SINS OF EDEN
Chapter 17
*****
"Check please."
"Right away, ma'am," said a waitress as she picked up the empty dishes.
Akane sipped the last of her soda. She was at a small restaurant
where, she actually discovered, that one waitress spoke fluent
japanese.
Yet another time, she checked her wrist watch.
*Five more minutes. Just five more minutes or I'll...*
"Sorry to keep you waiting," said a voice behind her. She turned her head
slowly to saee wqho it was; whom she was expecting.
"You're late," she stated.
"Sorry, but it's a bussiness' life I lead," said Nabiki as she took a
seat in front of Akane.
"You were supposed to be here an hour ago. I already ate."
"I figured you would. I was late because I stopped for lunch, myself."
"Same ol' Nabs."
Nabiki was anything but changed. The only noticeable difference was that
she was slightly taller than in her teen years.
"So what's the good word? Found him yet, or what?"
Akane stared at her, and raised one eye brow. "You're one to ask.
You know the situation. Your contacts lost his trail, and I've been
stranded here for three days. Lord knows what some guys called me last
night as I went to the hotel."
Nabiki laughed. "Well, I didn't come to China to know what some
pervs called you, so let's get down to business." She reached down,
below the table, and pulled up a briefcase. Unlocking it, she got
out a file in a manila envelope, and gave it to her.
She quickly leafed through it. "Nice pictures, Nabs. Won't help much,
since I already know what he and Chijaru look like."
"You have no imagination. Plus that, you still jump to early conclusions.
If you look a little ahead of that, you'll find that those pictures,
I did not acquire."
Akane rolled her eyes back, but did look. She read under the file of one
the name, age and last seen location of both Ranma and Chijaru.
Also, the file was addressed to: 'Chairman Sorekara'.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Well, I didn't know either, so I did some research. I traced the name
to a little known corporation, at least to common folk, called:
'Sorekara Industrial'."
"Sorekara Industrial. So?"
"So... this is really interesting. Check it out: This S.I. is a high
regard, almost secret corporation, that has hold on about three/fourths
of the comercial buildings in Japan, and about one/third in Korea."
"An arquitectural firm?"
"That's what I thought at first, but you know me."
"Unfortunately too well," she said with a hint of humor.
"Yeah, well, after a lot of investments..."
"You mean bribes."
"Whatever, I got some very interesting information. It turns out that
this isn't your regular corporation."
"How so?"
"It turns out that they have ties and links into just about every single
other corp. there is around."
"So they have people in with everyone in the corp. world. So?"
"Let me finish. That's not all. It appears they only respond and talk
to high level politicians, along with Chairmen. They've been involved
with some very important people over the years, more so in the recent
few. And get this, the CEO(Chief Executive Officer), is the weirdest
bet yet."
"What?"
"Look, it goes like this. As far as I can tell, the Corp. started some-
time in the late 1960's, headed by a man named Shin Sorekara."
"Shin?" Akane asked. She pictured the Shin she knew, but wasn't buying
her own imagination.
"Yeah. Look near the back of the file."
Akane did so, and came across a pictured of the man she was thinking
of. The man Nui was dating. Shin.
"I know this guy. He's dating a friend of mine. But, I mean, this
doesn't make any sense. He can't be CEO of this thing."
Nabiki looked a little surprised, but only for a brief moment.
"Well, I have two things to say to you. One: how do you know it isn't
him? Do you know what the Shin you know does?"
"Well I... he never said anything about that."
"Well, that isn't the full story. Get ready to be weirded out, because
that picture was taken on October 12th, 1971."
Akane blinked. That didn't make any sense. If so, then Shin would be
around fifty to sixty years old.
"Maybe his father? I mean, that's possible."
"Not impossible, but highly unlikely. I mean, how many exact genetic copies
of parents do you know?"
"..."
"And also, I doubt, to some degree, that parents name their kids exactly
like that."
"...That makes sense, I guess," she responded.
"Well anyway, I have a meeting at three, so let's get to the point."
"Same ol' Nabs."
"Heh. I don't know all the details, but it seems that these people
are very interested in finding lover boy. They reportedly spent
millions of yen in research to find him."
"That is a little interesting..."
"Only a little? Akane, I don't think you fully understand what I'm trying
to tell you. What would a huge underground corporation want with
Ranma and what's her name? I doubt they keep tabs on him for
fun."
"I... think I understand now."
"Well, that's more of my time I can give for now," she said as she picked
up her case and stood. "I'll call you later, if anything comes up."
"Yeah. Thanks," she responded with a smile. Nabiki smiled back, and then
started to leave. Before her sister was gone, something popped into
her mind, and she just had to get the answer.
"Nabiki!" she yelled out. Nabiki turned around, puzzled.
"What? What is it?"
"Sorry, "she said as she came up to her. "I won't keep you long. I was
just wondering, how was it that you got this."
"I told you already."
"I know, but what I mean is, don't you think, even with bribes or
whatever, that it was a little too easy to get?"
"Not for me, sis."
"I think you're giving yourself a little too much credit. If these people
have been in secret for so long, how come you were able to learn so
easily about them?"
Nabiki was opening her mouth to respond, but stopped.
"Good point."
------
"Sir, we've leaked to the woman, as you ordered."
"Excellent," said Shin, as he blew some smoke out of his lungs. "Have
you located Saotome?"
"Yes sir." The young secretary handed him a small memo. "This was sent
to us just in the last hour. Apparently, he's been spotted in the
surrounding forestal area in Hebei, accompanied by that woman."
"That woman. Are there any possibilities to eliminate her?"
"I'm afraid not at the moment sir."
"Oh well, I believe I will have to take matters into my own hands.
Arrange my plane; I'm going to China in two days. Bring Toyotomi
Nui here ny the morning."
"Yes sir," she responded as she left the office. Shin spun in his chair
a few times, then picked up the phone. He dialed a number, waited
and finally recieved an answer.
"Hey, it's me...
"Yes, I miss you too...
"I have a request of you...
"And I know you want to do it. You'd do anything for me, right?
"That is good to know. How would like to go to China with me?"
End of Chapter 17
A.N.
Like you didn't see that coming. Nevertheless, you guys have no idea
what lies ahead, and believe me, you will NOT be expecting it.
'Till next time...
BlackDragon
Chapter 17
*****
"Check please."
"Right away, ma'am," said a waitress as she picked up the empty dishes.
Akane sipped the last of her soda. She was at a small restaurant
where, she actually discovered, that one waitress spoke fluent
japanese.
Yet another time, she checked her wrist watch.
*Five more minutes. Just five more minutes or I'll...*
"Sorry to keep you waiting," said a voice behind her. She turned her head
slowly to saee wqho it was; whom she was expecting.
"You're late," she stated.
"Sorry, but it's a bussiness' life I lead," said Nabiki as she took a
seat in front of Akane.
"You were supposed to be here an hour ago. I already ate."
"I figured you would. I was late because I stopped for lunch, myself."
"Same ol' Nabs."
Nabiki was anything but changed. The only noticeable difference was that
she was slightly taller than in her teen years.
"So what's the good word? Found him yet, or what?"
Akane stared at her, and raised one eye brow. "You're one to ask.
You know the situation. Your contacts lost his trail, and I've been
stranded here for three days. Lord knows what some guys called me last
night as I went to the hotel."
Nabiki laughed. "Well, I didn't come to China to know what some
pervs called you, so let's get down to business." She reached down,
below the table, and pulled up a briefcase. Unlocking it, she got
out a file in a manila envelope, and gave it to her.
She quickly leafed through it. "Nice pictures, Nabs. Won't help much,
since I already know what he and Chijaru look like."
"You have no imagination. Plus that, you still jump to early conclusions.
If you look a little ahead of that, you'll find that those pictures,
I did not acquire."
Akane rolled her eyes back, but did look. She read under the file of one
the name, age and last seen location of both Ranma and Chijaru.
Also, the file was addressed to: 'Chairman Sorekara'.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Well, I didn't know either, so I did some research. I traced the name
to a little known corporation, at least to common folk, called:
'Sorekara Industrial'."
"Sorekara Industrial. So?"
"So... this is really interesting. Check it out: This S.I. is a high
regard, almost secret corporation, that has hold on about three/fourths
of the comercial buildings in Japan, and about one/third in Korea."
"An arquitectural firm?"
"That's what I thought at first, but you know me."
"Unfortunately too well," she said with a hint of humor.
"Yeah, well, after a lot of investments..."
"You mean bribes."
"Whatever, I got some very interesting information. It turns out that
this isn't your regular corporation."
"How so?"
"It turns out that they have ties and links into just about every single
other corp. there is around."
"So they have people in with everyone in the corp. world. So?"
"Let me finish. That's not all. It appears they only respond and talk
to high level politicians, along with Chairmen. They've been involved
with some very important people over the years, more so in the recent
few. And get this, the CEO(Chief Executive Officer), is the weirdest
bet yet."
"What?"
"Look, it goes like this. As far as I can tell, the Corp. started some-
time in the late 1960's, headed by a man named Shin Sorekara."
"Shin?" Akane asked. She pictured the Shin she knew, but wasn't buying
her own imagination.
"Yeah. Look near the back of the file."
Akane did so, and came across a pictured of the man she was thinking
of. The man Nui was dating. Shin.
"I know this guy. He's dating a friend of mine. But, I mean, this
doesn't make any sense. He can't be CEO of this thing."
Nabiki looked a little surprised, but only for a brief moment.
"Well, I have two things to say to you. One: how do you know it isn't
him? Do you know what the Shin you know does?"
"Well I... he never said anything about that."
"Well, that isn't the full story. Get ready to be weirded out, because
that picture was taken on October 12th, 1971."
Akane blinked. That didn't make any sense. If so, then Shin would be
around fifty to sixty years old.
"Maybe his father? I mean, that's possible."
"Not impossible, but highly unlikely. I mean, how many exact genetic copies
of parents do you know?"
"..."
"And also, I doubt, to some degree, that parents name their kids exactly
like that."
"...That makes sense, I guess," she responded.
"Well anyway, I have a meeting at three, so let's get to the point."
"Same ol' Nabs."
"Heh. I don't know all the details, but it seems that these people
are very interested in finding lover boy. They reportedly spent
millions of yen in research to find him."
"That is a little interesting..."
"Only a little? Akane, I don't think you fully understand what I'm trying
to tell you. What would a huge underground corporation want with
Ranma and what's her name? I doubt they keep tabs on him for
fun."
"I... think I understand now."
"Well, that's more of my time I can give for now," she said as she picked
up her case and stood. "I'll call you later, if anything comes up."
"Yeah. Thanks," she responded with a smile. Nabiki smiled back, and then
started to leave. Before her sister was gone, something popped into
her mind, and she just had to get the answer.
"Nabiki!" she yelled out. Nabiki turned around, puzzled.
"What? What is it?"
"Sorry, "she said as she came up to her. "I won't keep you long. I was
just wondering, how was it that you got this."
"I told you already."
"I know, but what I mean is, don't you think, even with bribes or
whatever, that it was a little too easy to get?"
"Not for me, sis."
"I think you're giving yourself a little too much credit. If these people
have been in secret for so long, how come you were able to learn so
easily about them?"
Nabiki was opening her mouth to respond, but stopped.
"Good point."
------
"Sir, we've leaked to the woman, as you ordered."
"Excellent," said Shin, as he blew some smoke out of his lungs. "Have
you located Saotome?"
"Yes sir." The young secretary handed him a small memo. "This was sent
to us just in the last hour. Apparently, he's been spotted in the
surrounding forestal area in Hebei, accompanied by that woman."
"That woman. Are there any possibilities to eliminate her?"
"I'm afraid not at the moment sir."
"Oh well, I believe I will have to take matters into my own hands.
Arrange my plane; I'm going to China in two days. Bring Toyotomi
Nui here ny the morning."
"Yes sir," she responded as she left the office. Shin spun in his chair
a few times, then picked up the phone. He dialed a number, waited
and finally recieved an answer.
"Hey, it's me...
"Yes, I miss you too...
"I have a request of you...
"And I know you want to do it. You'd do anything for me, right?
"That is good to know. How would like to go to China with me?"
End of Chapter 17
A.N.
Like you didn't see that coming. Nevertheless, you guys have no idea
what lies ahead, and believe me, you will NOT be expecting it.
'Till next time...
BlackDragon