“Needed some air.” She moved closer to him and leaned against the building’s exterior.
“So…Tanaka said you went on some sort of job for Yoshida before the party?”
“Yeah, but it didn’t lead to anything,” she said. “Besides, I’m not interested in talking about our jobs right now.”
“Okay, so what do you want to talk about?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I just know this party is boring me to tears and I want to get away.”
“I think I’ve got a solution to that,” said Masao.
Erika looked at him with confusion. “What’s that?”
11
The feel of sunlight on her face stirred Erika awake. She stared at the window, the sun beginning to rise over the view of the Tokyo skyline. It took a few moments, but eventually she realized that this view was not the one from her apartment.
Erika sat up in bed with a start, and that sudden movement caused her head to scream at her in pain. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a chill, and then she noticed she was naked. Her smartwatch read that it was just before six.
There was a sound coming from the side and that’s when she noticed the figure under the sheets next to her, sleeping on his chest. His head was turned away and Erika was afraid to turn his face to see who he was. She slid carefully out from under the sheets.
The components of her dress uniform were scattered across the room. She dressed quickly, stopping after pulling on the slacks and buttoning the shirt. No need to don the jacket or cap.
Part of her considered just walking out, but she wanted to know. Erika circled around to the other side of the bed so she could view the man’s face. She groaned when she saw it was Masao.
She strained her memory. Flashes of the night before started coming to her. After her and Masao spoke outside the restaurant, they went back inside and he acted as if he was dead drunk, stumbling all over the private dining room. Erika had played her part of the concerned coworker and Hiro told them to go ahead and leave.
But then what happened? The memories continued to trickle in, and she remembered how they began walking towards the train station. They passed by a late-night ramen shop and stopped in. While eating, they got the itch to head to a karaoke spot.
That was when the night started to blur. They chose the nomihodai or open bar plan. Three hours of singing and knocking back beers and highballs alone in a room together gave them a chance to really get to know one another. At one point, she remembered initiating the first kiss. This was apparently what it led to.
“Kuroki…?”
Erika was startled by the sound of her name. She looked at Masao, who struggled to open his eyes and opened and closed his mouth, appearing like his mouth felt akin to a desert. Masao sat up and rubbed his eyes, then looked at her. It took him a few moments to process what was happening.
“How much did we drink…?” he asked.
“Too much by the looks of it.” She groaned.
He yawned deeply and then said, “I’ll try not to take that personally.”
She sighed. “That’s not what I meant. This is just…I don’t think it’s a good idea to get involved with someone I work with.”
“It’s fine.” He climbed out of bed and Erika turned her back on him. He chuckled and added, “Now you’re acting shy?”
“Look, I’m…going to go…”
“Hold up.” He grabbed her arm just as she started to move for the door. “Look, you’re here anyway, why don’t you stick around for a bit and have some breakfast?”
“Thanks, but I should really go,” said Erika. “I have to get home, shower, and get a fresh change of clothes before going to HQ.”
“You gonna have enough time?”
She nodded. “I’ll call a taxi.” Erika moved for the door, but stopped before walking out. “Ishiyama…when I say I don’t want to get involved with anyone at work…”
“You also mean you don’t want anyone to know about this,” said Masao.
Erika turned around and was relieved to see that Masao had pulled on a yukata. “Yes. Again, it’s nothing personal—”
“I get it,” he said. “This is just something that happened. There’s no need for us to dwell on it. And don’t worry, I’m not some office gossip. Nobody will hear anything from me.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Erika went from the bedroom into the small adjoining kitchen. There were some empty beer cans on the counter, and she wasn’t quite sure if those were Masao’s from earlier or if they’d had some extra drinks after leaving karaoke.
She found her shoes in the foyer and quickly pulled them on, carrying her uniform jacket and hat bundled under her arm. Like most apartment buildings, the corridor was open-air. Erika went to the elevator, seeing she was on the eighth floor and pushed the call button.
While she rode the elevator down to the ground floor, she tapped her smartwatch twice to activate the heads-up display on her augmented reality implant. Erika used her hands to manipulate the menu projected on her retina, sending a message for a taxi service. Once she finished, she closed the AR-HUD by tapping her smartwatch again.
Erika got off the elevator and left the building to wait by the curb. Fortunately a taxi must have been nearby because it only took a few moments for one to arrive. The taxi—like all vehicles—hovered just slightly off the ground, and the door rose up. Erika climbed into the car. There was a display on the window that showed the map, with both her current position and the destination she’d programmed when summoning the cab. All taxis in Tokyo at least were self-driving, so there was no driver. There were manual driving controls, but they were all locked down by the cab company.
The car began its journey. Erika sighed and rested her head against the seat. She wanted to just climb into bed and pass out for several hours. But calling in sick after leaving the party early with Masao would raise a lot of rumors. She had to suck it up and make it through the day.
Masao’s place fortunately wasn’t too far from her own. In fact, they both lived in the Minato ward. That was some cause for relief. Meant the drive took just about fifteen minutes. She’d be able to shower, dress, and have at least something to eat before ordering a new cab to get to work.
The cab pulled up to the curb just outside her apartment and the door opened for Erika. She went to the lobby entrance and touched her thumb to the scanner, then looked into a flashing red light for a retinal scan. The doors slid open and she took the elevator to her apartment on the fifteenth floor. Biometrics again were used for the locks on her unit and she finally returned home.
Her apartment was almost entirely white, almost like a surgical suite. All government employees were provided with free housing. Hers was a standard 1LDK—a one-bedroom unit with a kitchen and a living and dining room. What little furnishings the apartment had were provided when she moved in—she never bothered to buy anything extra. While in the Jietai, she could be stationed anywhere in the country—or even the world, so she became accustomed to living a spartan existence.
Erika went to the bathroom and dropped the clothes under her arm on the floor. She quickly took the rest of her clothes off and got into the shower to quickly clean off.
As she felt the hot water strike her body, her mind kept drifting to the previous night. Masao was a good guy, but Erika felt nothing for him beyond friendly affection. Getting involved with him would prove a mistake if she continued down that path. He seemed to understand and she hoped that would be the end of it.
But there was a nagging thought at the back of her head. One that kept asking a multitude of questions, each beginning with the words “what if.” What if Masao did let it slip to someone else at work? What if he didn’t simply take no for an answer and try to pursue her? What if Hiro found out?
That last question gave her pause. Why would it matter more what Hiro thought than anyone else in particular?
She sighed and finished the shower, then quickly dressed
in the standard Ministry uniform. The Tokkei was highly secretive, so when not in armor, they simply went to work in the same uniforms worn by other Ministry employees.
Barely a few weeks into her position and already she was running into problems with others on her team. Seemed she’d had some uncomfortable encounter with pretty much every single person in her immediate circle. Hiro, Sayuri, Hojo, and now even Masao. All in all, it seemed like a particularly poor way to make a good impression. She could only imagine how some of them—the general in particular—would treat it as a shortcoming due to her heritage.
Erika tied her hair back in a tight bun and stared into her own eyes in the mirror for a few moments. She had to put those thoughts out of her mind and just focus on proving herself.
“You’ve come too far to let doubt stop you,” she said to her reflection. “Just persevere and keep striving for what you want.”
12
Erika arrived at HQ right on time and without any issues. She took her place at her workstation beside Sayuri and activated her terminal. Erika glanced at the desk across from her. That was where Masao sat, but he hadn’t come in yet. As Erika went through the morning routine of checking for new messages, she could feel Sayuri’s eyes on her. But whenever Erika chanced a look back, Sayuri remained focused on her terminal.
“Kuroki?”
“Hai!” Erika nearly jumped to attention from her desk and turned to the voice that had called her name. It was Hiro, standing near the office entrance and holding a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Would you mind following me? I’d like to speak with you.”
Erika started to feel a pit in her stomach and she was worried this might have something to do with last night—either the party or the incident with Takahashi. But she couldn’t very well refuse a direct order from her commander, so she just nodded and followed him from the office. Hiro brought her to one of the briefing rooms and gestured for her to sit.
“There’s something I’d like you to investigate,” he said.
“Of course,” said Erika. “What is it?”
“Have you ever heard of Kenjiro Miyata?”
Erika’s eyes rolled up as she searched her memory for some recollection. When she came up with nothing, she shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“He is—or was—a pioneer in cybernetic implants,” said Hiro. “The Tokkei armor was one of his achievements.”
“Okay…”
“But there’s a problem,” said Hiro. “You see, some new information has come to light from the…incident at Yoshiwara. Cybernetics examined the body and they believe that this technology carries Miyata’s signature.”
“You think he might have been involved with Kitano’s operation,” said Erika.
Hiro nodded. “We do. But there’s a problem. Miyata went missing about two weeks ago. Timing seems pretty suspicious, wouldn’t you agree?”
Erika gave a nod.
“I want you to find him and bring him in. If he’s selling his technology on the black market, that could pose a massive threat to national security.”
“Of course. But I don’t understand. You want me to go after him on my own?” asked Erika.
“He’s an old man, Kuroki, I don’t think you’ll have much trouble with him.”
“That’s not what I mean,” said Erika. “Isn’t it standard for new agents to be accompanied by a senior?”
Hiro sipped his coffee and then said, “Normally, yes. But under these circumstances, General Hojo feels a one-man operation would be better.”
“Sir, can I ask why you aren’t taking the job?”
Hiro looked down, and Erika could have sworn she saw his cheeks reddening just a bit. He sighed and then offered his explanation. “Conflict of interest.”
“What? How?” she asked.
“Do you know where the Tokkei and the Jietai purchase most of their cybernetics?”
Erika took a breath and nodded. She understood now and she continued to look at Hiro even as he stared into his coffee. “Yoshida Technologies.”
“Exactly. The company owned and operated by my family,” said Hiro. “Miyata knows me personally. If he saw me, he’d know we were after him. Instead, I need someone I can trust to track him down.”
Erika almost dreaded to ask her next question, but her curiosity got the better of her. “And is that someone me?”
Hiro met her gaze. “I’m asking you, aren’t I?”
“Even after Takahashi?”
He sighed. “That was a stupid move. But I understand why you did it. I don’t want any of that crap this time, though, okay? You find Miyata—however possible—and you bring him in for questioning.”
“But why me? Why not Tanaka? She’s certainly capable of this kind of job.”
“Do you know what made you stand out enough to be promoted here?” asked Hiro.
Erika had no idea why he brought that up. “To be honest, I’d never given it much thought.”
“Yes, you have,” said Hiro. “Sayuri Tanaka is a great fighter, very adept with weapons, and she has a strategic mind. But you know what she lacks?”
Erika shook her head.
“Imagination,” said Hiro. “You tend to act more on instinct. Tanaka ignores her instincts and simply acts the way her instructors at the NDA told her to act. And I need someone with good instincts on this.”
Th-thank you, sir,” she said. “Of course, I’ll do whatever’s necessary to bring Miyata to justice.”
Hiro nodded. “I know you will. But another thing, I don’t want to advertise this to the rest of the department. This is a sensitive matter, especially as it involves my family’s company. Statistically, the less people who know about something, the less chance it leaks. And if word that the top military contractor had a rogue engineer selling advanced techology on the black market got out to the press…”
He didn’t have to finish, Erika knew what would happen next. It would mean a scandal of massive proportions for the government. Though the opposition parties in the Diet had mostly been weakened after decades of work by the ruling party, a scandal on this scale would probably galvanize their forces, maybe even get them to start joining together.
“I understand, sir. I’ll be the model of discretion, you have my word.”
“Good, the general will be glad to hear it,” said Hiro. “Oh, and one more thing. About last night…”
Hiro stood and approached her. He stared into her eyes and then asked, “Was Ishiyama too much trouble to deal with? I hope he didn’t put you out.”
She sighed in relief. He didn’t know. But still, she had difficulty looking at him when he brought up Masao.
“It was…fine.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. We both live in Minato, so we took the last train together, I helped him up to his apartment, and then I went home.”
“I see.”
“Is he…I didn’t see him in the office…”
“He sent a message, said he’d be in later,” said Hiro. “Sometimes, some of the new recruits can’t hold their liquor, so it’s not a surprise.”
“Okay, well I’ll get to work on finding Miyata.”
Head to the cyberterrorism branch. I’ve already informed Shota Adachi to expect you. Speak to him and him alone. Remember, discretion is key.”
She nodded. “Yes, I understand.”
“Good.”
13
In order to begin the search for Miyata, the first thing Erika would have to do was run a tracer. Due to the close relationship between Yoshida Tech and the military, all the employees had to have their information registered with the government for national security purposes. According to privacy laws, the government was forbidden from using that information without a warrant.
But the language of the law and how matters were actually conducted in practice were two very different things. After all, racial and gender discrimination were technically also violations of Japanese law, but good luck finding a ju
dge sympathetic enough to side with anyone who brought forward accusations of that nature.
The Ministry of Defense cyberterrorism division was located within HQ, and that was where Erika headed to immediately after leaving the meeting with Hiro. She was grateful to have an assignment that would get her out of the office, away from any questions that may linger after her and Masao left the party together. Hopefully by the time this case wrapped up, the whole thing would be forgotten.
The doors opened and Erika stepped off the elevator. There was a glass door with CYBERTERRORISM printed on its surface. A fingerprint scanner was by the side of the door. Erika placed her thumb on it and stared into the flashing retinal scanner.
“State your name and business,” came an automated voice.
“Erika Kuroki, Tokkei Agent. I’m here to speak with Shota Adachi.”
“One moment please.”
The door slid open and the automated voice said, “Access granted. Please wait inside.”
Erika stepped into the room. Cushioned benches lined the walls and there was one white door with no handle and no visible controls in the corner. She was alone, so she sat on the bench and waited. Erika blinked and brought up her AR-HUD. She had just begun reading through the news headlines, when the automated voice echoed in the room.
“Please refrain from using any network-connected implants while in our division. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Erika sighed and closed the AR-HUD. Evidently, they took every precaution in this division when it came to visitors, even ones who had the clearance to be inside. Still, she did as she was told and waited quietly, crossing her legs and tapping rhythmically on her knee.
After a few minutes had passed, the door opened and Erika stood. The man in the doorway was middle-aged and wearing a white, short-sleeve dress shirt, black tie, and black slacks. His thinning hair had begun to gray at the temples and he wore glasses with black, plastic frames. A badge was pinned to his shirt pocket and it displayed his photograph and name. Had Erika spotted him on the street, she would have easily mistaken him for any run-of-the-mill salaryman as opposed to a cyberterrorism expert.
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