I looked at the e-mail. So the transfer was actually going through. My boss had confirmed it.
I picked up the phone and called him. "What's the deal, boss? The last manager `disappeared'? What's that even supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly what it says, Matt. One day he was there, the next he wasn't. And it's been a week. No calls, no e-mails, no ransom demands, nothing. It's like he vanished into a black hole. The police went to his apartment and didn't find a thing out of place. So, we're assigning you."
"Is it because of my ancestry?"
"It might help, even though you don't look it. Good luck."
I pulled out my wallet and stated at my driver's licence. The picture apparently showed a white male. Matt Brown, age 37. But looks could be deceiving. I was in fact one-quarter Japanese. That may explain why I was being transferred to manage the restaurant in the Japantown section of the large Midwestern city.
I packed up. I had no family and no friends here, just work colleagues, and I would have those just as well in my new location. The flight was routine.
I was installed in my new lodgings Saturday night. My first day of work wasn't until Monday. I needed guidance, so after a night's sleep, on Sunday morning I walked through the Japantown area, first locating the restaurant I was to manage and then heading for a Japanese shrine. I sat and silently asked my grandmother's spirit what to do.
I hadn't even noticed the woman also in the shrine. But when I stood up, she caught my eye. I judged her to be fully Japanese and about my own age. She was slender, muscular -- she clearly kept herself in good shape -- and had a pretty face.
"Hello, white man. What are you doing at a shrine?"
I stuck out my hand. "Matt Brown, at your service, miss. I'm actually one-quarter Japanese. My grandmother's Japanese parents fled with her to the US during the Second World War. A good thing, too. They were living in Hiroshima." I paused for a moment. "They were interned, of course, but after the war they were allowed to make a living. My grandmother fell in love with and married a white man, Henry Brown. They had two kids, of whom my father was the elder." I paused again. "I'm new to the city. Literally just moved. My company has assigned me to be the manager at the Oujihama restaurant two blocks from this shrine."
"That's the one where the old manager vanished," she mused. "I'm Chiharu Ishikawa. My father moved with me to the US after my mother died. When he in turn passed away, I took over his business operations. He died four years ago today. I come to the shrine on the anniversary of his death to honor him."
"Very sorry about your father," I said in a sympathetic tone. "I won't take up any more of your time, Miss Ishikawa. It was a pleasure to meet you, even under... difficult circumstances."
"Good luck with the restaurant," she replied. "I like their food."
With that, I bowed to her and departed.
Managing the restaurant, at least on the first day, was smooth enough. The staff were well organized and the food, judging by the number of patrons, must have been very good. I was in the office, poring over figures, when my assistant, whom I had inherited from the previous manager, knocked on the door.
"A gentleman to speak with you, Mr. Brown. It's important."
"Show him in."
The man entered. He was, apparently, fully Japanese. But his English was clear and understandable.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Brown. You are new to this area?"
"New to this entire state. I literally just arrived from the West Coast on Saturday night."
"Do you know what happened to the last manager?"
"He seems to have vanished."
"I am Akifumi Yamamoto. I can tell you that he was... removed... by the yakuza."
I'm not dumb. "I take it he did something foolish."
"Correct, Mr. Brown. He tried to contact the police."
"I also take it this conversation never happened, and you were never here. Is there anything else I need to know?"
"Two more things, Mr. Brown. The police do not come into Japantown even if called. And the yakuza's new leader is trying to make them into an honest entity. The yakuza, until your predecessor forced their hand, had not needed to make anyone... vanish... in over a year."
"So they're trying to go legit?"
"In this town, yes. In Japan, no, but this yakuza is completely separate from Japan. They are entirely on their own."
"Thank you, Mr. Yamamoto."
He departed, and I returned to poring over the books.
The next day, right as I was leaving -- the restaurant had closed half an hour before, and the staff had just finished all the closing tasks -- I heard a familiar voice in my ear as I stepped outside.
"You will make a good manager. My men have confirmed that you do not interfere needlessly with the staff."
I turned my head, to see Chiharu Ishikawa standing behind me.
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Ishikawa. And a pleasure to see you again."
"I had a feeling you would do well when you were nice to me at our first meeting, despite knowing nothing about me."
"It's said that you catch more flies with a drop of honey than a gallon of vinegar."
"While I do not appreciate being compared to such a common, low, vulgar insect as a house fly, your saying is correct. Being polite and friendly has its rewards." She turned her head to where a black van was parked directly adjacent to us. Addressing the people in it, she called out, "Now, men."
The van door slid open, and four masked men emerged. They scooped me up and pulled me inside the van with them, followed by the door closing. The driver's door opened, and Chiharu Ishikawa got inside and turned on the ignition.
I tried to keep the shakiness out of my voice. "Am I being rewarded?"
"Yes," she replied. Silence fell, and the van drove a few blocks and parked in an underground garage.
The men hauled me to my feet, and I heard a safety click off and felt a gun placed against my back.
"Please follow Chiharu."
She stepped out, and led the way up a flight of stairs. I followed, trying not to stare too obviously at her ass, which was covered only by a skirt that ended about midway up her thighs.
"You are staring at my ass. That is to be expected. I am a very attractive woman."
"Yes, you are, Miss Ishikawa."
"Feel free to call me Chiharu, Matt."
"All right... Chiharu."
We reached a room whose only feature seemed to be a large four-post bed. The men departed, leaving me alone with Chiharu. I heard a key being turned, locking us in the room. I could see an open door on the left leading to a bathroom.
Chiharu drew a pistol, pointed it at me, and tossed me a cardboard box. "Remove all your clothes and place them in the box."
I did, leaving me naked.
"Slide the box over to me. Remain standing exactly where you are."
I gave the box a good shove with my foot, sliding it to Chiharu.
"Men."
A panel in the wall opened. Chiharu passed the box through it, and the panel slid closed.
Two minutes later, a voice seemed to come from the ceiling. "Clean." There must have been a microphone there.
"Good." Chiharu turned back towards me. "If you need to use the restroom, do so. Then lie face up on the bed with your arms and legs spread."
I wasn't about to disobey a woman aiming a gun at me. Manacles snapped around my wrists and ankles when I lay down.
Chiharu put away the gun, used the restroom, and re-entered the bedroom, where she stripped. Seeing her naked body made my cock harden.
"Ready for your reward, Matt?"
"Yes, Chiharu. What is it?"
She smiled. "Me."
I wasn't about to pass that up, even if I had been given a choice.
Chiharu climbed onto the bed with me. Her perfect legs, long and muscular, looked very kissable. But so did her firm, pert breasts.
She ran her fingers delicately over my flesh, making me shiver. I wanted to return the favor, but could not.
"I don't let men caress me, and refuse to get emotionally involved with them."
"You've never considered having a boyfriend?"
"I'm the head of the yakuza. I can't afford one. It would put that person in danger."
Her hands continued to run over my skin.
"I'll take that chance."
"You're just saying that because I have you restrained."
Chiharu kissed my neck, making me emit a soft moan.
"But you're now going legit, so there's nothing to worry about."
"I have no experience with relationships."
She was now caressing my thighs, making me even harder, and kissing my nipples, which sent pulses of pleasure surging through my bound body.
"Let me..."
Chiharu lightly bit my nipple, and my body shuddered.
