Angels in Japan

Chapter 28

'5 minutes is all I ask of you.' Angel requested, placing a pleading hand on his chest. Soryu stiffly nodded, but took a step back, distancing himself from her.

'I do not expect you to forgive me, nor will I ask for your forgiveness.' She began, surprising him. Somehow, she always seemed to have control. 'I have done nothing wrong. It is my job to infiltrate and bring down criminal organizations and surely, you would not grudge me that, for, if anything, I should be expressing my anger as yours is the more illicit line of trade.' She looked at him hard and he knew she had a point. If they were arguing about who worked where, she had the upper hand. However, he merely pressed his lips together, the look on his face getting colder although Angel carried on undeterred. 'Yes I lied to you about my profession and there was a reason for that, and Soryu, you must understand- it was before I knew you! It was before-' She broke of biting her lip and he stared at her, wondering what it was.

'Before what?'

'Before I fell in love with you.' She said quietly, her expressive brown eyes filled with emotion. The derisive chuckle he was about to give at her revelation died in his throat as he realised she was being completely sincere. No one could look like that and not be telling the truth.

'Nothing you've ever told me has been the truth, has it?' He asked quietly. 'Your childhood, your step father?' She looked away, answering his question without words. 'You have a highly inventive imagination, I must admit.' He said, raising an eyebrow. In spite of herself, Angel couldn't help the smile forming on her lips.

'What did you expect, darling? I am a spy, after all. Lying's second nature.'

'Alright, fine. You've said all you had to say, now go.' He turned brusquely away from her, slamming the suitcase shut.

'Wait Soryu! There's one more thing… Are you really going to marry Mei Ling?' She asked in a small voice, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Soryu's heart broke at the expression on her face. Surely after all this she didn't expect them to be together? A spy and mobster- it was ludicrous! He sighed sadly- he didn't dare to hope that they may be able to defy all odds and maybe even be happy. No, he'd given up on ordinary happiness a long time ago. If there was one thing his life as a mobster had taught him, it was that men like him didn't get- no, they didn't deserve happiness and he wasn't about to ruin her life with his.

'Yes, I will. Mei Ling's father is a very influential member of the Chinese mafia and if I marry her then we will forge an alliance between the two factions. The Ice Dragons and the Bell Crickets will be the most powerful mafia in Hong Kong.'

'Business? That's all? But what about you, Soryu- is that what you really want?' She asked him so sweetly that his heart melted and before she could change his mind further he left, determined not to get in her way any longer.

Angel packed up the last of her things, locking her flat in Tokyo for the last time as she left, heading for the Interpol office for one last time before she got back on the long flight home to England.

'And you're sure I can't convince you to stay.' Director Fukushiwa begged as Angel collected a cheque and finished off the last of the paperwork, drawing Project Mad Hatter's Tea Party to an official close. Having bid her team farewell, she'd come to finish off some of the formalities when Fukushiwa had caught her and begged her to stay. She was one of the most sought after spies in the entire world and her excellent work with the IVC was just a sample of the feats she was capable off. Thanks to the intel they'd received from the auctions, they'd managed to capture and jail some of the most scandalous and corrupt famous figure heads whom they had been after for years. She'd recovered more information in 3 months than they had in 10 years, and it was clearly an effortless job for her. He was desperate to hang on to her: with this little woman his department would rise above all others in the eyes of the Japanese government. Unfortunately, she wouldn't concede. She'd refused his offer with the usual cold politeness she displayed and now she was about to leave.

'I'm afraid not, Director. I'm truly sorry. Now, I must be going.' Was all she said as she swept out of the door, leaving Interpol a changed place in her wake.

As Angel rode back to the hotel, she stared out of the window of the cab, a feeling of melancholy overwhelming her. For years now, she'd remained aloof, cold and distant from everyone. Any person who had known her or worked with her could attest to that. Although she showed everyone a considerable amount of politeness and charm, she was still detached: never laughing, smiling rarely and presenting all together a cold, sophisticated and awe-inspiring figure, though a little intimidating. Over the past three months however, there was a gradual change in her. She smiled so much and even laughed quite often. She'd begun to feel happy- an emotion she'd cut off after Tom's death as she felt she was betraying him by allowing herself to be happy. 'This is Karma', she thought bitterly, 'This is what I get for betraying Thomas and allowing myself to be happy, for once, with another man.' She clenched her eyes shut, as if trying to force out the images of Soryu and Tom, which were revolving mockingly in her head. It wasn't fair! If she truly didn't care about Soryu or the other bidders, she could have easily shut down the entire operation. She could have ruined them all to such an extent, that death would seem a better option than facing their bleak, empty lives. Instead she'd betrayed herself, her morals and her work by allowing them to get away with it. She'd convinced Fukushiwa not to shut down Tres Spades and to strike a deal with Eisuke instead, to carefully filter and seize the worst of the criminal scum and contraband, black market good, through the aid of the information released during the auctions. She'd drawn up such a plan that they'd be able to seize the crooks without ever being able to link it back to the IVC or auctions. It would seem like pure coincidence.

After an eternity, the cab pulled up outside Tres Spades and provided a welcome distraction. She just had to get a few personal belongings, which she'd left in Soryu's suite and then she'd be gone.

As she stepped into the cool, expensive lobby of Tres Spades, a voice called out to her.

'Angel?'

She turned to see her ex-co-workers staring at her uncomprehending. 'Oh that's right! I forgot to tell them.' She realised what a strange and unfamiliar sight she must be presenting, in her expensive white Armani suit and expensive accessories. Now that she was no longer trying to blend in to the shadows, she'd dressed up with the usual simple elegance attributed to people of her stature and importance. She was filthy rich and far more important than the "King" himself. It wasn't everyday they got to see people who were more extravagant than Eisuke, so the fact that they could now and that it was none other than their humble co-worker had them stunned.

'Angel, what's going on? What are you wearing?' Erika snapped, unhappy by this sudden development.

'Watch your tone, Miss.' Angel said in a clipped voice, her Japanese now overlaid by a heavier English accent. Now that she wasn't pretending, she didn't have to bother with trying to fit in. 'Sakiko, Chisato.' She nodded to the two girls, who were staring anxiously at her. 'I'm afraid there's been a rather sudden development, so I've had to resign. I'm sorry about how abrupt all this is but I can't stay any longer. Before you ask me why, let me tell you. I'm not allowed to say. But know this, I truly value the care, concern and friendship you have shown me over these past few months and I shall never regret it. If there is anything I can ever do for you, do not hesitate to ask.' She handed them both a business card and an apologetic smile. They were clearly unsatisfied with her answer but they didn't push it and instead sadly pocketed the cards and watched as she turned to leave; their small, timid friend now a Lady, exuding commendable sophistication and authority.

'Now, wait jus one moment. Where the hell do you think you're going? Just because you trapped some new, rich boyfriend, doesn't mean you can just go off and leave the rest of us to do the dirty work, you whore.' Erika screeched, grabbing Angel's arm and painfully digging her long fake nails into her flesh. Angel didn't even wince but merely seized the offending arm and twisted it painfully behind her back.

'Aaah! Let go! That hurts!' Erika cried.

'Tut tut.' Angel said calmly, slightly relaxing her grip on the arm but still holding it securely in place behind Erika's back. 'Assaulting an Interpol Agent- that's a serious, national crime, you know.' She stated matter-of-factly.

'What? A spy?' Everyone gasped at the sudden revelation.

'Yes, a spy. Hence the reason I was working here: it was merely a cover for my real mission. However, now I have finished and I really must take your leave, though it's been delightful knowing you, Erika.' She drawled sarcastically, letting go of the trembling girl, who immediately scampered away, her sycophantic friends hurrying behind.

'I'm sorry about lying to you,' Angel sighed, her voice much gentler as she apologized. 'Unfortunately, it's my job and I do what I have to do to make this world a better place.'

'It's alright Angel!' Sakiko piped up comfortingly. 'We'll always be here for you, no matter what you have to do.

'Thank you. That means a lot.' With one last smile, Angel headed up to the penthouse to quickly grab her things.