Chapter 14: Face to face
Whereas Tum Tum walked through the prison halls, he remembered one class when he was in junior high: "Working with Daddy". It consisted on visiting Dad in his job and bringing a report to read it aloud, and pictures to share with your classmates. He had liked Christina´s exposition; his father was a chef and she had brought them samples of fruit cake. But when it came to Tum Tum, things got a little complicated: he wasn´t allowed to visit Dad in his job since he was an FBI agent, in fact, he couldn´t even tell he worked for the FBI nor share any details of the criminal he had caught. So everything Tum Tum could show was a badge (not even the FBI credential) and a lot of ambiguous details. He had gotten a B.
And now, about four years later, he finally visited Daddy´s working area. Yet, it was still hard to picture his old man there, surrounded by criminals. Not that they had met a criminal yet, since they were using the officers´ private hallways. But there was definitely something in the air. Even Grandpa and Rocky seemed anxious; not like Colt, who walked as though he was wandering in the mall. But of course, Colt was fearless. Grandpa had said once that a fearless person was someone amazingly brave and equally stupid. Tum Tum had loved and memorized that definition, especially when Grandpa used it to scold Colt after jumping like a chipmunk from one tree to another and fell, not breaking his leg by an inch. Grandpa had told them not to do it, not before a proper training; Colt tried to show he was ready to do that silly task… he had to use a crutch for three weeks.
Tum Tum looked at his older brother with the corner of the eye, wondering if he´d actually think he could match Snyder. He remembered him after the fight with the Breakers, watching Colt physical and mentally beaten had been worse than having him cocking around.
"Here we are" Neil stopped in front of an iron door with a lock. He turned to face the visitors before opening it. By the way he looked at them he should think they were all insane. As he had read Tum Tum´s thoughts, he denied with the head and said. "If I hadn´t been the one who spoke to your father, I would have never believed he asked me to leave you alone with Snyder. He didn´t explain that much but he seems to think you will get something valuable from him, something neither of us has been able to get in all these years".
He spat the last words with a mix of bitterness and irony.
"May I ask what exactly are you looking for?" he looked at Mori.
Colt opened his mouth, offended. Why in the world he didn´t ask them? They were not little kids anymore! But Rocky, aware of his brother´s intentions, touched him on the shoulder, in order to keep his temper under control. Colt breathed in, trying to chill. He wasn´t willing to screw their only chance.
Mori nodded. "You may ask, agent, but I´m afraid I won´t be able to give you that answer. At least not before talking to my son-in-law. What I do can tell you is that we may get a clue from the men who hurt him".
Neil frowned. "The ones who shot Douglas? How are they and Snyder related?"
"They are old enemies. We are. We must prepare ourselves in case they want to attack".
Neil scrutinized them all, only Colt held his gaze, defiantly. He seemed indecisive. Rocky suspected he didn´t know whether to laugh or to send a patrol to their house. After a minute that felt as a piece of eternity, he sighed and smiled. "If I hadn´t seen what happened four years ago and the years after (oh, yeah, Samuel is quite boastful when it comes to his offspring), I would get you in an armored car and send you home arrested. But, more than partners, Sam and I are friends. And if he decided to risk his skin for you, who am I to displease him?" He opened the door.
"Thank you, Neil" Rocky stepped forward but didn´t go that far since Neil had blocked his way.
"Listen, Sam"
"What is it?" Rocky asked.
"This guy…he´s dangerous. Do not think you know everything about him. You have no idea what he has done. We have to take his rubber band away because he almost strangles his cell mate with it. He doesn´t seem intimidated by other criminal or police officers. Douglas asked me to keep an eye on you, yet, not to interfere unless it was necessary. But I must confess I don´t know how to do that".
"I really thank you, we all thank you for your concern. Trust us, Neil, we wouldn´t do this if we didn´t have to. I know it´s hard to understand since we´re not offering further explanations but, trust us, our family may depend on what we may learn from this man".
Colt coughed to conceal a smile. Although Rocky never took his comments very seriously, he was convinced his brother could be an excellent actor. He had a hero attitude and, in moments like this, he felt damn blessed for that. Finally, Neil let them through. They found themselves on the other side of the glass: five officers were observing Snyder, and greeted the kids with a question mark practically drawn on their faces. Rocky supposed neither of them knew more than Neil about this weird petition from his father. Two of the officers were really young, they should be in their mid-twenties. The other ones showed familiar faces: they should work with Dad.
"Well, it seems we have most of the Douglas family", said a mature man with dark eyebrows. "You must be Samuel Jr.".
"Yes, sir" Rocky answered shyly. Colt rolled his eyes again.
"You look a lot like your father when he was your age".
"You knew my father when he was a teenager?" Tum Tum asked, eyes wide open. Colt wanted to shoot himself.
The man with the dark brows nodded. "I was his teacher, or his nightmare as he used to call me, on the Academy. I´m Detective Graham, at your service. These are Officer Jenna and Smith".
A woman, taller and wider than any of them, nodded. Colt asked himself why couldn´t she look like those stunning ladies from Criminal Minds. Well, in her favor, she seemed able to knock you out from one single hit. The other guy was brunet and smiling; not impressive at all. But, if Dad had chosen them, he must have had his reasons.
"You must be the middle child", Detective Graham continued, "You´re not that alike…"
"I´ve always suspected I´m adopted", Colt answered laconically, as a reflex.
And also, as a reflex, Rocky snapped him on the back of his head. Taken by surprise, Colt startled but wasn´t able to respond. The police officers laughed, losing some of the tension. The only one who remained deadly serious was Grandpa. His gaze was beyond them, focused on the man behind the fake mirror: Snyder. Despite how many times they had pictured him, neither of the boys seemed prepared to face him for real: his black hair fell straight on both sides of his face, tanned even if he didn´t spend that much time under the sun; even sitting, his body looked athletic and every single nerve seemed visible through the flesh of his arms and hands. Snyder had been allowed to wear, as the kids, pants and T-shirts, red, both of them. As if he could sense them, he was looking straight to the mirror, piercing it with cold eyes, his lips curved into a sneer.
"Douglas asked us to let you… practice with him, is that right?" Detective Graham asked to no one in particular.
"That´s correct", Grandpa answered for the first time.
Neil shook his head. "I should enter with you."
"Please don´t". Mori said, humble but severe. "Ninjitsu is not only a bunch of punches and kicks but a philosophy, a code. We need to communicate with Snyder in the only way we know…"
"Japanese?" Neil raised an eyebrow.
"Fighting" Mori smiled.
The door of the interrogation room opened. A white light shone from the ceiling. Neil decided to walk in, "just to set things right", as he had said. Snyder didn´t stand up but sneered instead.
"Good morning, officer". He dragged the last word, as already bored by the sound of it. However, his eyes pierced through him, focused on the old man standing behind Neil.
Rocky saw the tension on Grandpa´s shoulders, an unusual stiffness on the way he moved; his body had recognized a predator and was ready to run away or fight. Rocky himself felt a sudden rush of adrenaline he could barely contain, his heart raced, his lungs claimed for air. He thought his memories were not that accurate after all, last time he´d seen Snyder he was wearing a weird brilliant ninja gi and was lying on the floor. Today, he looked more dangerous than ever.
"Rocky, let me in!" Colt pushed him aside, stepping forward, closely followed by Tum Tum. Colt looked quite alert; Tum Tum, slightly terrified.
After watching them all with a mix of hunger and disdain, Snyder stood up with both hands raised, palms opened. Neil´s expression hardened, obviously aware of the mock on that gesture.
"I´ll keep my hands were you can see them, officer" Snyder smiled and then, laughed under his breath. He also looked at the fake mirror.
"Hugo Snyder, because of a unique situation…" Neil began.
"Time´s running, isn´t it, officer?" Snyder cut him in the middle of the sentence. "We have job to do so, I suggest you to go back with your friends, to the safety behind that wall".
Rocky froze under Snyder´s gaze, feeling the hair on the back of his head standing on end. Suddenly, their plan seemed dangerously flawed. Neil didn´t move. Grandpa did; he was so fast, Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum barely followed the flying object that came out of his hand. Not even a yell came out of their throats. Something shone and flew right towards Snyder´s neck. With a remarkable speed, Snyder threw himself aside but managed to catch the object in his left palm; his face hardened, his eyes shone with a sparkle full of surprise and indignation. Then, before Neil got out his weapon, totally bewildered, Snyder relaxed his posture.
"You haven´t aged that much, old man" Snyder opened his palm, ignoring Neil´s gun, that pointed him and Mori, alternatively. He was holding a black rubber band with a silver end.
"Detective Neil, I´ll remind you your promise. Go back, watch us but don´t interfere".
"Listen!" Neil´s voice rang sharp and angry, "don´t you ever do that again, I almost shoot you!"
Colt raised his chin and stepped forward but Rocky held him back, an arm on his chest. Tum Tum looked at everyone with his eyes almost out of his sockets.
"Lucky me you didn´t" Mori answered and walked right towards Snyder, who had tied his hair already, looking more like his old himself.
Colt changed looks with his brothers: so this was Grandpa´s dark version.
"It´s good to confirm you haven´t lost your reflexes, Hugo". Mori and Snyder were so close, they should practically be able to feel each other´s breathing. Despite his height, Mori didn´t seem less lethal than his opponent. Neither of the boys felt able to move without their sensei´s permission, so they stood, frozen but ready to jump. The air seemed heavier now; their blood, a rush of electricity.
"Agent…" Mori insisted.
"I´ll be on the other side" Neil whispered Rocky whom he evidently considered the most reasonable one.
"Thank you, Neil" Rocky answered without looking back.
The door closed behind them.
"Time to play", Snyder´s voice was barely a whisper, but his words felt like a knock