by John Muir
CHAPTER 11
PLANS OF AVOIDANCE
VIP Hotel
Yamada sat in stony silence as Butu elaborated. Though Yamada's eyes were focussed on Butu, he was not really seeing him. He was concentrating deeply on every word.
Butu had finished a full two minutes before Yamada realised there was silence. Butu had started to become fidgety in his seat.
Yamada flicked out of his apparent trance, and glanced at Ueda. Ueda raised his eyebrows and Yamada nodded a response.
Ueda stepped forward and paid Butu US$500 in five $100 denomination notes. Yamada was too concerned about what he had been told to notice the look of joy on Butu's face on receiving so much money.
Ueda indicated toward the door and Butu stood and was ushered out. When Ueda turned back, he saw his employer sitting back deeply on the seat, heels of his palms to his forehead and fingers run deeply into his hair.
Yamada closed his eyes, let out a long deep breath before gasping in again quickly.
"What can I do Ueda?"
"The safest thing would be to catch a plane to Manila today and fly out on the next plane to Tokyo," answered Ueda.
Though nodding his head in the negative Yamada answered "Yes."
There was a silent pause for a few seconds. Yamada knew he could confide in Ueda. Ueda was his only employee who knew his hidden agendas. Ueda had provided twelve years of loyal service, and maintained the fine balance and ability to never cross the line of respect between employer and employee. Yamada had often sought Ueda's advice.
Over the years, Ueda had been assigned many times to protect Yamada's wife and children with total honour and respect. Even to organise funds for his family when Yamada had overlooked some detail in planning. Ueda had limited access to Yamada's company finances, even greater than his Filipino Finance Director, Daniello Seville and the other company directors. That was often a point which Seville strongly objected to and was never backward in coming forward to denounce the arrangement.
Ueda had advised Yamada against the abortive Thai and Indonesian ventures, and never mentioned his advice again, either during or after the losses that were suffered.
"But we both know I can't leave at this time. At last I've found those rock markers and pegs for the biggest lot of treasure that my Grandfather buried. I've only got to have the area cleared, use the metal detectors and we'll locate it. Once we've got it, we'll use some locals that won't be missed to help dig it up. We can get rid of them so there'll be no witnesses. I just need some time."
Ueda stood silently watching and waiting for Yamada to continue.
"I just need time to get things organised. Once we've got that lot out, I don't care if I never come back to the Philippines again. I'd even be happy to give the company and all the land away. Let that bastard Seville then sort it all out."
Ueda was about to speak when his employer started again.
"I don't just need time; I need to be able to move around without looking over my shoulder. I can hide but I can't leave yet. I mean it's crazy. We know how and where it's going to happen. When is only to be set by the time I leave this hotel to go back to Marawi."
Ueda moved forward and Yamada pointed to the seat opposite him. Ueda sat and remained silent.
"We've always managed to elude other attempts. But this time it seems very well organised. I've made enemies among the cattle ranchers, the growers and goodness knows who else; but never any problems with the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front). And yet with all my family's land, the factories, the plantations and wealth, kidnapping for ransom has always been a major threat."
Yamada exhaled deeply and nodded his head side to side.
"I know we could organise to shoot our way out of the ambush, I think, but this sounds a pretty large operation; well maybe. We could chop off the head if we knew who was organising it, but we don't. If they don't get me, they'll take my wife and children. It seems they're already being watched. If I try and get them to safety it would probably set off the plan earlier to take them. Ueda, what can I do?"
"Maybe the answer is already in the hotel," said Ueda.
Yamada looked up at Ueda. "What do you mean?"
Ueda related what had happened when he saw the 'Americano' in room 308 get out of the lift. How he had been stunned when he first saw him because he thought the 'Americano' was Yamada. That he had jumped out of his seat because he wondered how Yamada must have passed him unseen earlier to be coming back now from the lift. He only realised it was not Yamada by the clothing. The ‘Americano’ was the same build, same skin-tone, similar hair colour, and only small differences in facial features.
"Ueda, I'll check this 'Americano' out. Then, if I think what you are thinking, it could solve our problem. In the meantime we will keep this to ourselves."
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T.A. woke shivering. The cooling effect of the air-conditioner was too much. He slipped between the sheets and the only blanket, and tried to let himself drift back into sleep, but it eluded him. The only benefit being, that under the sheet and blankets, he had warmed himself.
He felt hungry and thirsty. He would pass up the steel jug of water sitting on the dressing table. It may have been sitting there for days, and he never risked the water anywhere; except on Apuao Grande. Though the hotel provided tea and coffee making facilities, he felt he needed a couple of cool glasses of calamansi juice.
He dressed in clean clothing, switched off the air-con, and left his room. As he moved past the small third floor guest lounge he looked for the Japanese he had seen earlier. The chairs were empty.
Downstairs, he exited the corridor from the lifts and entered the reception area with the large lobby.
Two of the three Japanese were facing him as he approached. One was the Japanese he had seen sitting in the third floor armchair, the other one facing him was dressed more formally with a tie and lightweight light blue suit. Both nodded at him politely acknowledging his look in their direction.
He noted that the well dressed suit man was not as Japanese looking as he expected. It was obvious there had been a strong mix of European blood in his ancestry somewhere. His hair was not the jet black expected of an Asian, but light brown.
Then it struck T.A. This man's facial features were not all that different from his own, but similar enough that they could be taken for brothers, in poor lighting.
He moved past them and into the restaurant.
As it was only 4:30 pm, it was too early for any evening dinner guests. The restaurant was virtually empty except for some staff making pretending to be busy.
He chose a two chair table against the wall, and nodded thanks as the waiter handed him the menu and asked him if he wanted a drink. The waiter seemed confused at his request for two glasses of cold calamansi. After blinking his eyelids a couple of times as if to confirm what he had heard, he moved away.
When the waiter returned with his drinks, T.A. placed his order for some Filipino beef dish that at least looked appealing from the accompanying description.
He emptied the first glass of calamansi with one long draw on the supplied straw and felt embarrassed at his loud slurp through the straw as the last of the liquid was consumed. He looked around wondering if anyone else had heard and saw that the Japanese had also seated themselves in the restaurant only about two tables away. When he saw both were looking at him, he felt embarrassed again about the slurping sound.
After finishing his meal, which was almost as good as good as it was described, he ordered coffee. He closed his eyes and turned his head in a series of circular motions to try and ease the ache he had just begun to feel in his neck. After he got back to his room he would phone Nilo.
He sensed the presence of somebody nearby. Expecting it to be the waiter with his coffee, he was surprised when he opened his eyes to see the light blue suited Japanese man.
"Neck problems?" the man asked in unaccented English.
"Yeah, hard pillow I think."
"My name is Ken Yamada. We don't
see a lot of Europeans around here like they do in Manila, So, I asked reception where you were from. They told me that you are from Australia."
"Yes, but I was born in New Zealand, living in Auckland. I've recently been working occasionally in Sydney." T.A. looked at Yamada and despite the name and his pre-assumption by Yamada's association with the other Japanese, Yamada’s features were strongly European. He looked more Europen than Japanese. T.A. remembered his manners and with palm open indicated to the opposite seat at his table.
"Dozo," said T.A trying to impress with his extremely limited Japanese.
"Arigato," replied Yamada accepting the offer.
"Do itashi mashita."
"Ah, so you speak Japanese?"
"Choto, No, not really. I just know a few words. Coffee?"
"Thank you."
T.A. caught the waiter’s eye and mouthed the words which the waiter acknowledged.
"My family name is Japanese, my mother is Filipina with strong Spanish blood ties, and I am Filipino born. I have family here and in Japan."
"Lucky man," replied T.A. wondering what this Japanese-Filipino's angle was. His experience taught him it was rare to be approached by a Filipino unless they wanted either to sell something or to ask for money.
"I had been doing some research into possible markets in Australia to export some of my company products, and maybe do some investing as well," said Yamada.
"What do your companies make?"
"Mostly processing and canning of fruit. Also we do packets of dried fruit, like dried bananas, banana chips."
"Australia produces a lot of tropical fruit in North Queensland, so it's a competitive market," T.A. replied.
"Even if I can't export, I am lucky enough to be in a pretty good financial position," Yamada went on. "I want to invest overseas, in secure markets outside of Japan and the Philippines. Both Australia and New Zealand are good strong markets."
"Australia has a stronger and broader economy," advised T.A.
"I also want to visit both Australia and New Zealand for a holiday. I have always wanted to talk with someone who lived in one or the other. It seems you are the answer to both my wishes."
"It depends on how much detail you want. I can only give you a fairly shallow financial opinion."
T.A. felt a little warning light come on in his brain. He was not sure whether this Yamada's personality traits were Japanese or Filipino. Which society had the strongest influence? In his experience, it was rare for a Japanese to not expect a 'quid pro quo'. What was this guy's angle?
Yamada's voice interrupted T.A's thoughts.
"Oh it's not just the money I'd like you to tell me about. I really want to know what things I should see when I visit. I hear New Zealand is a beautiful country."
That touched T.A.'s feelings of pride in the land of his birth and he felt himself sit up more erect in his chair. He breathed in deeply.
"Well, that's different. I'm more familiar with the scenery than the finances." It was only a partial lie as his merchant bank employer required research into many different aspects of the economies of various countries, including their tourism.
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