Middle Management (Book two of the Yaatra Hombre series)

Chapter 2: Kenichi Matsumoto

Next we have one of the most infamous members of this iteration of the board of Middle Management, head of Yakuza collective who control the underground of the Japanese Islands and capital island. Asside from being the highest ranked oyabun of the Yakuza families, he was later to have done some business not know to Middle Management did not know of. This would later come to be his demise. He was born January 3, 2985 on the largest island of Tokyo to a single mother in the red light district. In 2995, his mother died of drowning in the bathtub after meeting a client. Two years later he was taken in by the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi San, Tsuyoi Uishi. In 3006, Uishi retired from the organization and moved to Okinawa were he would live until 3017 were a heart attack would end him. Kenichi would eventually get a seat on the board of Middle Management. His demise would start January 26, 3015 in Baru Indonesia.

Baru Indonesia is one of the three planets on the first ring of the Asian system. It is made of 75 percent of water and 25 percent land.

In a hotel in the slums of Baru Jakarta, two Japanese males were standing in front of a hotel room door. Both impassive faces that could fool even the most seasoned poker player. After five minutes the door opened revealing a middle aged male wearing an expensive suit that was slightly wrinkled. He left the room in happy mood leaving a twelve year old girl on the bed in small sleep gown with a blank facial expression. He was walking in a very confident way like he won the lottery. "That was delightful, I needed that especially when the meeting with my colleagues next week." He told his bodyguards in Japanese.

His bodyguards had brief looks of disgust on their faces before masking that disgust in a look of cool indifference. They exit the hotel and head for the limo. The enter the back of the limo and one of the bodyguards knocks on the window separating the back from the driver's seat. The limo start driving passing through crowded buildings that look slightly run down and with children running around streets and adults either panhandling or those with stalls selling food or cheap trinkets. He picked up his phone and dialed a number. "This is Kuni, I am here for Kama." He requested in English.

"I'm sorry but we are out of business and you better get your affairs in order and disappear before your name is on a blacklist." A man speaking in a thick Indian accent told him before hanging up abruptly.

Kenichi slowly lowers his phone and looks at his phone with heightened sense of fear on his face like ghost was haunting him. His body gaurds look at him with usual look of indifference. "You okay." One of them asks him back in Japanese.

He doesn't hear them no longer feels safe with his bodyguards or in a vehicle that he doesn't personally control. He sees the guns that his bodyguards have ready for use in an instant. He jumps once he feels his phone vibrate in his hands. "Matsumoto." He greets.

"Aw Matsumoto good to hear from you." A deep male voice said to him English.

"What do you want Milligan, you know how much I detest you right?"

"Yes, you have been quite vocal about to the point where you hurt my personal feelings." He was told in a sardonic tone.

Matsumoto was griping the phone so tightly that cracks could be heard. "I came to let you know that one of the objectives of the next meeting is to find out how the lowest of the lows was able to get their credits cleaned when we were the only ones cleaning the credits and we have a strict anti-child porn and anti- slavery policies and anyone that works with us will either die horrible deaths if they are not being sent to prison by our contacts." Milligan explained to him.

Matsumoto took a deep breath. "I am looking forward to it." He gritted out.

"Good, I would look at latest crime news, I imagine it will start to blow up on the web soon." He predicted to him. "Have a nice day."

The phone was hung up on the other side, as Matsumoto's hand was shaking in fear. He then goes to his phone and goes to Baidu and looks up the latest news on any major busts on sex traffickers. He found it in the Japanese Times. Two Pimps Arrested. He then read it.

Yesterday two men Vishnu Lama and Haji Silva were arrested and are being processed for charges of possession with intent to distribute child pornography, child sex trafficking, and child molestations. They were captured by a group of bounty hunters collecting a bounty of over 1.3 million credits to the Naya Uttar Pradesh planetary police. Due to the Bounty Hunter Protection act we the names that have captured the alleged traffickers are unknown. In a statement the Ministry of Home Affairs said, 'We are thankful to the bounty hunters who have apprehended them and hope that the award they have received is plentiful and that they have a good drink.'

Tomorrow they will appear before a judge to hear the total amount of charges he is facing. Legal experts say that they will be facing charges that could amount to multiple life sentences if found guilty. Sources withing the Ministry of Home Affairs are saying that the two are starting to cooperate and give the names of their 'customers' and telling them where they stash their data.

Matsumoto then exits the app with a slight look of panic. 'Shit if they talk to the police the police will release my name to the press as a frequent customer, and my 'associates' will push me out of an air lock without a space suit.'

Matsumoto made some deep breaths. He began to think of ways to keep his name out of the press. He then widened his eyes. "Take me to the nearest internet cafe." He told the driver in a composed voice.

"Yes sir." The driver complied.

The reach an internet café where he runs out of the limo and head to the front desk. The person behind the front desk greats him in Bahasa. "I can't speak Bahasa and just need to get on the computer so I can talk with someone." He demanded of the front desk person.

"Okay sir computer 5 is ready sir." She explained to him. "That will be 200 credits every half hour."

"Thank you." He said speed walking to computer five.

He logged into the computer than went on Skype to talk to his boss of the Yamaguchi- gumi. Katsumi Gotoku was on the other end. "This is Gotoku!" He said giving a slight bow.

Matsumoto gave a deep bow. "Sir, I am in a situation that requires our political contacts." He requested of his boss.

"Does this have to do with your activities that would be looked down on by our business partners?" He asked.

"Yes sir, I was hoping to block the release of my name to the press by the Naya Uttar Pradesh Planetary police." He begged still bowing low showing his devotion.

"I can hold it off but during the meeting next week announce your resignation and hide in Novyy Russia because they will find out from their contacts within the Planetary police there."

Matsumoto's face whited with despair. "I should show up?" He asked in shock.

"We need to save face Matsumoto if you don't show up then they will go with either the local Triad or the Geondal." He stated in harsh tone that left no room for argument.

"Yes sir." He replied fearfully.

"Good, no one in that meeting should be none the wiser until you are in Novyy Russia." He said before hanging up, Matsumoto not being able to tell his boss about his call with Milligan.

Matsumoto sighs with a sense of dread. He gets up and walks with a somber of acceptance that he may no live past the meeting.