Page 62 of Submit
“Good. You treat her right, you hear? Or I’m coming for you.”
“And by coming for me you mean…?” I joke with her, pushing her to the side with a single push of my finger on her upper arm.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“Yes, I do. And yes, I will.”
“Good.” She laughs and smacks my ass with a playful wink. “Now get to work so I can too.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Oh…and…oh never mind, you’ll see.” She says as she sits back down behind her big desk and raises her coffee cup to her lips.
Shaking my head, I walk to my office with a new pep in my step.
I could get used to life like this.
My door is open, and voices come from inside as I reach the end of the hall and my large corner space. The glass walls are frosted, and I can’t see inside, but I can hear Daniel and the unmistakable Japanese accent of Ryota Kinochi talking together.
They both look up at me from opposing couches as I walk in and set down my backpack on the floor, pulling out my laptop from it.
“Morning gentlemen.” I say, bowing to Ryota in the traditional custom for him.
He stands and bows back, then extends his hand to me for a snug shake. His sleeve rides up his arm a little, and for the first time I notice the swirling pattern of blues and whites of a tattoo above his wrist. “Adrian.”
“Ryota. Nice tattoo, I see. I have a few myself, as you can tell.”
“Yes, but yours were chosen. Mine are Bokkei and must never be shown in public.” He says, pulling on his sleeve cuff to cover the edges of what I imagine to be a very large Irezumi sleeve; a tattoo given as punishment for a crime in Japan. “I just wanted to come and give you an update myself. In person is better for these types of things.”
“Yes, I assume they are.” I answer him, already knowing the subject matter at hand.
You never want to speak of criminal activities over the phone or in written words. Illegal actions only get spoken about in person and in a private and trusted space.
“Mr. Richmond arrived in Tokyo as planned and has been dispatched to his new position. My company will see that he is warmly welcomed and treated with the utmost respect.” He says, looking at me through the soft, dark eyes of a grandfather, not ones that look like they belong to the leader of a criminal enterprise.
“I thank you. I’m sure he’ll be comfortable wherever you put him to use. He really tried hard for this…promotion.”
“You enjoy your day, Adrian.” He says, gathering his jacket off the sofa and slinging it over his arm.
“You as well.”
“Kazoku. Remember that.” He says with a gentle smile that I know is a warning disguised as warmth.
“Kazoku.”
“Well, that was…okay.” Daniel says, stretching his arms across the back of his seat.
“Yeah.” I sigh, flopping down on the newly vacant one across the coffee table from him.
He’s got his foot up on his knee and leans back, tilting his head up to the ceiling.
“Promise me that we’ll never need to ask for their services again. I don’t want to owe him more than my life.” He chuckles but I can tell he’s uncomfortable and nervous, even though his body position suggests comfort and he’s only with me now.
“I promise. No more, ummm, employment transfers.”
“Yeah, transfers.” He sighs, running his hands through his hair, pulling his head back even more so all I can see is his stretched throat as he hangs his head off the back of the couch. “For fuck’s sake.”
“Relax.”
