To My Sunflower - Chapter 87

The days after the fight was a sober period. The men lapsed into time of reflection. Keeping their words to a minimum and minds to themselves.

They had been too preoccupied with the sudden downpour of heavy rain, slashing against the cottage from fierce winds. Causing the amado to tremble on their hinges.

Tama had decided to stick to the comfiest spot on Kei’s futon, which was closet to the driest corner of the main room.  Despite Kei’s grumbling, he allowed her to claim her space and slept around her.

They had decided not to bother packing away the futons, since they spent most of the waiting time sleeping off their worries.

Eventually the rain cleared a day prior to the drop.

Sean convinced everyone to take a drive into town for some air and stretching of the legs. Kei didn’t argue, seeing the need to stock up on charcoal chips.

They entered the small village near the river banks. Kei managed to find a source of chips for his car at the general store. Eiji decided to take Tama for a walk.

She followed him down the paths toward the river banks, where one-man paddle boats were moored along a grainy shore.

He smiled at her happy frolicking amongst the tall growing weeds and daisies. Her butterfly chases made him chuckle.

His heart plummeted with worry when he saw a squad of Imperial Army recruits headed in their direction.  He quickly approached Tama and scooped her up into his arms, ignoring her protests. She was soon calm under his pats.

The army recruits stomped their boots in a synchronise march, with their rifles slung over their right shoulder at the routine 320-degree angle.  He moved to one side, further towards the cover of tall grass and bushes to allow them to pass.

They passed him with little thought. Carrying the same solemn expressions that was common for men focused on fighting the war.

He hurried back to the general store where the car was parked and saw Kei having a friendly chat with the store owner.  Tyne and Sean were waiting inside the vehicle.

The soldiers marched passed the store, giving Kei and the car a keen eye. They kept walking. Obviously, intent to reach their assigned destination.

Eiji entered the front passenger seat with Tama, who ambled to the back to be nestled between Tyne and Sean.

When Kei had driven them closer to the cottage, he spoke on the information he had gathered from the store owner.

“Those troops are the local kids being set to the front lines of Okinawa.”

Eiji frowned. They seemed young and probably the same age he was when he had enlisted.

“It seems they were called to fight.” Kei added that made Eiji sit up with surprise.

“Conscripts?”

“Yeah. Probably got caught stealing food or being at the wrong place-time. Easy resource for the war. The bastards.”

Eiji eased back into the seat, thinking about his time at Iwo Jima. If Tyne hadn’t peeled him off the ground and pulled him into that office. Back then, he would’ve died.

“You don’t think much when you aim to pull the trigger.” He soberly noted.

“It’s when you fire you go, oh, shit.” Kei chuckled.

“Then you worry about how much honour to your country you can justify to an enemy soldier’s death.” Sean added his perspective from the back seat.

“Grab your fallen comrades letters or dog tags. Hope to god your honourable deed of paying respects to the man’s widow would be enough to justify the lives your hands had taken.” Tyne soberly noted.

“Eiji. I’ve been thinking. You’re right.” Tyne met Eiji’s gaze from the revision mirror. “Let’s make sure this map isn’t going to be used to harm innocent lives.”

“What’re you’re saying Tyne? You’re not planning to do treason?” Sean gulped.

“No. Just going to be sure,” Tyne said.

“Being sure means having to question orders. How is that not treason?” Sean began to argue.

Tyne faced Sean, staring him in the eye. “Then tell me what your conscience says. If this map, is indeed used to harm innocent civilians. Are you going to obey orders knowing that’s the reason?”

“Tyne! Listen to yourself! This talk is the path to treason!” Sean snapped desperately at him. “Think of Eiji and Kei! You cross that path, we’ll all be executed. Kei’s family will be given a death sentence in a prison camp!”

“I am thinking of them! You forget who’s in charge here! Who’s responsible for all of you!” Tyne yelled that caused a troubled silence to follow.

Sean chewed his lip.

“I’m only going to dig around to know a bit more. No one is going to be doing treason.” Tyne said to reassure Sean. “I can’t pretend to be blind and ignore my instincts that says something isn’t right.”

“How’d you plan on doing that?” Eiji asked.

“Let’s visit our good doctor a bit earlier than the drop. Maybe he knows more than he lets on.”

The men returned to the cottage to gather their things and pack up the place. Kei refilled the tank and checked the engine.

Dusk had  settled when they made the long drive back to Weisman’s office. They arrived as the workers were filing out to leave for home at the end of a work day.

They staked out the office from the car park until they saw a be-spectacle wiry man, in a tweed brown suit and fedora hat, stepping down the front steps.

Night was high in the sky by then. The noise during the day became a mysterious quiet at night. The place was void of people or activity in the area. Even from the river.

“Hashimoto-sensei.” Tyne greeted him from the other end of the car park.

Hashimoto-sensei turned around with a momentary expression of shock. His expression changed to a nervous smile beneath the nearby street lamps.

“Oh. Um, Weber-sensei, I didn’t expect you be here.” His voice trembled with nervous. “Aren’t you a day early?”

Eiji eyes narrowed. He glanced around the vacant dockside and car park. Kei met his eyes with a look that said, “trouble.”

“What’s wrong Sensei?” Sean carefully asked the doctor.

Hashimoto-sensei held his brief case close to his chest. A reaction that made Tyne and Sean’s body tense for action. Eiji and Kei flicked each other pensive glances.

Something was definitely wrong.

“Hashimoto-sensei.” A slick voice called out from the other end of the car park.

“Oh excuse me.” Hashimoto-sensei nervously bowed and hurried towards the voice.

His screams made Tyne and Sean run towards him.

They skidded to a halt at the sight of three secret police officers standing over Hashimoto-sensei’s unconscious body. Crumpled to a heap on the ground.

“You must be the good German doctors,” the slick voice said again.

They faced the pudgy face of a young kenpei, whose broad shoulders and chest held the badges and stripes of a senior rank. His other two lackeys were of a similar build and solemness.

Tyne stepped forward with a gesture to present his papers. The officer grabbed his arms and locked it into a judo move. Tyne was able to free himself, only to find his body pushed to the ground with a gun pressed to his temples.  The other officers held guns before Sean and Eiji’s heads.

“Yeah. Good doctors.” The senior officer scoffed with sarcasm.

He whacked Tyne with the hilt of his gun to knock him out.  The others were threatened to kneel to the ground with their hands to the back of their heads.

Sean gave Kei and Eiji a look that said to comply.

When the officers were able to secure their hands. They unsheathed batons from their belts and whacked them to unconsciousness.

The last thing Eiji heard, before he had passed out, was a wolf whistle and other stomping boots headed their way.