Tokyo Twins Chapter 29 Part 3 - Why us?

A serialized online story.

by Tommy Schmitz



Oba-chan sat on the floor with the agents around the kitchen table
and poured hot water over fresh green tea
while organizing her thoughts for the telling of Kenji's story.

"Boy, I could use some tea right about now." The voice was Kenji's. He walked in and sat with the others as if all were awaiting his arrival.

"I couldn't help overhearing someone announcing the telling of my story,
and I simply could not resist enjoying the occassion.

"Why am I not surprised you're here?" said Taya-san.

Oh, you just like me, both of you gentlemen.

If you're not too busy at the moment, Mori-san, perhaps you'd be willing to do the story telling yourself? Said Taya-san.

I would be honored, gentlemen.

And with his eyes a twinkle
his shoulders at rest
and both hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea,
Kenji related the story he told Oba--chan earlier.

"Welcome home, Mori-san. Fifty years is too long to be away from home." said Kaneko-san.

Kenji just nodded a bit and smiled.

So, tell us the situation as you see it. Said Taya-san.

Here's what we're faced with," Kenji began again... "we have a depressed, frightened, exhausted, angry woman...
and she's capable of executing her hostages
and then killing herself in a final stroke to escape her decades of
unimaginable suffering.

How do you know this about her? said the agents.
Yes. How little brother, didn't you tell me a few days ago
that you had no knowledge of the terrorists?

Yes, I did. And just now, a few minutes ago,
there appeared an Internet broadcast from Kashmir.

What was it? Said Oba-chan. Anxious.

It was your grandson, Jack, and his two friends from school.

Where are they?

Looked and sounded like somewhere
near the boarder of Kashmir and India.
But their broadcast was interrupted near its conclusion
by loud commanding voices that spoke alternately
in Hindi and Urdu.

"Why? What happened? Are they safe?" said Oba-chan.

I don't know. Said Kenji.

"How can we stop this woman from killing our loved ones."

I am not so sure we can, Big-sister. However,
we must try, don't you agree?
And we must make this attempt to convince the perpetrator
with all our resources at hand.

"Such as? What resources?" the agents said.

"The presence, during her broadcast tomorrow evening, of all who would be directly effected by the loss of Mieko and Henry O'Brien."

What presence and where? The agents said.

"The presence of the grandmother
and her two granddaughters
in a studio at Fuji Television Headquarters
where A-san can be confronted, via TV camera,
with your faces, your emotions, and your words.

That's hardly practical, little brother.
Besides your own predicament,
I am under house arrest, as you see.
And the girls are in protective custody and heavily guarded.

Big sister, is it not a bit crazy you are seeing me now,
during this crisis, for the first time in fifty years?
And gentlemen agents,
is it not a bit crazy you too are seeing me now,
and that in just a few moments,
I'll escape you once again?

There was silence and doubt among the three.

"I have two more things to say, Kenji said,
then I'll be off and running."

Kaneko-san shook his head and looked away,
but no one made a move.

"Number one, Kenji started,
"arrangements have been made
for the girls to be safely transported
and delivered tomorrow evening
from the house of their custodians
to inside the building,
indeed inside the broadcast studios,
of Fuji Television Network.

"That's impossible." Kaneko-san said.

"Please gentlemen, if I may?" Kenji paused
and poured his sister a cup of tea.
"Number two -
and here gentlemen, by the way, is your moment of truth -
your mission is to safely transport and deliver
my sister to the same studios.
The necessary delivery time is 1900 hours, or 7:00pm if you prefer."

Kaneko-san made a odd nervous laugh.
Taya-san sat staring and shaking his head.

The cell phones of both agents began ringing.

Let's take it outside. Said Taya-san

But... we can't let him get away again! Said Kaneko-san.

"This house has been surrounded for days
and he comes and goes anyway.
Do you have any suggestions?

"Handcuff him to a plumbing pipe."

"And you believe that'll work?"

Silence from Kaneko-san.

The men moved through the front door,
closed it shut behind them,
and flipped their cell phones on.
It was their boss delivering the urgent news of contact
made this morning from the terrorist in Kashmir
to the President of Fuji Television Network
by way of a cell phone that belonged to Mieko O'Brien.
The couple are still alive, joined now by their son,
and remain scheduled for execution
at 8:00pm Tokyo time on Tuesday evening.

Their boss finished by telling them to stay alert
and to stay put until further instructions.

Why us? Said Kaneko-san.

No, my partner and friend, the pertinent question is this:
Do we scatter our careers and futures to the wind
(a foregone conclusion perhaps),
or do we follow orders, do our jobs, get pats on the back,
and live quietly for the rest of our lives
with the blood of Mieko and Henry O'Brien on our hands
because we chose to do our jobs.

"This case, Taya-san, is cooking away your sanity.
We are Japan Foreign Ministry Agents.
There is no question here. There is only us.
We' re on a mission. And like it or not,
we are doing our jobs.

"You mean like we've been doing
these past several days,
with our incompetent heads up our clueless butts?"

"That's exactly what I mean." said Kaneko-san.

Taya-san looked carefully at his partner.
"This is our moment of truth, according to
this old Japanese Buddha inside.
And perhaps, my friend, he is right.

Taya-san opened up the front door. And stuck his head in.
"Don't even tell me." he said to Oba-chan.

"I am sorry, gentlemen. Little brother no longer seems to be here."

"You just had to rub it in, didn't you."
he moaned quietly back to her.

*******

"I'm listening," Takunosuke Mori responded slowly in his cell phone
to the woman who threatens to kill his loved ones.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Please continue." he said.

"Mr. And Mrs. O'Brien's son, Jack, has joined us this morning.
Say hello, please, Jack."

Jack and A-san were in another out building
to keep him away from his parents.

"Where are my friends?" Jack said.

"They've been returned to the border." she responded,
and motioned B-san to reapply Jack's gag and hood.

"I wasn't expecting a family reunion,"
she said into the cell phone
with faint pleasure in her voice.

"I am in transit and getting poor reception.
Can we continue this discussion
from my office?"

"No we cannot. Now think carefully." she said,
"and tell me the scheduled time for the execution
of your niece and her husband?"

"Is this a game?"

Answer the question, Mr. Mori.

"Eight o'clock in the evening, Tuesday... tomorrow." he said.

"And what have you done
to save the lives of your family?"

He remained silent in the onset of his rage.

"Are you still there, Mr. Mori?" she said,
making her way back to her main hostages.

He coughed and sat up straighter in the backseat of his limo.
"My government will do nothing.
The US government will do nothing.
Both governments also take the position
that Mr. And Mrs. O'Brien have no business in Kashmir."

"Yes," she said, "God forbid these countries would
send peace makers unarmed."

"Of course, my niece and her husband are unarmed." said Mori-san.

"As were each of my five children, murdered one by one over the years,
with US made and US subsidized guns and bullets."

Takunosuke Mori became silent again.

"You have not yet answered my question."

"Pardon me?" he said.

"What have you done? You, Mr. Mori.
To save the lives of your loved ones."

"In view of our likely failure to meet your demands,
what else can I do for you that will spare the lives
of Mieko and Henry O'Brien.

"And Jack, don't forget." she said.

"Please give me a chance to do something
that is both possible for me and beneficial for you." he said.

"Mr. Mori, it is too late for such shifting of my goals."

"which are..." he responded.

"Mr. Mori, do take time to review more carefully
the broadcast made around
the world last week by your niece and her husband."

"I could arrange for a large amount of money to be
transferred into a secret bank account for you." he said,
"within minutes of our knowing that Mieko and Henry O'Brien
are safe." said Mori-san.

She chuckled and raised the hood and the attention
of Mrs. O'Brien with a request.

"Let's respond to your uncle generous offer
by saying aloud, Mrs. O'Brien, what it is
I hold in my hand."

"A gun." Mieko said.

"No. The other hand, please." said A-san.

"You are holding a one hundred dollar bill."

"Did you hear that Mr. Mori?"

"Yes."

"Now say aloud, Mrs. O'Brien, what is happening
to this one hundred dollar bill."

"It is on fire."

"Did you hear that, Mr. Mori?"

"Yes."

"Then you have my answer to your offer."

"Please," he said. Please give us a chance to save our loved ones.

"I'll think about that a moment. Stay on the phone, Mr. Mori.

Moments passed and A-san spoke,
"What I have to say is a considerable acquiescience in my demands.
Are you listening?"

"Yes.

"Have your Prime Minister appear over worldwide
television from your studio tomorrow night at 8:00pm your time,
to read and acknowledge my demands,
and to make a formal public apology for Japan's atrocities
during the Pacific War."

"That is difficult," he responded.

"You asked me for another chance." she said,
"make it happen or the executions will take place
without a moments delay."

A-san then terminated the connect.

(End of Chapter 29 Part 3)