It took everything in her power not to vocalize that thought. But she knew she had to remain composed. She couldn’t risk blowing the mission, so she had to play along and give the acting performance of her life. The guard released her face and sighed. She wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not.
“You know what kind of place this is? What kind of work you’d be doing?”
She looked down and nodded with a hint of shame. Erika wanted to sell her desperation. Might tug at what few heartstrings the guard had, if any. The guard continued to study her face, probably watching for any sign of her breaking character. He clearly wanted to be positive she was telling the truth.
“Where are you from?”
She looked up at him. “Shizuoka. I came to Tokyo last year for a job, but they’ve been cutting back.”
“What kind of work did you do before?”
“Waitress.”
“Hold on a minute.”
He turned away and Erika watched as he tapped his smartwatch. He started speaking in a low voice. Erika’s implants increased her hearing and she could make out what he was saying. Whoever he was talking to was a different story. But suffice to say, it seemed like her ploy worked and she kept her smile suppressed once he ended the call and turned back to her.
“Come on inside,” he said. “There’s someone you can talk to.”
Erika nodded and followed him as he led her inside. The first floor was exactly as Hiro described. It was a fairly spacious casino with a large, circular bar in the center, though the restaurant was just as deserted as the streets of Yoshiwara. The guard closed and locked the door behind them.
“The boss is finishing up some things, so you can have a drink at the bar if you want. Once he’s ready, he’ll come down.” The guard walked past her and towards the bar. “What’s your poison?”
“Umm…maybe a cocktail,” said Erika. “Say, do you mind if I use your bathroom?”
The guard was about to step behind the bar, but he sighed and motioned for her to follow. Erika caught up to him, walking behind him as he led her down a narrow corridor. While she followed, she tapped her device, and felt the nanobots crawling over her skin.
There were two open doorways with curtains. One had the symbol for man, and the other for woman. The nanites formed the tsuka or katana hilt in her hand. With nothing more than a thought, she activated the energy blade. It went right through the guard and he gasped just before collapsing on the ground.
Erika deactivated the sword and disengaged the armor, returning the nanobots to their container. She dragged him inside the women’s bathroom and sat him up on one of the toilets. She closed the door and then returned to the corridor.
The energy blade was set to kill. Any post-mortem examination would conclude he died of a heart attack. She activated her communicator again. “Yoshida, you still alive?”
“Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
“I’m in, come around by the front.”
“What? How did you—”
“Just do it, I’ll be waiting. Kuroki out.”
Tanaka and Ishiyama still hadn’t broken their silence, which meant they were still in the midst of going after Kitano. Either that, or they’d been captured. But all she could do was focus on the job at hand. Erika was careful as she moved from the bathroom corridor to the front of the casino, keeping a careful eye and monitoring her senses closely. She opened the front door, but saw no one.
“Yoshida, where are you? I’m at the fro—”
A figure dropped down in front of the door. Erika jumped back, instinctively moving into a defensive stance. She relaxed when she saw it was just Hiro. Erika sighed and stood up straight as he moved inside.
“Nearly gave me a heart attack,” she said.
“Now you know how it feels,” said Hiro. “Suit up, we’ll need the full capabilities of our armor.”
Erika tapped the container again and sighed as she felt the nanobots crawling over her body. Once the armor was in place, she looked at Hiro. “I hate that feeling.”
“You get used to it,” he replied. “Your armor’s equipped with different scanning modes—x-ray, infrared, radio waves, etc. And right now, I’m scanning some strong electronic frequencies coming from below.”
“You did say it was underground.”
“Right, the question is how do we get there…” Hiro looked around the casino, slowly moving as he did, trying to locate the proper entry point. “Got it. Come with me.”
A curtain blocked a doorway that had the kanji for staff only. They both went past the curtain and into the kitchen area. Hiro navigated through the kitchen easily, finding another door that led to a storeroom. Past the boxes, the storeroom had a trap door. Hiro knelt down and examined it closely, then sighed.
“Biometric lock,” he said.
“Can you bypass it?” asked Erika.
“Guess we’re about to find out…”
Hiro placed his hand on the scanning pad and it flashed red. But with contact, he could make a connection to the device’s network. Erika held the sword tsuka in her hand and watched the storeroom entrance, waiting for anyone who might have come looking for the guard she’d killed.
“That’s strange,” said Hiro.
“What is it?” she asked.
“The security on this thing…it’s military-grade.”
“How’d someone like Kitano get his hands on something like that?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out. Because as good as his tech is…”
The pad flashed green and they heard the sound of locks disengaging. Hiro clapped once in victory.
“Hah! Mine’s better.”
The hatch opened automatically and revealed a staircase going down. Both of them entered, going into the basement. Everything was made of concrete and the darkness immediately activated the night-vision mode on their suits. Doors were off to each side of the corridor. Erika would look into them and see diagrams, charts, as well as cybernetic parts and surgical tools.
“Isn’t this cozy,” said Hiro.
“Who would trust cybernetic implants in a place like this?” asked Erika, noticing some bloodstains on the ground.
“People who have nothing to lose,” said Hiro. “You’d be surprised just how powerful that sort of thing is.”
She didn’t even want to think about it.
“The signal’s coming from here,” said Hiro. He moved first and Erika followed until they came to a server room. He found the lights and as soon as they came on, the armor instantly returned to normal vision without any disorientation or harm to their eyes.
“This it?” asked Erika.
“Sure is,” said Hiro. “Keep watch, I’ll begin the download.”
She nodded and went back from the corridor. But as she moved down the hall, her motion sensors picked up movement. Erika pushed her back up against the wall and gripped the sword hilt tightly.
They weren’t alone down here.
5
Masao Ishiyama was crouched on a rooftop just across from Kitano’s Yoshiwara casino. Even though he and Sayuri were at a vantage point where no one from the street could look up and see them, he still felt exposed standing there in the morning.
“Right there.” Sayuri pointed to the holographic model of the building. “Two balconies, one connected to Kitano’s bedroom. You use it to enter his balcony, I’ll take the other and eliminate any opposition.”
“You seem pretty confident,” said Masao. “Sure you can handle any guards yourself?”
“According to the readings I’m getting, seems most of them aren’t in the rooms. Which makes sense. If anything, they’d expect potential threats to come in from the ground floor, not through the balconies. Seems to just be a few of them.”
Sayuri looked up, as if something had distracted her. She turned her head to the side and Masao heard her say, “Copy.” Must have been a call from Hiro and Erika.
As Sayuri took th
e call, Masao just studied the balcony. His AR-HUD calculated the precise speed to run and the exact spot where he should jump from to cross the distance between the two buildings. This whole thing felt like a strange experience for him. He wasn’t used to this armor yet and wasn’t sure he ever would be used to it. But he’d been waiting for this opportunity. And now that it was finally here, he wasn’t going to screw it up.
He was glad Kuroki was part of the team. Even though he’d never gotten much of a chance to know her when they were stationed together, she possessed a certain quality that made him want to trust her. Yoshida seemed like a decent sort—at least for a commanding officer. Though Masao had no clue why a guy from such a powerful family would be serving in the Tokkei instead of just living off his family’s money.
And then there was Sayuri Tanaka. Lots of whispers and rumors about her. She had apparently gone to one of the most prestigious military academies and word was she had done some wetworks after graduating but before joining the Tokkei. The way she spoke was cold and direct, and it gave Masao an uncomfortable feeling being around her.
“We’re ready,” said Sayuri once she completed her call. “Yoshida and Kuroki are trying to find a way in, so while they do their job, we should do this fast.”
Masao nodded. Sayuri darted across the roof and sprung just before she ran off the edge. Her figure soared across the gap, maintaining a graceful pose before she landed without a sound on the balcony. She glanced back at him and nodded, then he watched as she entered through the balcony.
“Right, time to do this…” Masao took a deep breath and ran. His eyes were fixed on the AR-HUD. The implants informed him that he was at the correct speed. And when the display told him to jump, he did.
His arms and legs flailed as he flew over the alley. The balcony was just ahead and he reached for it. The jump was just slightly short. He must not have done it at the right moment or jumped too soon. But his hand grabbed hold of the balcony railing. The nanites that made up the armor clung to the railing with an iron grip.
Masao pulled himself over the railing and stood on the balcony. He mentally scolded himself and was relieved that at least Sayuri had already entered, so she didn’t see his performance.
Heavy blackout curtains prevented Masao from seeing anything inside the room. He activated the infrared sights and stared through the doors. In the adjacent room, he saw Sayuri’s figure moving through quietly, approaching the doors. The infrared showed a few guards patrolling the halls and Sayuri left the room to start taking them out.
Masao looked inside the room his balcony was connected to and there was a figure lying on his back. That had to be Kitano. Masao placed his hand on the sliding door and the nanites scrambled the biometrics on the electronic lock. The door automatically slid to the side and Masao carefully stepped in the room.
The man lying in bed was older with graying hair. The AR-HUD’s facial recognition kicked in automatically, matching him to the photo in the Tokkei’s database. A list of crimes he had been arrested for or was suspected of involvement in scrolled over Masao’s display.
“Here we go…” he muttered and slowly approached the bedside. Masao’s eyes went around the room once more, using his infrared to try and spot Sayuri. A number of the guards were now lying on the floor. Their body temperature had already started to fall, and it didn’t take much for Masao to understand why.
Kitano snored loudly and shifted in bed. The nightstand housed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s that was almost empty. Seemed Kitano was sleeping off a hangover, which made this operation even easier.
Masao reached for a container on his armor. Inside were three small needles, each one containing the right amount of sedative necessary to knock Kitano out until they returned to the Ministry. Masao examined one of the needles, then jammed it into the side of Kitano’s neck. His eyes opened at the prick, but they quickly became heavy once Masao released the sedative.
“Package secure,” said Masao, picking up Kitano and throwing him over his shoulder. “Do you—?”
There was the sound of a thump just outside the door. Masao readied his sword and activated the energy blade. That was when the door opened and Sayuri stood there. At her feet was a dead guard.
“Good, let’s go,” said Sayuri. “I’m in touch with homebase. There’s a transport en route a few blocks away.”
She went to the balcony door and jumped across the street without another thought. Masao watched her move and then crossed over himself. He didn’t want to think about those guards Sayuri had killed. No doubt they deserved it—after all, they were yakuza. But he didn’t have to feel that great about it. Though he was forced to ask himself what would she have done if she encountered someone who wasn’t a guard, but one of the girls Kitano employs.
Masao put that out of his mind. He didn’t want to think of what Sayuri was capable of, nor did he want to confront the issue of just what sort of operation he’d gotten himself mixed up with.
He only hoped the pay-off would be worth it in the long run.
6
Erika ducked back into the server room as soon as her scanners alerted her they weren’t alone. She saw Hiro was in the process of downloading the data from the hard drives. Part of her thought she should warn him. But then another part told her that she needed to do this on her own, prove herself worthy of this new position.
Besides, with this armor and her implants, what was there to worry about? Hiro said Kitano’s men had received implants, too, but there wasn’t any possible way they’d be as advanced as Tokkei tech.
She moved back into the corridor and kept her scanners running. Erika pressed her body up against the wall as she moved down, peeking into the different rooms as she passed.
First room, clear.
Second, clear.
Third, clear.
She kept moving from room to room, but her sensors weren’t picking up the motion again. Erika scolded herself for getting worked up over something that was probably nothing more than a rat. It was a good thing she didn’t interrupt Hiro—he probably would have laughed at her for letting this place affect her so much.
But then her sensors alerted her to movement again. And now she was close enough that her audio enhancements were picking something up. She still wasn’t close enough to make it out, but she could tell where it was coming from. Erika’s AR-HUD indicated the direction and she came to a T-junction in the corridor. She peered around the corner and saw it was clear. Her hands tightened around the sword’s hilt.
She’d been in countless battles before, back during her time in the Jietai. But this was different. A mixture of excitement to prove herself and uncertainty about relying on technology she’d only just been introduced to.
A room door was closed. But audio was leaking forth from there. Someone was in there. In fact, now that she was closer, her audio implants were picking up two distinct individuals. She could take out a pair of thugs without backup.
Erika moved in front of the closed door. She activated the tsuka, and the energy blade flared to life, forming into the perfect shape of a katana. Erika confirmed on her AR-HUD that it was set to the maximum setting, then charged at the door.
The energy blade sliced through the metal like it was nothing. She knew the mandate was stealth, but two she could take out quickly and without incident. Shouts of surprise and protest came from the two as they turned to face her. They were dressed in dark suits and had on sunglasses, and they were armed with guns.
Both opened fire. With the aid of her implants, Erika’s reflexes became almost preternatural. Her sword easily cut through most of the bullets flying at her. A few got past, but they flattened against her impenetrable armor.
“Tokkei,” said one of the two to his partner. “We have to get out of here!”
“What about him?” asked the other.
“Forget him, go!”
“You’re not going anywhere!” shouted Erika.
They didn’t respond and instead retreat
ed back into the shadows behind them. Erika gave chase, but as she approached the shadows, another sound emerged. Rapid movement blared on her AR-HUD, but it wasn’t enough of a warning and something slammed into Erika.
She was thrown clear across the room, hitting the far wall. Erika slumped on the ground and slowly raised her head. Behind her faceplate, her eyes went as wide as saucers. And she saw just what was being hidden down here.
It was human—or at least part of it was. There were certainly human-esque parts attached to it. But they were fused with metal. Skin had been stretched across machinery and it looked at her with a pair of eyes—one mechanical, one human. It stood over six feet tall and seemed like something out of a horror movie. Erika had to shut down her olfactory implants to prevent the stench of rotting flesh and motor oil from infecting her nostrils. Just what was Kitano doing down here? This was far beyond anything she could have expected.
The unholy amalgam of man and machine uttered what Erika could only describe as a scream, but the sound was unlike anything she’d ever heard before. Some sort of soulless marriage of tearing metal and a wailing animal, and when she heard it, every single hair on the back of her neck stood at attention.
“Keep it together, Kuroki,” she whispered to herself, and that brief encouragement did provide some comfort. The sword was still set to kill, and she figured that would be the minimum necessary to take this…thing out. But she still had doubts even if that would work.
Erika ran at him, and the beast swung a massive arm towards her. The room wasn’t very large, so it was nearly impossible to avoid him. Her back hit the wall, and he was on her. His hand, like a giant metal claw, pinned her to that spot, her sword now held uselessly at her side.
She deactivated the blade and tried to turn the tsuka. The beast kept screeching at her with that inhuman wail. If she could angle the blade just right, she might have a shot. But if she was off, then she’d learn real quick whether or not this armor could withstand its own weapons.
Ronin Born Page 3