Cross the Floor by taketo
Chapter 6
Disclaimer: please see chapter 1.
I know the story started a bit slow but I wanted to explain a few things, introduce characters blah, blah… The pace is picking up now. Thanks again for all the reviews!
Enjoy reading this!
Night, at a noodle stall by the road…
Staring at his udon noodles floating about his bowl, Aya tried to figure out a way of asking Ken what he needed to know. He didn't know who else to ask. A long time ago his first choice would have been Leo but these last few months, Leo was slowly becoming a stranger to him. The people he worked with? No, he hardly knew them and they all have been there since his father's time and this included Ken. Ken! He was the only person he (Aya) dealt with everyday and most trusted. There's no other way to do it, Aya said to himself. Just ask that's it. Ken's answer would either be a yes or no.
"Hidaka…"
Ken who was busy slurping his soup, turned, holding his bowl in midair. "Hai? Something wrong with the udon?"
Shaking his head, Aya replied. "It's fine, listen Hidaka there's something I want to ask you…." Aya just let his sentence hang.
Setting his half eaten soup down, Ken said in a neutral voice. "Yes, Aya-san?"
Aya took a deep breath. "You were one of my father's main bodyguards, did you ever come across a man that wears perfume so sickening…."
"Sweet?" Ken looked directly at Aya.
"Yes!" Aya exclaimed. "Do you know him?"
Ken nodded his voice still neutral. "Yes, … Tsuzuki Iwashimizu."
Finally a name to that greasy haired man! "Who is he? How is he connected to Fujimiya?
Ken frowned, why did Aya wanted to know about Tsuzuki? That slime ball… Suddenly soft chimes invaded Ken's ears. His mobile was ringing. Reaching into his pocket, Ken pulled out his mobile and read the display. Nagi! "I'm sorry…Aya-san…."
Aya nodded. "Go ahead, it could be important."
Ken rose from the wooden bench. "Hai, Aya-san. I won't be a minute!"
Standing just a few metres away, Ken brought his mobile to his mouth. "Moshi mosh…"
"Where the hell have you been?!" Nagi snapped, phone etiquette all thrown out the window.
Ken smiled in the semi darkness. "I had an accident but it's a long story… so what do you've for me?" Ken's tone changed from apologetic to business like.
Nagi sighed. He had almost given up trying to contact Ken but the information he was sitting on was way too important. "Leo is planning on introducing Fujimiya to the other side . He's gonna let the Fujimiya heir get use to be on top, let the power get to his head and then slowly introduce him to all the 'goodies' in life!"
Ken digested all the info. "When did you hear this?"
"This afternoon, he was talking to that red head, Manx." Nagi replied, looking about him.
It was better to be safe than sorry. Never know who might be listening. "Listen, man. I gotta go."
Understanding Nagi's anxiousness to hang up, Ken replied. "Okay, thanks and be careful." Ken hung up and slipped his mobile back into his jacket pocket and began walking towards Aya who was still staring at his noodle bowl.
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Leo's residence.
Leo stood by his window, nursing the drink in his hand. What was Aya checking in the Internet? He only managed to catch a glimpse, some sort of news archive. His source in the Fujimiya household had said that Aya rarely spent time in the study. Did Aya stumbled upon something? Leo cursed and slammed down his glass hard. He picked up his mobile and speed dialed a number. It rang a few times before a soft feminine answered. "Moshi moshi…"
"Nanako, where's Aya?" Leo half snarled down the phone.
"He isn't home. He went out with that bodyguard of his."
"Hidaka?"
"Hai…"
"What has he been doing these last few days?" Leo asked, hoping it wasn't anything unusual. He was so close to seeing his plans become a reality.
"The usual, comes back from the office. Has dinner and watches the news and trains with his katana and off to bed. Sometimes he would walk around the garden or sometimes he would go out for food like now. Normal stuff, nothing extraordinary. Is there a problem, Mitsui-san? " Nanako was wondering what was up.
"It's no concern of yours, just do as you've been instructed." Leo replied coldly.
"And how many times must I tell you not to use my name?!"
"I'm sorry, sorry…" Nanako stammered.
Leo ignored her apology. "Call me when they come home! I don't care what time it is, you call me, understand?!"
"Hai…" Nanako answered quickly, eager to get in Leo's good books once more.
Leo switched off his mobile. "I'll just have a talk with Hidaka tomorrow." Leo said to himself as he poured himself another drink.
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Noodle stall by the road.
Despite the semi darkness, Aya had spotted Ken smile. Must be his girlfriend! Aya thought. You like him! A small voice told him. Tell him, do something. You wouldn't know if you didn't try. Aya pushed back those thoughts and concentrated on his now cold udon.
Ken sat down on the wooden bench next to Aya. "Sorry about that."
Aya pushed away his udon, his appetite gone. Although he wanted to know who Tsuzuki was but he was curious about something else too. "It's alright. Angry girlfriend wondering why you haven't been around to see her?"
"I don't have a girlfriend." The words tumbled right of Ken's mouth before he could stop them. Great Ken! You might as well tell him you're a cop while you're at it! Ken chided himself and hastily added. "It was just an old friend…"
Aya allowed himself a small smile. "Aaaa…"
Ken smiled back and decided to move to safer subjects. Like what they were talking about before Nagi rang. For undercover cops like him, it was always wise to steer clear of personal stuff. "Aya-san, about what we were talking about…."
"Aaa…" Aya took a sip of his tea.
"I would rather if we went somewhere else, that is if you're finished…" Ken gestured to Aya's half eaten meal.
"I'm done…" Aya reached for his wallet, took out a few notes and paid the noodle hawker.
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Yohji and Omi's home….
Yohji flung his hand across the pillows. Instead of encountering the warm body of Omi,
all he came in contact with was the smooth, cool surface of the pillows. Yohji closed his eyes and groaned loudly. Omi had agreed much too easily to go home just now. Pushing aside the covers, Yohji padded out of the room. He knew exactly where his koi was.
"No need to sneak about like a thief. I can hear you." Omi said to Yohji, his fingers flying furiously across the keyboard.
Yohji who was just metres away from Omi drawled. "So, you prefer this box of wires and chips to moi? Your ever loving koi?"
Omi laughed. "Yohji! I'm sorry if I woke you but I just needed to know what else is in Ken's disc."
"It's a challenge, huh?" Yohji pulled a stool to sit next to the honey coloured computer whiz. He knew Omi would never pass up on a challenge.
Omi grinned, his eyes lit up. "Yeah, listen Yohji I may be a while. Why don't you go back to bed?"
Yohji just shook his head. "I'll just sit here and keep you company."
Smiling inwardly, Omi wondered what this former playboy's girlfriends would have thought if they saw this scene. "You need to sleep."
"So do you." Yohji retorted back.
"I'm used to sleeping a few hours in a day but not you. Besides, you need to run the unit…:
Once again, Yohji stubbornly shook his head.
Omi stared at his computer screen. Just a few more minutes and he would be able to get the second password. He hated to leave it but he didn't want Yohji suffering from lack of sleep either. So he snapped close his laptop and took Yohji hand. "Come on, I can work from the bed and you can get some sleep."
Yawning away, Yohji allowed himself to be led to the bedroom.
**************************************
In a park, under the street light…
"Who is this Tsuzuki?" Aya demanded once they sat down on one of the park's stone benches.
"Tsuzuki Iwashimizu, a fairly influential underground crime boss. He deals almost exclusively in gambling and fancies himself as a producer."
"Of?" Aya frown deepened.
"Porn movies, soft and hard core." Ken replied, looking directly at Aya amethyst eyes, searching. All Ken saw there was confusion, shock and anger.
Aya stood up. "What?! What would Leo be doing with someone like that?! Don't tell me we're shipping his filthy movies?!"
Ken nodded. "Yes we are."
Aya exploded. "What the hell is going on here?! Tell me!"
Shifting in his seat, Ken sighed. This was going to be a long night. "You didn't know?"
Aya snapped. "Of course not! If I did, I wouldn't have asked you if I did!"
Ken said nothing but gazed steadily at Aya. Once again all he saw in those amethyst orbs that were staring back at him were confusion, shock and anger. Aya better brace himself, there were more surprising stuff awaiting him.
Running his fingers through his hair, Aya apologized. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to snap but what's Leo doing meeting a guy like that?"
Looks like it was time Aya learn the truth about Fujimiya Inc. "Besides the import export Fujimiya Inc. has other sources of income, a side income.. We've clubs, whore houses and gambling dens."
"Whore houses?! Clubs, what sort of clubs?" Aya's eyes narrowed.
Ken shrugged. "The usual clubs where people hang out, exotic clubs. I didn't get to go to all of it but if you like, I could show you the ones I know."
"Yeah…" Aya's answer was barely audible. Never in a 1,000 years he thought that his father, Leo would be involved in a thing like this!
**************************************
Ken stopped the Soarer just a few blocks away from their target, a large mansion.
He decided against taking Aya to a club. Leaning against the steering wheel, he pointed things out to Aya. "Not quite what you expected, huh? This is an exclusive brothel with a restaurant as a front. The girls are high-class, well schooled pros. You look at them and you won't even think they do what they do for a living! The place is really big. They have a garden that could rival yours."
Aya just continued to stare at the scene in front of him. Cars, mostly expensive sedans, both local and foreign pulled up either to drop off or pick up clients. Women dressed either in the traditional kimono or a western outfit welcomed client after client.
Suddenly Aya leaned forward. "Hidaka, is it my eyes or is that a girl in a school uniform at the mansion's porch?"
Because the porch was not in his line of vision, Ken had to lean side ways towards Aya to see the girl he was talking about. "Well, that's the idea really." Ken's face was just inches away from Aya's. "Some of the clients like role play, to act out their fantasies."
Aya turned away in disgust. "I think it's sick! All these people are sick! That includes my late father! Let's get out of here."
Ken gunned the engine to life and moved the Toyota Soarer forward. "Home?"
Tugging at his seat belt, Aya replied, "Anywhere but there!"
**************************************
After driving around for a while, Ken decided to stop by another park. Aya was pacing back and forth, mumbling away. "I can't believe this. Fujimiya Inc is mixed up in all this?
How could they?! I suppose everyone knows this but me!"
"No, only the top brass, extremely important clients and a few bodyguards. The first time I accompanied your father and a few clients to Fujimiya Inc's side income business, that's what they are known as, I was told to keep it a secret." Ken revealed.
"Big consolation!" Aya remarked sarcastically. "Tell me, the clubs. Are they just clubs or do they offer something else as well?"
"Some of the clubs have three floors. First floor is the restaurant, second floor is the dance floor and the third…."
"Is the mini brothel?" Aya injected with venom.
"Mini brothel and casino." Ken replied quietly.
Aya raked slender fingers through his hair in frustration. How could his father, Leo do this?! All this time, he thought they were managing just a simple export import business!
"This is wrong, Hidaka. Wrong! What am I going to do?" Aya asked, his back facing Ken.
Ken just shook his head. "I don't know but at the moment, let things be."
Surprised Aya whipped around. "What?! Hidaka, you mean you agree…."
Ken held up his hand. "No, Aya-san! Definitely not! It's just that I've some info regarding Leo's plans for you and the best move now is to let things be."
Aya clutched Ken shoulders painfully. "Leo has plans for me?! What is it? How did you know this?"
Slowly Ken pried Aya fingers from his shoulders. "It's just rumours. Let me to check them out but for the moment we've to practice caution. Please Aya-san. I know it's difficult to trust me, we've only known each other for a few months…."
Aya sat down. "I trust you, in fact right now, you're the only one I trust."
Ken breathed a sigh of relieve. At least Aya trusts him! "Okay, just keep what you've learned tonight to yourself. Act normally, no changes. And I'll check those rumours."
"I wish I could turn back time and all this wouldn't have happened. My family would still be here and me? I still be doing what I was doing. I was a teacher, you know. A plain high school teacher." Aya laughed bitterly.
"What did you teach?" Ken asked although he fully well knew what Aya taught. Before he started this case, Youji dumped a mile high pile of files on the Fujimiyas on his desk. The thickest file was on Fujimiya himself and the thinnest and most insignificant file was Aya's. Ken had read and reread each file to familiarize himself with the Fujimiya family.
"History." Aya paused for a second before he continued. "I taught in this little village in the north. The winters chill you till the bone but I loved it!" Aya closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt so drained and worn out. Zapped out of all his energy. "Let's go home, Ken."
Ken rose and when he saw Aya still seated on the bench, impulsively he held out his hand to Aya.
Aya stared at the hand for a second before taking it.
Ken clasped his fingers around Aya's hand to pull him up. As Ken was about to release Aya's hand, Aya's fingers gripped his fingers and began to walk. Sensing Aya needed some sort of comfort (due to what he had learned tonight), Ken squeezed his fingers lightly. "Everything is gonna be okay."
Aya turned to Ken, managing a weak smile. "Arigato."
Ken returned the smile and hand in hand, the head of Fujimiya Inc and his bodyguard, walked in silence to their car.
End of 6.
