clue which told her at least a lot of places where she couldn’t be, since railroad tracks weren't everywhere, and the mountains told her which side of the island she was on, and they seemed vaguely familiar, although she couldn't remember whether they reminded her of the north island, HokkaidÅ, or the main island, HonshÅ«. HokkaidÅ made sense, since it was more isolated, but logistics might make the northern island more difficult as well, since any significant changes might be more easily noticed, and as far as she could tell, she was the only inmate in her prison, which implied either that it was built just for her, or had been pressed into service on the spur of the moment, converted from another use entirely.
With different days came different sounds. But what day was it? Time had no meaning for the real Hiromi Sato. One year of incarceration with strict limits on who met you and what you can do, made calendars and clocks almost inconsequential to her.
Hiromi was a caged and lonely animal. ‘Why am I being kept like this? If I have broken laws, why haven’t I been brought to court?’ She asked these questions of prison personnel every day but was never given an answer.
From the first moments of her arrest, Hiromi intuitively knew there was something different about what was happening to her. She wasn’t taken into custody by uniformed Japanese law enforcement but gaijin and Japanese men all clothed in black. Not ninjas, but persons more mysterious.
Her nightmare captivity had started when a woman got Hiromi to open her apartment door. The woman was a long-time neighbor of her late Aunt, or so Hiromi had thought.
Hiromi had barely opened the door when the men rushed in. She was overwhelmed quickly, had a needle stuck in her arm, and some time later woke up in the prison that was now her home.
A home? No, it was a cage or a dungeon that Hiromi was living in at present. A cage when she was allowed into outdoor solitary. A dungeon whenever she was indoors. There were no windows, at least not within the bounds they set her, and she wasn't even allowed access to a television or radio. They allowed her to request music over a tinny loudspeaker in her cell, but all they seemed to have available was hokey popular music from the Fifties and Sixties, the sort that old people played when they were feeling nostalgic for their youth.
Hiromi knew her jailers were human. Humans have weaknesses. They cannot hide them. Nor can a person be hid forever too.
Either Hiromi would find a way out of her dungeon, or outsiders will come to her aid. It will happen soon, she continually told herself, as her incarceration dragged on.
A wave of hatred filled her heart and her control slipped as she raged within herself, wishing she had a gun, or even a knife, so she could hurt someone. Didn’t they know who she was? Distracted by her fury, Hiromi lost her bearings for a moment and her right foot caught on a crack in the concrete pavement and she stumbled, catching herself with her outstretched hands as she fell to her knees. This humiliated her, because the two guards had seen her clumsiness, but caused her senseless fury to transform itself into something new, a finely-whetted longing for revenge.
Falls were a sign of weakness, brought on by carelessness. As she was a very meticulous person, the slip was not only another blow to her pride, but a sign granted to her that told her she wasn’t acting like herself. She’d allowed herself the luxury of despair, when she should have been planning her escape and her retaliation against her enemies, whoever they were.
As she climbed to her feet, Hiromi saw that her prison garments had become dirty. She did not like this at all and, worse, her jailers only supplied her with new clothes once a day. Hiromi would have to wear soiled clothes until they woke her in the morning.
Physically, Hiromi was all right from her fall. Her breasts were slightly sore, but the rest of her body was uninjured.
Hiromi let out a loud expletive. Her breasts shouldn’t even be hurting. A month previous, and against her will and without explanation, they’d performed surgery on her breasts and given her implants, so they were larger, which was mystifying. They, whoever they were, surely hadn't gone to all this trouble to perform experiments on her. So what was the point?
“Why did you do this to me?” Hiromi asked the empty air around her, just as she’d questioned an anonymous nurse not long after waking from her breast surgery.
Hiromi had been abandoned for the second time in her life by her family. No Watanabe had come to her assistance and why was that?
It was one more baffling mystery to Hiromi. The Watanabe Yakuza was very powerful and had influential government officials on its payroll. One of whom, if they weren’t total fools or incompetents, should have been able to find her by now. It was as if she weren't missing at all, unless her grandfather had had something to do with it, but she hadn’t angered him lately, at least not that she knew of, although the old man had been getting erratic as he aged. Maybe he was getting senile, and had ordered her brought here to teach her some incomprehensible lesson, and then forgotten her and moved on, finding some other woman to torment and abuse. Hiromi was under no illusions about how cruel her grandfather could be, especially towards the women around him, and no one would dare to question him, whatever he did.
Hiromi’s life was now an endless puzzle. She vowed to solve it and also set herself free. When that happened, her jailers and enemies would wish they had never been born.
Dai Hashimoto arrived at Keiji Watanabe’s home at eleven. The elderly Oyabun while weak, received his family’s enforcer sitting up in his home’s living room.
“Thank you for coming, Dai-san,” Keiji said before waving for Dai to take a seat.
Rika Watanabe came into the room with tea for her employer and his guest. It was still too early for harder drinks.
Only when Rika was again out of the room, did Keiji get down to business. “How long have we known each other, Dai-san?”
“I do not know the exact total, Oyabun-san. It is something over thirty years.”
“You have been a dedicated and loyal servant of mine all that time, Dai-san.”
“Thank you, Oyabun-san. I have done my best to follow your orders.”
“Have we learned any more about the Inagawa attack on my granddaughter?”
“No, Oyabun-san, I have not. To show the Inagawa-kai we are not weak, I took certain actions.”
Keiji nodded his head while Dai brought him up to date. “You did right, Dai-san. It is unfortunate the Inagawa can’t see how these matters are bad for their business interests not just ours.”
Dai and Keiji discussed how further attacks by the Inagawa-kai could be handled. Random fire bombings like the on Friday night had to be stopped.
Gradually the elderly Oyabun got to the purpose of that day’s meeting.
“Dai-san, it is time for the family to change again. I cannot fulfill all the duties required of an Oyabun. Today’s age requires an Oyabun to be strong, wise, and energetic. Energy comes from youth and I do not possess that any more.”
“Oyabun-san, you are still a strong leader.”
“Thank you, Dai-san, but I think it is time for me to lessen my workload. I have chosen you to be the next Oyabun.”
Dai showed no surprise at Keiji’s announcement. Ever since Goro Watanabe was killed, he’d believed that a new and permanent Oyabun would have to be selected. Keiji Watanabe’s second stint as Oyabun, if only due to his age and poor health, had to be a short one and mostly a transitional phase for the Watanabe family. Dai suspected that their enemies knew of the weakness of the “new” old Oyabun, and were using their perceived vulnerability to explore the possibility of taking over some peripheral Watanabe businesses or territories. He allowed none of these misgivings to show on his face, of course.
“I am honored, Oyabun-san, that you feel me worthy of continuing the family you made so strong.”
Hiromi was sunning herself by the pool when Juanita approached her. “Mrs. Sato, Takahiro Mureta is here to see you.”
“Thank you, Juanita. Please send him back in five minutes.”
Chuck was taking a swim while Juanita spoke to Hiromi. He swam over to the side of the pool as his wife finished talking with their cook/housekeeper. “Kimi-chan, what is going on?”
Ӭ
“We have a visitor,” Hiromi said as she got up from the chaise lounge she’d been lying on. She was wearing a bikini and wasn’t about to conduct Yakuza business dressed like that. A sweatshirt was on a chair nearby and Hiromi put it on before sitting back down. “Takahiro-san and I are going to discuss some business.”
Chuck climbed out of the pool. He came over to the table to grab his towel but first gave his wife a kiss. “I’ll go inside.”
Hiromi smiled. “Yes, I don’t want your skin to burn again.”
Takahiro, who was wearing a finely tailored business suit that looked very out of place pool-side, bowed towards Hiromi the first moment they were together. “Sato-san, I came as you requested.”
“Sit down, Takahiro-san.” She motioned toward a chair. “We have some matters to discuss.”
Takahiro took the seat offered him, and found that he had a perfect view of Mt. Fuji, which he took a few moments to appreciate, as well as the courtesy and hospitality his superior had shown him by giving him the most auspicious chair. The majestic and dormant volcano dominated the skyline behind Hiromi. In fact, from where he was sitting, Fuji looked almost like an extension of Hiromi Sato.
Another view of this symbolism suddenly occurred to him. If Hiromi should become disappointed or angry at him in some way, she may erupt. That possibility made the Watanabe shareigashira very nervous.
Hiromi wasted no time on small talk. “Why are we still operating our adult businesses in Yokosuka?”
“Sato-san, Yokosuka is a large naval port. There is a demand for this service.”
“I’ve spent part of yesterday and today studying our financial reports. In fact we’ve lost money in Yokosuka so far this year. Our net profits for the three previous fiscal years combined is only fifteen million yen.”
“Yes Sato-san, but that is still a profit.” He smiled, but not for long, because he saw that she was not at all amused.”¨
“Is it?” Hiromi asked, one brow arching, then transfixed him with a piercing glare. “Takahiro-san, let’s you and I study that filthy club called ‘Your Way’ that you kept me at for over three hours yesterday morning.”
The hardness in Hiromi’s words had Takahiro squirming in his chair. Mount Hiromi just might erupt if she wasn’t pleased with his answers.
Dai rose to leave. “Thank you for showing confidence in my abilities. I will work hard Oyabun-san to keep strong the Watanabe Family your great grandfather formed many years ago,” Dai said to Keiji Watanabe.
“From today on I will live here. I do not want to be disturbed by day to day matters.”
Dai nodded his head. “May I still ask for your wise advice?”
“Yes, Dai-san, you may. I just ask no one else is to bother me.”
“Do I officially take over as Oyabun today or at a later date.”
“A later date. I will make the formal announcement at the August 1st meeting I have planned. You will assume leadership the first week in September.”
“We will have to do some restructuring of the family.”
“I will leave that up to you, Dai-san.”
“There is the matter of Hiromi-san.”
Keiji suddenly became rigid. “What about my granddaughter?”
“I plan to ask for her return to Japan.”
Keiji instantly became very disturbed. Dai had an entirely different plan in mind for the future of his family.
“Where did you learn to speak such good Japanese?” Gabrielle asked Maurice as they rode together to the airport. The Probationary Inspector had just quoted Kyoto School philosopher, Kitaro Nishida. Nishida’s work was well known outside of Japan, but for a non-Japanese to quote him was very impressive.
“My father’s oldest brother worked in Japan. He married a Japanese woman.”
“You spent time living with them?” Gabrielle and Maurice should have been at the airport already but as they left the South Pacific, the PI got a call summoning him to the Arsenal Street station. Giving assistance to Operation Swan Song wasn’t Maurice’s only work.
“Yes. My parents were constantly fighting when I was little. I was sent to live with other family members, along with my sisters. I lived with Uncle Harry and Aunt Yuka from the time I was two till I turned six. They had three daughters who were older than I.”
“Where do they live in Japan?”
“Kagoshima. Do you know where that is?”
“I certainly do. It is called the ‘Naples of the East’.”
“It is a lovely place. The happiest time of my life was spent there.”
Gabrielle found what Maurice just said to be very interesting. The guy is getting married but he longs for a time over twenty years in the past. What does that say about him?
Hong Kong Airport, sometimes called Chep Lap Kok Airport by locals because of its location, was built on reclaimed land in the mid 1990’s. Since it opened in 1998, Hong Kong has won seven Skytrax world airport awards for its customer service.
As a gateway to China, Hong Kong sees a large number of private and chartered jets fly in and out every month. These aircraft aren’t handled by the main terminals but the general aviation side of the airport instead. Excellent customer service was the standard there as well.
Every private jet coming to Hong Kong from outside of China is met by a delegation consisting of at least three members, an immigration officer to ensure that important visitors were allowed to enter Hong Kong without unnecessary delay, a representative of the Hong Kong customs office to see to the rapid inspection of anything the visitors bring in, and a commerce representative whose job it was to see that any special requests made by these elite visitors were quickly seen to.
To see how Hong Kong would handle the arrival of Ripley and Economist, Maurice and Gabrielle observed the work done when a popular Western Entertainer and his party disembarked from a Falcon jet at a few minutes before noon.
“This should be educational, Gabrielle,” Maurice said as they watched the Falcon taxi in. Both of them were equipped with binoculars. “We have been told six passengers are on board.”
“From what we know of Ripley’s travels, her group should be about the same size.”
The entertainer, a relic from the 1970’s, disembarked with his entourage a few minutes later. His welcoming committee numbered four persons in all, not counting baggage handlers.
Gabrielle watched as the immigration official fed all passports through a hand held terminal. She knew the old practice of stamping passports was done now in only the more backward parts of the third world.
“How often does anything irregular happen?
“Not too often. There was one pop star last year who came in on their private 737 with almost fifty people. When we were through with them, two members of her entourage were arrested. There were outstanding criminal warrants for them on the mainland.”
Eleven years after the British handed Hong Kong over, many Hong Kong residents still refer to Communist China as ‘the mainland’.
Maurice and Gabrielle took up new positions on the Observation Deck. On the other side of the building were two waiting limousines. The entertainer was in and out of the building in five minutes.
“He got the royal treatment?”
“Don’t they all?” Maurice asked.
“After 9-11 happened, the rules are supposed to be the same for everyone.”
Maurice gave another one of those odd smiles of his. “Gabrielle, I think we both know rules are for the ordinary folk.”
“Yes, Maurice, you’re right.”
“Gabrielle, let us go down stairs. We can watch what else is done to Mr. Diamond’s belongings.”
The entertainer was on his way to his hotel but his luggage wasn’t. It was first x-rayed, then had to pass by explosives and drug sniffing dogs. After that was finished, visual examinations were made of each bag’s contents.
“If anything is found?” Gabrielle asked.
“We know where Mr. Diamond is staying should any problems arise. It’s the same place as his three previous visits here, the Mandarin Oriental Kowloon side.”
All baggage belonging to Neil Diamond and his entourage passed customs. They were loaded into transportation and on their way to the Mandarin less than forty minutes after the Entertainer had himself left the airport.
A Russian businessman was the next arrival. Gabrielle was going to ask about weapons checks when an alarm went off as the millionaire and his bodyguards came into the building.
“Excellent,” Maurice said gleefully. “Gabrielle, you are about to see what happens when a visitor to Hong Kong violates one of our laws.”
“Dai-san, have you talked to my granddaughter lately?”
“Yes, but only to discuss my finances.”
Keiji was beginning to feel unwell again and he strongly believed no illness was at fault for this. With his family under attack from the outside and from within was it any surprise his body felt weak from the turmoil surrounding it?
Under normal conditions, Keiji would remind Dai of his oath of loyalty. Keiji, not he, was Oyabun, and even after he stepped down he would not permit the family that carried his name to go on a course he would not have permitted if he were still Oyabun.
Keiji could not bring himself up to say this directly. A confrontation would be a further drain on his energy.
“When is it you talked with my granddaughter?”
“Hiromi-san and I met on Tuesday.”
Keiji nodded his head. “My granddaughter has been attacked not once but twice of late. It is my wish for her to leave Japan for now. I have told her this.”
“The Inagawa-kai attack Hiromi-san because they fear her.”
Keiji was startled by this statement. Had Dai suddenly gone soft? What do strong and powerful men have to worry about from a female?
“Dai-san, I have great faith in your abilities but my granddaughter’s safety is at risk now. She is the closest family I have left.”
Keiji talked about other family members. He praised them but stressed their shortcomings even more.
Dai remembered what happened to Keiji’s nephew, Goro. His purchase of Central Nippon Wireless had displeased Watanabe Yakuza members after the company’s stock fell over 80% in value.
Goro was assassinated not too long afterwards. His killer was himself killed, but who hired Doho Taneda was still unknown. At the time it happened, Dai suspected the Inagawa-kai had been responsible.
He wasn’t so sure anymore. How did the murder weapon get in the heavily protected owner’s box? A few weeks earlier, Dai learned one of the personnel assigned to Goro’s box at Yokohama Stadium, had just met with sharegashira Hideichi Ishimoto. Hideichi had met with Keiji a few days before that.
Had Keiji placed the order to kill his nephew? Dai didn’t know for certain, but he didn’t believe in too many coincidences. Could the elderly Oyabun be responsible for one of the attacks on Hiromi?
Dai had only recently come to the conclusion that the Watanabe Yakuza’s future lay with Hiromi Sato. She had the toughness, intelligence, and wisdom to lead the family. If Keiji had chosen his granddaughter to be the next Oyabun rather than he, Dai could have respected that decision and not just out of loyalty to the family he had worked for his entire adult life, but because it would have been the right decision. These were modern times, and men like Keiji were part of the past. The Watanabe Yakuza needed a modern leader, someone who understood how the world was changing.
After Dai became Oyabun, he would share power with Hiromi that would make her all but an Oyabun in title. Before that could happen, he had to make Keiji feel less threatened by his granddaughter.
“Oyabun-san, I didn’t fully grasp the concern you have for your granddaughter till now. I agree that Hiromi-san is best off in Hong Kong.”
Keiji and Dai talked for another half hour. Then the elderly Oyabun retired to his bedroom. He would need all his strength for the serious talk he would have with his granddaughter later that day.
“When all expenses are factored in, the bribes required by local authorities, the legal expenses, feuds with other gangs, and the damages caused by unruly patrons, these businesses are rarely profitable,” Hiromi said to Takahiro.
“I see that now, Sato-san.”
“We can not even be sure of these numbers. The club I visited Thursday night was very poorly run.”
“I apologize, Sato-san. We have had trouble retaining good management at Your Way. The managers quit after a short time. They say it is difficult to work with those people.”
It took all of Hiromi’s self control to keep herself from slamming something over Takahiro Mureta’s head. She was also one of ‘those people’.
“That is not an acceptable excuse, Mureta-san.”
“I will begin looking for better management, Sato-san.”
Hiromi’s Yakuza days were coming to an end and her remaining influence was almost nil. If not for these circumstances, she would close up Your Way at once. There wasn’t a lack of sound business reasons for that action.
‘Damn it! If I just had a little more time.’ Hiromi thought as she continued to take pleasure in making Takahiro Mureta squirm.
“That is all, Mureta-san.” The Watanabe shareigashira got up from his seat and bowed towards Hiromi before leaving.
The alarm that went off at Hong Kong Airport to go off was caused by one of Russian millionaire Sergei Kozlov’s bodyguards, who had tried to bring a firearm into the special administrative region in spite of the large warning signs that told all visitors this was a violation of Hong Kong law punishable by fine or a prison sentence not exceeding five years. Unlike Mainland China, Hong Kong law retained many features from its past history as a British colony.
Alexander Gerasymenko was relieved of his firearm and taken to a back room. There he was grilled by two members of the Hong Kong police. Gabrielle and Maurice watched it with the help of a two-way mirror.
“What kind of idiots do you take us for, Alexander Gerasymenko?” Captain Cheng asked as he slapped the Ukranian’s head.
“I make a mistake. Let me pay a fine. This won’t happen again.”
Gabrielle asked a question of Maurice. “What will happen to him?”
“If nothing is found in his belongings, he will be put in detention for the rest of today. Tomorrow we will deport him.”
In another part of the arrival building, not just Alexander Gerasymenko’s baggage, but that of Sergei Kozlov and all his people were being carefully scrutinized. Less than five minutes had passed when another discovery was made.
“Do you know what we found in this?” Captain Cheng asked as he threw a shaving kit in front of Alexander Gerasymenko.
“No, I don’t.”
“Would you believe five grams of cocaine? Now will you please stand up.”
Gabrielle and Maurice were still watching. “He’s going to jail now?”
“Yes, and his employer Mr. Kozlov, will be denied entry.”
Sergei Kozlov was already protesting loudly in another part of the building. “You can not do this to me. I have many powerful friends.”
While all this was taking place, another private jet arrived outside. Two women and one man disembarked from it.
Ryuku Kinjoh was making her first ever visit to Hong Kong. Accompanying her were Sadao Koba and Tsuki Tono. They were also visiting Hong Kong for the first time. In fact, Tsuki had just made her first ever trip by airplane.
“May I see your passports?” Asked a Hong Kong immigration official. There were three people to meet Ryuku and her assistants.
Ryuku turned over not just their passports but customs documents for Hiromi Sato and Charles McBride’s belongings. While this was going on, Sadao Koba was supervising the unloading of the baggage.
Hong Kong customs did a thorough search of the clothing and personal belongings but found nothing amiss. After exiting the arrival building, Ryuku, Sadao, and Tsuki climbed into a waiting SUV which then drove off. A small moving van followed with the baggage.
Gabrielle and Maurice saw none of this as they were still following the case of Alexander Gerasymenko. Even if they had, Gabrielle may not have realized the importance of who had just arrived. She only knew the name Ryuku Kinjoh, not what the Watanabe shareigashira looked like.
People were already busy at the new home of Hiromi Sato when Ryuku, Tsuki, and Sadao arrived there. Bright tropical sunshine that felt as if it would burn their skin in seconds greeted the three Watanabe Yakuza as they climbed out of the SUV. A stormy morning had been replaced by a bright sunny afternoon.
Teresa Wu introduced herself to Ryuku and company. “Let me show you where Mrs. Sato’s bedroom is.”
“I think Mrs. Sato will be very pleased with your selection,” Said Lionel Herbert, the Senior Sales Representative of Tan Chong Motors. Tan Chong had its showroom at Shui On, just across from Hong Kong’s Convention center.
Roger Hyde, after getting advice from Guy Chadwick, had gone to Tan Chong to arrange new transportation for his boss. A black Jaguar X350 sportscar was selected. It was the car most suited to Hiromi Sato’s tastes. Not to mention her lead foot style of driving.
“Bingwen will have the X350 here in just a few minutes. In the meantime, is there anything I can get you?”
“No, we’re fine.” Seated next to Roger was Miriam Andrews. She and Roger were going to take the Jaguar for a test spin. Guy Chadwick was also present but was strolling around the showroom.
The Jaguar X350 brought by Bingwen was shiny and had that smell all new cars had. Roger was certain his boss would like it.
As Roger studied the car’s exterior, Miriam grabbed the car keys from Lionel Herbert. “I’ll drive.”
Roger was slow to react. Miriam was in the driver’s seat of the Jaguar before he could lodge a protest.
“Just get in, Roger. I’ll really give this car a test.”
Roger sheepishly made his way to the passenger side. Before he got in the Jaguar, the British bodyguard noted the smirking grin on Guy’s face.
“Have a good time, old friend, and don’t worry. Before we came here, I did some checking. Your health insurance is all in order,” Guy chuckled loudly.
From her seat at the noodle bar, Juri Hayakawa had an excellent view of the Negishi Bay Apartment Towers. She knew the person or persons responsible for Reina Shimizu’s death most likely lived there.
“Forgive my tardiness, Juri-san,” Said Yokohama police lieutenant Tsunesaburo Horiuchi.
“It is all right, Tsunesaburo-san. Thank you for giving me a little bit of your time.”
Juri told Tsunesaburo about the investigation she was doing. She wanted to call upon her Yokohama police colleague’s immense knowledge of the Watanabe Yakuza to help solve the Reina Shimizu murder case.
“That tattoo you describe to me can belong to any one of at least five people. Would it be any help if I spoke to this witness?”
“No, Tsunesaburo-san. The fisherman barely spoke to Yeijiro-san and I.”
“I wish I could be of more help, Juri-san. These scum all deserve to be in jail.”
“Do any of these Yakuza talk or brag about their work?”
Tsunesaburo shook his head. “No, the criminals who live at the towers are very clever.”
“How about any other people who work there?”
“I know a few,” Tsunesaburo said before pausing for a few moments. “There is one person, he is not too bright. Maybe I can have a word with him.”
“Thank you, Tsunesaburo-san, I am grateful for your help.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Juri-san. I do not know when this person may next show his face. It could be tomorrow, next week, or next month.”
“I will be patient, Tsunesaburo-san.”
Captain Andrew Higgins paid a visit to Major Ed Hollins at Yokota Air Base on Saturday afternoon. The disgraced former member of the Swan Song committee was still restricted to base.
“Ripley is back?” Major Hollins asked.
Andrew Higgins could commiserate with his superior officer. His military career was probably finished also. “Yes, the committee got a message last Sunday.”
“Shit, they’ll probably give him or her a medal. Whereas you and me are about to get fucked in the ass.”
Andrew was admittedly depressed by his current situation. He had hoped to make the Army his career. “Is there anything that can be done to avoid that?”
Major Hollins looked Andrew right in the eye. “I’ll let myself get court-martialed and sent to Leavenworth before letting myself get turned into a broad like fucking Captain Thomas Slater did. What about you?”
“What do you think of our arrivals area?” Maurice asked Gabrielle. The Russian millionaire Sergei Kozlov and his party sans Alexander Gerasymenko were being held in a airport detention area. Their pilot was in no condition to fly any further that day.
“It is very efficient, and safe.”
“There won’t be any difficulty when Ripley and her husband….” Maurice began to say till his cellphone started ringing. “Excuse me, Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle looked around the arrival building. She was working hard not to feel over confident. The Hong Kong setup looked so secure, how could it go wrong?
Tom and Chuck would arrive and show their passports after stepping off their aircraft. When they and their bodyguards got into the building, the baggage examination process will begin. A decision will be made that the couple will undergo more intense scrutiny. These types of checks are routine since 9-11 and all experienced international travelers know it.
Once they were in the back room, Tom would be whisked away to safety. An aircraft that would fly him back to the United States would be standing by. By the time her bodyguards suspected anything, their boss will be in another part of Hong Kong airport, if not on a plane already. Maurice had already said there would be more personnel on duty than normal when Ripley arrived.
It all looked near perfect to Gabrielle. The one wild card – How will Chuck McBride react when he discovers his wife is really an undercover agent?
Maurice was finished with his cell phone call. “Gabrielle, I just learned there is a great deal of activity going on at the Sato house.”
“Like what?”
“Deliveries are being made to the house for one thing. Is there any chance Ripley will arrive here earlier?”
“Not so far as I know,” Gabrielle replied. Could Tom be leaving for Hong Kong early? She deemed it possible, but also thought it likely that her friend would send some warning message.
“We will plan on an arrival next weekend then. Extra measures will be put in place starting Wednesday.”
“Do what you think is best, Maurice.”
“Would you like me to take you back to your hotel, Gabrielle? Or do you have other plans?”
Gabrielle looked at her watch. It was almost four, coming up on the end of the workday, and she was exhausted, still feeling the effects of jet lag. “I’d like to go back to my hotel, Maurice. If that’s all right with you.”
On the way to the South Pacific, Maurice quizzed Gabrielle on what she had planned for the rest of Saturday and Sunday. “Lily and I are inviting you to join us for dinner.”
“Thank you, Maurice, but I’ll have to take a rain check. I have a few phone calls to make and there is an update report I have to write for Grant Williamson.”
“How about tomorrow then?”
Gabrielle, while impressed by his professional work manner, still considered Probationary Inspector Gao very odd. “Yes, Maurice, I think I can do that. Please call me at eight tomorrow morning. We can make some plans then. ”
Hiromi and Chuck were punctual in arriving at Keiji Watanabe’s home. Rika greeted the couple at the front door.
“Oyabun-san is waiting for you.”
Keiji was well rested and looking better than he did at the end of his meeting with Dai Hashimoto. “Granddaughter, Charles, I am glad you came. Please be seated.”
Once Gabrielle was in her hotel room, she kicked off her shoes. She was feeling incredibly hungry but had other tasks to do before grabbing a bite to eat.
Gabrielle turned on her laptop computer. While it warmed up, she placed a phone call to Midori and Stuart Slater.
“Dad, I have good news. We should have Tom a week from today.”
“Thank you, Gabrielle, for telling us that. My wife would like to speak to you.”
Midori came on the phone a few seconds later. “Gabrielle, I am sorry for how I acted the last time we spoke.”
“There is nothing to apologize for, Mom. Did Dad tell you the news?” Gabrielle asked Midori. Tom Slater’s mother was much more composed than the last time they spoke.
“Yes, Gabrielle, he did. My son will be coming home.”
Without saying and how and where Tom would be picked up, Gabrielle gave Midori an idea of what would happen. “Tom will be flown back to the United States. The doctor will treat him in Maryland or Virginia. I will know more in a few days.”
“Will I be able to talk to Tom?”
“Of course, Mom. I will have Tom call you and Dad right after we get him.”
“Thank you, Gabrielle, for telling me this. Is Tom still changed?”
“Yes, Mom. I don’t know if it is permanent but he did say he loved me. I will love Tom no matter what.”
Midori knew in her heart how much Gabrielle loved Tom, and this call proved it, because she was risking her job if it was ever discovered. “I know, Gabrielle. Thank you for updating Stuart and I.”
“How are you, Dad, and Shannon?”
“We are well. Thank you, Gabrielle, for asking.”
A few moments later, after getting off the phone with Gabrielle, Midori turned to her husband. “Stuart, I think we should fly home on Monday.”
“Yes, I agree,” Stuart replied. The couple plus their grandson had flown to Germany on a Space A flight. The A in Space A, stands for available. These free flights for military personnel, active and retired, are very popular. The Slaters could have to wait a few days before being able to board a United States bound flight. “We’d better fly home the regular way.”
Midori looked at her grandson who was playing with some German children. He would have loving parents again very soon and this pleased the grandmother.
“Grandfather, that is the plan Charles and I have. We want to live in Hong Kong or Australia and start on a family,” Hiromi said once again to the Keiji Watanabe. The elderly Oyabun was riled up.
“I do not want you to live here now.”
Hiromi bowed her head. The old man wasn’t even listening to what she’d just said. “You are my grandfather, I will do what you tell me.”
Chuck spoke up as he patted his wife’s hand. “Sir, after what happened two nights ago, I also want Hiromi and I to live somewhere safer.”
“Grandfather, may I return to Japan if Her Imperial Highness needs to visit the bank again?
“Does she come often?”
“No, Grandfather. She or her husband visit at most two or three times in a year.”
Keiji nodded his head. “Yes, Granddaughter, you may come. Please tell both me and Dai-san before you arrive.”
“I will do that, Grandfather.”
Keiji appeared to let up. Dai Hashimoto may have plans for his granddaughter but they appeared not to be in sync with what his granddaughter and her husband were planning for themselves. He would have to still monitor what Hiromi did, but not punish her. At least not for the time being.
“I will be very happy if you give me a great grandchild.”
Hiromi noted how erratic Keiji was acting. Was it due to his illness or his age or both? The unpredictability of the elderly Oyabun made him even more dangerous. “Grandfather, I want to do that for you. That will be my greatest goal now.”
“Granddaughter, I have arranged for you to leave for Hong Kong tomorrow.”
“Hong Kong will be my new home and I will go tomorrow as you ask, Grandfather. I would like to do one thing before I leave.”
“What is that?” Keiji asked suspiciously.
“The wife of my secretary’s brother died. The funeral is in Zama tomorrow. Charles and I had planned to go.”
“You may go, granddaughter. Afterwards you will leave for Hong Kong.”
Deep down, Hiromi hated being compliant towards the vile monster known as Keiji Watanabe. If it weren’t for Chuck or the collateral damage it would cause her already battered conscience, Hiromi would pull out her Glock and put two bullets in the old man.
Hiromi bowed her head again. “I will do as my grandfather says.”
Li Qing of the Golden Dragon triad arrived at Hong Kong’s Rolls Royce Club shortly after seven in the evening. As the illegal gambling establishment was run by the triad, he was warmly greeted at the main entrance.
“Good evening, Mr. Li,” Said club manager Wu Jun Hung. “What game do you prefer tonight?”
“I want to play backgammon.” When Li Qing came to the Rolls Royce, he either played backgammon, mah jong, or very occasionally the roulette wheel.
In the course of a year Li Qing gambled over a million Hong Kong dollars at the Rolls Royce. An old cliché says that Chinese men love to gamble, and Li Qing was living proof that at least some Chinese men lived up to the stereotype.
Li Qing was shown to his usual table. A backgammon board was already set up but no opponent had stepped forward as yet to play him.
A club hostess came over. She was Chinese, had long black hair, and was exceptionally attractive. “Can I get you anything?”
“Scotch and water,’ Li Qing replied.
Wu Jun Hung hovered nearby. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Li?”
“Yes, sit down, Jun Hung. There are one or two matters I want to discuss with you.”
Jun Hung at first was worried his work was not up to Li Qing’s standards. The young triad was relieved his boss only wanted to discuss routine matters.
“We have a new friend moving to Hong Kong. I do not want her troubled.”
“Who are you speaking of, Mr. Li?” In addition to running the Rolls Royce, Wu Jun Hung dabbled in loansharking and extortion.
“Her name is Hiromi Sato.”
Wu Jun Hung subscribed to two local business newspapers. He remembered reading an article about Hiromi Sato. “Yes, I know that name, she bought a Hong Kong bank recently.”
“Ms. Sato is the owner of East China Commerce Bank plus Japan’s Kanagawa Bank.”
“Yes, I remember that. She is also pretty for a woman not born Chinese.”
“I do not know about that. You and your friends are not to bother her,” Li Qing said firmly.
“Mr. Li, we will do as you say.”
Dinner was served at 7:30. Hiromi, Chuck, and Keiji continued to talk about many non-Yakuza subjects. Keiji was in a mood for reminiscing. He talked at great length about Hiromi’s father, Hideki Watanabe.
“It saddens me I did not get to know my father well.”
Keiji began to tire around nine o'clock. “Granddaughter, it is time we end this evening.”
“Thank you, Grandfather, for having Charles and I over,” Hiromi said before giving a deep bow. “Will we join you for breakfast tomorrow?”
“No, granddaughter, it is not necessary.”
Hiromi would have made a fine actress, because without much effort she was able to make tears well up in her eyes. “Grandfather, I owe you so very much and I’m afraid I will not see you again.”
“We all must go sometime, Granddaughter,” Keiji said unemotionally, and with that, the audience was over.
They left the room and then the building.
“Your grandfather looks very frail,” Chuck said to his wife as they rode in a limo together to Goro’s old home.
“I think so too,” she said with a sad expression on her face. She couldn’t know whether their words and actions would be reported to her grandfather, so she was being very careful until they were safely out of Japan.
Chuck had talked to his wife earlier in the day about whether she should try talking to Keiji about his health.
Hiromi had just told him that she respected her grandfather and any personal decisions he made, very conscious now of the danger both she and Chuck were in from both the Inagawa Yakuza and her own vicious Grandfather. She would explain the need for deception after they were safely home, as she now thought of the Hong Kong house she’d never seen, but now seemed to her a place of refuge.
Chuck squeezed his wife’s right hand as a sympathetic gesture. “So, what is the plan now?”
“We will get up in the morning at 7:00. After the funeral we will go right to the airport.”
“Are you looking forward to Hong Kong, Kimi-chan?” Chuck asked as he continued to hold Hiromi’s hand.”¨
“Yes, I am.” Of this, at least, she could speak freely. “We will start a new life there. We will be happy.”
Gabrielle, having finished her report to Grant Williamson, was asleep at the South Pacific by midnight. She therefore wasn’t up and around when Ryuku Kinjoh checked herself into the same hotel.
“Are you sure, Ryuku-san?” Tsuki Tono asked Ryuku as their vehicle stopped in front of the hotel. She and Sadao Koba planned to check out Hong Kong’s night life and they were inviting Ryuku to join them. “All three of us can have a good time.”
“Tsuki-san, I am too tired. You and Sadao go enjoy yourselves. Don’t forget, we need to all be in the lobby at nine in order to leave for Japan, so don’t stay out too late.”
Chuck and Hiromi were up, dressed, and having breakfast by 8:30 Sunday morning. All their things were packed for Hong Kong.
Yuri, still with bandages on his face, came to check on his employer’s schedule. “Boss, what time will we be leaving for Zama?”
Hiromi put her coffee cup down and looked over at Chuck before answering. “About a quarter after nine.”
“We will be ready for you.” Yuri left the room.
Hiromi was reading the Mainchi Daily News, when her cook began to clear the table. “Juanita, how long have you been with me?”
“It would have been four years next month, Mrs. Sato,” Juanita said sadly.
Hiromi had her purse hung over the side of her chair. She took an envelope out of it and gave it Juanita. “Juanita, this is for you.”
Juanita, with Hiromi’s approval, stopped her work to tear open the envelope. When she saw what was inside, the cook’s eyes almost popped out of her head. “Thank you Mrs. Sato. Thank you very much.”
Hiromi had given Juanita a bonus check the equivalent of six month’s salary plus an open one-way ticket to Manila on Japan Airlines. “You’re welcome, Juanita. Your hard work made my life much easier.”
Before leaving the house, Hiromi had one more chore to do besides her usual routines of checking her hair and makeup. She gave an envelope to Kimo.
“Did you see the article in today’s newspaper?” Hiromi asked Kimo.
“No boss, I did not.”
Sunday’s Manchi Daily News had a lengthy article on Ana Ramirez. It seemed the late bodyguard had been providing financial support to her family in Los Angeles California. “The envelope is for Ana Ramirez’s family. Also make sure we pay the cost of sending her body back to California for burial.”
Yuri was nearby and overheard the conversation. “Boss, did you know Ana had a life insurance policy?”
“No, Yuri Alexanderovich, I did not. I still want to give the Ramirez family this.” Hiromi then went back to the bedroom.
By showing compassion to the people around her, Hiromi hoped she would receive the same when Operation Swan Song ended. Even if she didn’t, the payments to Juanita and the Ramirez family made her feel better about herself.
Gabrielle had room service delivered to her on Sunday morning. While she waited for the food to arrive, she placed a phone call to Inspector Yoshida.
“Are there any new developments?”
“No, Gabrielle-san, there are none. Are the Hong Kong arrangements going smoothly?”
“Yes, Inspector, they are.”
Gabrielle and Inspector Yoshida talked for a few more minutes. It was likely she would be staying in Hong Kong until Tom Slater was retrieved.
After she ate breakfast, Gabrielle went down to the hotel lobby. She found Maurice and his fiancée waiting there for her.
Standing not too far away from Maurice and Lily was a young couple. They appeared to be waiting for someone.
“Gabrielle, let me introduce you to the most loving woman I know, Lily Ng. Lily this is Gabrielle Tanaka of the FBI.”
Sadao Koba was about to say something to Tsuki when saw Ryuku come off the elevator. “Good morning, Ryuku-san.”
“Good morning to both of you,” Ryuku said as she noted the appearance of her fellow Yakuza. “Did you enjoy yourselves last night?”
“Yes we did, Ryuku-san,” Tsuki replied as all three Watanabe Yakuza walked towards the hotel desk. “Sadao enjoy himself so much he have hangup.”
“You mean a hangover,” Ryuku corrected her friend. Tsuki Tono spoke decent English but sometimes tripped over slang words or terms particular to that language.
Tsuki laughed. “Yes, a hangover.”
As they waited in line at the hotel desk, Ryuku studied her colleagues some more. ‘Tsuki-san, you don’t look much better than Sadao-san does. You must learn to use your energies more wisely.’
Gabrielle had just finished shaking hands with Lily. She was a plain looking young woman but she did have a nice smile. “Maurice talked to me about you non-stop yesterday.”
“He told me much about you too, Gabrielle. I have a car waiting outside for us.”
As they all left the hotel, Maurice spoke up. “Lily and I will show you around Hong Kong today. I did mention to you that Lily works as a part-time tour guide, didn’t I Gabrielle?”
“Yes, only about twenty times.” Gabrielle said with a laugh as she got into a Volvo that Lily Ng would be driving. She needed a short break from her Swan Song duties.
“You won’t believe who we just see in the lobby, Ryuku-san,” Said Sadao
“Who is that?”
“The dancer, Kristi Yamaguchi. She was just here.”
“Sadao-san, you are mistaken. That was not Kristi Yamaguchi who we just passed,” Ryuku said. ‘Hung over men and their fantasies.’
“Man say she with FBI,” Sadao said insistently.
Tsuki tried correcting her friend. “No, they say she from February.”
Ryuku would have a word with her two colleagues when they were recovered from their hangovers but Tsuki-san in particular. Going out to drink and party can affect your senses. Something a good Yakuza can not afford to do.
Hiromi’s last day in Japan was a small case of déjá vu for her. Seventeen years earlier, and just before his father was to PCS from Camp Zama to Fort Riley Kansas, a Uncle of Hiroshi Kobayashi had passed away. Hiromi still remembered his mother taking him to the funeral.
Before a Shinto funeral begins, certain steps are taken. A family in Japan will have a shrine for their deceased family members. After someone dies, the family will put out lanterns and incense will be lit. The favorite foods of a person will be left at the shrine and these are changed daily by family members.
The funeral has many stages, but three are more notable than the others. The first is Kichu-fuda, a period of intense mourning which lasts for twenty-four hours.
The ritual known as Koden takes place during the Kichu-fuda time but can last longer especially if friends or family members need to travel long distances. Koden is the giving of an obituary gift. Friends and family of the deceased give money to the family to help reduce the financial burden of the burial services.
When Hiromi and Chuck arrived at the funeral, they gave their gift to the Kobayashi family member assigned to collect them.
The Shinto funeral ritual Hiromi and Chuck had come for was Kotsuage. This is the gathering of a dead person’s ashes. Under Japanese law, all bodies are required to be cremated after death.
In the event that the bones do not burn completely, family members remove the bones with chopsticks and place them in the urn along with the ashes. This urn is then placed at the shrine for the services of the priest. After this comes the burial where Shinto priests also chanted and pray.
Hiromi had always admired one aspect of Shintoism. How through the upkeep of their home shrine, a family remembers its deceased ancestors. Practitioners of Western religions don’t preserve the memories of the dearly departed anywhere near as well.
As she watched Hiroshi handle the ashes of his wife and daughter, Hiromi thought of the situation she had created. Chuck was about to have his life and dreams turned to ashes just like had happened to Tom Slater’s childhood friend.
Except Chuck wouldn’t have a ceremony to collect the ashes or friends and family around to help him grieve. Chuck would have to do it all alone.
Every time Hiroshi put some part of what was once his wife and daughter into the urn, Hiromi pictured Chuck doing the same with parts of the dreams he had.
For each child he dreamed of having with Hiromi.
For the farm they dreamed of buying...
For the horses they and the children would have enjoyed riding...
And more...
After the ashes were buried, friends and family gathered at the Kobayashi home. Many of Hiromi’s Watanabe Trucking co-workers were there.
“Sato-san, is it true you will not be coming back to the office?” A secretary named Ria asked.
“Yes it is. My grandfather asked that I move to Hong Kong with Chuck.”
Hiromi’s co-workers began to mourn for her. She did want them to do this. Suki Kobayashi and her family was the one in need of support not her.
When the time arrived for Chuck and Hiromi to leave, the couple went to find Suki and Hiroshi. The brother and sister looked like they had just stopped crying.
“We are so sorry for your loss,” Hiromi said.
Hiroshi, his loss so devastating, could barely speak. Suki spoke for him. “Thank you, Taro-san, for coming.”
Once they were settled in the limousine and on the way to Shizuoka, Chuck spoke to his wife. “That is just horrible what happened to Suki’s brother. I can’t imagine how it must feel for him.”
Almost immediately, Hiromi began to cry.
Choy Deming did not know why he was being hauled away by members of the Golden Dragon triad, but he was. The man nicknamed Three Finger was shoved into an empty basement and then left there.
Three men arrived a short time later. As Deming was forced to sit in a chair that he was next tied to, he recognized two of the triad members.
“So, Deming, what the fuck are you doing in Tsim Sha Tsui?” Asked the one triad Deming didn’t recognize. He was a heavyset man with a terrible case of bad breath, maybe a result of his rotting teeth.
“I sometimes come here to see a friend.”
“A central scum like you have a friend here?” The heavyset man asked as he rattled Deming’s chair. “That is too hard to believe.”
“Deming, you have no friends,” Wu Jun Hung, the manager of the Rolls Royce Club, said acidly.
“I do, Jun Hung, I really do.”
Two more men came into the room. One had some wiring, the other a pair of garden clippers.
Deming was so preoccupied by his two newest visitors, he didn’t notice what the other man he had recognized was doing. Yuan Po Sang was putting a pair of brass knuckles on his right hand.
When he was finished, Po Sang swung his right fist into Deming’s left arm. The sounds of bones cracking and a man screaming instantly filled the room.
“Deming, you will experience even more pain if you don’t tell us why you’re here,” Wu Jun Hung demanded. “I suggest you look at what else I have prepared for you.”
The person with the wiring was connecting it to a capacitator. As for the man with the clippers, he was using a mill file to make them extra sharp.
Deming got the message as he clutched his damaged left arm. “I did not come here to harm the Golden Dragons.”
“Then why are you here?”
Deming knew the answer he was about to give was incriminating but telling a lie was even more likely to make him end up dead. “I came here as a favor to Inspector Lai.
Jun Hung listened to what Deming had to say. “You’re a fucking informer here to tell the police about the Golden Dragons.”
“No, no, I am not. I would never tell about the Dragons.”
“Are you saying you only tell about the 14k?” The 14k were another triad. Hong Kong triads had overlapping territories. As long as these gangs of criminals respected the other’s property, peace was maintained.
“Yes, I would never tell about the Dragons,” Deming yelled through the excruciating pain he felt from his broken arm.
“When were you to the police?” Jun Hung asked.
“It was last Friday. I went to Arsenal Street then.” Right after he said this, Deming was doused with a bucket of water.
Right after which the guy with the capacitator came closer to Deming. Each of his gloved hands were holding a piece of wire.
Jun Hung grinned. By threatening Choy Deming with violence, he was turning the man into a two-way informant or double agent. The triads in Hong Kong were always in need of police related intelligence.
“If you want to live, Deming, I suggest you tell us everything you saw or heard.”
Deming didn’t have a whole lot of intelligence to give the Golden Dragons. Most of what he saw at Arsenal Street was the same as his previous visits.
As questions were asked of Deming, one of the triads took turns punching or kicking him. He soon had two teeth knocked loose and some of his ribs were badly bruised, if not broken.
“That is all you saw? You better tell us everything Three Finger unless you want a new nickname.”
“Yes, yes, I see nothing more.”
“You’re sure?”
Deming thought for a little bit. “I saw that famous skater and dancer. She was talking to another inspector.”
“What dancer are you talking about?”
“The one who was on television a little while ago. She won a gold Olympic medal. Kristi Yamaguchi is her name.”
Kristi Yamaguchi was not known to four of the five triads present. The heavyset man with bad breath was the exception. “Kristi Yamaguchi in Hong Kong? It would be in all the newspapers and on television if what you say was true.”
“I just say someone there who looked like her.”
Deming was ‘talked to’ for another twenty minutes. While this was going on, Jun Hung used a MID to look for an image of just what Kristi Yamaguchi looked like.
“Not too bad for a non-Chinese.” Was Jun Hung’s appraisal once he saw a picture of the recent ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Champion. Jun Hung thought Chinese women were the most beautiful by far.
When Jun Hung had heard enough, he gave Yuan Po Sang orders. “Give Deming a few more lessons but leave him alive. When you’re through with him, dump him back in Central.”
“I will do as you say, Mr. Wu.”
Shizouka Executive Airport was to be Hiromi and Chuck’s point of departure from Japan. It was located near Mt. Fuji and more private than Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
There were Watanabe Yakuza personnel waiting at the airport for Hiromi. Included among them were Akira Sudo and Dai Hashimoto.
“Hiromi-san,” Dai said as he personally opened the door for his fellow Saiko-komon. “My people are here to see you off safely.
“Thank you, Tiger-san. I appreciate that.”
Watanabe Yakuza made sure all of Hiromi and Chuck’s belongings got on the private jet, in spite of a sign that said ‘No Unauthorized People Allowed Beyond This Point’.
An immigration official asked to see the couple’s passports. Chuck handed his and Hiromi’s over. Bodyguards Yuri and Dimitri gave theirs. They would be the only other passengers on the flight.
The pilot introduced himself. “Mrs. Sato, My name is Melissa Russell and me and my co-pilot Greg Stoddard will be flying you to Hong Kong today. The trip should take about four hours.”
Chuck was looking at the aircraft in the distance. “That’s a Hawker 1000, isn’t it?”
“Yes it is,” Captain Russell replied back.
“My husband is an aviation buff.” As was Tom Slater before he became Hiromi Sato.
As the immigration official returned the passports, Dai Hashimoto spoke to Hiromi. “Sato-san, could we speak for a few minutes before you leave?”
“Of course we can. Let us find somewhere quieter and more private, Dai-san.”
“How did you enjoy Hong Kong Island?” Maurice asked Gabrielle.
“It was nice. By the way, what parts of Hong Kong are you and Lily from?”
“I’m from Wan Chai. Lily is originally from Tai Po but lives in Wan Chai now too.”
“Oh, are you living together already?”
Ӭ
Maurice laughed. “No, not yet.”
Lily was still driving and had a question to ask. “Gabrielle, where would you like to go Kowloon side?”
“It don’t matter to me, Lily.”
“Why don’t we take Gabrielle to Tung Choi? We can all spend some time there.”
Ӭ
Gabrielle looked at Maurice. “That’s fine with me.”
“Hiromi-san, I met with your Grandfather yesterday. Did you know this?” Dai Hashimoto asked Hiromi as they met alone in a waiting area.
“No, Dai-san, I did not.”
“Your Grandfather has chosen me to be the next Oyabun. Do not share that information with anyone.”
“I will not, Dai-san. Let me say, my Grandfather made an excellent choice. I know you will be the strong leader the family needs.”
“Hiromi-san, we would be stronger if you remained here.”
“My Grandfather wants me to move to Hong Kong. He is my closest family, I cannot disobey him.”
Dai nodded his head. He was almost certain now that the elderly Oyabun was responsible for the murder of his nephew and previous Oyabun, Goro Watanabe. If so, he would not stop at doing the same to Hiromi Sato.
“I agree with your wise decision, Hiromi-san. You need to leave Japan for a short period. When the time is right, the family and I will be ready for you.”
Hiromi began to analyze Dai Hashimoto’s last words to her. First he agreed with Hiromi’s wise decision. Dai had used the word ‘wise’ many times of late in his discussions with her.
Then Dai said she need to leave Japan for a short time. That was an interesting move from a person most anyone familiar with the Watanabes would have considered an aggressor or blunt instrument. Dai was equating Hiromi’s departure to a strategic retreat. For what possible purpose?
It was Dai’s last words that provided a possible answer. When the time is right, the family and I will be ready for you. If Dai is all powerful Oyabun, why would he say he and family would be ready? Unless……
Hiromi couldn’t believe where her thought process was going. She needed more time to think.
Since Dai had imparted confidential information to her, Hiromi felt it was only right she did the same. “My Grandfather is very ill.”
“I saw that, Hiromi-san. He was very frail when we spoke yesterday.”
“A doctor told me that Grandfather does not have long to live. I feel we should respect that.”
Dai nodded his head again. “I agree, Hiromi-san. That is what we should do for the time being. Your Grandfather said I am to assume Oyabun duties in September.”
Hiromi sat with Dai for almost a minute without either saying a word. On the other hand her brain was in complete overdrive mode.
“I need to leave now, Tiger-san,” Hiromi said as she got up. She and Dai then made their way to the private jet.
Before she got on board the aircraft, she and Dai exchanged bows. Like every other event that day between the two Watanabe Saiko-komons, it carried great and hidden significance.
As soon as Hiromi was on board, an airport worker secured the Hawker 1000’s main door. The plane began to taxi a few moments later.
On the way back to his car, Dai spoke to Akira Sudo. “Hiromi-san will not be gone for long. We must begin getting ready for her return at once.”
“Hai! I will do anything you ask of me, Tiger-san.”
“It must be done discreetly, Akira-san. Our Oyabun cannot learn of this yet.”
The Hawker 1000 was equipped to seat up to ten passengers so Hiromi and Chuck had plenty of room for their flight to Hong Kong. A sitting area in the middle of the plane had four chairs and one table. There were also two chairs up front and two in the rear plus a small one person couch.
Hiromi Sato’s bodyguards were seated at opposite ends of the plane. Dimitri was forward and Yuri aft.
Chuck was seated at the table. Hiromi took the seat directly across from him. She immediately put on her seat belt.
“Is everything all right, Kimi-chan?”
Ӭ
“Yes. I’m….going to miss here.”
Chuck smiled. “I understand.”
About fifteen minutes after the plane got airborne, Hiromi rose from her seat. “Could you set up my laptop for me while I freshen up?”
“Of course I can, Kimi-chan. Are you hungry? There’s a salad and some sandwiches in the fridge.”
“No, I am fine. I can wait till we get to Hong Kong.”
Hiromi went aft. Yuri rose the moment he saw his boss coming towards him. “Anything I can do for you, Boss?”
“I just need my privacy.” Yuri then walked to the forward part of the plane.
As soon as she was alone, Hiromi pulled a curtain across the plane and snapped it into place. She then began to undress.
When the Hawker1000 was being loaded, one piece of Chuck and Hiromi’s baggage was kept separate from the ones put in the cargo hold. It was instead put in the back of the plane, next to the bathroom door.
Hiromi took some clothes out of the bag. They were a sky blue blouse, a pair of designer jeans and a pair of sneakers. She would wear these less formal clothes when arriving in Hong Kong.
Without remembering, Hiromi now had the same clothes on that she was wearing when she met Gabrielle Tanaka at the January Hong Kong debriefing. Only her handbag and jewelry were different.
After she finished getting dressed, Hiromi went to use the bathroom. After urinating, she spent time fixing her hair and in particular her makeup. The later was more than slightly askew due to the crying Hiromi did on the way to the airport.
When Hiromi was finished, she looked in the mirror and asked herself a question. ‘Agent Ripley, what do you want to do now?’
Roger Hyde was pacing around Hiromi Sato’s new home as he finished a cell phone call. “Thank you for letting me know.”
Even before he had the device turned off, Roger began to seek out Teresa Wu. The household manager was at the home’s front door signing for a delivery.
“Mrs. Sato will be here in less than four hours. I’m ready but will the bloody electricity be working by then?”
When the home was purchased for Mrs. Sato, an unknown problem came along it. Some of the electrical wiring in parts of the house was in need of repair. The worst area was the kitchen.
Roger and Teresa had only learned of the problem on Saturday afternoon and electricians weren’t able to begin work till Sunday morning. After nine hours, the kitchen still wasn’t ready.
“We will be back tomorrow,” The head electrician announced. Around him his helpers were beginning to pack their gear.
“You can’t leave here now,” An exasperated Roger said. “My employer is arriving here tonight. How are they supposed to eat in the morning if the bloody kitchen wiring isn’t working???”
The electrician shrugged off Roger’s anger. Teresa then stepped in and talked to the man in Cantonese. She had no more luck than her boyfriend did. The electrician and his helpers were all leaving for the day.
“That’s bloody wonderful,” Roger cried out. “Now I’ll have to find the Boss a hotel for the night.”
Teresa got out her cell phone. “Roger, there are many excellent hotels here on the Island that Mrs. Sato can stay at. Let me try calling one or two of them.”
Roger began to calm down. “All right, love. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
The wedding of Ilsa Slater to Henrich Uhlmann took place in a Lutheran church located in the suburbs of Dusseldorf Germany. A little over one hundred friends and family were in attendance.
It was a bittersweet occasion for Stuart and Midori Slater. Their daughter-in-law had found love again but somewhere far from where her first husband’s parents lived. It would be difficult for the Slaters to see much of their grandchildren, six-year-old Paul and three-year-old Nicole.
As Heinrich and Ilsa were both getting married for the second time, the ceremony was less formal than a first wedding. The ceremony began with the organist playing ‘The Sweetest Days’ as a soloist sung the lyrics. All of the music for the wedding had been chosen by the soon to be married couple. They did take some input from friends and family.
As soon as the first note was sounded, members of the wedding party began coming down the aisle. First came the groom’s paternal grandfather and namesake. After that came The Slaters, followed by Ilsa’s parents, and Heinrich’s mother.
Next came Paul Slater. He was dressed in a tie and jacket and was proudly carrying a small pillow with both the wedding rings tied in the center with white ribbons.
After Paul, came his sister Nicole. By this time the organist was playing ‘Happy Days are here again’ a favorite of the groom’s Grandfather.
The brown haired flower girl had on a white linen dress with delicate beaded flowers on the bodice and an aquamarine belt around her waist. As she came up the aisle, the little girl danced to the music much to the delight of everyone there. Maybe Nicole thought ‘Happy Days are Here again’ because she was again going to have a father.
Then, as she neared the last five or six church pews, Nicole lost track of what she was doing, caught up in dancing to the music. She continued to dance in the aisle, but wandered in the opposite direction, toward where the soloist was singing. The best man and maid of honor were approaching and Nicole Slater seemed oblivious to it.
Nicole’s next action took everyone by surprise. She just sat down in the middle of the aisle and a few of the women started to giggle quietly. Stuart Slater quickly stepped out of the pew he was standing in, helped his granddaughter up from the floor, and then walked her to the chair she was to sit in during her mother’s wedding ceremony.
After Wilhelm Lieber, who was the best man, came Ilsa Slater. The bride, who was on the arm of her father, was wearing an aquamarine cocktail dress with matching hat and gloves. On her feet were a pair of white sandals.
Last, but not least, came Heinrich Uhlmann. He was wearing a jacket and tie that matched those worn by Paul Slater.
Other than the episode with Nicole, the wedding went off as planned. Afterwards the reception was held at a nearby auditorium that had once been a beer hall, where they’d arranged a small band, a dance floor, and round tables and chairs around a little dance floor. Wilhelm Lieber proposed the first toast, then the band began to play ‘Could I have this dance?’ for the traditional first dance by the bride and her groom. Soon, others were dancing and the evening had begun.
As the evening came to a close, Ilsa Uhlmann went to speak with her in-laws. “Mom, Dad, thank you for everything you have done for me. I will never forget you.”
Midori and her daughter-in-law shared a hug. While this was going on, Heinrich came over and shook Stuart’s hand.
“Thank you Mr. Slater for coming. I know today has been difficult for you and your wife. Rest assured, I will be a good father to your grandchildren.”
“I know you will, Heinrich.”
Ilsa spoke again after she and Midori finished their hug. “Say hello to Tom for me when he gets back.”
“Yes Ilsa, we’ll do that. We will be flying back tomorrow on Air France so we can be home for Tom.”
“You’re not going Space A?”
“No Ilsa, we won’t.”
Heinrich, who was a middle manager for an electronics company owned by his Uncle, made a surprising offer. “Mom, Dad, let me pay your air fare home.”
Stuart and Midori tried to decline, but Heinrich and Ilsa were too insistent. “Let me know the amount after you get back to Washington, I’ll do a bank transfer.”
Before they left, Midori and Stuart said goodbye to their two oldest grandchildren. This was the toughest moment of the night for the couple. Midori cried as she gave Paul and Nicole one more kiss.
Before she and Heinrich left for their wedding night hotel, Ilsa had one last thing to say. “Mom, Dad, come back and visit any time you wish. I want both of you to still be a part of Paul and Nicole’s lives.”
Midori, Stuart, and Shannon left soon afterwards. They would be getting up early the next morning in order to fly back to the United States.
Hiromi spent most of her time on board the Hawker to playing Solitaire on her laptop. The repetitive game proved the perfect cover for what she was really doing- Thinking about the end of Operation Swan Song.
‘If Gabrielle is waiting for you when you get to Hong Kong, today is the day you tell everything to Chuck.’ Hiromi knew this was essential but her heart was filled with despair due to what lay ahead for the married couple.
Chuck spent most of the flight reading a book but he would occasionally talk to his wife. “Kimi-chan, when did you have your last period?”
Hiromi looked up at her husband who was seated across from her. “It started sometime during the last few days of June. Why are you asking?”
“I was wondering when we may know if you’re pregnant or not.”
Hiromi obviously had no experience when it came to pregnancy testing. “I think it is four weeks after when my last period started. Right now I’m not sure what day that was.”
Over the next few minutes, Chuck gently probed his wife’s memory. By reminding Hiromi of her activities in late June, he was able to get his wife to remember approximately when her last menses began.
“I think it was June 30th. Give or take a day. We left for Grandfather’s on July 4th and I remember not bringing any napkins because my period had just ended.”
Chuck was getting very excited because his dreams for him and his wife appeared to be coming true. Hiromi felt worse than ever as they talked. She would soon wreck the plans Chuck had for the two of them.
If not for the presence of Yuri and Dimitri, Hiromi would have come clean right then. She could have spoken to Chuck in Japanese, but the two bodyguards were still there and might have figured out what she was saying.
“That’s about when I thought it started. Kimi-chan, can I show you something on the computer?”
“Yes, go ahead.” Chuck then took Hiromi’s laptop and began doing some work on it. When he was through, he placed the computer in a position they both could read it.
“This pregnancy calculator says your fertility window was from July tenth to July twentieth.”
“The 20th is today.”
Chuck smiled. “Yes it is, but it also shows the estimated conception date to be July fifteenth.”
Hiromi looked around the cabin. Dimitri and Yuri looked like they weren’t paying much attention to what Chuck and Hiromi were discussing but that could be misleading.
“I see that. But these calculations are based on a twenty eight day cycle. The length of my cycle is erratic, but you probably know that.”
Chuck continued to smile. “Yes Kimi-chan, I am aware of that. I’m just saying you could test as soon as a week from Tuesday.”
“My due date will be April 7th.”
Chuck gave Hiromi a kiss. “Yes it would and when you’re pregnant I will treat you extra special. That is because I know how hard you’ll be working to have our baby.”
Hiromi was on the verge of tears. Chuck deserved to be a father, but she deserved nothing special in return from him. For she was a liar and a fraud and totally undeserving of this wonderful man.
“Kimi-chan as you would be having the baby in April, what do you think of that as a girl’s name? I think April is a pretty name.”
Hiromi hadn’t thought about it much, but what life was in store in for her should Chuck leave her and she had become pregnant? She would be a single Mom and her child without his or her father.
“Yes I like the name April, but I’d like our daughter to have a Japanese middle name.”
Again Chuck smiled at his wife. “I would like that too. Kimi-chan, if you’ll excuse me, I got to use the bathroom.”
Hiromi went back to playing solitaire at the same time her mind was racing about Chuck, Operation Swan Song, and life in general.
By the time the Hawker1000 began its descent in preparation for landing, Hiromi had begun to feel very hungry. She had some snack crackers and fruit juice in flight but these had come no where close to filling her up.
Hiromi began to put her laptop away. She then waited for the Hawker1000 to land.
“Welcome to Hong Kong,” Chuck said as the Hawker1000 touched down. Fully aware she may never get another chance, Hiromi gave her husband a big kiss.
The moment the Hawker1000 came to a stop, Yuri and Dimitri got to their feet. Chuck and Hiromi unbuckled their seat belts only.
Only when Hiromi saw men beginning to work on the aircraft, did she begin grabbing her things. By the time she and Chuck had everything, the Hawker1000’s door was open.
A four person reception team met Hiromi, Chuck, and their bodyguards. Passports and customs forms were all in order, so they were all shown to the reception building.
Hiromi’s senses went on high alert as Chuck held the door open for her. She was expecting to see Gabrielle or someone representing the Swan Song committee any moment now.
Nobody did come forward and Hiromi was stunned as a result. She and Chuck cleared customs and immigration and were out of the reception building in less than fifteen minutes.
“Good evening Boss,” Said Roger Hyde. A stretch limousine was close behind the British bodyguard. “I hope you and Chuck had a pleasant flight.
“Yes we did,” Hiromi said as she stepped into the limo. Chuck climbed in behind her.
As the limousine pulled away, Roger updated Hiromi on what was going on. “Boss I’m afraid your home here won’t be ready till tomorrow. I took it upon myself to get you and Chuck a suite at the Landmark Mandarin on Queen’s Road. It is convenient to both of your banks.”
“That is all right,” Was Hiromi’s only reply. Her mind was totally consumed by Operation Swan Song as the limousine made its way to Hong Kong Island.
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel is on land that once was home to the Edinburgh Tower. Composed of one hundred and thirteen rooms, the Landmark is a grand hotel in a city full of them.
Even before the limousine stopped out front of the Landmark, a hotel employee was waiting for its newest guests. By the time a door was open for Chuck and Hiromi, other employees were getting ready to unload the couple’s luggage.
Teresa Wu was waiting in the hotel lobby for her new employer. “Welcome to Hong Kong, Mrs. Sato. Please follow me.”
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel was one of those hotels where certain guests bypass the check-in desk. Especially those who are going to stay in its Presidential Suite.
“This will be more than enough,” Hiromi said after being shown the 2000 square foot suite by Teresa. Chuck was busy with the registration person that came up in the elevator with the couple. Roger Hyde stood by the doorway, alert as always.
Dimitri came into the room with the hotel porters a few moments later. They had brought Hiromi and Chuck’s luggage.
“Boss, can you and Chuck give me and Teresa a little of your time?” Roger Hyde asked.
“Yes, but Chuck and I want to order room service first.”
Hiromi and Chuck, had dinner, watched television, made love, and then showered together. After that the couple went to sleep. Their bedside alarm clock set for 7:15.
Gabrielle got back to the South Pacific at about the same time Chuck and Hiromi were making love. It had been a long but pleasant day spent with Maurice Gao and Lily Ng.
The visit to Tung Choi was both fruitful and interesting. Gabrielle bought herself a blue jeans, a set of white slacks, and a pair of earrings there.
She also paid a considerable amount of attention to Maurice and Lily. Not too many guys enjoy women’s clothes shopping with their wife or girlfriend but Maurice was one of them.
Before going upstairs to her room, Gabrielle went to the check-in desk. “Do you have any messages for Room 309?”
The desk clerk made a quick but thorough check. “No, there are none.”
Once Gabrielle was in her room she took a quick shower, checked her personal email, and then went to sleep totally unaware the person she knew as Tom Slater was doing the same thing barely ten kilometers away.
“The attempt on Hiromi-kun’s life did not go well,” Tokuro Inagawa said over the phone to retired Watanabe Yakuza shareigashira, Zenji Horita. “I was hoping you can still be of assistance.”
“Yes, I know,” Zenji began to say but a fit of coughing made more conversation impossible. When it subsided, he did not feel well at all. “Let me call you back Tokuro-san.”
After hanging up the phone, Zenji got up from his chair and slowly began walking towards the bathroom. He didn’t get more than five steps before his body began to feel incredibly weak as he gasped for air. He collapsed onto his study floor. Alive but just barely, Zenji continued gasping till he could do it no more.
Zenji’s long-time cook, Shioko Komatsuzaki, found her employer’s lifeless body the following morning.
Hiromi was brushing her teeth when someone pressed the Presidential Suite’s door buzzer. Chuck told his wife he would answer it.
Roger Hyde, Yuri, and Miriam Andrews were there for Hiromi’s drive into work. Before that took place, a couple of old acquaintances got to say hello to one another.
“Charlie McBride, how the heck are you?” Miriam asked.
Chuck took Miriam’s hand and shook it. “I’m just smashing, Miriam. How are you? What is your sister Faye up to these days?”
Hiromi came out of the bedroom at this moment. She instantly knew something was different about Miriam Andrews, and not just because her eyes went big on seeing what Hiromi Sato looked like.
“An old friend?” Hiromi asked as she came along side Chuck.
Ӭ
Miriam didn’t wait to be introduced. “Greetings Mrs. Sato, my name is Miriam Andrews. I look forward to working for you.”
Roger told his boss exactly what Miriam would be doing. “Are we all set for the ride to East China?”
“Yes, let’s get going.” Hiromi, Chuck, and company then left the hotel suite.
“I hope you like the car, Boss.” Roger said as everyone got off the elevator.
Hiromi was impressed by the Jaguar. She did a quick visual inspection before replying. “It is perfect.”
The Jaguar with Chuck and Hiromi inside it, pulled out of the Landmark Mandarin’s parking lot a minute later. A SUV driven by Miriam and with Roger and Yuri inside it was directly behind the couple.
Because of traffic and the short distance between the hotel and East China Commerce Bank, no Grand Prix race broke out between Miriam and her new employer. Hiromi used the short drive to ask Chuck a few questions.
“How do you know, Miriam?”
Chuck gave Hiromi the short story of how he knew Faye Andrews. “One time at the invite of her sister Faye, I went and watched Miriam race. Faye introduced me to her afterwards.”
“Miriam races sportscars?”
“Not anymore, I don’t think. What do you think of Miriam?”
“Miriam is all right but she stared at me back at the suite.”
“That’s normal for Miriam. She is gay.”
“You mean a lesbian,” Hiromi corrected Chuck as they pulled up outside Kanagawa Bank. The Australian currency trader would continue to work at that financial institution owned by his wife.
Chuck laughed before he gave Hiromi a goodbye kiss. “That’s what I meant, a lesbian. I love you Kimi-chan. Talk to you later.”
Hiromi had more important matters on her mind than the sexual orientation of one of her bodyguards. She had a bank to become more familiar with and Operation Swan Song to contend with.
A secretary greeted Hiromi as she neared her office. “Good morning, Mrs. Sato.”
“Good morning,” Hiromi said to the secretary before entering her office. Day one in Hong Kong was under way.
Gabrielle got to the Arsenal Street station at nine in the morning. Maurice Gao was waiting for her.
“I just gave Chief Inspector Chang an update,” Maurice said as he offered Gabrielle some tea. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“It is all right Maurice. Thank you for showing me around yesterday.”
Maurice gave Gabrielle another one of those odd smiles of his. “I’m glad you liked it. By the way I alerted the airport to be on the lookout for Ripley. This is just a precaution.”
“Didn’t you say the extra security won’t be starting there till Wednesday?” Maurice had told Gabrielle the Hong Kong Airport police didn’t have the manpower to keep a 24-hour a day alert on for Ripley’s arrival for more than a few days. Government budgets were tight world-wide because of the economic slowdown.
“Yes I did say that and it is still applies.”
Gabrielle didn’t have a whole lot to do at Arsenal. She had sent her report to Grant Williamson on Sunday and the FBI Deputy Director had yet to reply back.
So Gabrielle was doing a whole lot of nothing, when a surprised looking Maurice Gao came by her desk a little after eleven. “Ripley arrived in Hong Kong last night.”
Gabrielle was made speechless by what Maurice told her. ‘Tom, why didn’t you inform me of your moved up arrival?’
“Chief Inspector Chang will be back to her office shortly. I think we better have a word with her.”
“Yes Maurice, I agree with you on that,” Gabrielle said as she tried to shake off a state of disbelief.
If Hiromi was expecting a honeymoon period at East China Commerce Bank, her hopes were quickly dashed. Executives at the financial institution began bringing their headaches or pet projects to her almost from the very moment she sat behind her desk on Monday morning.
A meeting with East China’s Vice President of Corporate Loans, was particularly frustrating. Only when Hiromi’s stomach wouldn’t stop growling, did she put an end to the argumentative meeting.
“Jeffrey, I’m not going to approve this loan until we have more information.”
“Can you tell me why?” Vice President Jeffrey Wu asked.
Hiromi had already given her reasons not once but twice. Nevertheless she did it a third time. “Macau Pacific had its accounts payable slashed by over 50% but their cash reserves have increased over the last twelve months. How have they accomplished that miracle?”
“I been told it was increased revenue.”
“From where and from what? All shipping lines out of Macau are hurting right at this moment. Why is Pacific any different?”
Jeffrey didn’t have an answer for Hiromi. She thought the woman was overreacting in the case of the Macau Pacific loan.
“I’m not going to have this bank loan out twenty million U.S. dollars without knowing who insures this company’s ships and who holds the paper on this company.”
“The Penas are the owner.”
“Show me some proof of that and I’ll approve the loan. In the meantime, I got other business to conduct.”
Jeffrey got out of his seat and headed towards the door. He had one parting shot for Hiromi before making his exit. “If we don’t approve the loan soon, Macau Pacific will go elsewhere.”
Hiromi lost her temper with the Vice-President. “Let them. Don’t forget one thing, Jeffrey. If this loan were to be approved and suddenly it went south for some reason, who is going to be out the twenty million dollars?”
Jeffrey didn’t answer Hiromi’s question. He walked out of the office in silence instead.
As soon as Jeffrey Hu was out of her office, Hiromi called Chuck. “Hi.”
“Kimi-chan, how has your day been?”
“It has been plain crazy here. Yours?”
“Not too bad.”
Hiromi’s secretary came into the office She was Chinese, twenty-five years of age give or take a year, stood about 5’5, and was very attractive.
“I took these phone messages for you. Is there anything I can get you, Mrs. Sato?” Asked Chiu Ging Lin.
Hiromi put a hand over the phone receiver. “No Ging, I am fine for now.”
As Ging walked out of the office, Hiromi couldn’t help but watch the lovely swaying hips and buttocks of her secretary. A fantasy of what they would look naked made her feel warm and tingly.
Chuck helped pull his wife out of the momentary fantasy she was in. “So what are doing for lunch, Kimi-chan?”
“I’m just going to eat a salad at my desk.”
Hiromi talked with Chuck for a couple of more minutes before hanging up the phone. After making sure her desk was neat, she got up out of her chair and left the office.
A private bathroom was just down the hall from the office. Hiromi had to pass several men on the way there. Maybe she was wrong, but Hiromi swore they were all staring at her.
Hiromi unlocked the door and walked into the bathroom. It was sparkling clean and looked like nobody had used it since she had been in there some ninety minutes earlier. As she sat down to pee, she wondered if she had been allocated her own private bathroom.
As she peed, Hiromi thought back to the men in the hallway. She had been a woman long enough to know how men viewed her. These men had no clue that she viewed them, even the good looking ones, with a total lack of interest.
Guys did nothing for Hiromi, except for Chuck that is. Why would Hiromi fantasize about other men when she was married to a near perfect specimen of manhood who loved her with all his heart?
Hiromi on the other hand, liked to look at or fantasize about women. Her secretary Ging and Gabrielle were two prime examples.
A passing thought of Gabrielle Tanaka without any clothes on jolted Hiromi back to reality. She had to compose a message to the FBI agent.
When Hiromi went back to the office, she didn’t just get the salad out she would be eating for lunch, but a small writing pad also. As she stuck some spinach salad in her mouth, Hiromi began designing what she would say both in an email message to Gabrielle and in a face to face meeting also.
“Agent Tanaka you need not apologize to me for Ripley’s unexpected arrival,” Chief Inspector Chang said. “As you Americans say, shit happens.”
Gabrielle formed a smile rather than break out laughing, only because she wanted to keep a professional demeanor with the Hong Kong policewoman. Deep down Gabrielle wasn’t much in the mood for laughing.
Maurice then pitched a new plan to pick up Agent Ripley. “We’ll go to her home and ask that she and her husband come in for some questioning.”
“That would really work?”
Maurice spoke again. “Agent Tanaka, we have used this same approach with triad leaders. It works because unlike your country we do not resort to SWAT tactics except in extreme circumstances.”
“You have sold me, Maurice. Can we make this arrest no later than Saturday?”
“That won’t be a problem Agent Tanaka. In fact I could have it set up for as early as Wednesday or at worst Thursday if you want.”
“I will have to contact Deputy Director Williamson.”
Sylvia nodded her head. “All right Agent Tanaka. In the meantime Probationary Inspector Gao will begin making preparations for Thursday.”
Gabrielle left Chief Inspector Chang’s office a few minutes later. Now she had work to do. Namely draft a priority message to Grant Williamson. She didn’t expect her boss to take Operation Swan Song’s latest twist too well at all.
Hiromi got both bank and Swan Song work done before leaving East China Commerce Bank shortly after six. Now all she had to do was wait for Gabrielle’s reply.
Was the FBI agent in Hong Kong right then? Hiromi’s female intuition told her yes. If Gabrielle was in Hong Kong, Hiromi had a lot to go over with the FBI agent in a face to face meeting.
Chuck was patiently waiting for his wife when she arrived at Kanagawa Bank. “Kimi-chan, I am so glad to see you.”
After sharing a brief but pleasant kiss with Chuck, Hiromi told him where they were headed next. “Our house is all ready now.”
Two days of underwater salvage work around the area where Reina Shimizu’s body had been found, had come up with little more than sea garbage. Still these items would be examined to see if they could provide clues as to who killed the undercover agent.
When the salvage vessel docked at Yokohoma Pier 7A, Police Detective Yeijiro Mazaki was met by his partner, Juri Hayakawa. “Was anything useful found, Yeijiro-san?”
Yeijiro was glad to be back on solid ground. He had suffered bouts of seasickness while on board the salvage ship. “I don’t think so, Juri-san. Have you come up with anything useful?”
“Not yet, Yeijiro-san,” Juri said as the two detectives began walking towards a waiting car.
Gabrielle was still perplexed by Tom Slater’s abrupt arrival in Hong Kong and lack of communication. As it was almost seven, she decided to call it a day and go back to the South Pacific.
Before doing so, Gabrielle checked her personal email one more time. She almost jumped out of her seat when she saw the one sent to her by Hiromi Sato.
Gabrielle read the message, then picked up the phone next to her. “Maurice, can you come here right away.”
Maurice was at her desk not even a minute later. “Gabrielle, what is going on?”
“Read this,” Gabrielle said as she pointed to her computer screen.
Maurice read the email two times before speaking a word. “We can do that. One question, Gabrielle, why doesn’t Ripley just turn herself in?””¨
“I have no idea.”
Dr. Wagner’s first post honeymoon day back at work, began early or 6:30 Monday morning Virginia time. The Double Helix project was conducting another one of its studies.
This particular study involved turning sixty-four adults into small children, ages three to five. As with past studies, the patients were all volunteers. Most were either non-violent inmates or terminal cancer patients. Five male and two female patients were senior citizens all over the age of seventy.
48 of the 64 patients would remain the same gender. All 64 men and women would remain their original race.
After the patients had recovered from the treatment, the new children would be placed with foster families. After six months the children would be brought back to Dr. Wagner and given a series of examinations.
Before she got to her first patients of the day, Dr. Wagner made note of her busy schedule. “I have no openings this week or next, Dr. Schneider.”
“Yes Heidi, the project moved up the date for this study while you were gone.”
Dr. Wagner was more than a bit miffed. “I made a promise to handle a special patient next week. A few of these patients will have to be rescheduled.”
The special patient was Agent Ripley. Dr. Wagner expected to give her the DNA therapy at Fort Detrick, just like she had the first time.
Dr. Wagner’s first patients were a husband and wife. Their names were Stanley and Edith Kramer. Both were over seventy years of age but the husband and wife had no serious medical issues.
More importantly, the Kramers had been given a battery of tests to gauge their memory and cognitive functions. Stanley and Edith had both done well on these.
The Kramers were talking to one another when Dr. Wagner entered the room. “Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Kramer. How are you feeling?”
“I’m not too bad,” Edith said. She was on a separate table from her husband. “Stanley’s arthritis is bothering him.”
“Do either of you have questions before I begin treatment?”
“No doctor, I don’t.” Both Kramers said in unison. The childless couple had been well briefed about exactly what their treatment would do.
As Dr. Wagner did some last minute preparations. Stanley and Edith spoke for the last time before being sedated.
“I want us to still be friends after we get this treatment,” Stanley said.
“Yes, I would like that,” Edith said before falling asleep.
Neither the husband or wife knew exactly what type of children they would be after waking up. On the other hand, Dr. Wagner knew exactly what the outcome of her treatment would be.
Stanley and Edith Kramer were about to become identical twin girls, age forty-seven months.
Midori, Stuart, and Shannon Slater got to Paris France all right, but ran into problems at Charles DeGaulle Airport.
“When will our flight be leaving?” Stuart asked a woman at the Air France counter.
“We do not know yet, Monsieur. May I see your e-tickets? And those of your family”
Stuart gave the woman what she requested.
While the customer service representative checked their reservations, Stuart and Midori talked. “It looks like we won’t be getting back to Seattle today.”
Midori didn’t want Stuart to be upset. He was barely two months past his heart surgery. “That is all right Stuart. As long as we’re home when Tom calls later this week, I’ll be happy.”
Chuck and Hiromi were more than a little stunned when they got to see their new home. The descriptions Roger Hyde had given them hadn’t done it justice.
The interior of the home was luxurious. The entry hall was magnificent, with a soaring ceiling that stretched up to a skylight that illuminated the woodwork and hall furnishings with brilliant but soft-edged light that made the walls look almost like they were floating above the black onyx floor. To one side was a large dining room with a diamond chandelier above a table that would seat a dozen guests at least. At the other end of the hall was an arched portal that led to the owner’s sleeping wing, where there were matching his and hers bathrooms all in marble with gold plumbing. Off one of the bathrooms, there was a generous powder room with a large vanity and lighted mirror for Hiromi’s use. The house also had a sauna and massage room.
“I could get lost in this place,” Hiromi said to Chuck as they looked around the house together. Guests would have their choice of three bedrooms in a dedicated wing at the other end of the house, so Hiromi and Chuck would have maximum privacy. But Hiromi was bothered by something, but couldn't figure out what it was until she realized that there was something missing; there was no space for a nursery in the master bedroom suite, and the house had originally been made for an older couple. Her quick mind instantly began to imagine a remodeling project to convert at least part of the massage room to accommodate a baby.
Hiromi Sato’s household belongings were still being held by Hong Kong customs. Due to the hard work of people like Teresa Wu, Roger Hyde, and others, the home had been set up with temporary furnishings.
“I hope this suits you, Mrs. Sato,” Teresa said.
“Yes, it does,” Hiromi said, as she looked around the house’s immense kitchen. “Roger, I don’t think I saw a computer anywhere.”
“We have one for you, Boss. Do you want it set up tonight?”
“Yes, I do.”
Chuck and Hiromi had a quiet evening. Before turning out the lights, the couple made love to one another.
Before they tried to fall asleep, Hiromi had something she wanted to say to her husband, but had to work up the nerve. She was still worrying as Chuck spooned behind her with his hands gently cupping her breasts. Finally, she spoke. “I’d like for us to go back to Australia next weekend. Is that all right?
Chuck was a little surprised as he softly kissed the back of his wife’s neck. “Of course it is, Kimi-chan. Is there anywhere in particular you want to go? Aunt Zeny still hasn’t had the baby.”
“I know that. We can go visit your mother and sister maybe.” Chuck had just brought her to orgasm just minutes earlier but Hiromi was beginning to feel warm and tingly again. The gentle loving touch of her husband always had that effect on her.
“All right, Kimi-chan. When would we leave?”
“Qantas has a flight to Melbourne on Saturday morning. Does that sound all right?”
Ӭ
“Yes, it does. Good night, my little sports car.” Chuck gave his wife one last kiss, then he relaxed and tried to fall asleep, with Hiromi still cradled in his arms.
Just like she had done on Sunday night, Gabrielle checked her personal email before going to sleep. The Banker Oscar Toniguchi, who had assisted the Swan Song committee with Operation Hornblower, had written her.
Gabby,
I am traveling to Tokyo this week and will arrive on Wednesday afternoon. If you are still in Japan and have time, I’d love to buy you dinner.
How is that friend of yours? Please write me when you have time.
Oscar
Gabrielle wrote back immediately and said she had to decline, because she wouldn’t be in Japan when he arrived there. She thanked Oscar for the kind offer and said her friend was still on her mission but doing better.
As Operation Swan Song wound down, Gabrielle had begun to think of what she wanted to do in the future besides being with Tom Slater. She didn’t want to work for the FBI any longer, and was giving serious consideration to Oscar’s offer of a job with his bank.
After watching some television, Gabrielle went to bed just before eleven. She managed to close her eyes and sleep, even though her heart was filled with joy and anticipation over what she would be doing the next day.
Hiromi checked her email right after getting up on Tuesday morning. Gabrielle had replied to her note.
Tom,
I will be where you asked at 12:30 this afternoon.
Love,
Gabrielle
Hiromi immediately deleted the email. Chuck came out of the bathroom a minute later.
“Kimi-chan, is the computer working all right?”
“Yes, it is. I just wanted to check my email,” Hiromi said as she stood up, her face slightly flushed. She hated doing things behind her husband’s back.
Tuesday morning marked Hiromi’s first visit to the Hong Kong branch of Kanagawa Bank in almost three months. She was barely settled behind her desk when Josephine Gilbert entered the room.
The slim Eurasian secretary was there to give Hiromi her phone messages. “Is there anything else you need, Mrs. Sato?”
“No, Josephine, I’m fine for now.”
Fumahiro Suzuki came out of the Negishi Bay Apartments shortly after ten in the morning. As was his habit, he mumbled to himself as he went about his business.
An adult video and bookstore was three blocks away. Fumahiro was going there to buy one of his favorite magazines, . He knew it came out the last week of every month.
The bookstore clerk, named Saneatsu Kuwabara, was himself enjoying Manga Buriko when he heard the tinkle that signaled someone had come into the store. He was familiar with Fumahiro but not friendly with him. The janitor’s mannerisms got on the nerves of most people.
Fumahiro was pleased when he saw that his Shukan Jitsuwa was in. He looked around the shop for another ten minutes, but made only the one purchase. After paying for it, Fumahioro asked that it be put in a bag. Then he headed for the exit.
“Sayonara,” Saneatsu Kuwabara said with a flip of his hand to Fumahiro.
Fumahiro wasn’t out of the store for ten seconds when two policemen approached him. “What is it you want with me?”
“I’m Sergeant Narahashi, and this is my colleague Patrolman Koshin. Are you Fumahiro Suzuki?”
Fumahiro didn’t answer the question, but instead tried to walk away. He had broken no law.
Sergeant Narahashi grabbed Fumahiro by the arm. “Yes, you are, Suzuki-san. We have questions to ask you. You must come with us.”
Ӭ
To be continued in Part Twenty
Comments
Another Great Chapter
And so soon. Just what it takes to brighten my day. Thank you
Avid Reader
Well now.
Interesting start for this chapter that lets us see the real Hiromi Sato. I think she is a person no one sane would really want running around loose.
Tom/Hiromi is reaching a decision point now, but I somehow think that becoming Tom again won't be an option that is available. Things in this story are moving towards a long awaited close, but I can't help being a bit saddened with that. DHFC is, in my opinion, one of your best, Danielle.
Duty, Honor, Country, Family - Part 19
Can't help but wonder if the oroginal sato will escape and cause trouble. But what can she do against Tom?
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine