Retribution

by Charles Tillman

  Eve chortled. “She could kick your ass five ways from Sunday now.”

  Asai blushed, uncomfortable with the attention. “I wouldn’t, though.”

  “That’s because if you do something that rates an ass-kicking, I will be the one delivering it,” Koda growled. “Asai is too soft on you to do a proper job.”

  “Koda!” Asai exclaimed.

  “Well, it’s true. I mean, you treated him like an invalid for two days after he got his ass handed to him in that tournament. Oh, by the way, thanks for the dinner reservations again, Seki. It was divine.”

  Seki palmed his face as he blushed. “You’re welcome, and that tournament was brutal. I didn’t expect the positive feedback suit would be quite so…positive.”

  Koda and Eve burst out laughing.

  “What?” Seki asked. “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothing,” Koda answered, her eyes glittering with restrained mirth.

  Asai cut her eyes between Koda and Eve. “What did you two do?” she demanded, rounding on them.

  “Nooothinggg,” Koda drawled.

  “I need to check the server room.” Eve stood and started for the door.

  “Traitor,” Koda whispered to her retreating back.

  “Hold it!” Asai yelled. “Nobody is leaving until you explain.”

  Horst chuckled and stepped away from Koda.

  “Et tu, furface?” Koda snapped.

  Horst’s voice took on a sage-like tone. “Wise man say, never stand between woman who looks like that and her target.” He nodded at Asai, who was shooting daggers out of her eyes at her cousin.

  “Spill, Koda,” Asai demanded.

  “I…um, we,” she nodded at Eve, “might have tweaked the settings on the force feedback a little.”

  Asai crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them. Seki looked confused as his eyes darted from one to the other.

  “How much tweaking was it?”

  “A little,” Koda deflected.

  “Koda!”

  “Okay, I set his pain receptors up a little higher than normal.”

  “Is that all?”

  Koda stared at the floor sheepishly. “I might have set the adversary accuracy a smidge higher too,” she mumbled.

  Seki’s eyes widened in shock. “You messed with my tournament?”

  “I made allowances for the increased accuracy. You took longer to die,” Eve volunteered.

  “You too?” Asai snapped.

  Eve looked apologetic as she nodded.

  “Why would you do that?”

  “He forgot he had a date with you to play his game. I thought a lesson was called for,” Koda defended. “Eve agreed.”

  “So, you two took it on yourselves to…what, defend my honor?”

  “More to make him,” she nodded at Seki, “regret forgetting your date to play with his friends.”

  “Wait!” Seki exclaimed. “I had to pay for the reservations for that four days later. Trust me, I won’t soon forget.”

  Asai patted his shoulder. “I should hope not. But that doesn’t make what you did okay, Koda.”

  “Hey, Eve agreed. She even changed it from what I’d done.”

  “Traitor,” Eve whispered, a small smile playing on one side of her mouth.

  “Akio, Kenjii will be done in five minutes,” Takumi called over his implant.

  Akio slipped out of the office and headed toward the sim suite to fetch Kenjii, still chuckling at the payback Eve and Koda had visited on Seki for Asai. He knew exactly how injuries in the sims felt.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Palace, Tokyo, Japan

  “How did your session go?” Akio asked when Kenjii removed the VR headset.

  “Other than getting my ass kicked by the character from that movie Abel had me watch earlier?”

  “Hai.” Akio snorted, his eyes sparkling with humor.

  “Since you think it’s so funny, I think I’ll wait and show you what I learned when we spar.” Kenjii grinned.

  “Bring it.”

  “Oh, you bet I will.” He stalked over and embraced Akio warmly. “Maybe we can spar afterward,” he whispered as his lips brushed the vampire’s cheek.

  “You’re incorrigible. I was asking about your training, and you changed the subject.”

  “We have lost decades to make up for.” Kenjii pulled back and looked into Akio’s eyes, a mischievous grin making his eyes sparkle.

  “Indeed we do, but first, how do you feel? Koda and Asai want to meet you.”

  “What do you mean? I’m fine. That was nowhere as intense as when we spar.”

  “Do you need to feed?”

  Kenjii pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m fine. Your pet humans are safe.”

  “They are my friends, not pets,” Akio admonished as he pulled away from the embrace. “Both of them have proven themselves to be resilient and intelligent young women.”

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m trying to overcome the things Heinz and Isamu taught me about humans. I can't think of them as anything other than tools or food, but I am trying,” he apologized.

  “I know it’s hard to change decades of practice, but it’s necessary if you’re to be a functional part of all this.” His hard tone softened. “I preyed on humans for centuries. Don’t think I don’t understand.”

  Kenjii nodded. “I’m fine to meet your friends. They don’t have to fear harm from me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or cause you disappointment. I love you too much to do that.”

  “And I, you. I didn’t fear you harming them. It worried me that the urges would distract you, not that you would act on them.”

  “Thank you for trusting me.” Kenjii caught his hand and pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go meet my new friends.”

  Akio and Kenjii walked into the office hand in hand, to see Horst doubled over laughing.

  Seki had a hurt look on his face. “I was sore for three days. Every time they hit me in the sim, it felt like a mule had kicked me.”

  “Stop being such a drama queen,” Koda snarked. “The settings weren’t that high. Would you like me to show you what they can really do?”

  “Koda!” Asai shouted. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Well, he’s the one acting like a whiny bitch,” Koda shot back.

  “Ahem.” Akio cleared his throat to get their attention. “I’m certain that whatever is going on here is of great importance, but I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

  All eyes turned to him and the man partially concealed behind him.

  Akio pulled Kenjii forward. “This is Kenjii. Kenjii, the one with the mouth is Koda. The other is her cousin Asai, and the whiny bitch,” he nodded at Seki, “is Asai’s friend Seki. I believe you know the giant in the corner.”

  Kenjii smiled shyly. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Wow, Akio! You didn’t tell me he was such a hottie.” Koda grinned.

  Kenjii’s eyes widened at the unexpected compliment.

  “He is, isn’t he?” Akio leered, causing Kenjii to blush.

  “Two instances of levity from Akio in less than a minute. That is unheard of,” Eve quipped from her desk. She nodded at Kenjii. “I think you’re good for him. Keep it up.”

  Kenjii recovered quickly from the unexpected welcome. “You know I will, girl.” He cocked his hip and placed a hand on it teasingly, causing Akio to do a double-take.

  The women all giggled, and Horst guffawed from the corner. “Good to see you are well, Miko…uh, I mean Kenjii. Sorry, Akio told me some of what those bastards did to you. Forgive me for using that name.”

  “It’s fine. I understand I have you to thank for ending Heinz’s miserable existence.”

  “Ja.”

  “I’m, uh, I’m sorry about Dieter. I know you were close.”

  “Danke. Dieter made his choice.” Horst’s voice was rough from the pain of the loss. “I will always blame Heinz for Dieter’s poor decisions, but he was never the
same after our mother died. At least Heinz can never harm another.”

  Kenjii nodded knowingly. “You are doing well here?”

  “Ja, I am happy with this life. I have been working to help the people Isamu’s madness almost destroyed rebuild.”

  Koda walked over and wrapped her arms around him. “My man-mountain is too modest. He has done more than help rebuild. He has made it possible for Kume to thrive again. The construction he organized and oversaw has improved their living conditions. Making them a regular stop for the ships he and Eve own ensures they will never be isolated and alone again.”

  Kenjii’s eyebrows went up. “You own a business now? It has only been a few months since you left China.”

  “Ja. Eve designed the ships, and I worked out the design for the facility we will use to create more.”

  “Stop being so humble,” Eve chided. “He gave me the idea when he started talking about how pretty the island is and that it was once a popular tourist spot. It is a win for the people of Kume and us.”

  Kenjii was silent as his mind worked through this information. Akio told me some of this, but I wasn’t sure I believed it. That they would not only make a place here for a Were but help him thrive astounds me. Perhaps there is a place here for me, too.

  Akio turned his head to hide the smile that threatened. Kenjii’s thoughts were becoming less erratic as the Miko persona lost influence. For the first time since he’d found him, Akio felt Kenjii could overcome the traumas of his past.

  “What did you think of the sim?” Asai asked innocently. She knew Abel had introduced him to the movie Takumi’s avatar originated in.

  “It is excellent. I couldn’t tell the difference between the game—uh, I mean sim—and reality once I started. Akio taught me the basics of the tiger swords, but the man in the machine showed me things Akio hasn’t.”

  Asai nodded as he spoke. “Eve was able to provide Takumi with video clips from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries from a place where people recorded, then made their movies available through a computer program. He analyzed hundreds of hours of matches and demonstrations to map out the avatar’s movements.”

  “It was a learning experience, and one I hope to continue.” Kenjii looked at Akio.

  “I believe you should be able to if you desire.”

  “I have something for you, Kenjii.” Eve pulled a communicator from her desk and passed it to him.

  Kenjii skeptically eyed the compact black disc attached to a cord. “What is it?”

  “It allows you to contact any of us,” she motioned around the room with her hand, “and Yuko from anywhere in the world.”

  Kenjii looked at the device with renewed interest. “How?”

  “Press the center and say the name of the person you wish to speak to. It routs the signals through Abel, and he’ll connect you. If you ever get in trouble and need assistance, press the center twice. It sends a distress beacon with your location.”

  “This little device has that kind of power? How?”

  “Kurtherian technology and our satellites in orbit,” Eve replied.

  “Amazing.” Kenjii smiled at her. “Thank you.”

  He faced Akio. “Does this mean I can now go out without you as a chaperone?”

  “Hai, but not too far yet. I know you can take care of yourself, but the Clan will probably send more here. I eliminated several groups that had taken over small towns while I was searching for you.”

  “I can come here to practice, though?”

  “Hai.” Akio didn’t add that he had to feed before leaving each time, but he would before it happened.

  Akio addressed the group. “I wanted all of you to meet Kenjii, and I thank you for welcoming him. We need to go back, though.”

  “Kenjii, I’m glad I got to meet you.” Koda smiled. “If you have questions I can help with, push the button and call.”

  “Thank you, Koda-san. That is an offer I may use.” He winked conspiratorially. "I bet you know the best places to shop."

  “You know it.” Koda giggled.

  “Wear comfortable footwear,” Horst offered. “Trust me on that.”

  Koda playfully slapped the huge Were on his chest. “What are you trying to say, furface?”

  “Nothing at all, my tiny beauty.” Horst laughed as he pulled her in for a hug. Looking over the top of her head, he pointed at his feet and mouthed, “Trust me.”

  Asai giggled at his antics but nodded her agreement. “It was nice to meet you, Kenjii-san. You are welcome here anytime. Just watch this one.” She poked Seki in the ribs. “He will try to get you involved in his group play if you’re not careful.”

  “Hey,” Seki protested. “Not until his second visit.”

  Asai laughed at him and shook her head. “Come on, Seki. It’s late, and we both have work tomorrow.”

  “Nice to meet you. If you want to try a sim for fun, I have a great one. Let me know,” Seki offered as Asai led him out the door.

  Kenjii was dumbstruck. These humans not only accepted him but had offered him friendship—something he hadn’t known in many decades. He recognized that they were more than friends. They were a family of humans, vampires, a werewolf, and an artificial intelligence in a robotic body.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan

  Akio watched Kenjii interact with Koda and the others. Horst’s acceptance in the group and Koda’s friendly banter brought out the fun-loving Kenjii he remembered. His mind was clear and untroubled for the first time since Akio had found him. Although he knew there was a chance the Miko personality would surface again, Akio felt it was safe for Kenjii to spend more time around humans, provided he continued to feed on the blood supplies Eve had delivered daily.

  “Tell me, Horst,” Kenjii asked. “How do you like it here?”

  Horst smiled fondly at Koda, who was engaged in an animated conversation with Eve about a new sim they were working on. “I have more than I deserve.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have the love of an amazing woman, friends who care for me and support me, a job that gives me purpose, and a comfortable place to live. Plus, the vampires here,” he nodded at Akio, “are nothing like I’ve ever encountered.”

  Kenjii nodded as he processed Horst’s words. “I see the lure of civilization after all the years you spent living in that hole in Acheng.”

  “The comfortable bed and endless hot showers were a major selling point.” Horst laughed.

  “Where do you live? I haven’t seen you at the base.”

  “I have an apartment here and a room at Yagi’s house on Kume Island. The past month, I’ve spent most of my time on Kume, working with the navy on the base they built there.”

  “You’re doing the design and engineering on that, aren’t you?”

  “Ja. It’s good to build instead of destroy, as Heinz wanted.”

  “And you own a shipping business?”

  “Part of it. Eve and I are the majority stockholders, but Yuko, Koda, and Asai also own shares.”

  “What about you, Akio? Are you part of that too?”

  “No. I have a few projects I am looking into, but nothing as big as what Horst, Eve, Koda, and Asai are doing. They will all be extremely wealthy if their businesses grow at the rate we expect them to.”

  “What are you looking at?”

  “I have been seeking silver for the bullets the police and military need to protect themselves from rogue elements of the UnknownWorld. There is little of it here, and I have exhausted the abandoned caches in the immediate area. I have to go farther each time I hunt more.”

  “There was a lot of silver used in Europe if I remember correctly,” Horst offered.

  “Hai, although I don’t have the time to search it out with the current troubles. Abel notified me that he’s verified two more slave farms in China. I will need to deal with them sooner rather than later.”

  “Those damned tigers are getting bolder every
day. Let me know if you need my help. I prefer to build and create, but I will do whatever you require of me to stop them.”

  “Thank you, Horst. I know you prefer not to fight. Keep building things. That is important, too.”

  “I met with the crew who will lay the foundation for the new base this afternoon. They will start construction in two days. I will be on-site when they do to ensure there are no problems.”

  “Thank you. I will feel better knowing we have a secure base of operations that won’t endanger as many humans if it’s attacked.”

  “I hope someone is foolish enough to attack the new facility when it’s complete. Eve and I have designed some nasty surprises for them.” Horst snorted.

  “So Eve tells me. I appreciate all you’ve done on that project. I know it took time away from your work on Kume and the shipping business.”

  “Akio, you could have killed me when we met. Instead, you gave me a life I never expected to have. Designing and overseeing this project is an honor.”

  Kenjii watched the exchange with interest. The more he heard, the more hope he had that he too would have a new life, one with someone he loved.

  Akio nodded at Horst. “If you need me to see that contractor Yagi was concerned about, call. I will be in China tomorrow, dealing with what Abel found.”

  “If he acts suspicious, I will hold him there until you’re available. Unless he gets stupid—then I will deal with him. The people of Kume are family, and I will allow no one to harm my family ever again.” His eyes flashed yellow as he looked at Koda, still engrossed in her conversation with Eve.

  “You have much honor, Horst. I will talk to you tomorrow,” Akio affirmed. “Kenjii, are you ready to go? I think you have a movie to finish.”

  “Oh, Akio’s got jokes.” He laughed. “Yes, I’m sure I can find something to entertain myself at home.” He winked and pursed his lips.

  Horst snickered as Akio and Kenjii said their goodbyes to Koda and Eve and thought, Never in a million years would I have seen this coming. I’m glad that Akio found joy. He and Kenjii deserve it after all they’ve suffered.