XXXI

“I’m here with a party,” Sachi said to the hostess, glancing around at the restaurant. The center of the building looked like a rainforest with trees reaching skyward and carefully maintained bushes and foliage filling a large glass-enclosed section. Tables sat under gentle natural-looking lights and the conversation was muted and added to the ambience of wealth and privilege the place seemed to be filled to the brim with. From the expensive paintings to the elaborate uniforms the staff wore it simply screamed money.

“Ah, yes,” The hostess said, hiding her surprise. “Sachi Tanaka, yes?”

“You know me, then?” Sachi replied with a smile. The hostess blushed a deep red and smiled shyly.

“Y-Yes, I’m a big fan,” the hostess stammered, looking down at the computer in front of her. “W-who is your party?”

“Ayu-,” Sachi paused, doubting Ayumi would have the reservation under her own name. “Mirai Suzaki, that is.”

“Oh! Yes, of course, you’re the other Ms. Suzaki mentioned. This way please,” the hostess smiled and led Sachi through the dining room to a small table in the corner behind an ornate paper barrier.

It wouldn’t have been possible for Mirai Suzaki to be any more different from Ayumi. As plain as Ayumi was, Mirai positively oozed charisma and beauty. Though plainly Japanese in ancestry, her hair was a natural golden blonde and fell in waves around her shoulders. Her red dress showed tantalizing glimpses of toned, perfect skin on a body smaller, yet far bustier than Akari’s. Her makeup was understated with just a little blush on her cheeks, understated lipstick and the hint of dark eye shadow above her expressive dark violet almond eyes and suited her perfectly. It was always Mirai’s eyes that drew Sachi’s gaze. For quite some time she’d been certain Mirai had simply had colored contacts but that was not the case. As Sachi rounded the barrier those purple eyes glanced up and immediately Sachi felt like a trapped animal. Mirai was as beautiful as Akari though in a wholly more mature, sexual way and she knew it well.

“Ah, you made it, Sacchan,” Mirai purred in a soft, hypnotic voice, heart-shaped lips widening in a smile, her pink lipstick glimmering in the low light.

“Hi, Mirai,” Sachi muttered with a faint smile as she sat down. “What’s with the barrier?”

“Psychological warfare,” Mirai replied. “People are going to think something uber important is happening so it’ll make them curious.”

“I’m unsure how that is psychological warfare,” Ayumi muttered softly.

“Let me have this, Ayumi, dammit,” Mirai scowled.

“Would you like something to drink Ms. Tanaka?” The hostess asked brightly.

“Oh, water’s fine, thank you,” Sachi replied with a smile. “I’m hoping to be driving somewhere in a bit.”

“I have found quite a lot of information for you, Sachi,” Ayumi said after the hostess left.

“Quickly, too!” Sachi enthused.

“Yes,” Ayumi replied with a faint scowl. “Unfortunately.”

“Is that why you’re here, Mirai?” Sachi asked. Mirai shook her head as she took a drink of the glowing blue liquid in front of her.

“Nah, she’s working on finding my sister, still and I haven’t spent an obscene amount of money on food I don’t really like in so long I couldn’t resist,” Mirai said, her voice hypnotizing.

“You still haven’t found her?” Sachi asked. Ayumi flicked a smile on and off at her.

“Not yet, though I have found some promising leads. Mirai helped me find the information you requested so she insisted on coming along,” Ayumi said.

“You make it sound like I’m a bother,” Mirai pouted. “Not to mention I didn’t insist, I lightly suggested.”

“It is not my fault you feel that way,” Ayumi replied evenly, reaching into her purse to bring out a manila envelope. She passed it to Sachi. “And you did, indeed, insist.”

“So, apparently this guardian isn’t a relative at all,” Mirai said, taking over quickly after the hostess had dropped off Sachi’s water and retreated again. “Her name’s Amanda Wells. She’s half Japanese from Kentucky of all places.”

“What? How’d she pass herself off as Akari’s guardian?” Sachi asked, opening the envelope and looking through the paperwork.

“She threw a metric fuckton of money in the right places,” Mirai replied with a shrug. “It’s only temporary, of course. You, in fact, are playing a role in that temporary guardianship status.”

“Huh?” Sachi asked, glancing up.

“It won’t stand up in court and she knows it. The whole thing is paper thin and you’ve already started punching holes in it. Your little lawsuit has gotten her attention, though,” Mirai replied, studying Sachi’s face.

“So how is she connected to Akari at all?” Sachi asked.

“She was evidently some kind of dance teacher or something that took care of her until Akari ran away,” Mirai said.

“What about Akari’s family?” Sachi asked.

“She’s an orphan like me,” Mirai replied with a shrug. “So about a year ago Ms. Wells started her play to get Akari back in the fold. She bought quite an extensive stake in your management company, enough to get into the upper echelon meetings and start setting Akari up for a fall.”

“How so?”

“Well, she was privy to a lot of information, including that Akari was dating someone else in the group,” Sachi winced for a second. “She was the one that arranged Yukiko’s date and the helpful paparazzi the next morning. Then the rest fell together by itself with a push here and pull there. She bought herself a psychiatrist with some cash and an agreement to get his daughter into some group after moving your sister into Kunoichi. Then she had Akari transferred into her care and whisked her away,” Mirai said with a shrug. “Not an overly clever plan or one built for the long term.”

“I will murder Hiroto with my own hands,” Sachi growled. “Right after I take care of Ms. Wells.”

“I believe Hiroto is what he seems to be, a complete fool,” Mirai replied.

“Yes, we don’t believe he knew anything other than what he was told to do,” Ayumi affirmed.

“I’ll still rip off his-“Sachi began.

“Don’t say it,” Mirai interrupted her, holding up a hand. “I haven’t eaten yet and I ordered Toro Sushi and just don’t need the mental image.” Sachi sighed in resignation.

“What do you mean it’s not built for the long term?” Sachi asked.

“I don’t think Ms. Wells has any intention of staying in Japan for long,” Ayumi replied. “She has to know things will unravel quickly under even the most cursory examination so we believe she will attempt to remove Akari from the country as soon as possible.”

“Might she already have?” Sachi’s chest tightened and it was hard to breathe. Mirai shook her head.

“I checked the satellite and there are people there still,” Mirai replied. “I also checked for any plane tickets and none have been purchased under any of her aliases or Akari’s name. I think she may have tapped herself out financially, to be honest, which would explain why she sold Akari’s apartment for so little. She needed the money quick.”

“What?” Sachi snapped. “She can’t do that!”

“Legally-speaking, and you should know this better than I,” Mirai replied with a smirk, “she’s Akari’s guardian and can do what she wants.”

“I will literally rip her hair out,” Sachi snarled.

“Oooh!” Mirai cooed with a lascivious grin. “A catfight!” Sachi rolled her eyes and Mirai chuckled. “Don’t worry, I bought it. But I can’t do much about the strange sucking sounds Akari’s bank accounts are making.”

“So this whole thing is about money? That’s disgusting. Hell, I would have given her enough money to last a lifetime,” Sachi was sick to her stomach at the thought of Akari going through this over money.

“No,” Mirai shook her head. “This isn’t money; she’s just running low on cash right now and needs some liquid capital. This is personal. With that said, now’s the time when I warn you.”

“You’re more reckless than anyone at this table,” Ayumi reminded Mirai in her usual monotone.

“Shush,” Mirai frowned. “This chick is serious, Sacchan. I know you’ve got your Supergirl cape on right now and I applaud you, but she’s not playing.”

“Neither am I,” Sachi replied.

“Look, I can get a security detail together by tomorrow morning and you can go shoot the place up. Hell, I’ll give you a taser of your own so you can bring the lightning yourself,” Mirai said. “I’ll even send Ness with you. She hasn’t gotten to pummel anyone in months; it’ll be good for her to get her aggressions out on someone besides the training dummies for a change.”

“I appreciate it, Mirai,” Sachi said, standing and tucking the envelope in her purse. “But I’m going to handle this tonight. No one hurts Akari and gets away with it. Thank you for everything you two. I’ll take it from here.”

“I hate to see her go but I love to watch her leave,” Mirai muttered, watching Sachi’s form vanish into the crush of people near the entrance.

“This is going to end poorly,” Ayumi said matter-of-factly.

“We have to trust Sachi to do what’s right,” Mirai said, looking at her watch.

“Do you think you should send Vanessa and a team anyway?” Ayumi asked.

“Not yet, I’ll give Sachi her moment in the sun. As head over heels as she is for that girl she deserves to be the white knight,” Mirai replied looking around.

“Something about this doesn’t sit right with me,” Ayumi said.

“Just one thing?” Mirai shook her head, golden hair dancing with the movement. “The whole thing stinks like a fish market in the Mojave.”

“I have a very bad feeling about this entire situation,” Ayumi corrected herself.

“You and me both,” Mirai replied. “I’ve known Sachi since college and I’ve never seen her like this. I’d love if it she was thinking straight. As it is, I think she may be getting in over her head.”

“Love makes people do strange things,” Ayumi said with a shrug.

“Are you confessing to me right now?” Mirai looked at Ayumi with a shocked expression.

“No,” Ayumi returned.

“I don’t know, this is all so sudden,” Mirai said, ignoring Ayumi. “I mean, I guess it’s ok if you promise to lick my nipples at least twice a day. I don’t mind if you use teeth. Oh! Also you have to let me spank you. Oh! And call me Onee-sama! Ok! Let’s do it! From today on please take good care of me.”

“That is not going to happen,” Ayumi replied evenly, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks.

“HA! Made you uncomfortable!” Mirai crowed triumphantly, resuming looking about anxiously. “I win.”

“I disagree vigorously. By the way, they’ve finished your sushi if that’s what you’re looking for and it will be out in three minutes,” Ayumi said. “The chef was speaking to a customer and was delayed.”

“Good,” Mirai replied with a relieved sigh. “They’d better not scrimp on the Toro or Imma throw hands.”