“No,” said Marshall. “Novacek is in too deep. If we ordered him to leave, he’d think of some reason to evade the order and stay. What Novacek appears to want is involvement in the war. What we have to do is figure out how to give him that without causing the whole Jap army to try to catch him.”
King nodded. “I was hoping you’d say that. The president wants the islands retaken, and it struck me that we may have a forward base already in place.”
“What do you want him to do?”
King stood and stretched. “I haven’t the foggiest idea yet. All it is right now is an intriguing possibility. Hell, our torpedoes are beginning to work, which means the Jap navy is looking over its shoulder at us, and now we’ve got a bunch of GIs an hour’s flying time from Pearl. I don’t know what we’re going to do, but Nimitz is working on the problem, and he’s got some bright boys on his staff. I want to know if I can work with Novacek. After all, he’s army, and that means he’s yours.”
Marshall laughed softly. “Maybe we can work with him and Doolittle. That man still wants to launch army bombers from your carriers and bomb Tokyo.”
“That,” King said thoughtfully, “is just not going to happen. There will be no carriers cruising west of Hawaii until Hawaii is retaken. However, maybe we can find a new target for the ambitious and imaginative Colonel Doolittle.”
Alexa’s second summons to Colonel Omori’s office came only a week after the first. As before, she dressed very conservatively, even shabbily, and wondered why she’d been called. After all, she had more than lived up to her part of the bargain. She had signed all the news releases they’d asked her to, and even seen drafts of what she was to record. To protect Father Monroe, she would make them and hope for the best later on.
On the positive side, the increased rations enabled her to feed herself better and get some more food to Melissa and her son. Alexa thought of asking for favored treatment for Melissa but decided against it. Why draw unneeded attention to her friend, who continued to work the fields while Alexa watched the child? Father Monroe had left Honolulu and was reportedly recuperating north of the city from his injuries, both physical and psychological. In short, the man had been broken.
When Alexa was seated in Omori’s office, she saw that the door to his room was fully open and the cover on the large American-style bed was pulled down. She knew through the grapevine that he also had a residence in a Honolulu hotel suite. The kempetei colonel did not want for creature comforts.
Omori entered, gestured for her to remain seated, sat down himself, and smiled. “As before, I’m glad you’re here.”
Alexa nodded and muttered something polite.
“Your work on amending the script drafts is very thoughtful. The changes will be accepted, of course.”
Alexa smiled inwardly. She had made a couple of apparently cosmetic changes that would make the English more halting and less correct. She hoped they would signal any listeners who knew her that she was doing the broadcasts under duress.
“At this point,” Omori continued, “I have additional uses for you. I wish you to be involved in the new social life of Hawaii to show just how well the island’s white population is being treated. I wish you to be my escort at a number of functions that are upcoming.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Alexa said with total truthfulness. The proposal stunned her.
“You will, of course, become my mistress.”
“Absolutely not,” she snapped.
“Starting tonight. You see”-he smiled-”I understand exactly how to manipulate you.”
Omori pushed a button on his desk, and the door behind Alexa opened. Lieutenant Goto stood there with a naked young girl in his grasp. Alexa gasped as she recognized Kami Ogawa, her student. Kami looked like she was in shock. When she recognized Alexa, she moaned and cried out for help.
“Other than embarrassment,” Omori said, “the girl hasn’t been harmed. Yet. Whether she is or not is totally up to you.”
As if scripted, Goto shifted Kami so that one of his hands was free. He ran it over Kami’s young breasts and down to her almost hairless crotch. Kami tried to evade his probing finger, but Goto was too strong and she cried out in pain as he penetrated her. Goto laughed, and Alexa saw his erection straining against his uniform trousers.
“Will you release her unharmed?” Alexa asked through clenched jaws.
“Of course. You have my word of honor.”
Alexa wondered just how much honor Omori had, but, as before, she had no choice. If she did not agree, Kami would be assaulted by the pig of a lieutenant, and God only knew who else.
“All right,” she said softly.
Omori smiled and signaled Goto and Kami to leave. “You will go to my room and wait. I’ll be about an hour attending to other business. My servant’s name is Han. She will assist you, and you will do precisely what she tells you. Her English, by the way, is fairly good. She is quite intelligent and educated for a Korean.”
Han was a round-faced and plump young Korean in her mid-twenties. She was pleasant and seemed slightly sympathetic as she took Alexa to Omori’s room. There she handed her a large drink of fruit juice.
“Take this,” Han commanded in accented English. “It contains a medicine that will relax you.”
Alexa refused at first, but Han was insistent and she drank. After a few minutes, a feeling of languid euphoria began to envelop her and she realized that the “medicine” had been a narcotic, probably opium or morphine.
“He will undress you himself,” Han said. “Just do what he says and you will be fine. Do not even think of arguing or complaining, and please do not struggle. He will hurt you if you do, and he will continue to hurt you until you give in. And believe me,” she said grimly, “you will give in. I saw him gouge out the eyes of a woman who resisted him and then, when he was done, turn her over to his troops. Once upon a time I did not wish to give in. He made me regret that, and I no longer argue. I would die a long and terrible death if I did, and so will you.”
A while later, Omori arrived. Without preamble or comment he stood Alexa by the side of the bed, where she swayed gently. She was still fully clothed except for her shoes and socks, which Han had removed for her. Even without them she was several inches taller than Omori.
Omori unbuttoned her dress and slid it down to her ankles. Her slip followed, and then her bra and panties. Then he examined her slowly and carefully. He ran his hands over her, caressing her breasts and buttocks, and squeezing her nipples until she whimpered.
Omori was particularly fascinated by the patch of light-colored hair at the base of her stomach, which he stroked several times. She was so much more robust than a Japanese woman. They tended to be small and dainty, not strong like this one. The Koreans also tended to be larger than Japanese women, but Omori thought the Koreans were cows. There was a statuesque sensuality to this American, and she aroused him.
“You are too thin,” he said huskily, “you must eat more.”
Alexa said nothing. He laid her on her back on the bed with her head on the pillow and her legs apart. He undressed himself and, after a few additional and perfunctory caresses, mounted her and entered her. He thrust hard for a few moments, groaned, and it was over. Alexa wondered through her mental fog, Now can I go home?
No. It was just beginning. He had claimed his ownership and now intended to enjoy it.