I haven't updated this blog in a while, so I've decided to use it showcase some of the writing I've been doing. Hopefully at least one person will read it.

The Tokyo Excursion - RWT

July 2006 on the train from Osaka into Tokyo center. It wasn't the first time I'd been in Japan, and certainly wouldn't be the last. My old loft in Tokyo was still in my possession, but I wouldn't need a safe house this time. That was where I still kept my katana- finely balanced, a true work of art. Being in Honshu brought back memories of practicing jujitsu and drinking saki after dark. Today's job was a simple one- the briefing had been short and precise at the Hong Kong office. Japanese gangster 'Katai' had made the mistake of kidnapping the daughter of the British ambassador. A ransom was paid, but Katai killed the girl anyway, just to piss off the British. This Katai was a cocky son of a bitch, but he was good at what he did. Prostitution and drug running, basic but very widespread. Katai had a presence in every city from Kobe to Akita. He needed to be taken out, but this mission was different. According to the literature, this story began some time ago.

"The yakuza had noticed Katai had begun importing heroin back in '99. They decided to wait to see if Katai would be successful before stepping in. They made their move some time later, inviting Katai to come into the organization as a small time boss on the streets of Tokyo. He told them to stick it, and soon after he began hiring a small private army. Seems he didn't want to pay rent to sell his drugs. Katai's gang, lead by his chief of security Kato Kei ('KK'), has become a severe thorn in the yakuza's side. Repeated attempts to assassinate the bastard failed, so they grudgingly came to us. We want Katai's head as much as they do, so it was agreed. Doors will be opened for you, so this should be easy work. Katai has been hiding in safe houses the last few months, so he's been hard to find. A yakuza 'spy' was discovered in his last one, and after dealing with him in Katai's usual style, Kato Kei issued an order to move to a new site. Katai will be riding in an armoured limousine across town, so here's your chance. The yakuza have supplied you with an untraceable T93 (This was before it hit the market) and access to a warehouse on the route. Katai doesn't know we have an in into his organization (He probably should by now) so his route is public knowledge. Be quick, be precise, and once you've confirmed the kill get the hell out of there. We want as little to do with this as the yakuza do, so don't get caught. That is all."

Enter abandoned warehouse, scope out a sniping position, and wait for the big flashy limo to drive by. It stood to be a routine, almost boring mission. The bullet train ride was comfortable, so I didn't mind having to cram all of this in one day. I had long since gotten over jet lag. The train slid into the station, and I hopped off onto the crowded platform. I had a couple hours before I was set to pick up the rifle, so I decided to hit up my old favorite, Ogawa's. Luckily it was less than ten blocks away. I ate my katsudon (Pork, rice and egg in a bowl. Best meal in Tokyo.) silently. Around noon, I left for the pick-up site. A florist's shop on a small backstreet concealed a yakuza hole-in-the-wall. A stark Japanese man in a starker suit met me at the door and handed over the metal case containing the rifle. I thanked him and walked back onto the street. Three and a half hours before go-time. Not a lot of time, but I was assured everything was ready at the warehouse. Not my style, but I wasn't too concerned. I trusted the men who had vetted the site. Goro Tori (our man in Fukuoka, as he was referred to in the office) had personally checked over the entire thing. I found the warehouse easily, it was right on the corner by a large avenue. With T-Minus three hours, I slipped inside a plywood door and hopped up five flights of stairs. End of the hall, to the left. Inside, I found a large table and a low, good-sized window. This would do. I opened up the metal case and pulled out the barrel. I had seen the T93 before, but never felt the balance of the barrel. Very fine weapon. For a 50 meter shot, this would be fine. I angled the table so that I could aim the rifle down the road. I'd pick Katai off about three blocks up the road from the builing. I set the rifle into place, and adjusted the scope. Perfect. I clicked on the radio also packed into the metal case. Our mole would tell me where Katai was sitting so that I could take a shot at his general direction. Even if the first shot missed him, it would break the windshield and allow me to not shoot blind. After setting everything up, I had another two and a half hours to wait. To kill time, I examined the rounds I had in the spare magazine. Solid 7.62 rounds. I was pleasantly surprised that the yakuza had opted for 7.62 as opposed to the more commercially available 3.08. The 3.08 was officially interchangeable but slightly off in its dimensions. It gave a slight kick that I hated. I sat around, looking around at the peeling paint until finally the radio clicked on. 'Katai is sitting in the center of the back seat.' That was my signal to get to work. I walked over to the T93 and looked through the scope out the window. My internal map of Tokyo told me that Katai would appear on the broad avenue in about 5 minutes. I stood, waiting. Finally, I noticed the black limo turn the corner a few blocks up. Through the scope I read the plates. Three, four, dot, five. That was Katai's alright. I steadied the rifle and aimed carefully at the center of the back seat. The limo slowed in traffic and- bang, the windshield shattered. The bullet pierced the upholstery next to Katai, whose face went aghast. I chambered the next round and fired between the eyes. Dead center, Katai slumped down onto the man next to him. The man's face was obscured by the driver's headrest, but I could see it was Kato Kei. By the time he looked up at where I was, I was on the floor disassembling the T93. I hurried down the stairs and back out into the crowded streets of Tokyo. It was 4:02 local time. By five, I was on an Air Japan flight to Hong Kong. Neither Katai nor Kato Kei ever saw my face. Which came in handy when I ended up working with Kato Kei in Sapporo. But that's another story.