"The biggest question that I would have," Mr. Drake spoke, "is more into your hand in what happened."
The tone was low and actually threatening, but Akane no Tachibana didn't flinch as she sat behind her desk. The death of Dymixious was unfortunate and unplanned, and to a degree she HAD played a role in Dymixious's death, as she had been part of the decision making process that committed the Moon Lake Police to the arrest of Dymixious Drake as a representative of the Moon Lake City Council. However, that decision reflected the issues that were key and important to upholding the law, something that she'd long suspected that Mr. Drake and later his son flagrantly ignored. Yes, if rogue weres were caught and went into the criminal justice system, they would be exposed given the lengthy lifespans that weres had, but they couldn't let vigilantes run around and "enforce" the law without the legal authority to do so. She knew that the FBI was already hunting Dymixious and if they ever found any trail or source that would lead them to Moon Lake and find him here, not only would the battle have happened, but it would have exposed weres if Dymixious fought and the Federal Government would bring a world of legal pain down on Moon Lake. The town was a were sanctuary but it was not above the law.
"We've had an agreement," Mr. Drake spoke slowly with narrowed eyes as he looked across the desk at Tachibana Industries, "One where you agreed with my family's efforts to keep rogue weres from making things worse for everyone."
"An agreement that holds no legal authority in this country," Akane answered with equal firmness and with equal conviction, "Remember you came to Japan and it was in that context where I could claim any political station. That does not apply here. I agreed to allow your son sanctuary here as a personal favor to protect him being caught for breaking the law..."
"He was protecting the were secret!" Mr. Drake interrupted, "He NEVER should have been threatened in the first place. He NEVER should have been arrested. It's bad enough that the FBI searched my home and complex and took EVERYTHING needed to deal with rogue weres as evidence..."
"They also impounded your family's yacht," Akane commented, "on which they found MY number and even came to Moon Lake wanting to know why Dymixious Drake had MY number."
"So you did sell my son out?!" Mr. Drake actually snarled, "They may have come here, but they certainly couldn't have come here thinking they found him. All they'd found was YOU and surely you could find some way to get them to go on their way."
Again, Akane did not flinch. That snarl clearly WAS a threat or at least anger, but she had lived a longer life than him and had seen plenty of aggressive people who always seemed to think brute force was the best solution to every problem. The reference to getting the FBI agents to "go on their way" was clearly condescending and didn't have any respect for how werefoxes handled problems. They preferred to be lovers, NOT fighters, and werefoxes as such had earned a reputation as tricksters, which likely played a big part of the stories of Kitsune in Japanese culture, which contrasted heavily with many of the weres based off of other predators.
"I told them that the dealings we'd had was a business deal gone bad," Akane answered calmly, "and they did accept that... But do you not think that with the evidence they'd found with your home and compound would still make them suspicious. While what they'd found might be indicative of a business deal failing... it would also be such that they'd surely wonder WHY you or your son have entered into any such opportunity. Most businessmen do not live in a cult like compound with barrels of toxins with lists of rogue weres pinned to a wall."
Mr. Drake's eyes narrowed as he looked to her.
"They left, but given what they knew... surely you don't think that they wouldn't monitor Moon Lake for any signs of oddity based on what they already knew, do you?" Akane continued, "and the fact remains that none of us are above the law, regardless of who we are. My royal title holds no meaning in this country, and by now, I'm old enough that what members of Japanese Nobility that are related to myself and my beloved wouldn't have the faintest clue as to who I am... and even if they did, Japan cannot make demands on US affairs WITHIN the US. I accepted your request as a personal favor, but that does not mean I am going to bend over backwards to put the people of this city in a position where they could lose everything and have it be dubbed "justice." And in the end the situation with your son was NEVER intended to be his death. He brought THAT on himself."
Mr. Drake only scowled back. He was still very angry, as Dymixious was his only son and his mission was generally beneficial to the world in that it kept rogue weres from causing problems. His initial deal with Akane and her husband had been the result of tracking a rogue were that had lead him to Japan, and finding so many werefoxes and that two of them were connected to Japan's nobility at the time had been a surprise, but he'd figured the deal would work. After all, no were would want to be exposed, thanks to so many of the negative stories that were told, particularly in western folklore. And while the hunt was successful and the rogue was caught and killed, he'd done enough damage that Mr. Drake had to do what was done in order to prevent that rogue from essentially starting a plague of weres with their transformations incomplete running rampant, and with the fact that the deal had included the agreement that Akane and her husband allow him any and all means to do what he needed to, he felt no need to explain that old battle to Akane when he left Japan. The fact that a REAL disaster was good enough.
And in many ways that same rule still applied. He could accept the evidence that showed that his son had instigated the fight that lead to his death, and the Moon Lake police were likely only following orders from their superiors. That sort of thing, Mr. Drake understood easily. However, as far as he was concerned, based on the deal there never should have been an attempt to arrest him and the idea that "the world was changing" didn't sit well with him. Sure, technology was changing, but much of human society had changed very little. Humanity's vices hadn't changed and to make matters worse, it seemed like convoluted laws were there only to cover up that little had REALLY changed. And while the were-virus was something that couldn't be vaccinated against or blocked with something, that meant that the changing world wasn't going to change the problems and threats rogue weres caused.
"That doesn't change things," Mr. Drake answered, "Everyone saw the image of Lionel Ulysses grow his tail when he was wounded in that battle at Seattle's docks. How the media lost interest or found the supposed "costume" I don't know... but suppose he'd lived to stand trial? He'd murdered a US Marine Officer in cold blood and fled across multiple state lines. While a good defense attorney might have been able to whittle the charges down to avoid the death penalty or life imprisonment... that doesn't mean that he would get a short sentence."
"Perhaps," Akane admitted, "but there are still plenty of risks in other places and sometimes the risk to be taken should be the smallest."
Mr. Drake only raised an eyebrow as looked across the desk and noted Akane's on face. Unlike him, who was barely controlling his anger and frustration at the loss of his son and the surprise that Akane had told him that his daughter and law and grandchild were being kept in Moon Lake by the very people who killed his son, Akane looked very calm. Her brown eyes were focused and her lips firm. Her hands were folded across her desk had barely moved. On certain levels he was impressed. Rogues that he'd fought and killed in the past often betrayed their own rage at him and when it became clear they weren't going to win, their fear was evident. Akane had shown none of that.
"What did you think was the "smallest" risk in that situation?" Mr. Drake questioned, "as the risks you took still took my son's life."
"The situation was going beyond you and I or myself and your son," Akane answered, "as I said... the FBI did find evidence of our knowledge of each other. In this... to expect that they would find a way to Moon Lake to look for him was possible, and we had to make decisions based on the safety of Moon Lake, not just your son."
Mr. Drake made no answer, with a frown remained unchanged. Akane kept focused forward.
"For if things came to the point where a battle happens, Moon Lake would be in danger, particularly if it becomes revealed that your son had been given a home here to hide until the "heat" dies down," Akane continued, "and THAT was a risk Moon Lake couldn't afford."
"And what would you have done for my son to honor the deals you made with me?" Mr. Drake answered, "Toss him to the FBI and their attack dogs and turn away?"
"That was never in the plan, nor was the battle that killed him," Akane answered, "the plan would have put him in "official" custody where we could put forth the jurisdiction claim for the trial that would allow it to be held here. If the government's case finds your son innocent he'd be free to go..."
"If not he'd still be in jail," Mr. Drake replied, "and even if you could have the trial moved here, you'd STILL have the fact that he would have to be moved to a Federal prison given that it was the FBI looking for him!"
"Perhaps not," Akane answered, "the only reason the FBI wanted him was because he killed Lionel Ulysses who HAD committed federal crimes. Seattle could have easily fought with them over jurisdiction or turned the case over to the state of Washington and let the county sheriffs working for the state try to track him down. But in the end they didn't and let the FBI take over the case. It was not a case in which they had clear jurisdiction, which would allow for Moon Lake to claim both the jurisdiction for the trial and incarceration. And while it might mean that your son would face time in prison... we could see to it that he is comfortable and within the prison given some degree of "freedom" as it were..."
"That's still something overly complicated," Mr. Drake grunted.
"Many things are," Akane answered, "It is potentially difficult for us reaching middle age for weres... as while we've survived diseases, parasites, and wars, the world has changed around us and things that worked when we were children will not work now."
"And how will you deal with rogues then, hmm?" Mr. Drake stood up, irritated and frustrated, particularly at the fact that he didn't think he was getting anywhere and that there was nothing that he could really claim as a true betrayal. There was a lot of what Akane told him that he didn't like, and if he were in her place, he'd take very different action, but a part of him could understand the reasoning. "There are always going to be those who think that their strength gives them the right to attack humans for whatever odd reason... hunger... misguided love... some even for the pleasure of killing... In many ways, rogues aren't that different from human criminals. And regardless of how common they are... there will always be a rogue were that will do were society and its secrets far more danger by threatening humanity than anything I've done!"
With that, Mr. Drake stormed out leaving Akane alone for the moment. Privately she figured that she wouldn't likely hear much from him again, likely under the assumption their old deal was over. Though, to a great extent Akane was glad for that as stories that filtered back to her over what he had done were not good. While she could agree that a rogue were shouldn't be allowed to roam free, burning the entire village seemed excessive and Mr. Drake and Dymixious had NEVER explained that. Though she also knew that he was right with the fact that while the world was changing and was very different from the world she had been born into, the threat of rogue weres would remain and perhaps for a very long time, and in a way would have to be put down before they did real damage. The end question was "how to do that," which raised its own issues. That heavily related to the were secret.