HOUSE OF CARDS
Chapter 4: "The Divine Army"
By Bill K.


In the Royal Chambers, Serenity knocked on the door to the room Yuri was staying in. She waited patiently for him to agree to her entry and only when it came did she venture in. The Queen found Yuri sitting at the desk browsing on the desktop computer. Rather than pictures of Russia, Serenity found him on a page for the Kawasaki Frontale, a Japanese Professional Soccer Team.

"Oh, is that your favorite team?" Serenity cooed.

"Yeah," Yuri replied. "I was just catching up on the latest news, since it's off-season." He suddenly turned to her. "That's all right, isn't it?"

"Of course," Serenity smiled. "Have you been to any of their games?"

"My Dad took me to one against Tokyo FC last summer," Yuri informed her. Then he clouded up.

"I'm sorry," Serenity offered.

"It's OK," Yuri murmured. "It seems like everything I do or say reminds me of them in some way." He sighed. "I wish they'd never gone to that ballet."

"It'll get better. I promise," Serenity said, her hand on his shoulder. "Well, I just stopped in to tell you that Setsuko-Chan is home from school, so we'll be serving dinner."

"All right," Yuri said and dumped the web page.

Out in the hall, Setsuko spotted Serenity. The seven-year-old ran up to her and the Queen knelt down to give her a hug.

"Mama, what's five times ten?" Setsuko chirped.

"Now, you know I'm not good with math," Serenity replied with a mock pout.

"It's fifty! We learned that today! I can multiply all the way up to twelve times!"

"No fair being smarter than your Mama!" howled the Queen.

Setsuko giggled. Serenity kissed her cheek and the girl ran to the dining room. Serenity got to her feet and glided for the dining room, but at the end of the hall, she turned to see if Yuri was coming. Spotting him approach, she waited and put her arm around him to escort the boy to dinner.

At the dinner table, Endymion and Setsuko were already waiting. Setsuko was outlining her day at second grade for the King and he listened intently. Yuri took a seat quietly across from Setsuko while Serenity sat down across from her husband. On cue, one of the kitchen workers came in with dinner on an ornate cart.

"Did Mako-Chan cook this?" Serenity asked eagerly.

"I'm afraid not, Queen Serenity," chuckled the server.

"Now, Serenity, you know Makoto has her own family to cook for," admonished Endymion.

"Oh well, it's probably almost as good," Serenity asserted. "We have a wonderful staff to feed us. Our only worry at the palace is getting too fat."

The family began eating, moans of culinary pleasure emerging from the Queen. As they ate, Setsuko turned to Serenity.

"When does Yuri-Kun go to school?" Setsuko asked innocently.

Serenity grimaced and the two children instantly sensed that they had stepped out of bounds.

"That hasn't been decided yet, Setsuko-Chan," Endymion told her gently. "Yuri-Kun is still an honored guest with us, but we're still trying to determine where he'll live. Once that's settled, then we'll determine where he goes to school."

"Sorry if I made you feel bad, Yuri-Kun," Setsuko offered. The boy nodded.

After dinner, Setsuko went off to do her homework, resisting Serenity's offer to watch cartoons. Yuri decided to wait until she was done, so they could watch together. That left Serenity and Endymion alone on the sofa.

"Did you talk to the Russians about Yuri-Kun?" Serenity asked.

"We had some discussions," Endymion began, trying to break the news gently. "They're position is that he should be returned to Russia."

"But he's be so much more comfortable here!" howled the Queen. "He'd have a family structure and two loving guardians who would look out for him . . .!"

"Dear," Endymion began, "it sounds like you've already adopted him in your mind."

"Is that bad?" Serenity countered. "I already love him, and Setsuko-Chan seems to have taken to him, too. Wouldn't you like a son?"

"I'm just saying that you're moving too fast," he told her. "Let's get things settled with his country and his parents' estate first, before we become too emotionally attached. I'd be fine with him staying with us. But if he can't, it's going to be harder to let go the more emotionally attached you become."

"Well I was never a fancy big-shot doctor, so I never learned how to emotionally detach," Serenity scowled. "I want Yuri to be part of our family. And I think the only other person who should have a say in that, other than you and Setsuko-Chan, is Yuri. And anyone else can, well, go stomp grapes!"

"Such language!" Endymion teased.

"I apologize, but that's the way I feel," Serenity replied. Then she smirked at him. "You can spank me later."

Endymion's response was cut off by the sensation of the palace momentarily trembling. Instantly the King was out of his seat and running to the Royal Chambers, where he kept a computer link to the office of Palace Security and to Superintendent Sakurada's office.

"Was that an earthquake?" Serenity gasped, trailing behind him.

"I don't know yet!" Endymion declared. The head of the guard for that shift appeared in real time on his computer screen. "We felt a tremor. What happened?"

"Your Majesty!" the guard responded. "There was an explosion across the street from the Palace! Police and fire crews are currently en route!"

"The Divine Army," Endymion heard Serenity whisper behind him.


Minako Aino stood far in the back of the set, away from where a film crew for the feature "Crusading Police Detective" was preparing a scene. She knew from experience to be quiet. She knew from experience to be unobtrusive. And one of the advantages of being on the set was that the crew was used to working with movie stars and there wasn't constant attention on her. She could just stand back and watch her husband Tatsuo ply his craft. One of the things she always did when she was on set was watch other actors work. Minako was always in search of some little trick or mannerism that could help her be a better actor and be worthy of the love her fans showered upon her.

"And action," the director said.

Cameras began rolling. Tatsuo picked up some papers from the desk and scanned them. Suddenly three burly men in dark suits burst into the room and quickly surrounded him. Tatsuo and the stunt actors proceeded to launch into the choreographed fight scene. Minako watched even more intently as Tatsuo and the stunt actors tried to convey that they were trying to kill each other without actually touching each other. After several minutes, Tatsuo's character was struck from behind, then pummeled by his attackers. They pulled Tatsuo's limp form up from the floor.

"Cut! Next camera setup! And makeup, get the actors presentable!" shouted the director.

Getting up, Tatsuo slid over to where Minako was, a makeup artist following with a pack of moist towelettes. The couple smiled at each other while the makeup artist dabbed at his face to remove dirt and old makeup.

"How'd I do?" Tatsuo asked.

"Your reaction was a little slow on some of those punches, Tat-Chan," Minako told him. "But you really sold the 'dangling limply' part. I almost cried."

"I guess you do love me," Tatsuo grinned. "Sochi-Sama wants to do four more camera setups for this scene. I hope I'm as energetic for the fifth take as I was for this one."

Minako shrugged. "Sochi-Sama knows action. I love all his pics. And he's certainly got the right leading man for this one."

"You know," Tatsuo began, "I thought you were just being paranoid by insisting on coming along on this trip. But I'm kind of glad you came now. Having you along is like having an acting coach and a loving companion rolled into one."

"And now you don't have any chance to give in to the groupies," Minako said with mocking bluntness. Tatsuo pulled away from the makeup artist and pulled Minako to him.

"Don't kiss her! You'll smudge!" gasped the makeup artist.

Tatsuo and Minako both grinned. Then Minako felt her cell phone vibrate in the pocket of her jeans. She pulled it out and glanced at a news alert flashing. Immediately her face went grim.

"What is it?" Tatsuo asked.

"There was an explosion outside of the Crystal Palace," Minako mumbled. Suddenly galvanized, she looked up at her husband. "I gotta go."

"Do what you have to do," he advised her. "I'll keep."

Minako nodded, kissed him on the cheek that hadn't been made up yet, then scampered off.

"And don't get seduced!" Tatsuo playfully called after her.

Minako turned, shot him an impatient look, then scurried off for the train station.


Across the street from the Crystal Palace, the area had been cordoned off by the police forensic unit and the fire department bomb squad. The press and the curious pressed against the barricades, hoping to hear or see something. Consulting with the lead detective and lead fire marshal were Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter.

"Preliminary indication is a car bomb," the fire marshal told them. He pointed to the burned out frame of what had once been a car. "No sign of a driver. The vehicle was probably parked in front of the store and detonated, either remotely or with a timer. There was enough heat from the explosion to catch the facades of the buildings."

Mercury engaged her visor. "Yes, I'm detecting construction grade dynamite combined with chemical fertilizer and gasoline that was in the trunk. Also fragments of a remote detonator." She summoned her computer. "I'm going to download my scans to you."

"So, you think it's this 'Divine Army'?" Jupiter asked.

"Could be," the detective replied. "Could be ISIS or Al-Qaeda. Could be some lone wolf with a grudge against the store. There aren't enough facts yet to draw a conclusion." He thought a moment. "Still, the timing with that note that TV Asahi got is pretty close together. But we'll know more when we can track down this car and some of those bomb parts."

Jupiter noticed Mars looking over the crowd that was observing them.

"See something?" she asked.

"No," Mars replied. "I was looking over the crowd to see if I could spot someone with an unusual interest in what happened."

"An excellent idea," Mercury said as she scanned the wreckage. "There is the possibility that this is the work of an arsonist." Jupiter gave her a blank look. "Some arsonists or bombers commit their crimes out of a psychological need. They set fires because they receive a psychological thrill from watching it burn. Though it's unlikely that the suspect would still be here this late, it's a worthy avenue to explore." She pressed a button on her Senshi computer, then looked at Jupiter and Mars. "The possibility also exists that the bomber has a grudge against the government and receives positive reinforcement by watching us wonder who and where he is."

"So what do you think it is?" Jupiter asked. But Mercury shook her head.

"Facts before speculation," she admonished. "Facts and evidence will lead you to the truth. Premature speculation can lead you away from it."

"I'm going to collect these sayings in a book," Jupiter joked. "And call it 'The Wit and Wisdom of Sailor Mercury'." Mars smiled. So did Mercury.

"Anything else we can learn here?" Mars asked. "Otherwise, I'm going to report back to Endymion."

"I want to continue to make scans of the area," Mercury replied. "You two go ahead, though."

"We should probably meet later," Jupiter suggested. "I'll bring pastry."

"There goes my diet," Mars sighed as they headed for the Palace grounds, ignoring the shouted questions of the press.

As they approached the front entrance to the palace, Mars saw her great Grandmother in her human form squatting near the entrance, tossing her divining stones onto the ground. The two Senshi approached her. She didn't acknowledge them, instead staring intently at the stones.

"Obaa-San?" Mars inquired, leaning forward with her hands braced on her knees. Jupiter squatted next to the old woman. "Do you see anything?"

"It's not clear," Moriko murmured. "There are clouds over this hearth. I can sense them. But the threat is not immediate. It lies in wait for the proper moment."

"It's in the Palace?" Jupiter demanded.

"No," Moriko shook her head. "It lurks in the city, watching," and Moriko frowned. "But with only one eye." She tossed the stones again. "I see a Ronin, masterless, working against this hearth."

"A Ronin with one eye?" Jupiter asked skeptically. She glanced at Mars.

"Maybe we could go inside, Obaa-San?" Mars suggested. "If we meditate on this in the shrine, perhaps an answer will come to us."

"If it will help you, Rei-Chan," Moriko said as she rose. Once again Jupiter was reminded that her outer appearance was an illusion, for Moriko looked eighty, but bounced up like someone Jupiter's age.

Inside the Palace, Mars and Moriko headed for the shrine. Jupiter was met on the stairs by Endymion.

"Did you learn anything?" he asked.

"Mercury's still scanning," Jupiter replied. Then she thought for a moment. "But maybe you should have the police check out guys with eye-patches."


"Artemis, are you still working on that project for His Majesty?" Luna marveled. She had entered their command center to find out the latest on the bombing, but found the white cat riveted to his computer, the pictures of Sasha and Veronika Sakarov on the screen.

"Yeah," sighed the cat. He reached up and rubbed a paw over his eyes. "And it's not progressing at all."

"He asked you to find any anomalies in the lives of the Sakarov mother and father," Luna leaped up next to him. "Haven't you found any?"

"No, everything I've uncovered supports what I already know about them. As far as I can see, they're two agronomists who just got unlucky."

"Being murdered in the street hardly qualifies as 'unlucky'," Luna replied. "You've quite the talent for understatement, Artemis." She headed for another computer. "Well if there are no anomalies, then come help me with this 'Divine Army' problem." She glanced at him. "Or get some sleep. You look quite done in."

"There's something about this that still bugs me, Luna," Artemis scowled. "Why were the Russians so touchy about the boy? And they haven't exactly been the soul of cooperation on my inquiries. I've had to hack most of what I've uncovered."

"Rampant nationalism, perhaps," Luna sighed. "Or perhaps they just don't like talking cats on computers."

"Then they better get used to it," Artemis replied. "We're not going anywhere." The cat sighed in frustration. "Maybe I should get some sleep. Unless you really need my help?"

"Your offer is appreciated, but I can manage," Luna replied. "Tend to your needs. A cat with bags under his eyes is quite unseemly looking."

"Maybe I can catch a few hours before Minako gets back in," Artemis exhaled as he jumped to the floor. "It's a cinch I won't get any after."


In the computer surveillance unit of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia, a technician was monitoring a screen. When the display changed, he signaled his supervisor.

"Change in status?" the supervisor, a neat and buttoned-down woman of thirty-six asked.

"They just logged off of their search," the technician, a dumpy youth of twenty-four in an ill-fitting white shirt and slacks replied. "They're pretty good, whoever they are. I'd call it fifty-fifty the Russians even detected the search. I only noticed it because we're monitoring them."

"How deeply were they digging?"

"Pretty deep. And the search was focused on a pair of Russian nationals named Sasha and Veronika Sakarov." He brought up a previously minimized window. "I've got their file here."

The woman leaned over his shoulder and read it.

"Should we tell them?" the technician asked.

"If it were up to me, yes," replied the supervisor. "What have the Russians done for us lately? It's not like we owe them anything. Besides, we're allies in good standing with Japan, despite the recent regime change." She sighed. "But that's not my call. All we can do it print out a report and kick it upstairs."

The technician immediately started preparing a report to print.

Continued in Chapter 5