Summertime of the Dead (11 page)

The Lump followed on behind. ‘Hungry,' she said.

The street was dark and quiet. But it was hot and there was no breeze, and the black hat I was wearing was making it hotter. And so I thought about the
ancient samurai and what they had had to endure. And then I thought about Bokuden and his ‘decisive first strike', which was important in battle when fighting more than one man. You aimed for the armpit, neck or wrist of the first opponent, slashing an artery or breaking a joint. You might not kill him immediately, but you finished him, meaning you could move on to the next man. I thought about this technique as I stood outside the Tanakas' apartment block. Because tonight I think I was going to need it.

But what was driving me crazy was waiting for them to come out. Once they did I could kill them at the entrance and run to the bike. But if they didn't come out I'd have to go up there. And they were up there, or someone was. I'd walked around the back earlier and taken a look. But who it was and how many I did not know.

But even if they did come out it could still be a problem, especially if they got picked up. To the left of the entrance, below the building, was a small underground car park. I'd watched a man in a Mini drive in there earlier. The steel mesh gate raised and he drove down a short slope and parked in front of a wall. If the Tanakas' driver drove in there to pick
them up, I could do nothing. It's not that I couldn't get under the gate before it closed – I could, but it'd be a real risk. The place was well lit and there was nowhere to hide. The only other thing I could do was follow one of the tenants inside. But that didn't seem such a bright idea, considering I was dressed like a cat burglar and carrying a samurai sword.

I saw an old woman out with a dog. She was on the other side of the street but she homed in on me like I was the only person on the planet. I'd put the sword at the side of a tree, so she couldn't see it. But it was like she knew I was up to no good. And if that wasn't bad enough, her dog started to bark. Loud biting barks that echoed all over the place. I didn't know what to do. I was on the verge of screaming at it to shut up. ‘What's his name?' I said. The barking stopped. The woman gave me a dirty look and pulled him away by the lead. Some people have got nothing better to do.

I saw the Mercedes jeep coming down the street. It was the driver and the bodyguard. I grabbed the sword from behind the tree and got ready. The driver stopped in front of the gate and the gate raised. The jeep rolled down into the car park. Just
before the gate closed I ran across the street and slid underneath. I crouched low as the driver and the bodyguard got out of the jeep. If they looked back at the gate they'd see me, but they didn't. They went to the elevator and stood with their backs to me.

I pulled the sword from the mounting and moved quickly. But the broken-nosed bodyguard heard me coming and turned around. I thrust the sword through his chest before he could react. He clutched the blade with both hands, but I ripped it away and turned on the driver. He pulled out a pair of nunchakus and swung them frantically. He was so frightened he couldn't see he was out of range. I stood back, and lining him up I sprang forward. The blade struck his elbow and a bone came through his suit. He turned to run but he tripped on the bodyguard, who'd fallen behind him. Again I sprang forward and hacked deep into the side of his neck. His head hit the ground and blood gushed out of him.

I dragged his bleeding body behind the jeep and then went back for the bodyguard. He looked up at me with wild eyes and tried to speak, but he was too far gone. I heard the elevator chime. I left him next to the driver and ran for it, almost slipping on the
trail of blood that had oozed like slime. I pressed the top button. The doors closed and the elevator rose. My heart was banging and sweat was running down my face, but I ignored it. I sucked up deep breaths and readied myself for battle. When the doors opened I stepped out ready to strike, but there was no one there. At the end of the hall there was a door slightly open and music was coming from inside. I used my shoulder to push back the door and then I entered the apartment. I walked down a long white corridor, heading towards the music. Coming to a living room, I peered around the corner. I saw a guy stripped to his waist. He was stocky and bald and his bare muscular back was covered in tattoos. He was fixing drinks on a trolley.

‘Will you two hurry up?' he shouted.

I checked to make sure he was alone. Then moving quickly into the room I ran at him. He saw me in a mirror and reached for a bottle. But I brought down the sword on the back of his head and it cracked like an egg. He crashed to the floor with the trolley and the music fell silent. He must have knocked the plug from the stereo.

I heard one of the girls say, ‘What the hell was that?'

High heels came down the corridor. I stood in front of the door and held the sword level, in the
chudan
stance. The heels got louder and then Louise appeared, but she turned so fast! I slashed at her and severed a triangle of hair. Then I chased her down the corridor. And as she ran she sprayed a line of red blood along the white wall. I must have caught a vein in her neck. She took a right and ran into a larger living room. And then, almost calmly, she sat in a chair. Her face drained of colour as the blood squirted out of her. She was dying and she knew it and so she gave me the finger. But then her body began to twitch and her hand fell into her lap. When the blood stopped squirting she froze like a statue.

I stood still and listened. The apartment was silent. I was just about to leave when I saw Miko's Prada bag on a table. ‘That was Miko's birthday present!' I screamed. ‘And she was such a decent person!' Without thinking I snatched the steel-tipped claw off her pinky and put it in my pocket. And then, as I left, I switched off the light and looked back. Louise sat by a wide window with Tokyo's bright lights blazing away behind her. Another image I'd never get out of my head.

As I walked back down the corridor I heard a
low buzzing sound. It was the intercom. I didn't know whether it had only just gone or had been going for a while. I was thinking of staying and catching Riko. But when I heard a car horn sound in the street all my senses told me to get out of there. I ran out of the apartment. The light above the elevator showed it was rising! I saw a door saying ‘fire escape', and pushing it open I ran down the concrete steps. I passed the ground floor just as the door opened. I heard men's voices and then I heard them clambering up the steps, but I didn't stop. I opened the basement door, and running through the car park I picked up the mounting. I ran to the gate and looked for a switch to open it. But there wasn't one. I was trapped! Then through the mesh I saw car headlights. The gate rose. Three cars, full of yakuza, cruised in. They must have been having a wake for Kako. I was dying to run but I walked up the slope as calmly as I could. Some of them saw me but they didn't seemed concerned. But I saw a man looking at me from the back of a Lexus. I swear it was Uncle Benni.

I kept the sword at my side and walking out into the street I saw half a dozen yakuza going into the entrance. Then I heard a high-pitched scream. The
men rushed inside. I turned to the car park just as the gate came down.

‘I can see you!'

I looked up to see Riko on the rooftop and started to run.

‘He's getting away!'

I looked back as I ran, but the street was empty.

‘Get him! Someone get him!'

Riko's scream faded the further I got, but it never stopped.

I sprinted back to the bike. Jamming the sword under the seat I kick-started the engine. I stayed in the backstreets until I was well away from Akasaka and then I moved on to the dual carriageway. I tried to stay calm, but I kept thinking they were coming after me. But I couldn't believe I'd killed Louise. And I couldn't believe I'd made it out of there. Within ten minutes I was cutting through Shibuya and passing the park.

I only felt safe once I'd crossed the tracks and riding up the hill I turned into my street. But suddenly I had to swerve! Someone was in the road. I looked back and saw the Lump! She was wearing her pyjamas and she was carrying that severed head by its hair. I must have forgotten to lock the door. I
got off the bike and went back to get her. She looked up at the twins' apartment and climbing halfway up she sat on the steps.

She looked so peaceful I didn't want to startle her. And so I gently took her by the hand and brought her down the steps. She stopped when we got to the bottom and looked up at the apartment.

‘Twins,' she said in a sleepy voice. ‘Beautiful twins.'

All the adrenalin and anger left me then. I felt so bad for her. The twins were probably the only friends she'd ever had. ‘Yes, beautiful twins,' I said. And very slowly I walked her back to the house.

There was screaming in my nightmare and then I woke to more screaming. I went out on the balcony with my heart banging and looked down to see the Lump tormenting Yoshe's baby boy. He'd only just learned how to walk, and he was chasing the Lump around the plants on the patio and around the small pond that's shaped like a fish. But she was staying just out of reach and he didn't like it, and so she stopped and gave him a swing. He was happy then and he laughed and the Lump laughed with him.

‘Breakfast's ready,' shouted Yoshe.

I went downstairs and picking up the paper I went into the kitchen. Yoshe put her baby boy in a high chair and the Lump took a seat. I already knew what the headlines would be before I saw
them, and I was right. ‘Benni Tanaka's Niece Slain by Assassin', was on the front page. And when I looked inside the headline read: ‘Psycho Killer Slays Four'. I scanned the article to find out why they called me that. Apparently ‘Psycho Killer' was the song playing on the stereo when the victims were murdered. I don't remember what was playing, but it wasn't important and so I read on. It said that Kako, who was Louise Tanaka's cousin, was killed the previous night. And it said, ‘While reports are unconfirmed, it's likely that the victims were killed by the same sword.' One cop said it could be the work of a vigilante. It was also rumoured that Uncle Benni had a hit squad on standby.

So it had begun. Killing Kako was nothing because he was a nobody. I bet Uncle Benni never even batted an eyelid over him. But killing his niece was a whole different ball game. You see, the yakuza are the largest criminal organization in the world. There are fifteen hundred gangs in Japan, with close to ninety thousand members, and that's not counting the creeps who work for them. It has a hierarchy like that of an army or a corporation. They have trainees who work for years to become soldiers. Some rise to become officers and executives, who are also known
as lieutenants. Ranking alongside the executives are the clan's advisers. Then comes the head of a clan, the
oyabun
, or family boss. He employs lawyers, accountants and administrators to help him run his section of the operation. And the yakuza's tentacles are everywhere. They work from street level to corporate boardrooms. They even have politicians on the payroll. Some of their business is legitimate, but mostly they deal in drugs, gambling and girls. And everyone answers to the big boss Uncle Benni. That meant that he had an army at his disposal. And by now every one of them would know that Louise Tanaka was dead. The news would have spread as far south as Nagasaki and as far north as Sapporo. It would spread to other criminal organizations in China and Korea. Condolences would be sent. Offers of loyalty renewed. Her father in prison would have been informed. Word would have been sent to Tomi Yamamoto in Osaka. He would have sent a message to his sister, and their stepmother, Matsu, who was doing time in a mental hospital. Yakuza gang leaders would have been woken up in the middle of the night. There would be meetings, phone calls and conversations. Uncle Benni's enforcers would be kicking down
doors and the cops would be dragging people out of bed. Fear and paranoia would spread throughout the organization. And they'd all be asking the same question: who killed Louise Tanaka? I had all this on my mind and I still had to listen to the Lump slurp her noodles! ‘Does she have to do that?'

‘What?' asked Yoshe. ‘Eat?' She put some tea in front of me. ‘Would you like breakfast?'

‘No, I'm going for a run,' I said. But I couldn't take my eyes off the paper. The Lump slurped her noodles again and I gave her a look to make her stop, but she didn't.

‘She was sleepwalking last night! And the night before!'

The Lump stopped in mid-slurp, strings of noodles running from her mouth to the bowl.

Yoshe looked a little worried. ‘She can't help it. And she'll be OK once she settles in.'

The noodles shot up into the Lump's mouth and she sat there looking smug. She wasn't scared of me any more. I didn't like that. And when Yoshe's baby boy started slurping his noodles I liked it even less.

I went upstairs to get changed and then I left the house in my running gear.

But then Yoshe came out of the garden. ‘Aren't you forgetting someone?'

‘I'm going for a run!'

‘We've thought about that.'

She held open the steel door and the Lump rode out on my old bike. She was wearing my old black skateboard helmet. She looked like a little fat traffic cop.

‘Well, come on then, if you're coming!' I said.

‘Watch out for her on the road,' shouted Yoshe.

I watched out for her on the road and on the train tracks. But once we were in the park I ran up the ramp and left the Lump struggling to pedal upwards. I bet she didn't even have the good sense to lower the gears.

I ran around the inner road of the park while thinking about last night. But when the road curved I saw the Lump coming after me, and she was gaining. I ran faster, but the Lump wasn't easy to lose. She had a serious frown on her face and her small legs were spinning like a clockwork toy. I came off the road and ran on the common. She tried to follow, but she couldn't ride as fast on the grass and I left her behind. I ran right across the common and through the trees and then I got back on the
road that ran around the inside of the park. But then I saw the Lump riding towards me. She must have remembered that the road was a circle and ridden back the way she'd come. She was really starting to annoy me!