The Navidad Incident by Natsuki Ikezawa Page A

wits with Suzuki, when not fifteen minutes later in barges Katsumata. Once again, unannounced.
    â€œI’m in a meeting,” hisses Matías. Ordinarily he can overlook the clown’s lack of manners, but not while he’s receiving important visitors from abroad. And especially not when the subject of discussion is the restructuring of Katsumata’s Island Security.
    â€œSorry,” stammers Katsumata in a clumsy stage whisper. “Emergency.”
    All right, this emergency had better be good , thinks Matías, grabbing him by the arm to walk him back toward the door. “Okay, out with it!”
    â€œThe veterans delegation … they’re missing,” says Katsumata just out of Suzuki’s hearing range.
    â€œThey’re what? Did some of them wander off somewhere?”
    â€œN-no, all of them, they’re just gone.”
    Got to think here. If it’s anything like what he seems to be saying, we might just have a sticky situation . “We can’t talk here,” says Matías, who turns to tell Suzuki there’ll be a brief recess, then drags Katsumata into the next room and slams the door. “Start explaining!”
    â€œThis morning at nine o’clock we held the bus tour launch at the Shinto shrine, right?”
    I know , thinks Matías, I was there. The Ministry of Welfare escort duly lectured everyone on keeping pomp to a minimum, so it finished quickly. No burning flags, no fainting old men, and the remains of the toppled torii gate cleared away as per orders. No one who hadn’t been there recently would notice anything amiss. Matías waved goodbye to their yellow-and-green-striped bus. Yes, everything went smoothly this morning.
    â€œAccording to today’s schedule, they were supposed to go by bus to Diego and walk into the jungle for the first memorial service.”
    I know that too, thank you . Matías had reviewed the schedule several times over. Diego had been the site of a Japanese Navy Wireless Corps outpost.
    â€œAfter that, lunch at Tonoy House, then on to Sonn.”
    â€œAnd another memorial service in Sonn, then back to the hotel,” Matías cuts in curtly.
    â€œBut,” says Katsumata, pausing theatrically, “the bus never arrived in Diego. At two o’clock, Tonoy House calls the Foreign Office asking when they’re going to arrive. The Foreign Office calls us, and we send out our motorcycle. The bike phones in from Tonoy House, no sign of any bus anywhere between here and Diego.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous. Then what?”
    â€œWe send out a Jeep with three more guards. The bike goes on ahead to search the road to Sonn and all side roads in between. Nothing. That’s when I thought I’d better report in, so I came here.”
    â€œWhat in hell’s name is going on?”
    â€œNo way anyone could get lost on that road.”
    â€œThat’s for sure. Straight line, ten kilometers at most.”
    â€œNo, ten miles. That’s sixteen kilometers.”
    â€œWhatever. Doesn’t the motorcycle officer have a mobile phone?”
    â€œIt’s broken.”
    â€œSo why didn’t you have it fixed?”
    â€œNo parts.”
    â€œDid you send anyone beyond Sonn? To Naafa, for instance?”
    â€œNo, wanted to wait for word from Sonn. They’ve got to be somewhere between here and Sonn.”
    â€œLet’s go look.” President Matías Guili strikes a decisive pose. “I’m coming along.”
    Katsumata just nods. This time, apparently, he sees how serious the situation is. Too many people involved here. And not just anyone, important guests of state. If word gets out, he’ll never hear the end of it.
    â€œYou go by Island Security Jeep. I’ll take the Nissan. We’ll meet up in front of the Public Works Bureau. And get all your info straight by then. At least I’ll be able to use the car radio.” Matías practically pushes