Young Offender, Part 30:
"I don't want the Shimamura name out there any more. Besides, you have to think of your son, now that he's motherless," Hitomi Kitagawa said firmly to her brother. However, Takuma Shimamura was looking through the nursery window at the tiny bundle, the newborn, Akira Shimamura. Takuma's older sister had an excellent bit of advice, as usual.
Takuma turned to his sister, reluctantly, and nodded. "We have to be very covert and distance our family name from any Merchants of Death dealings. Our children are due the best, I want to make sure they get it free of obvious taint."
It never ceased to strike him how her voice was stoic, devoid of emotions, as usual; she saved emotions for her film career and publicity with orphans. Now was no different as she turned to little Akira and said, "That girl you married was weak to die in child birth. She was just like the fool I married. Let's hope our children haven't inherited anything from them besides money and power."
"You're right. The name Shimamura needs to fade away in the electronics industry. I'll take moves to rename it Masamura when you're in France."
"In honor of our mother's family? Wonderful. It'll keep our businesses as Merchants of Death as far from our public persona as possible. Speaking of which, I'll hold a press conference when I get back. I'll announce that I need to step down from the 'High/Low' film project for next year. I've recommended Kyoko Kagawa to replace me, Kurosawa-san agrees. It was a good part, but in the long run, the publicity I can gain by helping out my bereaved brother raise his son for a year will get me in a better position. No one will deny me another film role after that's accredited to my public persona."
"Things are turning up. If the Black Ghost accepts my improvised designs, they'll pay handsomely for it."
"We'll build up the Kitagawa and Shimamura fortunes. You'll watch Ryu for me while I get our affairs in order in France. Helping catch the Double Zero Cyborgs will give us an edge over the other Merchants. Then I'll play nursemaid while working on developing our underground connections. There's a new opportunity for gun trade, now that Rhys-Davies is out of the picture. I'll get the Vietnamese clients, but you need to find a way to deal with any competitor."
"Don't worry, beloved sister," he flashed her a warm smile. "I have your husband's men paid off. They're now happier with me than old Hondo. After the year is up, you can go back to being the film idol."
Her face broke from a callous expression into a cool arrogance. These were the faces she didn't use around anyone except her closest family. This was her true self, not the warm, generous movie actress she pretended to be. Takuma doubted Hondo had even seen the real Hitomi even after ten years of marriage. Maybe Hondo had seen it before that Russian woman assassinated him. Takuma admitted he never wanted to know if Hondo knew everything about Hitomi, her heart had died a long time ago. Takuma doubted even their close relationship could survive her ambitions.
Hitomi nodded, put on her sunglasses, and turn to leave. He took one glance at his son and left quickly, knowing Hitomi wouldn't tolerate the same slack in him that she had indulged with her husband. After all, she haad made good friends with the Black Ghost Russians, and they were not to be crossed.
Francoise thought she'd feel a sense of comfort and homeliness being in Paris once again, but it was as strange to her as New York was. That only made the urge to leave her three male companions even stronger. It was the only way she knew she would have a chance at finding herself again, like she was before her cybornization.
Thinking of her three male companions, she looked over at them disembarking the train. Jet was first, wearing bluejeans and a black leather jacket. Albert was next, wearing a navy, three piece suit that was twenty years out of style. Ivan was more non-descriptive, in a black turtleneck sweater and a gray overcoat. Each of them carried a small suitcase, small because they've learned to travel light.
She looked down at her own cream, haute couture dress with tan high-heels. She adjusted the small, tan pillbox hat on her golden hair. She had ditched her habitual headband so she could up-sweep her blond hair in a more sophisticated look.
No, none of them belonged together, judging by their appearance. Francoise knew, on an even deeper level, none of them belonged together. Their companionship wasn't meant to last, and she wanted the bonds forced between them torn asunder.
They quickly found the train station's lockers and stored their baggage away. Francoise slipped her key in her handbag beside her ray gun. She wasn't taking chances any longer.
"We've got plenty of work to do. Let's go to the hotel and get set up," Albert barked, not looking at any of them. Ivan and Jet both stalked after him; Francoise followed slowly, looking at every face, hoping to see Jean-Paul's.
When they arrived at a posh hotel, Ivan out stretched his hand towards the clerk and said, "You'll believe everything he tells you, and you'll tell him everything everything he asks."
The balding clerk nodded, his eyes dazed. Albert stepped forward and took off his jager hat. "Did a Japanese woman check in yesterday? The name Kitagawa?"
"Yes, sir," the clerk mumbled.
"Good. My niece, nephews, and I want a room. Make sure hers is right beside ours," Albert ordered. Jet snorted, Francoise guessed by Albert's absurd claim they were all supposes to be related by blood. Yes, she did admit, they were related now by a certain kind of artificial blood along with circuits and artificial flesh.
The clerk went through the machinations and registered them. When he held out his hand, Albert said, "I just paid you. You handed back my credit card with the name Heinrich Stoller on it. Use that name only."
"Yes, sir." The clerk slid the two fifth floor keys towards Albert and nodded numbly. Ivan raised his hand and the clerk shook his head; the four of them hurried to the elevators.
She followed them towards their room. Albert let them in. They ended up sitting in a loose circle on the floor.
"The Black Ghost agent will be here to meet with Mrs Kitagawa in a few minutes. Francoise and Ivan will cover the door. Jet and I will break in through the window and take the electronics schematics. After we destroy them, we'll retreat to Monte Carlo."
"You promised we'd stay," Francoise blurted out before she consciously thought the words. He turned a steely gaze towards her.
"We can't," he said flatly. Francoise caught the slight air of remorse in his voice.
Her resentment at her lot in life, the men she was with, and the Black Ghost all boiled over at Albert; he was just too cool, too handy, and almost too apathetic. Francoise needed him to know how she felt; she lashed out. "You don't care, since you have no family any more! Well, I do!" She hissed in an angry whisper, unable to stop her fury. "That's why I'm staying here after all this is done."
Albert paled, his head tilted downwards, but he didn't say a word. Jet glared at her and snarled, "Not now, you little idiot. They'll be here in a moment, so stuff it."
/Quiet, everyone! Kitagawa is in the next room, and I sense someone on the elevator./ Ivan demanded mentally. The three of them looked at Ivan, his eye glowed brilliantly in the dark room.
"We'll talk afterwards," Albert said coolly to Francoise and stood up. He jerked his head to the window and demanded, "Jet."
"Coming, mother," Jet sneered, rolling his eyes. Jet popped the window open and slid out to the ledge with a grace close to Francoise's. Albert shed his coat, hat, and gloves; he then followed Jet out onto the ledge and shut the window not sparing Francoise a glance.
/Francoise?/
She turned her attention to where Ivan had his forehead resting against the door. She walked over to him and asked in a soft voice, "What is it?"
/There is someone familiar to me on that elevator. I don't know... someone I've met before, but I don't know. It is someone I met a long time ago. But the person seems... slow witted or... something. The mind is not right. It's as if the mind keeps changing from one to another. They are pain... agony! I don't know what this is!/
Francoise shrugged off what he said. She was anxious to get this over with. She used her ears to track the person coming off the elevator. She was surprised the footsteps were so light. Also, the breathing and heart rate were so rapid. Francoise thought the Black Ghost agent was nervous.
After the sound of the next room's door opening and closing, Francoise said, "Let's cover it."
Ivan nodded and opened the door. They both crept into the hallway with drawn ray guns and wary eyes. Francoise flinched a little at subtle, creaking noise above their heads. She ignored it and focused on the room they rented to meet Kitagawa in. Nothing. Total silence in the other room. It unnerved her because she could always hear something in the background.
/Something's not right./ Ivan confirmed. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Albert and Jet's distinctive sounds. Nothing in front of her. She gasped when she heard their distinctive heartbeats above her head on the floor above them.
The door suddenly swung open and Francoise was face-to-face with the most elegant woman she had ever seen in her life. She wore a sleek, gold dress with her hands resting on her shapely hips. A massive, chocolate stone was perched on her left ring finger. Beside her was a girl in her early teens. She wore a dowdy, sable-colored dress. The girl also wore a blank expression, empty of anthing human. The Japanese woman gave a hollow smile reminded Francoise of a cat about to pounce on prey.
"Welcome, 001, 003. Please come in. I wouldn't be negligent in my manners as a good Japanese woman to allow you to stand in the hallway." The woman gave a slight bow and stood to one side. Francoise noticed Ivan's eyes were locked on the girl. There was something about her that troubled Ivan a great deal.
"What have you done to 002 and 004?" Ivan snapped, not bothering to look at Kitagawa. His hetrochromatic eyes were locked on the girl.
"Why not ask your mother?" the Japanese woman asked just as the elevator dinged and slid open, revealing the frumpy, Russian woman Francoise despised. She may look harmless, but she was so extremely dangerous. The Russian woman stepped out into the hallway and walked up to Ivan.
"Mother!" was one of the few words Francoise could identify before Ivan slid into a hostile Russian rant towards the woman
The woman threw back her head and gave a throaty laugh. She pointed at the girl and snapped off something in gloating Russian. Ivan gasped, his eyes jerked back towards the girl. It was one of the few times Francoise saw fear in Ivan's mismatched eyes.
"What's going on!" Francoise demanded when Ivan place himself between her and the strange young girl. There was some extremely dangerous about the young girl if Ivan thought she was more dangerous than his own mother.
Kitagawa answered in French, "They are having a mother-son talk about how he's now to come back with her and become a proper son. Or else, Mrs Gamo's new student will make all of your lives very painful. At least, that's the general translation. I never cared for subtitles, always the original language for me. Learning a new language gives more insight to different cultures, right, my dear? With that knowledge a person can create a fuller, richer deception."
"Where are 002 and 004?" Francoise demanded of Kitagawa again.
"Upstairs, Waiting to be taken up to the roof so they can be properly transported back to the Black Ghost."
"That creature is no mother of his!" Francoise screamed, waving her hand at Mrs Gamo. "But you are a mother. Surely, you have some pity on Ivan. Think of your own son!"
Kitagawa slapped Francoise soundly, her eyes flashed with ire. "You should have never tried to use my son to manipulate me. Erika, they are all yours. I'll be flying back tonight."
"Good travels, my dear friend. Thank you for helping me get my son back."
Kitagawa gave Francoise an icy look and said, "It was my pleasure."
"Why?" Francoise asked, barely containing her panic.
"It's nothing personal, even though you helped destroy my husband. I did it for leverage with the Black Ghost."
With that, Kitagawa turned on her heels and sauntered to the elevator. She put on a pair of over-sized sunglasses as the doors slid shut and the down arrow lit up.
"Ann," Mrs Gamo snapped. The girl lunged at Francoise with lightning speed, her eyes glowed a bright amber. In spite of Francoise's arms jerking back and her leap away from the girl, the hand quickly slapped Francoise's lower ribcage; Francoise sunk to the floor feeling as if she'd had the ceiling fall on her. All she could do was let her eyelids slide shut and fall into unconsciousness.
To be continued.