The Sound Empress: Chapter 7
Brief synopsis: The failure of Kari's disguise and alias, Jung Moon, forced the Japanese government to relocate her to someplace more remote. Kari, although groggy, complies.
The next morning proved to be rough as well. My phone began to ring at about 4 in the morning, which exacerbated the headache that I had. The phone did not show a number or a name, which I viewed as being highly suspect, especially since it’s early in the morning.
“Ughh…” I groaned, still half awake. I then picked up the phone.
“Hello? Who is… is this?” The words were not coming out of my head clearly at this point.
“This is Quentin, from the Cabinet Secretariat. Nari, a friend of yours, forwarded me some images that you took from the Korean Origin Force recruitment office.”
“Okay. Why did you need to call me so early in the morning then? I was sound asleep.”
“I apologize for that. But the message I have is important. It will be key for you to survive, and potentially get closer to finding the headquarters of this organization.”
“Can’t it wait until the sun comes up? Or at least a more reasonable hour. 4 am in the morning is not a reasonable time.”
“Negative.”
“Fine,” I said in a hoarse voice. “But make it quick. I don’t want to have a screwed up sleep schedule.”
“First, I made you an identification card for your alias, Jung Moon. You will need to pick it up at your local post office.”
“Fair enough. I suppose I will need it since the group now knows my real identity.”
“Correct. I also advise finding a new, temporary place to live, as I have deemed your place not safe to live in for the time being.”
I was puzzled. At a new place, I wouldn’t have the tools I needed to hear the various sound recordings. I then asked if I could bring my phonograph over to the new place.
“We will bring over any equipment that you need from your current residence, as well as any supplies you need to live. We will also ensure you are near a sound dispenser machine, so that you can get any intel from us, the Japanese government, and from the Korean Origin Force.”
“That makes me a bit more secure. Where am I going to go though?”
“We will be sending you to an unmarked building in Ashigakubo. It’s sparsely populated, so the force will be unlikely to track you down. In addition, military personnel will come and supply you with the necessary foodstuffs and medical supplies.”
Ashigakubo? I don’t believe I ever ventured out there. In fact, neither I nor my parents had ever gone to the province that Ashigakubo is in. This suggests why the Japanese government wants me to go there. The relative remoteness of the place should mean that I won’t face too many people.
“Be prepared to leave by 9 am, sharp. A military convoy will be coming to pick you up and someone will come to secure your home.”
“Okay. Just one more question before I hang up. Once I get rid of the force, will I be allowed to return to my home?”
“Yes, you could return to your home. However, since you will be given the title of empress, there will be no need to return, as you will be in Tokyo, at the Hall of the Imperial Palace.”
I had no words at this point. At this point the line went dead.
An apparent heaviness fell on my brain. My life, as I knew it, would have to change, as a result of the failure to join the origin force, and the force now knowing my true identity. At least, until I dismantled it, or until I died. I gulped at the thought of that.
The next few hours involved me gathering the necessary supplies that I would need for this trip. I packed the clothes that I had thrown into the garbage because they failed me, the copious notes I made regarding the group and the sound dispenser machines, and I disassembled the phonograph and placed the parts back into the box that originally had the kit. I also took the necessary tools to put it back together, so that whenever I get more cans or bottles with messages recorded on them, I would be able to play them back.
Next, at 7:30, I left the apartment to head to the local post office. It was raining still from yesterday, which was just great. Luckily the office isn’t too far from my place. The people already knew that I was coming for a package from the government, and they had it ready for me. The package was a small white envelope, with the name Jung Moon written on it. This was obviously addressed to me, even though it took a moment to realize it. I thanked the workers there, as they obviously took time to come here to accommodate my situation.
It was hardly 15 minutes later when I returned back to the apartment. I then had breakfast, using the leftovers I had in the fridge. Clearly, when I return anything in the fridge would be spoiled. So I ensured that I ate as much as I could for breakfast. This included: some marinated pork, some bread, some rice, a nice glass of milk, and a piece of chocolate.
I gobbled the food down quickly, just in the case the convoy would come early for me. It was a big mistake from me. My stomach was churning away. It almost felt like a tempest was brewing inside of me, ready to knock me down with nausea.
“Oh god… this day keeps getting better and better,” I said quietly and sarcastically.
With breakfast out of the way, I opened up the envelope that I got from the post office with a kitchen knife. The package had the imperial seal on it, denoting that it was an official package from the Japanese government. Inside of the envelope was a letter, a birth certificate and an identification card. The letter read:
Kari:
Enclosed are the following papers that will prove your identity, until further notice:
One (1) birth certificate
One (1) identification card
These contain the name of your alias, Jung Moon, which you will use in all correspondences with us, as well as any other person. Do not use any papers that identify you as Kari Nakajimi. Leave any such papers at your old residence. Military personnel will keep your old identification documents safe.
You should have received a phone call from a member of the Cabinet Secretariat stating your assigned place of residence. If not, you should receive one shortly.
When you leave, you are only allowed to take anything that would help you with your job with the government, and the identification papers described above, as well as any medicine that you need to take. If an item in your house is bulky, and you can’t take it with you, please mark it with a piece of paper. We will then take it to you at our earliest convenience, once we have ensured you have made it to your assigned residence safely. Any other stuff will be kept safe by military personnel.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The letter was then signed by Narito Asoka, the director of the Cabinet Secretariat, and the Emperor, alongside the imperial seal.
I also briefly examined the birth certificate and the identification card. These looked very much like the documents I have for my real name, except for the name. The picture was also slightly different on the ID card compared to my current one, although someone could buy the image as being me, if they took a quick glance at me.
With everything packed up, I anxiously awaited the convoy to pick me up at my residence. Just before the stroke of 9 am I waited outside the door of my apartment, with the key to it in my hand and the stuff that I needed to take in my purse. A convoy of a truck and two cars came up to my residence not long afterward. A tall man, muscularly built, came out of the car behind the truck. He towered over me and put his hand out, expecting me to give him the key. Reluctantly (he was quite massive, after all), I gave the key to the apartment to him. Two more men came in as well, and they took station right outside my door. They had their rifles drawn, just in case any intruders wanted to come and loot my place. Then the driver of the van then called me over:
“Jung! Get in the van through the back door. You will be sitting in the back.”
As much as I didn’t like being called by my alias, I obliged. I put the stuff underneath the bench on the side of the van, and then I sat down.
There was nothing really of note in here. The walls of the van were painted in a drab green color, and there were no windows for me to see where we were exactly going. There wasn’t even a window in the front of my compartment for me to see or communicate with the driver.
I tried to go back to sleep, as I was quite tired at this point. This proved to be in vain, as feelings of claustrophobia began to creep in my mind. These feelings were due to me being unable to ground myself with the surroundings. Also, the roads we were on were quite bumpy. Presumably, we were avoiding any main roads, to avoid being detected. All of this made me feel quite uncomfortable.
After some time (I honestly don’t know how much time. I had no way to get hints from the surroundings what the time was, and my phone was not working, for whatever reason, even though it was working right before I got in the van), I felt the van come to an abrupt stop. Did we make it to our destination? Or was it another traffic jam which forced us to stop?
There was a knock on the door in the back of the van, and then the door opened. The light from outside crept into the van. As my eyes grew quite accustomed to the low light situation inside the van, the instruction of this light effectively blinded me for a moment.
“Get out, Jung. We are here.”
I moaned a bit as I got up and got the stuff underneath me. I gave the stuff to the driver, as I needed to grab onto the handles on the van to get out without falling. The driver then gave back the stuff he gave me, and then he slowly led me to the new place.
The house that the driver led me to was quite a bit larger than the place I was in previously. It was on a hill that was overlooking the center of town and the train station. I could see the post office nearby, which looked to be directly below me. The house itself had a dark brown roof with two stories, which I would have to myself. The interior walls were painted in an off-white, and there were few windows. The driver then said to me: “Well, here is the place.” He handed me the key to the house. “And that’s the key to enter it. Good luck!” He began to walk away, saying something on his walkie talkie. I couldn’t quite decipher what he was saying, but I think it was something along the lines that I made it to the place safely.
Anyway, I used the key to unlock the front door to the establishment. Upon doing so, I entered a small foyer, which had two entrances to other rooms and a staircase to the second floor. Going to the left yielded a small living room, equipped with a TV, a blue plush chair, and a small end table. Exiting the room and going to the other side of the house, there was a kitchen and a small spice closet. The kitchen had the usual things you would expect in a kitchen: a fridge, some cabinets, a sink, and an oven. There were a few appliances as well, including a microwave.
Going upstairs led me to another foyer, which had only one entrance. Going through this one brought me to a bedroom, equipped with a separate bath. There was a closet as well, which I immediately thought would be a good place for me to set up my phonograph. There was a bed in the room, and on the sheets there was a note on it. I picked it up and began to read it:
Jung:
If you are reading this, then you have successfully made it to your new residence. We have supplied you with a few outfits which you can find in the dresser opposite of the entrance to the bedroom. We also have equipped this place with telephone and television service so that you can get the latest news and communicate with us and Nari. Do not use the telephone for any other purposes, for we may call at any time. This is because some of the information we will provide needs to be transmitted to you in a time sensitive manner. Also, do not answer the door unless it’s Nari or a government official. Always ask who is at the door before allowing people in.
The nearest post office is just below the house. To get there, just walk down the side road that leads you to this house, until you get to the main road, route 299. Then make a left. The post office is the first building.
The nearest sound dispenser can be found by the district office. Once you get to the main road, make a right, go past the train station, and then the first building after it will be the office.
Good luck in destroying the Korean Origin Force.
The note was signed by Narito, the emperor, and the imperial seal was on it.
Well, guess I will need to get comfortable here, and then continue in my quest for finding information about the force.