The 731 Legacy (23 page)

She shook her head in silence.

"They hung prisoners upside down to determine how long it would take

120

them to choke to death. Prisoners were locked in high pressure chambers until their eyes popped out. Themarutas were even put in giant centrifuges and spun to death."

"Jesus," Cotten said. "What the fuck kind of medical research is that?"

Ted didn't give a direct answer. "I found out that the Japanese had what they calledcomfort women. The military operated brothels for its soldiers. But when venereal disease became an issue, Ishii took it on. He had his scientists bring a prisoner infected with syphilis together with another who was not infected and demand they perform sex or be killed. Then they would track the progress of the disease from the moment of infection." Ted looked away and breathed out a loud breath. "Instead of just looking at the external signs, like examination of genitalia, they performed live dissections—vivisections, most often without any type of anesthesia. They would cut themarutas open and note the effect of the disease on the internal organs. The babies of those women who they did not kill by vivisection were also used in unspeakable experiments. Or they were given to the soldiers to practice tossing them with their bayonets while the infants were still alive.

"And there was more; many of the prisoners were infected with plague, cholera, typhoid, and a myriad of other diseases so they could study the progress of the diseases as well as vaccines. Again, live dissections were the norm. In the end, all the data was to be used to find a way to attack the United States. Near the end of the war, Unit 731 came up with the plan, codenamed, Cherry Blossoms at Night, to use kamikaze pilots to infest California with plagueinfected fleas. The plan was for a submarine to take them near the coast of Southern California. A plane carried by the sub would be flown into San Diego and the insects released. But before that could happen the war ended. They had formulated many other attack plans as well—to release infected animal feed and all kinds of disastrous disease on the United States, but luckily, didn't get to carry them out. In the final days of the war, Ishii ordered the last 150marutas killed to cover up their experimentations. The Japanese blew up the secret labs and headquarters of Unit 731."

Cotten stared at Ted. She could think of nothing to say as the horrible images swam in her mind.

Ted engaged her eyes. "When I started this research I couldn't believe what I was reading."

"Why hasn't there been the same horrendous outcry as there was against Hitler and the Holocaust?"

"I can only assume it was a massive cover-up. From what I've read the United States believed the information collected by the Japanese on biological warfare far outweighed prosecution for war crimes. In the fall of 1945, General MacArthur granted immunity to members of Unit 731 in exchange for the research data on biological warfare."

Cotten felt sick to her stomach. "How could they? How could we?"

"Listen to what happened to some of the major players of Unit 731 in the

121

postwar years. This will blow you away." Ted flipped through the papers, then lifted one and adjusted his glasses. "Asahin Masajjiro, a member of the typhus team, went to work for the National Institute of Health as did Murata Yoshisuke who was part of Unit 1644. Futagi Hido, the vivisection team leader, became the cofounder of Green Cross Corporation."

"What's that?" Cotten asked.

"It was Japan's first commercial blood bank, which later became a big pharmaceutical company, merged with other corporations, and now even has subsidiaries in the United States." Ted pushed the papers back into the folder.

"The list of those who got away with murder goes on and on."

"So where does this leave us? How does this fit in with T-Kup, Calderon, and Sutton?"

"Oh, kiddo, I've saved the best for last."

MEGA-MART

The Forest Park Mega-Mart west of Chicago was packed with holiday shoppers now that the blizzard had finally let up. The Cadillac Escalade circled the huge parking lot. Behind the wheel, the woman regretted she had waited this late in the season to start her shopping.

"Mom, I'm bored," her eight-year-old said from the back seat.

"We're here already," the mother said, glancing from side to side, searching for an empty spot. "I just have to find a parking space. Keep watching yourShrek DVD."

"You brought the wrong one," her son said with a whine. "I wanted the new one."

"And whose fault is that? How many times did I tell you to get ready to go and pick out a movie?"

"But I've seen this one already."

"It's your favorite."

A small import started pulling out of a space just ahead. She switched her blinker on. The guy was taking his own sweet time backing out, she thought. Another car turned into the row from the opposite direction. She eased forward. The import finally cleared the spot and turned to pass her. Before the driver coming toward her could make his move, she shot forward turning wide to block him and pulled her big SUV into the space.

Finally, this first challenge to Christmas shopping was complete—finding a parking place.

Mother and son bundled up and got out. The headlights flashed as she pressed the lock button on her remote, and the two headed across the parking lot. The crust of ice and snow crunched under their feet as they passed rows of

122

automobiles and abandoned shopping carts.

With a whoosh, the sliding doors opened, and the welcome warmth of the store surged over her. The greeter, a gray-haired lady in a wheelchair, nodded at her as she did to everyone entering Mega-Mart.

"I wanna go to the toy section first," the boy said.

"We've got a lot of gifts to buy for both your grandmas and grandpas, and Auntie Sue, and Uncle Jack. And we've got to get something for Daddy. Sugar, I don't think we have time to look at toys this trip."

"But you said we could."

"I said if we got everything else done first."

"I can go look at the toys while you shop. I promise I'll stay right in that department. You can come get me whenever you're ready to go."

"I don't think so. You need to stay with me," she said, pulling out her shopping list from her purse. "No discussion." She looked up and searched the section signs for one that saidhardware.

"Wait." Her son pointed to a boy and his mother walking down a side aisle. It was one of his neighborhood friends and mother. "Can I go say hello?"

She waved at the other mother.

"Sure, but make it quick." She watched him navigate through the flow of customers to his friend. A moment later, he ran back to her.

"They're going to look at the toys. Can I please go hang out with them. His mom said it was okay."

His mother glanced down the aisle. The neighbor waved and mouthed that is was okay.

"I promise I won't leave that section," her son said.

She could probably get more done faster without him complaining the whole time, she thought. "You promise to stay with them?"

"Yes!" He raised his arms in a victory gesture as he ran off dodging the knot of shoppers that clogged the store.

She headed for the hardware section, knowing her father-in-law had hinted he wanted a new cordless, reversible drill for Christmas. Her husband said to only get one made by Black & Decker. That should be easy enough.

The aisles were so congested she had to almost shoulder her way through to the hardware section. There were six different drills to choose from, making the decision process harder. She was reaching for a mid-priced model when she heard a shout. It sounded like it came from a few aisles over. She started reading the features list on the box when she heard a woman shriek.

A few people at the ends of the row started walking toward the commotion. She realized that the disturbance was coming from the direction of the toy section. Placing the drill back on the display, she hurried to the end of the row. A number of people, including employees, were rushing in the direction of the toys displays.

Someone yelled to dial 911.

She picked up her pace, feeling her heart rate increase. It was probably

123

nothing, but people were so crazy during the holidays. She should have made him stay with her. She scanned the crowd, searching for her son's face, the back of his head, his plaid jacket.

Customers gathered in a mass at the end of one of the aisles in the toy section. She pushed her way through until she could see what was happening. About halfway down the row, three employees knelt around a man who was sprawled on his back on the floor. Thank the Lord, it wasn't her son. The man appeared to be Asian, maybe Chinese or Japanese. They all looked alike to her.

"Mom?"

She turned to see her son standing next to her. "Thank God, you're all right," she said, hugging him.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

She squeezed him again, then let him go.

"I was looking at a Spiderman action figure and this guy was standing a few feet away when he started coughing and stuff. Like he was having some sort of allergy attack. You know, like when Auntie sneezes around our cat? He kept coughing, and all of a sudden he just fell on the ground—looked like he was trying to take a red pill. This one lady called 911 on her cell."

Across the way she caught sight of the neighbor who shrugged, lifting both hands like she had no explanation of what happened.

The mother ushered her son away, excusing themselves as they moved through the onlookers. "Let's leave the sick man to the paramedics. Come on, I need you to help me pick out a drill for Grandpa."

CONNECTION

"This is the part that made my head swim," Ted said. "I was totally appalled at everything I read about Unit 731, but couldn't specifically attach any of it to our investigation. Then, strictly by accident, I ran across a tiny article. Seems that two of the most zealous members of Unit 731 defected to Korea just after the war. The code name for the germ warfare project they worked on was Black Needles."

"You're kidding," Cotten said.

"Nope, here's the article." He pitched it across the desk to her. "This man and wife team was adamantly opposed to the Japanese cooperating with the United States in any way, so after the war they got majorly pissed off. And guess where they ended up? They fled to North Korea and changed their last name from Nakamura to Chung. In North Korea they continued the work they had begun with General Ishii."

Cotten scanned the article then glanced up. "But they'd probably be too old now to be of any consequence, if they aren't dead already."

124

Ted smiled. "Right. But guess what, they had a daughter, Chung Moon Jung. It took a couple of days to get any kind of info on her, but our research team came up with a few references. There isn't much you can find out about the goings-on inside North Korea, especially individuals, so we were lucky we came up with anything at all. It appears that Dr. Chung is a high-ranking official working for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She's got a couple of doctorates, including one in biochemistry from the University of Beijing. She's fluent in a number of languages, including English." Ted nodded as he arched both brows. "We also found out that her health is failing. Parkinson's disease among other ailments. Is it coming together for you now?"

Cotten's jaw dropped. "This Chung Moon Jung might be our Korean woman connection."

"Exactly. Unfortunately we don't have anything terribly substantial to go on, but it makes sense. It makes even better sense when your hear this. The facility in Pingfang is the one mostly associated with human experimentation, but the actual designation of the term Unit 731 didn't come into use until 1941 or

'42—I can't remember." Ted tapped the folder of papers with the tip of his index finger. "It's in here somewhere. Anyway, Unit 731 became kind of a generic term that embraced not only the Pingfang-based unit, but also all the satellite facilities. Some of those who were involved with Unit 731 have come forward in recent years and provided testimony. I ran across one account of a nurse who said she worked in a facility on an island in Korea Bay under the supervision of Doctors Nakamura, a husband and wife team."

Ted's mood darkened, and he folded his hands on top of the folder.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Cotten said.

"Unfortunately. We went back through the Navy transcripts and found that before the confrontation with the North Koreans, thePitcairn had been anchored off a remote volcanic island in Korea Bay. They were there for several days while they tried to repair damage to the electronic navigation and communication system caused by an onboard fire. Remember, the Pitcairn was a research vessel. Among the passengers were some young botanists."

Suddenly, Cotten put the puzzle pieces together. "Oh, Christ," she said.

"Those kids went on the island and found the ruins of the Unit 731 lab."

"And stumbled across Black Needles."

THREE-WAY

Cotten sat at her desk, making notes on a yellow legal pad about everything Ted had just gone over with her. Pieces were coming together and forming a huge complicated picture. Maybe she should fill Dr. Swan in on the latest.

125

She retrieved Charlotte Swan's card from her purse and stared at it a minute, wondering if the CDC director was the right contact. Maybe she should try the FBI.

Let's see where the CDC is taking this first. Cotten dialed, and after getting Dr. Swan's secretary, she was finally connected.

"Hi, Doctor Swan. This is Cotten Stone. If you recall I—"

"Of course I recall. Funny you should phone. I was just looking over the forensics report on the Sutton coffin."

"That was fast."

"I had them fax me a copy. Got it maybe thirty minutes ago."

"Find anything?" Cotten asked.

"Nothing definitive, but there are a few suspicious results."

"Like what?"

"Possible traces of pathogens. I think it warrants further investigation. As a matter of fact, I was just about to assemble a team to go to West Virginia."