Chapter 1: A Matter of Time - Matthew Beckett

[Hayabusa]

"<Russian>Look at that... the Turk and Cobb were working together," Beckett says. He can't help but grin that Cobb has something that will remember him of that day. At least he assumes that the scar was a result of the events on the oil rig. "<Russian>And it doesn't look like it was a short relationship. Makes me wonder why Polat tried to get tech to Cobb and not the other way around."

Matthew Beckett slowly reads all the info, trying to memorize what might be helpful and what not. It makes him a uneasy that the picture of his wife and child are already sixteen months old. There's the primal urge to tell Tishks to head for the US and check them himself, but that would only endanger them. He doesn't like the idea that this photograph has gotten into various hands already, but that's hardly a surprise, considering his rogue status.

"<Russian>That Agency X is creeping me out," Beckett admits. "<Russian> They knew where we were and the more I look at it, I can't help but think that they actually wanted to get us alive. Do you have anything on their or Cobb's and his associates' activity in Japan?"

[Shurijo]

OOC

Tishka hadn't known about the japanese stuff, he was just used by Polat to find you. I'll take for granted that you talked it over on the flight.

"<Russian>Ah yes." Tishka responds as he's typing away on the keyboard. He pulls up some unorganized files that he's just recently downloaded from a few servers. The articles appear to just be from local police reports and newspapers relating to gang activity within Japan. There's no international level reports concerning Matsumoto.

"<Russian>Not in these files. Very easy to track this Matsumoto. Really big crime lord there. Gang dresses up like ninja! Ha!" Tishka exclaims.

"<Russian>I wonder if he has samurai sword and geishas, too. Ha! The gang name is called the Scorpion Horde. The business card that Polat gave you is just a restaurant situated half way between a large ancient Japanese castle and a school called the Golden Blossom Academy. That school, it's one you mentioned, no? I ran the staff pay and found another Matsumoto on the pay roll. He teaches Japanese History and English. I think he's the brother of the gang leader."

With all of the information presented to Matthew to consider, Tishka locks the laptop and returns to the cockpit. A few hours later, they land at a private airport just outside of Tokyo.

The two exit the plane and are immediately greeted by two Japanese airfield personnel. They hand over an envelope to Matthew as Tishka watches from a distance.

Within the envelope, Matthew finds a note signed by Ruzgar Polat.
Jean-Pierre, Vladimir, who ever you are. I thank you for accepting my offer. I hope that you find Zeke quickly and safely. I will not forget this and I will be in your debt, unless you fail and then I would have exhausted all of my known contacts. You are my last hope on finding my son. signed - Ruzgar Polat.

The envelope also contains a small key with a tag on it. "Hanger 4"

[Hayabusa]

Well, it looks like Polat survived the ambush, Beckett thinks after he read the note and holds the key in his hand. It is a little surprising, but if Polat were dead then Beckett wouldn't have any reason to do this anyway. But he doesn't like that the Turk knows at least two of his aliases. Beckett gestures to Tishka that he is fine and after a quick, almost ironic salute to the former KBG-analyst he turns his back on the Russian, knowing that Tishka wanted to leave and wait for a call.

"<Japanese>Is there anthing else?" He asks the airfield personnel as he looks which one might be hangar 4.

[Shurijo]

The airfield personnel is taken aback by the man speaking fluent Japanese. He is used to speaking with high profile and elite people that land, but few offer to speak his own language rather than the arriving passenger's language.

"<Japanese> No sir. The envelope and supply request arrived last week. The hanger has been rented for three months and your supplies have already been brought into the hanger. The invoice is located in the hanger. We have inspected everything on the list against the invoice and the supplies are all present and accounted for."

Matthew looks around and finds that there's about a dozen small hangers located just off the taxi ways. Each has a large numeric signs to indicate the hanger numbers. His keen eyesight easily finds hanger number four about 500 meters from his present location between hangers three and five.

[Hayabusa]

Or maybe he didn't, Beckett adds in his mind. He's slightly annoyed that Polat knew that he was actually going to Japan for him, as it shows how predictable he seems to be. And Matthew Beckett doesn't like it if other people see through him that easily.

"<Japanese> Yeah, the supplies," he says as if he had forgotten them instead of not knowing about it. "<Japanese> That's fantastic, so I can get to work today. Arigatō guys."

And if the personnel doesn't say anything important, Beckett heads off towards the hangar. Beckett doesn't waste another moment as soon as he's there and after a glance around he unlocks the door and enters hangar four.

[Shurijo]

Upon entering the hanger and turning on the light, Matthew finds a new motorcycle, helmet, and related safety gear. Further back in the hanger, there's boxes of ammunition and a few guns, knives, and assorted things you'd expect an internationally known arms dealer to have at his disposal. Underneath a tarp, Beckett finds an high end luxury car that's been spec'd out for speed and fast driving and maybe some other enhancements.

A handful of the weapons and ammunition boxes look as if some items have been taken. Or maybe Beckett wasn't the first mercenary that Polat has hired this month. He can be sure that he was Polat's last hope to find Zeke and that Polat had already exhausted all other means.

On the table next to the motorcycle, lays another picture of the missing kid and a photograph of Cobb, newspaper clippings about Shinichi Matsumoto and the Scorpion Horde gang, and a stack of Japanese Yen equivalent to a several thousand dollars.

OOC

Anything you couldn't find in Russia, can be found in the hanger. Motorcyle is gassed up and key is there. Since you left your car behind, you get a shiny new bike or you can use the car (clone of your other car). There's a combat motorcycle and a spy motorcycle in agents of freedom, pick either. you have 15 eq pts to spend on it. probably won't come into play other than transportation, but it might when the threads merge.

Based on your knowledge, a motorcyle would be easier to get around Tokyo in rather than a car, but both are here for you to choose. Feel free to add whatever make/model descriptions of the items here, if you want.

You can probably determine from the note that Ruzgar had ran out of options and you were probably his last chance, after going through other mercs. the hanger items look like other mercs had used it before, but everything appears to be working just fine - you're just not the first guy Polat's hired/asked to find his son

[Hayabusa]

Beckett quickly chooses an American-made gun and a sleek knife that might be useful in a hand-to-hand combat situation, although that might be almost unlikely, considering his abilites. After choosing the weapons, he passes the vehicles, weighting the usefulness and protection of them. He prefers the speed and safety of the car, but in Tokyo it's almost useless, especially when the street are clogged with traffic and he probably won't find a convenient parking space in the city. He also studies the newspaper clippings and the photograph as he fold the notes and puts them in his pocket.

Beckett doesn't know where exactly he has to go so he looks for a map that might help him out.

OOC

I'd rather go with the car, but it's almost useless in that city so I'll go with the bike for now.