Paprika (13 page)

“And that is precisely the problem,” countered Inui. His expression was transformed at the merest mention of the Nobel Prize. The sides of his mouth became distorted and his nostrils broadened to quite grotesque effect. How he must have detested that prize! “As I said before, even schizophrenics are human, and technology that enters directly into their psyche to treat them – yes, technology that could even be applied to normal subjects – should have been discussed in the minutest detail beforehand, from the angle of medical ethics. But that notwithstanding, Tokita tell us he’s already developing the next generation of equipment based on the alleged therapeutic effect of these PT devices – even though not a single patient has been completely cured by them! We don’t even know what after-effects they may have. And he’s been spending colossal amounts in the process, I may add.”

“Eh? Colossal amounts?” Tokita seemed utterly mortified; he certainly hadn’t expected an attack on that level. “I haven’t used any colossal amounts!”

“Surely you saw the financial statements at the last Board Meeting?” said Shima, eyeing Inui suspiciously. “All those amounts were checked by our auditors and duly approved by the Ministry.”

“Yes, but unbeknownst to us, LSIs and other things were subsequently purchased from Tokyo Electronics Giken. Yamabe tells me the cost was astronomical.” Yamabe, an auditor in cahoots with Inui, also acted as a consultant for the Medical Appliances Union.

“I didn’t use that many LSIs, did I?” Tokita muttered with head hung low, as if he wasn’t quite sure. “Did the cost go up suddenly? If so, let’s not buy them from Giken anymore.”

“Er, I’m not sure we can pull out now,” said Secretary-General Katsuragi with a pained smile and a scratch of the head. “We have a good relationship with them …”

“I read the article about the recent press conference. What are these new devices you mention?” demanded Ishinaka. Unlike Inui, he and Hotta were completely in favor of developing the technology further. “Spare me the scientific jargon, but could you just tell me what purpose they’ll serve?”

“We’re not at the stage where we can discuss anything yet,” Tokita replied curtly, irked that Atsuko had forbidden him to mention it. “And even if we could, the Vice President would only claim it was the work of the Devil or something.”

“I’m sorry, but we’re the directors and you have to tell us everything,” said Hotta with an exaggerated expression of disapproval. “Doctor Shima. You must know. Details of research conducted by a research institute must surely be reported to its President?”

“Unfortunately not, in this case. Doctor Tokita produces better results if we just let him get on with it, as it were. Well, I hear he’s trying to develop what he calls a ‘Daedalus’ by removing the cables from the gorgon. But in any case, you must know that a genius like Doctor Tokita will make amazing discoveries and inventions quite fortuitously, and that’s not something you can tie down.”

The gullible Shima was starting to expose his uncritical pride in Tokita. Inui pulled a sour face. “Whatever the case, I trust you won’t forget our guiding principles as scientists. These devices must be designed with functions to prevent abuse by society.”

That last phrase gave Atsuko a nasty start. Had Tokita designed the DC Mini with a function to prevent unauthorized access, a protective code? That seemed unlikely, given that Tokita was completely incapable of such meticulous aforethought. And judging by the way he stiffened momentarily at the very mention of it, Atsuko was sure he hadn’t. She knew the errors he was likely to make even better than he did.

“By the way, Doctor Chiba isn’t the only one whose term ends soon, is she,” chirped Hotta, lightening his tone deliberately. “Of course, reelection isn’t prohibited, but that’s not the point. Doctor Inui’s grievances with the Institute’s management are quite clear from his statements here today. So how about asking Doctor Shima to stand down for a while and letting Doctor Inui take over as, you know, President of the Foundation? After all, it would help prevent undue bias in the Institute’s work …” This was a carefully planned statement designed to take the enemy by surprise.

Atsuko had feared this very turn of events. “Only the Minister of Education is authorized to appoint the President,” she said a little too sharply.

“Well, yes, but the President can also be coopted from the directors before that,” Ishinaka said darkly. “In that case, the decision would only have to be
vetted
by the Minister.”

“Or else I could resign,” laughed Shima, well-meaning as ever.

“Is this the first time you’ve broached the issue with the President?” Atsuko asked with a stare fixed on Hotta. “If so, don’t you think your approach is a little discourteous?”

“Ah. I suppose it was unduly hasty of me. Awfully sorry. As you say, I should have prepared the ground properly first. I was merely stating my impression in reaction to what Doctor Inui has said. I haven’t even broached the issue with Doctor Inui himself, how very rude of me.” It was a stereotypical display of mock concern. “So I wonder if we could consider the coopting issue before the next Board Meeting?”

Owada remained silent, probably to save his own skin.

“OK then. If Doctor Shima is going to resign as President, then I think I’ll resign as director as well,” Tokita said calmly.

Atsuko followed suit immediately: “And that goes for me too.”

“Why would you resign?” Inui said with a quiet expression of alarm. “Can you give me one reason?” He turned to Shima. “This is nothing but self-indulgence. Now we can see how badly you’ve spoilt these two until now. After resigning as directors, I presume they would also leave their positions in the Institute. The young ones are all like that today. They fritter away the Institute’s budget on research, and then, when things don’t go their way, they say they want to leave and take their research results elsewhere.”

Shima leant forward in surprise. “I think you’ll find that neither Doctor Tokita nor Doctor Chiba is that type of person.”

“I’ll leave it all here, everything I’ve developed. Including the PT devices,” Tokita said with the faintest of smiles.

Inui appeared none too pleased with Tokita’s sardonic manner. “You needn’t put on airs. What you said is only to be expected. You seem to think you developed the devices all by yourself, but that’s merely the product of vanity. You didn’t. What about the investors who provided all the funds, the engineers who installed the equipment, the therapists who tested the devices, the assistants, even the cleaning ladies? They all played a part in developing those devices. Everyone in this Institute. You can’t claim the invention as your own. It belongs to the Institute. If you go, you’ll have to leave everything here, including your research on devices yet to be developed!” he raged.

“Come now,” said a suitably astonished Ishinaka to halt Inui’s tirade. “The point was merely hypothetical anyway!”

“If these two were to leave now, we’d be in real trouble,” added Hotta earnestly, hoping to placate the now dispirited Tokita and Atsuko. “We haven’t even decided to coopt yet, so for pity’s sake there’s no need to precipitate things. Yes, the discussion was merely hypothetical, but now it’s gone all out of proportion.”

“As you say. I’m sorry I allowed my emotions to get the better of me,” Inui said with a little bow to the pair, twisting a smile at the severity of his own outburst. “Sorry. I should be old enough to know better.”

“But everything the Vice President said was in the interests of this Institute,” Shima said in defence of Inui. “Nothing should be taken personally.”

“How are we to proceed then, President?” asked Katsuragi, who only had thoughts for the documents to be submitted to the Ministry. He brought his face close to Shima’s. “We need to decide some resolutions for this meeting.”

All resolutions on matters discussed so far were shelved, including the issue of Paprika. The discussion proceeded to the election of a successor to the aging auditor Yamabe, who had recently tendered his resignation. The matter was entrusted to Inui, who claimed to have “someone in mind.” Ultimately, however, auditors could only be elected by a meeting attended by the Foundation’s seventy trustees.

“You know that auditor,” Atsuko said as she and Tokita walked along the corridor after the Board Meeting. “He’d better not be another of Inui’s cronies.”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t you think it odd? All those mysterious purchases from Tokyo Electronics Giken?”

“Yes, I did. That’s why I said we shouldn’t use them anymore.”

“Katsuragi nearly had a fit when he heard that, didn’t he.”

“Yes … Did he?”

“It made me think there’s something untoward going on here. I think they’ve taken advantage of your openness to bump up the purchase volume. They could use it as a way of making a fool of you.”

“Oh. Could they?”

“We need an auditor who’ll do his job properly. I’ll talk to Shima. Ask him to recommend someone he can trust.”

“What I find odd is that, well, you know, all the other directors were in a panic when we threatened to resign, because they know the Institute’s R&D would stop dead if we left. And yet I could swear the Vice President seemed very keen not only on Doctor Shima resigning but also us two as well. He says he wants us to consider the volatility of science and technology, but if he carries on like that, the Institute will surely go under.”

“Wait a minute.” Atsuko stopped at the corner of the corridor. They were in front of the Medical Office, where the corridor widened slightly. From there, they would go their separate ways to their labs. Atsuko lowered her voice in awareness of the listening ears of nurses, therapists, and other employees who incessantly passed to and fro. “Wasn’t Inui himself once shortlisted for the Nobel Prize?”

“That’s it!” said Tokita, eyes widening as he looked up at the strip lights on the ceiling. “He was! A long time ago, when we were still at school.”

“He told you to leave all your research results behind, didn’t he. Including devices still under development.”

“To take the credit for himself? Surely not?! It would be impossible!” Tokita inadvertently raised his voice, then looked around with a pained smile. “Well. Let’s talk about it later.”

“Yes. Later.”

Atsuko returned to her laboratory, kicking herself for not asking Tokita whether he’d designed the DC Mini with a protective code. In Atsuko’s lab, Nobue Kakimoto was playing back the dream of a severe schizophrenic who’d been treated the previous day. She hadn’t even started photocopying the research papers as requested by Atsuko earlier.

“You’re not to see this patient’s dreams! It’s too dangerous for you!” Atsuko yelled as she quickly switched off the monitor. “What about those research papers?! I need to distribute them urgently!”

Nobue cast her eyes down for a moment, then suddenly stood and slapped Atsuko’s cheek hard, with the unfathomable strength of the half-crazed. Atsuko had taken Nobue’s confidence for granted, and that had made her complacent. “No need to act so arrogant, just because you think you’re good-looking!” Nobue screamed.

14

The caretaker allowed Noda to cross the lobby unchallenged; Paprika must have told him she was expecting a visitor. It was after eleven in the evening. Noda passed through the glass door from the lobby and stepped into the elevator at the far end of the reception lounge.

No sooner had he pressed the button for the sixteenth floor than a giant of a man stepped in behind him. His body seemed to fill the whole of the elevator.
This must surely be that genius scientist who developed the PT devices
, thought Noda. He couldn’t quite remember the face he’d seen in the blurry newspaper photograph. But since the article had repeatedly described the man as “massive,” “enormous,” and “gigantic,” that detail had remained in his memory. The giant pressed the button for the fifteenth floor before turning to eye Noda suspiciously.

Noda gave his traveling companion a nod and a smile of familiarity, enough to imply that he knew all about him. “The name’s Noda,” he said. “I’m here to be treated by Paprika.”

The giant seemed surprised. “Paprika?! Has she started that again? Oh my golly.” Then, for no apparent reason, he smiled inanely and started to sway his gargantuan frame.

This sloppily obese man spoke in such an infantile tone that he seemed incapable of engaging in any proper conversation. As Director of Development for a leading motor company, Noda wouldn’t normally have given him a second glance. But he somehow felt a liking for this man. It certainly helped that Noda gave preferential treatment to genius. More than anything, however, the man’s huge eyes were limpid and quite beautiful.

Noda didn’t know why the man had smiled. The ballyhoo about Paprika, nothing more than a rumor anyway, hadn’t been reported in any newspaper read by the likes of Noda. The story had been carried by weekly gossip magazines, but Noda was unlikely to give them a second of his time.

The elevator arrived at the fifteenth floor. As the doors opened, the man stepped out without a word. He seemed lost in thought.
A pure man without a malicious bone in his body
. That was Noda’s judgment as an expert in human observation.

At the far end of the sixteenth floor, Noda waited outside the door to Apartment 1604, which was fitted with a fish-eye lens. Paprika eventually opened the door. Noda gasped when he saw her face.