Lemieux rising slowly, grabbing the leg of the chair. Taking his seat now. The rest of the assemblage remarkably nonplussed considering the specter that now seated itself at the head of the table. Louis IV no doubt in some far off dimension spinning with the G-force of a Saturn V rocket plummeting towards earth.

  “Master, your robe.”

  “Ah, yes, my robe. An appendage almost. Necessary, I suppose.”

  Rising now, donning the black silk wrap-around.

  “Now to the matters at hand, my friends. I can call you my friends? I feel a certain camaraderie, if you will. All we have been through together. Your many sacrifices.”

  Looking directly into the eyes of Lemieux. The Frenchman’s brother had died months earlier during an experiment to develop weapons grade sarin. It had gone horribly wrong. The brother taking weeks to die. Suffering until his final torturous gasp of breath.

  Asahara turning back to the assembled state sponsored murderers.

  “There is a problem, gentleman. I’m sure that you have seen the news on the unfortunate development at the New Sanno Hotel in Hiroo. Some unfinished business is, alas, still unfinished. A minor hindrance to our all but certain victory.”

  Lemieux, a slight quiver to his lip, trying to keep eye contact with the Madman, finally looking away.

  “In any event, all plans will be expedited. In two days’ time, the world as we know it will cease to exist.”

  “Does Baghdad have the capability…”

  “You question me?!”

  Lemieux melting back into the French chair. One could have mistaken him for a bowl of Jell-O at this juncture. Asahara screaming so hard that his robe opened exposing himself again to the gathered despots. A mood of unsettledness descending on the room.

  “Everything is already in place no thanks to your government, my French friend. The genie is in the bottle ready to be released. It is here, gentlemen. The genie will wreak the wrath of the Almighty very soon, while the American Satan is distracted by the once pure daughters of the empire, now soiled vermin. Yes, the cleansing will begin very shortly. Eternal cleansing and then rebirth. Mr. Atashi will now brief you on the details.”

  Lemieux fixating on the Madman’s love for the idiom. A trait shared by many a Japanese school girl. They loved their idioms. Yes, indeed. This foray into grammatical preferences more than likely his mind’s way of providing a release from the overwhelming absurdity of the current situation the Frenchman found himself in. Play the part, though. Play the part. My time will come, he thought. The redemption of his brother.

  Asahara with one last soul searing glance at Lemieux, leaving as Atashi stepped to the front of the room.

  “Gentlemen, whatever happens at the Sanno Hotel will have absolutely no bearing on our plan, I can assure you. It may actually turn out to be a welcome diversion.”

  The screen emerged. Originating seemingly from one of the gothic lions perched above them. A hologram of sorts to the unaided eye. Illuminated now to reveal Yokosuka Naval Base, Ikego Caves and Tokyo proper with the entertainment district of Roppongi highlighted.

  “As The One so beautifully stated, the genie is in the bottle – Ikego Cave number 134 located here. We would like to thank our Iraqi and Syrian friends who in concert with certain French port authorities made it possible for the genie to make safe passage from Baghdad to the bottle here at Ikego.”

  Scanning the door quickly, satisfied Asahara would not be coming back, Lemieux spoke.

  “What now? The American and Japanese know that there is at least some sarin here in the country. The little debacle at the train station assured them of that knowledge at least.”

  “A good point my friend. Necessary. Another diversion. The sarin used at the station can be traced to an American biological and germ warfare center just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Before American intelligence finds out where the weapons grade sarin is coming from, it will be too late.”

  Atashi saw the look of doubt on the French minister’s face.

  “You have concerns, Minister Lemieux?”

  A look at the door and then, “Let’s just say I have a feeling that we have not been fully briefed.”

  “In time, my dear Minister, in time.”

  54

  Yumiko Chan! We are here. Look Yumiko.

  The light became brighter and brighter. First, a distant speck, now the brightest most glorious thing Yumiko Bender nee Abe had ever seen. It was the voice of her sister, Kiki. It couldn’t be, but it was. Little Kiki, long ago incinerated at Hiroshima. Her and Mother. Barely time to think of Mother and now, coming out of the pure white light, more figures. Her father now. Her dear, sainted father and alongside him, some men. Men in uniform. American men. She knew from somewhere deep inside who they were. The crew of the Enola Gay. The boys from Oz.

  “Maam, welcome. I’m Lieutenant…“

  “I know who are.” No need to tell her. The Voice had made it clear. She felt the pain emitting from the young pilot of the Enola Gay. She reached out to embrace him. To embrace them all. Peace came. Serenity. Unbelievable joy. Her father now. Father, I love you so. There were no words to describe her feelings. Moving closer to him, taking his hand and…stopping.

  Jack, where are you Jack? I don’t want to leave you.

  Something from deep inside her. The Inner Voice telling Yumiko that Jack would be “daijoubu” – okay. All was as it was supposed to be. It was time to go and so, Yumiko Bender, the name felt so natural now as she heard herself say it, turned and looked into the forever young bright eyes of the American pilot and knew that she would be okay.

  She was home.

  55

  It was dusk when he pulled the Toyota into the visitors parking space at Hiroo Hospital. The beginning of the end of a long day. Adam turned to say something to Jack, but he was already out of the car and heading for the hospital entrance doors. Nothing really to say anyway, thought Adam. He turned off the old car’s engine and followed his friend in.

  “I need my wife now. Where is she?”

  Adam thinking maybe they should have stayed at the hospital and not left earlier. Jack seemed so exhausted though. It seemed like a good idea at the time for him to get some rest. Hindsight twenty-twenty of course, he thought.

  Jack, at the visitors desk, visibly shaken even from Adam’s vantage point ten or fifteen feet behind him. From the corner of his eye, a tall lanky figure. An air of authority. Yumiko’s attending physician. Adam recognized him from an earlier visit. Right on cue. Maybe there was a God.

  “Mr. Bender, please follow me.”

  Adam falling in behind the doctor, and Jack touching his friend’s shoulder.

  “Jack, it’s going to be okay.” Knowing of course that it was not and would never be okay for his friend. Jack Bender taking on the countenance of someone who had just been hit right between the eyes with something cold and hard. Life. Moving now not unlike one of the zombies Adam remembered from a long ago movie he had seen as a kid. Part of a Saturday afternoon double-feature show at the Bar Harbor Shopping Center. Mom would give him a dollar-fifty, the price of admission along with enough left for a popcorn and soda, so Adam would be out of the house when Davey Welsh was having a particularly tough time with his demons.

  Carnival of Lost Souls. That was the name of the movie. Funny how certain things, names, places never left you. The main character doomed from the very beginning. Already dead in fact. A lost soul. Not knowing it but a sense of dread and impending doom inhabiting the character from the opening credits, Adam remembered. Watching his friend now.

  Jack shuffling along behind the doctor. The Lost Soul.

  “Adam, wait for me in the cafeteria. Get us some coffee. Please.”

  The look from Jack said there would be no discussion. He needed to see his wife alone. For the last time.

  “Sure thing, Jack. It won’t be as good as Navy coffee but I’ll try to make it close. Give my best to….”

  The look from the doctor said it all. Yumiko was gone. Jack knew it all along. From the time they left the base. He would see the love of his life one last time. Alone.

  Adam started for the cafeteria elevator when he was hit with what later he would remember as a “God Shot,” A.A. parlance for a sudden spiritual intervention. For no apparent reason he stopped in his tracks, turned and walked towards his friend Jack. Jack Bender, his savior. The conquering Angel in Adam Welsh’s life. He called after him.

  “Jack, one minute.”

  Bender stopped. His back still to Adam but shaking. When he turned, the tears had begun to fall. The face red. Adam took his friend in his arms and held him.

  “From the bottom of my heart, Jack, thank you for saving, no, giving me my life. I love you, my friend. My dear, dear friend.”

  Jack crying softly now. Released the embrace and looked up at Adam.

  “No words necessary. I understand. I will go to my Yumiko now.”

  And then Jack Bender turned to Adam and said the word that would haunt the younger man in the days and weeks to come.

  “Goodbye.”

  56

  The silence was stifling. Benny thought he would suffocate in it. They all knew that Keiko was right. They needed to act quickly. If they stormed the room, Dan and his daughter would surely die. No, the only thing left to do was to send in Keiko Watanabe.

  Dusty broke the silence.

  “Ms. Watanabe…Keiko.”

  His tone softening now. Joe picked up on it right away. Good for you, Dusty.

  “A marine escort will walk you down to the room. At the end of the hall, the terrorist’s vision zone, you will be on your own. We need you to demand his complete attention for at least one minute once you get inside the room.”

  “He will have my undivided attention.”

  Something disconcerting in the tone.

  “Yes…well as long as you don’t put yourself in any unnecessary jeopardy.”

  “Jesus H. Christ! Undue jeopardy? She’s going to be in the same room with the S.O.B. that just gutted…”

  The glare stopped him.

  “Jesus, Dusty. Damn, I’m sorry. I know the kid was special to you.”

  “They’re all special. Now, let’s move on, shall we?”

  . . . . .

  The New Jersey suite looking like Newark on a bad day. The smoke still hanging in the air reminding one of a typical smog-filled day in the city.

  “Are you all right, Dad?”

  “Fine. Don’t worry about your old man. I’ve had worse days, but truth be told I wouldn’t be about to name one off the top of my head.”

  Kelley smiling now. Dad, of course, was terrified. More for her than anything else. If they ever got out of this she silently vowed she would spend more time with him. Maybe even move over here for a while. Take some courses at the University of Maryland Extension on the base. Then there was Joe. She wondered what he was doing at this moment. Out of nowhere. Christ why the hell was she thinking of Joe Dickwell at this of all times? She might die. As good a reason as any came the answer from some unseen inner voice. She smiled.

  The phone rang.

  “Pick it up, gaijin baca!”

  The slur not lost on Dan.

  “Yes, this is Bronsan.”

  “Mr. Bronsan, we are sending Ms. Watanabe down there. She will be arriving in ten minutes time. Please…”

  “Are you crazy man! She’ll be…”

  “The Monster’s look stopped him. Dan realizing now that there had to be a method to this madness. Rhodes was no fool. A good man.

  “Yes, fine. Okay.”

  “Mr. Bronsan, this is Lieutenant Farrow at the Command Center. These orders come directly from Mr. Rhodes. Please pass this information on to the …intruder.”

  “What are they saying? Give me the phone, now.”

  Peanut grabbing the receiver which resembled a toy in his massive paw. Nodding now as he listened to the disembodied voice at the other end of the line. Smiling. Satisfied.

  “Ten minutes. No more.”

  Looking at Kelley.

  “I will kill then both if there are any, how do you say…mix-ups.”

  Dan grimacing. Re-filing the mental note that he would send this bastard straight to hell if he ever got out of this. Why did he let his pride and joy, his very life, come to Japan? He would never forgive himself if…

  “Stand in front of the doorway. Make yourself visible to anyone coming down the hallway. I am not worried that you roam too far. The crippled bitch will die if you do.”

  Grinning as he said this. A demonic contortion to the already horrible visage.

  “You fat tub of rotten pig lard! Call me a cripple again…”

  “Kelley, Jesus, Mary and Joseph!”

  Peanut temporarily confused by the pig lard reference. Not really knowing whether to feel insulted or not. Finally, lowering himself onto the couch, a loveseat actually. The only piece of furniture that would accommodate the Monster. Pulling Kelley down next to him, knife poised at her breast. Staring at the clock on the wall. Five more minutes and Keiko would be his.

  57

  “This is a kind of miniaturized intercom, Ms. Watanabe. We need to monitor everything that is going on while you are in there. It will be hidden here inside this pouch on your belt. Completely discreet. Do not open this belt for any reason.”

  Keiko nodding. She wasn’t really listening though. In any case, none of this mattered. The ending would be the same. Neither she nor Peanut would leave this place alive.

  “Sir, we’re ready.”

  “Very well.”

  Dusty hanging up the phone. Benny head in hand. Keiko, resolute.

  “Ms. Watanabe, Lt. Dickwell will escort you to the suite.”

  “Joe, Godspeed.”

  “But I thought the Marine guard would be…”

  “You will be in the best of hands with the Lieutenant. The marines will be otherwise occupied. Please go. Now.”

  “Take care, baby. LT, you let anything happen to my baby, it’s your ass.”

  “Message copied and understood, Master Sergeant Carter.”

  “Shall we, Ms. Watanabe?”

  “Good luck, Joe.”

  “Remember, Keiko, we need him occupied for at least one minute.”

  “I understand…, Dusty.”

  The slight smile. Almost imperceptible but not eluding Dusty. Acknowledged in kind. Dickwell led Keiko out of the room and into the hallway.

  “I’ll accompany you to just inside his field of vision which will probably be right after we exit the elevator and turn towards the suite. Knock once on the door…well of course there is no door anymore…just wait for his instructions. Keep him as far away from the hostages as possible.”

  “I understand. You obviously want to create a diversion. He is crazy but is by no means a fool.”

  They entered the elevator and headed down in silence.

  “She is on her way.”

  Dan hanging up the phone and relaying the message with clenched teeth.

  “Go back to the doorway. Signal to me when you see her.”

  Kelley starting to move towards her father. The knife pressed closer to her throat in an instant.

  “The girl stays here with me.”

  “You know I wouldn’t have minded this as much if you had taken a shower this week, you fat pig.”

  Dan grimacing as he headed for the doorway. Admiring and admonishing at the same time.

  “Kelley…”

  “I’m fine, Dad. Tons of fun here doesn’t get it anyway. He was taking Terrorist 101 the day they taught idioms at his English school.”

  A grunt the only response from Genghis Khan.

  “They’re here.”

  Dan spotting Keiko and the American. He’d seen him someplace before. Couldn’t place him though for the moment. Not of any importance now. He needed to think as fast as he had ever thought in his entire life. The life of his daughter depended on it.

  Keiko smiling thinly as she approached.

  Dan praying softly, “God save the little flower. God save us all.”

  “When she gets to the door, stop her. Wait for my command. Remember where the knife is.”

  “Hello, Dan San,” under her breathe.

  The idea that Peanut should know of her relationship with Dan Bronsan could of course be lethal for all of them. The sight of Keiko bringing back a flood of memories for Dan. Better days to be sure. Of course no time to dwell. He leaned forward to give her a hug. She merely bowed and lost her balance. A practiced move. Dan caught her, and as he did, she passed the box cutter that she had picked up from the construction site earlier to Dan’s shirt pocket. An unplanned decision that she made while Benny had been talking to the marine guard. The box cutter forgotten by a worker from the cement barricades construction. An impulsive act. One of those gifts from the universe, she reckoned.

  “What is this! Bring the cunt to me! Move away from the doorway…Now!”

  Dan, taken aback at first by the orchestrated fall, regained his composure quickly. This was all for Kelley. He had to remain calm. Everything depended on it. The cold steel of the box cutter resting against his body now.

  “Okamoto San.”

  Haruki Okamoto aka Peanut and various other handles momentarily caught off-guard by the use of his real name. The name that intelligence and police authorities throughout the world knew him by.

  “So nice to see you, Keiko San. It has been a long time…too long. When was the last time? The night in the countryside. At the safe house…mmm yes, a memorable night. A feisty one you were. Is that the word? The English slang is still difficult for me.”

  Keiko had tried to block out the night the Monster had raped her and almost killed her in the process. With every ounce of courage she could muster, she kept herself from crying out, from showing any sign of weakness. That would mean sure death for Dan and his daughter. She would bide her time.

  “I am here now. Let the others go. You have me. Do what you will. Let the others go.”