Of Cinder and Bone

by Kyoko M

  “Jack.”

  “I may or may not have semi-stalked the precinct’s secretary and stolen her phone once I realized she was a mole for the yakuza while they were investigating Fujioka’s kidnapping.”

  Kamala brought her hand up to palm her face. “Jack.”

  “What? It worked, didn’t it?”

  “Why are you constantly trying to raise my blood pressure?”

  “I swear, I was minding my own business before it happened. I don’t go looking for trouble… most of the time, anyway.” He paused and heaved a sigh. “Shit. They’re out here looking for me. I’ve got to go try and explain myself. I’ll call you after they’re done berating my stupid ass.”

  “At least you’re self-aware,” she conceded. “Be careful. Call me as soon as you can.”

  “I will. Be safe, Kam. Bye.”

  “Bye.” She hung up and pocketed the phone, glancing at the dragon by her side currently sniffing flowers. “I told you he drives me crazy. Come along, my dear. Let’s go make a dramatic entrance.”

  ~*~

  There was no right way to cause an international incident, but Kamala tried to soften the blow of flying a dragon onto the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo by calling ahead.

  As a result, she was greeted by a host of police officers, as well as the consulate she had requested to speak with before her arrival, and they were all gob-smacked to see her dismount the gigantic reptile, who then proceeded to hiss at the small crowd as it formed. Pete didn’t attempt to attack anyone, but for her own safety, Kamala borrowed an onlooker’s scarf and tied the dragon’s jaws shut. With the most dangerous part of the dragon neutralized, the electric air between the officers and the embassy workers calmed and they started coordinating to find a mode of transportation.

  The U.S. Embassy of Tokyo was enormous and several stories high, and while she had a hunch she could figure out a way to get Pete inside, Kamala knew it would be a risk to have the dragon around too many strangers at once, so she requested to stay on the roof until help arrived. The arduous task of carefully recounting what she, Jack, and Fujioka had been through—minus a few obviously illegal details—took nearly an hour before it was over. To their credit, their hospitality was clear and professional. They brought her a chair so she could sit with Pete and something for both of them to eat in the meantime.

  Naturally, flying over Tokyo to land the dragon had gotten her all over social media and the news no more than five minutes after landing. By the time she finished giving her statement, her phone wouldn’t stop ringing with calls from the States, to confirm if she’d seen the dragon, or if she was in fact the one flying it.

  After the dust settled, the embassy agreed to transport Pete in a secured unmarked eighteen-wheeler with a police escort that would take them back to the airport. They tried to convince her to leave without Jack and Fujioka, but she staunchly refused, insisting he would call soon with their status. They finally conceded and told her to do a quick press conference in the meantime to clear up the misunderstanding, and to assure the people of Tokyo that they weren’t in any danger. She didn’t like the idea, but she agreed as long as they got her some medical supplies.

  During their time in the cave, Jack had told Kamala as much as he knew about Pete’s anatomy. So far, the dragon had stopped shedding since they gave her a dose of the compound that was supposed to combat her rapid growth. Kamala still had two vials left. Based on the ingredients, she was able to combine the second dose with a mild sleeping agent that would make the dragon mellow by the time the press arrived. Nothing would be worse than to have Pete attacking someone on international television, and further perpetuate the myth that dragons were mindless, violent behemoths.

  Not long after the drug was administered, Pete settled down on the rooftop with a yawn and Kamala scratched the dragon’s chin, whispering, “I’m sorry, girl. I promise I’ll make this quick and get you home.”

  The dragon let out a sleepy growl and closed her eyes, nodding off. Kamala let out a long breath and motioned for the embassy worker to bring the press upstairs. To avoid a full-on media circus, they’d only allowed three news channels to cover it, and so the crowd wasn’t too large as they filtered in from the stairwell.

  She exchanged brief words with the translator and then they gave her a microphone and some space before counting down to the broadcast.

  “Good afternoon,” Kamala said. “My name is Dr. Kamala Anjali. As some of you might have already seen, I am one half of the team of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was recently able to bring a living, breathing dragon to life, as the focus of a project intended to repopulate extinct and endangered species. What you see behind me is a specimen known as varanus lacerto. This dragon, a female, was spliced with a Komodo dragon and then implanted into the womb of a Komodo dragon. Unfortunately, only about a day after her birth, she was stolen and flown here into the heart of Tokyo, Japan. We’ve only recently recovered her from the men who stole her, hence my unorthodox arrival here at the United States Embassy in Tokyo. I want to assure everyone that the dragon poses no threat to the citizens of the city. She will return home within the next few hours and will be under careful surveillance by me and my partner, Dr. Rhett Jackson, who is unable to be with us at the moment. It is most important that everyone understand that they aren’t in any danger. The men responsible for the dragon’s abduction have been identified and will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

  Kamala paused, gazing at the dozing reptile. “She may seem strange and unsettling to you, but Pete is quite a remarkable animal. She’s capable of so much more than we ever predicted, and that makes her all the more precious to the world. She is worth protecting. Hopefully, we will be able to open whole new worlds of research as we study her biology, habits, and impact on the world around her. These last few days have been…”

  She closed her bandaged hand into a fist and took a deep breath to calm herself. “…hectic, but our resolve to pursue this avenue of new research hasn’t changed even in the wake of the tragedy in Cambridge. I am grateful to the authorities here and back home who have helped us find justice and right the wrongs that were done to us. We have a long way ahead of us, but I’m confident that we’ll be able to accomplish wonders.”

  As she fell silent, the crowd frothed with questions. A female reporter stepped forward with her own mic, addressing the translator. “What will become of the dragon? Is she returning to the institute, and for how long?”

  “Yes, she will be returning there while we monitor her physical characteristics and behavior. Long term, we hope to move her to her own wildlife reservation, where she can continue to grow and live a full life.”

  “Do you have a lead on who stole the dragon?”

  Kamala clenched her teeth briefly. “Yes. My partner, Dr. Jackson, is assisting the authorities with the apprehension of the suspects.”

  “Can you elaborate on their identities?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t disclose that information.”

  “What about the rumors that the Yamaguchi-gumi are involved? Is there any truth to that?”

  “No comment.”

  “What about the shooting in Kabukicho? Witnesses say that a woman matching your description was seen fleeing the scene with the yakuza in pursuit.”

  “No comment.”

  “What about the recent destruction of Sugimoto Pharmaceuticals in the Kanagawa prefecture? Was there ever a connection made between Dr. Yagami Sugimoto and the theft of the dragon?”

  Kamala handed the mic back to the translator. “No further questions.”

  The crowd tried to push for more, but the officers formed a semi-circle and started corralling them back into the embassy. Kamala sighed and ran a shaky hand through her dark hair, kneeling beside the dragon and stroking its brow.

  “For gods’ sake, Jack,” she murmured, closing her eyes. “Get your ass back here so we
can go home.”

  ~*~

  Jack was pretty sure he was going to have a bruise on his forehead soon if he didn’t stop smacking his head against the bars of his cell, but it didn’t sway him much.

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid Jack,” he mumbled. “This isn’t a movie. In real life, you get thrown into the slammer when you steal people’s shit. This is why you’re a scientist. You totally suck at being an action hero.”

  He pushed away from the bars of the holding cell and started pacing, wracking his brain for some sort of distraction to keep from banging his head some more. “Although who the hell would play me in the movie version of this messed up story? Who’s tall and thin and dark-haired these days? What’s that British guy’s name? Tom-something. Higgles? Nah. Higgenbottom? That’s not a name, dumbass. Hiddle—”

  “Oy,” a sharp male voice spoke from behind him. “Let’s go.”

  Jack faced front to see a short, built cop unlocking the cell door.

  “So my story checked out after all. What happened?”

  The cop gestured with his baton for Jack to go ahead of him in the hallway. “Kirihito-san cracked during interrogation. She admitted to feeding the yakuza information about you. There was also an emergency phone call reported in that same location. They’re assembling a SWAT team to head to the farm where you made that phone call.”

  “Good. So, uh, why the escort then?”

  “There is a man on the phone looking for you and making demands. He won’t talk to the negotiator. Just you.”

  “So good to be popular,” Jack growled.

  Detective Hayasaka and a couple of men from the tech department were waiting for Jack in a small conference room with a phone on the table. It had already been set up to be recorded. They gave him a briefing about the do’s and don’ts of hostage negotiation, and assured him they could walk him through how to diffuse the situation. Then they handed the phone to him and he answered the call.

  “Dr. Jackson speaking.”

  “You don’t know when to quit, do you?” Okegawa snarled.

  “We both have that in common, don’t we?”

  “If I see even one police vehicle approach this place, I’ll splatter Fujioka’s brains all over this barn.”

  Jack exhaled. It didn’t calm him down, but it kept him from screaming obscenities. “What do you want?”

  “We have already discussed the terms. I want the dragon, and I want it now.”

  Jack glanced at the negotiator. He gestured for him to continue. “The dragon isn’t with me right now. I need time to get her transportation.”

  “I know where the goddamn dragon is,” he spat. “She’s all over the news, alongside ojō-sama at the U.S. embassy. They’re going to escort the dragon to the airport. She’s leaving you behind, Jackson.”

  Jack frowned and glanced at the detectives. One of them tapped away on his phone and brought up the newscast to confirm it. Jack ran a hand through his hair and tried to think about what to do. “They’re not going to leave without me. But I do need time to talk her into it.”

  “You were given an hour, Jackson. I won’t allow you to stall me any longer. Give me the dragon or she dies.”

  “Alright, look, just… I need to get across town to where they are to make arrangements. I can get there in less than an hour. A deal is still a deal. Don’t hurt her and I’ll get you what you want.”

  “You damn well better or her death is on your hands.” He hung up.

  Jack slammed the phone down on the cradle. “I swear, if I get my hands on him, I’m gonna rip his heart out through his asshole.” He glanced at Det. Hayasaka. “What’s the plan so far?”

  She spoke to the translator. “This might be the opportunity we need. The dragon is too large to fit in a normal vehicle, so he will be expecting you to arrive in an eighteen-wheeler. The SWAT team will hide inside it while you drive. You will wear a wire and act as our spotter to tell us where Fujioka is, if she is indeed still in his custody, and then we’ll strike.”

  “The guy’s a career criminal. Won’t he see that coming?”

  “Most likely, but it still gives us a shot to get her back. We have to take it. However, we need to sweeten the deal. Contact Dr. Anjali and ask her to send you a photo of the dragon after it has been moved into the truck. We’ll send that as ‘proof’ to Okegawa and it might help sell the lie.”

  “Well, that solves one problem,” Jack said. “Now, what about the fact that this guy wants me dead? He’ll probably have a sniper on standby to shoot me as soon as I’m within view.”

  “He told you to come alone. He didn’t say you couldn’t wear protection. We will provide you with a vest and a helmet.”

  “What about something to defend myself?”

  Det. Hayasaka scowled. Jack sighed. “Fine, fine, gun laws and what have you. Seriously, though, if I get murdered, I’m haunting you first, Detective Sourpuss. Can someone go get me Ken Nakamura’s cell phone, please?”

  ~*~

  “You’re going to what?”

  Jack winced as Kamala’s incredulous voice echoed through the borrowed cell phone. “Easy there, Kam. One of my ears is still ringing from that gunshot and I don’t need to be deaf in both of them.”

  “This is beyond reckless, Jack.”

  “Do you have a better plan? ‘Cause I don’t and we’re running out of time. Even if he is bluffing about still having Fujioka in custody, she’s still hurt and alone out there on her own. We need to get her back. Yagami and Watsuki too, if they’re still alive.”

  “There has to be someone more qualified than you. Why can’t they send the negotiator?”

  “Okegawa said it has to be me. We don’t have a choice.”

  “Damn it, Jack, I…” She fell silent for a few seconds, and he felt a rather large lump climbing up his throat as he heard her voice crack. “I can’t lose you again.”

  He shut his eyes for a second. “You won’t. I promise.”

  “You can’t promise that. If you do and you don’t come back, I’ll spend the rest of my life hating you.”

  “I’m sorry. There’s nothing else we can do, Kam.”

  “I think that’s what makes it worse,” she whispered. “Fujioka told you not to come for her. Hell, if we all make it out of this alive, she’ll probably kick your ass for playing hero.”

  He smirked faintly. “Yeah. That’s one ass-kicking I won’t mind for once.”

  “What if I came with you? Okegawa doesn’t want me dead. He might hesitate.”

  “I don’t get the feeling Detective Sourpuss will go for that. Besides, you’re halfway across town and we’re on a deadline. No offense, but Human Shield isn’t the greatest idea either.”

  “Stubborn bastard.”

  “Don’t I know it.” He took a deep breath as he saw Det. Hayasaka tap her watch. “I have to go. Text me the photo. I’ll make it out of this in one piece, Kam.”

  “You’d better or I’ll bring you back to life just so I can kill you again.”

  “Duly noted, Dr. Anjali. I… I, uh…”

  “I know,” she said gently. “Me too. Be careful.”

  “I will. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  He hung up. A few seconds later, an image alert glowed on the cell phone and he opened the attachment to see Pete curled up inside the bed of an eighteen-wheeler. He flashed a thumbs-up to Hayasaka and sent the image to Okegawa’s phone saying he was on his way to the farm. The officers brought him the bulletproof vest and helmet, then ushered him inside a similar eighteen-wheeler as the SWAT officers boarded.

  Jack squeezed the steering wheel in anticipation and hit the parking brake, then the gas when he was given the okay. Slowly, the giant vehicle coughed and lurched up the road towards the bridge leading out of Tokyo, with police cars out in front to escort them through traffic. Slowly, the fear and apprehension fell away to be replaced with an adrenaline-
fear cocktail. He finally quit trying to rationalize either sensation and slapped on his best cocky Han Soloesque grin while muttering the lyrics to “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Haa-Haa,” as they drove out of the city and into the line of fire.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  POWDER KEG

  “Listen up,” Okegawa said over the general murmur of the ten men standing in front of him. “The police are on their way. We have about half an hour before they arrive. You have exactly twenty minutes to find Misaki Fujioka, or I will personally kill you myself and leave your bodies here for them to find instead. After you’ve found her, my team will intercept Jackson and his pet police before they reach here, and take them out. Scrub this place from top to bottom. I want no evidence for the authorities to find, not one single speck. Dispose of the corpses and vanish. Do you understand me?”