[Chapter 434: Bloody Storm, Shaking Tokyo]
There was a 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and Montreal.
It wasn't until noon the next day that David finally called. Judging by the time, it was around 2 a.m. in Tokyo.
"Boss, everything's handled. Both locations are cleaned up."
"Any casualties on your side?"
"Three seriously injured, but thankfully none are life-threatening. About a dozen others have minor injuries, all under control now."
"Good. Any stragglers?"
"No one left alive. The other side was completely wiped out."
"Great work. Take care of the injured first. When I get back, there's a big bonus waiting for you."
"Thanks, boss."
...
After hanging up, he called Hillary. "All targets have been eliminated. The follow-up operation can now begin."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
"Including Tokyo and Montreal?"
"Yes."
"Good. We're fully prepared here. You won't be disappointed."
---
Because Edgar Bronfman's hotel had been entirely booked and sealed off by their team, the hotel officially suspended operations. Over 100 people died inside, but the outside world had no idea what had happened.
It was morning in North America, and nighttime in Tokyo.
In Montreal, news broke that the Bronfman estate had burned to the ground with no survivors. The report quickly caught the attention of those watching closely.
Several influential Americans started trying to contact Edgar Bronfman but could not reach him.
After restless hours, the news was passed to the American ambassador to Japan. He tried calling Edgar at the number they had exchanged yesterday but got no response.
Alarm bells rang in his mind. He called Cole Swart, the staff member who had accompanied Edgar to the Tokyo Police Headquarters the day before, instructing him to check Edgar's hotel.
...
About 40 minutes later, Cole's trembling voice broke the silence on the phone.
"Ambassador... it's terrible... everyone... everyone is dead."
"Cole, stay calm and make yourself clear. You're representing the United States."
After the ambassador's sharp reprimand, Cole managed to steady himself slightly, though anxiety was still apparent.
"Ambassador, Edgar brought a group, all of them are dead."
"What? Say that again." The ambassador was shaken.
"Edgar Bronfman and everyone with him were all killed."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, I'm at the scene right now."
"Take your time and explain the situation in detail."
"Following your instructions, I arrived at the Senbashi Hotel half an hour ago. The lights were all on inside, but no response when we called for the door. The police accompanied me to force it open, and inside, we found nothing but bodies -- everyone gruesomely cut in half.
We went up to the penthouse suite -- Mr. Bronfman was killed the same way, split in half.
The police opened several other rooms and found the same horrific scene. They were too shocked to open any more doors and are reporting to their superiors now."
"How many dead at the scene?"
"Unknown for now, but certainly everyone inside. No survivors."
"You said the victims were cut in half?"
"Yes. Identical to how Edgar Bronfman Jr. was killed."
"Stay put. Don't leave the scene. I'll call you back."
"Yes, sir."
...
The ambassador lit a cigarette and silently thought: The Bronfman family had clearly made some dangerous enemies. Only a powerhouse could simultaneously hit targets cleanly in both Canada and Tokyo without attracting any outside attention.
Such a force was scarce, and no one in the U.S. could afford to cross them. He must stay clear of this mess to avoid an untimely and mysterious "accident."
He never considered the killer might be foreigners. Which country even had that kind of reach to strike simultaneously in Canada and Tokyo?
Yet, with so many Americans being killed in Tokyo, failure to handle this properly would embarrass the U.S. government and seriously damage his career.
Looks like some Japanese officials would have to be made scapegoats. No matter what, the U.S. couldn't lose respect. As for the real culprit: better not to think about it. He certainly shouldn't stir up trouble.
He made several calls back to the States, but strangely, aside from the Secretary of State demanding strong pressure on the Japanese government to investigate and hold responsible parties accountable, everyone else was indifferent.
They barely concealed their lack of concern about avenging the Bronfman family, reducing their words to mere formalities.
Even President Clinton maintained a vague stance, emphasizing the dignity of America must be upheld and Japan should pay a price, but never mentioning finding the real killer.
It was now clear to him: whoever wiped out the Bronfman family was a figure no one dared to provoke, someone feared even by the highest powers in Washington.
In truth, this was all just his speculation; he didn't fully grasp the cold, calculating nature of these officials. To politicians, everything boiled down to interests -- they were ruthless and heartless.
The Bronfman family wielded immense wealth and was known for lavishly funding politicians every year, naturally becoming close allies.
When the family was in trouble, these officials would step up to help -- their assistance was a strategic investment; no one ever said no to more money.
So when Edgar Bronfman Jr. was brutally murdered in Tokyo, they all immediately rallied in support, pressuring the U.S. Embassy and the Japanese government.
But now Edgar Bronfman Sr. himself was killed in Tokyo, and the family's main estate burnt to ashes. The Bronfman legacy was decimated.
With the family barely existing anymore, would they still flush out huge sums of money? The answer was a definite no.
Since the family no longer offered any benefits, why continue supporting defunct dead men?
Unconsciously, they linked this with the Yamaguchi-gumi -- the Japanese crime syndicate -- and figured whoever could hit both Canada and Tokyo in one strike must have enormous influence. Without direct interest, better to avoid provoking them.
That explained their prior support turning to cold indifference; it was all about interests.
Some were already eyeing the Bronfman fortune -- worth tens of billions.
Of course, the big prize belonged to the killer who'd struck the family with such force.
But even a small share was enough for others to salivate over.
Back to his guesswork about the Yamaguchi-gumi: though far-fetched, the outcome was probably accurate.
After finishing his cigarette and convincing himself, he dialed the phone with a stern tone.
...
"Prime Minister Koizumi, what's going on with your city's security?"
"Mr. Komodo, is there a problem making you unhappy again?"
"Prime Minister Koizumi, haven't you heard? Edgar Bronfman, our nation's billionaire, came to Tokyo yesterday to check on the investigation of his son's murder. Last night, he and his entourage were all killed in the hotel. Can you explain how Tokyo is being managed?"
Koizumi broke out in sweat. "Mr. Komodo, please hold on. I'll gather information and report back to you."
"Fine. You have one hour. I expect a full report in one hour."
"Understood."
---
Half an hour later, Cole called from the hotel scene again.
"Ambassador, the Tokyo police have surrounded the Senbashi Hotel. They searched every room. A total of 109 dead -- 78 were Bronfman's people, 31 hotel staff."
"And..."
"And fifty-eight of Bronfman's entourage were fully armed."
"Fully armed?" The ambassador inhaled sharply.
"Yes, various weapons, comparable to what Marines carry, with each person having a room to themselves."
"How did they die? No one fought back?"
"Unknown. They seem to have been caught completely off guard -- everyone cut in half."
"I see. Since the Tokyo police are handling it now, you can leave the scene and come back."
"Thank you, Ambassador." Cole had been disturbed by the grisly scene and was eager to get out.
Hanging up, Ambassador Komodo's determination deepened.
---
Another half hour later, Prime Minister Koizumi arrived at the U.S. Embassy with the Foreign Minister and Tokyo Police Commissioner.
In the meeting room, the ambassador met with the three alone.
He started bluntly.
"Prime Minister Koizumi, what's wrong with Tokyo? Why do Americans keep getting killed here repeatedly?"
"Mr. Komodo, on behalf of Japan, I deeply apologize to you and the U.S. government for this brutal crime. We will do everything possible to find the real culprit and solve the case quickly to give the victims justice."
"Cut the diplomacy. The case is escalating, and I want results. Honestly, before you came, I reported to the States. The President and Secretary of State are very dissatisfied and expect me to push you hard to deliver results satisfactory to our government."
Koizumi glanced at the police commissioner who nodded and took over.
"We have formed a special task force led by me. We pulled 5,000 officers from Osaka, Nagoya, and other places to Tokyo and deployed 5,000 Self-Defense Forces soldiers. We've blocked all entrances and exits to Tokyo and are conducting a thorough search of all districts..."
Hearing the commissioner's detailed report, Komodo interrupted impatiently, "I don't want details. I want results. You have three days to give me a satisfactory report for the U.S. government."
"Three days is too short. Tokyo is huge. We can't finish the search that quick. The killers are no ordinary people. We found 58 fully armed military-grade personnel among Bronfman's entourage -- all cut in half without resistance," the commissioner said, breaking into a sweat.
"Don't tell me about difficulties and conditions. You have three days. No negotiation. Fail, and I'll activate the Special Investigation Division and hold you accountable."
"What? Special Investigation Division? Ambassador, that's extreme! Please give us a chance!" The officials turned pale at the mention of that dreaded unit.
The Special Investigation Division was the U.S.'s 'enforcers' stationed in Japan, tasked with dealing with troublesome politicians. They operated beyond any constraints, could investigate anyone -- even the Prime Minister -- and had the authority to detain suspects without trial. Anyone targeted either ended up losing office or worse, jail.
Former important politicians like Noboru Takeshita, Shin Kanemaru, and Kisaburo Nakamura were toppled by this division for defying U.S. interests. Former Prime Ministers Hitoshi Ashida and Kakuei Tanaka were also imprisoned for opposing America's dominance.
Basically, if a Japanese politician defied U.S. directives, the Special Investigation Division was unleashed to remove them.
It was how the U.S. controlled Japanese politics, making Japan a puppet nation.
Ironically, despite their notorious reputation as a political secret police, they were branded as an anti-corruption commission by America, and no Japanese politician or media dared expose the truth.
"If you want me not to launch the Special Investigation Division, just get me satisfactory results."
The Prime Minister and ministers understood this was a veiled threat.
Tentatively, Koizumi asked, "Mr. Komodo, what do you mean by 'satisfactory results'?"
"Three points: one, catch the killer and report to the U.S. government and people; two, at least five high-ranking officials in your government must take responsibility and resign; three, compensate American victims $5 million each."
"The latter two are manageable, but catching the killer? That's impossible."
"The killer must be caught in three days. No excuses."
The three men exchanged glances, realizing the ambassador didn't expect the Japanese police to find the real criminals.
He just wanted a diplomatic explanation to maintain the U.S.'s dignity.
The 'killer' would be whoever they chose -- finding scapegoats among the Yamaguchi-gumi was the most convenient.
Those five resigning officials would conveniently have ties to the Yamaguchi-gumi, justifying their removal.
To confirm his guess, Koizumi said, "Mr. Komodo, as you requested, we will find the killer in three days and provide a satisfactory explanation to you and the American government." He emphasized the word 'killer.'
"Good. I expect your report in three days," Komodo said coldly.
---
After leaving the embassy, the three got into Koizumi's car, dismissed staff, and agreed on their strategy.
The police would continue the large-scale search, but the real target was identifying criminal evidence against the Yamaguchi-gumi.
They also agreed on five high-ranking officials who didn't get along with Koizumi; all had varying connections to the Yamaguchi-gumi. The police were directed to investigate their ties.
As for compensation, they cared little. Fewer than 100 foreigners had been killed, and even if all were Americans, the cost wasn't much.
Soon, the police publicly declared the Yamaguchi-gumi an illegal organization, launching a sweeping crackdown nationwide, especially in Tokyo. Members were arrested, and assets seized.
In the three days, over 20,000 law enforcement and military personnel scoured Tokyo, arresting many fugitives and solving cold cases -- an unexpected benefit.
---
Three days later, the police held a briefing on the brutal cases at the Four Seasons Hotel, Maple Leaf Tea House, and Senbashi Hotel.
"After thorough investigation, the culprit has been confirmed as the Yamaguchi-gumi. The gang's leader, Shinichi Yamamoto, and all key members have been arrested. Tokyo is returning to normal order..."
No journalists were allowed to question officials. After the spokesperson's statement, they left, leaving reporters to fill in the gaps on their own.
Meanwhile, everyday citizens cheered the dismantling of the notorious gang and looked forward to peaceful days ahead.
...
On the same day, five top officials -- including the Tokyo Mayor, Police Commissioner, and Deputy Chief of the National Police Agency -- resigned in disgrace, sparking outrage.
Ambassador Komodo received a $200 million check.
Among the Bronfman entourage, 40 were U.S. citizens.
How much of that money he would keep depended on his own maneuvering.
*****
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