The secretary rang. “Your sister, Ms. Takahara is here to see you.”
Tock, tock, tock. Several more rain drops began pelting the window. “Very well,” Hiromitsu answered. “Please, see that some Green Tea is prepared and brought in.”
Shantigra loved Green Tea. The loose leaf type. The type with the large nearly whole leaves. It was a bond between the Takahara siblings. It was nostalgic for them. It brought them together. It's what reminded them of their family bonds.
Hiromitsu always remembered his younger sister – she couldn't have been more than 7 years old – studying with amazement the serrated leaf edges unfurling in the hot water; all of their wondrous and marvelous details.
The loose green tea reminded the two siblings of their late father. He had taught them proper meditation through the tea cup analogy. “An active, agitated mind is a cluttered and murky mind,” he had said to the two young children as he poured a cup of loose green tea, allowing the children to see and watch its contents swirl in chaos. “But when the mind is still – at rest – placid,” father would wait then and slowly add, “Only then can one have Clear Mind.” And at this point in the lesson, the loose tea leaves had all settled at the bottom of the cup. “Only with Clear Mind can you hope to contemplate. Meditation brings you Clear Mind.”
It was a lesson both Hiromitsu and Shantigra fondly remembered and practiced.
The office door opened and his secretary entered, carrying a tray with a iron pot of tea and two cups. She was followed by his sister.
Hiromitsu smiled warmly and motioned for her to sit. Shantigra seemed uncomfortable – awkward even. He sat beside her away from his desk, for he had no desire for this to carry the air of a formal business-like meeting.
He poured his sister and himself cups of tea. He sat silently and watched the tea leaves swirl in his cup. Strangely, his sister just held it in her hands, warming them. She took no notice of the cup's contents.
He looked her up and down – desperately trying to glimmer a sign or hint of why she was so different of late. She was a different person. He was concerned. She seemed healthy. No weight loss. If anything, she might have gained some weight.
“Is everything alright?” he asked.
She smiled. A cute tender smile – but an expression so alien to the sister he knew as to nearly frighten him. “I'm fine. Are you eating?” she asked. She knew he had a habit when he was busy with work to miss meals. It would bring on debilitating headaches. This was more like his little sister.
“Yes, imouto,” he answered with a slight bow of his eyes.
She smiled and nodded her head. “Good, onii-chan!”
Silence ensued. What normally might have been a silence for the siblings to share, somehow morphed into an awkward silence. It confused Hiromitsu.
“I'd like to speak with you about the Chiba Cottage,” she began. “I'd like to make use of it. As a sort of retreat. A respite.”
A sudden squall of rain sounded like machine-gun fire against the office window. The storm had rolled in. Both siblings were distracted for a moment, then returned to one another's company. “The secret Chiba Cottage?” Hiromitsu emphasized playfully.
This cottage was little more than a ruins really - lost and forgotten in the Chiba Prefecture, south-east of Tokyo, quietly nestled between two national parks. Few people even were aware of its isolated location. It was Hiromitsu's secret retreat, but he rarely used it. It was lonely, desolate, and isolated.
It was Shantigra's – Marie's - hope for Lorne to escape from his penthouse prison.
“That old temple?” Hiromitsu questioned, “Why don't you just take a vacation?”
Marie pondered quickly how to respond, then Shantigra answered. “There are too many people in Tokyo. I need... I need to get away from the people.”
Hiromitsu stared at his younger sister. This could be a perfect opportunity to question her about how different she has been acting lately.
“Will you leave for long?” his voice revealing his concern.
“No. Short one or two day trips.” The Shantigra-facet of Marie's multimind volunteered her knowledge and memories of their meditation practice. “I need... I need to have Clear Mind,” she finished.
This was a step in the right direction, Hiromitsu thought. She needs to clear her mind. At least she is aware something is out of sorts. “Will you confide in me when the time is right?”
“I promise, Hiro, I will,” she answered with a slight nod, her eyes on the ground.
“Of course, the Chiba cottage is as good as yours.” He placed his cup of tea back onto the tray. “Would you like me to send a maintenance and cleaning crew to the cottage?”
His sister reached out and placed her hand on his and looked directly into his eyes. “No. Thank you. I can manage.” She smiled that same alien cute tender smile.
She put her cup of tea back onto the tea tray. Hiromitsu watched intently and minutely. At no point did she look down into the cup.
They said their goodbyes and his sister left.
Hiromitsu returned to his large office window. It was fully raining now, the wind driving the rain sounded like wave after wave of machine-gun fire.
She rarely ever makes eye contact. She rarely held his hand. She never once glanced into her tea cup. That smile; the expression isn't hers... Hiromitsu's mind churned chaotic thoughts over and over in his head.
He returned to his desk and called for his receptionist.
“I need you to clear my schedule for the next hour,” he stated. “I do not want to be disturbed.”
“Yes sir.”
Hiromitsu retrieved his seiza bench. He turned the lights down, removed his shoes, and sat.
His mind was running amok. He wasn't thinking straight. He needed Clear Mind; he needed to meditate.
* * *
Shantigra drove through the congested streets of downtown Tokyo. The pavement had a shiny luster from the rain. The other cars appeared coated with a gloss. It was raining again. A cold and clammy rain. The kind that smells of winter and gets the chill right down to your bones. Being originally from Montreal, she was fearful of the rain freezing. But this was Tokyo, she reminded herself. It rarely freezes here.
She was on her way home after her meeting with her brother. He had happily agreed to allow her to make use of the secret Chiba cottage.
A half block ahead of her there was an accident. A bus had collided with a car. It was messy. There was a police cruiser trying to get through the traffic to the scene. She checked her rearview mirror. She had hoped to back out and take a different route home, but there was traffic jammed everywhere. She would have to sit and wait.
As her car idled she felt the clammy dampness forcing its way in. She turned the heat up to full and learned back in the comforting warmth. She quickly became absorbed in her thoughts...
It has been...what? Nearly ten months since her reunion with her husband, Lorne. Things were going well! But not so well for Lorne.
What Lorne truly desired was freedom! Freedom to walk down a street without being in fear of someone recognizing Massao's body. To be able to simply leave their penthouse.
She had orchestrated and hoped the use of Hiromitsu's secret Chiba cottage would provide an avenue of escape and a temporary respite.
He had been cooped up for ten months now and she knew it was getting to him. Lately he would fall into occasional periods of silent brooding... as if deep in thought... as if he were planning or writing something again. She had tried to read his mind – being a symbiot-creature herself now she had acquired the ability – but Lorne was much more proficient at it. He kept his mind constantly blanketed. How he could maintain the concentration amazed Marie. He never lowered his mind shields! But little did she know that Lorne did not concentrate to keep his mind blanketed from probing thoughts. The alien-facet in her husband was much more mature and much more powerful than hers. Lorne's alien-facet was growing and this continuous mental 'shield' was normal.
Changes were noticeable too. There were physical changes as well, or Marie thought so. She could not be sure. It could possibly be that, only now, she was noticing the finer and more minute details of Massao Yokomoto's face and body. It happens when you spend enough time with someone. She remembered when Lorne and herself had first moved out together, before they had gotten married. How she had noticed within the first week small details she had never before noticed.... but no. Some of these changes were too much!
Massao was a full-blooded Japanese man – oriental, dark brown eyes and pitch black hair. But now?! It appeared to her that his hair wasn't black any longer, but a dark brown. She could see it when the sun caught his hair just so. And his eyes! They were a deep hazel now! Even his facial expressions and features seemed to be those of Lorne's. Well of course they were Lorne's, she corrected herself. But Massao's actual physical face seemed to be slowly adopting Lorne's visage. Could the mind within be molding the body without? Again her methods of thinking were incorrect. She didn't have all the facts. Lorne knew that the mind did not rest within the body, but the body was only a fleshly appendage of the mind; the mind's only fleshly appendage. The body rested within the mind, but Marie did not know this. She had wondered whether the mind could reshape the body it possessed.
She couldn't tell with herself. She had, originally, been a dark eyed brunette and so was Shantigra. So if there were changes they would not be overly noticeable. But with Lorne it was noticeable! Very noticeable! Lorne had had dark, dirty blond hair and light hazel eyes.
But it would do her no good to dwell on these issues. Lorne's birthday was coming up. Money wasn't an issue any longer. She would purchase a grand piano and violin for him. She could use Hiromitsu's secret cottage in Chiba as a decoy to get Lorne out of the house for their delivery. Oh, she could see the look on his face!
His love of music had been rekindled! She didn't know why and she didn't care. She only knew that Lorne was happy when he was playing his music.
Marie played with the thought, until an impatient driver to her rear leaned into his horn. It startled her and made her jump.
The accident had been cleared away and traffic was flowing again. She quickly put the car in gear.
Chapter 6: The Chiba Cottage
Chiba Prefecture,
South-east Japanese Coast,
July 15th, 1994
Lorne stood in the sun, nature surrounding him and the sound of insects buzzing filled the air. His backpack felt like it was getting heavier and heavier. His feet were wet from his march through the marsh.
“Desolate,” he said out loud to himself. “She described it as 'desolate'.” And that was the only word that he could remember of Marie's description.
Desolate. The secret Chiba cottage was definitely that. Nature had nearly reclaimed it. Its glazed clay roof shingles were intact. That meant – hopefully – its interior was dry.
Its supporting walls were made of stone... he thought. They were covered with moss and lichen. Its western wing or section had collapsed, but what remained was large enough for at least two or three people comfortably.
It appeared to have been the abbey or residence of a larger temple to the north. Lorne could see it. He couldn't even call it a ruins. It was nothing more than a heap of stones. If he hadn't been told it was there he never would have identified it as anything other than a mound of rocks. The only feature he could make out was the shattered remains of a Fu Dog statue.
He took a deep breath of air. He could smell the ocean from here. It was nice to be out. Marie's idea may not have been such a bad one after all.
He walked up to the front door, key in hand. The door was covered with moss and the handle and lock mechanism was orange and brown with rust. He pushed the door. It wasn't locked. It simply creaked open. He wasn't concerned about break-ins. This place was far too isolated.
A gas generator was supposed to be nearby. Hopefully he could get it started.
* * *
Tokyo, Japan,
July 15th, 1994
Shantigra would be at work for the entire day so instructions and permission were given to the building's superintendent to allow the piano movers access to the penthouse.
The team of three movers used the freight elevator.
Another two members accompanied the trio. Both stood guard by the freight elevator.
The three movers got the piano into the penthouse and then carried its legs in. All three members carried large backpacks.
Instead of assembling the grand piano, they immediately began unpacking their backpacks. Electronic equipment – miniature microphones, audio recorders, and sensors.
The 'movers' were undercover members of the Japanese Special Assault Team. They didn't officially exist. The SAT were mandated by an unofficial UN Council's orders; a join task force of CSIS and the RCMP under command of James Leaman and Dr. Velazquez.
They didn't speak. They moved with specific and planned purpose. The apartment was bugged and the phones were tapped. The SAT members had finished and packed up their backpacks within 45 minutes.
They continued to install the grand piano's legs, and finished assembling it. It too had audio recorders fitted and hidden within it.
The five man SAT team exited the penthouse in silence.
* * *
Marie was excited to return home! She didn't know whether Lorne would have returned from the Chiba cottage yet or not. She had little idea what kind of condition Lorne would find the cottage in. She had picked up the violin on her way home.
The apartment was quiet. The piano had been delivered! It looked marvelous!
“Lorne?” she called out. “Lorne? Are you here?” She placed the gift wrapped violin in its case atop the grand piano.
Silence. Clearly he hadn't returned yet.
Marie sat down at the piano and opened the fallboard and gently touched a key. It sounded deep and rich. Marie smiled and ran her fingers over the ivory keys.
Good, she thought. It would give her time to begin cooking his birthday dinner!
Chapter 7: Echoes of Tomorrow
Tokyo, Japan,
August 3rd, 1994
“Hiromitsu will be here anytime now!” Marie was anxious, nervous, excited, and getting upset. She swore to God, Lorne was deliberately taking his time!
Shantigra's brother was coming to the penthouse. It was the only way to appease his concern. And he had a right to hear the news from her.
“Lorne! You have to get out of here!”
“Please don't worry,” he reassured her. “I'll teleport from here.” He was carefully packing his violin into his backpack.
“Did you get the coffee thermos?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“The noodles?”
“Marie,” he stopped packing. “I'll be alright. I know it'll work.”
“How can you be sure?” her eyes began welling up with tears. “I can't lose you again. Especially not now!”
“The music will work. I promise.”
“Then why go out in the middle of nowhere? Why go to Chiba?” she was weeping now.
Lorne was silent. He just looked at her. He reached out his hand and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. “It won't come through. Nyarlathotep won't come through. You have to have faith -”
He was interrupted by the buzzer. Hiromitsu was downstairs. Lorne cupped Marie's face in his hands and kissed her on the lips.
“I love you. I'll be back tonight. I promise,” and he caressed her face with his hand. As he spoke the words the strange alien powers of his multimind stirred into effect, preparing for teleportation. His body shifted and broke into a fine mist and was gone. Marie stood in silence. She couldn't have felt more alone.
The Hunt: Symbiosys Page 5
