The Secretary of State ushered the Japanese Ambassador into his office. "Good to see you, Heideki," he said with a smile and shook the man's hand. "Sit down please. You said this was urgent?"
"Yes it is, Frank. Are you aware of the Yukaita sect?" The Japanese Ambassador asked as he went over to the desk.
The Secretary of State frowned and said, "A religious group, aren't they?" He took a seat beside the man and held out a bottle of scotch.
"No thank you," Heideki said as he waved a hand. "They are more that a religious group. They are a separate people living in Japan, but autonomous unto themselves," Heideki explained. "They are also very upset. They have discovered their two missing children who were kidnapped seven years ago, are in the United States."
Frank nodded and said, "Then we will get the FBI on it immediately. Is there a photo of these children?"
"The children were taken by force right after birth. They are seven years old now. One is Chizu Ishiguro, she would have purple hair. The other is Kyoko Kikumura, her hair would be silver, or very light in color. Both of them are of the sect."
The corner of Frank's mouth twisted up in a smirk. "Is there anything else we can ID them with besides odd colored hair?" he asked.
"Both of them were born with blunt, horn-looking protrusions on their heads. They were detected leaving on a C-130 transport plane," Heideki said wearing a serious face. "Lady Lucy, the leader of the sect, wishes to inform you she wants those children back with their family in Kamakura. I convinced Lady Lucy you may not know where they are currently located. She has agreed to give you twenty days to return those children to Kamakura, unharmed."
Raising his arms to the sides, Frank said, "I would have to look into it and.." he then paused and asked, "You said a C-130? A military plane?"
"Yes. It was leaving an army base. Your army has those children," Heideki stated.
"That would be a stretch to say that. Possible a group that stole a plane?" He offered.
Firmly, Heideki said, "That is not the case. That same base reported a terrorist attack, it was on the news. That was not a terrorist attack, Frank. That was a member of the sect who had come for those children, and your army attempted to lock her in prison. I must warn you that these are not people to take lightly. Do yourself and your country a favor. Find out where those children are, and return them to Japan as soon as possible. As long as those children are returned in good health, Lady Lucy promises to take no actions against the United States."
Frank bit his lip in thought. "Well, I will do all I can. Obviously, we do not want to be known as kidnappers," he said with a brief chuckle. "That would be very bad PR."
"PR would be the least of your worries, Frank. If you do not return those children, they will come to take them back, and things may get very unpleasant," Heideki insisted.
"I will do everything I can to prevent any unpleasantness. I'll call our ambassador in Japan and have him speak to... Lady Lucy... what was her last name?"
"Her title is Lady Lucy. Your ambassador is currently speaking with her. I am sure he will give you a full report soon. Perhaps he can stress to you the importance of co-operation with the sect."
Slowly, Frank said, "I hope the nation of Japan will help us rectify this situation in a peaceful manner. It would look bad for you as well to have your citizens causing trouble here in the US."
"The Yukaita sect is autonomous, they are not our citizens. However, we will support them to the fullest. Other nations will as well. Please, take my words of warning seriously. Find and return those children as quickly as possible."
.
Bill pulled into the driveway and checked to be sure this was the right place. Even GPS said he'd found it.
"They can't be serious!" Bill said as he gapped at the old farm house. He'd followed the directions out into the middle of nowhere. He was surprised that only the last mile or so of road was single lane dirt with grass growing down the center. Behind the old abandoned house before them was a rickety barn leaning over as if it desperately wanted to lie down.
"This is going to be a challenge," Sarah said with a sigh. "So we're suppose to fix this place up and live in it, huh?"
"Daddy look, a deer!" Diana shouted. The deer that had been grazing in the tall grass by a corner of the house bounded away at her voice. Several others followed it.
"This is just like in the nature shows," Suzanne said happily.
Looking out at the overgrown fields and hills covered in forest all around them, Bill muttered, "Yeah, we're in a nature show all right." Giving a sad look at Sarah beside him, he said, "It's eight miles back to the last thing that looked like a town. All I saw there was a post office."
"Daddy, can we go look at the barn?" Suzanne asked.
Bill shook his head, "Hon, that thing looks ready to fall down any second. Don't go near it."
"We can go in the house, right?"
"I'm afraid we'll have to," he said with a sigh and opened the car door.
They got out and approached the house. Bill guessed the clapboard siding used to be white. The paint left was gray with age, as was the wood underneath. He also noted the roof had large patches of moss on it, and sagged along one whole side. "They hate me," he concluded.
A careful inspection of the house while holding Diane's hand to be sure she didn't run off on her own, Bill found the first floor rooms intact, even the windows. The second floor was shabby, but whole, although the floor showed water spots. Finding the attic stairs, he searched for the reason for the sagging roof. A slow leak had let rain in to soak a couple beams that were trailing plants. Unlike the floor below, the attic floor was swelled with water damage. By the looks of it, he'd have to replace the entire roof. Bill guessed it would take a semi truck full of lumber and materials just to get this place livable again. He'd be better off knocking it down and building new.
Both girls loved the place. The rooms were large, and there was columns between the living and dining rooms Bill guessed were now holding the ceiling up. On the back porch, rusty squeals announced the girls had found a porch swing that didn't fall apart under their weight.
Following the sound, Bill noted the porch was in need of dire repair and repainting also. He turned his crimped gaze to Sarah and said, "I'm going back to find a lumber yard and some camping equipment. If I'm not back before our stuff arrives, tell them just to park the truck. We've got a ton of work to do before one stick of furniture goes in this place."
Sarah nodded, then pointed to a half sized shed by a back corner of the house. Old frayed cables ran from the shed to the house. "Is that an emergency generator?" she asked.
Bill eyed it and said, "Come to think about it, I didn't see any power lines. I think that's our only source of electricity."
"There has to be another one coming," Sarah said firmly.
"Yup, soon as I go get one. Be back in a few hours," Bill said.
As he left, Sarah called, "Bring dinner too!"
"Grocery trip, aye," Bill said with a wave of his hand.
.
Diane discovered her first real annoyance when she and her sister had to go down to the stream they'd found to carry buckets of water back to flush the toilet. Not wanting to have to make many trips, they found an old oil tank, cut it in half with their invisible arms, and filled the good half with buckets from the stream. They had to leave the half barrel outside, but at least if wouldn't be such a long walk every time they had to go.
The picnic dinner on the back porch the girls thought was fun, as was the 'camping out' in the living room in sleeping bags and a lantern set atop the cooler that contained their breakfast in the morning. Night fell, and the lantern was placed by the bathroom for whoever had to use it.
With the night, strange sounds came. Diane sat up and listened to a far off howling. "Daddy? Is that a wolf?" she asked in a small voice.
Half asleep, Bill mummbled, "Probably, hon. Don't worry, they can't get in here."
From the back porch a sudden ruckus sounded out. Thumping and angry, snappy sounds similar to cats made Suzanne sit up. "What is that?" she asked fearfully.
"Damn it! The garbage is out there. Has to be raccoons," Bill said as he grunted up. He went out and yelled at the creatures, then dragged the can back in. Coming back into the living room, he flopped back down and got in his bag.
"Girls, go to sleep. Nothing out there is going to hurt you," Sarah assured them.
Suzanna shifted her bag a little closer to her father as Diana shifter hers closer to her mother. Outside, hoots and other animal calls sounded in the night as they laid awake, wondering when the animals would finally go to bed.
.
The President sat at the head of the table, reading over his morning briefing. Looking at his schedule, he said, "I wasn't aware I was to meet with far east Ambassadors tomorrow. Is there a crisis?"
Frank spoke up with, "There is an issue with missing children from Japan. Apparently the cult they are missing from are highly respected. I've been asked by the Japanese Ambassador, and our own in Japan to look into it. Apparently, our Ambassador has been firmly told, as I was, that our army has those children, and this cult wants them back."
The President immediately turned to his Chief of Staff and asked, "Were they abused? Why were they taken?"
"I know of no such event," the general replied. "But I will look into it."
"Apparently this is an important issue," The President said firmly as he looked at the list of attendees. "Never does Red China and Taiwan come together on anything, and representatives from both be there. Find out what this is about before the eleven AM meeting. I expect a full briefing before I meet with these Ambassadors."
"Yes, Mr. President."
Looking down at his papers, the President then said, "On this terrorist issue, I'll fly out to Nevada next week and tour the base. Has anyone located the terrorists?"
"No, Mr. President. Every law enforcement agency is on alert, and Nevada has their national guard out, full weaponry."
"I want to know how they got on and off a military installation," the President said firmly. "Has anyone at least claimed responsibility?"
Frank took a deep breath and said, "Mr. President, we have information it may have been this Yukaita sect that claim we kidnapped their children."
"The cult from Japan?"
"Yes, sir. There is also an absurd claim that it was one woman who walked on base to retrieve her husband. We're looking into it."
"So you're telling me a female Ninja whipped ass on our soldiers inside our own borders, and has now disappeared?" The President asked, glaring at him.
"That is what the Japanese Ambassador, and our own told me, sir," he said defensively. "I am not sure of the details, but apparently, the one named 'Lady Lucy' broke through security to jerk our Ambassador out of bed in the early morning hours. Four men are in Tokyo hospital due to the break in. This woman's message was that we have twenty days to return the children, unharmed."
Staring at his Chief of Staff, the President said, "Find me an answer, I want to know what is going on." he then looked around the table and said, "Someone give me a full briefing on this cult. I don't care if we have them or not. Find out what the story is behind those kids!"