‘We are sorry for your loss,’ Chloe said and Dan seconded the comment.
Katsumoto bowed his head and said, ‘I have often feared that my brother would do something foolish, but I never expected anything like this, it has wounded me more than I can express. Chloe has told me all about Nakatomi’s revelation of my brother’s wickedness with my niece. I cannot excuse that and so he will be dealt with; severely.’
‘It seems that everyone who is associated with this Brotherhood is twisted in the head. We have seen firsthand the damage that the Brotherhood causes.’
Katsumoto nodded at Dan’s statement. ‘I have known for a long time that mankind is doomed, if there is a God then he has turned away from this Eden that he once created.’ Katsumoto “steepled” his fingers and sighed loudly. ‘How can I protect those that I love when in the face of such cruelty?’
Neither Dan nor Chloe offered an answer; they’d assumed it was a rhetorical question.
‘Have there been repercussions after what happened to Nakatomi?’ Dan asked.
‘Not yet, and you needn’t worry, your role in all of this is unknown, and I assume you will not be in our country for much longer.’
Dan nodded his head. ‘We will be leaving within a few days, probably for Australia.’
‘Stay here until you are ready to leave, you will both forever be welcome in my house. If I can help in regards to arrangements; flights, anything then let me know.’
‘We will. Thank you.’ Chloe said, she squeezed Dan’s hand and he returned the gesture.
‘Katsumoto, I need to see your brother; now.’ Dan decided it was time to do what they all knew was coming.
Katsumoto nodded and stood up. He turned to Atsuki and said, ‘Atsuki, please leave us, I have no desire for you to be any more involved than you already are.’
Atsuki stood up and bowed to the three of them. ‘I will be in the kitchen grandfather should you need me.’
Atsuki left the room and Katsumoto opened another door. ‘This way, please.’
Dan and Chloe followed the older man in to a large room. Heavy wooden flooring and thick golden wallpaper decorated the large room. It was empty save for a single chair with Hantaki secured to it with silver duct tape wrapped around his wrists and ankles which were secured to the chair. Two guards were nearby and Katsumoto instructed them to leave.
Dan watched the two men leave through yet another door.
Hantaki began to struggle but it was fruitless; he wasn’t going anywhere. He couldn’t scream as more silver tape covered his mouth.
Chloe noticed that the windows were open; there was a distinct smell of human faeces. Hantaki and soiled himself at some stage during his captivity and he looked pale and tired. His eyes were bloodshot but there didn’t appear to be any bruises on his face. He hadn’t been touched.
Dan looked at the walls where dozens of samurai swords were hung in display.
‘This room is normally used for sparring, the swords on the walls have been in my family for hundreds of years, some go back to the origins of the samurai and the time of Bushido; they are my most prized possession.’
Dan looked at Katsumoto. ‘They are beautiful.’
‘Hai, they are.’
As they walked nearer to the bound Hantaki Chloe could see that the man had wet himself repeatedly and she could see the fear evident in his eyes. Chloe let go of Dan’s hand and moved closer to the open windows where a breeze helped to mask the reeking odour coming from Hantaki.
‘He has been captive for four days, with nothing to eat and only water to keep him alive, he has acted like an animal, and so has been treated like one,’ Katsumoto said. He turned to Chloe. ‘I should have warned you though, I apologise.’
Chloe said, ‘I’m okay but I think I’ll stand here by the window if it’s all the same to you.’
Katsumoto nodded and faced Dan.
‘Let’s just get this done,’ Dan said.
Katsumoto tore the tape from his brother’s mouth and the fat man screamed at the pain.
‘Brother, please...’
Katsumoto slapped his brother across the face. ‘Be quiet Hantaki!’ Katsumoto spat, ‘You have betrayed this family, Makati is dead because of you and your daughter is in an asylum, all of this is because of you and you will be held accountable for your actions!’
Katsumoto stepped back a pace and said to Dan, ‘Ask your questions Dan, he will answer them.’
Hantaki was weeping and Dan felt no pity, it was obvious to everyone in the room that Hantaki would not live for much longer.
‘Are you Brotherhood?’ Dan asked.
Hantaki looked to his brother but Katsumoto turned his back on him.
‘N-n-no,’ Hantaki stammered, ‘I wanted to be but it was not possible.’
‘Why not?’
‘McCreedy set it up so only the first born male could be a member.’
‘What do you know of McCreedy?’ Dan asked.
Hantaki shook his head, ‘He is the Father, Nakatomi spoke of him on occasion but beyond that I know nothing. I was friends with Nakatomi; he promised me membership in return for betraying you.’
‘Have you ever heard Nakatomi talk of a man in Australia, another Brotherhood member?’
Hantaki shook his head but Dan saw the lie in the man’s eyes.
Dan hit the bound man square in the jaw with his good hand. Hantaki’s head snapped back and blood flew from his broken nose.
‘Brother!’ Hantaki pleaded as he coughed and sobbed.
‘Answer his questions Hantaki and I will promise you will receive a quick death; that is all I can offer you,’ Katsumoto said without turning around.
Chloe looked at Katsumoto; she could see the man’s gaze was focused on a samurai sword displayed apart from all the others. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and shivered; she could only imagine what Katsumoto must be going through. She had no siblings but she thought that to be betrayed by a brother or sister would hurt more than anything else.
Hantaki sighed. ‘His name is Jonas Williams, he lives in the vast desert of Western Australia, he is high up in the Brotherhood, Nakatomi’s equal.’
‘Do you know exactly where he lives?’
Hantaki shook his head, ‘No.’
Dan saw that the Japanese man was telling the truth. Hantaki had suddenly realised that his fate was sealed and that lying would not change that.
‘Do you know anything that can be of help to me?’
Hantaki shook his head again. ‘No, I was not brought in to Nakatomi’s world; I truly know nothing other than that which I have already told you, I give you my word.’
Katsumoto spun around; his face a mask of fury.
‘You give your word? You have no word to give!’ Katsumoto screamed.
There were tears in his eyes. Katsumoto crossed the room to the lone samurai sword and unsheathed it. He spun the blade in his hand.
‘This sword belonged to our great-great-great- grandfather.’ Katsumoto had regained his composure and spoke calmly to the room. ‘It was handed down to me on my eighteenth birthday by my father; this sword holds our proud and distinguished history in its steel.’
Dan walked over to Chloe and she lent in to him, he put his good arm around her shoulder and squeezed her arm. They watched Katsumoto as he performed a series of movements with the sword. Katsumoto walked slowly to his brother and stopped a few feet short of him.
‘This sword has been held by our ancestors, brother; ancestors who knew what it meant to live by a code, a code committed to honour and truth and family. This sword was to pass to you on my death; I see no reason to keep you waiting.’
Katsumoto swung the blade in an arc and decapitated Hantaki. A geyser of blood shot in to the air. Hantaki’s head; his mouth open wide in a silent scream thudded across the floor. Katsumoto spun the blade and plunged it in to his brother’s heart. The wickedly sharp blade went straight through and caught in the chair’s wooden back.
Katsumoto let go of th
e sword and bowed his head. ‘I pray you beg for our ancestors’ forgiveness when you meet them brother.’
Katsumoto turned and motioned for Dan and Chloe to follow him.
‘Please, let us leave this room.’
Katsumoto escorted them to the kitchen; there was no sign of Atsuki or house staff and Dan was thankful for that. He wasn’t in the mod for talking. Chloe was shaken up too by what she had witnessed in the sparring room.
‘I will see you both tomorrow when I will offer my help if you want it, but today I need privacy; you understand?’
‘Yes,’ Dan and Chloe said in unison.
Katsumoto smiled sadly. ‘Feel free to make full use of the house, roam as you please, you will not be disturbed. If you need to leave the house there will be a car outside at your disposal.’
Katsumoto shook their hands.
‘Until tomorrow,’ Katsumoto said and left the room.
Chloe poured a glass of orange juice and drank it thirstily; juice dribbled from the corner of her mouth and ran in a rivulet down her throat and in to her cleavage. She wiped at the sticky trail.
‘To kill a family member, that’s got to hurt,’ Chloe said.
Dan looked out of the window and said nothing.
Chloe put the empty glass in the sink and said, ‘Dan? Are you okay?’
Dan nodded and then smiled and turned to Chloe. ‘It’s nothing, just letting my mind wander, so what do you want to do with the rest of the day?’
Chloe knew that Dan was covering up his true feelings but she smiled, willing to play along, he’d been through enough the last week.
‘We’re going to Australia soon?’
‘Yes, probably the day after tomorrow.’
Chloe grinned at him. ‘Then let’s go shopping.’
‘Shopping?’ Dan said with disbelief.
Chloe nodded. ‘Jonas lives in the desert; we have nothing on us suitable for the desert.’
‘You’re right, I didn’t think, we better draw up a shopping list.’
Chloe touched Dan’s face. ‘We also need to do something about this bruising.’
‘What do you have in mind?’
Chloe kissed him gently on the mouth. ‘A little make-up expertly applied.’
‘Just don’t make me look like Julian Clary.’
‘Who?’
‘I’m definitely getting old.’
Dan collapsed back on the bed; it had been an exhausting day, shopping in Tokyo was not an easy enjoyable task. Chloe leaned over him and braced her arms on either side of his head. Dan could see her breasts from where her sweater hung open at the neck and he smiled at her.
‘Aren’t you knackered?’
‘Don’t you know, women love to shop.’
Chloe kissed him once on the mouth and then stood up.
‘There goes the view,’ Dan said with a chuckle.
‘I’ll give you a view,’ Chloe replied and pulled her sweater up over her head and shoulders and removed the top. She let it drop to the floor. In just her very short denim skirt she looked amazing. Dan sat up straight and rested his elbows on his knees and said, ‘I think we bought everything we need, don’t you?’
Chloe nodded as she bent over and picked up one of the many bags littered across the bedroom floor. As she leant over the short denim skirt rode up her ass and Dan looked at her shaven pussy lips. He studied her ass and thighs like a scientist studying some rare breed of butterfly. Several minutes passed and then Chloe looked over her shoulder and said, ‘I can stay like this all day if you’d like.’
Dan laughed, ‘I can’t help it, you’re just stunning, you’re a perfect creature, and I can’t believe how lucky I am.’
Chloe stood up straight and smiled at Dan. ‘Stay there and don’t move a muscle.’
Chloe stripped out of the short denim skirt and slipped off her shoes. She crouched in front of the suitcase and removed a pair of black five inch heels and slipped her feet in to them and stood up straight once more.
‘Let me unpack this lot and you can just watch and admire.’
Dan laughed. ‘You’re totally crazy.’
‘And that’s why you love me,’ Chloe replied playfully.
‘I love you today more than I did yesterday and less than I will tomorrow.’
Chloe turned and looked at Dan; she had tears in her eyes.
‘That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.’
Chloe walked over to him and kissed him passionately. His hands slipped across her naked ass and she quickly stepped back beyond his reach.
‘Later sweetie; for now just watch.’
They’d spent the earlier part of the day shopping in various districts of Tokyo. The driver offered them advice on where best to locate some of the items on their list and Dan had been thankful for the car; he’d have hated it if they’d had to use a taxi.
In a sporting goods store they’d purchased four water canteens, a tube of salt tablets, a compass, a small first-aid kit and rugged boots that the assistant in the store assured them were the best for hiking. They’d also purchased a light canvass tent.
Another shop saw them buy sun-block, lip balm and various other cosmetics that Chloe said she needed. They’d shopped for clothing suitable for hot dry climates; lightweight garments of muted browns, cream and stone colours. In yet another clothing store Chloe left him in the men’s aisle and told him that she’d be back soon. Dan hadn’t bothered to object, he’d long learnt that Chloe would do what she chose, so he’d just nodded and purchased some clean underwear and hiking socks. He’d also purchased a couple of caps with wide bills to protect their faces from the sun.
Later when they’d shopped literally until he was about to drop they’d asked the driver to take them somewhere to eat. Dan had bought all three of them some dinner and the driver had thanked him repeatedly.
By the time they were heading back to Katsumoto’s they must have visited a dozen stores and accumulated at least twenty bags of shopping and as the car had pulled up outside of Katsumoto’s Dan had breathed a sigh of relief.
The sun was going down and shadows slowly worked across the bedroom. Dan got up from the bed and gently slapped Chloe’s ass.
‘Are you hungry?’
‘Starving,’ she replied and kissed his cheek. ‘We’ll go down to the kitchen and find something, I don’t want to be a pest and ring for help.’
‘Better put some clothes on then.’
Chloe was naked except for the high heels.
‘Yes, that would be an idea.’
Chloe quickly changed in to jeans and a white vest, not bothering with underwear and she kept the high heels on.
She brushed her hair and left it loose around her shoulders. ‘Come on, I’m famished.’
In the kitchen they found Atsuki making a sandwich. She looked up as they entered and smiled. It was clear that she had been crying. ‘For my grandfather, he says he doesn’t want to eat but he must.’
‘How are you holding up?’ Dan asked as he and Chloe sat at the breakfast bar.
‘Too much tragedy has befallen our family over the last few days; I fear that my grandfather may never fully recover.’
‘We’re so sorry Atsuki,’ Chloe said softly.
Atsuki smiled warmly. ‘Neither of you have anything to apologise for. Makati’s death was honourable. Hantaki deserved to die the way he did.’ Atsuki finished the sandwich and put it on a plate. ‘I must go to my grandfather; I’ll bid you goodnight.’
Atsuki left the kitchen and Chloe said, ‘I feel totally bummed out now.’
Dan got up and went to the fridge. He quickly gathered together some food and said, ‘I feel for Katsumoto, for all of them.’ Dan placed various cuts of meat, along with cheese, pickles, cherry tomatoes and other salads on to two plates and placed these on a tray. He leaned in to the fridge and grabbed a four pack of bottled beer. In a drawer he found a bottle opener.
‘We’ll head back up, this place is too sad, come on.’
&nbs
p; Chloe took the beer and led the way back up to their room. The house was silent and they saw no-one; everyone was grieving. Chloe moved up the stairs and wiggled her ass and Dan laughed, he quickly closed his mouth stifling the sound; it felt wrong to laugh out here in the main house.
Back in their room Chloe closed the door and switched on a small lamp. Dan set up the food on a small side table and pulled the curtains across the windows.
‘We’ll stay in here until tomorrow, I feel like we’d be intruding if we strayed outside.’
Chloe agreed with him and opened two bottles of beer, she handed one to Dan and she drank deeply from hers. Dan clinked his bottle against hers and he too drank his beer. There was nothing to say.
They ate hungrily and when they had finished Chloe went in to the en-suite and ran a bath. She stripped out of her clothes and said, ‘I’m having a bath, care to join me? It’s big enough for two.’
Dan undressed, picked up the other two beers and followed Chloe in to the bathroom.
The following morning they dressed quickly, Dan in jeans and a loose fitting navy shirt; his shoulder would be unstrapped by the doctor later that afternoon. Chloe wore hipster jeans and a pink loose fitting sweater, the left shoulder of which kept slipping down over her arm baring her breast. She wore knickers but no bra and Dan told her to watch that her breast didn’t make an appearance in front of Katsumoto.
They met Katsumoto in his study. The man appeared more in control but Dan knew that it was just a facade and that inside the elderly Japanese man was deep in grief.
Katsumoto invited them to sit and arranged for fresh lemonade to be delivered to the den. When they had all seated themselves around a large oval table and the refreshments had been served Katsumoto opened a large manila envelope and slid a series of high quality photographs across the table. Chloe reached for one and her sweater hung loose as she bent in to the table and Katsumoto quickly looked away.
‘Sorry,’ Chloe aid sheepishly and studied the photograph in her hands. Dan leaned in next to her and looked at the man in the picture.
‘That is Jonas Williams, the photograph was taken earlier this year, I doubt he has changed his appearance much since then,’ Katsumoto informed them. He guided them through the other photographs; aerial shots of a ranch; a main house, two barns and a corral. Red desert surrounded the dwelling.
Rage Against The Machine: Special Edition (Dan & Chloe Book 1) Page 31