Chapter Text
As Jesse stared at the harsh fluorescent lights of the interview room, he hoped they would bring some wakefulness to his exhausted body. He had to pretend he hadn’t been in the dry air of an airplane for nineteen hours yesterday. He had to be able to claim that he'd been in Japan long enough to know the language and Hanamura as well as he knew his own home and native tongue. He had to know the ramen shop around the corner and the best takoyaki stall in the city. He hoped the last couple months of intensive language training and pouring over maps fooled these two Shimada goons enough to get to the next level of interviewing-- at least. He had to be the man on the inside of the Shimada clan. The plan was dependent on him now; he hoped he wouldn’t let Reyes down.
He was familiar enough with the goings-on here because he knew what it was like to have a criminal ring as your family. He ignored the guilty twinge in the back of his mind. The twinge that told him he was robbing a lot of kids of their income and home. Kids just like him. But instead of being in the desert, they were in the heart of Shimada castle. Maybe they were snobs. Maybe he shouldn’t feel so bad. But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew, he knew this would be the same as Deadlock, but he quieted that part of himself. This was exactly the reason he'd been chosen. He knew this life, knew how it worked and how it was handled. Knew how to run with the best of them. Didn’t bat an eye at bashing a guy’s teeth in with a baseball bat. He was able to run on less sleep and more cocaine. And though the Deadlock gang may have paid a bit better, he had to admit his soul felt just a bit lighter with the work he was doing for Overwatch, and this qualified. Even with the kids and the baseball bats and the copious amounts of uppers and downers. So he'd come up with an alias and a new life and accepted the first Blackwatch assignment he had been qualified for.
One of the black-haired men glanced back up from the resume handed them across the table. Everything on it was true, to a degree. Blackwatch just modified everything to make all of his illegal activities sounded legitimate enough to apply for a bodyguard position in the most notorious Japanese crime family. The man looked him over with an unimpressed gaze. Jesse knew he looked young, he was only 20 years old, but the beard helped, giving him an older and, he thought, a more rugged look. He threw the man an easy smile and the man's brow crinkled. Jesse noticed the split in his eyebrow from an old scar that never healed properly. Eyebrow-scar glanced at his partner, who Jesse had affectionately named snaggletooth, and they murmured to each other, too soft and too quick for Jesse to catch. One of their phones chimed and the second man pulled it up, reading the message that was sent. He nodded.
"Follow us," the man with the scar said, both of the men standing up.
Jesse’s heart leapt, hoping this was good news. He muttered an affirmation and stood to follow them out of the interview room and farther into one of the many buildings in Shimada Castle. He watched carefully, noting exits as he passed them, doing his best to memorize the path taken. Formulating an emergency escape plan. He was led to another room, this time he was met with a man in traditional Japanese dress, his dark hair tied back and shining. He looked up when the three of them entered the room, a serious expression on his face.
"He seems fit?" The man asked, eyes narrowing incredulously.
"His credentials check out," Eyebrow-scar answered. "This list is impressive." He stepped forward and handed the folder to the man.
The man, who Jesse assumed was one of the Shimada leaders based off of what he'd read in the dossier, looked over the paper carefully. He nodded slowly as he leafed through it, though when he looked up again, his eyes were still unsure.
"Why did you come to Japan?"
Jesse quieted his nerves as he spoke, praying to God almighty that his accent wasn't too embarrassing. Maybe they would find it charming. "Well, sir, I thought I'd take some time away from the US. I need to keep my head down for a while, but I need money, so I thought I'd do something I'm familiar with."
"Are you expecting us to offer you protection?" The man asked him.
"No, sir. Just need a job." Jesse answered smoothly.
The man's jaw worked as he mulled this over. "Why should I hire some 20 year old punk?"
Jesse's back stiffened. He could feel his palms sweating. But he had to be confident. Confident like playing darts in the Deadlock bar on his second warm whiskey. "Because I'm the best shot the US military doesn't have."
A look of surprise crossed the man's face. He leaned forward, the packet of paper slipping off to the side as he did. Without hesitation, Jesse drew his gun and, in a heartbeat, pressed the side of his revolver to the man’s head. Neither of the goons had even drawn their weapons. “It would take me two seconds to blow your brains out. And the guys behind me? Don’t stand a chance either. Both have the safety on. I could make my escape and you’d be none the wiser. Right, double left, out the back door. No cameras out there. It’s a mistake.”
By now, eyebrow-scar and snaggletooth were pointing their guns directly at him, safeties off, but Jesse’s movement was over before they could really make a move. “Don’t you want me on your team?” Jesse simply smiled coolly, spinning his revolver on his finger before shoving it back in the holster.
"All right, Mr. Eastwood," the man said. "You've got the job."
The next morning, bright-and-fucking-early, Jesse was moved from his hotel to a room inside the main building of the Shimada Castle. He knew from his maps that this was where the head family lived and worked. It also housed the staff quarters. The room was cushy, at least to his standards, and he wasn’t much complaining. After Deadlock and military grade barracks, a queen sized off-brand mattress and a closet with a door was more than ample. Once he'd delivered his things, he was instructed to meet a man named Daisuke. Daisuke was his link to the head of security for the compound. He ran the detail for the main house and was, for all intents and purposes, Jesse's new CO. He would report to him every morning for any new information as well as passing on anything he'd encountered while watching his mark, though Jesse wasn't really even sure who he was going to be watching. The poor sucker.
Daisuke was waiting for him in the security room. One wall was filled with CC displays and Jesse could see there was a man sitting and watching them as they recorded every inch of the castle. Daisuke wore a sleek black uniform, similar to what Jesse had been given to wear, and his belt held an array of things, from mace to a gun. There was a communication device connected to his ear, as well as a lens that covered his left eye. Jesse could see data readouts scrolling past, though Daisuke's gaze was trained directly on him.
"Welcome, Mr. Eastwood." He said seriously. As if none of them knew. And Jesse guessed they didn’t because who the hell watched anything in 35mm anymore. Daisuke held his hand out to shake, and Jesse took it, making sure his grip was firm. "Your work begins today."
Jesse was handed a communication device of his own, as well as a lens for updates as they came. He was also given a belt to hold his own protective devices, a place for his own gun holster on it. He fit himself quickly, having worked with similar equipment through Blackwatch. If Daisuke was suspicious of his familiarity, he didn't let on.
"You will be guarding an extremely important member of the Shimada Clan, Eastwood." Daisuke told him seriously. "You will report to me and Shimada Asano only. You met him yesterday. He’s the head of security. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir." Jesse responded, ignoring the pang of nerves as he remembered the man he’d threatened during the interview.
"Good." Daisuke nodded. "Come, I will show you to your post." He led Jesse through a doorway and into the house. "While he is in his room, no one but family or staff are allowed in. You will follow him as he goes through his day, whether here in the compound or out into the city. If he has scheduled or spontaneous travel, you will be with him at all times. When he leaves the compound, he is not to leave your line of sight, understood? Not once."
"Yes, sir." Jesse said, his nerves becoming more frazzled with every word. They passed his room as they walked and Jesse realised hit mark's room was within earshot of his own. Good thing that wasn’t the case last night. "Sir, who will I be watching?" He asked, hoping that the question didn't seem stupid. They had already hired him and already given him a uniform and he still didn’t have a fucking clue.
Daisuke looked him over once before answering. “Shimada Genji."
Jesse made sure to train his features, though he couldn't help but swallow his spit. He almost choked on it. When he had been assigned to take up a job offering in the Shimada Clan, he'd assumed it would be someone of relatively little importance within the organization. Someone’s cousin. Some dumb kid who did too much coke. But for him to be watching one of the sons of the leader of the Shimada's-- it was a blessing and a curse. Sure, any information he could gather now would be exceptional, and it was likely Reyes would be tickled pink by the news, but this also upped the stakes tenfold. Twentyfold. Fuck he couldn’t even do math that high. There was absolutely no room for error now, and he would have to be more careful and discreet than originally planned. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be monitored just as closely as he was expected to watch Genji.
Genji fucking Shimada.
Daisuke checked his watch. "He usually gets up after noon, so your watch should be pretty uneventful until then. If there are any updates, they'll populate on your feed, or we'll alert you over audio. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
With a nod, Daisuke left him to his post. His mark. The youngest Shimada heir.
Once he was sure the area was clear, Jesse let out a heavy sigh through his nose. He hadn’t noticed he was holding his breath. Running a hand through his short hair, he leaned against the wall next to the double doors that lead into Genji Shimada's room. His fingers itched to send the info back to Blackwatch immediately, but he had a schedule to adhere to, both here at his post and one for weekly reports set up by Blackwatch to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He had contacts here that he would be able to get in touch with should his identity be compromised or if a catastrophic emergency were to take place, but other than that he was on his own.
He couldn't help but let his mind wander after the news. Did Blackwatch know that this is where the mission would lead? Surely they would have informed him if they knew. But that begged the question: why the fuck was the Shimada Clan looking outside their own resources to hire a guard for one of their most precious assets? Scenario after scenario played in his head while the hours passed. It was just as boring as Daisuke had warned him and it allowed his mind to travel to some interesting places in search for answers he wasn't sure he would ever receive.
He was so lost in himself, he almost jumped when the latch to the door finally clicked and it swung open. Jesse leapt to attention, his boots clattering on the floor as a dark haired youth stepped out of the room.
He was greeted with an incredulously raised eyebrow and sideswept bedhead sticking straight into the air. There was a hand reaching under a white t-shirt, scratching at an unseen chest, but a triangle of abs were visible just above gray sweatpants that were rolled at his waist and ankles. Edges of a green dragon tattoo peeked out, seeming to span his left side.
"You're the replacement?" Came a voice cracking with sleep.
Jesse stood just a little bit taller and held out his hand. "John Eastwood. Pleasure to meet you."
The lip of the young man that could only be Genji Shimada curled with a hint of displeasure as he stared at Jesse's outstretched hand. "What kind of fake ass name-- what are you, American?"
"Yessir. And my mother was a hundred percent Pueblo." Jesse told him with a grin, always proud of his Native heritage.
Genji just continued staring, though his hand finally fell back to his side, still not shaking. "Really?" He shook his head and chuckled. "They really must be getting desperate to hire someone barely older than me."
"Excuse me, I happen to be twenty. I'll be twenty-one in just a few months here." Jesse told him, a prickle of defiance slipping into his tone.
"Yeah, and I'm 18." Genji shot back. "So, barely older than me." He covered his mouth as he yawned, continuing to ignore Jesse’s hand. "C'mon American," He said, in English this time. "It's time for food."
Jesse followed as Genji led him through the house. The younger man's bare feet barely made a sound on the bamboo floors and it made Jesse almost overly aware of the click of his boots as they walked. Reyes had warned him about the boots.
Genji glanced at him from over his shoulder. "Are cowboy boots standard issue in America?" He asked, slipping back into Japanese.
"Personal choice, sir." Jesse told him coolly, not letting on that the comment had irked him.
"Can you even do anything in them? Can you run?" He wasn't even looking at Jesse now. Couldn’t be bothered.
"There's a reason they're worn a lot," Jesse shot back. "I can do everything I need to in them, don't you worry."
They continued silently until they reached the kitchen. The staff jumped to attention as soon as he entered the room, one woman setting down a bowl of rice onto an empty seat at the table while another began to cook a handful of eggs.
There was another young man at the table. His hair was black like Genji's, though it was considerably longer. He dressed as sharp and serious as the expression on his face as he read through a newspaper and drank a steaming cup of black coffee.
"Hanzo," Genji said, a cheerfulness finally in his voice as he sat down at the table. Jesse knew that Hanzo Shimada was the heir to the Shimada Empire. The elder son. The prodigy.
Only Hanzo's eyes moved as he looked up at his younger brother. "Good afternoon, Genji." His eyes traveled over to where Jesse was hovering just inside of the doorway. "Is this your new babysitter?"
Jesse moved forward. One hand instinctively reached up to where his hat normally would have sat, but now she was stuffed somewhere in his luggage. Poor girl. He put out his hand to shake instead, even if Genji had rejected it, Hanzo seemed to have more decorum. "John Eastwood. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Shimada."
Hanzo merely blinked at him and gave him a curt nod before he folded his newspaper and stood. And maybe Jesse was feeling a little out of place now. Or, very out of place.
"You're not staying to eat?" Genji asked, his mouth already full of rice.
"I've already eaten," Hanzo responded evenly. "Besides, some of us have to learn the family business." He took a final sip of his coffee and left without another glance towards Genji.
Jesse watched as he left, slumping down into one of the chairs at the table. "What crawled up his ass and died?" He looked back to Genji, who was frozen mid chew, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.
"You've never been a bodyguard before, have you?" Genji asked him, in English, after a moment.
Jesse made sure to not let the streak of fear that had flown through his stomach show on his face. "What makes you say that?"
"Hired help doesn't usually talk back this much." Genji told him and Jesse hoped it was amusement he detected in his voice now. "And they don't usually sit with us at the table."
Jesse glanced around. Not seeing anyone he should be reporting to and no reaction from the kitchen staff he simply shrugged. "I reckon I'm a little different then what you're used to, sir."
Genji's eyes narrowed. "I'll still get you fired." He said as he finally continued to eat. "I've gotten the last twelve to either quit or get kicked out. You'll see."
"Not one for bodyguards, are you?" Jesse asked, leaning back in his chair, finally getting his answer to the outside hire question.
"Not one for being constantly monitored and reported on actually," Genji replied stiffly. "My father says it's for my protection, but that’s a nice way of putting it." So Genji knew he was being monitored. Watched. Judged. Jesse could relate.
Jesse was about to press him, to see if he could get any information, but Genji pointedly began ignoring him as he ate his meal. Jesse kept his mouth shut instead. He had time, he would get his intel. Blackwatch had told him this job was long one and reminded him again and again that subtlety had its place in Shimada Castle. So he would bide his time, and did a little ignoring of his own; the voice in the back of his head reminding him he was monitoring and reporting to not just one boss, but two. He couldn't allow himself to feel guilty about it, so he sat patiently while Genji finished his food, then dutifully stood and followed him to another part of the main house.
The room they entered almost looked out of place in the serene, ancient beauty of Shimada Castle. It was filled to the brim with current technology and a TV that took up nearly half of one of the walls. Genji plopped down on the plush black sofa and picked up a controller, turning on one of the consoles that was hooked up to the TV. Jesse stood there awkwardly, watching as Genji started up a game and sunk further into the cushions.
After a few rounds of Lord knew what, Genji tipped his head in Jesse's direction, though his eyes never left the screen. "Get me a soft drink, would you?"
Jesse sighed and looked around until he found a mini fridge in one of the corners. He stalked over to it, mumbling to himself that he had to be patient and to not let the brat get at him. He had a job to do. He reached blindly into the fridge and pulled out a can and headed back for the couch.
"Don't you have anything else to do today?" He asked as he held out the drink.
"No. Usually I would train, but today is a cheat day." He glanced up at Jesse's outstretched hand. "I want the other flavor."
Jesse simply blinked and turned around on his heels. This was indeed going to be a very long job.
The day continued much the same and eventually Jesse grew tired of standing behind the couch and came around to sit on one end of it. It got him another odd look from Genji, but Jesse just stared evenly back at him until he went back to his game. Food was brought into the room at intervals, some for Genji and some for him. At least he was getting fed.
Once evening rolled around, and Jesse was about to start slamming his head into a wall from boredom, Genji suddenly quit the game and stood up from the couch and stretched. "Bed time." He said.
Jesse glanced at his watch, confused. "It's eight o’clock."
"So it is." Genji responded, not even looking at him. He walked out of the room and Jesse scrambled to his feet to follow him. Genji made it back to his room without another word, shutting the door solidly behind him.
"Good night!" Jesse called after him, frowning. Rude kid. Reyes owed him big time for this job.
He shook his head and went back to the security room to turn in an evening report before heading back to his room for the night. He spent some time unpacking and getting comfortable in his new room, taking his hat out of his bag and putting it on his head. A small bit of familiarity while he was feeling exquisitely out of place. Despite Genji's threat to get him fired, he wanted to stay. Needed to stay. Blackwatch was counting on him for intelligence and that's what he intended to do, bratty mark or not.