Heroes Return VI: Book One London Chapter 11

 

11.

 

Nayland discarded his coolie disguise and was back at his regular drinking stop, nursing the stout he was served. It was like any ordinary English drinking spot, Lancelot’s Trough, the wooden entrance to the rowdy bar, where the regular patrons mingled at the four round tables or the long bar, taking their drinks and sharing lewd topics. On that afternoon, it was filled to the brim, and Nayland took his regular seat by the long bar.

The bartender was busy cleaning his glasses when the newly arrived patron walked in. Calvin, the bartender, has a good eye on all his patrons and knows his regulars like the back of his hand, most times forgetting what they like but not their looks.

An ale, bitter or mild, dark, or brown, comes with the mood. The choice may change the shape of your mood in different ways.” Calvin learned from his serving. “Old Paddy may win at the horses and ask for a pint of ale or lose at them and ask for a bitter ale. He has his choices known, and I served them.”

“Drink, guvnor?” Calvin stepped to the spot opposite the newly arrived. He had studied the man who stepped in. The dark frock coat over the lighter pants and working shoes complete with a top hat. The frock coat had a slight bulge under the left armpit. The man was looking at the bar counter when he sat down, two seats from Nayland from the left.

“A pint of the old ale, please.” The person muttered, but Calvin picked up the syllable. The bartender turned to serving then.

It happened fast, and Nayland was off his seat when the butcher knife swung at his face. He stepped back and looked at the attacker. The man who attacked him had he knife taken from the frock coat and was leveled at Nayland.

“Die…" The attacker barely finished his sentence when the long-handled club held by Calvin impacted the back of his head. The attack fell to the floor. Nayland stepped over and kicked the knife away.

“Bloody good move, Calvin.” Nayland smiled.

“Bloody effort of his on my regular deserved a whack on the head.” Calvin replaced his club. The other patrons cheered the effort by the bartender.

“Good on you, Calvin.” One of the patrons cheered. “We know you got our back any day.”

“Well, as long as you cleared your tabs here.” Calvin replied. He then looked at Nayland. “Your pal here needs some work on his choice of hospitality. I do not condone bad manners.”

It would have ended then, but the attacker has pals outside who stormed in. Three of them charged at Nayland swinging ice picks. They were all similarly dressed and equally vicious in their movements.

The right attacker did an upper swing at Nayland, who ducked on the move and used his body to slam into the middle one. His body slam propels them into the doorway, and there Nayland rolled aside to avoid the left attacker. The left attacker's ice pick barely missed Nayland, but the latter was moving further to the right. He grabbed a chair and swung it at the attacker. The chair impacted the left attacker on the chest, and then Nayland used the momentum to swing the chair at the other remaining attacker.

Three of his attackers were on the flooring, and Nayland looked to Calvin for assistance.

“Have a go, mate.” Calvin tossed the club over. The club was made from hardwood, and measured two feet with the heavier dimension on the end. It was a handy weapon for bludgeoning. Nayland caught it with his right hand and swung the club at the nearest left attacker. It impacted hard on the side of the head, and then with his intent, he thrust the club into the middle attacker's face and did a tight twist of his right wrist to swing the club into the last attacker.

“How’s that?” Nayland called out in glee. The other patrons joined in and grabbed the attackers by their limbs to toss them out.

“Drinks on me.” Nayland laughed. He then picked up the ice pick and examined it. The design consists of a sharp metal spike attached to a handle. During the era then, ice blocks were gathered from frozen water sources and distributed to nearby homes. Ice picks were used to easily cut the blocks into smaller pieces for use. its availability and ability to puncture the skin easily, the ice pick has sometimes been used as a weapon. 

“Ice breakers?” Calvin asked.

“Nay, probably killers who preferred that weapon.” Nayland shook his head. He then excused himself and walked to the Foreign Office.

“Bloody time you took there.” Mycroft took a puff on his cigar, seated at the chamber assigned to him. “If I had known you would be late, I would have suggested the club.”

“I have my share of the club today. I did find it useful to stop three attackers.” Nayland sat himself on the seat in front of Mycroft’s desk.

“Attacked? By golly, you are an attraction from the murderous chaps.” Mycroft smiled.

“A lady once. All I said to her was "Good day.” Nayland sighed.

“Probably sounded like a good lay to her given your East London accent.” Mycroft smiled. “And …….”

“Why am I recalled here?” Nayland cut to the subject matter.

“I have a new threat. Fu Manchu is in hibernation, presumably. The new threat here is the Oni Society.” Mycroft placed the cigar on the ashtray. “The Minister of Exchequer and other notable names have been murdered. I need your expertise to work on this.”

“One, I am not an expert on the Oni Society. I heard of them when I was in China. Two, I am a field operative and not a detective.”

“Nayland, I am assigning you to work with Doctor Mitsui Ogata. He is…."

“He is a… His name is known to me. From my reading, he is top-ranked, and there were reasons that he may be more than any dignitary. He …….”

“He brought up the issue to us just before the murder of the minister. We are trying to find the link here. but without having someone working with him, I cannot place the link at all.”

“Why not Ito Matsuke?” Nayland asked. “He is……"

“He is… for now, unrelated here.” Mycroft looked at Nayland.

“Hold your barrels there, Mycroft. Are you telling me Ito could be involved?”

“I am not to deny or comment on that. You will work with Doctor Mitsui Ogata. He is at the Brown’s Hotel, Dover Street. He will meet you for afternoon tea. Or perhaps not, but be a good lad; keep an eye on him."

Meanwhile, Doctor Mitsui Ogata was having his early lunch at the café near the hotel. He was having the taste of the legendary “Hot Brown” sandwich, an open-face turkey sandwich with bacon, pimentos, and a delicate mornay sauce. It was not from the hotel but a replica nearby at the café. It was a small café that had the sign; we served the second-best sandwich at an affordable price. He was served a pot of tea with the dainty cup. There were four tables inside, and only two tables were occupied.

“May I take a seat?” The Japanese did not look up to the one who asked. He was staring at the spread of the sandwich. The figure took the seat opposite of him, and it was a lady dressed in the sequined dress and round hat.

“The professor will address you now. He is seated behind you.” The lady smiled.

“Pardon the theatrics here, but I am a careful person.” The man seated back-to-back with the Japanese spoke.

“No, explanation required.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata replied and wrapped his right fingers around the cup of tea. “How are you, Professor Moriarty?”

“Absolutely well, Doctor Mitsui Ogata. Welcome to London…. Well, officially in your presence.”

“Arigato, Professor. I am here on diplomatic channels.” The other smiled. “I was expecting you……. Much later. How is the emperor?”

“Fu Manchu? I heard he is doing well at the retreat of his. He is not your concern here, I presumed.” The man addressed the professor, as he said. “Your presence here officially as the ranking member of the Empire of Japan is most intriguing, but will there be a conflict of interest to the Oni Society’s?”

“I am here on an official matter of…both," Doctor Mitsui Ogata replied. “One, for the ruling government, who has expressed the desire to form the treasury functions like the Bank of England.”

"Officially it may be the objective, but your true purpose was to retrieve the mining details of the dark continent.” The professor said. “Forming the Treasury Bank is only better if the vaults are loaded with items of value.”

“You are well informed, Professor.”

“The variables led to the equation. Minister Leeson was the one variable. The other killings were deemed random, but they formed a series of patterns.” The professor took his sip of tea. “Most notably, on the mining of minerals and Africa.”

“You are making too many presumptions.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata smiled at the lady. “Mining is not a major variable in Africa……… now. Cultivation of rubber takes precedence.”

“It was then, but the variables pointed to your society. In the last six months, members of the society were seen in London, Dover, and even Glasgow. They were then identified at the scenes of the killings. The killing methods were precise, and their task was to retrieve the needed reports.”

“These may be random killings and do not add to one equation.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata smiled. “I believed the numbers were low here in London; perhaps around five hundred per annum.”

“I disagreed. Those were the reported ones, but the undiscovered ones added up twice the number.” The professor sounded his unfactored variable. “Back to the society. You are here because the results of your disciples are incomplete, and you needed conclusive reports, which the minister was deemed to hold. And more to it, three of your disciples are missing, presumably dead, and you suspected that I was involved.”

“I do not have that conclusion, Professor.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata smiled. “But it did cross my mind.”

“Viola! You came here to challenge me. Doctor Mitsui Ogata, there is a Western saying, "The town isn't big for the two of us.” The professor smiled. “I have one named Holmes on my… stepping on my shadow there.”

“I……"

“Pardon me, Doctor Mitsui Ogata. What baffles me is why you acted so brash on the minister? He was your final variable, and yet you had him killed.”

“I applaud you, Professor. But your variables here may be in error.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata said. “One, I did not kill the… nor was instrumental in the killing of the minister. It was told to me. I was surprised there. He was another puzzle to my needs, or the opening to a bigger puzzle, and yet he was… killed."

“Two, I was surprised that Sherlock Holmes was called in to the discussion. I did not request his presence.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata took another sip of the tea. “However, you are generous to tell me that to tell you of my disciples here. I was missing three of them, but being killed was not in my variable of assumption. Since you laid out that variable, I will take it as the factor of their disappearance.”

“However, the works of the Oni Society do not get overlooked in my backyard. I lay down the rules and conditions here. No one acts here without my permission, including your disciple, Ito Matsuke.” Professor Moriarty made his point across. “Now that we are mutually understood and there are no more open variables, please. May I suggest that you take caution in your stay here.” The professor said. “And do take the sandwich at the hotel. It is the best and worthy of being included in your expense billings.”

“Arigato, Professor.” Doctor Mitsui Ogata smiled once more. He saw the glance of the lady over his left shoulder. “I believed the professor had left the café.”

“Good day, Doctor Mitsui Ogata.” The lady stood up and waggled off to the doorway. The doctor turned his back and saw the arrival of new patrons to the café. He then left and walked to the hotel. A telegram was sent that day to Tokyo.