“Just wanted to find out,” he said softly, “if he understood English, and he doesn’t. He didn’t bat an eye or move a muscle when I made that crack. Okay, I guess we can talk.”
“About what?” Joyce asked with a groan. “This is a heck of a mess, Red. They may come and shoot us any minute. And I sure don’t want to die.”
“Who does?” Randall came right back at him fast, and placed a hand on his knee. “That’s just what I was trying to tell you down on the beach.”
“Trying to tell me what?” Joyce demanded. And Red could feel the sudden shiver that went through him.
“About them, and us,” Randall said, and gave Joyce’s knee a reassuring squeeze. “Look, Jimmy, I had to do what Harada ordered, because...”
“Harada?” young Joyce cut in excitedly. “Is that his name? You know him, Red?”
“But plenty!” Randall answered grimly. “His full name is Kato Harada, and he’s...but, I guess I’d better tell you the whole business, Jimmy. There can’t be any harm in that now, and we’re in this together, whatever happens.”
“Well, go on and tell me!” Joyce said impatiently as Randall hesitated.
“Okay, keep your shirt on!” Red said. “I’m just trying to decide where to start.”
And with that Randall told Jimmy Joyce of every single thing that had happened up to the time the two of them had had the argument over Fairchild Number Eight at the John Rogers Airport. Jimmy Joyce listened in breathless silence, and by the time Red had finished he was trembling with excitement.
“Hell!” he breathed. “Were you lucky he didn’t kill you after that Joe Whatshisname! I bet if I’d been there I’d have run a mile after finding that dead man. Kato Harada, you say? I wonder why he wanted to visit that man’s relatives?”
“Search me,” Red answered with a shrug. “And Colonel Stacey didn’t have any idea either. Hey! Hey, maybe I can guess that now!”
“You can?” Joyce exclaimed. “How? What?”
“It’s just a guess, and it’s probably wrong,” Red replied with a scowl. “But I bet it has something to do with Harada saying that Japanese troops would be on Oahu by midnight. Maybe Haleohano’s relatives live along the shoreline, or something, and Harada picked those spots for the Japanese troops to land on!”
“Well, I hope they try it!” Jimmy Joyce said angrily. “I just hope they try it. We’ve got plenty of troops on Oahu, and you can bet they’ll kick the stuffing out of the Japanese. Especially after what those devils did this morning.”
“Hey, wait a minute!” Red cried. “Be yourself. This is serious, Jimmy, and...”
“And why not?” Joyce shot at him scornfully. “Do you think that we’ll…”
“Shut up a minute, will you, please?” Red exclaimed. “Heck, are you a guy for going off the deep end over nothing. And another thing, don’t get so tough with these Japanese. It just gets them mad, and doesn’t help us a bit. For Pete’s sake, use your head, Jimmy! Can’t you figure it out?”
“Figure what out?” Joyce growled. “That I’m going to let them think I’m yellow?”
“No, Jimmy, no!” Red Randall stopped him. “That’s not what I mean at all. Look! Why didn’t they shoot us down there on the beach?”
“I don’t know,” young Joyce said reluctantly. “Why didn’t they?”
“Because they need us. That’s what I think!” Red said evenly. “I can guess now that the reason Harada made me fly us here is because he wants to use that radio. He’s probably going to report to some Japanese ships way out in the ocean. That’s my guess, because if Japanese troops are going to land on Oahu tonight they must be somewhere out there on the water in their troopships this very minute. Harada wants to get in touch with those transports, or something.”
“Say, maybe you’re right!” Joyce muttered. “But that’s still not saying why they didn’t shoot us on the beach. Harada’s here where he wants to be, isn’t he?”
Randall groaned. “Haven’t I just been trying to tell you, Jimmy? I brought Harada here, but maybe he wants me to fly him someplace else! And he’ll use the same trick of tying you up to make me. Don’t you see?”
“Yes, I see,” young Joyce replied soberly. “Supposing he doesn’t want to go someplace else?”
Red Randall didn’t answer that question. He didn’t want to answer that question, because it was too obvious. When Kato Harada ceased to have use for them, it would mean—curtains!
Chapter Thirteen – Death Hates Heroes
FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS both Americans sat on the dirt floor of the hut in sober silence, as though each was content with his own thoughts. Presently, though, Jimmy Joyce coughed nervously and broke the silence.
“What are we going to do, Red?” he asked. “Hell, what can we do with that guy out there with his gun? If you want to know, I’m getting so worried I’m willing to try anything. Maybe they’re just going to keep us here and let us starve to death. I sure wouldn’t put it beyond the devils!”
“Take it easy, Jimmy,” Red Randall said in a quiet voice he found hard to keep from trembling. “Right now I guess there isn’t anything we can do. We’ve got to wait, that’s all. But I wish I was over at that radio station and getting an eye and earful of what Harada is doing. And able to understand Japanese, of course. I sure wish you hadn’t followed me to Waikane this morning!”
“And don’t think I don’t wish it, too!” Joyce replied quickly. Then, “No, I don’t really mean that, Red. I’m sorry I said it. That would have meant you’d be in this jam alone. And...well, I know it must sound kind of crazy, but, Red, I’m kind of glad I’m along with you. Besides, you probably would have refused to fly him here, and he’d have shot you.”
“I don’t know,” Randall said with a shrug. “Just the same, Jimmy, I’m darn glad you are along. I couldn’t have stuck it through alone. Nothing like this ever happened to me before. Without you along I’d probably have started bawling like a baby, and maybe would have fainted, or something.”
“Yes you would!” young Joyce said scornfully. “Not a guy like you. I can see that now. It’s funny, isn’t it, how you can get a new guy wrong just from the way he looks? Do you know, you were thumbs down to me that very first day we met at the Air Club? I don’t know why, but I just decided I didn’t like you.”
“And I thought you were too darn Navy high-hat,” Red said with a laugh. “Crazy, wasn’t it? We sure acted like a couple of kids. But that was a long time ago, Jimmy. Seems like almost a hundred years to me. And it really wasn’t more than a month ago.”
“Seems like that to me, too,” Joyce agreed.
Jimmy Joyce stopped talking, and they both listened intently as a distant sound grew louder and louder until it became a mighty roar that seemed to shake the very ground upon which they sat. It reached a peak note of thunder directly above them, and then it started to fade out until it was once again just a distant sound. And then no sound at all.
“Our planes!” Jimmy Joyce said in a voice shaking with excitement. “I’m not sure, but I’d bet they were Navy Catalinas. I hope they spotted the Fairchild and will land to investigate! Maybe if they do, we can...”
“Not a chance!” Red said gloomily. “I looked back as they were leading us off the beach. They were pulling the plane up under the shore trees. Besides, those planes, and I think, too, that they were Catalinas, kept right on going. One thing, though, that means the Japanese didn’t get all of our planes, like Harada said. Jimmy! We’ve got to do something!”
“Sure we have!” the other agreed instantly. “But what? What can we do with that Japanese devil out there watching us like a cat watches a mouse?”
“You’ve got me,” Red groaned helplessly. “But, darn it, we’ve got to do something! Say! If we could only sneak down to that beach and get away in the Fairchild that would leave them all stranded here! And the plane has plenty of gas left to get back to Oahu, so we could report this business to the authorities.”
“Sure, sure,” Jimmy J
oyce echoed. “But what about that Jap out there? We wouldn’t get two steps before he’d shoot us dead.”
“I know, I know,” Randall said impatiently. “But that’s something we’ve got to figure out, that’s all. Just think what it would mean, though, Jimmy. Harada and the other Japs would be stuck here on this island. With their radio station and everything. And I’ll bet you there’s a lot of stuff right here that would tell someone like Colonel Stacey plenty! Look, Jimmy, are you game to try?”
“Sure I am,” Joyce replied after a slight pause. “But we just can’t go out and take that guy’s gun away from him. Some of the others probably are hanging around the clearing, too. Sure I’m game, but let’s figure out something first.”
“Boy, can you change quick!” Red said with a short laugh. “Just a little while ago you were set to pile into the lot of them single-handed. But, skip it, Jimmy. I’m just ribbing you for fun. You’re dead right. We’ve got to take care of that guy out there first, before we do anything else. If there were only some way to get him to come in here so that we could both jump on him by surprise. He looks pretty tough, but maybe the two of us could take him.”
“You figure a way, and I’m game to take a chance,” Jimmy Joyce said. “He doesn’t speak English, and we don’t speak Japanese. So how are you going to get him to come in?”
“Man, aren’t you a big help!” Red sighed. “I don’t know. But get your brain to working, too, will you? There must be some way we could work it.”
Perhaps there was a way the two men could have solved their problem, but it so happened that they were not given the opportunity to figure it out. At least, not at that moment, because the Japanese guard outside suddenly stood up and was joined by a second guard. The second guard did speak English, and he hissed out the words as he squinted at the two Americans sitting on the dirt floor of the thatched hut.
“Come out, and come with me!” he said. “Quickly, or it will not be good for you!”
Both Red and Jimmy Joyce scrambled outside in a hurry, not only because they had been ordered to, but also because they were glad to leave the smelly place and get out in the fresh air. The Japanese grinned, obviously pleased that his order had been obeyed instantly, and then pointed over to the large hut to the right of the radio mast.
“Go over there!” he ordered.
Red’s heart did nip-ups of excitement in his chest as he walked toward the hut. It was almost as though Lady Luck had heard his very recent request and had decided to grant it. What good would come of it he had no idea, and he did not bother to guess. The important thing at the moment was that Jimmy and he were out of that smelly place, and that things were happening. Whether good or bad things, time alone would tell.
As he walked through the open door and inside, his first feeling was one of amazement. It was as though he had walked into some headquarters office of a general in the field. Everything that met his gaze was strictly military. Huge pin-pointed maps of the Pacific hung on the four walls. In one corner was a most impressive array of radio equipment. A Japanese with phones over his ears sat on a little stool facing the panel, and both hands were furiously busy turning various knobs and cams. In still another corner were at least a dozen cameras of all shapes, sizes, and makes. In the farthest corner was a stack of rifles, machine guns, and Japanese marked boxes of ammunition. In the middle of the room stood a huge table completely covered with sections of maps aid instruments. At the table sat one of the Japanese they had seen on the beach, and Kato Harada.
Harada glanced up as the guard ushered them inside, and Red was startled by the look of blazing anger and hatred on the spy’s face. It was ugly enough even when he was smiling, but now it was positively sinister. Without speaking, the man with the scarred face made a jerky, pointing motion with one hand.
“Eat, and then we will talk!” he hissed.
Red and Jimmy Joyce impulsively looked in the direction of Harada’s pointing finger. They saw a small bamboo table no more than twelve inches high. On it were bowls of rice, some stuff that looked like fish which had been left out in the sun too long, and a couple of dishes of bean sprouts. At first glance Red’s stomach rebelled. But common sense told him he would be foolish to refuse Harada’s invitation to eat. The son of Nippon was seething with rage for some unknown reason, so it would not be very wise to insult him by refusing to eat his food. Also, it would give Red a good opportunity to study this secret hide-out of the treacherous enemy.
So Randall nodded his thanks, and stepped over and squatted down at the low table. He looked up to see Jimmy Joyce hesitating with a repulsive grimace on his face, but Red quickly flashed him a warning look, and young Joyce came over and joined him. There were no spoons or forks, not even chopsticks, and so Red simply dug two fingers into the rice and steeled himself to the ordeal of shoving the awful-smelling stuff into his mouth.
However, he was mercifully spared the ordeal because at that very moment Kato Harada burst into a furious, angry tirade. Startled, Red looked up to see that Harada was directing his obvious torrent of abuse at the Japanese seated before the radio panel. The man, trembling, turned to look at Harada and spoke in a whining voice and made little gestures with both his hands. Harada pounded the table with both fists, ranted and raved at the top of his voice, and then suddenly fixed his glittering cruel eyes on Red.
An instant later Harada jumped up and rushed over to the two Americans. With a vicious, savage kick of his booted foot he sent the table and the bowls of food sailing across the room to spray one of the hanging maps from top to bottom.
“We will talk first!” he shrilled at Randall. “Then I will let you eat, or kill you. I will decide! Stand on your feet, dogs, when you are addressed by an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army!”
As Harada spat out the last he aimed another kick at Red, but the American saw it coming and was on his feet in a flash and neatly side-stepped the advancing boot. Momentum almost carried Harada off balance, but he quickly caught himself, and did not seem annoyed that his foot had missed its mark. He shot a side glance at Jimmy, but young Joyce was on his feet by then, and so Harada simply grunted and turned his gaze back to Randall.
“Early this morning I said that we would have a talk together,” he spat the words into Red’s face. “Now is the time. What did you find on that dead Hawaiian dog I killed? Speak!”
For a second Red was tempted to bluff it through and declare he had found nothing. A bit of quick thinking, though, convinced him that such a course would be sheer folly. Harada knew that he had been looking for a possible Japanese submarine just before the air attack on Oahu, because the Japanese had heard him tell Jimmy Joyce about it there in the bushes on the Waikane shore. No, to lie openly would simply invite destruction.
“I found a torn section of a map,” he told Harada truthfully.
Harada’s eyes narrowed and he made a hissing sound through his teeth.
“And what was it a map of, and what did it tell you?” he asked sharply.
“I didn’t know,” Red again replied truthfully. “It was all in Japanese, and I couldn’t understand it.”
For a fleeting second, though Red could not be absolutely sure, it seemed to him that terror and wild alarm flickered across Harada’s ugly face. But the expression vanished in a flash, if it actually had registered at all.
“So?” he hissed. “You gave it to someone? Or perhaps there was someone with you? They understood Japanese and explained about that submarine I was to meet, which was to have brought me here?”
Red’s heart leaped. So the purpose of that submarine had been to transport Kato Harada here to his secret headquarters on Niihau.
“Speak up, or you will never speak again!” the Japanese shouted.
“That’s right,” Red replied, as a mild case of jitters began to shake him. “I mean, I gave it to an officer who happened to drive by in a car.”
“And then?” Harada pressed and swayed forward as almost insane eagerness flamed in his face.
“The officer understood Japanese? He explained to you all that the map told him?”
Red Randall started to reply when suddenly a tiny note of alarm sounded within him. He began to feel that Harada was cleverly talking him into a trap to gain some bit of information that he just had to know. It began to appear that the Japanese spy was crazy with worry as to just what the dead Joe Haleohano’s map might reveal to anybody who understood Japanese.
“He didn’t tell me much,” Red said. “But he sure was excited. He said that it was just what the American authorities needed. He explained about a submarine meeting you and the Hawaiian you had killed. And he asked me to help look for the submarine. The rest of the information he kept to himself. That’s all I know.”
Anger, fear, and doubt took turns registering on Kato Harada’s face as he stood like a poised cobra in front of Randall. Then suddenly he screamed with rage and lashed out viciously. Red saw the flash of a knotted fist, but he could not move in time. TNT exploded on the side of his face, and then the walls and roof of the hut fell down on top of him.
Chapter Fourteen – Invasion Plans
WHEN RED RANDALL again opened his eyes it was to stare out at a world of sifting red mist. Little by little the sifting red mist melted away, and objects took on definite shape and outline. The booming thunder in his brain died down to a dull throbbing ache. As he dazedly moved his eyes from object to object in front of him his brain stirred itself and memory came seeping back. He saw Jimmy Joyce standing with arms pinned behind his back by a scowling Japanese guard. A thin trickle of blood ran out the right corner of Jimmy’s mouth, and his face was white with anger.
“Don’t tell them a thing, Red!” Jimmy shouted when he saw that Randall was looking at him. “Don’t tell them a... Oh-h-h-h-h!”
The last was a groan of pain, for the Japanese guard had given Joyce’s arm a savage twist. Jimmy closed his eyes and clamped his lips tight for a moment. When he opened his eyes again they were still bright with angry defiance. Red moved his gaze and saw that the Japanese radio operator was still feverishly working his set. And he also saw that Kato Harada was standing leering over him. Not until then did he completely realize that he was flat on his back on the floor.
Red Randall at Pearl Harbor Page 9