This Is Not a Tragedy

34 | Negotiating, Day 1

Friday, June 13, 2008

"I'm leaving." I put my wallet in my pocket then turn to Hitori, who is eating his Western-style breakfast on the bed.

He jumps from the mattress then stands up, his back straight. "Have a safe trip."

I give him one last look before leaving, hoping that he'll be here when I return.

The IVA Japan headquarters is hidden among other large business buildings in Marunouchi. Unlike the one in London, the hospital and labs are at a separate location. When I arrive, an attendant leads me to a classroom where there's one other guy. He's not Japanese but white.

"Nice to meet you," he says in the local language. "Natsu, right? I'm Ian."

"You know Japanese?"

Ian pauses. "Not exactly," he replies in Scottish-accented English. "A few phrases and words here and there. Only you and Kyo know Japanese fluently. We're putting our trust in you since we won't know what you're saying." He chuckles.

"Oh," is my short reply in English.

We sit down in our desks, and Ian says, "I used to be a Subduer, but I'm changing to Watcher now―which is why I'm here, though I've done these before."

"Oh," I reply again. If I recall from the bit of information Sergius gave me before my departure, Watchers look out for witnesses and unexpected vampires while the Subduers and Negotiators are doing their jobs.

The door to the classroom opens and in walks Kyo. "Yo," he says, strutting to the podium and dropping a stack of papers on its top.

"On time for once?" Ian calls teasingly.

Kyo glances at me and laughs nervously. "Amelia broke in and kicked me out of bed."

He sleeps? Nativus then?

"Kyo had narcolepsy when he was human," Ian tells me. "After he was changed, his narcolepsy went away, but he's the only Transformatis known to sleep. Scientific phenomenon."

Kyo shrugs, looking at me. "Thanks to that, I know Sergius well. Enough about me, though. Let's get started."

In training, this is what I learn:

The team goes to the location of a suspected "rogue vampire" (RV). We make sure there are no humans around. I (the Negotiator) call out to the RV pleasantly. We enter by either breaking in or being let in by the RV.

We then assess the level of the vampire. Level 0 is a false report―Code Green. Level 1 is someone who's only having withdrawal symptoms―Code Blue. Level 10 is a violent vampire who has lost all reason―Code Red. Code Black is a vampire feeding on a human at that very moment.

Code Black is rare, and Kyo says the chance of encountering it is tiny. "Don't even worry about it." But if it does happen, move to safety. The Watchers and Subduers will handle everything else.

A Negotiator usually isn't able to calm a Level 10. When negotiation fails, the Subduers step in. Depending on the level of the RV, it might be as mild as giving an emergency injection or as severe as shooting them with a special red bullet.

There are no set phrases for negotiation, just things not allowed. Don't say anything that will make the RV feel guilty or threatened. Don't insult the RV. Don't say anything that enables or condones their rogue status.

Kyo's tip: "Be a friend."

Other than that, I'm supposed to wing it.

The whirling of my mind at the craziness of what will start tomorrow is cut short as I remember Hitori at the hotel. Hopefully, at the hotel. That's what fills my mind. Is he gone? I hope he's not gone. He wouldn't do that―spend so much effort to meet me then leave after getting a stuffed toy and purikura sticker.