He stared, dragging Alicia into view, and waited. After a long time the door clicked and Hibiki pulled it open.
“Keep your mouths shut,” he whispered. “I’ll do all the talking.”
Alicia wriggled in their grip. “Now you know that’s gonna be a problem. Never been one to—”
Dahl pushed her so that she stumbled inside. Hibiki pulled. All three of them surveyed the quiet lobby as they walked across a polished floor toward an unmanned desk. If anyone was present they were certainly doing a good job of concealing themselves. Hibiki stopped at the desk, staring above it at a blank TV screen.
Alicia knew what he was doing and took another moment to study the place. The area was about as mundane as an accountant’s weekly schedule. The likelihood was that many of the people who worked here didn’t realize what went on in the lower levels. Maybe during the day they even used a different entrance; this place did have a lower parking garage after all. Hanging her head, she switched her attention back to the front, now beginning to feel bored and about to say so.
The TV screen flickered to life, a hard Asian face staring out at them without an ounce of emotion. “What is it?” he asked in Japanese.
“Prisoner.” Hibiki clearly knew better than to elaborate by referencing the HQ. Such things were obvious.
“Where you from?”
“Tokyo.”
The barest flicker of uncertainty. “Your boss?”
“Rei,” he said, using information provided by his informant. Still, his heartbeat all but doubled.
Alicia listened, understanding nothing but knowing Hibiki was swinging it rather close to the edge. She struggled. Dahl, possessing the same instincts, clubbed her over the head.
“Be still now. There’s a good girl.”
The activity distracted the impassive face. “And the Englishman?”
Hibiki shrugged. “He’s… he used to work with her. It’s complicated.”
“Go down. We’ll see you.”
Another click and a door to their left swung wide open, a door they hadn’t even noticed was there. Set into the wall at the back of an alcove it was seamless and handle-less. Hibiki knew that the Yakuza weren’t at risk even now; this was but one layer of security — the real test would be conducted in private where imposters could more easily be made to disappear.
Alicia allowed herself to be dragged through the door, down a set of stairs, past more CCTV cameras than she could count and onto a brand new level. Here, directly before them was another unmanned desk and a bank of elevators. The right side was already standing open. Hibiki ignored it and the desk and pressed the button on the left, another protocol successfully passed and now the guards must have gained at least an element of trust. They traveled down for thirty seconds and then the doors opened. Hibiki pushed her out first into a white glare.
“Stop.”
Down here it was different, more akin to the environment she preferred. The bright lights came from directly ahead and the shadows of men holding guns stood right before her. One of them stepped forward and lifted her chin.
“Who is she?”
“An informant’s girlfriend.” Hibiki chuckled.
“Your plan is to use her to turn him back to us?”
“That is for the boss to decide.” Hibiki shrugged. “I’m just a soldier. The informant has betrayed his family, our trust.” He gripped Alicia’s throat and then sighed, letting go. “Either way, she must not be harmed until he determines.”
“Bad timing,” a man said. “The trial means you won’t be able to leave soon.”
The Yakuza guard lifted his rifle and waved them past. Alicia blinked the glare from her eyes as the bright light dimmed. The area around her was basic, all plastic desks and hanging bulbs. Open packets of food lay on the tables, some upturned, and a deck of playing cards. Coins stood in piles everywhere. Men sat around, hard-faced and smoking or toying with their handguns. A hundred comments came to mind but she bit her tongue, struggling to keep them down.
Damn, now there’s a first. Maybe it is time to start making that change.
But not today. Never today. Her vision finally fully returned, she spied a heavy door behind the men and a keypad set against the wall. They were close. But still the Yakuza weren’t pacified.
“And the big one? He is your responsibility.”
Hibiki nodded. Alicia saw these men weren’t guards in the truest sense of the words — they were minders at best. Of course nobody would actively seek to gain entrance to a Yakuza stronghold; nobody in their right minds, and probably never had. If a person did, and even passed this level of security they only gained entry to a building full of even more of the same. She put her head down, hiding her face, because she just couldn’t figure out how to imitate that broken, terrified look of the frightened captive. Better to stare at the floor.
Together, they approached the heavy door. One of the guards entered a six-digit code and pushed it open. Beyond Alicia saw a roughly hewn tunnel, shored up by heavy spars set into the walls and illuminated by a row of strip lights. It was rudimentary, but effective and perfect for the Yakuza’s needs. No more words were passed as the door closed behind them. Hibiki started forward, saying nothing. Dahl coughed and Alicia looked up at him.
“Keep your mouth shut,” he said, his meaning twofold, both as a token threat for unseen eyes and as a warning to her — their enemies could yet be playing them, allowing them to venture further into their territory.
The tunnel ran straight, cold and damp in parts, but sturdy enough. Nothing trickled or drifted down from above. Cameras were attached to every second spar. Alicia imagined the busy road above; the cars that passed over every day having no idea as to the activity going in beneath. How many other cities in the world had this kind of set up? London? Washington? New York? Those, she thought, and hundreds more.
It didn’t take long to traverse the tunnel. The far side was composed of a glass cubicle, which the three of them entered and waited inside. Completely enclosed they assumed that again they were being vetted. Hibiki stood patiently until a door opened automatically and allowed them access to another room; the mirror of the one on the opposite side. Yakuza guards stared at them as they passed through and entered another elevator.
Hibiki caught both their eyes. His meaning was clear.
We’ve done it.
Alicia allowed herself an inner smile. Dahl’s grip on her arm relaxed. The elevator doors whooshed open.
And a scene of dangerous bedlam met their eyes.
Guards were rushing around, guns up. Outside the elevator a man stopped as he ran past, took a look at Hibiki and his captive.
“Better keep a low profile for a few hours,” he said. “Check in over there and wait.” He pointed to yet another unmanned desk. “The guy should be back soon.”
Hibiki’s face was surprised, and the expression was not faked. “Considering where I am,” he said, “I’m wondering what the hell is going on?”
Shouts were flung through the air all around them. Men who looked like boys helped double the guard near the front entrance to the building. Suited individuals with a sense of authority shouted order, themselves looking flustered.
Hibiki coughed. “Please. What is happening here?”
“We’ve been infiltrated.” The man shook his head in disbelief. “A woman. She came in here with the girls. The entire building is in lockdown, all the guards up and armed. Damn, if this hasn’t happened before.”
Alicia watched as Hibiki struggled to contain himself. “What girl? Why?”
“They think it is the sister of one of our special guests. You know, the one scheduled for trial tomorrow? Well, they think it’s her and that she has help. But don’t worry, they caught her.”