Tokyo Noir: The Complete First Season

by J. Scott Matthews

“You want me to go after him?”

  “The police probably have him now. You can’t touch him. Just stay on alert and wait for my signal.”

  “Yes, bo—”

  Yoshii hung up on him. He sat there staring at the images of his former friend flickering on the screen. A picture of Matsuo from a few years back, smiling as he stood next to Yoshii. An image of a dumpster behind a convenience store. A picture of Matsuo’s heavily pixelated corpse laid out on a sheet in a back alley. The pixels hid the details, but the flashes of red and pink in the pixelated areas showed the extent to which he had been mutilated.

  He ignored a call from Miyagi. Yoshii kept staring at the screen. He was soon lost in fantasizing about the terrible things he would do to Vasili Loginovski at the first chance he got. Every muscle of his body tensed and quivered as he pictured every violation he would visit upon his enemy.

  It would be darkly malevolent and black and twisted and bloody.

  It would be glorious.

  Mei sat on one side of the interrogation table, across from the good doctor. She and her people had just picked him up as he was arriving at home. He looked surprised, and didn’t even have the foresight to ask why he was being brought in. That was a great way to look guilty.

  Mei thought about how much of her time had been spent in these interrogation rooms recently. The answer was more than she would have liked to admit.

  The doctor stared back at her without flinching. Could be any number of reasons for that, Mei thought. He was from a world where violence was only something that happened in movies. Whereas those who walked the Path and others who dwelled in the underworld were used to it, expected it, here was a man whose life had never brought him in contact with such abuses. Men like him existed in the same city as everyone else, yet worlds apart.

  Of course, the doctor could very well be innocent too, which would account for his demeanor. But then, that remained to be seen. Without taking her eyes off him, Mei pressed record on the tape recorder between them.

  “Well, I must say, Dr. Takasu. You’re lucky to be alive.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “A threat? Oh, no. It’s just that you’re lucky we got to you first, before Yoshii’s people did.”

  “I don’t know who that is.”

  “So you didn’t work with him directly? Just the people under him?”

  “Look, why don’t you just lay out the charges against me? I would like to know what you’re accusing me of.”

  “I have reason to believe you are involved in the serial killer slayings that have been going on recently.”

  He laughed. “That’s preposterous. I’m a doctor, not a killer.”

  “You can be both. In fact, many serial killers display above-average intelligence.”

  “As a doctor, it’s my job to help people, not butcher them.”

  “And as police, that’s our job as well. But I can tell you that that’s not always how things turn out in these interrogation cells.”

  She pointed at the table in front of them. The doctor looked down, to see the faint reddish stains in the wooden tabletop. He looked back at her, his eyes wide behind his expensive wire-rimmed glasses.

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “No. I’m not going to do anything to you. Not physically. I’m just saying that sometimes plans can go awry. We set out with the best of intentions, but before you know it, people are getting killed and it’s all your fault.”

  “This is ridiculous. There is no proof for such an outlandish accusation, and I will not dignify any such claims. I won’t say another word to you until I’ve spoken to my attorney.”

  Mei sighed and spread her hands out in a you got me gesture. “You’re right, I don’t have any conclusive evidence. And if your testimony doesn’t prove valuable, then my case is pretty much fucked.”

  “Please, language.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to offend you. See, in that case, there’ll be nothing I can do except release you. Of course, the press is always hounding me for information, and I’ve been dodging them so far. But I think I’ll talk to them now, say you were a suspect, briefly, but that you’ve been released.”

  “If you’re trying to slander my good reputation, I’ll have you know it won’t work. My lawyers will—”

  “Oh, it’s not about hurting your reputation. No, see, it’s just about getting the word out that you’ve been released from police custody.”

  He looked at her with a changed expression. And maybe just a hint of fear.

  “See, if you had been mixed up with some people you shouldn’t have been mixed up with, they would be very interested to know that you’re no longer under police protection. That’s the thing about people on the Path. They’re secretive, don’t like tourists who walk the Path for a bit with them to go off talking about it. So they’d be pretty quick to silence you any way they could.”

  The good doctor didn’t say anything. He had gone a shade paler, and it looked like he was having a little more trouble swallowing than before.

  “Of course, since you don’t associate with those people, you’ve got nothing to worry about. You and your wife Nami and your two daughters should be totally safe. Seeing as how you have nothing to fear from these people.”

  He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t dare.

  “And to show you that I’m a good sport, I’ll even tell the press that you were especially helpful to the investigation right before we release you. That’s something that would earn a collaborator in any illicit shit an especially painful execution. Luckily, you have nothing to worry about. You, and your family.”

  Mei stood up and began walking to the door.

  “Wait!”

  She turned around. He looked practically frantic.

  “Let’s talk.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Vasili slowly dressed for Eriko’s dinner, trying not to think about all the loose ends out there that could come back to strangle him.

  As he buttoned his crisp white shirt, he pushed thoughts of Masa and his hit on Chobei from his mind.

  As he pulled on his tailored black pants, he tried to ignore the dull thud of dread behind his temples telling him that Chobei was pulling them into a war.

  As he tied his black tie (a funeral color in Japan, worn as a show of respect for Matsuo), he tried not to think of the jeopardy he had put himself in by taking Matsuo out.

  And as he stared at the impeccably dressed man in the mirror, he tried not to dwell on how tired and haggard he looked. Certainly a far cry from his younger days, from the man who had fought and clawed his way up to his lofty perch over the city.

  In fact, now he looked positively frail enough to topple.

  He straightened his tie and walked downstairs to Jun and Kameko, who were waiting by the SUV.

  “You look wonderful!” Kameko said when she saw him approach. “A real Russian bear!”

  “Thanks,” he said with a thin smile.

  He didn’t bother to tell her that Russian bears were scarce now. They were hunted for food.

  Kameko tried to talk business with him on the ride over, but he begged off for another day. He’d worry about that when he knew that there would be another day. He just wanted to enjoy the view of the city on the way over. To just enjoy the bright lights of Tokyo at night without thinking about all the dirt they concealed. They rode mostly in silence.

  When they arrived at Eriko’s house, he gave both Jun and Kameko bear hugs before sending them away. She gave him a reassuring smile, and then they were off. There were no guards or security allowed at Eriko’s dinners, save for her own men.

  Vasili adjusted a cufflink as he walked through the lavish home. As he went, he allowed himself to admire the stone house he had helped her build. It was magnificent.

  His good mood lasted until he came out into the reception hall to see Yoshii standing off to the side with a drink in his hand. He approached Vasili as soon as he saw him.

  “There
you are,” Yoshii said, almost accusatorily.

  “Here I am,” Vasili agreed.

  “Anything you want to say to me?” Yoshii said. “Anything about Matsuo?”

  Vasili shrugged. “I already sent you that message. I trust it got through.”

  Yoshii’s eyes widened, and he looked furious. But he said nothing, only nodded.

  “Truly terrible news about Matsuo,” Vasili went on. “I can only imagine how much you must want to catch this serial killer now that he’s gone after someone so close to you.”

  Vasili saw Yoshii’s jaw clench. Saw the flash of rage pass through his eyes before he was able to extinguish it. They both had to watch what they said now, and they knew it.

  “Yes. A terrible tragedy. I truly hope that whoever is responsible gets everything that they deserve.”

  “Well … I’m sure someday they will,” Vasili said with a faint smile. “In a strange way, I think his death will bring us closer together. Now we’re both bound by this secret. Is like … what is term? Mutually assured destruction, yes? Keep the faith, or we both die.”

  “There are other ways of making sure secrets stay buried,” Yoshii said. “But I have to ask: what the fuck was your drivel from the last meeting about? Just bullshit? Or were you playing a long con, getting us to lower our guard?”

  Vasili shook his head. “No. Is something I am really thinking about. I never said no killing, just justified killing. And this? This was justified.”

  Their glowering contest probably would have gone on indefinitely, had Kuroda not called them to order. The bosses began slowly filing into the dining room, and Vasili found his seat between Takabe and Nobunaga.

  “Enjoying Yoshii’s company, I see,” Takabe said wryly.

  “Well, I figure he must be getting lonely now without Matsuo.”

  “What a true friend you are,” Nobunaga said. “Say, what did happen to Matsuo?”

  Vasili shrugged. “Looks like he messed with a better killer.”

  With a wave of her hand, Eriko silenced the chatter from up on the stage, where she sat facing the two tables of bosses from her wheelchair. She quieted a few holdouts chatting away with a withering glare, then began speaking.

  “I have served as the head of this organization for nearly twenty-five years. I wouldn’t have traded this time for anything else in the world. But now I fear I must step down, having grown too old and infirm to lead. There must be fresh blood. And believe me, tonight there will be fresh, hot blood. As well as new leadership.

  “I’ve learned a great many things in my time as the head of this organization. For one, you should keep your friends close, and your enemies buried so deep they can’t come back to haunt you.”

  Many of the bosses smiled at that, and glasses were raised.

  “I’ve learned the importance of alliances. When to forge them, and when to break them. I have renewed appreciation for the importance of people. Likewise, when to forge them, and when to break them. But most of all, I have learned the importance of solidarity. Of a group of people coming together for a common cause. That … that is what the Kaisha is. A group of people who come together for a common cause. Despite personal differences. Despite ego and different approaches. Why?”

  She looked around the room as if seeking the answer.

  “We do it because we are stronger together than we could be on our own. Individually we are weak, but collectively we are unstoppable.”

  Glasses were raised and words of encouragement were shouted at that.

  “And now, allow me the honor of indulging myself on my way out. A feast. In remembrance of all that has come before, in anticipation of what comes next.”

  Waiters appeared and began distributing plates around to the assembled bosses. When his plate was placed before him, Vasili saw one of the most exquisitely arranged plates of sashimi he had ever seen. It contained delicate, wafer-thin slices of a fish that was silver around the edges, with a dark blue tinge in its center.

  Vasili heard Takabe chuckle next to him as he received his own plate.

  “Fugu. Motherfucker. Wouldn’t put it past her to poison us all on her way out.”

  “Yeah, maybe she wants us all to be buried with her,” Nobunaga said from the other side. “Like the Egyptian pharaohs buried with their servants.”

  Once the plates had been set, Eriko continued.

  “The fugu, or pufferfish, is a delicious dish that must be prepared with great care and attention to detail. It takes an expert many years of diligent study to be able to prepare the fugu with confidence. The fish must be carefully cut open and disemboweled to remove the organs. Go too deep, and the organs will be cut and release their toxins into the flesh. The chef must walk a fine line to prepare it perfectly. Enjoy!”

  Takabe was saying something in one ear, but Vasili was only half-listening. He was watching Eriko to see if she took a bite of the dish before he did. Only when he saw her lift a thin sliver of the sashimi to her lips did he do the same.

  The bosses chatted as they ate. Vasili glanced around to see many of them happily lapping up the delicacy they had been served. Uchida happened to catch his glance. She smiled a thin, knowing smile. He looked away.

  After some time had passed, the waiters replaced the sashimi plates with a miso soup course. This was followed by a daikon salad.

  Once this course had been finished, the waiters took the plates but didn’t bring out another course. At this point, Eriko resumed her address.

  “Well, I hope you are enjoying your meals. You might be wondering why the sashimi course came first. Well, let’s talk about that.

  “You see, the interesting thing about the fugu is that it’s not poisonous by nature. No, it accumulates the tetrodotoxin in its body from eating other, smaller animals full of bacteria containing this toxin. The fugu itself builds up an immunity from swallowing this poison all its life. But it harbors its deadly secret inside—until it is attacked. And then, in death, this natural assassin releases its toxins, killing its killer. It’s starkly beautiful, in a cruel way.

  “Now, you must all be wondering, why is this bitch going on about fish when we just want to hear who is going to be in charge?”

  This elicited some nervous laughter.

  “This is just my elaborate lead-in for telling you that not all of you are going to survive this dinner. But the ones that do will be stronger for it.”

  This was followed by more nervous laughter as uneasy glances were cast about.

  “That wasn’t a joke.”

  The laughter died abruptly. The bosses were staring up at Eriko. She stared back at them all, unblinking.

  “Let’s talk about trust. And betrayal. And the price of betrayal. And what happens to those that betray.”

  Vasili’s breath caught in his throat. He felt simultaneously hot and cold. Sweat began forming on his overheated brow, while the base of his spine tingled.

  “Do you know what that feels like? Do you know what guilt and remorse feel like? I’m sure everyone here has experienced them before. The dizziness, nausea, even difficulty in breathing that comes from the shame of knowing you turned against your own. Your pulse quickens even as you become exhausted from maintaining the lie. Your head pounds and you grow short of breath, the price of maintaining the façade behind which you operate.

  “In fact, it feels exactly like the effects of the tetrodotoxin found in the organs of the fugu you just ate. But don’t worry. The pufferfish you all ate was safely prepared. Except for one dish.

  “One of you has been poisoned.”

  The room was perfectly still. Nobody dared to speak. Eriko gazed around at the assembled bosses. She looked grim and serious as death. But Vasili could tell she was enjoying herself. He just wished he could say the same for himself. He felt dizzy and sick to his stomach.

  “One of you has betrayed my trust. You have gone against my fundamental commandments. And for that you must die.” She looked around the room.

  “Unless …�
��

  She let the word hang.

  Vasili was on fire now. He clasped his hands together to prevent them from shaking. He tried breathing as quietly as possible, but felt he was still sucking in air in ragged gasps. Sweat beaded up on his brow and ran down his back.

  “Unless you confess your crime. Tetrodotoxin poisoning can be cured. But you don’t have much time. You can feel your throat tightening. Soon, the toxin will render you completely unable to breathe. You will die in your seat, suffocated by your own treachery.

  “So I ask you: what will it be? Confess and be saved? Or remain silent and have the breath stolen from your body? You know who you are. And you know you’re running out of time.”

  Eriko swept the room with her frosty gaze. Her glance stopped on Vasili, and she smiled. It was a cold, vicious smile.

  Vasili’s throat closed tighter.

  The Heart of the Machine

  Tokyo Noir - S01 E05

  Every beginning ends something.

  —Paul Valéry

  The Past

  Mei watched Edogawa go by from the passenger seat in stunned silence. Could this still be Tokyo? It looked like a warzone. She had heard stories about this place, and what the tsunami had done to it. How the ward had been largely abandoned after the flooding of 5/13. But nothing could have prepared her for this.

  The buildings looked largely abandoned. Broken, jagged windows stared out from hulking concrete corpses. Some of the one- and two-story buildings had been caved in from the force of the waters that swept through here. Rocks and debris had been deposited seemingly at random at different corners, where the water had surged into buildings and deposited whatever had been caught up in the wave. In places, Mei saw the skeletons of rusted-out vehicles stacked on top of one another, and trees that had been snapped in half.

  The driver noticed her expression.

  “First time out here in the badlands, Rook?”

  “Don’t call me that. My name’s—”

  “Actually, I don’t want to know,” the driver said. “No offense. It’s just easier for me if I don’t know your name. Psychologically.”