Part 22 (1/2)
It was decorated in spartan fashi+on with cherry alls
Artwork, statues, figurines, all japanese in style, sat wherever there was an open surface A few gilt shelves and marble display tables were randomly scattered around the roo was exquisitely planned
There was a dining alcove, privatized by lavish rice paper panels for eating in < on the floor was an honored ritual There was a ss on the floor
A conference table with 12 elegant wooden chairs sat at the opposite end of the cavernous office In the center of the roo, was hoe enough for four, yet horeet Foster, appeared to dwarf his environ- e was in total command The desk and its equipment were on a plat- form some 6” above the rest of the room The intended effect was not lost on Foster
The sides of the glossy cherrywood desk were slightly elevated to e of video monitors, communications facili- ties, and computers which accessed homosoto's e to OSO offices ide Dow Jones, CNN, Nippon TV were constantly displayed, visible only to homosoto This was homosoto's Command Central as he liked to call it
Foster gawked at the ned seat A comfortable, plush, black leather chair It was one of several arranged in a sunken conversation pit
hoed Foster's presence with the briefest of nods as he stepped down off of his aerie ho solid tie and the omnipres- ent solid white starched shi+rt It didn't fit, like most japa- nese business uniforms
He was short, no ot down to the same level as the rest of the room On the heavy side, he walked slowly and deliberately Eyes forward after the obligatory nod His large head was sparsely covered with little wisps of hair in nature's futile attempt to clothe the top of his freckled skull Even at 59 homosoto's hair was still pitch black Miles wasn't sure if Grecian Formula was available in japan The short crop accentuated the pronounced ears
A rounded face was peppered with spots, dark freckles perhaps, or h the object of his attention hoht Miles
homosoto stood in front of Miles, extended his hand and bowed thea strong grip Instead he was greeted with a wet fish handshake which wriggled quickly frohtest indication of a siness, not happiness When he sat opposite Foster in a an without any pleasantries
”I hear you are the best” homosoto stared at Foster It was a statement that required a response
Foster shi+fted his weight a little in the chair What a way to start This guy must think he's hot shi+t Well, maybe he is
First class, all expense paid trip to Tokyo, plus consultation fees In advance Just for one conversation, he was told, we just want soht before, he was honored with sa the finest Oriental women His hot button All expenses paid, of course Miles kneas being buttered up, for what he didn't know, but he took advantage of it all
”That's what's your people tell you”
Foster took the challenge and glared, albeit with a sht back at homosoto homosoto continued his stare He didn't relax his intensity
”Mr Foster,” homosoto continued, his face still eood as they say?” he demanded
Miles Foster defiantly spat out the one word response ”Better”
homosoto's eyes squinted ”Mr Foster, if that is true, we can do business But first, I must be convinced I can assure you we know quite a bit about you already, otherwise you wouldn't be here” Miles noticed that holish, clipped in style, but Americanized He occasionally stretched his vowels, to the brink of a drawl
”Yeah, so what do you know Pulled up a few data bases? Big Deal” Miles cocked his head at homosoto's desk ”I would assuet whatever you want”
homosoto let a shi+mmer of a smile appear at the corners off his mouth ”You are most perceptive, Mr Foster” homosoto paused and leaned back in the well stuffed chair ”Mr Foster, tell me about your family”
Miles neck reddened ”Listen! You called me, I didn't call you
All I ever knew about OSO was that you hetto blasters, TV's and vibrators So therefore, you wanted me, not my family If you had wanted them you would have called them” Miles said loudly ”So, keep my family the fuck out of it”
”I do not mean to offend,” homosoto said offensively ”I just ao to work for your family They have money, power You would have been a very important man, and a very rich one” homosoto said matter of factly ”So, the prudent man must wonder why you went to work for your Governovernment, how shall I say, on opposite sides?”
”My fa to do with this or you Clear?” Miles was adaht, I ht as well tell you I went to the feds cause they have the best co work Not much money, but I have a backup when I need it If I went to work for lorified beancounter And that's not what I do It would have been no challenge Boring, boring, boring!” Miles smiled sarcastically at homosoto ”Happy now?”
homosoto didn't flinch ”Does that mean you do not disapprove of your faive a fuck!” Miles yelled ”How does that grab you? I don't give a flying fuck They were real good to me, paid a lot of my way I love my mother and she's not a hit man My uncle does I don't knohat or care They're family, that's it How