CH 6.2

Yuto felt slightly nauseous. Could Manning’s morals be any more rotten?

“Encouraged by the results of my case, Manning began to gather kids of all ethnicities to bring them to this camp. Ricky and Brian were part of that group. I became their leader, and began to work not only in Colombia but in the USA as well. —Imagine this, Yuto. Snipe someone with a rifle, you’re patted on the head and told that you are a good boy. Capture a guerilla and torture him brutally to extract information, and you’re commended for excellent work. I’m not trying to defend myself, but you can’t expect me to have much decency left after growing up in an environment like this.”

Yuto’s gaze wandered as he tried to search for the right words. He knew it was unacceptable to acknowledge Corvus’ excuse. No matter how sympathetic he was for the man’s situation, he knew that he could never nod and tell him he was right.

“No matter how you were raised, you should know that what you’re doing is considered a crime.”

“Yeah, I know. But it’s hard to change my ways when they’re so ingrained. For example, what if I told you that you’re actually a woman? Would you be able to live as a woman starting tomorrow?”

“Stop trying to twist the argument.”

“I’m not. That’s exactly how it’s like for me. Doing dirty work for Manning has been my raison d’être. Literally, my reason to live.”

Corvus wiped his mouth with a napkin and gazed at the wavering flame of the candle on its stand.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it,” he murmured. “Even if Manning hadn’t taken me in and I’d continued to live with the guerillas, I might have ended up doing their deeds, kidnapping people and setting bombs in the streets. Either way, I was never meant to live in a peaceful world.”

After their meal, Yuto was bound in his shackles again and returned to the first room. Yuto knew he needed to save his energy in case of an emergency. He crawled into bed and closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep. Even though his body was tired, his nerves were evidently still on edge; sleep did not come easily.

“Don’t you notice your mind becoming twisted the longer you live here?”

Out of the blue, Yuto remembered the words that Corvus had said to him back in prison, when they were talking in the library. Corvus, playing a model prisoner called Nathan, had been in anguish over the current state of prisons being operated like businesses.

On deeper thought, Yuto had a feeling that Corvus’ words also encompassed his dissatisfaction toward American society as a whole. The prison was like a miniature version of society, exploited by corporations and governments for money. The victims were the criminals who had fallen through society’s cracks.

Yuto also remembered something else Corvus had said.

“Human hearts tend to be just as elastic as our brains. It’ll take the shape of any vessel it’s put into, whether it be round or square. Humans are controlled by the environment around them.”

Perhaps Corvus was making a jab at himself when he said it.

Corvus’ actions were unacceptable — atrocities that could never be forgiven. However, Yuto couldn’t help but wonder if Corvus wasn’t a victim, too, after learning about his unfortunate upbringing.

Rob had said that the law existed because there was no such thing as absolute justice or absolute sin. But the law was not perfect. Yuto knew this fact well from being declared guilty of a crime he didn’t commit.

Yuto’s determination to bring Corvus before the law remained unchanged. But now, he wasn’t sure if that would solve all of their problems.

The torrential rain cast a haze over the scenery. Yuto stood by the window in Corvus’ room, looking outside. It had been a week since they arrived at the camp, and it had been raining nonstop for the past three days. Perhaps it was the rainy season. On sunny days, he could usually see soldiers training on the grounds, but now the place was deserted. They were probably inside maintaining their weapons.

With every passing day Yuto that spent at the camp, he got a better idea of the place. There were about thirty soldiers in total, and two-thirds of them were Colombians. The rest were probably raised at the camp, like Corvus was. He could tell that they were born-and-bred military men from their sharp gaze and brisk movements.

The camp was heavily secured, with guards keeping watch twenty-four hours a day. Soldiers also patrolled the camp every hour. His chances of escaping unharmed were slim.

“Sorry for the wait, Yuto. Let’s have lunch.”

Corvus opened the door and let himself in. He was holding a tray. Once Corvus was inside, Ricky closed the door from the hallway. Ricky or Brian were always stationed outside with a machine gun, in the same way as Yuto’s first day.

“Today’s lunch is a French dip sandwich. Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee it’ll be good, since I made it myself.”

Yuto’s shackles had been taken off upon entering the room. He drew a chair and sat down in his usual spot.

“Corvus, how long are we staying here?”

“Getting bored? You’ll have to put up with a bit more of it. I’m on holiday. I’m actually enjoying myself every day, having you as a guest. Aren’t you enjoying yourself?”

“Why would I enjoy being imprisoned?” Yuto said scornfully.

“That’s a shame,” said Corvus with a sigh. “I’m trying to treat you well, you know.”

As Corvus said, there were no issues with how he was being treated. He had a clean bed, and was provided three full meals a day. However, Yuto’s irritation only mounted as every day passed, uneventful as the last.

“I plan to go back to New York soon. There’s a big job waiting for me. But I’ll be back soon once it’s finished. After that, I’m thinking of taking you with me to do some travelling. Good idea, isn’t it?”

“Think again. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Oh, come on, Yuto. It’s so lonely going by myself.” Corvus genuinely sounded like he was begging.

“You have so many comrades here. Go with them.”

“Sure, they’re obedient to me, but they’re too afraid of me to see me as a friend. You’re different, though. You’re not afraid of me at all, even after finding out who I really am. Guys like you are hard to come by.”

“So you say, and then you’ll kill me as soon as I become inconvenient,” Yuto said coldly. Corvus smiled mirthfully.

“You understand me well. You’re neither pessimistic nor overly optimistic. That’s what I love about you.”

Yuto sank his teeth into his sandwich and thought about Corvus’ trip to New York. What was this “big job” that he was talking about?

“Where in New York are you going?”

“Manhattan. I’m going to the Marquiladin again.”

Yuto furrowed his brow, wondering what for, then remembered something.

“Apparently they’re also using this venue to hold the reception for their international summit happening next month,” Jessica had said to Rob when he complimented the extravagant ballroom.

“—Are you saying that Marquiladin is the Alpha? Your next bombing is going to be the reception party for the international summit?”

“Yeah,” Corvus said, his eyes twinkling. Yuto could only stare speechlessly.

“Perfect place to hold the grand finale of fireworks, don’t you think? The world’s attention is going to be on that beautiful stage before it instantly turns into a tragic bloodbath. The reputation of the US will be in tatters.”

Yuto shivered at Corvus’ horrific plan.

He knew that joining the points of Corvus’ previous bombings on a map resulted in the Corvus constellation; however, up until now, he had only a vague idea that his last bomb site would be in New York, specifically somewhere in Manhattan.

Corvus was targeting all the international leaders that would be present at the party.

“Are those Manning’s orders, too?”

“Of course not. He would never do anything that would negatively affect the US government. He only let the other small terror incidents slide because they were convenient for him. He’s really against the next bombing.”

“Why…” Yuto said, unable to understand. “Why would you betray Manning? You were always an extension of him. Why would you go against his orders now?”

Corvus did not answer him immediately. It was almost like he was internally questioning himself about the meaning of his actions for the first time.

“Come here,” Corvus said, standing from his chair to look out the window.

Yuto drew up beside Corvus, still not understanding, and looked outside.

“Look at the area around that mountain over there. It might be too far away to see, but can you tell what’s growing in those fields?”

“Coca plants?”

“Yeah. The farmers of this country have no choice but to plant and harvest coca to make a living. The US sprays herbicides from the air, which has ruined the soil. Even farmers who were planting legal crops have had to turn to coca. We might be criticized as a country for being a cocaine supplier, but these people are desperate to survive. There’s been a civil war going on for over forty years, and abduction and terrorism are everyday occurrences. Government aid can’t be counted on. In fact, the government is completely under America’s thumb.”

Corvus stroked the window with his fingertip.

“Do you think this country is poor?” he asked Yuto.

“I do get that impression.”

“As I thought. But this country is actually very rich. It looks out onto two different oceans – the Pacific and Caribbean; it has the Amazon rainforests; it has the Andes mountains with their perpetual snow. Its diverse natural landscapes shelter a myriad of plants and animals. It’s rich in mineral resources like oil and coal. It also produces a lot of gold, platinum, and emerald. But the people are suffering in poverty, bleeding from the wounds of civil war. America’s meddling is only tearing this country apart.”

“—Are you saying that this is your revenge against the US?”

Corvus smiled wanly and shook his head.

“I don’t plan to gloss over what I’m doing with such a lofty term. It’s just that there’s a chaotic mix of different realities writhing inside me, expanding and looking for a way out. I just feel like launching a big firework would make me feel a bit better. Flashy performances are exhilarating, after all.”

Yuto felt all of the energy leave him. What was Corvus’ true intent? Whenever he felt like he had understood the man a little more, he would lose sight of him again in the next moment. What was driving Corvus? Was it anger, pleasure, destructive impulses, or desire for complete ruin? The man remained inscrutable, no matter how much he conversed with him.

But he knew one thing for sure: Corvus had no clear self-identity. He had no nationality, no knowledge of his parents, and had lived shrouded in darkness with only Manning’s orders to follow. He didn’t know what was right or wrong, or what he should and shouldn’t do. Perhaps he himself was lost in the dark, unable to find the answer.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Yuto said.

“What was it again?” said Corvus jokingly, turning his palms up.

“About Manning. You’re planning an act of terror that goes against his wishes. Does that mean you’re cutting ties with him?”

“Yeah, see, that’s the problem,” said Corvus, nodding gravely.

“Two years ago, you were attacked by the military in South Carolina. Did you know that Manning ordered that attack?”

“I figured he might have. He has influence in the military, after all. I was taken aback when he came up to me after I fled as if nothing happened. He said to me, ‘The CIA is plotting your assassination. What do you think about lying low in prison for a while until the dust settles?’ I wondered, what was he thinking? But on second thought, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to take a break. For Manning’s purposes, it was probably the perfect evacuation spot for me. I wouldn’t be able to do anything reckless in prison, and if he needed me, he could get me out and under his command again.”

Yuto was just as incredulous about Corvus’ actions as Manning’s. Why hadn’t he thought of running away after nearly getting killed by the man?

“Did you forgive Manning for what he did to you?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I’m his private soldier. If he tell me to die, I die. If he tells me to live, I live. That’s what being a soldier is, isn’t it? But I did think about a lot of things while in prison. And eventually I began to feel that Manning wasn’t fulfilling his duty as my boss.”

For the first time, a dark shadow flitted over Corvus’ eyes.

“Manning raised me to be this way. I did whatever he ordered me to do. He has a duty to use me up to the end. But his mindset has changed ever since he began appearing more on the political stage. He became more careful with everything, and started to find fault with every little detail about the way I do things. I don’t mind being killed by him, but I can’t stand being kept around with my hands tied, being kept from exerting my full potential.”

If Corvus’ existence came to light and Manning was implicated, it would be the end of his political career. It was only natural for Manning to try to prevent Corvus from being reckless like before. But Corvus seemed to see it as a betrayal.

“If Manning would give me ruthless orders like before, I would happily follow him wherever he went. But it looks like he’s a good-for-nothing now. He’s stuck his head even further in the sand, all so he could win his spot as vice president. Maybe it’s time I distance myself from him.”

“Corvus, if you want to rebel against Manning, there are other ways to do it. Just please don’t kill innocent people,” Yuto begged in earnest. The biggest tragedy known to history could be averted, and it all depended on Corvus’ mood.

“No. That would just make me the same as Manning. Once I start a game, I do whatever it takes to finish it.”

“Corvus…! Stop with the terrorism. Never mind, what you’re doing is not even terrorism – it’s just an act of pure selfishness.”

“You’re right. I have no ideology or purpose. I’m just like any other criminal who does it for fun. But I don’t care about reasons. You can call my actions whatever you want. If the end result is the same, then it’s just a play of words. For example, what’s the difference between a coup d’état and a revolution? One’s supported by the populace while the other isn’t? It’s idiotic that the size of the group somehow changes the term. There are still people who support coup d’états, just like there are people who are against revolutions. I have no intentions of justifying myself with lofty ideas and words. I don’t expect to be forgiven by anyone. Call me an insane villain – I don’t care. But even as a villain, I’ve made one decision that I’ll follow through with: this is my last act of terror. Once I show Manning the final fireworks, I’ll disappear from his life.”

“It won’t be like the other times. It’s a summit. Security will be beefed up. You’re bound to fail.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve scouted the place out several times. A few of my subordinates have infiltrated the place as hotel employees. In two or three days, I should receive word from them that preparations are complete. All that’s left to do is for me to go to the site and take command.”

No one could stop Corvus’ runaway act now. All of the previous incidents had been part of the process culminating in this final act.

If only there was a way to communicate with the outside world, Yuto thought, but there was no phone to be seen in this barracks. Even if there was, it was doubtful that they had service this deep in the mountains.

He knew that he would be able to contact Rob in the USA if he had Corvus’ satellite phone, but it would be a dauntingly difficult task trying to steal the phone from someone as cautious as him.

Is there really nothing I can do?

Yuto was overcome with a sense of powerlessness, like he had been violently flung into a deep, dark pit of despair.