I didn’t waste any time this morning sending the message to Muriyama to find my previous employer Miyake. That man would know everything that is happening on the shores of Ito but I’m not sure if they’ll have enough time to get me what I need. I -don’t- want to wait. I’m -not- willing to wait. I’ve let this fester long enough. It’s probably one of the many things that led to… I put the thought out of my head as I fill up the ashtray beside me once again.
An old woman hiding herself in a relatively remote tourist town isn’t suspicious at all considering she was suspect… But a woman who has control of the police in Ito and has a small army of goons? And holding what it seems an entire town -hostage-. That’s too much. She must either be continuing the operations of her son, or perhaps she’s the instigator of all of it.
“Sir, Kawaji-sama is ready to meet with you now.”
I look up after the knock. What time is it? Damn it!
“I’ll be right over.” I tell the clerk and he leaves.
With a sigh, I open the lowest drawer. I told myself I wasn’t going to open this drawer anymore. Much less get “my box”, but I’m finding it impractical not to have a time keeper. I’ve gotten used to it… It was useful.
I pull it out of the box and look at it for a moment, remembering the one who gave it to me. It was early on, when we still had -something-. When I still meant something to her. Is it wrong to use it? Maybe just temporarily, until I can buy another? But that might be -never- and so I go ahead and place the pocket watch in my pocket.
I’m tempted to go through my box. See old memories there. Not the heavy ones from my ex-wife or reminders of the old Fujita house. The ones that were ours, in that space and time when things were still… and all we could see and dream about was the future.
But something does catch my eye. A key from her sister… One that I’m supposed to deliver. But that sister thought the one I knew was still in there, -somewhere- but she’s -wrong-. That one I met outside the wilderness has -gone-. Still there’d be no one else to give it to except that one that’s in the house with a tree and pond. It’s part of the orderly closure of this place…
I close the box. I have more pressing matters to attend to. Kawaji for one.
(Fujita in Kawaji’s Office)
He’s irritable. It must be from the administrative and likely political part of his job.
“I came to let you know that I’m hot on the trail of a scandal that will involve someone from the Department of th Interior.” I go by the window crossing my arms, leaning on the wall. “It’s Miyagawa Kichirou.”
Immediately the Daisheki narrows his eyes at me. “How’d you find out about this?”
“He was one of the supporters of Tanaka through Kato…” I sigh and lght a cigarette, “And he was also at Kato’s estate in Osaka as one of the “guest”… I pause and blow my smoke o the side, “Actually he was complicit in it as he even tried to get in the way of Hide’s rescue by cornering the Oniwabanshu Okashira.”
He shakes his head. “Even if it was so, the official report already cleared Miyagawa as simply an unfortunate -guest-, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it’s our policy not to involve ourselves with mercenaries, which the Oniwabanshu in this day and age are.”
“Even so…” I look at Kawaji. “You know what my role is, the mandate given to me by Okubo himself.” I remind him. After Okubo died, Kawaji tried to fill his shoes but he could only do it to some extent.
“So you want to assassinate him?”
I watch as Kawaji breaks our line of sight and paces the floor. “And let’s say that Miyagawa was in fact involved…”
“He -is-. He even approved the replacement of the local police in ito. Replacing it with men loyal to him and that woman Yasutake.”
He shakes his head like he’s having a headache. “Who the -hell- is this Yasutake? And what were you doing all the way to Ito Fujita?!”
He acts as if he’s surprised? Didn’t we have an understanding that unless it’s a direct command from the Interior or himself, that I was free to probe certain cases on my own.
“Yasutake is the mother of Kato. -She- is the one who had contracted Hide’s kidnappers and also her -torture- while in captivity. I was able to track her to Ito through Miyagawa himself.”
(Kawaji)
I look at the man they call the Wolf, the ex-Shinsengumi who up to this day is still bloodthirsty and is standing here telling me what should be done. The truth is at first, this does make sense. I have heard of this Miyagawa from Yamagata. We don’t always see eye to eye but he considers the man a brown nosing, too good for his britches politician. A -third- rate statesman who tends to demand and waste gov’t resources.
But the moment that Fujita said his mistress’ name out loud… That changes things. “Didn’t her case already ended in Osaka and Kato in jail in Kyoto? That Kato admitted to -everything- which is why his mother was let go by the Osaka police.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “We both know that the Osaka police is still a den of corruption unlike Kyoto.” He shrugs, “But that is the job of the Central police.”
“You speak as if you’re not part of the Central police Fujita.” I growl low at him, “You’re still part of the TMPD, though we’ve allowed you -some- leverage.” I don’t mind giving him independence, freedom even to choose his cases and at times to resolve them how he sees fit, even if blood has to be shed… But I draw the line when it comes to the centralization of the security of this country.
“Sumana Kawaji…” he looks away.
“Your woman is involved. That’s why you kept digging at this case didn’t you? The likes of Miyagawa a third rate statesman is not normally in your purview. None of -us-, would take him seriously, not even Yamagata…” I shake my head, I don’t like that you’re working on this because of a woman. I thought you said you and your mistress was -over-. Are you Fujita?!”
“Normally Kawaji, I’d tell you that this is purely for the good of the country. That all evil must be eradicated…” His eyes glow somewhat as he says this. This country -is- one of his true passions that even I recognize that kindred spirit. We would do -anything- for the good of the Empire of Japan.
“But I can’t tell you that I’m -not- also doing it for a woman.”
“So you are.”
“Is that so bad Kawaji?”
He’s actually telling me what he thinks. Why? And that look, only for a moment, almost seemed like regret? Sadness maybe? But I hold firm.
“It is when you led me to believe that you were through with this woman and would be focusing on your work instead.” I somewhat scold the man.
“I didn’t mislead you.” He crosses his arms as he puffs like a fiend as usual. “We are through and I -am- focusing on my work, which unfortunately involves a woman who meant…” He doesn’t finish. I’d be surprised if he -did-.
“You’re too close to this.” I pace the floor again, “All you’ve brought me is -conjecture-. We would need -evidence-.”
“When did we ever need that Kawaji?” He glares at me, “Not in any “sanctioned” killing did you and others ever needed this “evidence”. A judgment was enough.” And his is the judgment against evil wasn’t it?
And he’s not lying. There were parts of this new government that we had to strongarm our way. Whether it was suppressing the various uprisings, or simply killing those who posed as a real threat to the government we had it done based on spying and intelligence. The same thing he probably did to sniff this one out. We only needed proof for ourselves and not anyone else.
“This case is -not- important enough, to warrant such -unilateral- action without evidence. I’m not going to stake the reputation of the TMPD in such a way that jeopardizes the gains we have made.”
His eyes blaze at me and I wonder if this man called the Wolf of Mibu would actually lunge and go for my neck. But he’s right, I dismissed it so easily but he should’ve told me all of the facts of the case. “Fine it is important but my answer is the same, I want to see evidence. One that ties Miyagawa to the woman.”
“Fine. The first evidence is simple enough, I’ll go get a copy of the Police requisition that was approved by Miyagawa.”
“Not good enough. He is within his authority to do so and there is no evidence of corruption by the newly installed police there.”
“I’ve recently received info that Miyagawa cannot possibly be the son of the Elder. Apparently this great man of Choshu did not care for his wife and kept -men- instead. Miyagawa is using this to gain favors and clout for political gain.”
“It was Miyagawa himself who gave me his card, direct to the Sugiyama onsen from where this “mama-sama” is hiding!” He insist.
“Again circumstantial. Yasutake or this mama-sama, was -cleared- by the Osaka police and it was only some referral to an onsen Fujita.”
He looks away, “I am in contact with the previous chief in Ito. He told me that the police inspectors planted fake evidence of their “involvement” with the Tanaka group. I’ve also contacted a man named Miyake who knows the sea and inlets around Ito. And maybe I can use the landlady of the Onsen.”
And he shakes his head and mutters, “Too much time…” and complains “too -soft-.”
I pretend not to hear that last sentence. And again that Tanaka group still rears its ugly head eventhough I -know- the man in front of me is the one who killed him.
This wolf is different from the ones in the previous years. In Kyoto he was an arrogant man, confident of his actions with the skills to prove it, then the years that followed he lost that smugness and became aloof, but his skills at least did not fail him until that one time. And today? He seems to have -some- life again, -some- passion but his haste and veiled -anger- is making him careless. This is the man whom Himura said lectured him about anger and haste… How it cuts ones true skill in half.
But this man had challenged our authority and accused us of weakness. Had I not known him, I’d lock him up without a second thought. And I suppose also no evidence… Just judgment. What irony…
“The TMPD is not without its fangs.” I suddenly tell him, “Do what you need to link Miyagawa to this woman whose held the town hostage. Besides if those policemen who were fraudulently stripped of their post is true, it is the duty of the Central police to buttress the Prefectural police and rectify the situation.”
The wolf looks at me but it’s not one of surprise nor of jubilation but a steely resoluteness that -almost- gives me a chill. He throws his cigarette out the window.
Did I give in? I gave him permission to do anything to Miyagawa. Will I read another report again of a headless body found in a lake somewhere?
But he came to let me know this time before he does the deed. Is he now a man who recognizes the respect required of his post in the police? Or has he changed to a man lacking confidence and so came to me?
That man… I -still- do -not- know what he’s thinking.
(OOC: Saitou returns to his office. May or may not continue here)