the demanding schedule,” Cain admitted. “The president received at least five threats per day, and each one had to be thoroughly investigated.”
“Is that normal, or is it just this president?” Bonnie asked.
“Nah, doesn’t matter who’s in office. The crazies are always looking to get themselves in the paper. Plus, we were always short-staffed. Lots of agents were jumping ship to other federal agencies. But I’m here now. How do we order?”
“I’ll do all the translating, buddy,” Bonnie said. “As the conveyor belt rotates, I’ll let you know what’s on the plate. If it sounds good, just grab it. At the end, they’ll stack our plates up and charge us.”
“You mean me?” Cain asked.
“Exactly!” she exclaimed.
Bonnie described the various sauces at the table and showed Cain how to use the chopsticks.
“They’re called hashi, and the Japanese take eating with them very seriously. As with most things Japanese, there are lots of rules regarding the use of hashi. For example, make sure to use the chopsticks holder. But don’t cross the chopsticks when you put them on the holder.”
“That sounds dangerous,” Cain joked. “What happens if I do that?”
“It’s a major faux pas. Also, don’t stick your chopsticks in a bowl of rice, and don’t pass food from hashi to hashi. It’s all got to do with funeral rituals here.”
“Got it,” Cain said, and diverted his attention to the conveyor belt, which was on a continuous loop to provide the hungry customers with ever-present plates of fresh sushi. “I can recognize a few dishes,” he said, and pointed at one. “That looks like tuna.”
“Yes, it is. And they have a few different grades—depending on how much you want to spend. That’s why the plates are different colors.”
“My first time eating sushi in Japan—I want the best.” Cain reached for the plate and used the wooden chopsticks to dip the tuna in a mixture of soy sauce and wasabi. “Ah, this is delicious! So fresh.”
He and Bonnie took turns grabbing plates off the conveyor belt and together enjoyed their meal.
“Oh, you’ll like this one,” Bonnie said as she grabbed the red plate from the conveyor belt. “It’s the chef’s special, and he barbecued it. They use a special sauce that really brings out the flavor.”
Cain was getting competent at using the hashi. He picked up the sushi, put it directly in his mouth, and slowly chewed. He closed his eyes and relished the moment. “You’re right. This is really good.”
“I knew you’d like it. It’s a delicacy here.”
“A delicacy? I’ve heard that word used before.” He looked suspiciously at Bonnie.
“I told you eel was delicious!”
“I wish you hadn’t told me what it was,” Cain said. “I would have enjoyed it more.”
“Eel is delicious!”
“Don’t say that word again, sis.” His stomach was churning. “You know what they say about payback.”
She laughed. “You’ve always been good at payback!”
The conversation flowed naturally for a bit before turning to their family back home.
“Have you talked to Pops?” Cain asked.
“He and I talked yesterday. He asked about you, and I told him you had arrived safely and that you were doing just fine getting settled in.”
“Thanks. We don’t want him and Mom worrying. They still look good and healthy, but they’re getting older.”
“So, what was so important you couldn’t wait to see me?” Bonnie asked.
“What can you tell me about the yakuza?” Cain asked.
Bonnie quickly looked left and right to see if anyone had heard Cain. “The Japanese don’t even say that word in public. And I only know what I hear from some of my Japanese friends.”
“Well, what do they say?”
“I guess they’re like the Italian mob back in New Orleans. You know: they stick together, wear suits, and when somebody crosses them, they are dealt with by violence. Why? You’re worrying me.”
“I met Mr. Sato this morning.”
“What does he have to do with the yakuza?”
“I’m about to tell you if you’ll let me finish.”
“Sorry,” she said.
“Mr. Sato had everyone leave the room, and he told me that he is most worried about the yakuza attacking him.”
“Why would they go after him?”
“He said the yakuza had invested heavily in his company’s emissions reduction technology, and now they’re losing a lot of money. I mean a lot.”
“I’m so sorry, Cain. I didn’t mean to get you involved in this. I thought this would be an easy security job for you.”
“Easy is boring,” he said.
“The yakuza are outcasts here,” she continued. “They’re bad people. Killings are very rare here, but when somebody does get murdered, you can almost bet