Losing Masks

by Nicholas Metelsky

  “Okay, that's what we'll do. Take care of everything. I'd prefer resolving this as soon as possible. It's getting late tonight, tomorrow I'm busy, but I'll contact you on Sunday, and we can talk about the details. Unless you're busy on Sunday.”

  “No, not at all, Sakurai-san. I'll be waiting for your call.”

  “Great. Vasya, the rest are on you. Monitor the situation, and get a hold of me as soon as the others make up their minds. Better yet, get everyone together and take them to Shidotamoru HR. I'll let them know that you'll be coming.”

  I turned to the men, who were carefully listening to me.

  “I'll discuss everything today, and tomorrow you can go to HR. Do you have Internet at home? Find the address and the phone number. Takaki-san, you are the leader of your group. Make sure everything goes okay tomorrow.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He's mine now.

  “Well, let's wrap it up. Think about it, collect your questions, and bring them here next time. For now, relax and rest. Saw, I'll see you on Sunday. Vasya, tell the girls... Actually, I'll eat dinner at home.”

  I thought about what else had to be done today and remembered about Taro. I was going to take him with me to the reception, so people would start getting used to seeing him with me. I had already told Koyama about it and now I could go see Taro himself.

  Actually, why? We can chat tomorrow. Ok, I'll go home then.

  I had to clarify some things with the neighbors and then go to bed. It seemed that I had finished all my errands for the day. Although, thinking about it, I could drop by my arms dealer. He doesn't do wholesale, but he can refer me to the right person. At the same time, I'd take a look at the new items. Perhaps, I could pick up something for my people. I could also go to the shooting range, where I hadn't been for a while. Not since this whole mess with Dakisyuro had started. This shooting range was good because a lot of retirees went there. From privates to officers.

  I had started thinking about the coat of arms a while ago, and without professionals, my future security detail would look like nothing more than a gang. I could set some discipline, but I couldn’t do it all the time. I had other things to do. That was why I had found the perfect facility to meet the right people who could be useful in the future. That facility was the shooting range. I had spent two and a half years and lots of nerve cells becoming a trusted regular there, but now I had a list of people suitable for my purpose. They knew me, and I knew them. Okay, I'd take care of that on Sunday. I could visit the gun shop instead.

  Should I?

  I felt kind of lazy. I just wanted to go home, have dinner, and play some games. Just chill. I just had to remember to call HR.

  Chapter 3

  “Alright, we got it figured out. How are things with the death of the younger Sate, Kato-kun?”

  This time, not only was Okhayashi’s elder son present, but so was the head of their security service—Kata Giro—who was also the head of his bloodline.

  “He died of shock in the bathroom.”

  Even though they were talking about death, the men couldn't help but smile. After all, Sate Shinichi had not been the most respected man among those who knew him.

  “Heh. Could you be more specific?”

  “His maid found him in the bathroom this morning. The cause of death is cardiac arrest. According to the family doctor, no symptoms that could have led to that had been recorded. There was no evidence of any toxic substances in his blood or the glass of wine on the table. No one broke into the house. There are no records of any incoming or outgoing calls the night before his death. Right now, the security service of the Sate bloodline is trying to put all the pieces of evidence together to have a clear picture of the deceased’s last days. At the time, I considered it inappropriate to try and get any more details.”

  “Right, let's wait it out. Perhaps, we shouldn't interfere at all. Sean, send our condolences.”

  “The standard ones or do you want me to add anything? He was Aniko's fiancé, after all.”

  Dei did not answer right away. He tapped his finger on the edge of his desk for a while, before finally speaking.

  “Standard. If he takes it as a hint, I'll have to deal with the ‘second son’. I don't want to be disappointed in the youngest one, as well. Let's not risk that.”

  “Given the relationship with the Sate bloodline that has formed recently,” said Kato, “any formal condolences might be taken as you making fun of them.”

  “All the more so. Anyway, you know what to do, Sean. Let’s move on. It shouldn’t be a question who should go to Koyama’s.”

  “Hikaru. I go there all the time, so someone else should come with me. Aniko and Rydon are Sakurai's friends, and there should be someone other than them. It'd be too much for Koyama if the three of us went. The rest are either too young or are not Okhayashi by blood.”

  “You forgot my brother and his family.”

  “No, I didn't. But the ruling families should be responsible for establishing peace between our bloodlines. If I bring someone else, it'll look like we are threatened by them. However, taking into account that we initiated the treaty...”

  “Anyway. Did Akeno tell you if Sakurai will be going to the reception?”

  “No. All I know is that Koyama Shina does not really know either. Neither does Rydon. No one in their school gang knows.”

  “Possibly, the youngest Koyama would,” Kato said.

  “Yeah, possibly. Why guess, we'll find out there,” the head of the clan ended the deliberation. “In fact, Kato, do you have an idea where matters stand with Sakurai's ancestral lands? Has he leased them yet?”

  “He did, in fact. To his own company. Shidotamoru will own the lands for the next fifty years. Although, I personally believe that as soon as Sakurai gets a coat of arms, they will terminate the contract.”

  “Hm, that makes sense. What can I say, he outdid us with these lands.”

  “Is that possible?” Sean asked. “I thought that items that have the status of 'ancestral' could not be leased to any legal entity.”

  “He's underage,” Kato clarified. “The company is registered in his name, but until he turns 18, he has no factual ownership rights.”

  “How does he manage the company then?” Sean did not understand.

  “The question is how he managed to found it at all,” said Dei. “Not only found it, but develop and keep it running for so long. Why don’t you do some digging, Kato.”

  “I'm on it already, Okhayashi-dono. So far, it looks like everything stands on honesty and respect of his employees. However, I just started, so I may find out more.”

  “Just be careful. We need Sakurai, so we shouldn't give him a reason to distrust us.”

  “As you say, sir,” the head of the clan's security bowed his head.

  ***

  “Okay, the security service will deal with it. A different question. What are we going to do with the boss-lady?” The head of the Koyama clan directed this question to the people in his office.

  As usual, Koyama Kagami, did not say anything, waiting for the men to respond first and only then expressing her own opinion. If such an opinion was necessary. The clan's heir, on the other hand, understood that the serious questions concerning clan matters were over with and relaxed. He stretched out his legs and positioned himself on a special cushion, a dzabutone.

  “Nothing,” he expressed his opinion.

  “Excuse me?” Kenta asked.

  “Do nothing. We have too little information about this. If you do something now, we might be in even bigger trouble. For now, we just need to gather information. Basically, we just have to sit still and observe.”

  “Before it's too late? I did not expect this from you, son.”

  “The only thing we won’t be able to do anything about is him falling in love with her,” said Akeno, catching his father's skeptical look.

  He didn't notice his wife giving him the same look.

  “Ho-o-o. Father, you got to understan
d that Shinji is not a child anymore. Sometimes even I forget this, but at least I try to see the other side of things.”

  “Okay, what's there on the other side?” The old man chuckled.

  “For instance, for some reason, you fail to acknowledge the fact that Shinji wants to use this woman. Any action on our part might affect his plans. The only thing that we should do, in my opinion, is have an open talk with him. I also acknowledge that he might not be aware of her criminal activities. For that reason, he might make mistakes that could negatively affect his present plans. A man who has achieved as much as he has is hardly a fool or an inexperienced youth. He will figure it out on his own.”

  “With a woman... WOMAN, who managed to become one of the strongest bosses of Garagarahabi? He's only sixteen, son!”

  “I believe in him. You gotta stop all this plotting behind his back.”

  “What plotting?” The old man showed his indignation.

  “For instance, your gossiping with the Mori bloodline. Do you think I don't know about your plans to have the boy married to the granddaughters of this grumpy old man?”

  “What's wrong with that? If it works out—great, if not—fine,” Koyama muttered. “You, by the way, do not mind using him in making peace with Okhayashi.”

  “Not use, father,” the man cut off. “I just don't mind if he participates in it. Unlike you, I told him about it.”

  The silence that followed these words was broken by Akeno's father.

  “I'm not going to put any pressure on him, Akeno. I never have. My actions, regardless of what they are, have never harmed him. Therefore, son... WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE.”

  Kagami barely shuddered. The last words of the head of the clan emitted great power. It wasn't the notorious Yaki, but the very quintessence of the man’s possibilities, character, and will. Glancing at her husband, she could not help but feel proud of him. It was hard to tell whether he realized it or not, but he didn't show it. But it did seem that he was winding up.

  “Should we talk to Bunya? Perhaps, they could convince him to return to the bloodline,” suggested Kagami.

  It was a silly suggestion. Silly and out of the blue. But that's exactly what she needed right then. Let them explain to the ignorant woman that they wouldn’t beg Shinji to come back, and that he would not return to them all on his own. That may help the drama subside.

  “Daisuke will not do that—ignorant woman! Nor will anyone else be allowed to beg him,” Kenta said angrily.

  “Sometimes you don't even know what you're saying. Shinji won't do it. You should realize that,” the heir of the clan said.

  They fell silent, thinking their own thoughts.

  “Here's what we'll do. Akeno, you talk to the boy. Hint or tell him straight forward who this woman is, find out what he knows. Kagami, talk to Nakata Akemi and give her a hint about what's going to happen if she tries using him in something dangerous. Let's finish at that. Kagami, bring us something to drink.”

  Silently bowing, the woman got up from her pillow and headed to get drinks for the men.

  “Have you watched that recording that I gave you?” Akeno asked after a few minutes of silence.

  “Yes. Definitely a Master,” his father replied. “A strong one, but still a Master.”

  “Do we need him?”

  “Only if we didn't have to look for him and if he turned up on his own. Wasting resources in order to find him is not worth it and would just turn him against us.”

  “But he's a universal, father!”

  “So what? You know all about these animals just as well. This guy might become a Knight, but using both elements...” Kenta shook his head. “He's a strong Master, but will make a weak Knight.”

  “Maybe weak, but still a Knight...”

  “So you do want him?”

  “Yes. Perhaps, we could retrain him.”

  “No, it's impossible. Just deal with it. He's already a universal.”

  ***

  I was sitting on my car's hood waiting for Akemi. Rymov, my driver for the day, was in the car, reading a newspaper. Apparently, he didn't mind waiting. I, on the other hand, was on edge. I took out my phone, dialed her number, but before I could say anything, I heard her voice.

  “I'm on my way.”

  At this exact moment, I looked up and saw her—the beauty in a purple yukata. I realized that I was in trouble.

  “What is this?” Akemi asked, gesturing at me, after she approached the car.

  “What are you talking about?” I played dumb.

  “What are you wearing?”

  “Umm, it's an outfit for young men.”

  “Do you understand that it doesn't go with my look? I look like an old lady next to you,” she said in an offended tone.

  “Don't be silly,” she obviously wanted to hear a compliment. “You look very nice in this yukata.”

  “Was it that hard to tell me what you were going to wear? Why are all men so egocentric?”

  Okay, we gotta stop that before it escalates.

  “That's my response to you being late. We shall go. We have to pick up another person on our way,” I said, opening the door for her.

  “Your response is not a response. Therefore, I'm still waiting for one,” she blurted out, getting into the car.

  “As you say, my fair lady,” I said, shutting the door.

  Taro, whom we picked up at his house, hardly fit the description of “one-legged” anymore. However, his movements were still kind of stiff. When we pulled in to his house, he was waiting for us at the gate. His bodyguard was there with him. I got out of the car and walked towards the men, lighting a cigarette on my way.

  After all, Akemi knows how to get on my nerves and get away with it. All I could do was give her a rude response. I hope she'll watch it with Taro around.

  “Hey there, legless,” I greeted him and nodded to the guard. “Sugisima.”

  “How am I legless, boss? Look at me, I can almost dance,” he spread his arms, but didn’t move from the spot on which he stood.

  “Hm. Any complaints, requests, or suggestions?” I turned to Sugisima.

  “No, boss.”

  “Good. Go ahead, legless, get in the front seat.”

  “I'm not legless,” he mumbled in response, making his way towards the Porsche.

  “I'll bring him back tonight. I'll give you a call if anything comes up. You're free until then.”

  “Got it,” Sugasima Tsunao replied.`

  Walking to the car, I thought I should get the guard a better uniform and ammunition. He didn’t really look like a guard—no bulletproof vest, no pistol. I’m not even talking about an automatic weapon of any kind. He had a standard Beretta hunting suit on. That was all.

  “Okay, let me introduce you to each other. Akemi, this is my jack of all trades, Nemoto Taro. Taro, this beautiful young girl is none other than Nakata Akemi,” I took a short pause, making sure everyone knew who I was talking about and then added, “one of the strongest bosses of Garagarahabi.”

  After my words, Taro hooded his eyes, and Akemi raised her chin up slightly.

  “Nice to meet you, Ms. Nakata.”

  “Nemoto-san,” she nodded in response.

  “Then of course,” I spoke again, “let me introduce one of my most trusted people, temporarily a driver, Vasya Rymov.”

  “My pleasure,” he nodded, making a half-turn.

  “Now we can go.”

  The Koyama's house in the city was a little small for hosting receptions of such a level as this one. Rather, the territory around the house was too small to fit all the guests. Therefore, we were going to their mansion in the country where they usually hosted such events. I always wondered why in the whole time I had lived next to them, I’d never seen a large reception. The rare influx of guests that I remember could hardly be called a reception at all.

  The mansion was designed in the Sinden-dzukuri style. That's not that important, though. Such mansions were built in the eleventh century, and they re
quired a large territory. Here, the grandeur was manifested in a lake with multiple islets connected with wooden bridges.

  With his granddaughters on each side, Kenta was greeting everyone right by the main gate of the mansion. Dressed in a black kimono with a white haori, the old man looked very harmonious against the girls, who were wearing red yukatas. Mizuki's sour face quickly disappeared when she saw us approaching. She must have felt more relaxed in my presence. Shina's attention was scattered between me and Akemi, and her face showed something between shock and outrage. It didn't surprise me, considering the contrast between my outfit and Akemi’s. I knew she was coming for me—she would never let it slide.

  “Good day, Kenta-san. Girls,” I made a slight bow. “Let me introduce my company. This beauty next to me is Nakata Akemi. This young man, who's a little older than me, is my assistant and a jack of all trades, Nemoto Taro.”

  “Hello, gentlemen... and lady. It's a pleasure for the Koyama clan and bloodline to have this young man's friends over,” the old man smiled. “My granddaughter Shina will take you to the rest of the guests.”

  At these words Shina bowed and gestured her hand towards the house.

  As soon as I was brought into the yard, I started looking for Chesuje. If I chit-chatted with him for a little bit, the plan for today could be considered accomplished. Unfortunately, he either hadn’t come yet, or wasn’t coming at all. At least, I couldn’t find him. Since I couldn’t follow my plan, I went to check out Kagami's concoctions. After getting my permission, Taro went to talk to some guy and his wife.

  “Oh, look!” I pointed at one of the tables. “Those are Kagami's meat rolls. Let's go check them out.”

  “Men...” Akemi shook her head in response. “All you care about is food and women. For some reason, you don't pick the right ones, though.”

  “Let's go. Trust me, you'll like them.”