Tokyo Twins Chapter 29 Part 5 - Underground lowdown.

a serialized online story

by Tommy Schmitz



In the wee hours of Tuesday morning just before sunrise
Kenji found the turf-covered makeshift manhole in Shinjuku Park,
slipped inside and groped through
the secret passages of the underground
and found the plywood panel entrance
to the clubhouse of his friends:
the cavernous Tokyo Metropolitan Sewer System.

He knocked.

Yamato-san,, his usual subterranean tour guide,
was listening for his arrival on the other side
and slid the panel sideways
enough for Kenji to squeeze through.

"Good morning," Kenji smiled,
and he removed his shoes
and placed them along a row
of about 50 other pairs
belonging to those who awaited his arrival.

"Is your friend here?" Kenji asked her.

"Yes. He's looking forward to meeting you
and learning more about his role tonight." said Yamato-san.

"You are the best, Yamato-san." said Kenji smiling at her.

Yamato-san blushed and bowed
and Kenji walked to the center of the room
making small talk along the way
and paused looking calmly at all his friends
until he had their quiet attention.

"Tonight folks, we're having a party."
He grabbed his hands behind his back
and stood up straighter and paused again.

"Let's gather around a few moments to discuss it."

His friends sat quietly and with interest,
knee-to-knee,
forming a circle around him.

"Thank you for meeting here this morning," Kenji started,
"This will be the first time for any of you
to hear about the party plans
as a community, all at once,
though I trust each of you has discretely shared
with the others your own specific roles
and listened to their roles as well."

Kenji paused again and looked at each face around him.
"Correct?" he said.

"Well...." said a man hesitating,
"...We weren't sure if we were suppose to or not,
so, of course (he looked about at his friends)
we all took the liberty
of doing just that. Yes." he smiled and finished.

"Excellent. Then you know the plan better than I do," said Kenji,
But just for fun, let's go briefly group by group
and listen to your roles and how they fit together.

As you know, I'll be picking up our package,
at the alpha zone,
right here on the map,
near Gotokuji Station on the Odakyu Line...

(Chapter 29 - part 5 continued below.)

Apr 18, 9:16pm
"The package, again, Satchitananda-san?"
Someone spoke up. All knew him by his chosen name.

"Two sisters, fourteen years old." said Kenji.

"And they are aware of their journey to
the headquarters of Fuji Television?"
Someone else spoke up.

"Yes." said Kenji, "And this calls forth,
of course, the Diversion Team,
our first group to speak.
First group?
What have you cooked up
to divert the ever watchful eyes and ears
of our police and national guard
who have laid siege upon
the alpha zone."

A woman stood up.

"Yes, Nikko-san." Kenji said in welcome.

"We wanted to make this a community effort,
and so far, two hundred of our street-living friends
have agreed to participate
in the diversion's planning and execution," said Nikko-san.

That's some pretty slick organizing on a moments notice.
How did you do it?

"We are a tightly knit group of people."
she simply said.

"I see. And what's in store?" said Kenji.

"Each of our 200 friends is now collecting
two hundred and fifty bullfrogs
from park streams and rice paddies around town."

"Oh?" said Kenji.

"We believe the sudden appearance
of 50,000 bullfrogs on the streets
within a radius of 100 meters around the alpha zone
will create an effective diversion for you." said Nikko-san.

"Ambitious and creative, my friend.
But how will you
transport that many frogs? Said Kenji.

"Sir many of us collect tadpoles each spring,
raise 'em in discarded pvc trash bins
partially filled with water.
We each have a trash bin.
The trash bins are on wheels.
Pretty simple."

"What about the element of surprise, my friend...
how will you avoid detection?"

We'll be in and out of the alpha zone without notice, sir.

Really. I am impressed., but how, if I may ask?

By using the Tokyo metropolitan underground
Running beneath the train and subway systems,
Places that many of us call "the way home",
And just as many of us call "home" itself.

"Good work my friend." said Kenji,
"Second group?"

A man stood.

"Kamakura-san, how are you this morning?"

"Well and strong because of you, my friend." said Kamakura-san.

"I'll be handing off our package
to you this this evening, I believe?" said Kenji.

"Yes right here in Shinjuku, Satchitananda-san."

"Excellent," said Kenji, "And what is your plan?"

Kamakura-san spoke of a simple camouflage
that delighted Kenji,
and the next group spoke of disguise,
another group of secret compartments
inside subway cars,
and yet another of stealth
while moving about in plain sight.

The sixth group and final group was actually one person,
and new to this community.

Kenji stood up for the introduction:

"Finally, we have a new friend here today,
courtesy of Yamato-san - thank you -
someone who's agreed to be our relay anchor
and inside sleuth, someone who knows
the Fuji Television Headquarters building,
especially its power, mechanical and security systems.
Folks, let's take a moment to meet Nara-san.

Nara-san, would you stand up, please?

Nara-san smiled and took several relaxed bows
inside the various directions of the circle.

"We trust your years of operating
the facility and technical systems
at Fuji Television Headquarters
will serve to carry our package
all the way home inside the building?" said Kenji.

"And home is...?" said Nara-san.

"The main broadcast control room." said Kenji.

"Ah yes. Then you may be interested in knowing
that this control room has the ability
to lock itself down and operate fully
under emergency power." said Nara-san.

"Oh. This is good." said Kenji.

Nara-san explained:

"It's designed to securely allow broadcasting
during a national security crisis.
The president of Fuji Television Network
is the only one who can initiate
the activation of the emergency system."

"Did you say the president of Fuji?" said Kenji.

"Yes." said Nara-san.

"And how does the president of Fuji do this?" asked Kenji.

"With a password."

"And how is the password used?"

"The executive delivers the password
to the chief engineer of the control room
who knows where and how to employ the password
to power-up this security system." said Nara-san.

"Verbally or in writing?" said Kenji.

"Verbally. And face-to-face." said Nara-san.

"Ah. So the engineer knows everything
but the pass word?"

"Correct."

"Can he refuse a command from the president
to initiate the system for any reason?" said Kenji.

"He cannot, sir." said Nara-san.

Very good, Nara-san. Kenji said.

"Will I have the pleasure of seeing you," said Nara-san,
"this evening, Somewhere in the vicinity of the control room,
Satchitananda-san?"

Hmmm. I'm pretty sure it is where I'll be," said Kenji,
"awaiting with open arms the delivery of our package,
care of your expertise, Nara-san."

"Of course, Satchitananda-san. We only await
your own password to ensure all the stages
of this plan work seamlessly?" said Nara-san.

"Oh yes, and once again,
I don't know." said Kenji.

Kenji was stepping back now,
into the walls of the club house
to make his way above ground.

"When will you tell us?!? they said together.

But Kenji was already gone.

(End of Chapter 29 - Part 5
End of Chapter 29
Next: Chapter 30, complete, no parts)
...