A Moder Nemo 38

Onodera started. He spat out the cigarette the moment he saw Hayashi leap to his feet. He was, however, unable to train his rifle on Mori as the Dutch giant tossed his beer can away and went back to eyeing him through his scope. 

Onodera clenched his teeth. "Of all people, it had to be you, big guy," he grumbled.

The giant merely smiled.

"Using scissors again, Ryuichi-kun?" remarked Mori as Hayashi's scissors slammed against his left chisel. "You're getting soft. Using the same weapon again; where's your creativity? Have you forgotten the EOGC special forces' motto?"

Hayashi leaped back. "How could I not forget?" he snapped. "But it doesn't matter when I'm dealing with you!"

Mori straightened himself and took a step back. "Then say it, my friend," he said, "you who are still with the EOGC special forces."

Hayashi paused and stared at Mori. The latter smiled,  took a step back with his right foot and bent his legs.

"Armamentarium," said Mori in latin, raising his left chisel with the blade pointing in a downward, diagonal, outward and forward direction.

"Meum," followed Hayashi. He also took a step backward with his right foot and bent his legs. He held his scissors in an outward, horizontal position.

"Mundum," continued Mori, bringing his right chisel near his left elbow.

"Est," concluded Hayashi as he brought his left fist -holding the shot glass behind his right fist.

Before Mori could do anything Hayashi threw his glass at the former, who deflected it with his right chisel.

"Now that's the Ryuichi-kun I know!" Mori exclaimed. "Looks like I'm going to enjoy this fight!"

"Bring it on, Taro Mori!" Hayashi cried.

Both men charged at each other, eager for blood.

A Modern Nemo 37

Mori laughed again upon seeing the look of disappointment of Hayashi's face. "So," he said, "now that we've run into a dead end, why not we talk about something else? Let's talk about things going on back home."

"Home?" Hayashi snarled. "You don't have any home."

"We both lost our homes when we fled Japan as refugees, Ryuichi-kun," said Mori after emptying his glass. "The EOGC took us in."

"You left."

Hayashi finished his glass in one gulp.

"Oh, but I'm always intent on returning, Ryuichi-kun, no?"

"After always causing trouble."

"Oh, I have to earn a living."

"By wreaking havoc wherever it is you go."

"Let's not talk about me, Ryuichi-kun. Let's talk about you," said Mori ashe leaned forward. "How's your sister?"

Instantly, Hayashi leaped to his feet. He pulled out another pair of scissors. "Don't you ever talk about my sister!" he snapped.

"Why not, Ryuichi-kun?" sneered Mori. "I used to have a crush on her."

"The path she took, she took on her own free will! You were in her way! You have no right to follow her, you scum!"

Mori rose slowly. "So like you, Ryuichi-kun. Always shrinking her options and keeping an eye on her," he hissed. "She's a bird in a beautiful cage; it's called a convent."

"Shut up, Taro!"

Mori dropped his glass and the wine bottle. Almost immediately a pair of chisels slithered, handles first, into his hands from the sleeves of his blazer.

"Don't deny it, Ryuichi-kun,"said Mori as Hayashi took a step back. "A control-freak of an older brother like you maneuvered her into taking that kind of life."

"Shut up!" cried Hayashi as he swung his scissors at Mori.

A Modern Nemo 36

Onodera clenched his teeth. Mori was looking at him, right through his crosshairs, and smiling. Now he had to watch both Mori and the giant. The playing field was leveled; now both snipers were watching each other as well as their men on the ground.

Mori reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of shot glasses. He tossed one to Hayashi. Hayashi caught the glass as Mori approached him, holding the bottle out.

"Mavrodafni," noted Hayashi,eyeing the wine. "I prefer retsina."

Mori chuckled. "Let's talk," he said.

Onodera's smartphone buzzed. He ignored it, even as it vibrated repeatedly in his coat pocket. Finally, he noticed movement on the giant's side.

Joop pulled his phone out and waved it playfully at Onodera.

Realizing he was being contacted by the dutch giant, Onodera pulled out his phone and saw a missed call and a text message.

"Hi there, 4 eyes." read the text. "This will take a while. Why don't we just sit down and cool off?"

Onodera looked back through his scope and saw the dutch giant wave a can of beer. He sent a reply. "Don't mind if I do, Necker D. Wrecker." it read.

The dutch giant grinned, popped the can open, inserted a straw and started drinking. Onodera lit a cigarette.

Hayashi tasted the mavrodafni  as he and Mori seated themselves among the rocks. The wine was sweet, with tones of chocolate and raisins. Mori drank from his glass, looked up and closed his eyes for a moment. "So, Ryuichi-kun," he began, "what's made you so interested in my employer's business?"

"Nothing, Taro-kun," Hayashi replied, "I'm just following orders."

"Part of the background work again, eh?"

Hayashi glanced at Mori irritably and continued drinking.

"Eh?" asked Mori, leaning forward.

Hayashi continued drinking.

"Eh?"persisted Mori, leaning closer.

"You're getting too close to my face."

Mori leaned back and laughed.

"It strikes me as odd that your boss is gathering all his ships in one place instead having them ply the shipping routes," Hayashi continued.

"And what of concern is that to Eric Ong?"

Hayashi looked at Mori suspiciously.

"Oh, you can trust me," said Mori, waving a hand. "I don't exactly like my employer. I'm just in here for the money."

"You are truly a mercenary, you know that?" said Hayashi as he held out his glass for a refill. "It's abnormal, the movement of your ships."

"It is, but what do I care?"

"This huge fleet of ships will make its way through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, won't it?" said Hayashi. "Konstantiniadis wouldn't go all this way to bring a huge fleet of ships to Greece and not have everybody on board them disembark permanently."

Mori laughed. "At least you know that much," he chuckled.

"And then what?" Mori persisted. "What then, when you reach the Indian Ocean?"

"I don't know, Ryuichi-kun," Mori replied as he filled Hayashi's glass as well as his. "Your guess is as good as mine. Even Konstantiniadis' pick-ups have no idea where they're going."

"Damn it; this is a dead end."