Nathaniel Diamond was still visibly upset with Kaito as Kaito pulled his BMW into the passenger drop zone at the airport. He looked down at his watch. Still plenty of time to catch his flight back to Ottawa. He turned to Kaito and started in at him again.
“I thought I knew you, Kaito, but to do this.…” He shook his head once. “This was a total collapse in judgment.”
As a man who currently sat with great confidence as CEO of AltaCan Pump, a quarter-billion-dollar corporation, Kaito was used to being challenged. “I don’t know why you’re so upset,” he said.
The Senator shook his head and chuckled angrily. “I’m just worried I made a grave mistake in recommending you. I put my neck out for you and the first thing you do is pull this crazy stunt. Do you know how scared what you’ve done makes me? This whole business we have going may suddenly come crashing down on every single one of us because of what you’ve done. Do you even know how far back this goes? Do you?”
“Nothing is going to happen, Nate. Relax already. I’ve got it well under control.”
“I asked you a question. Do you even know how long we’ve been doing this?”
“I know how long. Decades.”
“Four decades! Since almost before you were born! How could you do this after everything you were told? Christ, Kaito. This is sensitive business we are involved in. One slip-up and…” he shook his head.
Kaito smiled. “It’s only Taka we’re talking about. You know what he’s like. We can trust him. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you about him.”
“Well you did, and it’s not about trust. It’s about the damn rules. Rules and protocols. And we all follow them. You’ve left a trail by bringing your son into this. If anyone identifies or connects your boy to this, then it leads straight up to you. First you, then me! I don’t like this!”
“He’s clean, and he’s not even in that deep. I’ll talk to him again if it makes you feel better.”
The Senator huffed angrily. “No you won’t. From here on, you won’t do a damn thing. Using your son in any operation crosses a line we do not need to cross. He’s not qualified, and has never been screened. And because of that, I’ve done what I had to do to take care of you crossing that line.”
Kaito seemed only mildly annoyed. He said nothing and seemed much too calm.
“I made some calls last night,” Nathaniel added.
That got his attention. Kaito turned and stared with incredulity at the Senator. “Calls? Calls about what?” His surprise and indignation was clear.
“Calls.” Nathaniel said simply and shoved his finger towards Kaito’s chest. “Calls about Taka. You put him in way too deep. You won’t be seeing him for a while.”
“What?” Kaito was immediately infuriated and his voice rose. “My son? What did you do to him?”
“What I had to.” Nathaniel wore a granite stare. He was impermeable.
“Nate! We’re talking about my son! What did you do?”
“Taka’s been removed. That’s all you need to know.”
“Removed? You can’t do that. This one was mine. I didn’t sign up for you to use my family as pawn pieces, goddamn you!”
The Senator laughed boldly. “Pawn pieces? He wasn’t a pawn until you tossed him carelessly onto the centre of the board. You knew the rules coming in. We have rules and we never waiver from those rules. Ever.”
“So what are you saying? When will I get to see him?”
“I’m saying none of us ever gets involved directly in any part of these operations. There is no need for you or me to be so embedded in the real work out there. Arms distance. That’s how it works, and that’s why it works. Work only one link down the chain. And here you go and inject your son right down at the bottom on this one, creating a line right through everything we’ve built. Right up the damn middle and straight to the top! Why the hell would you do something so foolish as place Taka in the mix with our field operatives?”
“Where’s my son, Nate?” he asked, ignoring Nathaniel’s rant.
Nathaniel carried on. “We have worked bloody hard to create this network of men who work discretely in the shadows for us—men who know the rules, trust us, and will do anything we ask of them without question. And I mean anything. Mixing your son out in front with them was just about as foolish as you can get.” He shook his head in frustration.
“He helped me get to the information I needed. And fast. You saw how fast I was able to make this happen.”
“You pompous ass! Justice is never fast! We bide our time carefully and with precision. No one can ever to know or even have a hint that outside forces were involved. And we never mix targets together. After what you just did.…” He shook his head, “…even I can’t protect Taka now.”
Kaito seemed to be at a loss for words. He stared at the Senator, looking helpless as he digested the Senator’s words.
“Protect Taka? Why would you have to protect my son?”
“All I will tell you is that he was picked up last night. He’s good, I’ll give you that. He’s denying any connection to any of this so far. Our men almost believed they had picked up the wrong kid for a while, but he is your son.”
“Jesus, Nate. We’re friends. You have no business.…”
“Friends,” he puffed, interrupting Kaito. “Consider him potential collateral damage now, and if this one goes sideways, Kaito.…” He looked Kaito squarely in both eyes to make sure Kaito was understanding him. “If this goes sideways, I do not care who your son is.”
Kaito began to blink rapidly.
“You knew what you were getting into,” Nathaniel added.
“But not my son,” Kaito pleaded. “He knows nothing about what happened last night.”
The Senator stood his ground forcefully. “The first sign I see that this is going off the rails, I’m cutting him loose.”
Kaito reeled and shook his head at the Senator. “You can’t do this! This one is not yours!”
“I can, and I will.”
Kaito swallowed hard. “You wouldn’t. You can’t.”
“There are always casualties in this business. That’s why the outcome has always been so effective. Those we allow to survive and redeem themselves have become worthy contributors to our society afterwards. Those we don’t, well…it’s for the good of the people—the nation. Your son…he.…” He shook his head again. “We don’t know where he stands at such a young age, now do we?”
The Senator stared at the man he had thought was a good fit for the organization. He still believed deep in his heart that he was an appropriate candidate, and this was just a rookie error.
“Nate.…”
“You were trusted to handle this one—in charge with full control over twelve men on two targets. Twelve of our best.”
“C’mon, Nate.…”
“No! How many of our men did Taka come in contact with?”
Kaito dropped his eyes, stared out the window, and said nothing.
“All twelve of them? Really?”
“Not all twelve,” Kaito said. He turned and glared at Nathaniel as if Nathaniel was the one out of order. “Not all twelve.…”
Nathaniel shook his head. “How many, then? Ten? Eight?”
Kaito gave a half nod. “Four,” he said. “Maybe five.”
“And you say he knows nothing. We’re done here. Don’t call me. Don’t call anyone. And Kaito…do not even try to find your son. Someone will be in touch. Five goddamned men.” Nathaniel Diamond stepped out of the car and, without turning back, walked steadfast into the terminal to check in for his flight.