Auto-translated
A short story instead of the final newspaper. I didn't want to keep the players waiting, so I wrote it quickly, which explains the sparse descriptions of actions. The log will follow later.
A cool evening, a traffic jam, the city center... Tokyo, hundreds of neon lights and car headlights illuminated this city. He stopped his Subaru Impreza by a pachinko parlor he had been told about a couple of days ago while receiving another assignment. This place belonged to the Asano-gumi yakuza clan, where their contact was waiting for him. When he stepped inside, his ears practically burst like overripe fruit from the clatter of balls. What was he doing here?.. Right, he had been told to sit at one of the machines and wait until the contact found him. For half an hour, he played pachinko and watched the flow of small metal balls; by the time his ears had adapted and he had more or less learned how to play, a short Japanese man approached him and led him into the staff room, where he was met by several stone-faced heavies and a few other guys playing cards.
- The boss warned us of your arrival, however, he didn't mention your name, Mr?.. – the short man addressed him.
- My name doesn't matter. I believe you have something for me.
- As you wish... However, before you receive what you desire, you will have to surrender your weapon.
He refused to hand over his weapon – he hadn't been warned about this.
One of the heavies grabbed a knife and held it to the guest's throat; the short man spoke as if answering for his comrade – please, do not complicate the situation.
- Fine, alright... – he slowly drew his pistol and handed it to the Japanese man.
The Japanese man inspected the weapon and replied - Beretta 92? You have good taste. Now, here is what you came for.
[...]
Back behind the wheel of his Subaru, he opened the envelope received from the Japanese man. Inside was a letter with the address of a skyscraper in the city center and an elevator key for the penthouse floor. Fortunately, it wasn't far to drive.
[...]
Taking the elevator up to the penthouse level, he was met by two guards in black suits and sunglasses. When the door behind them opened, one guard stepped inside and asked if this man could be admitted. Apparently, the answer was positive, and he was let through. Inside the room, there were far more guards than expected, and four people sat at a table. Three Asians and one European. It seemed he had arrived at the end of a conversation being held by a Japanese man in a business suit.
- ... so that your company as well as the triad can successfully establish themselves in Japan, so that my shares go up, and so that Asano-gumi increases its influence, we will provoke a war between Inagawa-kai and Yamaguchi-gumi...
A grey-haired old man interrupted him - The seeds of war between them were sown long ago; we only need to water them with the right water.
- Correct, I assume that is why you invited this man, Adam?
- You are very perceptive for an ordinary businessman, Fukimoto. Yes, you're right, I intend to use him as a double agent, send him into one of the two clans, where he will provoke them into starting an open war.
- Banal.
- But effective.
- Does everyone agree?.. – the businessman replied - Very well, in that case we will use your plan; however, if it fails, we will employ Mr. Li's plan.
From this conversation, he identified all those present:
The Japanese – the Oyabun of the Asano-gumi clan and influential businessman Seizo Fukimoto, the elderly Chinese man – head of a Hong Kong triad, the American – Adam Anderson – director of a large pharmaceutical company – his employer.
[...]
For the following two months, he stayed within the Yakuza clan, focusing entirely on his mission. He had been assigned tasks of this type more than once and derived special satisfaction from completing them, not so much because of the reward, but from the moral pleasure of finishing a job. However, now everything was different; he had broken one of the most important rules he set for himself. He had literally become friends with the head of this clan.
During fencing practice, one of his new comrades approached him and said that the boss wanted to see him. This didn't surprise him. In that time, he realized that the boss valued loyal people and those with good intellectual abilities – lately, the boss had often consulted him on certain matters. Now, most likely, it was a similar case.
Soon he would learn that the war between the clans had already begun. But how? Why? He hadn't done anything yet. Did this mean he had failed to satisfy his employers? If so, he believed his life was in great danger.
[...]
- As you can see, Mr. Anderson, the execution of your plan dragged on far too long, so we decided to use Mr. Li's plan, which worked in a matter of days and worked effectively.
- The members of my clan are very agitated by such waiting and are already ready to take to the streets.
- Then they would be acting very foolishly. I am more interested in what to do with my agent?
- I think he has already realized that we no longer need his services. – the Chinese man replied curtly. – Forget about him; we have far more important matters.
- And if he betrays us? Perhaps eliminate him?
- Not necessary. He won't do it, as his current boss's reaction to such a confession is unlikely to be positive.
- By the way, Mr. Anderson – the leader of Asano-gumi spoke up again in the conversation – I heard that based on your tips, a freelance assassin has arrived in the city, and a woman at that; what kind of joke is this?
- It's no joke; she could add fuel to the fire, or in the worst case, draw police attention to herself... I have already "taken care" of it.
[...]
WhiteLizard was once again wandering the streets, looking for something to eat and somewhere to sleep, also hoping to find some information that might be useful to his acquaintance – private detective Siverfale, who is currently searching for a missing girl. The vagrant decided to follow Morning and waited in an alley near his house. For a long time, nothing happened, and he decided to rummage through a trash can in search of "useful things." Suddenly, he heard rapidly approaching footsteps, someone shouted "hey," and Lizard reflexively turned around, immediately taking several bullets to the stomach. His killer – Ple-sen'a – had shaking hands, but not from fear over the murder; he was overcome by anger and anxiety. His target was Vegtam, not this vagrant. But they had threatened him! Threatened that they... If he didn't do it.
An anonymous letter arrived at the police station, in which Slonysh was portrayed as a drug dealer who had arrived in the country to sell goods. Prince_OMEGA, actively fighting crime, immediately set out and arrested her, saying she would spend at least three days here.
[...]
- And how is our little venture progressing? – Fukimoto inquired.
- The police are preoccupied with the mercenary, as planned. Yamaguchi-gumi is rapidly recruiting new members, while Inagawa-kai, surprisingly, is acting extremely cautiously. Their best warrior is searching for information on the leader of the competing clan, and the other members are idle...
- This is merely the calm before the storm – the triad leader explained.
- Perhaps. – Adam looked at the old man distrustfully – our mercenary seems to have decided to carry out the orders of his current boss for now.
[...]
Morning, Ple-sen, and WisTrit sat opposite Hermit, who was extremely dissatisfied with the situation. Inagawa-kai decided to go all in.
- Today you, Morning, will behead our enemy, and you, WisTrit, will destroy other obstacles...
[...]
Amko had been following Morning for about an hour, intending to kill him. Unexpectedly, he lost sight of him. For some more time, he tried to pick up his trail, but in vain. Without finishing the task at hand, he decided to return to the boss and report the failure. He didn't think the boss would be very upset, as they were supposed to recruit an ordinary city boy, Toriya, today, just as they had recruited him a bit earlier. When Amko entered his boss's room, he found him dead, with the killer standing over him. Without thinking, Amko fired.
[...]
WisTrit had dinner for the last time, prayed, and prepared himself. In his jacket pocket, he placed a hachimaki, and in his hands, a "box of chocolates." Very quickly, he was at the doors of the police station.
- I've come to visit Slonysh, who is staying here – he explained.
The guard yawned, checked some list, and replied – go ahead.
Slonysh was easy to find. WisTrit smiled at her, put the hachimaki on his head, and detonated the bomb...
[...]
Towards morning, he received an incoming message on his phone. He knew whose number it was and thought seriously before answering.
- Adam Ander... - the voice on the phone interrupted him.
- And how is life among the Japanese gangsters, son?
- What happened to Mr. Anderson?
- Oh, you no longer need to worry about him. – Mr. Li replied reassuringly as he left the penthouse filled with the corpses of the Japanese businessman, the pharmaceutical company director, and the yakuza clan leader, as well as their bodyguards. – I know that during your time in Yamaguchi-gumi, you literally became friends with the leader, Gil; however, he is dead and there is no reason for you to continue his cause, especially if you wish to live a long life. – To the continuing silence, the triad leader added – you know what needs to be done.
[...]
The next day, despite the loss of their leader, went very successfully for Yamaguchi-gumi: a medical staff member's brains were blown out, and a bodyguard avoided execution by framing the cafe owner instead.
The temporary leaders of Yamaguchi-gumi - Arandor, Jack, Impresio, and Amko sat in the cafe they had seized from the deceased; he didn't need it anymore anyway.
Arandor: I propose we celebrate our clan's victory in this war, even if our leader didn't live to see this joyful day!
Amko: Isn't it too early to celebrate?
Jack: Yesterday I blew Nebu's brains out; today I'll blow out the last support of the Inagawa-kai leader. With Ple-sen'a's death, Hermit will become an ordinary city resident, without support.
Arandor: Yes, that's right! Hey, Impresio, why are you so gloomy today?
"The Blackmailer" abruptly drew his Beretta and began shooting his stunned comrades. Amko was killed on the spot; Jack grabbed a bat and tried to attack the traitor but didn't have time, and Arandor ran for the exit but took a bullet to the back of the head.
- Sorry guys, I'm not Impresio... My name is Hostor.
WishmasteR
Небо
