Chapter Eight #4
“The other reason I was stressed was the Kyodo-kai had just put forward another business proposition to me. They had a really big shipment, one that could make me millions of dollars. This was different from the normal weapons we were running. Hiroshi wouldn’t tell me exactly what it was, but I have my suspicions.
” Taro leaned his forehead against the windowpane, and Jiro held his breath as he waited for the explanation.
“I think it might have been some sort of nuclear material. Hiroshi said there would need to be extra safety precautions.”
“What the…?” Jiro couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Taro held up his hand. “I don’t think it was a nuclear bomb, so don’t go all Ninja Turtle on me. But it could have been weapons-grade plutonium; I’m not sure.”
“Holy fuck,” Jiro breathed. “That’s big shit, bro.”
“Don’t I know it. And it would also increase the risk of being found out. I’m pretty sure American law-enforcement agencies would be keeping a strict eye open for things like that, don’t you?”
“Ya think?” Jiro was so astonished he could barely speak.
“I asked for some time to think about it, and then I arranged another face-to-face meeting with Hiroshi. I told him I wasn’t happy with the big shipment, and didn’t agree to it. I also wanted to scale back on the other shipments.”
“What was his reply?” Jiro asked the question even though he already knew the answer.
“He was very polite, very matter of fact. He said that unfortunately at the moment, my services were too valuable to be reduced or let go.”
“He didn’t make any threats? Demand that you keep their agreement, or else?”
“No, he just didn’t give me an option. And it doesn’t take a genius to work out that when the Yakuza says no, it means no.”
“Jesus Christ, Taro.” Jiro was the one who felt the need to sit down now.
His mind was spinning; this was too much to take in all at once.
Even though he had suspected something like this, he’d never dreamed it would be this huge.
Coming back to practicalities for the moment, he asked, “So is that why Papa was kidnapped? As a message to you? To make sure you kept up your end of the bargain?”
“I guess so. They were showing me how easy it is to get to my family,” Taro nodded glumly. “But they possibly also found out I was secretly investigating other avenues. A way to find some leverage on them so I could get out.”
“Oh.” His older brother suddenly went up in Jiro’s estimation. At least he was trying to fight back, trying to right one of the many wrongs he had committed. “Did you find anything?”
“I have a contact in the LA police department. I asked him to pass the information up to the FBI, and I was waiting for a meeting with confirmation from my police guy. I was hoping to cut a deal, give them information that would help catch the big honchos and break up the smuggling ring, in exchange for my testimony. I’m just a small fry in the scheme of things, really. ”
“That’s risky. You could still end up in jail, you know.
” Jiro had no idea Taro was dealing with all this.
No wonder the poor guy was looking stressed and disheveled.
Even if he managed to find a way out of being an unwilling partner with the Yakuza, he could still spend time in a maximum security prison.
“I know. But right now, that seems a better option than constantly watching my back. Constantly being worried about my family’s welfare.
I sent Thalia and the kids away to try to keep them safe.
Thalia wasn’t happy, but I eventually told her the truth, and she’s going to stay with our uncle in Grand Rapids. ”
“Shit, that’s intense.” Up until this point, Jiro hadn’t even considered his wife and kids. What a complete fuck-up. “But you didn’t think to warn me and Papa?”
Taro sighed heavily, and a look of pure remorse crossed his face.
“I was going to,” he admitted. “But I thought you were probably safe all the way down in San Diego. And I guess I stupidly assumed they wouldn’t mess with an old man.
I thought Hiroshi had more respect than that.
I also hoped that this cruise would keep you out of harm’s way while I made the deal and that it would all be over by the time you returned.
I was due to meet with this FBI contact tomorrow.
But Hiroshi must’ve got wind of it somehow.
” Taro’s face screwed up, and for a second Jiro was afraid he was going to cry.
His brother had not cried in front of him since they were both very little.
And for a few seconds, Jiro stood frozen, unsure whether to comfort his brother or pretend everything was fine.
Tarot hated any show of weakness and would hate that Jiro had seen his moment of vulnerability.
In the end, his brother collected himself, clenching his fists at his side, his face going hard as stone.
“So you see, I need your help. I need a plan to get away from this fucking Yakuza group. And I need to do it before they carry through on more of their threats.”
Jiro didn’t know what to say. How the hell were they going to come up with an idea that would free his older brother from a criminal group who were renowned for exacting revenge on people who double-crossed them? And who was he to even be thinking he could do such a thing?