Shitamachi Scam by Michael Pronko

Author:Michael Pronko
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

Takuya took hits from his vape pen as he walked around the plaza in front of the fifty-some-story Tokyo Midtown complex in the middle of Roppongi. The vast plaza was as open as a concrete playing field. Tokyo Midtown aimed at sleek company employees, rich kids on dates, shoppers with high credit card limits, and salarymen who didn’t really have to work. The offices loomed overhead.

When the office, retail, and entertainment complex was being built, Yasui and he had hired on as laborers on the project. To get hired, you had to know someone who knew someone, hopefully with your same country accent. The excavation site was vast enough for four full-scale entry gates and deep enough for three construction hoists. There were hundreds of workers.

One day, Yasui said they should load a truck with equipment and tell the guard at one gate the stuff was needed on the other side of the excavation project. They hauled toolboxes, hoists, conveyors, trenchers, and concrete mixers into the borrowed truck and took off for the expressway to Ibaraki. Takuya’s cousin ran a construction company and was desperate for affordably priced equipment.

They repeated the heists whenever they could. Small construction companies outside Tokyo had a high demand, so Saturdays became regular load-and-drive days until a new security company took over the entry gates. After that shut down, they had to really work.

He missed that feeling of hard work. He looked up at the massive building overhead and wondered how much their heists had slowed things down. Probably not much. It had been a form of redistribution. Why should Tokyo get all the best construction equipment? The countryside needed buildings too.

He sucked on his vape pen and looked at the shop, “Bread and Coffee,” on the far side of the plaza. The outdoor tables and chairs were folded and put away, with only a few left out for those willing to brave the chill. He wanted to check out the area before they met, but it was too late. He wanted to see the guy first, but it was also too late for that.

A trio of skateboarders shot past him, close enough to touch. A sign prohibited skateboarding. He’d never had time to learn when he was young. He was always working.

He stopped in the middle of the plaza and checked his messages. There was only one from Misaki, asking him to come by later to help close up.

He messaged he had a meeting.

“Please!” she wrote in English, followed by a row of emojis. She was short-handed.

He said he’d be by after his meeting.

Being chased through the streets reminded him he wasn’t getting younger. He’d talk with Misaki and see what she was thinking. Somehow, he’d have to change things. Being the best sagi guy in Tokyo was fine, but he couldn’t do that forever.

As he eyed the coffee and bread shop, he paid attention to everyone who passed by. It was nearly sunset and brisk, with the sun dipping behind the buildings.

A tall, thin man in a black jacket walked by.

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