Conspiracy

by Allan Topol

  Cady gave a short, nervous laugh. "I guess you're right. I just don't like waiting around while the leader of a possible coup is parked next door to us." Cady made a sour face. "Anyway, there's nothing we can do about it. If we tried to leave, they'd restrain us physically. All we can do is wait and hope that I'm wrong."

  His words troubled her. "Maybe you will be wrong about how this is going to play out."

  "In the movies," Cady continued, "we would end up together happily ever after, and Sato and Harrison would be destroyed."

  "But in real life?"

  "Soldiers rush up to us with machine guns firing."

  * * *

  Nakamura and Sato dined together—just the two of them—in the main house. Kimono-clad women left food and sake, then retreated quickly behind a closed door. Armed soldiers paced in the corridor.

  "You have placed me in a difficult situation," Nakamura said. "I want to find a reasonable solution, but so far it eludes me."

  Sato gripped a piece of octopus sashimi in his chopsticks. "Surely you can't be considering my extradition to the United States."

  Nakamura frowned. "From all of the facts presented, I have no choice."

  Sato struggled to control his anger. "You'll be hated throughout the country. People will say that your motive is political. That you realized you would lose the election to me. That was how you stole it."

  Nakamura bristled at Sato's harsh words. "I'm aware of that, but we're a democratic government. I have to do what is right."

  Sato snarled. "What is right for whom? For you. Surely not for the Japanese people."

  "The United States is an ally."

  "Allies should treat each other with dignity, as equals. When the Chinese use their military might to erode our economy, this ally of ours will stand by and watch our nation be wrecked."

  Nakamura frowned, troubled by Sato's words. "Three people have died."

  Sato was ready for that comment. "How many died in the American bombing of our homeland night after night? My mother and sister were two out of hundreds of thousands. Try to imagine your mother burning to death before your own eyes. First her hair. Then her clothes and her flesh. How many died in China? My father survived, but he was destroyed fighting there. And I know that your brother and uncle were two others."

  "But that was years ago."

  "People haven't changed. People never change."

  Nakamura blew out his breath and sipped a tiny bit of sake. Sato was clever, his arguments powerful. "What would you have me do?" he asked.

  "Refuse the request to extradite me."

  "And Harrison?"

  "He should have an unfortunate accident. Dead men can't be extradited."

  "Cady and Taylor will pursue you publicly. Through legal channels."

  "Without Harrison to testify to my involvement, there is no case against me. You will be able to turn away their request."

  "Let me ask you hypothetically—if I agree to do that, will you drop out of the election for prime minister?"

  Sato locked eyes with Nakamura. "Never."

  After waiting for Nakamura to grasp the firmness of his conviction, Sato rose. "I'm going back to my cottage. You consider your decision carefully tonight. If you decide on my extradition, you will be responsible for the consequences."

  Nakamura's face flushed with anger. "Are you threatening me?"

  "I am simply pointing out that I have loyal supporters. They may not accept your decision."

  Sato had tossed the threat of civil war on the table. The usually stoic Nakamura raised his hand to point a finger at Sato. But before he could do that, Sato turned and marched out of the room.

  * * *

  Ozawa had called to tell Terasawa that they would be in the compound all night. He had also repeated to him Sato's detailed report of who would be staying in each of the buildings, the strength of the defenses, and their location.

  At ten o'clock, with high-powered infrared binoculars, from his position on a wooded hill above the complex Terasawa looked through a window of the main house and watched Nakamura, Suzuki, and Fujimura convening around a table. They must be trying to decide what to do.

  * * *

  Slowly and stealthily, Terasawa crept down the hill. With the heavy cloud cover it was pitch-black. With his dark leather jacket he melted into the shadows. The night-vision glasses he was wearing showed him there was no fence. No dogs. Just twenty men in place around the main building with significant distance between them. Others were guarding the cottages. Ozawa had told him to go in through a side entrance to the main house, where Kenji, the soldier on duty at that door, would let Terasawa pass.

  At the bottom of the hill Terasawa took a narrow path behind a wooden shed, close to the side entrance. Crouching, he watched and waited. So far, so good. No one knew he was here.

  After a minute Terasawa picked up some pebbles and tossed them to the left of Kenji, the signal Ozawa had told him to use. As the pebbles hit the ground Kenji turned toward the noise. While he did, Terasawa made his move.

  Inside, the house seemed deserted. Terasawa crept surreptiously toward the room in which Nakamura was meeting with Suzuki and Fujimura. Once he heard their voices, he paused in the next room out of their sight and listened. He heard Nakamura say, "I don't like the idea of extraditing Yahiro Sato. Harrison is different. With Sato, people will say my motive was political."

  "You have no choice," Suzuki responded.

  "He's right," Fujimura added. "The evidence against Sato is strong."

  "It's a dangerous decision. He has powerful supporters," Nakamura said in a voice cracking with nervousness.

  "And you are the elected prime minister of the country," Suzuki replied.

  There was a long silence. Finally Nakamura said, "You're both right. I'll honor the American extradition request. I'll announce it in the morning."

  Terasawa had heard enough. He crept out of the house through the side entrance. When Kenji heard his footsteps, the soldier turned the other way. In seconds Terasawa raced back into the woods that encircled the property.

  Ozawa had told Terasawa that only a single soldier was guarding each of the three cottages that were being occupied. The guard in front of Sato's cottage was loyal to Sato and Ozawa. He would let Terasawa pass.

  Terasawa emerged from the woods behind Sato's cottage, caught the soldier's attention with his eyes, and whispered the words, "General Ozawa said I can pass." As the guard looked away, Terasawa slipped by.

  * * *

  Sato was pacing back and forth across the living room of the cottage. What would Nakamura decide? he kept asking himself. He had no intention of honoring an extradition request. Soldiers loyal to his cause were waiting outside. Others were in the two trucks waiting with Ozawa. Nakamura was a smart man. He had to understand the serious consequences of a decision directing Sato's extradition.

  Sato heard a rustling at the rear door of the cottage. Hairs stood up on the back of his neck. Had Nakamura decided that the reasonable solution was to kill him? He hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. He raised it high over his head and moved noiselessly by the doorway.

  Astonished, he watched Terasawa enter. Their eyes met; then the assassin bowed. Sato wanted to kill the man. If Terasawa had disposed of Taylor and Cady in Washington, there would never have been this proceeding. Sato wouldn't even be here.

  Terasawa understood how Sato felt. "If you wish to use the knife on me," he said, his head still bowed in front of Sato, "I willingly submit. At least I beg you to listen first to what I have to tell you."

  "Stand up," Sato said. "It is tempting, but now's not the time. What information do you have?"

  "I was in the main house, Sato-san," Terasawa said. "A few minutes ago."

  "And?" he asked, tightening the grip on the knife.

  "Prime Minister Nakamura intends to extradite you. The decision will be announced in the morning."

  Initially Sato was surprised. As Terasawa's words sank in, though, surpris
e gave way to fury. "Are you certain of that?"

  "I heard it myself."

  "It's civil war he wants then," Sato said, thinking aloud.

  "I'll do whatever you want," Terasawa said. "You can count on me to fight to the death."

  Seeing the determination on Terasawa's face, Sato loosened his hold on the knife. If he prevailed tonight, there would be plenty of time to deal with Terasawa's incompetence in Washington. "Are you armed?" Sato asked.

  "Pistol and stiletto."

  Sato's mind began racing. It would be best to make his move now, at night. "Go get the two Americans and bring them here."

  "Immediately." Terasawa started toward the door.

  "Alive. And I mean that." Sato's eyes bored into Terasawa like lasers. "As hostages they're of value to me. Dead, they're useless. Do you understand?"

  Terasawa nodded. "And Harrison?"

  "He's of no use to me," Sato said coldly. "Quite the contrary. He is the key witness against both of us."

  "Understood."

  "Go now. Be back here with the two of them in precisely twenty minutes. Before you leave Taylor's cottage, set it on fire. In exactly twenty minutes."

  Terasawa bowed deeply. "It will be done."

  As the assassin exited the cottage, Sato pulled out his cell phone and called Ozawa. "It's time to act. How soon can you be here with the two truckloads of soldiers?"

  "I left the soldiers in the trucks a few miles away. I'm on the road at the end of the driveway to the compound. I can be in your cottage myself in one minute. I'll make a call to the soldiers. They can be here in twenty minutes."

  "Good. Do it then. Also, give the order by phone to the soldiers in the compound loyal to us that in twenty minutes one of the cottages will be set on fire. That's their signal to kill the other soldiers and occupy the main house. In the confusion, hold Nakamura, Suzuki, and Fujimura prisoners. Tell your people that two truckloads of soldiers are coming for support."

  "I'll give the orders immediately."

  * * *

  Terasawa took up position behind a tree near Harrison's cottage. The single guard was circling the cottage on foot. Terasawa waited until the guard was in the back to bound across the open stretch and slip in the front door. He found Harrison lying in the Western-style bed on his back, snoring loudly.

  As he stood in the doorway, watching Harrison, waves of anger and rage engulfed Terasawa. The idea that he had been taking orders in the United States from this pathetic, weak American tore at his insides. If Harrison weren't so gutless, everything could have been done neatly and quickly. Because of his insistence on the Mississippi extradition, Terasawa had lost his chance to kill Taylor before she ever got to Cady and plunged them into this quagmire.

  With the stiletto in hand, he advanced silently and jumped on the bed, straddling Harrison's body. Terasawa didn't want to kill Harrison in his sleep. The American should know what was happening. With his free hand Terasawa grabbed Harrison's throat, cutting off his windpipe so he couldn't scream.

  Harrison woke with a start. When he tried to sit up, Terasawa forced him down, flat against the bed. He tried to twist away, turning his arms, kicking his legs. His struggles were hopeless. Terasawa was too powerful.

  A thin ray of light from outside reflected off the stiletto. Harrison, his eyes bulging with terror, looked into Terasawa's face. He could sense the man's hatred—a wild animal beyond reason.

  Terasawa went to work, using the knife to slice off his genitals, then jab his abdomen. Blood began spurting from Harrison's body. Backing away, Terasawa tied one of Harrison's legs to the bedpost so he couldn't move. Then Terasawa wiped the blood from the stiletto on a sheet and left him to die a painful death.

  Terasawa checked his watch and grimaced. Too much time with Harrison. He had better move fast to get Taylor and Cady.

  He covered the distance quickly. Outside their cottage a single soldier was standing in front of what looked like the only door. Terasawa circled around in the woods to ambush the guard from the rear.

  Hiding behind the corner of the building, Terasawa waited until the soldier was looking the other way. Then he made his move. He looped his left arm around the guard's neck, squeezing it. Yet the soldier reacted instantly, shoving an elbow hard into Terasawa's ribs and knocking the wind out of him. Terasawa fought back, pressing his forearm against the soldier's neck while he dragged the man backward into the woods, where their struggle wouldn't be seen. The soldier swung his machine gun wildly, aiming for Terasawa's head, but the assassin deflected it with his other arm holding the stiletto. Forming a fist, Terasawa punched the soldier in the side of his head, knocking him out. Then Terasawa slipped the stiletto into his heart for a clean kill.

  * * *

  Inside the cottage, Taylor and Cady were fully dressed, lying on different sides of the Western bed, too tense to sleep. "Are you awake?" Cady asked.

  "I'll never sleep tonight."

  "I heard some noises outside."

  "Didn't we do this at the Bel Air?"

  "This time I'm sure. I'm going to look."

  "Probably an animal. Or the guard in front."

  Cady put his shoes on and walked toward the door of the cottage. As he was about to open it, Terasawa burst into the room with an automatic pistol with a Sionics suppressor. Before Cady had a chance to shout, Terasawa clamped his hand over Cady's mouth and shoved the gun against the side of his head. In that position, Terasawa forced Cady toward the bedroom.

  Taylor heard the sound of approaching feet and turned on the light. "Oh, my God," she blurted out when she saw Cady and Terasawa.

  "If you make a sound, I'll kill both of you," Terasawa said.

  They knew he meant it and kept still. Unarmed, they were no match for the assassin.

  "Now, it's going to be like this," Terasawa said. "The gun's going back into my pocket. The three of us will walk over to Sato's cottage. If anyone asks, Sato-san wants to talk to you, and I'm the translator. If either one of you makes a false move, you're both dead. You understand?"

  They nodded.

  As they were leaving the cottage, Terasawa struck a match and lit the sheets on the bed. It would take a few minutes before the entire cottage caught on fire.

  No one questioned them as they covered the fifty yards to Sato's cottage. The guard in front, loyal to Sato, let them pass. Inside, Ozawa and Sato were sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, poring over a crude map of the compound Ozawa had drawn to show Sato where his men were. A duffel bag filled with guns and ammunition lay at Ozawa's feet.

  Once Terasawa herded them inside and closed the door, Sato said, "Well, well, my persistent American friends. We meet again."

  "What do you want with us?" Cady demanded.

  Sato sneered. "Nothing. It's you who want me."

  "You're making your legal situation worse," Cady said. "You won't get away with this."

  Sato laughed. "You may find this hard to believe, Mr. Cady, but we're not operating under American rules of law. You two are my insurance policy."

  Taylor understood exactly what was happening: They had become hostages in a coup being launched by Sato.

  "Tie them up," Sato barked to Terasawa. "Then leave them on the floor. They won't be going anywhere."

  Ozawa kept a gun aimed at Taylor and Cady while Terasawa roughly pushed them to the floor. Then he tied their hands behind each of them. He tied their ankles separately, then together, facing each other like a couple of Siamese twins.

  The coarse rope cut into Taylor's skin. She grimaced, biting down on her lower lip. She was kicking herself for not seeing that this was coming. Cady had tried to keep his hands apart when Terasawa tied them so he'd be able to wiggle free, but the assassin was too strong. He had forced Cady's hands together in a viselike grip behind Cady's back.

  "Where are your troops?" Sato asked Ozawa.

  Anxiously the general pulled out his cell phone. "Give me your location," he barked to the officer in charge.

  "We're on
foot, passing the catering trucks. We'll be at the gatehouse in less than a minute."

  Ozawa turned to Sato. "They're almost at the gatehouse."

  Sato nodded. "Good. Give the order I told you."

  Ozawa swallowed hard, overcame his doubts, and spoke quickly: "Move into the compound now. Once you're inside the gate, send twenty men to the main house. Kill everyone inside. Then burn it to the ground. Have the other twenty disperse around the perimeter and open fire on any of Nakamura's troops still standing."

  * * *

  Prime Minister Nakamura was looking out of the window of the main house, watching flames shoot out of Taylor and Cady's cottage high into the air. At that instant he had no doubt what Sato intended.

  He grabbed his cell phone and called Captain Tanaka, the head of Nakamura's personal security detail, who was on guard outside of the main house. He knew that he could count on Tanaka's support. "It's war," the prime minister said. "They're going to try to kill me. I need you in here to take charge."

  "Yes, sir," came the terse reply.

  Tanaka called to two men he could trust, and the three of them hustled into the building through a side entrance.

  Taking charge, Tanaka told Nakamura, Suzuki, and Fujimura, "I want the three of you behind that chest." He pointed to a heavy wooden piece of furniture. "It may deflect bullets. At least it's some protection."

  "I won't act like a coward," Nakamura protested.

  "With all due respect, Mr. Prime Minister, it may save your life, and the life of our country."

  Nakamura looked at Fujimura and Suzuki, who were nodding. "Okay, let's go," he said.

  Tanaka yanked the cell phone out of his pocket and called Akashi, the commander of the thirty soldiers he had hand-picked because he could count on their loyalty to Nakamura. They were sitting in the two catering trucks close to the gatehouse. Each of them was gripping an Uzi submachine gun. On their upper arms they each wore a white band with a red circle, the symbol of Japan, to distinguish themselves from Sato's supporters.

  "The attack has started," Tanaka said. "Move now. Fast. Into the compound."

  "We're on the way," Akashi said as he silently pulled back the tarp hiding the troops in the back of the truck.