by C. S. Elston
Rio opened her eyes with a widening smile and immediately saw Luke waiting for her at the back of the van.
“Now I’m really ready,” she told him.
As they started walking toward the temple, Rio spotted a man carrying a duffle bag in the distance. He was coming toward them and was too far away for most people to see but, Rio was not most people. Her vision zoomed in on his face. He was, of course, older than the most recent picture she had seen but, there was no doubt, it was Sota.
“That’s him,” she said to Luke.
“Seriously? Already?”
“Yep.”
Luke and Rio picked up their pace.
So did Sota.
Everyone walking briskly toward one another, they soon stopped just a few feet apart. Luke looked on, wide-eyed. Rio’s smile hadn’t faded and Sota’s matched his daughter’s. He was the first to speak and only chose one word but, it shocked both the others.
“Rio.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Sota Tanaka
Sota could hardly believe the tremendous blessing that was being bestowed upon on him just hours after his encounter with Yeshua, the holy God who had forgiven his sins after more than two decades of self-imposed penance. When he woke up that morning, he had no idea that he had a daughter and there he was, at this moment, in her loving embrace.
After proper introductions were made between the three of them, Luke and Rio stood in the parking lot and listened to Sota explain the story of his salvation. The whole conversation was in Japanese but Luke and Rio hung on every word.
Their discussion went on for nearly an hour before Luke finally butted in and suggested that they pile into the van and go find a place to eat dinner. Everyone agreed but then Sota went right back to it. He was so excited that he couldn’t stop talking. Rio chimed in occasionally, to ask questions but, otherwise, Sota sounded like a man set free from a two-decade vow of silence. The explanation flashed back and forth between what he had experienced that morning and everything he had been through since the day his father had told him he would be marrying Mei Awkagawa. His story continued over dinner at a nearby ramen restaurant that Luke chose without consensus because he couldn’t get a word in. The story was filled with laughter and tears, guilt and anger, heartache and joy, repentance and redemption.
About half way through dinner, Rio got an approving nod from Luke and then offered to give the Bible she had just finished reading to Sota when they got back to the van. Sota’s eyes lit up as Rio explained some of the things she had recently learned about the amazing Messiah he had just had the honor of meeting. Shortly thereafter, Sota turned the table and asked Rio countless questions about her. He wanted to know everything and Rio held almost nothing back. Even Luke learned some things he didn’t know before.
One thing none of them could possibly know, which would have likely dampened the festive mood, was that while they were eating, two National Police agents were at the Jorakuzan Mantokuji Temple asking questions about Sota. It was the same two that had visited Isaac earlier that morning. Both were men. Agent Fukuda was average height and slender but out of shape, even for the age of fifty-eight, while Agent Watanabe was shorter, rounder but surprisingly agile and energetic, even for thirty-two years old.
About an hour after they left CYOI, they received word that a police officer out of the Kyotofu Chukyo Police Station had obtained the name of the man the young woman in question was searching for: Sota Tanaka. With that new piece of information, the NPA agents could access a database most people, even in Japanese law enforcement circles, didn’t know existed and track Sota Tanaka down at the Jorakuzan Mantokuji Temple. They discovered upon their arrival that Sota had decided to leave less than two hours before they got there and that he mentioned having just learned that he had a daughter.
The agents searched Sota’s room and, at first, they didn’t find anything because Sota had cleared his stuff out. But, as they were walking out of the room, one of the agents decided to drop to his knees and peek under the bed. There, amongst stacks of books and documents pertaining to the Shinto and Buddhist religions, was an old, framed wedding photo of Sota and Mei. Sota had hauled that picture around for more than two decades as a reminder of what he had destroyed. But, the moment he was set free from his pain and guilt, Sota had forgotten all about it. And now, after confirming it with others at the temple, the agents had a photo of one of the people they were looking for.
It wasn’t until dinner was over and she felt she could find a private spot to give Sota a demonstration that Rio decided to tell him the one thing that she had kept mum about at dinner: her new ability to control water. They went to the van to show the Bible to Sota. He had learned English when he was younger because his father had mandated it for business purposes. However, he knew reading the Bible in English would be difficult because he hadn’t practiced his English proficiency in over twenty years. Despite his rusty language skills, however, he was still excited and wanted to start reading immediately. But, Rio suggested they leave the van there for a little while and take a walk. Luke and Sota agreed but, Sota decided to bring the Bible with him just in case he got a chance to peruse it a little.
She found their private spot by suggesting they go down to the beach at Heisaura Bay. They walked up the beach for about a half of a mile until she felt that it was safe. The cover of night was helpful, too, even though the night sky was clear and the moonlight shining off the ocean created a beautiful gleam that illuminated the area far more than normal. Had Luke and Rio been alone, it would have been the perfect place for their first kiss. However, Rio’s mind was on other things.
At first, Sota looked at Rio in disbelief as she explained the story of how she had discovered that she had this ability and how much it had evolved since that first morning. But, when Rio reached her hand out and a wave was paused mid-crash, Sota’s brow furrowed and his eyes darted back and forth between the water and his daughter.
“How are you doing that?” he asked her.
“I’m not exactly sure,” Rio admitted before dropping her hand and allowing the wave to finish crashing. She proceeded to tell Sota everything about the prophecy, including the fact that Rio was confident that it had been delivered by the same woman he had met in his room. The same woman who had told her where to find him that day.
Suddenly, this fantastic tale made everything about his marriage to Mei, the fact that she couldn’t get pregnant, and her disappearance, make sense. He found himself thanking God for the revelation of truth at the same time Rio was thanking God that finding Sota had turned out to be such a joyous experience.
It was about then that Agents Fukuda and Watanabe were showing the wedding photo around town and asking everyone they could find if they had seen the man, who would be about twenty years older, that evening. After showing it to nearly one hundred people and getting nowhere, they finally got a positive response from a young couple coming out of the same ramen restaurant that Sota had dined in with Luke and Rio earlier. The man told the agents that Sota was with a younger couple and that they were leaving the restaurant while he and his girlfriend were arriving. The man glanced up and noticed the van in the parking lot, pointed and told the agents that he noticed they were getting something out of the van when he and his girlfriend entered the restaurant. Then, finally, he told the agents exactly what they wanted to hear:
“Van’s still here. They couldn’t have gone far.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Washed By The Water
Luke, Rio and Sota stood on the beach and talked, for over an hour, about the amazing journeys that had led them to the time and place that they found themselves in at that moment. Sota also mentioned that the elderly woman had told him they would need his help. They surmised that it might have something to do with the fact that the National Police Agency was now trying to locate Rio. All three of them feared what they might do to her or how they might try and use her if they managed to bring her in.
Rio
wanted to ignore the horrific possibilities being discussed but, as the conversation continued, she couldn’t help but picture herself imprisoned in a deep, dark hole somewhere. She knew that she meant no one any harm but, she had seen too many movies like “E.T.: The Extraterrestrial,” “Powder,” and “Escape to Witch Mountain” to believe that people wouldn’t do horrible things to her just because they didn’t understand her abilities or where they came from. They all agreed that her capture would most likely include, at the very least, indefinite imprisonment. Or, it could even result in government experimentation or an attempt to use her for nefarious purposes. The latter two seemed less likely but, not totally out of the realm of possibility. Regardless, she knew that, like Sota and Luke, her first choice was to not find herself in the hands of the National Police. Now, she had to trust God to protect her and try to accept the fact that, whatever His plan was, it was the right one.
Luke and Sota both argued that it was time to get Rio back on a plane and headed home before the NPA discovered her identity and made travel impossible for her. However, while Rio agreed that it made logical sense to escape while she could, she knew in her heart that God’s purpose for her was in Japan and she was determined to stay and see it through.
It was clear to all three of them that divine providence was at work and none of them wanted to step in front of that. This conversation led Sota, once again, to begin asking questions about what Rio had learned in her readings of the Bible. He was obviously anxious to read it himself but, in the meantime, wanted to soak up as much as he could by any means available. Rio’s grasp on the scriptures after only one reading was remarkable but, naturally, Luke had to fill in a few holes and explain some things.
One of the things that Rio mentioned having noticed was that in the book of Acts, a lot of new followers in Christ were baptized the same way that John the Baptist had baptized Jesus Himself. Luke explained that the act of baptism is a way for us to identify ourselves with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by being immersed into the water and then raised back out of it, symbolizing the dying of our old self and then being raised in a new life with Christ. He told them that it is an act of commitment a lot like a wedding, a signal of the covenant relationship we are entering into with Jesus Christ, and a commissioning to go forward as the light of Jesus in this dark world.
“I am ready,” Sota said as if an invitation had just been extended. “My commitment to Yeshua is firm. We must not wait. The time for this baptism is now.”
Luke looked at Rio, thinking she would share in his surprise. Instead, she was nodding in agreement with Sota.
“Absolutely,” she said. “Luke, can you baptize us?”
“Yeah . . . ” Luke said, realizing that he was the only one who seemed at all taken aback. “Sure. I mean, typically, there are more witnesses. It’s kind of a public statement of faith. But, under the circumstances, I think we can . . . Now, as in right now, huh? Well . . . Yeah. Okay, let’s just go ahead and kick our shoes off and wade out into the water.”
Less than three minutes later, their feet were stepping into the sixty-five-degree water. The higher up the body the water got, the colder it felt. They eventually walked out far enough that the water was reaching Rio’s waistline but their enthusiasm kept them warm. The moonlight was bright enough that they could see each other’s faces and they were all wearing big smiles.
“I know I’ve already heard your confessions of faith,” Luke started, “but, just to be clear, have you each accepted Jesus as your savior and come to believe that he died for your sins?”
“Yes,” Rio and Sota answered, almost in unison.
“Then it is an honor and a privilege to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Luke lifted Sota’s left hand up to his nose so he could hold it closed, then put an arm behind his back and laid him backwards into the water, dunking him under, and then pulled him back up. He then repeated the same process with Rio.
“You have both been raised to walk in a new life,” Luke told them as they all exchanged hugs and shared in the excitement of the moment. “Now, let’s get out of the water and I’ll pray as we start to dry off.”
The three of them walked back to the shoreline, talking and laughing joyously. Luke put an arm around each of them and prayed. He confessed that there is nothing like the contagious zeal of new followers of Jesus and thanked God for the inspirational obedience in taking the faith-step of baptism in the walk with Him for both Sota and Rio. He asked God to continue leading, guiding and directing them as He had clearly already been doing. He also asked God to use their lives for His purpose and glory.
As he ended the prayer, Luke remembered what Rio had done the day he learned about her abilities and asked, “Hey, can’t you dry us off like you did after saving Daichi?”
“Oh,” Rio said as she realized he was right, “I can.”
Rio waved her hands in front of them and the water collected in a sphere, levitating three and a half feet in the air between the three of them. Sota’s eyes grew wide as he realized he was completely dry, including his clothes, and he was staring at a levitating ball of water that his daughter had complete control of. Then, suddenly, Rio waved a hand and the ball of water zoomed into the ocean and disappeared.
The trio walked back toward the parking lot to get the van, talking about how amazing everything was that was happening around Rio and what a privilege it was to be a part of it. They also decided they would have to find a campground or something to spend the night in and then figure out where they would go from there. Unfortunately, they were not yet aware of the fact that they would never get that far because Agents Fukuda and Watanabe were staking the van out at that very moment.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Tokkō
Following a socialist-anarchist plot to assassinate Japanese Emperor Meiji in 1910, The Home Ministry of the Empire of Japan established the Tokubetsu Kōtō Keisatsu (Special Higher Police.) This branch of law enforcement, often called Tokkō or “peace police,” was specifically established to investigate and control political groups and ideologies deemed to be a threat to public order. Tokkō acted as a civilian counterpart to the military’s Kempeitai and Tokkeitai, combining both criminal investigation and counter-espionage functions in a similar fashion to that of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States of America. However, in less charitable circles, it has often been compared to Nazi Germany’s Gestapo secret police and called by the unflattering term “Thought Police.”
The decade that followed the establishment of the Tokkō saw historical events such as the Russian Revolution, the Samil Uprising in Korea as well as major unrest in Japan due to the Rice Riots of 1918 and an increase in strikes due to the labor movement. So, under the administration of Hara Takashi and subsequent prime ministers, the Tokkō expanded significantly. Charged with suppressing “dangerous thoughts” that could threaten the state, the Tokkō was primarily concerned with socialism, communism and anarchism. But, the scope of its attention gradually increased to include all religious groups and anyone of extreme thought on either the left or the right.
By 1936, the Tokkō had arrested 59,013 people. But, in October of 1945, the Allied Occupation authorities eliminated the police force. Or, at least, that’s what the public was told. The truth is, they were never fully disbanded. The branch did shrink considerably, however, and they went underground so that they could operate far more covertly, effectively becoming a concealed, formidable shadow of law enforcement. When they were in public, as agents Fukuda and Watanabe were on this occasion, they simply identified themselves as being from the National Police Agency. This, of course, was technically accurate. They just didn’t make it known that they were from a clandestine branch that everyone, except for a select few at the very top of the NPA, thought had been abolished more than fifty years earlier.
In Japan, it was rare that police cars were not readily identifiable by their paint and li
ghts and all officers wore uniforms. However, agents Fukuda and Watanabe were wearing business suits and sitting in a black, unmarked, four-door 1996 Toyota Corolla. Parked across the street and waiting for the trio to return to the old church van, they were discussing what they knew about the case so far.
They knew that there was a young woman in search of her long-lost father, Sota Tanaka, who had turned out to be a deeply religious man of both the Buddhist and Shinto faiths. They also knew that she was connected to at least two major events that were unexplainable by the laws of nature and that she was being escorted around Japan by a Christian missionary. They did not know who she was, where she had come from or, whether there was any truth to the claims of miraculous events that seemed to follow her around. They suspected she was somehow committing fraudulent behavior in either an attempt to gain some sort of religious following or, perhaps because she had “daddy” issues and was trying to gain the attention of one Sota Tanaka. Either way, with all the different religions involved, the acts performed publicly, and the rumors that were already spreading in the public conversation, she was considered a threat to the state and needed to be brought in for questioning before things got out of hand.
Between their access to an exclusive database of public location, behavior and ideology back at headquarters and the upcoming opportunity to interrogate all three of the people of interest that they were currently waiting for, agents Fukuda and Watanabe were confident they would be able to get to the bottom of things in the next twenty-four hours or so. But, first, they had to apprehend those persons of interest.
