Chapter 41

There were some dead security men around the periphery while some wounded were sent to the hospital. Police were arriving as neighbours came out to gawk. There was little I could do outside and forced myself to go back in.

Maeko and Kochiyo had been trying to get upstairs but the steps had been destroyed. I just called to their minds telling them that there was no need to come upstairs yet. At the same time I corrected some of the trauma they had received during the attack. In particular their hearing was the worst effected and this I worked on with intense concentration.

The boys were similarly damaged and this I rectified before searching for anything that I may have missed.

Sally's room was simply not there anymore. I picked up pieces of flesh that used to be a loving child and placed them on a clean surface on the room below. This too took all my complete focus as I found even the smallest pieces. Tears started to roll down my face as I saw the red liquid flow from the pile I made and fall off the surface.

Liz was even worse for I could see the girl's features as I gathered up her body and placed it comfortably on another cleared area. I stayed here as I lost track of time the only thing that brought me out was the intense feelings from outside. Juni was back and wanted into the house but my security didn't want her to enter for fear of getting hurt. The police were similarly kept out.

I surveyed my patients, my family and then went out the bedroom door and saw the destruction in the house. The floor below was a shambles and starlight streamed through an open area that had been blown apart by a mortar. My body went forward through the space where a railing once was and I descended to the floor below. Rather than climb over the beams I floated over the debris and went to the doorway. The doors were far behind me and I could see many people at the perimeter looking at me. I just settled to the earth and walked to Juni.

She stared at me wide eyed then ran through the cordon and embraced me as if her life depended on it. "Oh Shawn you are alive. I was so worried. How are the rest? Maeko and Kochiyo, said that they knew you were somehow alive."

I just held her and said, "Liz and Sally are gone now," I felt her body stiffen. "Mary almost as well, but she will recover. Rachael had a head injury that I hope will get better soon. Sofia, Benyam and Shumetie were only hurt a little and I did what I could for them. Maeko and Kochiyo were hurt too and I helped them. Let go now please. I have to see to my people."

Juni reluctantly moved back and I walked over to the wide eyed chief of security, Captain Ishimaru. I bent over to see what I could do for one of his men. An attendant had moved quickly away as I checked the man over and saw he had bullet wounds in the leg and the arm. His carbon fibre vest had stopped many more. From the chief's mind I knew that some had died and this man, though gravely wounded, was left until the more seriously hurt went first.

I put the man asleep and straightened him out. I then gathered the pieces of his shattered leg and knitted the bones together. Blood vessels were similarly treated and even the skin held in place. The bones in the arm were undamaged but I tried to repair the damaged muscles and closed the wound as best I could. A first aid kit nearby provided some of the simple necessities that I required. The man's brain was instructed to work harder on repair and I ensured that certain tasks were stressed over others.

To the attendant I said, "Splint the leg. The breaks are still not healed." I looked around and went to one more man and found that he had died before I could begin treatment and there was nothing I could do. I searched for the highest ranking police officer and took my head of security with me to see him. As I approached I could see abject fear and I understood now what was happening. Everyone had seen my aura for it blazed forth as if I was on fire. They had seen me float to the ground inside the house. I turned the aura down and decided to keep a small portion. The people could only think of spirits having this ability. I chose to just say that I had help from them. It was much too late to just have this sight quietly forgotten.

With a smaller aura I got close and the man bowed deep in respect. "Captain Higashikuni there are four more dead attackers in houses nearby. Please secure the bodies so I can find some clues to why this has happened." My finger pointed in the general direction of each location.

"Yes sir. I will do as you wish."

To Captain Ishimaru, I said, "Sally and Liz are dead. The rest are healing. Get two ambulances and three cars. I want to take my family to the shipyards for safety. The house has to be still protected. Nobody but Mr. Hitomi may get in."

Juni was still following me so I took her hand and held it. "We are going to the offices at the yard. Please stay outside here while I do what I must in the house." She understood and only nodded her head.

I stepped inside and floated down the boys and some of their clothes. I carried them outside to Juni, for I knew she needed someone to hold. Back upstairs I dressed my wives and took some spare clothing and floated each down. Each was carried outside and laid on some bedding till the ambulance arrived. Sofia alone was awoken. I stayed with her and the rest for a few more minutes knowing that there was little I could do now to help her.

When the ambulances came I picked up Mary and put her in one and Rachael in the other. When the girls were in the cars I said, "I will be a few moments."

Back in the house I took some of the salvageable pieces of teak beams and used my power to slice them into boards. The ends were made with joints that slipped together to form two large boxes. Liz was carefully placed in one and Sally into another. I could not see with my eyes and had to rely on my senses as I finished this job.

Each box was carried outside and laid on the littered soil around the house. The boys, Juni and Sofia cried even more as the boxes were laid out, for they knew what they contained. To Captain Ishimaru I said, "Contact a place to keep my girls safe." I didn't wait for a reply and just got into the last car and left.

I helped everyone sleep until almost noon. Morie had come by around ten and wanted to see for himself the survivors. I took him by each person and explained how they had been hurt. He found it difficult to see Juni, Maeko and Kochiyo sleeping even though they appeared healthy.

I responded to his unspoken question, "They are hurt inside and need the rest for their minds to adjust to what has happened."

"Who could have done this?" He wondered out loud. I too was trying to think of the same thing.

Morie went for some food and I woke the family up one at a time and helped them clean up. The crying never ceased only slowed till it picked up again. The police came to make their report and so did security. Men had tried to loot the house and had been killed without remorse. Even the police didn't seem to mind. These men were probably sent here to pick up any stray pieces of expensive technology.

Mary and Rachael were confined to bed. They would know soon enough of our loss, so I told them about the two girls. Mary cried thinking of all the times she held her children, nursed them and had fun with them. Now it was all gone. The others cried just as much because they were mothers too or at least grandfathers or grandmothers.

Later in the afternoon Morie and I went to the hospital to see the men wounded on my behalf. I did what I could but the men were simply cheered that I came to see them. I gave them my thanks for protecting my family and said how proud I was of them.

An hour later I talked to the hospital administrator and was able to view the many bodies. Most were Japanese but four were different. Two appeared to be Chinese and two Vietnamese. Their clothing and effects were missing and were in police custody.

The police station was our next stop and we were ushered in as honoured guests. After a few moments of preamble I requested to see the dead men's property. We went to another room and we examined one package at a time. When I finished going over the clothes that had no identification I knew who had done this.

"The two Chinese men had clothes made in their home country. The same was true for the Vietnamese. The weapons are local but I believe this is tied to the conflict in Vietnam. The only thing I can think of for a reason was to kill me before I could give aid to the Americans."

The Chief of Police asked, "Were you going to?"

"Only phones and computers as we have in this country. That would give them a serious edge even if they didn't have all those weapons. They did not accept my proposal though."

Over the phone I made arrangements for Liz and Sally. Morie insisted that they be interred with his family. I thought it quite appropriate especially when I knew how much he loved both girls.

Morie was devastated that his granddaughter had died but tried to work through this as I was doing.

Ethiopia was called and I found that local security had already done so. All the businesses were on a heightened state of alert. General Mobutu even strengthened his defences of the earth links and the ground terminus of the cable. My wives there had cried and felt guilty for the safety of the two boys.

The next day was sunny and I helped Mary into a wheelchair, then Rachael into another. I pushed Mary while Sofia did the honours for Rachael. The funeral was long and we all cried thinking of our loss. With us were important men from all over Japan. Some were diplomats from other countries and some high ranking American service men. Rhodesia had a large embassy here now and the ambassador stayed close as if to offer any aid he could for us.

Hours later after we said our goodbyes to the girls and went to a large hall so I could thank the people that came to wish us well. The emperor had come too and though he was fairly short stood very tall when he said that the Japanese people were behind me in anything I chose to do.

When the wake was over I gave written instructions for many of the long term projects we were involved with. Morie was given my power of attorney to carry on with the girls taking care of the businesses they usually controlled.

That afternoon Morie and I went back to the house and we climbed over the rubble to recover the phones, computers and other high tech articles that would encourage people to come and risk their lives.

In the large room with the shrine I could see the daisho hanging in a place of respect. The two antique buke-zukuri style swords hung together. The long daito and the shorter shoto in identical koshirae seemed to catch more than just my eye. Morie saw my stare and said, "These have been in my family for a thousand years I am told. They are certainly very old. I will have no more children and my line will travel through my daughter. Will you take these weapons and give them to my grandchildren?"

I felt very humbled by the offer. "I will take these fine weapons but I have to tell you that I will use them soon. Your ancestors will see the blood of our enemies flow."

"Then take them with my blessing," as he took the two weapons and handed them to me with his two hands, as if he were presenting them. I drew the small blade and concentrated on the steel. Slowly I rearranged the molecules and moved carbon and silicon atoms to where they should be. Lastly I put the subdued blue glow to the blade. When it was done I put it in the saya and put it into my waist band. The daito was unsheathed and this too was altered to make it very strong, hard and sharp. This went into the its saya and went over my shoulder.

Morie just stood in wonder at the visual manifestation even if he did not know everything that had happened.

When we returned to the fresh air and away from the smell of blood. Security was ready and when they saw me with the two swords they bowed in respect and knew that my enemies would die. I felt in their eyes and their minds like one of the hereditary commander-in-chiefs in feudal Japan, called a Shogun. They would follow my lead anywhere before but now felt almost compelled to do so by their very genes.

Captain Ishimaru, my head of local security was still here and I said, "My father-in-law will be giving instructions in my absence. There should be no further troubles because they wanted me dead not my family.

I stayed for a week at our new home to ensure that everybody was healing right. I gave Mary the long piece of wood that had impaled her. She felt the scar on her front and her back and wondered how she had survived. I just held her tight to let her know that I would do anything for her.

They were all doing well and Mary even wanted her phone back to keep in touch with the business she was in charge of. The rest did the same thing for this was a therapeutic way of getting over our loss, or at least postponing it until they had a chance to come to grips with it. I realized that I was the same and the coming confrontation was my way of coming to terms with the loss of my two girls.

During the night I would leave and patrol around the diplomatic community to find what they knew. The Chinese embassy finally gave me the lead I needed. A man by the name of Ding Sung reported in and when I searched his mind I found that he was recently sent from Peking to find out what had happened to two of their staff that had not reported in. He did not know why I was specifically being targeted but surmised the same as I did about who's side I would help if the need arose.

With some addresses I plucked from the man's mind I went to the men's homes. My eye was the only thing that entered and I found the apartments thoroughly searched and I could not even find anything new. Outside the apartment though American intelligence was watching the buildings and recording who went where.

These men in turn lead me to the American base here in Tokyo. After another night I found that they knew more but not too much. The two dead Chinese were reported to be some of the best their country had to offer. The Vietnamese dead were well known military officers. Even the hired Japanese thugs were termed the elite and were termed very proficient killers. They knew this because they had reasons now and again to use these same people to do some of their dirty work. They were at a loss though as to how I had survived. The exemplary manner my security force had operated in taking out all the attackers was their only reasonable answer. My aura was reported as the small fires burning in the background and the amount of dust stirred up, again gave a reasonable answer.

I followed Sung and found out that he had made his determination about the deaths and came to the same conclusion as the Americans; that I had much better security than had first appeared. The good part was that he was going to Hanoi to make his report the next day. I quickly memorized the names and his memories of the faces of the men he was going to see, because I would be seeing them myself soon enough.

President Diem of South Vietnam and his younger brother Nhu were well known as opportunists that had little empathy with the plight of their people. If these were the men fighting the communists, then the country was doomed. Nobody in the country wanted the man as a leader but he was being propped up by the American Government and the CIA. Hopefully a military man might step in and do a better job but the small amount of American advisors would not be enough to prop up this man. The communists would stage a full scale attack if they figured a coup were happening.

My plan for the war happened to start with the two brothers to see what I could get resolved.

Yaseen was contacted and told of a special flight the next night. The plane had come back from the last mission and had not been loaded with the next consignment of goods. When I told the family my intentions they started to cry even Maeko and Kochiyo did. Rachael was getting around with only headaches her fears had lessened but she still had nightmares of what had happened. Sofia turned out to have more strength than I thought for she and Juni kept the family together through this very trying time. Morie was more pragmatic and sided with me but was unsure I could accomplish much other than a few deaths of the enemy. He was quite confident though that I would be home safe and sound soon.

I made love one last time with my wives. This time had to last so they would remember it till I was able to come back. They knew that they always succumbed to my lovemaking and worked strenuously to stay awake to see me leave. I did let them stay awake the whole time and when they were good and tired I kissed them again and then the boys. They cried too because they like the women thought I was going to die.

At the hanger changed into my new clothing. I took out the two swords and shook Morie's hand and he surprisingly pulled me into a hug for he saw me something like his own sons. "Shawn, I know you have to do this but be careful. If not for your wives then do it for me. I have no male heirs and very much want some soon."

"In a year you will be not saying that for there will be babies crying for attention all the time. You will then want some peace and hide in your garden studying the patterns in the sand." He got a thoughtful look and I knew he could see this happening in his mind.

Yaseen met us and he bowed to Morie and he promised to watch out for me until I left his care. I took with me only a small parachute, a cylinder of compressed air and a harness to hold the swords and my phone. I laughingly said, "If I ever got hungry I could phone up and order take out."

We flew at a eighty thousand feet and Yaseen said, "Why are you doing this Shawn? You can not bring the girls back. You can only get yourself killed."

"I have some people to kill that will make me feel much better. South Vietnam is a cesspool in many ways but it can be a beautiful country if given the chance. The people are just in need of a bit of education and a good government. After that they will know what it is like and try to keep that kind going. The north is no better in many ways but it too needs a chance to ponder its ways without Russia and China egging it on to fight knowing that it will make the United States fight them too."

Over Saigon I left the plane and dropped to the earth. The air canister was not needed nor the parachute. I shredded both of them and let the debris scatter. It was four in the morning, local time and I headed for the presidential palace. It was brightly lit and alert guards patrolled inside and outside the walls.

I made my way to where the guards minds told me the president's brother slept. This was the man that did all the president's dirty work and I could feel from here how bad he was. His thoughts told of his recent actions. There was little difference between him and any of the animals I had killed before. I slipped through security easily because I stayed very close to the ceiling and was able to unlock doors and then open them before I got there. His shrewish wife and he were made to stay asleep as I floated the man out the door and to his older brother, the president's wing. These doors opened too and everyone sleeping stayed that way except Diem himself.

In a receiving room I woke both brothers up. They went through the usual monologue about who I was and who they were and what they would do to me later. They at the moment could not speak very loudly.

"I have come here to talk about your people. I know you cheated greatly to get where you are now and that the others that would have been elected were no better. I want the country protected not just your sorry bodies."

"I will have you beaten then shot for what you have done," said Diem.

"I will have you killed slowly then all your family put to death to show an example of what it is like to try to thwart us," said his brother.

I had enough of this man now and I scanned his mind for all the information I needed.

After a few moments of forced silence I said in a calm voice, "Last week some men came to my house and tried to kill me. They knew it would be difficult, so they used mortars and grenades. They succeeded in killing one of my wives and my daughter. I will show both of you what I think of that." Both men could not speak and I started to squeeze Nhu more and more till he waved his hands frantically until he could not breathe. Within a minute he was unconscious and I continued to squeeze till he burst like a festered pustule. The ichor showered all over the room.

Diem was turned the whole time and could not help seeing his brother die. I squeezed him a bit too and then stopped. I raised him so high that his head hit forcibly on the ceiling. Then brought him down.

"General Quang is in the city. Call him now on the phone and tell him to bring a dozen aides here right away." Diem was very eager to do this and didn't even try to call for help. The fact that he was staring at his dead brother's purple face seemed to help.

I scanned the man further trying to find out more of who his enemies were and what their abilities and qualifications might be. After that I would do the same thing for his allies, even if they would turn on him in a moment's notice. Diem next called his guards and told them to bring Quang and his men to his waiting room as soon as they got here.

While Diem floated on his back around the room I searched for all the other information I would need to make this coup work. I saw the amount in the treasury also how much each brother had hidden away for a rainy day. Art, money, gold and artefacts were stashed away in bank vaults in many countries. Private homes of the rich also had some of this booty and it was promised to be returned to Diem or Nhu when it was asked for. I personally thought this hilarious. The rich would keep the possession because the usual reason for the brothers wanting it back was because one or they were being deposed.

I had a very good idea of where all the bodies were buried when Quang and his aids came into the room. The doors were closed behind them at the President's orders and I stepped out from a side room.

"Yes Mister President," said Quang a thin white haired man of fifty. He was a Buddhist but found the ability to fight even if it was against his religion. Come to think of it Christians were not supposed to kill or fight either but seemed to do so at any opportunity. The President kept quiet and I walked up and stood beside the man and looked at the officers. There were only nine aides but I could see that two were collaborating with the north and had been instrumental in getting many of their own men killed.

"Hello gentlemen. My name is Shawn Boz. You may have heard of me, or of what has recently happened to my family. Some Chinese and North Vietnamese went to Japan and hired some killers to assassinate me. They missed, but they did manage to kill my wife and my daughter. I came here to end this war and kill a few of the nasty people that would condone an act like that. If you look on the walls, ceiling and floor you will see Diem's brother Nhu scattered about."

I reached behind a chair and picked up the head by the hair and showed each of the men my trophy. Some went for their guns but they had already been removed by the presidential guards.

"To end this war quickly," I said, "I want you, General Quang to take command of the military and drive the attackers back to where they came from. I will assist you in many ways and I can start here and now."

The two traitors floated off the floor and I squeezed them quickly and only slowed down when they were ready to burst. Blood and gore shot into the air and I used my invisible fingers to catch the heads as they bounced off the ceiling. When the heads floated to my hands I just held them by the air and said, "These two were selling information to the north. The rest of you are going with me for a short trip."

I removed the bars from the window and then opened the window completely. "I have taken the opportunity of rendering each of you senseless for a moment. You will not be able to move your muscles." I rose up and then slid through the large open window as if I lived under the water. The nine men followed and I went to some of Diem's allies. From a thousand feet we stopped at one house after another. I put everyone to sleep and took the hapless victim outside and after gaining any useful information I simply killed him.

By the time dawn came up I was only able to go to five homes. Back at the palace I set the men back down.

"I wonder if you will do as I bid in the future or will I have to give the ceiling a new coat of red colouring?"

They seemed very adamant to help me in what ever I wanted to do. "Diem, go to the washroom and clean the blood off of you. If you decide to cross me now you will get your brother's fate. Cooperate and you will live, comfortably but not richly, for the rest of your life. Go now." The man ran from the room narrowly missing the three heads that were between him and his goal.

"Gentlemen, I plan on cleaning this country up and then doing the same to the north. You know what Japan was like when I arrived and what it is like now. You can be part of this solution but this is no bribe. You people don't see anything wrong with bribes, graft and corruption but I do. Your ethics will have to change and your country will follow. Your country though will prosper when run efficiently and with sound business practices."

"Diem will call a meeting soon where all the remaining members of his government will meet. The ones that retain their seats will work hard to support you. I want you to gather all the officers in the surrounding area. The traitors will be disposed of and the rest sorted to see who is fit to lead. There will be room to advance and it will be based on an officer's own ability, not his family or his politics."

Before they were dismissed I brought out the daito. They saw it glow brightly even in the bright fluorescent light of this room. "I have much help from my ancestors in what I am doing. They carry me around and carried all of you too. They worked together and squeezed the life from three traitors. I do not think there is anyplace you can hide without the spirits finding you and either killing you themselves or telling me. Do as I ask and I will watch out for you and this country. Become a traitor and you will die. Now please go about your duties, there is a lot for you all to do before tonight."

When Diem came out after a very good shower and only one call, I got him dressed in his own bedroom where he looked at his sleeping wife, wondering why she had not awoken. I floated out of the room with him and back to the recently decorated room. I took the three heads and put them in baskets and then they went into the bar fridge. I had to take out all the drinks to make room for them.

"Diem, call your security officers in here for a little chat please."

In an hour I had killed eight of the eighty officers and men that Diem had. Two were traitors and six would sell their own mother to make some money. I had just allowed their hearts to stop to keep the mess down. They rest flew about the room and regained their feet. Nobody now wanted to even draw a gun on me, never mind threaten me.

"Diem start your calls. I want the meeting at noon at the latest. Call housekeeping and get the mess in the room cleaned as soon as possible. Oh, the plane you are thinking about will not take you anywhere."

"Yes sir. I will do everything you want," came his reply.

Some of the officers stayed and the rest went with me after a little chat about what I expected and what I would give in return. I walked through the barracks and made everyone sleep. The bad ones died and the not too good would be transferred into the military. "You now have a clean slate as far as I am concerned. Be loyal to your country and follow my orders. There will be no confusion, for I want your country free too."

"Get a truck and take the bodies to the morgue for burial later. Get the bodies of the men that used to work with you. They will be on the grass soon.

The men just stared as I floated a foot off the ground and went back into the palace. There was more housekeeping to be done and I found the eight new bodies and threw them out the open window and then threw the two heads right after. Only Nhu's remained.

In an hour a large cry went out when some of the people found out that a coup had taken place. It didn't seem to go beyond the walls because I didn't want to track all the men down that would be a pain in my side later. I simply walked around greeting people and acting like an American politician looking for votes. The British version I found was much too subtle. I stayed with the title 'Sir Shawn' and I think the people were more comfortable with it too.

I had time to make some phone calls and told the family that I was all right and was making some headway. I didn't even laugh at the unintentional pun. I suggested to Morie how he could invest in the stock market now and even told him which way the stock would go. This was always the case but this time it was the market reacting to me that made to practice seem more ethical.