“Has anyone publicly spoken to that?”

“Not specifically. The assumption is that the blast wasn’t properly focused. People tend to see what they expect to see and only look for familiar explanations. The media’s calling it a miracle you survived, and my people are building on that to further increase your stature.”

Takahashi gave a silent nod, losing himself for a moment in the rhythm of their footsteps. His survival had been anything but a miracle—something that would be painfully obvious to anyone willing to open their eyes. His personal vehicle had been built from a next-generation carbon fiber–ceramic alloy. For its weight, the new material was an order of magnitude stronger than steel and six times as resistant to heat.

A far lesser version of it had been sold for hundreds of millions to the Americans for inclusion in their laughable F-35 fighter program, but they were completely unaware of its inferiority. And that ignorance was something Takahashi was very interested in maintaining. For now.

“Its removal went smoothly, then?”

“As soon as the fire was under control, our men covered it with tarps so no more photographs could be taken. Less than twenty more minutes passed before we airlifted it out.”

“And the reaction to that?”

“As expected, we’ve had a few complaints that the defense forces seemed to be prioritizing the vehicle over casualties, but rescue efforts were well in hand and we’ve told the press that we needed it for the investigation. The complaints are already largely buried and the car is safe at the north base.”

“I trust that you’ll continue to handle the situation with your normal competence,” Takahashi said. “Now tell me about this investigation. Where has it led?”

Himura smoothed his tie nervously. “To the Japanese Patriotic Front.”

The general’s expression darkened. The JPF was a far-left terrorist group responsible for a series of recent bombings. Among other things, they demanded the immediate defunding of the defense forces, the nationalization of numerous businesses including those owned by Takahashi’s family, and the continued penitence of the Japanese people.

The JPF was the only group of people in the world Takahashi despised more than the Chinese. They sabotaged their own homeland, attacked their own people, and insulted the men who had worked tirelessly to build the country that kept them safe and put food in their bellies.

Himura’s people had expended considerable resources hunting them over the past two years, all to no avail. It was suspected that these traitors lived almost entirely off the grid, perhaps even abroad. The possibility of foreign funding had also been broached but no evidence of that existed. In truth, nothing existed. Despite the combined efforts of Himura, the police, and Interpol, the JPF remained a ghost.

“I don’t know, Akio. Based on their history, this seems too bold for them. And the civilian casualties are far beyond what they’ve tolerated in the past.”