Lover

by Valerie J. Long

  I had to start right now, find access to the prime minister, and to the head of the palace guard, and then I had to work down the list of my contacts—no.

  I needed sleep. Urgently. While I still was able to stand on my own legs. I only needed a safe place to sleep where nobody would disturb me for the next three or four hours.

  “Go away, that tickles!”

  The rat immediately obeyed and backed away from my face, then scurried into a side tunnel. I slowly rose and sniffed. No, I was lucky, this part of the sewers still smelled relatively neutral.

  Next to me, the first indication of the new day illuminated the manhole. I climbed up quickly, briefly checked the surroundings and then closed the manhole cover. Everything was quiet, as quiet as a narrow side alley of a capital city could be early in the morning. Only thirty steps, and I was standing in a lively side street, and half a block away it became truly busy. There, I soon found a small restaurant.

  I ordered once down the menu—fish, fried insects, whatever. My itinerary was full. I couldn’t expect to get away without having to use my skills, so I had to refill my battery. Not to mention the fact that I’d run all across the city all day.

  “Good food?” my host asked.

  “Good food,” I agreed and picked another roasted, many-legged something from my plate. “Especially this one.”

  “I have more of those.”

  “Then I’d like to have more of those.”

  Two or three years ago, I might have found eating insects disgusting. In the meantime, I had fed on garbage, had spent my nights in the open here, in the sewers there, risked my life several times—that had changed my perspective. On top of it came that my Analogy could calculate the nutritive value of my food relatively fast. I could feel which food was good for me. This one was very good.

  “You’re not from here.”

  “No.” How much had he found out?

  “I know all here. You’re not from this block. You sound different. Finer.”

  “Yes, and?”

  He bowed. “Pardon me. I’m not entitled to ask.”

  “It’s okay. Tell me, how’s living here?”

  “I don’t understand?”

  “Is life good or bad? Compared to before, I mean.”

  “Ah, before it was always better. All old people say that. I’m old.”

  “And the last year? I’ve been away for a while.”

  He looked around. “You don’t discuss such things with strangers.”

  “Oh. Okay. Here, I’m calling myself Yoshi. I’m Johanna Meier from Germany. I’ve been an acquaintance of the Dragon empress before she left us. And I’m here to prevent your government and your emperor being relieved. Three days from now.”

  He stared at me as if I’d transformed into a Jelly. Or into a Dragon?

  “You don’t discuss such things with strangers, either.”

  “In three days, it doesn’t matter. Thereafter, everyone knows me, or I’m dead.”

  “What would I profit from meeting the dead?”

  “Perhaps I’ll return for dinner once.”

  “You’re alone. You can’t change the course of history alone.”

  “Everyone can do that. I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again.”

  “They’re too many.” He shook his head. “You’ll die.”

  The determination in his statement made me shiver briefly. He doesn’t know my skills, I told myself, my odds are much better than he could guess by far.

  It was still unclear whether they could suffice.

  “Then I’m happy having had such a good breakfast before.” The best roasted cicadas of my life, yes. “May I ask for another serving, please?”

  Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Two

  Well satiated and rested, I ambled down the street, ready to take the world on, and even in a quite good mood. Astonishing, how good you can feel once you’ve accepted your own death, I thought.

  Something had changed. But what?

  Tokyo felt different than yesterday. Was it the mood of the people around me? The weather? No.

  I felt watched. Not threatened, only watched. Without letting it show, I walked on and tried to feel the direction. Ahead of me? Behind me? From above? No, I had to deny myself looking around. Instead, I stopped before a shop window and tried to use the mirroring. No result.

  Well, gal, don’t be nervous. Just go on and see what happens. You can handle it.

  I went on. Ahead of me, I spotted a toll station, the first for today. I had better find a way around—any kind of incident would leave a trace, and I didn’t need any traces now. Neither reports about a short woman who could take an entire gang down nor about the appearance of a Dragon cult symbol should give away my course.

  This time, I found a narrow alley instead of a house entrance. There, I could assume my camouflage and climb the wall to the rooftop. Once arrived there, I scurried across two rooftops and then climbed down to another alley behind the toll station.

  With a brief check, I reassured myself of being alone, and became visible again.

  The feeling of being watched stayed.

  You’re loony, Jo. There’s nobody. Go on.

  Nevertheless, I remained alert. During the next two detours over the rooftops, I examined my surroundings very thoroughly while being invisible. It was only when I approached the next street gang that I realized that I had felt watched even while camouflaged. Then it can only be a figment, I told myself and pushed the feeling aside.

  “Come over, shortie!” a guy ahead called me before I could take a turn. Sadly, there was no doubt who he might mean—only a few men were standing around me, and they knew to get lost. “Come on. We want to have some fun.”

  “So?” He wore tight, shiny black leather leggings with a net inset in the crotch. From the bulge of the latter, I could well figure out what he meant. How could I get out of this now? The Dragon cult symbol on my buckle would at least save me power, so I stretched myself and proudly walked up to him. “What kind of fun were you thinking of?”

  The speaker was still staring at my tits. His mate looked down deeper and pushed him. “Hey, Minoru.”

  “What?”

  “The belt.”

  Now Minoru glanced down. “Oh—uh—”

  With a sharp command I interrupted him. “Pants down. All of you.” With a big question mark on his face, he ogled me. “Do I have to repeat my order?”

  “Nnno.” Obediently, he pushed down his leggings. His five mates were watching.

  “All of you, I said.” One after another, I glared at the five. “So you’re defying.”

  Oh, they probably had never dropped their pants so fast before!

  “Form one line at the curb, facing the street.” That worked fine, six meanwhile limp cocks were presented to the running traffic. The men seemed to be highly embarrassed, as they were covering their best pieces with their hands.

  “Hands over your head, spread your legs.”

  The hiding was over, now their manhood was public.

  I stepped behind one of them, reached between his legs and caressed his scrotum until his member rose. I poked his neighbor’s cock tip, caressed the next one’s butt, and so on, until all six cocks were nicely erect.

  “Okay. Eyes straight, rub, and shoot.”

  That should keep them busy for a few minutes, until I had left. At the same time, I hoped that they’d be too embarrassed to report it.

  Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Three

  The low fence was no obstacle, and shouldn’t be. No one entered the Dragon Order Supreme Grand Master’s home without invitation. High-class surveillance installations and sophisticated traps guarded the key spots, suited to spot and take out any intruder. The guards were well trained and masters in martial arts. The Supreme Grand Master topped them all.

  The secret of my success was staying on the gravel path, walking barefoot without pushing a single pebble around, and of course remaining invisible. It took me no effort to appr
oach the house, reach the roof and then climb down into the atrium from there.

  Why was it so quiet here? This was only my third visit to the Dragon Order, but the two times before, I had gained the impression that the atmosphere in this house was always a bit tense. Not so today.

  I placed one hand on a wall, opened all my senses and listened, felt, smelled.

  There were no quiet breaths, no muffled rustles, no gentle taps. There were no vibrations in the wood, no smell of sweat in the air, simply nothing. This house was empty, and I had come in vain.

  And I felt watched again. Nonsense, Jo. I had only just found out that nobody was here, so who should watch me?

  What had the Grand Master left behind? Had he ventured on a longer journey or only left for a short while? Did he have a safe that I could check? That might not be the most skillful way to win an ally, but he wouldn’t need to learn about it.

  As I’d guessed, his office was adjacent to the conference room I already knew. There I found a small safe, but more exciting was the jacket hanging in the wardrobe, with the Dragon cultists’ symbol patched to the chest pocket. Dragon snot! Here I wouldn’t find allies anymore.

  The Supreme Grand Master—if he still was called so—was much too smart to keep secret information in his safe. I mainly found money, gold and bonds, plus a velvety bag with cut crystalline carbon—a nice souvenir that might be useful in case I survived the next three days. Moreover, diamonds were a girl’s best friends, and I didn’t have many friends. So I couldn’t afford to be picky.

  Nor could I afford to waste my precious time here. I had one option left, and for it I’d better get on my way. Over the roof, on the gravel path, to the street.

  Once again I listened and watched. The guard at the main gate hadn’t noticed anything. This stupid feeling had faded, too.

  Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Four

  I really couldn’t afford to be picky. My last hope to find allies was Riyuku and his Oyabun. Theoretically, I was welcome to his home anytime. Practically, I hadn’t paid a debt—I hadn’t returned to report my findings. I hadn’t explicitly promised it, but indirectly, that would have matched the gist of our collaboration.

  I didn’t foster great expectations, though. The way everyone on the road bowed to the Dragon cult, the chance of finding an independent Yakuza clan wasn’t better than the prospect of an iceberg in the desert.

  I acted accordingly. I didn’t arrive as guest but as unseen eavesdropper.

  During my approach, I already recognized that I might have chosen an interesting moment. Numerous large cars with tinted windows parked around the traditional cottage’s apron. A lot more machine-pistol-armed guards than during my last visit were attentively watching the area.

  Again, I had to stay on the path to reach the house without touching any of the rose bushes, which the guards would surely have spotted.

  There were too many to sneak inside past them. Instead, I cautiously balanced on the wooden roof beams and listened from there. The first words already shattered my hopes.

  “…and from tonight on we shall be ready.”

  “Around the clock?”

  “There will be a warning. Once the warning’s been issued, we’ll assume our start positions. But then there won’t be much time left. So we’ll complete our preparations today, have our equipment ready, and avoid any other activities.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Normal business continues running. We’ll do without larger penalty actions, takeovers and major deliveries. Nor will there be big parties.”

  “How long?”

  “Five days at max. Only the Order knows the exact timeline.”

  “How shall we deal with disrupters?”

  “Eliminate quietly—but only if they’re relevant. During these five days, we won’t make mistakes. None of us.”

  “We won’t make mistakes,” several voices echoed. Then the conference attendants left—and I was stuck.

  Patiently, I had to wait until the last guest had left the cottage. Not to take any chances, I decided to stay a few minutes longer, until they had driven away. Meanwhile, I could continue to listen to the landlord.

  “Hiro, is everything ready for my special plan?”

  “Yes, master. I’ve prepared everything, for any case. You may be assured to be able to leave Tokyo.”

  “Good.”

  So, the Oyabun had a spare plan? Then he wasn’t entirely convinced of the mission’s success. That was a lead point. Perhaps other Yakuza might be deterred by unexpectedly strong resistance.

  I had two days left and the remainder of this one to organize such resistance. Only how?

  Government or emperor?

  The cult had made the choice—the emperor had the larger symbolic value. There the Dragon would be deployed. I had come to Japan for the Dragon. If I wanted to face the Dragon, I had to go visit the emperor.

  Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Five

  The imperial guard boys were really good. They wore body armor, not as perfect as Frostdragon nano suits, but robust and still moveable. They didn’t carry a micro fusion reactor, but seemingly power batteries that could provide amplification for a short time and could feed weapons and sensors. The two linear rifles under their arms were coupled with a laser target acquisition system, and their visors provided a full-circle view, heat and night vision. As opposed to the Cartel guards in Palmdale, these people here looked thoroughly trained. The way they posed, their alertness wasn’t just drill.

  That was good and bad together. Good, because such people might stand a better chance against the attackers with their nano armor. Bad, because I wanted to get past them.

  For that, I only had one attempt. If they only so much as suspected an invisible intruder, they’d shut everything closed that appeared at least somewhat open now. Even from a distance, I could hear the ultrasonic chirp and see the lasers on the wall tops. If they had more surprises up their sleeves, what then?

  If they learned about me this way, they surely wouldn’t hesitate for long. Of course, the Japanese knew about the Cartel’s takeover in Europe and the United States. Of course, the government noticed the change on the streets, how the cult reined everything in tighter and tighter. Of course, the Japanese had heard about the raid on the Australian Frostdragon facilities.

  An invisible intruder in the palace? I’d shoot first and then—perhaps—ask later. So I wouldn’t blame the guards for acting the same. Other than them, I was inhibited because I didn’t want to start a war with them, and I didn’t want to hurt any of them.

  So there were three options—ideally I’d remain unseen, or I’d have to run, or I’d fail and die.

  No.

  It wasn’t advisable to try an All In here. This wasn’t the right place or the right time for a last stand. There had to be another option, with less risk and without unveiling my special skills.

  Perhaps I simply shouldn’t think like a burglar for once. Which other possibilities were there to get inside the palace?

  As a guard, obviously. On first sight, that was no option for me.

  The imperial family was allowed inside. Right now, the question was whether they’d be allowed outside. If so, they’d probably be followed by a train of guards. This was no option, either.

  Tourists weren’t allowed to the palace grounds for many years. Who else was left? There had to be countless servants in the palace, kitchen and housekeeping staff, office clerks for all kind of administrative duties, masters of ceremonies, and gardeners. They couldn’t all live in the palace. If there were repairs to be done, plumbers, electricians and painters had to get inside. The people inside the palace had to eat, drink, and shit, so there’d be a continuous stream of deliveries. There had to be some option for me to sneak into this stream.

  Surely the cult had tried to find an option to insert someone into the palace staff, too—they had talked up the guards. But they hadn’t managed it. What did that tell about security? The tale of a sudde
nly sick colleague for whom I’d substitute surely wouldn’t work.

  I had to have a closer look at the security. First a rough check, tonight. The next morning, after a few hours of sleep, I’d have to see the installations in operation. I’d need the afternoon and the evening for searching a suitable candidate—while the Cartel got its suits inside unhindered, I remembered—and the morning after advance into the palace. That was the last day before the strike. Sadly, that wouldn’t leave the guard with much time for preparations, although I had some useful ideas.

  Would they be able to improvise some reactor sniffers within one day, to pick up the stray emissions of micro fusion reactors? With the necessary parts I might even be able to do it myself. Well—no, sadly, I didn’t have enough time for that.

  Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Six

  They had really racked their brains about what they could check, and then they had by far overshot the mark.

  At the first checkpoint before the Sakashita gate, the guards only checked the photo ID. Behind followed baggage screening and body scan, and for vehicles, a portal screening installation. More difficult to spot from outside, but still visible from the right angle, was the following biometric check of fingerprints and retina patterns. Next, the arrivals were matched with a visitor and servant list online and then exchanged their access ID for a special internal ID.

  Moreover, the guards performed random visual inspections of car and bag contents. The only thing missing was a life strip for the servants. No, there was no way inside for spies.

  Except for me.