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The Company
Time: Monday, July 15, 2013.
Place: Arlanda, Sweden.
Last Event: Leaving the airport with ninja-like stealth.
After losing the suspected policeman – and parting ways with the ninja he was tailing, just in case – it's time to hit the road. The remaining ninja drives the lead vehicle, with Paul following close behind. As far as the Agents can tell, nobody is shadowing them. Rather than head into Stockholm, Sakata's man skirts it, eventually arriving in an affluent-looking area dotted with large homes set back from the highway on wooded lots. The group's destination proves to be one of these posh residences . . . a place not unlike Sakata's Kyoto hideout.
As soon as the Agents step out of the vehicles, they're greeted by a screeching Asuka, who's clearly thrilled to see Klas. She also greets Wen enthusiastically and, noticing that Wen is covered in coffee, offers her clean clothing. It's quite a challenge for Sakata's ninja to pry Asuka off the team. The succeed eventually, however, and usher the group into the study, where they find Sakata sitting behind a wall of computer monitors.
Keeping small talk to a minimum, the Agents brief Sakata on what has happened since March. Then they give him the captured signal interceptor and unleash Jili, who cuts loose with a manic stream of tech-speak. When Jili finishes, Anabel explains that the goal is to turn up the heat under Deringer's people by producing and selling what's almost certainly CIA tech entrusted to Emerson Tactical Solutions "off the record." Anabel expresses the hope that this move will sow the seeds of discord, if not discredit Deringer outright.
Sakata is impressed with both the device's capabilities and the group's plans. He's confident that he could reverse-engineer the gadget, and convinced that marketing it would not only damage Deringer's credibility but also make life hard on CIA operators in general. However, as he's technically "dead," he cannot set up the necessary facilities himself. On the other hand, the late Toru Otaka had electronics factories among his extensive holdings – the ones where he manufactured secure phones for the Company, in fact. Sakata says that he controls those assets via shell companies, and suspects that Asuka could point the Agents toward suitable contacts in her father's former empire.
When the Agents agree to this course of action, Sakata calls in Asuka. Asuka is thrilled to be part of the scheme, and knows exactly who the team needs to deal with. She warns that the arrangement will involve backroom deals with and payoffs to Yakuza, but of course that comes as no surprise to anyone. With that settled, Asuka explains that the group must visit a man in Tokyo – someone who does his business out of a nightclub that's more than a little dangerous to non-Yakuza. She provides the place's name and address, plus the right names to drop to get in the door.
Given how hot things got the last time the team visited Japan, Sakata counsels making slow, careful travel arrangements. He's willing to pull the necessary strings himself, but cautions that it will take about a week. Fortunately, his Stockholm hideout verges on palatial, so there's more than enough room for everyone to stay. The Agents accept his invitation, and then leave him to set up their trip and start reverse-engineering the signal interceptor.
The week passes quickly and pleasantly. Klas, Lev, and Wen hang out with Sakata's ninja, spending their time learning the ins and outs of high-tech low-tech weaponry, particularly carbon-fiber compound crossbows – including a custom repeating model! Anabel and Jili take the opportunity to bone up on the electronics business, Jili focusing on the electronics aspect while Anabel concentrates on the business angle. Paul helps the ninja keep an eye on security.
Qoqa's goals are more complex. Never comfortable trusting near-strangers with her safety, she does her best to get close to Asuka and Sakata, hoping to learn what makes them tick. Asuka's psychology is worrisome: the girl clearly leans toward an amoral outlook, which she intentionally camouflages behind youthful "cuteness" – and though she doesn't appear to be following in her father's criminal footsteps, she seems altogether too hard for someone her age. Sakata, too, is hiding his real motivations, but it's obvious to Qoqa that this stems from paranoia similar to her own; years of being hunted will do that to a person. Qoqa manages to see far enough beyond Sakata's defenses to realize that he's ultimately a man of principle, and regards himself as Asuka's surrogate father. Thus, Qoqa decides to warn Sakata of Asuka's disturbing traits, and secures his promise that he'll keep an eye out for trouble.
Anabel also spends some time with Asuka during the week, mostly to learn as much as she can about the Yakuza man the group is about to deal with. Asuka outright admits that this gangster is dangerous, and that even contacting him is risky. She warns that he works out of a nightclub for good reason: he can control the environment, and nobody thinks it's odd that there are beefy gentlemen with metal detectors checking bags and controlling access. Asuka produces a ceramic knife that she claims will get past all this security, and suggests that Anabel and friends procure more of these from the ninja. Anabel can't help but notice that Asuka is altogether too keen on the subject.
On Monday, July 22, it's time to travel. Sakata provides the Agents with new and supposedly secure phones, while his ninja supply ceramic blades as recommended by Asuka. Those who take knives carefully pack them away in baggage they intend to check. The ninja drop off the group at Arlanda, where everyone is pleasantly surprised to discover that they have first-class seats. Sakata certainly likes to do things in style! There are no issues with the tickets or the group's false papers, and soon there's nothing to do but wait to touch down at Narita.
It's Tuesday afternoon by the time the Agents are back on solid ground and arranging transportation to their Tokyo hotel. Once again, Sakata shows his class or at least his ability to fake it – the accommodations are top-notch. After agreeing to reconvene toward evening, everyone takes a few hours to unpack and then relax in style.
That evening, the Agents rendezvous in the lobby. Anabel, Lev, and Qoqa are packing concealed ceramic blades. The team takes cabs from the hotel to the nightclub run by Asuka's Yakuza man. The driver of Anabel's taxi warns her that the club isn't a safe place for tourists. Anabel thanks the cabbie and assures him that she'll be fine. Privately, she's glad to receive the warning – it's a sign that Asuka knows what she's talking about.
The club isn't what anybody expected. Far from being a skeevy-looking dive in a bad area, it's a flashy new building in a high-rent district. Even on a Tuesday night, there are beautiful people queued up outside . . . under the watchful eye of several well-groomed doormen. Exactly as Asuka warned, the bouncers are brandishing metal detectors and inspecting bags. It's clear that the only weaponry that gets in is under the control of those who run the place.
Anabel approaches the security staff and drops the relevant names: the person she purportedly works for (one of Toru's former lieutenants) and who she's here to see. The doorman whispers into his headset and then beckons Anabel forward. He explains calmly that she and her associates must submit to a search, one at a time. Anabel smiles and agrees. The goons at the door sweep everyone with metal detectors, poke their noses into purses, and generally give the Agents a once-over, but they miss the ceramic knives and eventually admit the team.
A beefy guard hustles the group through the noisy club and into a VIP area, and then to a door which he claims leads to a salon for private functions. Sure enough, that's exactly where it goes. Before long, the Agents are waiting in what looks like an upscale disco, albeit one where the bar is locked up, the tables are pushed against the walls, and all the chairs are stacked. Their escort invites them to get comfortable, and assures them that the boss will be with them in a minute. Jili can't help but notice several cameras, and suspects that the boss is already having a look.
Shortly after the guard leaves, a man's voice booms over the PA system: "So, Toru Otaka shows his face even after his death." Anabel waits for an opening and then explains that the group is here to do business, not cause trouble. The speaker cuts her off before she can finish, however. "Welcome to the octagon, bitch. Put up a good fight."
The Agents don't get time to think about this, because an instant later, all four doors pop open with the buzz of electrical locks, letting eight men into the room. Though superficially well-dressed, they're unquestionably goons. And like the denizens of some B movie about Yakuza gangsters, they're toting very serious-looking katanas. The whole situation is surreal, but the Agents are sufficiently trained at hand-to-hand combat to realize that the swords aren't for show – these thugs clearly know how to handle their archaic weapons.
The ensuing fight is quick and brutal. Though the Yakuza hoods have eight fighters to the Agents' seven, and eight swords to the group's three knives, they're clearly expecting a cakewalk. They charge aggressively, focusing heavily on offense. This proves to be their undoing, as it gives Klas and Wen big openings that enable them to make the odds more even. By the time the swordsmen realize that their targets are falling back in a coordinated fashion, luring them into the way of one another, it's too late.
When the screaming ends, seven of the eight men with katanas are sprawled on the floor. One is clearly dead, the victim of a devastating head kick from Wen – a blow so viciously perfect that it surprises even her. Another is bleeding out behind the bar, shanked in both lungs by Lev. Most of the others are a mess of knife cuts and bruises. The last thug actually cuts himself rather than be defeated by someone else's hand! Thanks to defensive fighting and the judicious use of space, the Agents' only injury is a shallow gash across Qoqa's abdomen, which is essentially a flesh wound.