In early December, Gin and the others returned to Japan from Italy. When they ran into Scotch at the base, a flash of surprise crossed Gin's eyes, quickly replaced by a sadistic gleam—though Morofushi Hiromitsu did not catch it. The moment Gin stepped into his office, he cut straight to the point: "You're actually still keeping Scotch?" Tamazawa Shuxin could see in Gin's eyes a fervent craving for a cat playing with a mouse.
"Gin, I will personally deal with Scotch, but right now we need to squeeze every last drop of value out of him—take Yasui Pharmaceuticals and Kouei Research, for instance." Tamazawa Shuxin sent the files over to Gin. "Just make sure Scotch doesn't catch on. The game begins now."
The Whiskey trio were still stationed at the base, along with Chianti, Vodka, and the others, leaving zero opportunity to exchange information. "If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back first," Furuya Rei said, just as Gin walked in to issue assignments: "Chianti, Bourbon, and Korn to Heian-kai. Rye and Scotch, come with me to the Yasui Pharmaceutical Group."
Chapter 23