Christopher Golde
Then one of the seven angels
Who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues
Came and said to me,
“Come, I will show you the bride,
The wife of the lamb.”
John Revelation 21.9
Date: 6th January 2002 Location: Tokyo Japan
The darkness of night in the small alleys and back streets of Tokyo offered Akura the invisibility he required to move unnoticed around the city. He knew that he was on a global Interpol and terrorism watch list since September 11 and the only place he was safe were the dark Yakuza controlled laneways of Tokyo that he knew so well and inside the Ong hideouts that lay within. He now approached one such lair and he recognized immediately the two guards that stood vigilant by the entrance and they too recognized him.
With a slight bow, the larger of the two opened the door to the building allowing him to enter. Before he did, he took a long look in both directions up and down the alley and not seeing any living soul in either direction, entered.
The front door gave access to a long corridor that was lined with doors, some closed and some open. The first of these he passed that was open was a small bedroom and within he saw two bald men and a long-haired woman completely naked, the woman on the bed on all fours as the men penetrated both her ends with their penises. He did not offer more than a cursory glance as he passed, as he knew this was most likely just an induction formality that all Ong women would have to endure on their pathway to enlightenment.
Several more doors he passed were closed but he could hear speaking behind some and moaning behind others until he came to another open door. He looked, and in this one there was no furniture but there were several people sitting in a circle on the floor. The room was clouded with smoke that Akura immediately recognized as burning opium. He knew this was a favourite pastime of many Ong members including himself but today he did not have the time to indulge.
He turned away from the room and looked at a door at the very end of the corridor. He walked to the door and for a moment hesitated. He could hear a woman’s voice on the other side. He knocked and waited. Slowly the door opened slightly and the eyes of a woman looked out at him. There was a slight pause and then she turned away from the crack in the door and spoke.
“Master, it is Akura.”
The male voice that replied spoke firmly.
“Then let him you stupid woman don’t just stand there.”
The door opened and Akura could see the woman now completely and she was dressed in a gold and red kimono that was pulled around her torso by her free arm. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes were heavy with makeup that was slightly smeared around the edges. She stood back holding the door open and Akura entered. He immediately saw Ieko Fujimo, his master getting off the bed naked and wrapping a black kimono around his shoulders tying it at the waist as he walked towards Akura.
Akura stood just inside the doorway and did not move and the woman stood next to him holding the door. She began to close the door when Ieko yelled at her to get out, which she did so immediately and closed the door behind her. Akura still did not move and his master walked towards him then rested his hand on his shoulder and guided him further into the room.
“Akura, how are you my friend, I hope you have some news for me.”
Akura knew Ieko Fujimo was not his friend but he knew that he was close enough to the master for him to feel comfortable in his presence. Not many in the cult could afford that luxury. It had been well deserved by the assassin's services to his master on many occasions, but Akura knew very well that could change in an instant if he did not please him.
Akura with his master's guiding hand moved towards a chair and table arrangement on the other side of the room and he was offered to sit which he did. Ieko Fujimo sat down on the opposite side of the table and looked expectantly at his servant.
“Master, I have used my resources to search for any sign of Jason King and have found nothing. The assumption is by everyone that he perished.”
Fujimo smirked.
“And I thought he was some sort of prophet; at least that is dead now too.”
“And Gatwick,” he asked?
“He seems to be busier than ever now that he thinks you and King are both dead,” replied Akura, “and he is working with our factory in Thailand to have the chip produced before the end of the year."
Fujimo just smiled.
Akura stared at his masters smiling face and wondered whether he should ask him the question that had bothered him since September.
“Master,” he said as he lowered his head slightly, ”what is to be gained by everyone thinking you are dead?”
Fujimo slowly stood and walked across the room.
“If I were alive it would be almost certain that Gatwick and his allies, being the US Government, would try to implicate me in terrorism. However, dead I can slowly build my army and my resources while Gatwick builds our chip and eventually come forth strong enough to take over.”
He stopped and turned back towards the assassin.
“It would have been better possibly if Gatwick had been the one who had died but maybe it was even better if King died. I think in the long term he may have been more dangerous to my plans.”
“And what about the girl reporter master, what do we do with her now if King is dead?”
“It is true I only kept her alive to control King and it seems now I don’t need her anymore. How is she?”
Akura smiled.
“She is strong, she survives and keeps our men entertained.”
Fujimo looked away and walked to a large open wardrobe as if contemplating what he would wear.
“Can you think of any reason to keep her alive any longer,” he asked, almost as if it were a part of his decision on clothing?
Akura knew that if he was asked his opinion he could pay with his life if he were wrong.
“Only if somehow we found out King were alive.”
Fujimo turned immediately.
“And is there any chance of that,” he almost spat?
Akura knew this was a very dangerous question.
“Give me one more month master and I will make absolutely sure.”
Fujimo turned back to his wardrobe.
“When you are sure then kill the girl.”
Akura liked killing people but he knew this was one he would do that could cost him his own life if he were wrong.
“Yes, master.”
He got up to leave. He knew he should not stay any longer as the discussion was already dangerous. He walked to the door while his master flicked through clothes hanging in the wardrobe. Once at the door, he bowed deeply, opened the door and left.
Fujimo let go of the shirt sleeve he was holding and turned towards the closing door. He looked around the empty room. He knew he should be happy but he could not help but feel he was missing something. He knew he should trust his instincts. Maybe it was just the continuous hiding he had endured for the last few months that was creating the doubt in his mind.
‘I think I need a journey to create a new perspective,’ he thought, ‘maybe even take the reporter with me for some entertainment.’
Chapter fifty four
The Assassin