Day 223 - Flight Home

 Flight Home

Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

Junko was watching them load the casket onto the plane when The Foreigner approached her.

“What do you plan on telling his father?”

“That Yaz was a better man than he really was.”

“Will that be enough?”

“If he understands the opportunity. His son will have died with honor. They can blame Jakarta and tell themselves they never should have gotten involved with Naxis. And then one of his better suited children can ascend.”

“You should join me in Europe. If they will let you.”

“You mean if they don’t kill me for failing? I don’t think that’s his way. But one never knows. What’s in Europe? Another counterfeiting project?”

“It’s easy enough to sell. But I have my own interests as well. Some madmen have a plan to try and topple a government or two. It might be worth funding.”

“You think they can do it?”

“Probably not, but there’s still money to be made in the efforts. I know Yaz wasn’t your fault. There were too many moving parts and holding a meeting in such an open and unsecured place was just bad planning. There was nothing you could do. Someone had to die.”

“You make it seem less than accidental.”

“Poor word choice on my part. But as you said, his death does open many new opportunities. He was hardly fit for leadership.”

Junko may have agreed with that last point, but she was wise enough to keep such opinions to herself. One never knew who was listening or keeping track of things.

“Good luck in Tokyo. If you survive, come find me. I’ll be in France for a week, then on to Rome.”

Junko bowed her head as The Foreigner walked away.

When she turned back, the casket was gone, finished loading. The plane would board soon, but she made no move towards it. They would wait for her. The one perk she could enjoy. Junko tried to imagine herself in Europe working with The Foreigner again. Working for him. Either way, working away from the families. She had been all over Asia and had once gone to America. Europe seemed distant and imaginary. Nothing in her young life would have made her believe she would be a world traveler. To be fair, nothing in her young life led her to believe she would kill. She focused on the opportunity; it was more romantic than the reality. Maybe she would go and see. Maybe it was just a fantasy. She had never expected her life to amount to much, but she had come so far. Why should it stop now?

Junko headed for the plane. It was time to stop dreaming and go find out what awaited her when she returned home.