* * * * *
"...he said that I should contact the FBI and ask for Special Agent Biggs. Telling him that...Oishi had sent me!"
Now, there are two things I have to make clear, rather hurriedly. First of all, for the more anal-retentive among my readers? I am well aware that the FBI were officially called the Bureau of Investigation (Department of Justice), back in 1921. But, this is not some collegiate historical treatise. And, I am dictating this during my dotage. So, I have taken the liberty of using literary anachronism purely (and unapologetically) for my own convenience.
Secondly? The Biggs brothers had served in separate branches of the U.S. Armed Forces during the World War. Larry Biggs had won his captaincy on the battlefields of France, leading a company of the 5th Marines attached to the Second Infantry Division.
Master Sergeant Jim Biggs, however, was serving in China (with the Golden Dragons of the 15th Infantry Regiment) when he was first recruited by G-2, for a special assignment, in 1914. The latter wanted him to pose as a a foreign correspondent for a Pacific Northwest newspaper called THE OREGONIAN. In that capacity, he would be passed certain information--about the German naval base in Tsingtao--by a certain Japanese spy. Jim would then relay that information to the military attache' at the American embassy in Tokyo, etc. etc. etc.
Needless to say, that Japanese spy had been Oishi Nakafusa.
Oishi had been born and raised on the island of Formosa. So, he had ultimately learned to speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese as easily as his parents drank sake!
But, their next drink might have been at Oishi's funeral if not for M/Sgt. Biggs. Earth Tiger Tong hatchet men, secretly working for the Germans, ambushed the duo at their scheduled rendezvous! And, it was only the "younger" Biggs' marksmanship, combined with Oishi's mastery of unarmed combat, that allowed them to escape.
That incident, in turn, led the Bureau to recruit the young master sergeant, following his honorable discharge, in 1920. With all of the above kindly explained to Houdini by Special Agent Biggs, himself.
"An intriguing story," Sir Anthony finally remarked: "But, that still doesn't answer the question of how a Japanese spy wound up in Coney Island, just in time to save your life, sir."
"It's quite simple, Sir Anthony," replied the special agent: "History seems to have repeated itself. Three months ago, an orphan train--en route from Seattle to Milwaukee via Frisco--failed to arrive at its ultimate destination. And, some of the children on it...were Issei!"
Sir Anthony and I looked at each other, aghast.
"Why on Earth didn't Mr. Chelgi tell us that, himself, when we first met him?" I finally demanded.
Capt. Biggs shrugged: "At this point, your guess is as good as ours. All we know for sure is that the Japanese Consulate, in Seattle, is holding Uncle Sam responsible for those missing kids. And, if we can't find them? Then, every American in Japan will be lucky if they're merely kicked out!"
tbc
Giantess World
