A Meji Cop Story
Chapter One
Kenshin walked down the long corridor toward the meeting room, where he was being summoned to appear. This was his second time to be summoned into the meeting room; the last time had been a couple of weeks ago when he brought in Cho. Cho claimed to his superiors, police brutality because he had nearly broken his jaw. He had told his superiors then--that he did not break his jaw he "nearly" broke it. Therefore, it couldn't have been police brutality, now if he had broken it--there might be some validity to that statement. They did not find his comeback humorous; they gave him sharp reprimand and black mark on his police record.
Kenshin smiled. Later when he told the joke to the others working the beat that day, they found it hilarious. He pushed opened the door and paused. Seated in one of the many chairs at the table was Saitou Hajime. Saitou was a detective from Kyoto who worked mostly undercover governmental jobs, while he and Kenshin had crossed paths when he lived in Kyoto; they had never had a natural affinity for each other.
"Care to take a picture?" asked Saitou annoyed at Kenshin's staring. He reached up and flicked an imaginary piece of lent from his dark-blue Armani suit.
Kenshin snapped his mouth shut as he moved to take a seat opposite Saitou. "What are you doing here? Tokyo isn't your district."
Saitou rolled his eyes heavenward. "Ahou ga. I know Tokyo isn't my district, but like you my smart friend, I was summoned here."
Kenshin sat back in his chair and began to undo the buttons on his light blue suit to get comfortable. Why would Saitou Hajime be requested to come to Tokyo? He was always on high security cases. "So, why do you think you were brought in?" he inquired trying to establish a free conversation.
Saitou leaned back in his chair thinking he wanted badly to reach for a cigarette, but he promised his wife he would try to quit. "I don't know exactly why I was brought in, but I do know it has something to do with that guy Cho you collared some weeks past."
"Cho is just a low-level peon," said Kenshin shaking his head in disbelief. "He gets picked up for something or another all the time." Saitou and Cho had no personal connection from what he knew of Saitou and Cho.
"Be that as it may, I know Cho was the reason I was brought in," responded Saitou as he looked up to see several shadows looming outside the frosted glass door of the meeting hall. "Looks, like we're about to have company and hopefully some answers."
The door opened to reveal Kenshin's captain Uramura and Saitou's captain Kawaji, with the head of Japan's State Department Yamagata Aritomo. Both captains took seats by their perspective personnel, while Yamagata sat at the head of the table near the projection unit. "Gentlemen, I think you know each other," he queried waiting for the nods of Kenshin and Saitou. "Good, we don't have time for amenities. So, with that said, I know you want answers to why you both were brought in today."
"That would be a good start," muttered Saitou as he instinctively reached for his pack of cigarettes before he realized that he was giving them up. "It's not everyday that we get to see the idiots who run our government."
Kawaji coughed and shot Saitou a quelling look. "Continue please, Yamagata-san."
"Kenshin dim the lights please," Yamagata turned on the projector making sure it was centered on the blank wall in front of him. He ignored the comment of Saitou about a free picture show. He picked up the small clicker, pushing the button an image of young black-hair female appeared on the screen.
Kenshin set up straighter his attention focused on the vision in front of him.
"This is Kamiya Kaoru," explained Yamagata. "She runs a dojo in rural Tokyo on the weekends, during the week she owns an antique store." He pushed the button again, this time it showed the woman struggling against men in black clothes, shades, and surgical masks. "For the last year she has been accosted by these men. She's fought them off, but lately," he clicked to another slide of Kaoru getting into shiny black car. "...she's been seen accompanying these people who before tried to abduct her."
"What changed her mind," queried Saitou as he leaned forward. He recognized that cone-shaped head from anywhere. Senkaku. A well-known mass murderer just outside of Kyoto he once held a village hostage because he felt like it. The man killed several of the inhabitants before the government could move against him. "I doubt she discovered the saintly attitude of the men."
Another figure was clicked onto the wall, this time young boy with spiky black hair. He was wearing a dingy yellow tee shirt and olive-colored corduroy pants. "This is Myojin Yahiko. According to recently filed documents, he is Kamiya Kaoru's half-brother. When his parents died, supposedly the letters alerting her that he was an orphan became "lost," in the mail. He was "adopted," by the Shuei Yakuza until she found out about him. Kaoru promptly petitioned for custody, and was granted full custody of her half-brother."
"So far you haven't explained her connection to these thugs," said Saitou as he let out an annoyed breath. What the hell was Senkaku doing with the Shuei Yakuza? His territory was in Kyoto. "She's being harassed by thugs and she adopted her half-brother, big fucking deal." What does this have to do with me?"
"Be patient," said Kenshin from across the table. In his mind, he cross-referenced the female, Kamiya Kaoru, with mug shots of known female criminals in the Tokyo area. He came up blank. "I'm guessing the boy's "adoption" was questionable."
"Quite," responded Yamagata as he showing them the next image. "This is Sagara Sanosuke also known as Zanza." The man on the screen was wearing a white jeans and tee shirt with the kanji for 'Bad' written on the front. "He was an ex-assassin for the disbanded Sekihou Tai. Lately he has been doing grunt work for various Yakuza and part of his new duties is to provide round-the-clock 'protection' for the Kaoru."
"Let, me guess," said Saitou. "He's been doing some grunt work for Shuei, which puts he in connection to Myojin Yahiko, where he discovers from conversations with either the boy or the flapping lips of the members he has a half-sister."
"Not knowing who his half-sister is," finished Kenshin. "They were able to coerce Kamiya-san into dealing with them, if they told her they had her half-brother."
Yamagata nodded. "That's why I need both of you to work on this highly sensitive case. Neither one of you are known to be the fool." He clicked to another picture this one of a pretty female wearing a doctor's uniform. "This is Dr. Tanaki Megumi. Recently she has become an acquaintance of Kamiya Kaoru. A few months ago, Dr. Takani suffered a huge loss. Her parents and younger siblings had been killed in a serious fire. Newly graduated Dr. Tanaki had to pay for the funerals and other accumulated bills. In short she is broke."
"How does she fit in this grand conspiracy," asked Kenshin shifting in his seat.
"Reports have been coming in about a new cheaper drug on the black market," replied the dignitary. "The word on the black market is the Shuei group is making the drug and distributing it through a legal front."
"An antique store," said Kenshin and Saitou.
Saitou smirked as he leaned back in his chair. "This Kamiya girl inherits a dojo in a rural part of Tokyo where there isn't much interference from nosy neighbors or family. However, she also owns an antique store in the marketplace. To the Shuei, it would be easy to use her business for their front as who would suspect her. However, they underestimated her unwillingness to do business with them, so they have to use a family connection, in comes Myojin. Obviously, she holds family dear. Moreover, to make her sure she does what they want now that she has full custody of her dear "half-brother" they send rooster head Zanza to watch over her."
Kawaji beamed at Uramura. "That's why Saitou is the best."
"Only in Kyoto," Uramura grumbled. "Here it's Himura."
"But he got his training in Kyoto," muttered Kawaji.
Uramura rolled his eyes.
Kenshin looked up at Yamagata out of curious violet eyes. "There is one thing that has escaped me. How did they force Dr. Takani to make the drug?"
Another photograph appeared on the screen. It was a picture of an old man playing with two young female children. "That is Dr. Gensai and his granddaughters. He rents a room to Dr. Takani. Dr. Gensai has had a problem lately, he runs a hospice in town, but he does not have enough time to provide adequate supervision for his granddaughters. The children's agency was about to step in and remove the children when he suddenly found suitable supervision for the children...Dr. Takani, who had been recommended to him by Kamiya Kaoru." Yamagata turned to Kenshin, "To answer your question she had been living with the children and Dr. Gensai for quite some time. She formed a natural affinity toward the children."
"Ahh," murmured Kenshin as he studied the cute children dressed in yellow and green sundresses. "They blackmailed her with the harm of the children. I bet the old doctor and the children became a replacement family for her." He began to drum his fingers on the table his mind turning over the facts.
"Correct," replied Yamagata. "Right now this is all the information we will be relaying to you until you both are established in your identities. He turned off the projector. He inclined his head in thanks to Kenshin for cutting on the light. "If I'm not mistaken Saitou, I saw you lean forward with avid interest in one of Kamiya's escorts. We too recognize him as Senkaku. Moreover, what we don't know is what he is doing out of Kyoto. Tokyo isn't his usual hunting ground. To put it straight we need one of you to go deep undercover here in Tokyo and ingratiate yourself into the Kamiya home. The other one is to keep watch in Kyoto acting as the second eyes and ears for the other. That person will also be required from time to time to relay information about the situation straight to the Imperial Office of Defense. No one else aside from us sitting in this room should know about the case. It is in the strictest confidence our national security depends on it."
Saitou and Kenshin both looked at each other with raised eyebrows. This was serious. They turned to Yamagata and nodded.
Yamagata sat forward. "I repeat no one is allowed to breathe a word about this case outside this room to anybody for any reason. If you do Japan's national security will be in danger."
"Quit the melodramatics Yamagata," said Saitou getting irritable he badly wanted to smoke. "We swore, we wouldn't divulge anything about this damn case, so spit it out. Who the fuck are we going after?"
Kenshin hid a laugh; he too was getting tired of hearing hints about "big things" however, nothing promising had been presented to them.
Yamagata regarded both men out his light brown eyes. He said one name, but both understood his reasons why this case could not be talked about outside their meeting. "Shishio Makoto." He watched as both men fell back into their chairs with their mouths hanging open. "We're going after Shishio Makoto."
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End Ch. One. Created [01/22/02] and Finished [02/07/02]. Well, this is what I've been playing with right now to take the place of "The Journey Home" as it is about to end in a couple of chapters. I don't know if I want to continue it. Therefore, this is just a preview. I do have something interesting planed for this fic, but, well...I guess I'll know in chapter 2 if I want to continue this story or not. Tell me your thoughts please. Leave a note or e-mail me at pmchivas@hotmail.com. Coming next time: The Rurouni. Shishou M.