“When we get there, I’ll take you to a nice seafood place,” Rob leaned over and said excitedly. For someone who had lived in DC before, it probably felt like a small homecoming trip.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Yuto said.
Yuto and Rob were on a flight headed to Washington, DC. They had hastily planned their return as they were scheduled to meet with Jack Egan, the president of Smith-Backs Company. To Yuto’s surprise, Rob had gotten an interview with the president and had invited Yuto to come along. Apparently, he had requested and been approved for an interview using his position as a university professor, under the pretense of doing academic research on the prison industry.
Yuto reckoned that going in as an FBI agent would only make the president apprehensive and make it harder for them to pinpoint Corvus. On the other hand, if he pretended that he was Rob’s assistant, he would most likely slip past without suspicion. Having successfully gained permission from Heiden, Yuto had hastily booked his trip to accompany Rob back to DC.
“Are those the bomb attack sites?” Rob asked as he leaned over from the seat beside him to peer at what Yuto was holding. In Yuto’s hands was a map of the USA clipped to a folder, riddled with dots in black marker.
“Yeah,” Yuto said. “There’s been something nagging me about what Corvus said over the phone.”
Alpha was going to be the finale, but I wanted to leave a mark in LA for your sake.
Yuto had been wondering what those words meant.
“That is intriguing,” Rob said. “If LA was a special case, then that means that he planned to bomb all of the other spots from the very beginning.”
Yuto and Rob continued to speak with lowered voices.
“And if that’s the case, there has to be some significance in the locations of all the bomb attacks. Once we can get to the bottom of that, we can figure out where he plans to bomb next – he called it Alpha.”
“Let me try something,” said Rob, taking a ballpoint pen and connecting four of the dots. He drew a line connecting the bomb sites in Michigan, Florida, Montana, Utah, and ended up with a warped trapezoid.
“Hmm, but this leaves out Arizona, right underneath Utah. We would get a better idea if it made some kind of shape, but this…”
Yuto’s eyes were glued to the trapezoid that Rob had drawn and the solitary dot that was left underneath.
“…I’ve seen this shape before.”
“Where?” said Rob, looking surprised as he leaned in.
“I don’t know. It looks familiar, but I can’t seem to remember it. What is it? I swear I’ve seen… ugh, this is frustrating,” Yuto grumbled as he grabbed fistfuls of his hair. Rob patted his shoulder lightly in sympathy.
“Maybe something will trigger your memory later.”
“Yeah,” Yuto said, trying to suppress his frustration. As soon as he closed the folder, the seatbelt sign came on, and a voice over the PA system announced that they were preparing to land soon.
Once they touched down at the National Airport, Yuto and Rob headed straight to FBI headquarters. Heiden kept his snide tone in check as he met Rob and expressed canned words of gratitude for Rob’s cooperation in the case. However, he didn’t forget to firmly warn Rob to keep all the information he had learned through the investigation strictly confidential.
Heiden also had good news for them. He had obtained a list of members that had attended MSC, the military camp that Nathan had gone to. If Corvus was in the list, it would give them a lead to finding out his real name and identity.
“We’ve got all hands on deck trying to hunt down all the people in this list. We’re hoping to nail down Corvus’ identity eventually. —Oh, and about Smith-Backs Company: it’s virtually owned by General Mars.”
“General Mars? You mean the ship and airplane manufacturer?” Yuto asked in surprise. General Mars was a household name, and one of most prominent heavy machinery manufacturers.
“Yes, that’s what they’re famous for, but their munitions division is actually more profitable. Fighter jets, military cargo aircraft, satellites, missiles, warships – anything goes. They’re merchants of death. One of General Mars’ affiliated companies provided the funding to establish Smith-Backs Company, and it’s changed its name a few times. So their connection to General Mars doesn’t seem to be well-known in society.”
Rob jumped in to add to Heiden’s explanation.
“Military industry conglomerates and prison industry conglomerates are structured the same way. In both cases, corporate and national interests are aligned and intertwined. The military budget was slashed after the end of the Cold War, and as a result, several munitions companies started venturing into the prison business.”
“So you’re saying that munitions companies, having lost their enemies, found a new target: crime.”
Heiden butted in to force a conclusion. “Basically,” he said, “what I want to say is to be cautious when dealing with the president of Smith-Backs Company. General Mars has strong ties with the government. Rub them the wrong way, and things are going to get messy. If the government decides to meddle with our investigation, our hands are going to be tied.”
Yuto mentally girded his loins at Heiden’s warning. They were scheduled to meet with the president of Smith-Backs Company, Jack Egan, on the following afternoon. He had to ensure at all costs that he didn’t reveal his identity as an FBI agent.
After parting ways with Heiden, Rob and Yuto left FBI headquarters and headed to their hotel, where they checked in at the front desk. There were no more single rooms available, so they were booked into a twin room.
“I’m scheduled to meet with Egan at a hotel near the White House. It’s where he always stays when he’s in DC.”
Smith-Backs Company was headquartered in New York, but Egan apparently travelled to DC frequently. Rob said it was to network with politicians. Egan was no doubt meticulous about maintaining strong networks with politicians due to the nature of his work, which involved many government contracts.
“Have you and Egan met before, Rob?”
“I spoke to him a few times at parties and functions when I was at Georgetown University. He’s suave and gentlemanly on the outside, but when it comes to work, he’s not afraid to be unscrupulous to get what he wants. I was a strong opponent of prison privatization, so he’s dangled bait in front of me a couple times to try to get me on his side.”
“He might be wary of you at tomorrow’s interview, then, don’t you think?”
“I’ll do my best not to offend Egan. I’ll ask him a few harmless questions, that’s it.”
Yuto thought hard as he sank into a chair. If they only went with softball questions, the interview would get no further than superficial conversation. It was a waste to throw away such a precious opportunity.
“I’m hoping you can get his guard down, and throw him a curveball question at the end and watch his reaction.”
“Ah, I get what you mean.”
Yuto and Rob took their time to discuss how to carry out the interview. Once they had a general plan set down, Rob invited Yuto out for dinner.
On Rob’s recommendation, they took a ten-minute taxi ride and pulled up in front of a seafood restaurant. It had a casual atmosphere, far from fashionable, and the guests were enjoying their meals while watching the football game playing on the TV.
Rob offered to order for them if Yuto didn’t have any dislikes, so Yuto decided to leave the ordering to him. A few minutes later, they were served heaping dishes of raw oysters, boiled crab, crab cakes, and clam chowder.
“I don’t know if I can finish this all,” Yuto commented.
“No need to worry. Take the crab for instance – this is the famous blue crab caught in Chesapeake Bay. Absolutely fantastic. When you come to DC, forget the Smithsonian – you want to sit down for some seafood first.”
Rob’s recommendations were spot on, and every dish was delicious. Yuto had a local beer called the Foggy Bottom, and until then Yuto hadn’t known that such a delicious beer existed in DC.
Although Yuto had quite a lot to drink, he was no match for Rob. Partway through, Rob struck up a conversation with the table next to them and were busy raving about the quarterback on TV.
Rob’s prediction turned out to be correct: he and Yuto ended up cleaning their plates, the food settled neatly in both of their stomachs. Satisfied, they returned to their hotel where they took turns with the bathroom to take a shower. Yuto, who had finished first, was lounging on the bed watching TV when Rob emerged from his shower in a bathrobe. He was in high spirits, with his fill of good food and a win for his team at the game tonight.
“You’re a strange one, you know,” Yuto said. “I envy you.”
Rob, who had been drying his hair with a towel, paused and looked back at him in surprise.
“Huh? What do you mean, you envy me?”
“You’re always so cheerful, and you can instantly become friends with anyone. It seems like you truly enjoy life.”
“Wait, where is this going?” Rob said, laughing as he sat down on the edge of his bed.
“I feel so inadequate when I see you. I’m always too on-guard around people, and I can never get on friendly terms with them. I feel like I’m narrowing my own horizons.”
“I don’t think so,” Rob said. “Sure, you’re a little shy, but you’re perfectly capable of maintaining relationships with people. It might take longer to develop, but that’s just a characteristic you have, not a flaw. …Hey, Yuto, do you like playing catch? I do. Both throwing and receiving.”
“Catch? Is that a metaphor for something?”
Yuto sat up and drew his knees up to his chest, hugging them like a child.
“Yeah. Human relationships are a lot like playing catch, don’t you think? Nothing will happen until you throw the ball first, and the game won’t continue unless they throw it back. But just throwing is not enough. Throw it in a bad direction, and you’ll make your partner mad. Your partner throws a ball that you can’t catch, and you won’t feel like playing anymore. You have to make sure that your ball reaches the other person.”
“So you’re saying that both sides have to put in effort to make it work?”
“Exactly. Romantic relationships especially. In the beginning, you’re desperate to throw the ball into the other’s glove – it’s the only thing on your mind, the only thing you can see. And having a good interaction feels so good and you feel like you’re at the top of the world. But once you get used to it, you become careless about the balls you throw. Playing catch becomes boring. And once one person stops throwing, it’s the end. There’s nothing more empty and sad than throwing a ball at a person who doesn’t want to catch it.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” Yuto asked with a smile.
“You really don’t hold back, do you?” Rob said with a wry smile. “But you’re right. With romantic relationships, I feel like how long they last depends on how much consideration you have for the other person. The giddy feeling of love is only temporary, and relying on that alone isn’t enough to build a real relationship. I think it’s all up to whether you want to continue playing catch with that person for the rest of your life.”
“You’re right. Relationships and love can be confusing, but the metaphor of playing catch makes it a lot easier to understand.”
“Right? Anyway, for my case, the guy I was dating stopped throwing me the ball about three months before we broke up. I still wanted our relationship to continue, so I kept throwing the ball at him, but it didn’t work out. And of course it didn’t, because he was already busy playing catch with another man.”
Rob didn’t seem to hold any grudges about his past, and spoke in a cheerful tone with no underlying baggage. Yuto, however, felt angry just listening to his story.
“I’m sure he’s regretting it now,” Yuto said. “I can’t believe he would cheat on you. You couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend.”
“Thanks for the compliment, but you should be careful around seemingly good people. No one’s perfect – those people are just better at hiding their flaws.”
“What’s your flaw, Rob?”
“Hmm, let’s see, I would say my lack of flaws is a flaw.”
“Is that so?” Yuto said sarcastically. “I can name a flaw you have.”
“What’s that? I can’t think of any.”
“How you use logical reasoning to confuse people, and then brazenly pressure them for a kiss.”
“That’s still bothering you? That wasn’t my fault, mind you. It’s your fault for being too attractive. You’re very elegant, pretty, sexy, and charming. You should be more aware of your qualities.”
Rob’s face was serious as he as he said this, and Yuto found it so hilarious that he doubled over laughing.
“What the hell, Rob? All you did was rattle off a bunch of corny adjectives.”
Yuto then tilted his head curiously when he noticed Rob’s serious gaze.
“What?” he said.
“You know,” Rob said, “you’re usually so cool and collected, but you look really cute when you laugh. Almost makes me want to join you over there on that bed.”
Rob was in pick-up artist mode. Yuto wiped the smile off his face in apprehension.
“Don’t forget, I’m a certified karate master. Feel free to try, but you’ll get hurt.”
“Pain is part of falling in love. Can’t be afraid of getting hurt.”
With that, Rob actually got up and walked over to Yuto’s bed. He sat on the edge and gave him a longing look.
“Are you sure there’s no chance you’ll see me as more than a friend?”
“Rob, are you being serious?”
“Yeah. I’m in love with you. We’ve only just met, but my feelings are real.”
Faced with an earnest confession, Yuto had no choice but to give an honest answer.
“I like you, Rob, but I can’t be more than friends with you. Dick is the only person I can think about right now. I’m sorry, but I can’t go out with you.”
Rob dropped his gaze. “Alright,” he said, nodding. “Looks like I can’t compare to Dick, after all. But will you still let me flirt when your guard is down? At least let me have that much.”
This man was not going down without a fight. Yuto shook his head in exasperation.
“You’re a really funny guy, you know that?”
“Well, no one likes guys who can’t take no for an answer. I’ll take my rejection and retreat to my bed with my tail between my legs. Good night.”
Rob pulled the sheet over his head like a sullen child. Yuto tried to hold back his laughter as he turned off the lights.
Yuto continued to mull over Rob’s words even after getting into bed. There were some things about his feelings for Dick that even he didn’t understand. It was hard to classify into any one category, based on his life experiences and common knowledge. But his heart felt considerably lighter knowing that he could think of both interpersonal and romantic relationships as a game of catch.
He realized that his attempt to label his feelings with things like love, friendship, and sympathy was what was causing him mental anguish. It did no good for him to spend so much time thinking and agonizing over what label that he felt content with, dismissing one label as not suitable, yet unable to find other labels that quite fit what he was feeling.
He only wanted to throw the ball to Dick and have him catch it. And he wanted to firmly catch the ball that Dick threw to him.
He wanted to play catch with Dick, and no one else. That was Yuto’s sole and most heartfelt wish.
Jack Egan was staying at a hotel three blocks away from the White House. It was a classic, European-style luxury hotel, and given its location in the heart of DC, there were many guests in the lobby in dark suits who looked like businessmen.
Egan was staying in the penthouse on the top floor. Yuto and Rob were shown to the living room by a man who looked to be Egan’s secretary. They sat down on the sofa and within a few minutes, Egan emerged from the far room, striding confidently toward them. He looked to be in his late forties, but according to Yuto’s information, he was actually fifty-three. He looked gentlemanly, like Rob had said, and was quite handsome.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Dr. Connors, it’s been a while.”
“Thank you for making the time for us despite the short notice,” Rob said.
Egan shook hands with Rob before turning to Yuto.
“And this would be…?”
“My assistant, Alan Chen. He’s young, but he’s very good at his work,” Rob lied with a smile.
“Nice to meet you,” Yuto also said with a smile, extending his hand to shake with Egan. Egan didn’t seem to suspect anything, and encouraged the two to have a seat.
“Would you mind if I jump right in and start the interview?” Rob asked. “I don’t want to waste any time in your busy schedule.”
At Rob’s words, Yuto set up the voice recorder and took out his memo pad as if he were about to start taking notes.
“As you know, Mr. Egan, I’ve had reservations about the business of operating a prison, and I’ve always been on the side of caution. However, if you look at the current situation, the privatization of prisons is already woven into the fabric of capital globalization. It’s become an essential part of American society. Having said that, I would like to hear about your company’s philosophy as a public services contractor.”
“Well, I would say that our company goes beyond the boundaries of business. In fact, I would say that we have been given a bigger mission of contributing to society as a whole. Although it is impossible to eradicate crime itself from modern society, we can still help those who’ve been convicted of a crime to rehabilitate and return to society.”
Yuto pretended to furiously scribble notes, but inside he felt let down at Egan’s superficial niceties. At no time during his prison life had he experienced any hopeful aspects like the so-called “rehabilitation and return to society” that Egan spoke of.
Rob also pretended to listen intently to Egan’s words, interjecting occasionally with flattering phrases like, “Is that so? That’s just admirable.” Egan appeared to be in a good mood throughout as he answered Rob’s questions. Their exchange of complex ideas went on for about an hour before Rob gave a satisfied sigh, apparently feeling that the timing was right.
“Ah, well, that was incredibly informational. Mr. Egan, your way of thinking is indeed something to aspire to. It looks like I need to change the way I think about prison privatization.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Egan said. “Dr. Connors, you’re a very proficient researcher and you have great future potential. It would be a great advantage for our company to have your understanding of our perspective.”
The secretary brought fresh cups of coffee, and the mood was relaxed as Rob continued to chit-chat with Egan.
“Say,” he said, as if remembering something. “There was a riot at Schelger Prison in California a few months back, wasn’t there? I heard that Smith-Backs Company was contracted by the state to run it. I imagine it must have been a lot of work to restore and renovate the place?”
“Oh, it definitely was,” Egan said. “There’s only so much we can do to combat racial tensions in prison. Strengthening security is one of our biggest challenges going forward.”
“I heard two inmates escaped during the riot and haven’t been caught yet,” Rob continued.
Egan shook his head in anger. “Unacceptable,” he said. “I have no idea what is taking the police so long to find them.”
“Speaking of the police, I happen to be close to someone with connections to the police in LA, and I heard an interesting story. I heard that someone helped one of the inmates escape – I think his name was Nathan Clark. And the man who helped him was the previous warden of Schelger Prison, Mr. Corning, who was found dead the other day. What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Egan?”
Egan’s face hardened instantly.
“Who is spreading such baseless rumours?”
“I think the police suspect that Mr. Corning was murdered by Clark.”
“If that’s true, then that inmate must have threatened Corning into complying. Corning was upstanding and dedicated to his work. He would never take an inmate out of prison on his own will. I’ve known this man for a long time, so I can say this with confidence: he was trustworthy. I was so worried when Corning went missing – I felt like he must have gotten involved in something bad against his will.”
“I see.”
“If you’re finished with your interview, I’d like to excuse myself. I have another appointment coming up.”
Although Egan still wore a friendly smile, he was clearly on guard. Rob and Yuto thanked him before leaving the room.
“What do you think?” Rob asked as he they walked down the hallway.
“What he said at the end bothered me,” Yuto said. “He said he believed in Corning, but right after he went missing, he sent Carter to take his place. If he believed in Corning so much, wouldn’t he have waited to find out if he was alive and safe or not before replacing him?”
“You have a point. Maybe he already knew from the beginning that Corning was a dead man.”
Yuto continued to speak as they stepped into the elevator.
“Did Egan choose to protect Corvus even after one of his precious employees was murdered? If that’s the case, that’s a pretty big deal. What exactly is Corvus to this company?”
“It’s a mystery. But now we know that Corvus is much more important to them than an employee’s life.”
When the elevator reached the first floor, the two men got off and crossed the lobby, where an elaborate chandelier glittered as it hung from the ceiling. Just as they passed the reception desk, Yuto’s eyes caught the back of a man who was checking in at the counter. He was a tall man in a suit, and he had broad shoulders and long legs that left an impression on him.
“Yuto…?” said Rob apprehensively as Yuto stopped in his tracks.
“Thank you for your patience, Mr. Muller. You are in Room 809. Someone will show you to your room shortly—”
“No need. Just the key, please,” a low voice interrupted the amiable front desk worker.
Yuto felt a shockwave enough to make him shiver, almost forgetting to breathe as he stared fixedly at the man’s back.
Impossible. There was no way he could be here. It must be someone who looks like him.
Despite his strong denial, Yuto couldn’t stop staring at the man.
The man took his key and picked up the bag at his feet. As he turned around, Yuto caught sight of his chiseled profile.
“…!”
His high nose and cool eyes. The chiseled jawline.
It was Dick Burnford. There was no way Yuto could mistake him for anyone else from this close distance.
Yuto’s heart thudded violently, and he felt himself choke up at the reality that Dick was right in front of him. He still couldn’t believe it; he felt like he was in a dream.
“Yuto, what’s wrong?”
Dick turned around at Rob’s voice. He and Yuto were now face-to-face as their eyes locked.
His blue eyes were so close, watching Yuto unwaveringly. But nothing in his expression changed. He wore an impenetrable poker face – his gaze wasn’t that of someone looking at a stranger; in fact, he looked like he was staring into thin air, as if there was no one there at all.
Dick had the same dark brown hair as when Yuto had glimpsed him in front of Neto’s house. It was a lot shorter than before, and was groomed neatly. His hairstyle, coupled with his silver-rimmed glasses, made him look like a completely different person than when he was in prison.
In summary, he looked like an intellectual, successful businessman.
However, what surprised Yuto most about the change in Dick’s appearance was the absence of his scar that ran from his forehead to the end of his eyebrow.
“Steve, have you finished checking in?” said a slim, blonde woman who appeared behind Dick. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, and although she wore thick makeup, she was a beautiful woman with pronounced features and a cool-headed demeanour.
“I just finished. Thanks for waiting,” Dick answered in a gentle voice. Flashed with an irresistible smile, the woman swooned as she wound his arm around his. When she caught sight of Rob, she widened her eyes in surprise.
“Rob, is that you? Rob Connors?”
“Hey, Jessica. Long time no see. You look as beautiful as always.”
“It really is you, Rob!”
Rob and Jessica shared a light hug, joyful at their unexpected reunion. Yuto was astonished at the fact that Dick’s companion happened to be acquainted with Rob.
“It really is such a surprise,” Jessica said. “Are you staying at this hotel?”
“No, I’m staying at the Modisson. I was here to meet with President Egan. We just finished an interview with him.”
“I see. Well, if you’re free while you’re in DC, we should meet up for dinner.”
“What an honour to be asked out for dinner by the most beautiful woman on K Street.”
“You never change, do you? Anyway, give me a call anytime. —And who’s this gentleman?”
Jessica glanced over at Yuto.
“My assistant,” Rob jumped in immediately. “Alan Chen. He’s helping with my research. Alan, this is Jessica Foster. She’s a top lobbyist who also has a contract with Smith-Backs Company.”
Lobbyists were specialists of lobbying activities – actions that tried to persuade politicians to develop legislation or change bills to be favourable to the companies they lobbied for. Rob had purposely introduced Yuto under a fake name because Jessica was connected to Smith-Backs Company.
As Yuto and Jessica exchanged greetings and a handshake, Rob glanced over at Dick.
“Is this handsome gentleman your boyfriend?” he asked.
“Oh, hush, we’re not like that,” said Jessica, although she looked like she wouldn’t have minded. “This is Steve Muller. He’s from a systems development company, and I brought him here to introduce him to President Egan.”
Steve Muller. That was Dick’s current name.
Yuto felt conflicted to learn that Dick had taken on another fake identity. Dick, like him, was probably trying to get close with Smith-Backs Company as part of his chase for Corvus. If so, they had no choice but to pretend they were strangers.
“Steve, this is Rob Connors. He’s still young, but he’s a famous criminologist in his field,” Jessica said.
“Muller. It’s an honour to meet you.”
Dick and Robert shook hands, going through the motions. Jessica glanced at her watch and smiled apologetically.
“We’re scheduled to meet with President Egan now. We should meet up later to sit down and catch up.”
“Sure. I’ll give you a call.”
Jessica and Dick started walking together toward the elevator lobby.
“He’s a looker,” Rob murmured with an impressed air as he watched them walk away. “He’s probably trying to get on her good side so he can sell his products to the president. Good looks sure come in useful, don’t you think, Yuto?”
“…Yeah,” Yuto said absently as he watched Dick’s back retreating farther and farther away.
“When we get there, I’ll take you to a nice seafood place,” Rob leaned over and said excitedly. For someone who had lived in DC before, it probably felt like a small homecoming trip.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Yuto said.
Yuto and Rob were on a flight headed to Washington, DC. They had hastily planned their return as they were scheduled to meet with Jack Egan, the president of Smith-Backs Company. To Yuto’s surprise, Rob had gotten an interview with the president and had invited Yuto to come along. Apparently, he had requested and been approved for an interview using his position as a university professor, under the pretense of doing academic research on the prison industry.
Yuto reckoned that going in as an FBI agent would only make the president apprehensive and make it harder for them to pinpoint Corvus. On the other hand, if he pretended that he was Rob’s assistant, he would most likely slip past without suspicion. Having successfully gained permission from Heiden, Yuto had hastily booked his trip to accompany Rob back to DC.
“Are those the bomb attack sites?” Rob asked as he leaned over from the seat beside him to peer at what Yuto was holding. In Yuto’s hands was a map of the USA clipped to a folder, riddled with dots in black marker.
“Yeah,” Yuto said. “There’s been something nagging me about what Corvus said over the phone.”
Alpha was going to be the finale, but I wanted to leave a mark in LA for your sake.
Yuto had been wondering what those words meant.
“That is intriguing,” Rob said. “If LA was a special case, then that means that he planned to bomb all of the other spots from the very beginning.”
Yuto and Rob continued to speak with lowered voices.
“And if that’s the case, there has to be some significance in the locations of all the bomb attacks. Once we can get to the bottom of that, we can figure out where he plans to bomb next – he called it Alpha.”
“Let me try something,” said Rob, taking a ballpoint pen and connecting four of the dots. He drew a line connecting the bomb sites in Michigan, Florida, Montana, Utah, and ended up with a warped trapezoid.
“Hmm, but this leaves out Arizona, right underneath Utah. We would get a better idea if it made some kind of shape, but this…”
Yuto’s eyes were glued to the trapezoid that Rob had drawn and the solitary dot that was left underneath.
“…I’ve seen this shape before.”
“Where?” said Rob, looking surprised as he leaned in.
“I don’t know. It looks familiar, but I can’t seem to remember it. What is it? I swear I’ve seen… ugh, this is frustrating,” Yuto grumbled as he grabbed fistfuls of his hair. Rob patted his shoulder lightly in sympathy.
“Maybe something will trigger your memory later.”
“Yeah,” Yuto said, trying to suppress his frustration. As soon as he closed the folder, the seatbelt sign came on, and a voice over the PA system announced that they were preparing to land soon.
Once they touched down at the National Airport, Yuto and Rob headed straight to FBI headquarters. Heiden kept his snide tone in check as he met Rob and expressed canned words of gratitude for Rob’s cooperation in the case. However, he didn’t forget to firmly warn Rob to keep all the information he had learned through the investigation strictly confidential.
Heiden also had good news for them. He had obtained a list of members that had attended MSC, the military camp that Nathan had gone to. If Corvus was in the list, it would give them a lead to finding out his real name and identity.
“We’ve got all hands on deck trying to hunt down all the people in this list. We’re hoping to nail down Corvus’ identity eventually. —Oh, and about Smith-Backs Company: it’s virtually owned by General Mars.”
“General Mars? You mean the ship and airplane manufacturer?” Yuto asked in surprise. General Mars was a household name, and one of most prominent heavy machinery manufacturers.
“Yes, that’s what they’re famous for, but their munitions division is actually more profitable. Fighter jets, military cargo aircraft, satellites, missiles, warships – anything goes. They’re merchants of death. One of General Mars’ affiliated companies provided the funding to establish Smith-Backs Company, and it’s changed its name a few times. So their connection to General Mars doesn’t seem to be well-known in society.”
Rob jumped in to add to Heiden’s explanation.
“Military industry conglomerates and prison industry conglomerates are structured the same way. In both cases, corporate and national interests are aligned and intertwined. The military budget was slashed after the end of the Cold War, and as a result, several munitions companies started venturing into the prison business.”
“So you’re saying that munitions companies, having lost their enemies, found a new target: crime.”
Heiden butted in to force a conclusion. “Basically,” he said, “what I want to say is to be cautious when dealing with the president of Smith-Backs Company. General Mars has strong ties with the government. Rub them the wrong way, and things are going to get messy. If the government decides to meddle with our investigation, our hands are going to be tied.”
Yuto mentally girded his loins at Heiden’s warning. They were scheduled to meet with the president of Smith-Backs Company, Jack Egan, on the following afternoon. He had to ensure at all costs that he didn’t reveal his identity as an FBI agent.
After parting ways with Heiden, Rob and Yuto left FBI headquarters and headed to their hotel, where they checked in at the front desk. There were no more single rooms available, so they were booked into a twin room.
“I’m scheduled to meet with Egan at a hotel near the White House. It’s where he always stays when he’s in DC.”
Smith-Backs Company was headquartered in New York, but Egan apparently travelled to DC frequently. Rob said it was to network with politicians. Egan was no doubt meticulous about maintaining strong networks with politicians due to the nature of his work, which involved many government contracts.
“Have you and Egan met before, Rob?”
“I spoke to him a few times at parties and functions when I was at Georgetown University. He’s suave and gentlemanly on the outside, but when it comes to work, he’s not afraid to be unscrupulous to get what he wants. I was a strong opponent of prison privatization, so he’s dangled bait in front of me a couple times to try to get me on his side.”
“He might be wary of you at tomorrow’s interview, then, don’t you think?”
“I’ll do my best not to offend Egan. I’ll ask him a few harmless questions, that’s it.”
Yuto thought hard as he sank into a chair. If they only went with softball questions, the interview would get no further than superficial conversation. It was a waste to throw away such a precious opportunity.
“I’m hoping you can get his guard down, and throw him a curveball question at the end and watch his reaction.”
“Ah, I get what you mean.”
Yuto and Rob took their time to discuss how to carry out the interview. Once they had a general plan set down, Rob invited Yuto out for dinner.
On Rob’s recommendation, they took a ten-minute taxi ride and pulled up in front of a seafood restaurant. It had a casual atmosphere, far from fashionable, and the guests were enjoying their meals while watching the football game playing on the TV.
Rob offered to order for them if Yuto didn’t have any dislikes, so Yuto decided to leave the ordering to him. A few minutes later, they were served heaping dishes of raw oysters, boiled crab, crab cakes, and clam chowder.
“I don’t know if I can finish this all,” Yuto commented.
“No need to worry. Take the crab for instance – this is the famous blue crab caught in Chesapeake Bay. Absolutely fantastic. When you come to DC, forget the Smithsonian – you want to sit down for some seafood first.”
Rob’s recommendations were spot on, and every dish was delicious. Yuto had a local beer called the Foggy Bottom, and until then Yuto hadn’t known that such a delicious beer existed in DC.
Although Yuto had quite a lot to drink, he was no match for Rob. Partway through, Rob struck up a conversation with the table next to them and were busy raving about the quarterback on TV.
Rob’s prediction turned out to be correct: he and Yuto ended up cleaning their plates, the food settled neatly in both of their stomachs. Satisfied, they returned to their hotel where they took turns with the bathroom to take a shower. Yuto, who had finished first, was lounging on the bed watching TV when Rob emerged from his shower in a bathrobe. He was in high spirits, with his fill of good food and a win for his team at the game tonight.
“You’re a strange one, you know,” Yuto said. “I envy you.”
Rob, who had been drying his hair with a towel, paused and looked back at him in surprise.
“Huh? What do you mean, you envy me?”
“You’re always so cheerful, and you can instantly become friends with anyone. It seems like you truly enjoy life.”
“Wait, where is this going?” Rob said, laughing as he sat down on the edge of his bed.
“I feel so inadequate when I see you. I’m always too on-guard around people, and I can never get on friendly terms with them. I feel like I’m narrowing my own horizons.”
“I don’t think so,” Rob said. “Sure, you’re a little shy, but you’re perfectly capable of maintaining relationships with people. It might take longer to develop, but that’s just a characteristic you have, not a flaw. …Hey, Yuto, do you like playing catch? I do. Both throwing and receiving.”
“Catch? Is that a metaphor for something?”
Yuto sat up and drew his knees up to his chest, hugging them like a child.
“Yeah. Human relationships are a lot like playing catch, don’t you think? Nothing will happen until you throw the ball first, and the game won’t continue unless they throw it back. But just throwing is not enough. Throw it in a bad direction, and you’ll make your partner mad. Your partner throws a ball that you can’t catch, and you won’t feel like playing anymore. You have to make sure that your ball reaches the other person.”
“So you’re saying that both sides have to put in effort to make it work?”
“Exactly. Romantic relationships especially. In the beginning, you’re desperate to throw the ball into the other’s glove – it’s the only thing on your mind, the only thing you can see. And having a good interaction feels so good and you feel like you’re at the top of the world. But once you get used to it, you become careless about the balls you throw. Playing catch becomes boring. And once one person stops throwing, it’s the end. There’s nothing more empty and sad than throwing a ball at a person who doesn’t want to catch it.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” Yuto asked with a smile.
“You really don’t hold back, do you?” Rob said with a wry smile. “But you’re right. With romantic relationships, I feel like how long they last depends on how much consideration you have for the other person. The giddy feeling of love is only temporary, and relying on that alone isn’t enough to build a real relationship. I think it’s all up to whether you want to continue playing catch with that person for the rest of your life.”
“You’re right. Relationships and love can be confusing, but the metaphor of playing catch makes it a lot easier to understand.”
“Right? Anyway, for my case, the guy I was dating stopped throwing me the ball about three months before we broke up. I still wanted our relationship to continue, so I kept throwing the ball at him, but it didn’t work out. And of course it didn’t, because he was already busy playing catch with another man.”
Rob didn’t seem to hold any grudges about his past, and spoke in a cheerful tone with no underlying baggage. Yuto, however, felt angry just listening to his story.
“I’m sure he’s regretting it now,” Yuto said. “I can’t believe he would cheat on you. You couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend.”
“Thanks for the compliment, but you should be careful around seemingly good people. No one’s perfect – those people are just better at hiding their flaws.”
“What’s your flaw, Rob?”
“Hmm, let’s see, I would say my lack of flaws is a flaw.”
“Is that so?” Yuto said sarcastically. “I can name a flaw you have.”
“What’s that? I can’t think of any.”
“How you use logical reasoning to confuse people, and then brazenly pressure them for a kiss.”
“That’s still bothering you? That wasn’t my fault, mind you. It’s your fault for being too attractive. You’re very elegant, pretty, sexy, and charming. You should be more aware of your qualities.”
Rob’s face was serious as he as he said this, and Yuto found it so hilarious that he doubled over laughing.
“What the hell, Rob? All you did was rattle off a bunch of corny adjectives.”
Yuto then tilted his head curiously when he noticed Rob’s serious gaze.
“What?” he said.
“You know,” Rob said, “you’re usually so cool and collected, but you look really cute when you laugh. Almost makes me want to join you over there on that bed.”
Rob was in pick-up artist mode. Yuto wiped the smile off his face in apprehension.
“Don’t forget, I’m a certified karate master. Feel free to try, but you’ll get hurt.”
“Pain is part of falling in love. Can’t be afraid of getting hurt.”
With that, Rob actually got up and walked over to Yuto’s bed. He sat on the edge and gave him a longing look.
“Are you sure there’s no chance you’ll see me as more than a friend?”
“Rob, are you being serious?”
“Yeah. I’m in love with you. We’ve only just met, but my feelings are real.”
Faced with an earnest confession, Yuto had no choice but to give an honest answer.
“I like you, Rob, but I can’t be more than friends with you. Dick is the only person I can think about right now. I’m sorry, but I can’t go out with you.”
Rob dropped his gaze. “Alright,” he said, nodding. “Looks like I can’t compare to Dick, after all. But will you still let me flirt when your guard is down? At least let me have that much.”
This man was not going down without a fight. Yuto shook his head in exasperation.
“You’re a really funny guy, you know that?”
“Well, no one likes guys who can’t take no for an answer. I’ll take my rejection and retreat to my bed with my tail between my legs. Good night.”
Rob pulled the sheet over his head like a sullen child. Yuto tried to hold back his laughter as he turned off the lights.
Yuto continued to mull over Rob’s words even after getting into bed. There were some things about his feelings for Dick that even he didn’t understand. It was hard to classify into any one category, based on his life experiences and common knowledge. But his heart felt considerably lighter knowing that he could think of both interpersonal and romantic relationships as a game of catch.
He realized that his attempt to label his feelings with things like love, friendship, and sympathy was what was causing him mental anguish. It did no good for him to spend so much time thinking and agonizing over what label that he felt content with, dismissing one label as not suitable, yet unable to find other labels that quite fit what he was feeling.
He only wanted to throw the ball to Dick and have him catch it. And he wanted to firmly catch the ball that Dick threw to him.
He wanted to play catch with Dick, and no one else. That was Yuto’s sole and most heartfelt wish.
Jack Egan was staying at a hotel three blocks away from the White House. It was a classic, European-style luxury hotel, and given its location in the heart of DC, there were many guests in the lobby in dark suits who looked like businessmen.
Egan was staying in the penthouse on the top floor. Yuto and Rob were shown to the living room by a man who looked to be Egan’s secretary. They sat down on the sofa and within a few minutes, Egan emerged from the far room, striding confidently toward them. He looked to be in his late forties, but according to Yuto’s information, he was actually fifty-three. He looked gentlemanly, like Rob had said, and was quite handsome.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Dr. Connors, it’s been a while.”
“Thank you for making the time for us despite the short notice,” Rob said.
Egan shook hands with Rob before turning to Yuto.
“And this would be…?”
“My assistant, Alan Chen. He’s young, but he’s very good at his work,” Rob lied with a smile.
“Nice to meet you,” Yuto also said with a smile, extending his hand to shake with Egan. Egan didn’t seem to suspect anything, and encouraged the two to have a seat.
“Would you mind if I jump right in and start the interview?” Rob asked. “I don’t want to waste any time in your busy schedule.”
At Rob’s words, Yuto set up the voice recorder and took out his memo pad as if he were about to start taking notes.
“As you know, Mr. Egan, I’ve had reservations about the business of operating a prison, and I’ve always been on the side of caution. However, if you look at the current situation, the privatization of prisons is already woven into the fabric of capital globalization. It’s become an essential part of American society. Having said that, I would like to hear about your company’s philosophy as a public services contractor.”
“Well, I would say that our company goes beyond the boundaries of business. In fact, I would say that we have been given a bigger mission of contributing to society as a whole. Although it is impossible to eradicate crime itself from modern society, we can still help those who’ve been convicted of a crime to rehabilitate and return to society.”
Yuto pretended to furiously scribble notes, but inside he felt let down at Egan’s superficial niceties. At no time during his prison life had he experienced any hopeful aspects like the so-called “rehabilitation and return to society” that Egan spoke of.
Rob also pretended to listen intently to Egan’s words, interjecting occasionally with flattering phrases like, “Is that so? That’s just admirable.” Egan appeared to be in a good mood throughout as he answered Rob’s questions. Their exchange of complex ideas went on for about an hour before Rob gave a satisfied sigh, apparently feeling that the timing was right.
“Ah, well, that was incredibly informational. Mr. Egan, your way of thinking is indeed something to aspire to. It looks like I need to change the way I think about prison privatization.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Egan said. “Dr. Connors, you’re a very proficient researcher and you have great future potential. It would be a great advantage for our company to have your understanding of our perspective.”
The secretary brought fresh cups of coffee, and the mood was relaxed as Rob continued to chit-chat with Egan.
“Say,” he said, as if remembering something. “There was a riot at Schelger Prison in California a few months back, wasn’t there? I heard that Smith-Backs Company was contracted by the state to run it. I imagine it must have been a lot of work to restore and renovate the place?”
“Oh, it definitely was,” Egan said. “There’s only so much we can do to combat racial tensions in prison. Strengthening security is one of our biggest challenges going forward.”
“I heard two inmates escaped during the riot and haven’t been caught yet,” Rob continued.
Egan shook his head in anger. “Unacceptable,” he said. “I have no idea what is taking the police so long to find them.”
“Speaking of the police, I happen to be close to someone with connections to the police in LA, and I heard an interesting story. I heard that someone helped one of the inmates escape – I think his name was Nathan Clark. And the man who helped him was the previous warden of Schelger Prison, Mr. Corning, who was found dead the other day. What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Egan?”
Egan’s face hardened instantly.
“Who is spreading such baseless rumours?”
“I think the police suspect that Mr. Corning was murdered by Clark.”
“If that’s true, then that inmate must have threatened Corning into complying. Corning was upstanding and dedicated to his work. He would never take an inmate out of prison on his own will. I’ve known this man for a long time, so I can say this with confidence: he was trustworthy. I was so worried when Corning went missing – I felt like he must have gotten involved in something bad against his will.”
“I see.”
“If you’re finished with your interview, I’d like to excuse myself. I have another appointment coming up.”
Although Egan still wore a friendly smile, he was clearly on guard. Rob and Yuto thanked him before leaving the room.
“What do you think?” Rob asked as he they walked down the hallway.
“What he said at the end bothered me,” Yuto said. “He said he believed in Corning, but right after he went missing, he sent Carter to take his place. If he believed in Corning so much, wouldn’t he have waited to find out if he was alive and safe or not before replacing him?”
“You have a point. Maybe he already knew from the beginning that Corning was a dead man.”
Yuto continued to speak as they stepped into the elevator.
“Did Egan choose to protect Corvus even after one of his precious employees was murdered? If that’s the case, that’s a pretty big deal. What exactly is Corvus to this company?”
“It’s a mystery. But now we know that Corvus is much more important to them than an employee’s life.”
When the elevator reached the first floor, the two men got off and crossed the lobby, where an elaborate chandelier glittered as it hung from the ceiling. Just as they passed the reception desk, Yuto’s eyes caught the back of a man who was checking in at the counter. He was a tall man in a suit, and he had broad shoulders and long legs that left an impression on him.
“Yuto…?” said Rob apprehensively as Yuto stopped in his tracks.
“Thank you for your patience, Mr. Muller. You are in Room 809. Someone will show you to your room shortly—”
“No need. Just the key, please,” a low voice interrupted the amiable front desk worker.
Yuto felt a shockwave enough to make him shiver, almost forgetting to breathe as he stared fixedly at the man’s back.
Impossible. There was no way he could be here. It must be someone who looks like him.
Despite his strong denial, Yuto couldn’t stop staring at the man.
The man took his key and picked up the bag at his feet. As he turned around, Yuto caught sight of his chiseled profile.
“…!”
His high nose and cool eyes. The chiseled jawline.
It was Dick Burnford. There was no way Yuto could mistake him for anyone else from this close distance.
Yuto’s heart thudded violently, and he felt himself choke up at the reality that Dick was right in front of him. He still couldn’t believe it; he felt like he was in a dream.
“Yuto, what’s wrong?”
Dick turned around at Rob’s voice. He and Yuto were now face-to-face as their eyes locked.
His blue eyes were so close, watching Yuto unwaveringly. But nothing in his expression changed. He wore an impenetrable poker face – his gaze wasn’t that of someone looking at a stranger; in fact, he looked like he was staring into thin air, as if there was no one there at all.
Dick had the same dark brown hair as when Yuto had glimpsed him in front of Neto’s house. It was a lot shorter than before, and was groomed neatly. His hairstyle, coupled with his silver-rimmed glasses, made him look like a completely different person than when he was in prison.
In summary, he looked like an intellectual, successful businessman.
However, what surprised Yuto most about the change in Dick’s appearance was the absence of his scar that ran from his forehead to the end of his eyebrow.
“Steve, have you finished checking in?” said a slim, blonde woman who appeared behind Dick. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, and although she wore thick makeup, she was a beautiful woman with pronounced features and a cool-headed demeanour.
“I just finished. Thanks for waiting,” Dick answered in a gentle voice. Flashed with an irresistible smile, the woman swooned as she wound his arm around his. When she caught sight of Rob, she widened her eyes in surprise.
“Rob, is that you? Rob Connors?”
“Hey, Jessica. Long time no see. You look as beautiful as always.”
“It really is you, Rob!”
Rob and Jessica shared a light hug, joyful at their unexpected reunion. Yuto was astonished at the fact that Dick’s companion happened to be acquainted with Rob.
“It really is such a surprise,” Jessica said. “Are you staying at this hotel?”
“No, I’m staying at the Modisson. I was here to meet with President Egan. We just finished an interview with him.”
“I see. Well, if you’re free while you’re in DC, we should meet up for dinner.”
“What an honour to be asked out for dinner by the most beautiful woman on K Street.”
“You never change, do you? Anyway, give me a call anytime. —And who’s this gentleman?”
Jessica glanced over at Yuto.
“My assistant,” Rob jumped in immediately. “Alan Chen. He’s helping with my research. Alan, this is Jessica Foster. She’s a top lobbyist who also has a contract with Smith-Backs Company.”
Lobbyists were specialists of lobbying activities – actions that tried to persuade politicians to develop legislation or change bills to be favourable to the companies they lobbied for. Rob had purposely introduced Yuto under a fake name because Jessica was connected to Smith-Backs Company.
As Yuto and Jessica exchanged greetings and a handshake, Rob glanced over at Dick.
“Is this handsome gentleman your boyfriend?” he asked.
“Oh, hush, we’re not like that,” said Jessica, although she looked like she wouldn’t have minded. “This is Steve Muller. He’s from a systems development company, and I brought him here to introduce him to President Egan.”
Steve Muller. That was Dick’s current name.
Yuto felt conflicted to learn that Dick had taken on another fake identity. Dick, like him, was probably trying to get close with Smith-Backs Company as part of his chase for Corvus. If so, they had no choice but to pretend they were strangers.
“Steve, this is Rob Connors. He’s still young, but he’s a famous criminologist in his field,” Jessica said.
“Muller. It’s an honour to meet you.”
Dick and Robert shook hands, going through the motions. Jessica glanced at her watch and smiled apologetically.
“We’re scheduled to meet with President Egan now. We should meet up later to sit down and catch up.”
“Sure. I’ll give you a call.”
Jessica and Dick started walking together toward the elevator lobby.
“He’s a looker,” Rob murmured with an impressed air as he watched them walk away. “He’s probably trying to get on her good side so he can sell his products to the president. Good looks sure come in useful, don’t you think, Yuto?”
“…Yeah,” Yuto said absently as he watched Dick’s back retreating farther and farther away.
