Released – Chapter 31

Jiro and I have a lot of correspondence to go through for two whole days after the casino. First, I deal with Maeda and his permits. Lucy comes down for coffee and food that Oyama whips up in our kitchen. Jiro travels up to Sakai’s penthouse with Kentaro and Usagi to discuss all the people we’re tailing.

Maeda is grateful for all of the permits but refuses to back me.

“Here, listen to this, Lucy. ‘Though I’m extremely fond of you, your late mother, and all of Sakai clan, I have been advised by the members of my board that I should not officially support any government system for Yūsei. We will continue to remain neutral and provide help as needed. Thank you for visiting Akaboshi the other night. Please feel free to come back again any time before we leave.’ What kind of nonsense is this?” I slam my tablet down on the table, and it bounces and flips over.

“And Mark thinks I’m the fiery redhead?” She laughs and rights my tablet. “Don’t worry about this. It’s a temporary setback. He won’t be able to remain neutral for long once we’re on Yūsei and all of Clan Taira is awake.”

I cross my arms and pout. I wanted Maeda. He has so much money and power. He’s lucky I don’t go back to his casino and burn it to the ground.

“It’s not ‘game over,’” she reassures me.

Ping! Lucy picks up her tablet and reads her message while sipping coffee.

“Mark and the boys are on their way down. It’s about to get very crowded in here.” As she’s removing all of our excess belongings from the table, the door opens and in they all come. I’ve had three bites of fried rice, and I’m in a horrible mood now, so I’m not sharing my food with anyone.

“I have extra rice,” Oyama says from the kitchen and both Jiro and Kentaro ask for some while Sakai and Usagi sit on the couch. I grab a floor cushion and pull up to the coffee table.

“We have a few pieces of news. First, the temporary chef Miko hired is dead.”

My throat closes up, and I break out into a sweat. Chew the food, Sanaa. Don’t choke.

“He was found in a dumpster yesterday morning, and I saw the bulletin about it a few hours ago. Miko, Yoichi, and I have discussed this, and she will not hire on any new staff before we leave for Yūsei. They’ll be packing up the izakaya in another month anyway, and if they need help I can loan out some of the security staff or we can go and give them a hand.” Sakai refuses food from Oyama but takes a mug of tea from Jiro.

“The waitress had a fake record in the GDB, and I still have no idea who the other man is she was working with.” Sakai takes a sip of tea. “We need to get back to tracking these people. The next steps are to tail Risa and her parents again and pick up the trail with her. I’m handing off to you and Jiro now. Lucy and I have government business to attend to. I’ve asked Usagi and Beni to help Miko and Yoichi get their packing materials ready for the move. Another six weeks and we’re gone.”

“I can help Jiro and Sanaa. I’d be more than happy to,” Kentaro says.

“Thank you, Kentaro. Please be sure to check in with your family often. Don’t forget they will need assistance packing up for first wave as well.”

Kentaro frowns. He’s much happier when he’s here with us.

“So, Sanaa,” Jiro says, between mouthfuls of food. “What’s it going to be? Shall we divide up the work since my tablet has real-time feed access now too?”

“Sure. Let’s do Rock Paper Scissors. Winner gets Risa. Loser gets her parents. One shot?”

Jiro narrows his eyes at me before nodding.

I throw: scissors. Jiro throws: paper. He’s learning, but I’m one up on him.

“Damn,” he says with a sigh. “I married my mother.”

Sakai laughs, nearly spitting out his tea. I grab my tablet and open up the jobs I have on Risa while chewing on my food. Let’s see. Where is she now?

Wait. Two minutes ago, she scanned her transitway card at the exit to the station around the corner. I set down my chopsticks and access the video feeds from here to the station.

“Guys… Everyone! Risa just walked into the building. She’s here. Right. Now.”

“Where?” Jiro asks, jumping to his feet.

I look at the building feeds and bite my lip as she’s denied access to her old apartment. She turns and stalks off up the stairs to Mariko’s.

“Your mother’s place.”

Sakai and Jiro run for the door, and Lucy and I follow a few paces back. By the time we arrive. Risa is sitting on Mariko’s couch and refusing to make eye contact.

Sakai sits right in front of her on a chair with his tablet on his lap.

“We have you on video, Risa, meeting with your parents and Emiko Matsuda. We know you told Emiko about our trip to the theater, and we know you’ve leaked other information as well. We’ve even seen you with the man and woman who poisoned Helena and tried to kill all of us at Izakaya Tanaka. The evidence is quite damning.”

Risa sits in silence, ignoring us all, while examining her pink, rounded nails. If she were denying it, I’d be inclined to forgive her but she’s not defending herself at all. I have to admit I hate her. Hate everything about her, her stupid face, perfect makeup, perfect nails, perfect hair. My temper is simmering and bubbling, red hot like one of Oyama’s curries cooking away on our tiny stove.

“So, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Risa makes eye contact with Sakai, her face full of hatred, her arms crossed over her chest. “I have nothing to say.”

“Nothing?” Sakai’s face is getting progressively more passive, and he’s trying to rid himself of emotions because he doesn’t want to blow up at her. I am not doing such a good job of this. “Are you unwilling to apologize for betraying this family?”

Risa shakes her head and narrows her eyes. She’s even more bitter, angry, and downright evil than she was at the wedding or at Café les pivoines.

“You are the one betraying this family. Not me.”

Sakai sits and waits. How does he do that? I want to yell at her.

“You’re the one siding with the bastard child over your own family.” Risa looks directly at me, hate practically pouring out of her straight onto me.

“Excuse me?” My voice rises and cracks, and Jiro puts his hand on the small of my back. “Are you talking about me?”

“Of course I’m talking about you. You and your whore of a mother have done more damage to this family than I ever could.”

Beni and Mariko gasp at the kitchen door.

“This is my family, too,” I say, stabbing the air between us with my index finger. “Your actions have caused us all to lose people. People we love.” My forehead is breaking out in a sweat.

Sakai is turned a bit and watching me with his passive face on. He’s hoping I don’t do anything irrational.

“This is not your family. You and Jiro are not married, and you most likely never will be. I’d be careful, Jiro. She’s probably just as much of a whore as her mother was.”

That’s it. I lunge across the coffee table and get my hands around Risa’s throat for two whole seconds before Usagi peels me off of her. Before I can be hauled away, I lash out with a kick and hit her squarely in the jaw, messing up her perfect face. She’s lucky I have no shoes on.

Interestingly enough, no one else moved, and no one is looking at me like I’m the crazy one.

Jiro walks over to Risa who is coughing and rubbing at her throat and gets right in her face. “Never speak to my wife that way again. Do you think you could beat her in a fight? She could snap your neck before you blinked.” He straightens up and takes a step back. “Never forget that she is your empress. She has every right to take your life, right now if she wanted to.”

I have never felt vindictive in my life until now, and it’s not a pretty emotion, but it’s apt. That’s right, Risa. Jiro’s on my side, not yours. If you ever thought you had him, I hope you realize now, you never did.

My temper got the better of me this time, but it looks like I didn’t offend anyone but Risa. Tears flow from her eyes, and her cheek is red and swelling. I relax and Usagi lets go of me but not without giving me a little squeeze first.

“You weren’t supposed to fall for anyone but me,” Risa chokes out, “especially not her.”

“I find you completely disgusting. There is no one for me but Sanaa. Ever.”

Sakai and Jiro nod to each other, and pride wells up in my chest, calming my temper. I have the approval of the two most important men in my life. I don’t need much more than that.

Sakai turns back to Risa. “Now that Sanaa has taught you a good lesson, you will leave this building and never enter Sakai territory again. If I ever catch wind of you, you will regret it.”

Risa stands up, grabs her bag, and starts for the door. “Don’t think this is the end, Sanaa. I’m not the only one who wants you dead. Have my stuff boxed up and sent to me, Beni.”

I hope her face turns black and blue for a very long time.

Sakai nods at Usagi, and Usagi follows Risa out. Now that Risa is gone, everyone turns to me, but I’m still angry, my arms folded across my chest.

“Sanaa, I know we haven’t talked about this much in the past few months, but you need to go see your aunt. Tonight.”

“Why?” My temper evaporates quickly, and my stomach clenches. “Do you think she’s involved in this somehow?”

I was thinking I wouldn’t visit Sharon at all. I would just pick up and leave, ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ as the saying goes, though I’ve never seen a dog. What did I hope to gain from opening past wounds? Nothing. I don’t need Sharon’s approval.

Sadness sweeps across Sakai’s face, and Lucy closes her eyes. “Your mother was a private person, much like you. For Risa to know anything about her, she would have had to go to your family. There’s no way Kimie or Lomo would speak ill of her. That leaves only Sharon.”

I nod my head slowly, my insides trembling at the idea of facing her.

He squeezes my shoulders and nods back at me. “Time to clear the air.”