The Lost Kingdom

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Chika exited the secure room feeling relieved. Not knowing what to expect she had imagined all sorts of horrors, but the uninterested man inside had asked questions about her boss — questions that Hibiki had prepped her for — given her a cursory frisking and then emptied out her small handbag. It contained only lipstick, a compact mirror makeup case, condoms and a cellphone, all of which were expected.

“Follow house rules at all times,” the man said as if reciting a script.

“Yes, sir.”

The elevator arrived and Chika got her first clue as to where she might be taken. A man holding a compact machine-pistol urged her group inside and pressed the button for basement level two. She noticed there were three lower levels in total. All around her the girls chatted and the men ignored them. The elevator dinged and the doors whooshed open. Chika found herself facing a narrow corridor with doors to each side and an outsize open-plan room at the far end. She noticed a stairwell access door to her left. It was into the far room that they were herded. Throw cushions, leather suites, loungers and pouffes sat everywhere. To one side stood a number of curtained-off booths; to another a full-size bar with waitress service. More ominously a raised, black-lacquered stage formed the room’s showpiece, complete with dancing pole. A clock on the wall read 9:35.

“Make yourselves at home, ladies,” a voice rang out. “Our guests shall be along shortly.”

Chika headed for the bar. As she ordered a drink several tattooed men appeared dragging a youth between them. The youth, though dressed well, sported several cuts and bruises to his face and the way he favored his right side made Chika guess at a number of broken ribs. The youth was dragged unceremoniously through the large room, his captors not acknowledging the presence of all the girls.

“Take him to lock up,” one of the men said, and then he too headed for the bar. As he ordered, Chika saw that his knuckles were bloody. She looked away.

“Young men,” he breathed knowingly. “All the same. All think they know what is best. If he lives he will learn.”

Chika sipped her whisky, and kept an eye on the youth’s progress. The elevator doors closed after the press of a button and a green indicator light told her that the elevator was heading down.

So the lock up was on level three. A positive starting point at least.

She wondered if the girls were allowed to initiate conversation. Several questions sprang to mind that would help pinpoint Mai. Then she caught Asa staring straight at her.

She walked over. “I still watching you,” she said, waving at a barman. “I see where you are looking.”

“Leave me alone,” Chika hissed. “I’m only here for the guests.”

“Now ladies,” the man with bloody knuckles said, smiling. “Be nice. You are all here to help us unwind, yes?” He studied Chika. “The classy,” his gaze whipped to Asa, “and the crude. Make your guests happy, yes?”

He pointed at the door. Several men filed through; business types, all bearing the hassles of the day on their faces. The bar came to life and the music started. Chika flowed to the center of the room, ignoring Asa’s murderous gaze. Dread for Mai kept her inner strength at an elevated level, her outward demeanor intact. This was not her; the person she played was not even in her arsenal.

Fight on. Remember how you felt when Mai returned. When your parents returned safe. When Mai saved you…

“Hai,” A man bowed very slightly before her. “You are mine for tonight. I will take that,” he relieved her of her glass. “And you will fetch me another. Quickly now.”

Chika hid her distaste well, rose and walked toward the bar. It struck her then that, even after the nail-biting ordeal she had already been through, this night was only just beginning.

Drake listened attentively as Karin helped turn Dai Hibiki’s outrageous plan into something that might achieve fruition. Though gutted at the outcome of events, his behind-the-scenes role in running the op was imperative and he needed Karin’s knowledge. Grace, on the other hand, had now started to officially ignore him, given that he’d seemed so traumatized at having to stay and guard her.

Too busy to worry, he concentrated on Karin’s words.

“I have to admit, when Hibiki first stated he got this plan from something he heard about the White House I was more than a little sceptic. This is the Yakuza we’re talking about, a Japanese mob network, not the Secret Service. But it may have paid off. When Hibiki told me about all the prisoners that the Yakuza interrogate inside their HQ, all the bodies they create, all the hospital visits that must ensue, all the high-level deals that simply can’t involve someone just walking through the front doors of either the HQ or even the compound, then it makes absolute sense that they have built a small tunnel network underneath Kobe.”

Hibiki coughed. “Not quite a network, but—”

“We don’t know that,” Karin admitted. “But we do know this. I spent an hour trawling through deeds of ownerships. Most were easy, some a little vague, but only one led me through several dummy corporations from places as far apart as Zurich and Australia, Nigeria and New York. Only one presented half a dozen dead ends, fake corporations and even faked personnel, including directors. Finally, I tracked the company’s ownership to a Yakuza-run gambling conglomerate with outlets all over Japan. It owns the three-story building across the road and to the side of theirs. It’s actually the closest of the lot.”

“So they use that building to admit their various guests. People, for one reason or another they don’t want seen even in Kobe, and take them through a man-made tunnel into the true headquarters.” Dahl cleared his throat. “A clever set up.”

“They have been involved in this business for so long,” Hibiki said. “It would surprise me if they didn’t have every detail perfected by now.”

“Let’s hope they don’t,” Dahl said. “For all our sakes.”

Alicia addressed Karin. “Any communications into the place?”

“You mean anything special? Not that I can find.”

“Can you tap their network?” Hibiki asked.

“I can do anything. Why?”

“We’ll stand a better chance of access if they know we’re coming,” he said, then laughed. “Amazingly. Alicia, I realize this is a stupid question, but would you like to be tied up?”

The Englishwoman licked her lips. “Depends. By who?”

Hibiki rose and pointed to himself. “By Yakuza!” And nodded at Dahl. “And by foreign devil enforcer looking for reward. “Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you.”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “Then you’re no fun at all. Ya gotta take it to the limit, Dai-Dai, or you’ll never know just how much you can take. Or what you might like. Ya get me?”

Drake made a pretense at laughter but his eyes spoke otherwise. Alicia read them in an instant, reminding him how well they knew each other.

“Moving forward,” she reiterated. “Never stopping, never looking back. That’s me, right? The Girl Dynamic.” Somehow Drake knew she meant it as a title. “Look back, pause for a second, and I’m dead, right?”

“It doesn’t have to be that way and you know it.”

“Ah, and when I crash and burn who’s gonna be there to catch me? Who’s gonna manage the fallout? You?”

“If you want me to.”

Alicia stared as if she didn’t believe him. It was Dahl who interrupted their moment.

“C’mon, Girl Dynamic. We have a lot to do.”

Chika swapped whisky for water as the night grew deeper. The lights were dimmed, the music amplified, the women grew louder and the men became drunker. Chika tolerated her beau’s hand on her thigh and getting up every fifteen minutes to refresh his drink. The fetching and carrying became a welcome relief as did his frequent trips to the restroom, though she suspected he was doing more than what came natural in there judging by the powder that began to collect around his nostrils. At this rate she wouldn’t even need to use Alicia’s blue pill.

Still, the night dragged on, the hands of the clock turning far slower than they should. Well aware that there was nothing she could do until the party died down, Chika sought to hasten its windup by drawing her admirer’s attention to the rooms nearby, now with doors standing open. Those around her caught on and some of the men decided to make their parties more private.

“Little minx.” Her friend sought to whisper, but actually shouted in her ear. “Want to get me alone do you?”

Chika thought there was nothing she’d like better than to get him alone, and winked. “Ready when you are.”

“One more drink,” he said. “And… and a quick trip.” He headed off, shambling toward the restrooms under the guards’ watchful eyes. Chika readied herself. When he came back she plied him with another quick drink and then half dragged him away from the party. Thinking ahead, she chose one of the open rooms nearest the elevators and stumbled inside, turning to lock the door behind them.

Oh, oh, first problem. There’s no lock.

That meant anyone could check on them at any time during the night. But it was also a factor she couldn’t control, so she ignored it. The second thing she did was to scan the room for any obvious cameras, and found nothing. The third was to grab her man in a bear hug and swing him over toward the dresser.

“Are we dancing now?” he grunted. “You didn’t want to dance back there? On the stage?”

“Now, I’m in the mood,” she whispered, swinging him around.

“Oh.”

Together they hit the dresser, knocking over both the lamp and empty vase that sat there, breaking both. Now, at least if there were any cameras inside, they had innocently moved position. The only other place a camera might be secreted was inside one of the recessed ceiling down lighters, but again she could not affect that so ignored it.

Now, for the poseur.

He was standing on the bed, stomach sucked in, in the throes of taking off his shirt. Chika made a pretense of admiring his pecs and then turned to the in-room bar. “Drink?”

“Later. C’mere.”

Chika eyed him in the mirror. He was standing with his thumbs hooked into his pants, grinning like an evil clown on Halloween night. Carefully, she ignored his request and bent over to grab a bottle of water and a miniature whisky. As predicted, the man just watched. Chika poured his drink, added a splash of water just how he liked it and then moved to block the tumbler.

Now all she had to do was add the pill.

Damn.

Problem was, the tiny blue capsule was tucked into the waistband of her underwear. There were no toilets in this room, so no way of slipping inside. Chika took a deep breath and turned around; the smile plastered across her face slipping even as she met the man’s eyes. Luckily, he was both drunk and slightly stoned and finding it hard to focus. As he slipped his trousers down, Chika slid her own hands down the front of her skirt.

Where the hell…?

Feeling more than a little foolish she withdrew her hands, still smiling like a crazy woman, and trying to keep the pill hidden between her fingers. The man jumped down from the bed, trying to affect a dance routine but failing badly. He stumbled, caught himself by grabbing her belt, and then rose quickly, suddenly inches from her.

“Let’s have a kiss, lovely.”

Chika froze, her entire body stiffening. If she wanted anything she wanted to smash him on the tip of the nose. “No kissing,” she said. “We’re here to fuck not to fall in love.”

His eyes went wide, his face slackened. Chika turned away, using the distraction to slip the pill into the waiting whisky. Now, just one minute. One more minute and…

The door opened. A guard popped his head around.

“All well in here?”

Chika nodded quickly; her friend barely noticed the intrusion. So maybe there had been a camera on the dresser. The guards knew it had fallen over and were checking. Chika slipped her arms around the man and winked at the guard.

“We’re fine.”

He withdrew with a shake of the head. Chika reached behind, bringing the drink around and pressing it to his lips.

“Kiss that whilst I undress, lover boy.” As she twisted away, regaining a little space, she realized she had no idea how long the drug would take to work. And when it did, lover boy really should be on top of the bed. She would find it exceedingly difficult to drag his dead weight up there. Quickly, she climbed onto the bed and watched him drink up.

“Come here.”

Apprehension raced through her system. What am I going to do if this doesn’t work pretty damn quick? The man climbed up beside her, eyes rolling, but was it the drink or the drugs? Was it the pill? She tried not to flinch as his hand fell on her exposed leg. She covered it with her own, pressing hard. His other hand came around and gripped her shoulder, pulling her in.

“One kiss,” he slurred. “Just one… little… kiss.”

His head went down, body slumping across her knees. Chika felt a world of relief open up inside of her. Oh thank you, thank you! With some effort she managed to drag his comatose body up the bed so that his head rested on a pillow and then covered him over. Then she rearranged two spare pillows as best she could, making the lump under the covers appear to be two shapes rather than one.

Next, her handbag. The cellphone. She dialed a number, whispering, “Hello? It’s me.”

Dai Hibiki sounded relieved. “Hey, it’s good to hear from you. How… how did it go?”

Chika felt a little devilment rise. “Do you want the details?”

“No!”

Alicia, hooked into the same line, grunted, “I do.”

Chika let her boyfriend off the hook. “Pill worked before anything went down.” She shuddered. “Not that I could have gone through with it.” She tried to ignore the impossible choice that might have arisen, the one that included saving her sister’s life.

“They’re heading for the other building.” Drake’s voice was low and tinny, fed through two sets of comms and finally through Hibiki’s cell. “Where are you?”

“About to start my check,” she said. “Providing the party’s ended. I’ll be in touch.”

Without further comment she finished the call, slipped the phone back into her bag and checked the door. Happily, the handle turned freely. Butterflies flickered through her stomach, though if they saw her she still had a way out even now. She cracked the door an inch, saw only empty corridor. Another inch.

Rooms across the hall were closed, every one. Before, they had all been standing open. That was good. She pulled the door further and poked her head around the frame. The corridor all the way to the party area was clear, though figures moved slowly through the room, most likely cleaners. Chika waited two more minutes. Nothing stirred.

With the restroom next door, Chika played her last card and headed for the door. Beyond it, as she knew, stood the door to the staircase and the elevators. Still, she was alone. If there were cameras at this point she was lost, but none were in evidence. Maybe they limited their surveillance to the main areas. In her head, reasoning to keep herself brave and sane, it made sense.

Chika passed beyond the restrooms and entered the stairwell. Silent and chilled at this time of night it was an alien environment, fraught with danger. Uncarpeted, the risers echoed at her first footstep. The far wall was a vertical line of one-way glass, affording her a view into the outside world, more a hateful taunt now than a comfort. She steeled herself and padded down the first switchback, pausing on the landing to listen.

No sound. The Yakuza building could be a morgue.

Slightly lifted, she pressed on, descending the second switchback and arriving at the lowest level. The door that faced her was as bland as they come; nothing screamed Yakuza Prison and Torture Level! but at the inner sanctum of their highly guarded stronghold would they really need bells and whistles? The only people foolish enough to be down here were the careless and the already dead.

Mai had been careless, she thought. Yes, even her seemingly indestructible sister had failings. What did that say for Chika?

Ignoring the self-deprecation she opened the door, expecting alarms but hearing nothing. Moving on she listened hard. The space beyond the door was the mirror image of the one above, except that the row of doors that lined the corridor all looked reinforced and possessed a Judas window at about head height. This was where Chika scored a small victory. The Judas window might give the guards the facility to check on their captives at any time but it also gave her the chance to effectively search for Mai.

She moved into the center of the corridor, ignoring any fears now as she came closer to her goal. There was no turning back, no easy way out. Even the mighty SPEAR team were depending on her. The first tiny window looked onto an empty cell as did its twin across the hall. The third showed her a small, thin man curled up on a bare bunk, knees tucked up to his chest. She recognized him as the youth from earlier, but closed the window quickly when she saw him start to stir. At this point she paused, thinking it prudent to check the shadows at the far end of the corridor. On her level this was a recreational area; down here she didn’t like to speculate, but the inky darkness at least told her that it wasn’t in use.

The next two windows looked onto barely clothed men in varying forms of health, neither of them good. But it was the sixth window that made her catch her breath and stare with widening eyes.

Oh help us…

Mai was chained inside, kneeling on the floor and facing the window, arms outstretched to the wall and loops at her back. Her black hair fell over her skull, hanging down so that it almost scraped the floor below. The muscles in her arms were taut, strained. Her knees were red raw. For a dreadful moment Chika saw no movement at all, but then made out a slight rise and fall near her spine.

Mai was down but she was not out.

Chika bit her lips hard, drawing blood. Every sinew, every instinct in her body wanted to cry out, wanted to at least make some kind of contact. But the mission was clear — no time to waste. Dai and Drake and the rest needed Mai’s exact position as soon as possible. They could already be on site.

Chika withdrew fast, fumbled about in her bag and made the call.

Drake answered. “I’m running ops. Did you find Mai?”

Chika gave him the location.

“Bloody good work. Mai would be proud.”

Chika fought the tears back and the urge to tell Drake how Mai looked, that he had to hurry. They knew the situation and it would only slow things down. Her job done, her situation still precarious, she backed away and made for the stairwell.

Now, it was out of her hands.

Back up the stairwell and across to her room she trod lightly and carefully, feeling a deep sense of relief and now hoping that Lover Boy remained in his comatose state. Hopefully the girls would be made to leave before their suitors awoke. A reasonable assumption given some of their identities.

Inside the room all was quiet. Chika let out a sigh of absolute relief. Maybe she could now begin to breathe properly again.

Until Asa’s nasty little voice made her heart leap. “Knew you were trouble, bitch. Where you been?”

The guard she had summoned stepped out from behind the door. “See this big fucking gun?” he said, waving it from left to right. “Answer her. Or it will make a real mess of that pretty little body.”