Barely quarter of an hour later the small conference room seemed almost crowded.
"But, Ryuichi, isn't that a bit risky? And it's not only, um, Mr. Liu you're putting at risk, but Mr. Takaba too!"
"You don't know Arbatov, and you have no idea what he stands for."
Asami was now leaning against a table in the middle of the room, an assembly of perhaps fifteen people in a half circle around him, some seated, some perching on tables, some standing at notice. The atmosphere was tense and strained.
"I know him well", his gaze went inwards, darkly, "too well…it's a privilege I would give anything to have forgone …"
Nobody interrupted him.
"In the course of that year, at that group you all know of, I grew more and more certain he never intended to … change. He was quite low profile then, deceptively so. I think now he was gathering data and … networking."
And that was how Arbatov must have had gotten that … dreadful … video. Asami had briefly thought about showing it, to underscore the urgency, but no. He wondered just why it was he could hardly bear even thinking about it, he had seen far worse in the course of his professional life, and Fei Long had not really been hurt. It was obviously intended as kind of a demonstration-and-sales clip, and damaging their ware wouldn't have made any sense to the producers.
Fei Long, at the time, had probably not known that, though, not known if he was meant to survive … he could understand so well that the Chinese had become a champion Kung Fu fighter, risen to the top of a Mafia Syndicate … doing anything, just anything … to never be victim again.
He had never showed it to Yoh.
The clip hadn't been made by Arbatov or his people, he felt sure of it … the people involved had spoken English, one of them with a Chinese accent. But he felt certain it had been made for him … because it was widely known in the scene what Arbatov liked. He shuddered at connecting the word 'like' to that gruesome, inhuman man.
And the person shown in the video was the very incarnation of all of Arbatov's darkest desires.
"Unfortunately we didn't know until too late Arbatov intended to lecture at the St. Petersburg Congress - it's entirely by chance Ak…, Mr. Takaba, was there and took some coverage."
He looked around at each of them in turn.
"We're risking both Liu and Takaba, and innumerable other innocent human beings, in a far more unforgivable manner if we pass up this unique chance, tonight."
Liu Fei Long was not innocent, not in any sense of the word, but nobody protested.
"Declaring others less than human by using questionable biological criteria, justifying the most horrifying cruelty, isn't new … you merely have to look at how women were often treated in patriarchal cultures …"
He dragged at his cigarette.
„Was an inferiority complex because of not being able to bear children underlying cause? This time, we believe, the fuelling inferiority complex has something to do with sexual frustration. Studying known followers … the shared characteristic seems to be the lack of sexual activity. In a high percentage the followers are thought to be impotent, or not able to bring their true inclinations into alignment with their beliefs.
Victims are usually sexually alluring … and all have some kind of stigma. Sometimes something as random as a third nipple … and sometimes a genetic aberration, which opens an even wider field, for though the human genome is deciphered, who determines what is normal?"
He did not have to raise his voice, nobody dared to urge him to come to the point.
„As ludicrous their credo may appear - humans declared to have a birthright to sexual gratification - non humans, as determined by alibi reasoning, may be used in any way to achieve that means - what it boils down to is a moral justification of sexual subjugation, rape and even - sex murder."
Again he did not have to raise his voice.
„Since it is not a national thing, devotees can be found throughout the world. They do tend to favour certain environments, though - hospitals, for instance, are thought to be highly infiltrated."
… and that was where those 'recruiters' of Arbatov's had first got hold of Fei Long! of course! it had to be! After being almost shot to death by his biological father … and he, Ryuichi, hadn't been there any more, and Yoh … not yet.
"The scientific world in general - so many antisocial, emotionally instable people, in a brutal, dog eat dog competition - naturally that makes a fertile breeding ground for inhuman concepts - think of the nuclear bomb …"
Asami exhaled, blowing smoke in direction of the window.
"Christianity, unfortunately, also seems to attract these … psychopaths, for want of a better label. Worshipping beneath a naked god suffering death by torture? Not really wholesome."
He looked round, briefly locking gazes with each of them.
"Even amongst us there might be someone … afflicted."
Through the tilted window sounds of a busy city weekend were wafting, a crash and angry cries rising over the general hub hub.
He didn't know of any other one.
He ground out his cigarette on the tabletop and threw the butt out of the window. (Good thing Akihito couldn't see him, this would have sparked off a quarrel).
"No, I don't really believe it, knowing all of you personally. But I wanted you to get some idea of the dimensions of … diffuse … perversion we are up against."
His face went still, he fixated the ground.
"We need facts. Hard evidence. There is no other way."
His features were like an idealized mask now, thrown into hard relief by the slanting morning sunlight.
"Mr. Takaba has volunteered."
There was a breathless silence. Everyone assembled knew of his … affiliation with the young activist photographer, quite a star in his scene, incredible really when he barely looked of age.
A tough, grizzled man cleared his throat.
"And Mr. Liu?"
Asami's expression didn't change. What an exceedingly handsome person he was, his security chief thought, with some regret, as this had been the main source of security breaches in their long time of collaboration.
"Mr. Liu has been instructed this morning, Suoh."
Loud murmuring, even outcries, broke loose.
A muscular Japanese with a sombre face, bringing to mind a practising monk, stormed up out of his seat.
"We should never have let him go with those students, Asami-Sama! I told you I didn't like the look of one of them!"
"Arbatov's nephew?", Suoh asked. "You think he'll turn Liu over to his uncle, Yoh?"
Yoh's colour heightened. If they hadn't known him for so long, known that was absolutely impossible, they might have thought he … but he controlled himself.
"I don't like Mikhail Arbatov, not at all", he ground out tighly, "but no, Suoh, I'm certain he won't. No, it's more one of his friends, the Olympic wrestler Alexej Taramasov, I'm in doubt about … can we have a look at that surveillance photograph again?"
There was some fiddling with a notebook, then a grainy image was projected at the whitewashed wall behind Asami's back.
"See there, beside Professor Arbatov? This photo was taken at the St. Petersburg congress last November, by Mr. Takaba. As Asami-Sama already informed you, at the time Arbatov wasn't our main target, alas, but studying the picture this morning … ", he let a slightly unsteady red laser dot wander over the image, coming to a shuddering stop.
"Professor Arbatov … and that could be Taramasov."
Asami turned around, studying the photograph, an inscrutable expression on his face. When he said Aki had volunteered, he hadn't told the whole truth. Akihito, for all his exhaustive and in depth political knowledge, for all his expertise in critical, escalating situations, caught between the powers that be … had never yet, to his knowledge, experienced being targeted personally.
Except, of course, by him.
Unease erupted in his gut, rising up in clammy tentacles - yes … the young man beside Arbatov could well be that infuriatingly glib Slavonian scientist friend of young Arbatov's … he too seemingly in thrall with their enigmatic Chinese ‚classmate', still long haired - he simply couldn't understand that! why in all the world would Fei Long go on underscoring his androgynity … in his stead he would have shaved his head! … or at least sported a shaggy haircut like his Aki … his heart contracted in fear ….
They must all still be at Akihito's now, surely had been when Akihito and he … they should never have done it! It was seeing Fei Long again, after all those years, it had kicked off something in him, the pressure had been so great, had threatened to … love for Aki washed over him in a tidal wave.
The others were crowding in front of the photograph, gesticulating and arguing. Normally he wouldn't have stood for such a display of disorder, but now he was glad he could slip out unheeded.
On the third ring he heard Akihito's voice. The relief was enormous - whatever Taramasov's design, Aki was safe! and he had some difficulty at first to understand what his pet was telling him.
When he re-entered the conference room the assembly fell silent at once.
"What is it? Ryuichi, what is the matter?"
Asami's features appeared to be carved in stone.
"Liu … is missing."
He was looking only at Yoh in this moment, his face carefully devoid of any expression.
It was Suoh who spoke.
"But isn't there a tracer on Liu … wasn't Takaba supposed to put one on him?"
"They apparently were already gone when Takaba wanted to do so …"
There was a commotion, as Yoh moved against Asami. He stood in front of him, tense and furious, nearly choking on his breath, unable to speak.
It was Suoh who asked, "they?"
"Taramasov and Liu …"
It sounded so impersonal, 'Liu', not like someone who was on his mind and conscience, someone who's body he had intimately known, who's dearest wish, however uncalled for, he had simply ignored, whom he had deflowered and then twice saved, but never spoken to again.
Yoh was at Asami's throat.
"If something happens … ", he grabbed Asami's immaculate shirt front, "if …", he could hardly get a word out, panting and gasping, "Ryuichi, if he comes to harm …"
He seemed unable to continue, completely beside himself. They had never seen him like that. Asami did nothing to defend himself, and nobody even noticed Yoh was calling Asami by his given name, and that it was the first time ever since he had begun working for him, all those years ago.
"Ryuichi … I swear it … you'll never have a moment of joy again …"
- to be continued -