Tokyo Blues
Chapter 1
The stench of burnt wood and ashes mingled with a salty breeze from the ocean. The western wing of the large warehouse complex that had housed one of Tokyo's largest shipping companies lay in ruins; black, acrid smoke emerged from burst windows and fire fighters, faces hidden behind masks, continued to assault the building with water hoses.
I clipped my badge to the lapel of my jacket. It identified me as a detective of the Minato Police Department and allowed me access to the estate. Avoiding the actual site of the fire, including the office buildings, I approached one of the warehouses that still seemed intact.
Iwase, my partner who had been on night shift, approached me. He had been standing near one of the large shipping containers that were used for storage and had obviously been prepared for shipping the day before. Iwase pocketed his small notebook and pen when he spotted me and turned his back to the officer he had been talking to.
"Good morning, Kitahara" he greeted me while attempting to smooth out his ruffled hair with one hand. He looked tired and his suit was wrinkled. "Look at this mess" I was not sure whether he meant his own appearance or the ruined building.
"Do you have any idea what caused the fire?" I asked.
"Not yet. All I can tell so far is that it was no accident" Iwase replied with a serious expression. He motioned me to follow him into the warehouse.
"How do you know?"
"Because of the corpses. We haven't been in the office building, of course, but we found bodies in here" he explained.
Despite the fire next door the interior of the warehouse was quite cool. I blinked a couple of times until my eyes got used to the semi-dark. More containers lined the walls of the large hall, and a couple of trucks were parked in here. Everything seemed to be in order, until Iwase pointed towards one of the vehicles and I took a closer look.
A pair of legs protruded from behind a wheel, and a crusted puddle of blood stained the otherwise clean concrete floor. "When will forensics arrive?" I asked as I stepped around the truck to get a closer look. Instead of giving an answer Iwase watched me closely as my expression changed.
The man on the floor had been slain. I never thought I would use a word like that at work. Tokyo was a safe place, over all. The crime rate was low, and although I had had my share of homicide cases I had never seen a corpse like this. The torso had been opened by a weapon I could not place. Four long gashes ran along the length of the chest and stomach, torn organs welling up from the wounds; the stench of bodily waste hit me like a wall. I was glad now that the smell of smoke from outside was prominent in here as well.
"Good grief" I whispered, taking a step back.
"There are more" Iwase said. "We found three bodies in here and three more in the adjacent halls. And we've only been here for an hour. Forensics are on their way"
I was still struggling against the nausea that hit me at the cruel sight. I turned to regain my composure and spotted a group of four men and a woman that approached me and my partner. They were dressed in black, their expressions even and unmoving at the sight of the mutilated corpse.
"Good morning, gentlemen" The woman addressed us and produced a badge I could not identify. Her hair, flaming red, was tied back, revealing high cheekbones and a sharp jaw. Had the circumstances been different I would have found her quite attractive.
As it was, I wondered who she was and what she was doing here. "My men will take over now, detective" she said, eyes locked with Iwase's. He opened his mouth as if to reply then shut it and nodded.
"We belong to the Minato Police Department" I said. "This is our…" The woman's gaze silenced me immediately, and I felt Iwase's hand close around my arm.
"I'll explain later" he told me and led me out of the warehouse. Looking over my shoulder I caught another glimpse of the odd group. They were gathering around the corpse, apparently indifferent to the horrible picture.
"Who are they? What's going on?" I asked, following Iwase outside. I was glad to be out in the open again, but I felt obligated to show at least a hint of reluctance to leave.
"You've been with us for what, two months?" my partner asked instead of answering my questions. "You will find out soon that it does no good to cross those guys"
"Who are they?" I repeated. I had been transferred to Tokyo a short while ago after working as a detective in Sapporo for three years. This did not include the mandatory service in the koban that every officer who had completed his training had to fulfill. It became clear to me for the first time how different things were the big city.
"They are the boss. The ones who have the last word" Iwase explained, looking grim. He retrieved a bundle of keys from his pocket and approached his car, a brand new Peugeot. I had no idea how he financed the vehicle on his police officer's salary, but that was none of my concern.
I watched him enter the car, hands in my pockets, waiting for further explanation. Iwase remained silent for a while, fumbling with his sunshades which lay on the passenger seat.
"Are they in charge of cases like… this?" I asked, unable to find the right words for this massacre. Maybe this was the work of an organized group, and a special department had been installed to pursue the case.
Iwase turned the key in the ignition. The engine came to life with a low hum. "They are in charge whenever they want to be in charge" he stated dryly. "I'll meet you at the office. There won't be much paper work. They take care of everything".
"Who is 'they'?" I insisted. Iwase shut the door and slowly drove off.
I looked around, biting my lip. The area had filled with people in dark suits and white overalls. They all seemed to belong to the mysterious department I had heard nothing about so far. Suddenly feeling out of place I approached my own car, an old Honda Civic, and decided to raise the topic again once Iwase's mood had lifted.
As I left the grounds I drove past a couple of large black cars with tainted windows. German brands. 'Yakuza drive those' I thought. In the distance Rainbow Bridge glinted in the sunlight, connecting Odaiba with Shibaura.
My mind was still occupied with this morning's events until something caught my attention. Parked in-between a Mercedes and a fire department's car stood a sleek convertible. I was unable to identify the brand. It looked like a mix between a Landrover and a Volkswagen, and leaning against the hood stood a tall guy. He met my gaze.
His arms were folded over his chest. A cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. At first sight he looked Western to me. Chestnut hair was tied back in a loose pony tail. Green eyes peeked over the rim of a pair of slim sunshades. Then I noticed Asian features, almond eyes, and high cheekbones.
The man, he was in his mid-twenties, I guessed, could have passed as a curious bystander had it not been for his knowing expression.
I saw his reflection in the rear view mirror as I passed. He had turned his head to watch me, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.