Free Tokyo Surprise by Alex Ko

Jessica added.
    “That is very plausible,” said Granny Murata. She switched on a walkie-talkie. “Nana, can you call up activity outside the waxworks museum on the day Kiki was
kidnapped?”
    “I’m on it.”
    It was just a couple of moments before Nana’s voice came back. “I’ve got Kiki’s bright yellow electric hybrid car pulling up to the museum about an hour after she got off
the plane.”
    “That confirms it. Good work, everybody,” Granny said. “Team O will investigate the museum.”
    “We’re coming with you,” Jessica said.
    “Please, Jessica – this is a serious matter. If you are right, the place may be filled with Yakuza.”
    “But it’s a tourist attraction, and we’re tourists! It’s a brilliant cover,” Josh argued.
    “Exactly,” Jessica agreed. “What’s more natural than seeing the waxworks with your grandchildren – your unruly, curious grandchildren who have a tendency to open
doors marked Staff Only?”
    Granny Murata sighed. “ If you do precisely as I say, and if you promise me you will stay safe, and if you remember your training...” She hesitated. Josh held his
breath.
    C’mon, Granny , he thought. We don’t have much time!
    “Then, it looks like we will be paying a family visit to the waxworks museum this summer,” Granny said. Josh had to clench his fists to stop himself from whooping for joy. He and
Jessica bowed respectfully to Granny, and then high-fived behind her back as they stepped over the unconscious bodyguard and started down the steps.
    “What about your friends?” Jessica asked. “Are they still singing karaoke? Should we go and get them?” Josh remembered that they’d left the three old women in the
booth.
    “Don’t worry about them,” Granny reassured her. “I phoned Hina’s mobile phone to say we’ve been called away, and I’d return her camera when I see her
tomorrow.” She held out her hand and Josh dug the camera out of his pocket. To his dismay, the screen was cracked. It must have happened when he ran into the wall.
    “I’m so sorry, Granny – I’ll pay for it,” he promised.
    “Well – that is very honourable of you,” said Granny Murata. “But I’m sure Sachiko can fix it in the Team O workshop.”
    The Tokyo Tower was an old radio tower that had been turned into a tourist attraction. It was shaped like the Eiffel Tower, painted in orange and white stripes. Josh leaned up
against the passenger window as their car pulled up to the front of the four-storey building that sat at its centre. One of the tower’s legs passed them by, with its massive steel latticework
gleaming in the late afternoon sunlight. He and Jessica had been there once before – one summer their parents had brought them to Tokyo and they’d gone to the special observatory at the
top, and had totally failed to see Mount Fuji on the horizon because it had been too cloudy. But it had been an awesome day anyway.
    The car stopped, and the doors opened. Josh climbed out to see five ancient people standing in front of him, wrapped in warm clothes and leaning on sticks. If he hadn’t already seen it
with his own eyes, he never would have believed that Nakamura, Sachiko, Nana, Mimasu and Mr. Yamamoto were capable of standing up straight, let alone fighting off armies of Yakuza. Now, they looked
ancient. Mr. Yamamoto was carrying a backpack that looked like it might topple him over at any minute. Granny Murata adopted her own elderly body language as soon as she stepped out of the car,
bending over and taking small, shuffling steps and nodded curtly to the others.
    They entered the building, which was swarming with tourists and locals. Josh spotted two TV screens showing the early evening news. A scrolling subtitle said Chiba Mikiko still missing
– bodyguard found assaulted in stairwell, two known Yakuza arrested . Granny ushered the group into the lifts.
    “Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious, any heavily guarded areas or hidden