Mino –san came over soon and I told him about what happened between myself and Yokozawa in the elevator before the first message was sent, then how I helped set up Tanikaze with his crush, Hoshijiro and that the woman implied more or less that she was spying on me for a "certain person" for large sum of money, but she switched sides. I only left out Takano's suspicion, because that's what it was – a suspicion with no backing of proof.
Surprisingly enough, Mino –san took it more calmly than I thought he would. He shifted on the couch, a sly smirk spread on his face. "Now you can't lose against Yokozawa. His spy joined your side and he has lost a contact needed on fourth floor to monitor your movements. I can vouch for Emerald that none are not working for Yokozawa, but I cannot say for other departments. I suggest you exchange contacts with Hoshijiro and wait for Yokozawa's next move."
I wasn't satisfied with waiting any longer. "That second message gives off bad vibe. He's after my colleagues. I can't let anything happen to them. In the beginning, I disliked them, but soon they became my family, just like Emerald is for you."
He sighed. "I see. Then, you strike first. I happen to have obtained some more info on our next target. Hoshijiro wasn't likely his only spy, from what I have gathered. Here, see for yourself."
Mino –san put a jet black folder on the conference table. My eyes jumped forth and back, while he sat there, sipping the tea I made. I was still curious why he's so well connected (or if he's yakuza masquerading as office worker) and the poison he got is hard to come by; he must obtained it from black market.
"You wanted to know about my contacts, Onodera, didn't you? Today, I'm having a meeting with my "friends" and I'm inviting you to see for yourself how we operate. It's a good reference for future, yes? Just read this, so you understand." His calm voice was so cold as he said that.
Yakuza. I'm meeting the underworld. I picked up the file and opened on the first spread pages, where a photo of middle –aged man with a tattoo of 9 under his eye, was grinning at me.
"He was under, hmmm... let's say our protection for doing little odd jobs every now and then. He was our hacker. About two weeks ago, he stopped working with us, saying he's got a new employer. My friends tried to get him back, because he's the best hacker in Japan without a doubt. He wouldn't budge. My friends let him seemingly off the hook, closely monitoring him. Yesterday, one of my contacts saw him meeting with someone you know too well. It was Yokozawa. I wouldn't think much of it were it not for today's anonymous threats. God Nine, that's his hacker name, could pull it off. Framing Amano is easy for a hacker of his caliber. I don't care about Amano's fate, but God Nine betrayed us when we were making a prestigious deal and sold out valuable information to rivals. On top of that, he allied with Yokozawa. That is why my friends decided to have a final chat with God Nine."
I knew it. He's with criminal underworld. And I sided with one of them. This is dangerous.
"Can I ask one question, Mino –san?"
He raised his brows at me, smiling. "Why work as editor? That was to be your question, yes?"
I nodded and he cackled. "I like being an editor, why throw the hard work of my authors out the window? Also, I was editor long before I was contacted by friends. I don't meet them often and I only... give tasks and support to talented individuals like yourself."
I didn't know if I should be flattered or not that he chose me. Mino –san stood up suddenly. "Come, let's not waste time. My friends aren't patient and we take care of betrayers, swiftly. Get dressed, we're leaving. I came by in my car, so we'll take it."
A man of action, Mino –san took back the file, got dressed and I was too curious to let this chance of seeing real yakuza in action to slip, so I followed after Mino –san, hastily putting on my shoes and coat, grabbing my phone and house keys.
I locked the place and we took the elevator down and I was really looking forward to seeing Mino –san's other profession and what it entailed.
He had black car (as expected of yakuza).
We left for God Nine's home or current location.
XxX
The moon was shining brightly up in the sky, illuminating the dark alleys of streets where the gangs fought for domination at night. Also, it was rumored to be the "thugs and criminals only" district, which is why I never stepped a foot here while I was a teenager. Now, well, things are different.
Mino –san stopped his car before a big red brick house. I shook with anticipation as we stepped outside. Mino –san directed me to the left. Five men were coming our way, all dressed in black suits and each had a... handgun or some other firing weapon with them. Also, they disguised their identities with masks that covered up half their face, their eyes were the one feature one could see, nose and mouth were covered up. They are cautious of me, Mino –san must have told them I'd be coming along. They don't want to risk me seeing their faces.
I don't blame them for exercising caution with strangers. It's only rational.
They greeted him heartily. "You've come. Good, God Nine has been holed up inside the last three days, the only exception was that brief meeting with that bear looking guy. By the way, this is your friend you told us about?" The masked yakuza on the right asked, his eyes perforated me through and I stoically accepted the look. The man laughed. "I see. You picked well. Come, let's not make our dear friend waiting." He made a gesture to his four mates, who took the lead. One was watching the street, and two were working on unlocking the most likely locked up door. The last of four was observing his watch, which I found strange, but I didn't dare speak to break up the concentration of the two with... were those lockpicks? I've never seen them before, so up close.
Truth is, I always liked watching crime movies, where the bad guys won, which was a rarity itself. The good guy won and the bad guy was thrown into prison in most movies. I found myself always rooting for the bad guys.
But seeing the real deal in reality... I admit, I must look like a fanboy to them, eyeing them and what they do with exasperated breath. Mino –san in the meantime checked his phone, smirking. When he saw me looking over his shoulder, he showed me the news circulating on the web.
The headlines were about Marukawa and today's murder. Those pesky reporters were pesky, alright. The leader approached Mino –san and showed him the news flash on phone screen. "Your workplace is awfully popular nowadays. Be more careful to not expose yourself."
"I am being careful."
The two who were picking the lock succeeded and as quiet as possible opened the door, one of them already peeking inside the house's interior.
The boss' smirk was that of a hunter stalking its prey. "Your vacation is over, you son of a bitch."
His men went ahead inside, while the boss was slowly walking with us in tow. He wasn't afraid his men would be caught in a trap? Surely a hacker set up some traps... or not?
We entered the house and boss undid the safety lock on his gun, holding the lethal weapon in one hand loosely, as he almost bored leisurely walked towards the kitchen, the bathroom...
I looked up at Mino – san, who shared the same bored expression as his superior (I presumed he's his superior, I could be wrong) searched through all the rooms downstairs before his gaze flickered on the stairs to the upper level, where probably his men were, for we didn't meet them here.
They must be upstairs. A loud thud and mild shriek of pain alerted us of action above. "I see they already began with interrogation. They waste no time."
The boss, Mino –san and myself were ascending and the screaming was increasing in volume, when it suddenly stopped and my blood froze momentarily. Did they kill him?
All doors were closed, except the one on the end of hallway, that door was open –wide and hanging off the hinges, like it was pried open with extreme violence. The two lock pickers must have some more tools with them. They are professionals, deal with these situations commonly, from the looks of it.
Definitely dangerous and yet, so fucking thrilling!
Mino –san giggled when he glanced at me. "You're enjoying this more I'd hoped. You won't let God Nine off the hook so easily, will you? He worked with Yokozawa, don't forget that." He reminded me and a wave of sanguine anger washed over me.
No, he's not getting out of that so easily. He will spill all he knows about Yokozawa and the deal they made.
The boss strut in and lazily stood leaning on the wall to the right. The room itself was spacious and filled with so many computers of different sizes, screens were everywhere, not to mention wires. This is how a hacker's hovel looks like...
And by the biggest screen, slumped in chair with bleeding head and tied down, was God Nine. Four yakuza members were looming over the hacker who didn't see this ambush coming, judging from the little resistance he put up.
That just proves he wasn't as smart as Mino –san gave him credit for. The boss approached the tied God Nine, sneering in his face. "What? You thought we would forget it? I'm afraid we're not so forgiving. However, before we politely have a chat, someone else wants answers and you shall provide them."
He motioned with head in my direction and I stepped forward, so the man in chair could see my face clearly. For a moment, he just stared, when he gasped and turned pale. "YOU'RE HERE?!"
This man knows something. Yokozawa must have told him about me. Time to put on my ruthless look to blend in with the rutless yakuza. I'll give him the fright of his life. "Talk. Tell me what you know, God Nine."
He shook head, shaking but still putting up a brave demeanor. Too bad I'm in no mood for sympathy tonight. I turned to the lock pickers. "Do you have pliers, good men? I would like to borrow them." I asked politely and they indeed had with them all sorts of torture tools, which I didn't know for what were used for; pliers will do.
One of them handed me beautiful pair of pliers and the yakuza took a few steps back to give me more space with God Nine. The man's horrified eyes were glued on the pliers, his lips quivering as he almost inaudibly protested. "N-noo, sto—p... ple..asssee!"
Armed with twisted half smile and pliers, I stood close above the hacker who was panicking; I saw it, also he was drenched in sweat. Oh, and we didn't even get started.
"Hm... Let me tell you a story. I'm sure you will like it. How did it begin again? Ah, yes." Hands moved to his fingers and kept, short nails. He started fidgeting and I was laughing at his futile attempt. "Stop squirming..." I grabbed hold of the nail with pliers and pulled. "This little piggy went home!"
His nail came off so beautifully and I admired my handiwork while he screamed, blood poured down his palm, onto the wooden floor, dirtying it with scarlet red.
"Aaaaah! Stop!"
Behind me, I heard whispering of Mino –san and the boss. "Now that's what I'm talking about." The boss whispered and Mino –san cut him off. "Shhh, don't ruin his concentration."
Back to God Nine, both tears and blood poured out at once. Since when did I find blood and tears so beautiful together? Nevertheless, I was enjoying this, perhaps more than I should. I set my sights on another of God Nine's nails, throwing the ripped off to the floor. "This little piggy has a roast beef..." And I pulled, tearing it off and he screamed. "Aaaayye...! You bastard...No..."
Calling me a bastard, are you? Who joined up with Yokozawa, huh?! Remorseless, next nail was on the to be ripper off list. "This little piggy had none..."
He hung head, hiding his crying face from me. As if he knew I gloated in his misery and pain. Well, he did bring it upon himself.
"Aaa...Aaaaa..." He huffed, gritting his teeth as his head bobbed to the side, glaring at me with intense hate. "Ready to talk yet? You have seven fingernails left. I think hands are vital for someone like yourself, so spill it. What is your relation with Yokozawa Takafumi? Why did he order you to hack into a company computer and what is his plan."
Despite being in immeasurable pain, he scoffed, with angry tears in eyes. "I'm already dead. I should I have left this city while I had the chance. When you're done, they'll finish me off." His gaze pinpointed at the boss and Mino –san, who looked at each other, bearing the same indescribable expression.
"I don't care for your sob fucking sad story. I can torture you or you can tell me what you know and these gentlemen will kill you, no pain needed."
God Nine laughed in my face. "These "gentlemen" take betrayals seriously. They will kill me, but slowly. I have my pride and I won't betray my last employer, so rip off all my nails, I don't give a shit."
Little too late for self – pity and second thoughts, miserable wretch! I tore off his fourth fingernail with such pleasure, it must have reflected on my face, for God Nine spat on me.
Showing his teeth, tenacity of cockroaches never ceased to amaze me. Four nails less and he still didn't pass out from blood loss.
"Catch." Mino –san threw me a handkerchief. I wiped my face off the disgusting saliva, maniacal frenzy and need to have answers pushed me towards the inevitable fifth ripping.
His fervor diminished somewhat, slumping. Weakened, he must be.
"Be brave, dearie – just one fingernail and we'll move to the other hand." The pliers were in place and I smiled. "This little piggy went wee, wee, wee..."
With loud splotch, his fifth fingernail came off with ease and it joined the other four on floor, in the puddle of blood.
"Wanna play some more?"
"I... won't tell anything..."
Still adamant? Disappointed, I pouted at him. "Now, now. Just tell me. I don't like it when things don't go my way. I could go much farther. DON'T. MAKE. ME."
That smug bastard looked down at me, laughing in my face. Fucking piece of - Someone showed me aside (not so gently) and before I registered what happened, in split second a gunfire lit up the room and more blood poured on the floor, the chair collapsed and fell.
God Nine's smug was replaced by fear, his brains splattered on the screens.
The yakuza boss shot him. All neighborhood must have heard that shot. "Search his things and check the terminals. He must have kept some sort of online stored diary or something." The boss' men got to it, while Mino –san sighed. "God Nine had balls to defy you till the end. Step aside and let them do this." He grabbed my shoulder and we went to stand by the door.
Boss snorted, kicking the corpse on the floor. "Pathetic fucker. Nobody crosses me."
I gave back the blood – caked pliers to their rightful owner and he cleaned them up, like I borrowed them for something normal.
They searched for some minutes, before Mino –san's phone ringtone started ringing and he glanced at the phone, frowning (just like Ishiyama –san did this afternoon) and picked it up, excusing himself.
A personal call. I'll stay here.
I watched the five yakuza, who turned the place upside down and searched through God Nine's files.
A random thought popped in my mind. If that hacker kept an email diary or something, logic dictates it won't be hidden away at the big terminals. Rather... smaller ones. My gaze fell upon the only switched off laptop in the house, the smallest he had.
I reckon whatever we need is on that laptop. Information on Yokozawa and their business I would rather not stick my nose into. I spoke up so suddenly, they all pointed their guns at me and I put hands up in the air, laughing nervously. "Whoa, easy. It's just me. I had thought about it and I think the data we need is on that laptop." I motioned with head towards the laptop on the desk. Boss approached and all lowered weapons (I inwardly sighed from relief) and one of the men turned it on.
It was no surprise to us that the laptop required a password. Damn it. I should have pressed the man less. How can we decipher the password with no leads?
The yakuza searched in his pockets and pulled out a USB flash drive and put it in. Immediately after plugging in, the laptop unlocked itself.
Seeing my impression, the boss explained. "We have many specialists, God Nine wasn't the only one working for us. Another genius came up with that magic you just saw. Incredible, right?"
I nodded, dumbfounded. From torturing to murder, then to hacking into a laptop's OS... nothing was impossible for these guys.
Meanwhile, Mino –san came back. "Anything new?"
"Working on it. The files are cleverly kept in the hidden particles, but with this baby, I can hack even God Nine's laptop." He said, while the USB flash drive accessed all documents, compilations... and many things I've never seen before. I'm just an editor, not IT programmer.
With a red warning sign growing bigger, the screen flickered and went completely black. "What happened?!" The boss asked with a hint of annoyance.
The screen came back on and a sign spelled SYSTEM OVERWRITE ACCESS GRANTED appeared shortly.
Now we're talking! A detailed, hourly diary dated back from ten years ago showed up as the man scrolled down to the bottom, where he reached the date of betrayal. Sensing this ain't my business, I walked away, while they talked in hushed whispers. I gave them privacy, going down the stairs. I have enough on my plate, let them deal with their business and I'll deal with my business.
I wonder how late it is. I grabbed my phone and unlocked the screen. 22.47 pm. So the "minutes of searching" through terminals were in reality an hour wasted, if my calculations are correct. Grinding teeth, I had thought about why Yokozawa won't give up. Takano clearly rejected him that day. He must really hate me to go to such lengths to hire professional hackers and have spies. Unfortunately for him, he lost both the hacker and spy, in the same day.
"Onodera, we found something you should see!" Mino –san's excited voice echoed in the dark house. I ran up, taking the stairs by two. Now I can solve the mystery of their deal and find out everything.
The yakuza discreetly left an agreeable distance in between, silently observing as Mino –san was already reading. He pointed at certain paragragh.
02.11. 19.31 pm.
I met with my employer. He had very specific orders I couldn't comprehend. I had dealings with him in the few past months, but this is on the borderline of terrorist attack, causing malfunction in a known publishing company for no apparent reason. None of my clients ever asked I do something like that. Harmless pranks, that I did. Countless times. But this... He's crazy in the head. But the pay is so good, it would be foolish to decline. I've got nothing to lose, since I can hide pretty much my IP address, but one never knows...
We solved the mystery of the power shortage. He hired God Nine for that, too...then he cut the wires himself to make sure the lights stay off... and those past dealings... what did Yokozawa ask him to do?
03.11. 06.14 am.
His call was unexpected. I told him I'm working on a side job today, but he told me to abandon the other job ASAP. I didn't like his tone, but he's the boss, right? I still found it strange, asking me to hijack (AGAIN!) the same publishing company, so I did some research on my employer. He is apparently very well off, being the top at the sales department, which explains why he's so generous with money. Back to the point, I can't process why he'd want me to do that and I quote "diversion"... Still, I'll send the two messages as he requested.
"Diversion" to make everyone focus on the messages, so that he could do... what? Was that woman's death from Sapphire a coincidence or was it part of "diversion" God Nine didn't know about? Either way, there is more written to this date...
03.11. 11.28 am.
He called, regarding the thing we talked about, I called the project Sensible Removal, at which my employer grunted. The last grunt job I should be doing for him as of tomorrow, shall put to shame all the doubters and losers who said hacking isn't a skill. I'll show them what skill is. Either way, he won't contact me on the progress, because he will be very "busy." Seriously, that man scares me and I don't want to cross him, seeing as I've earned the wrath of one of major gangs for dropping their jobs and selling the information to the highest bidder. Business is business and the clink of coins is more convincing than loyalty. They won't dare put a foot in here. They know I am under the protection of their rivals, it would be suicide. On the Sensible Removal, can't say I am thrilled, but I'll do it. Some crazy kid he needs to permanently get rid off, why not? Since when did I work for criminals and psychopaths? ... hard times demand hard choices, yeah right. This is the last job I'm doing for that man, then I'm outta this fucking town. I should retire, soon. Getting tired of dealing with all that shit and worriedly glancing over the shoulder at night.
So, Yokozawa ordered God Nine to launch the project Sensible Removal, which is focusing on my removal from the game. He ordered my murder. By what means should it be done, that I didn't know. I learned next to nothing from reading through this shitty diary. Just that Yokozawa made one last plan against me. Sensible Removal... It could be interpreted two ways: 1, Yokozawa ordered my death and God Nine was to pull some strings and hack something, probably cause a big distraction – set up a trap and kill me there. 2, Yokozawa's brilliant plan was to pin all the murders committed by him and myself on me, planting false evidence and sending it to authorities or something.
I shuddered. Good thing we killed God Nine before he got his grubby paws on that last project. Goddammit, Yokozawa is just asking to be fucking murdered by me.
Mino –san read it faster than me, already strolling back and forth, deep in thoughts. The yakuza who hacked the laptop approached me. "Are you done?"
I nodded slightly, still shaken up from the reading. The man looked at his boss, who curtly nodded, heading out the door, followed by the three men and Mino –san, who had yet to make eye contact with me. He's thinking about the last heading, I'm sure of it. I still can't wrap my head around the meaning of getting rid of the kid.
The man unplugged the USB and slid it inside his pocket, brandinshing his gun. He fired at the laptop without a warning, destroying it. I stood there, motionless and he tsked, urging me to hurry up and leave.
"Boss doesn't have all night for this. Move it." He said and I picked up the pace, following after him. Outside the house, we were I was met with sight unseen; the yakuza were scattering something that resembled... gasoline around the house and on the house's walls, dousing it in the substance. Mino –san calmly stood by, smiling in that usual creepy way, casually making small talk with the boss.
... I joined up with Mino –san, who clasped. "High time we left, Onodera. There is nothing more to see here."
...Yes, nothing more to see. He held the car door for me and I adjusted in the passenger seat beside him, while he fumbled with the seat belt.
He started the car and we left the street. I looked behind and saw the rising flames that licked the brick house, engulfing it.
Turning back, I focused on my hands.
We didn't speak much. Mino –san had to focus on driving and on top of that, we were stranded in a traffic jam.
Mino –san leaned on the back –rest, looking straight ahead. "What do you think about it all, Onodera?"
His voice made me jumpy. One didn't know if he was speaking with you or not.
"That Sensible Removal speaks of two variants: First, he causes a final distraction, lures me in a trap when it's most convenient for him. Or second variant, he frames me for all the murders, like he did with Amano guy. But since God Nine is dead, he lost the deal. He was supposed to launch that project tomorrow."
Mino –san affirmatively nodded a few times and the collumn of cars moved. "I thought the same, Onodera. From now on, you have to be extra careful. If you have a suspicion he's after your colleagues, then I'll have a few of my friends making sure no harm comes to them. So, you won't have any more worries. Your only worry is how to lure Yokozawa into a trap. You should return the favor. I kinda liked that project of God Nine's. We should interpretate it our use. Which variant do you favor the most?" He asked, with a sly smirk I associated when he was up to mischief.
He knew my answer, but he wanted a verbal confirmation. "I want him six feet under.
His smirk deepened and didn't retort back. That smirk didn't bode anything good from my past experience with Mino –san. Didn't bode well for my targets.
"Tomorrow, your first move will be to get Hoshijiro's number. Emerald has a meeting with sales in the morning and I will observe Yokozawa. God Nine is dead and he lost a spy – and he doesn't know of the facts yet. He's bound to become angry for ruining his plans and spy network, so he won't retaliate right away. I'll use my contacts to make all spenders understand what will happen to them if they work for Yokozawa. Unless they want to end up like God Nine. " He told it in a monotone voice as if he just said he watered his house plants.
We rode out of that traffic jam to my apartment. "For tomorrow, I need you on your guard, in case he snaps again. Don't give him any openings like this morning. Take stairs if you're alone and not with someone from Emerald. I'll send a message after work, when you're safely home. Give me some time to work out a plan and keep safe. Without you, all the efforts we made were in vain. Got it?" He flicked my forehead while driving and I nodded, seeing his serious expression.
He drove to my neighborhood and close to my apartment complex. We shoudn't be seen together.
I made a hasty exit, thanking him for a new insight on the night life and he just donned that creepy smirk of his, driving away.
Alone, I walked to the gate and sticked the keys inside. One more glance behind the dark side, before the gate shut and auto – detection lights came on in the hallway. The elevator was on the first floor for once I didn't have to wait.
I got inside and pushed the button to my floor.
What a day it was.
The door clicked open and I got off, pondering about what I learned at God Nine's house. I unlocked my door and after getting inside, I immediately locked it shut and put on the padlock. Call me paranoid, but after reading God Nine's entries, I was entitled to little paranoia.
Exhaustion caught up with me as soon as I crossed into living room, where I collapsed and laid on couch.
Time passed and when my stomach growled aggressively, I decided to eat and go to sleep.
Finishing up the midnight snack, I was about to go to bed when... the door bell rang.
Who's by the main gate at this late hour? I checked phone briefly for new messages, I had none. Strange...
I strut to the home phone and pushed the button so the person downstairs could talk.
"Who is it?" I asked, cautiously.
"It's me, please open up, Onodera." Takano's voice pleaded in the phone receiver.
Takano's here at this hour?
Whatever for?
I stood in silence as I pushed the other button and opened the door for him.
This is very strange. Takano didn't mention a late visit earlier.
I didn't know what was going on any more.
TO BE CONTINUED_
Author's Notes - Another easter egg for gamers, I didn't change the dialogue at all during the scene, because I'm too lazy (I admitted it at last!) to alter. Also spender is a term for hacker in a PS1 game Front Mission 3. I explained it, because I doubt anyone played it from my devoted readers, hence I am pointing it out. n_n Daaaaaamn, Ritsu was getting in the zone with the torture (we all know he did it to leave a nice impression on the yakuza) and fanboyed soo much. xD