Preamble
The Way Life’s Meant To Be
An AJM8888 story


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Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo early 1980s

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Times Square, Facing South, 1981

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Main Building of Moscow State University, Moscow 1981

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Piccadilly Circus, London 1981.

Part I: Preamble

Excerpt from The Long Way Round: My Rise In The FBI by Erik Nyygard with Val Vaccaro and Dennis Lundgaard First Edition 2016

I never thought I’d be an FBI agent. I mean I love being an agent but I thought in 1972 there was too much against my career choice of being a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. My father was in favor the global community in college, my liberal stances on politics, the fact I had a twin brother, my cousin being a reporter (though that was after I joined the FBI), and many other things my family had that I thought would disqualify me. But in 1972 at the age of 22 by the FBI after finishing degree in political science at the U of M. I was happy they weren't only taking lawyers and accountants. So I went to FBI Training at the brand new academy in Virginia in the fall of 1972.

Good God my career went odd places, from San Antonio, Atlanta, Tokyo, briefly in New York, DC, Honolulu, LA, back to New York, and then finally back to DC. It was a career that the first decade I really didn't think I'd make much of a career after an operation in Alabama. God who'd think that would turn out as it did. All because I got burned out after dealing with a racist ass of a USDA and future failed candidate.

My path brought me across interesting people and people who would be my enemies, my friends, my allies, and one lucky lady would become my wife.

But where did this lunkhead go right? I am not sure how events went lucky for me but they did.




My husband is an idiot. That moron thinks stealing cash from a bank using foreign nationals from Italy will work? I met these fools and they ain't mafia I can tell you that as they were in awe of my tattoos. These guys look like some sort of foreigner you'd see in a TV show that is playing Italian, American, Russian, and so forth because we can't get many that act. Yuji thinks it is a wise idea to hit a Mitsubishi armored car while it is in transit and copy what the 300 million yen robbers did 13 years ago.

Yuji thinks we can get 600 to 700 million yen. I tell him he's a moron. I love my Yakuza hubby but he'll never get approval from the old goats who run this county. You think they'd approve of it. We'd be sloppy and they'd want a majority of the money. And Yuji would have to kill them idiots. I think it is better to run our bath houses and pachinko parlors.

We aren't big but Yuji and his soldiers run a small little empire here in Western Tokyo. My husband's father created the little family, the Nakamura Family which is under the Inagawa-kai. It used to be more independent but my father-in-law saw the strength of the Inagawa-Kai and he had his family join the clan. But this robbery will cause us problems. This whole robbery is because my husband is an addict.

Yuji loves meth. it's gonna get him thrown in jail or killed. I can't believe the man I love is destroying himself with meth. This robbery is more to hide a hundred million he stole from family funds. I suspect my husband is gonna get killed. I am gonna have to be very smart after the planned robbery. Yuji is dumb enough to lead the cops and the bosses back to himself. If all the money doesn't get turned to more meth for Yuji to drink.

I will try to keep my daughter, Saya, away from this lifestyle. My hope is Yuji doesn't hurt her. He nearly attacked the two year old.

It is odd as my husband uses me as sort of his number two. I often am his strategists, I was a sukeban [1], I ran a gang of girls in Tokyo in the early 1970s. We were a feared biker gang. We essentially practiced our own protection rackets. I had my past and I was always expected to shut up, but Yuji was a fuck up I loved him but he was a fuck up. The man has been a disappointment. I hope this bank robbery goes wrong in way that doesn't splash onto me or the kids...

The world is fucked up. Some lunatic shot at President Reagan almost a week ago.

Now I am going to the Sagami Dam after a drive its just a nice place to unwind with a cigar.

Personal journal of Sara Nakamura dated April 5th, 1981



WinterTech Internal Memo April 6th, 1981

How did Osborne beat us and IBM? I expected IBM but not Osborne! We'll need to do more tests to ensure our portable is ready by Chicago Technology Conference in September.
CEO Amelia Winter to Chief Technology Officer Elaine Graham




Ford on a run for Congress?
Mankato Free Press April 9th, 1981

DFL State Representative Danny Ford (31), from Mankato has been mentioned as a contender against Tom Hagedorn in 1982. Mr. Hagedorn who Represents the Second District has had his seat redistricted to the Minnesota 1st. On the possible chance of running for Congress Mr. Ford told the Free Press, "I haven't made up my mind but I'd need to talk to my wife first. If I run, I am in it to win it."



Colin,
If you're still interested in the meeting come to Kilcannon's along Foyle Road. After that we'll see where we go, keep your Saturday open.

Johnny

Letter by Johnny Reynolds to Colin O’Fallon, amongst recovered documents released by MI5 showing initial possible initiation of Colin O’Fallon in the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Exact date written unknown believed to be April 10th, 1981




Partners in the Press: The Vacarro and Lungaard Story by Val Vacarro, Dennis Lundgaard, and Dennis Craig Thompson
Letter Jacket excerpt.


"Vacarro, You're getting a green reporter from Minnesota, his name is Lundgaard, getting Chicago. He was pretty good there. So work with him." My boss at the time, Daily New Editor for Metro, Bill Coen told me.

"Not some hayseed!" I complained to him.

"Suck it up Vacarro!" Coen told me.

"Oh hi!" came this gigantic 6'4 tall blonde haired blue eyed, glasses wearing man in a business suit, "Dennis Lundgaard." He introduced himself, and that's how I met my writing partner Denny Lundgaard.




Inside the Cartel S1, E08

[Come back from Commercial Break]

Montage- We see establishing shots of Medellin, Colombia before it zooms out from the city in a globe view and zooms in on Colorado, USA and has a square around a location named ADX Florence

Narrator:
Perhaps one of the few people with the better understandings of Pablo Escobar that is still alive was one of his best hit men, Armando Luis Vásquez Valencia, Armando Vásquez is his official name but he states it is a name he rarely used be from a small farming village. Armando was a top killer for Escobar. When Escobar wanted people killed, Armando did it and took pictures with an instant camera.​

ADX Florence Interior - We see an older Colombian man in an orange prison jumpsuit, he was in his sixties wearing glasses, he had a mustache, short grey hair, and he was with a bible. He was sitting politely as the crew got ready to interview him.

Armando: (In Spanish)
If I had known the trouble joining Escobar's crew would get me I'd never have joined. All the death I caused. Looking back on it now, I can only hope God has a big enough heart to forgive me for all I have done. I started as a minor soldier and rose to be one of his top hitmen. If I had known who I was aiming at along with Galan that night in August 1989 I'd have not pulled the trigger, but I opened up a Pandora's box on my end and we angered an annoyed dragon and made it mad in America. My actions made the cartels a big target by the North Americans.

Interviewer: (In Spanish)
So you shot at Senator Luis Galan?

Armando: (In Spanish)
Yes. And that American he was with. I am not sure how he survived but I regretted he did back then. Now I am thankful both Galan and the American survived...

Interviewer:
So your actions brought down the American Special Forces upon your head and the cartels' heads?

Armando: (Sadly)
Yes.


"Felix, please remind Andy he has to be at the play by 7 or I'll kick his ass!" Miss Atkins told me this morning, threatening Master Warner. She knew how to fight and unlike Master Warner, she'd hit below the belt.
Felix Hayles, valet to Andrew Warner to a reporter of the Boston Globe.


References

[1]Sukeban is a Japanese Term for girl boss of a girl gang. Sara here was the boss of a girl gang that were bōsōzoku , 暴走族, literally "running-out-of-control (as of a vehicle) tribe". We'll be seeing more of her soon.



Well there is the intro post, I hope it sates some curiosity.

I am greatful to @Geekhis Khan for pushing me to create this story. And I thank lot of other folks like @varyar @theg*ddam*hoi2fan @BlackWave and others for helping me.
 
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BTW, is Erik Nyygard a real person?
No most of the characters introduced in the intro are fictional or inspired by real people. But The Osborne was a real portable computer

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24 pounds and 64 KB of RAM.

There will be real folks but that is because I cannot get information on every person in 1981.
 
Rebirth from the Ashes
Rebirth from the Ashes

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Sara Nakamura looked at the photo in her father-in-law's office. It was taken five years before her birth. Hachioji was burned severely by the Americans via their firebombing campaign. Now this city in Western Tokyo Prefecture was the base of the Nakamura family of the Yakuza. Her father-in-law had ties to local politicians from assemblymen and the mayor to members of both houses of the Diet. He was a fit for the more economic clan that the Inagawa-kai was.

Her father-in-law sat in the executive style chair wearing the slate grey double breasted suit he had a collection of. He must admit he first bought them when he saw Roger Moore wear them in “Live and Let Die” he decided to buy a veritable collection of them. He thought he looked respectable, just the owner of some pachinko parlors, some properties, a few construction companies that he co-owned with a few local politicians, Turkish bathhouses, and other odds and ends.

Apart from a small shrine he had, the office was amazingly western. Wood paneling, a big wooden desk, a personal humidor for his cigars, a small fridge for beer, a cabinet for his sake and western style liquors (he preferred those at room temperature), a color television, metal filing cabinets, metal cabinet, and a wall safe. The phone on his desk was not being used for the moment which was a rarity. Unlike America Japan had laws that prevent wiretapping [1]. He was arrested before but Hikosuke Nakamura had always come back. He was stubborn. The Kitakyushu born yakuza was not going to go stay in jail or prison long.

The man still had the full head of hair and he had his gold rimmed glasses. His face was in a scowl, His daughter-in-law told him what Yuji was planning.

"Where did I go wrong?" Hikosuke asked, "I mean my son is a fucking meth addict!" he yelled at no one.

"Well you made part of your initial fortune on selling meth after the war in that period when it was legal [2]. You put him with his uncle, a man that regularly beat him. and you allowed him into this life. I gotta say its your fault." Sara said in a manner that other yakuzas wouldn't dare do unless they were close friends or had a lot of pull with Hikosuke. Sara was dressed in a full business suit with pants, she was not even bothering with a skirt.

His face flashed with rage but it slowly became softened with the realization she was right, The family boss let out a small laugh, "You know I hate the fact you're right." He had a smile cross his face. Hikosuke opened a cigar box on his desk and produced two cigars, one for himself and Sara. Sara saw him prepare them and offer his daughter-in-law the cigar. He put his in his mouth and she lit his cigar, and he returned the favor.

"I wish we met sooner. Maybe I could have run you up the pole faster. But still they'll never allow a woman to run a family on a permeant basis. Its against what those asshats would want. All ego and the false honor bullshit."

Sara laughed," You flatter me Oyabun. But sadly I don't think that opportunity will come. I'll be like those few folks at that nuclear plant on the other side of the country, cleaning up radioactive waste water. Hundreds of liters I hear [3]. And they waited until now to announce it."

"Yeah, though I get why those stuffed shirts covered it up so long. At least the Americans are too dumb to cover things up." Hikosuke blew smoke from the cigar after taking a long draw on the cigar.

"The Japanese Atomic Power Company was one of our first atomic power companies, a lot of old guys there who want things to go well." Sara said as she took a long pull on the cigar.

"I am like those guys though I am not going to publicly admit my son is a fuck up. Until it blows up in my face..." he opened the desk and pulled out a letter, it was a blank letter of expulsion. It didn't have the name or date." Hikosuke sighed.

"I think I may be expelling him someday but I hope I don't have to. If I expelled him, you'd be gone. You're one of the few people in the family with real vision. The have the ideas pumped into their heads from Yakuza romance movies. They got emboldened by the ninkyo eiga [4] films. I prefer the newer jitsuroku eiga [5], they're more honest as to what a yakuza is. We're brutal thugs. We delude ourselves into thinking we're samurai. What a bunch of hypocrites. And my son is a product of that hypocrisy. " Hikosuke sadly states.

"Well..." Sara sighed slowly, putting the cigar in the ashtray, "This is going to be terrible for us. All of us. My intuition thinks if we're lucky he'll get killed quick but that's unlikely. When things go wrong they just keep going until something stops them. I have no idea what that hard stop will be for Yuji but he'll hit an armored car." she looked worriedly.

"Which is made worse that armored cars aren't armored it is just a van with security guards, whom are armed batons, shields, and a whistle. Yuji has a pistol. Something we bought in Hawaii from that black market gun guy.” Hikosuke grumbled.

"Its gonna be bloody, especially since he's probably high on meth. He's taken it in his coke to ease the nerves." Sara said looking at the TV, some NHK Taiga drama [6] was on right now Onna Taikōki, some show based on a novel and sequel to a previous drama, it was just the repeat of Sunday's episode for those who missed it last week. Sara wasn't watching whatever the story was.

"He's my son. I don't want him hurt." Hikosuke sighed taking a pull on the cigar afterwards.

"Let's hope he can be captured peacefully. " Sara stated.

"We know it won't happen that way." Hikosuke turned around...

"Yes..." Sara acknowledged bitterly...




April 27th, 1981
Hachioji, Tokyo Prefecture


Yuji Nakamura had to dabble at the drool from the corner of his mouth. He had had his fifth bottle of Coca-Cola he laced it with crystalized methamphetamine, it was a common practice. But it result in Yuji being excited and nervous he had taken more meth to do the robbery. His plan had fallen through. On Sunday morning, he had found the gaijin had taken the money he offered them and they had run. Another hundred Million yen was gone, these guys had many thousands of dollars to live off of for a short while.

"Fucking gaijin!" he spat under his breath as he approached the the Mitsubishi bank location near Hachioji Station. He looked into his jacket pocket. He had his Colt Detective Special. If those cowardly bastards weren't going to do the robbery he would! Yeah! He had the balls to do the robbery and successfully do it! He saw the van coming down the street. He had a chuckle the money service was using a Toyota Hiace.

A local woman, passing in front Yuji, slightly tripped on a little bit of pavement sticking up. She had to be careful because of her umbrella.

The Yakuza saw the security guards do their little routine and begin looking around their van. To him it was armored, it had a key lock so it was special. Yuji saw the guard walking towards him. If he were rational he'd realize this was their usual sweep. But the meth in his system, the lack of sleep, and his own mental state made him pull out the revolver.

Yuji began a charge at the money guard wearing the white shirt and grey pants, with a white helmet on his head. He let out a bellowing scream and ran at the poor man with his full power at the man. The guard pulled his baton and began to be ready for a fight. Yuji had his finger around the trigger ready to shoot at this security guard

As he ran Yuji imagined what he could with the money hundreds of millions of yen for him to recover what he stole from the family, what he could do to please Sara, all the good he could-

Yuji hit an uneven bit of pavement and fell forward holding his left hand out to catch himself and right bent up, it hit his elbow on the pavement his pistol under his chin. when his elbow hit the pavement his finger, the security guard was suddenly was covered in bone, blood, and brains. Many screamed and the security guard just stood there in shock.



The various police officers, detectives, crime scene people, ambulances, coroner, and other officers looking over the corpse of Yuji Nakamura. One detective had a look of disgust. The man was in his later thirties, in a cheap suit, black framed glasses, a Police badge in his pocket. Assistant Inspector Yoshimitsu Shindo grumbled.

"Well, I guess he avoids going to jail." The cop grumbled.

Yoshimitsu decided that it was going to be a pain of an easy case.

"I like it when these bastards die by their own hand but usually its not like this. This public." Inspector Shindo sighed.

Division 4 were investigating this. Division 4 of Criminal investigation Bureau [7] handled organized crime in Tokyo it didn't matter what organized criminals did they were handled by Division 4. So while there were plenty of local station and koban [8] cops around, Division 4 was taking charge.

"The old man is gonna be distraught." Shindo knew the boss of the Nakamura family was gonna be distraught.

"He deserves it." said a new voice he looked to see it was Superintendent Takeshi Kuroda, an older officer that never hid his disdain for Yakuza for being poor classes and Korean. The man was a fifty five year old executive that headed the division, "I'll tell Nakamura, I'll enjoy seeing him suffer. Fucking Burakumin!" Kuroda looked at the corpse's hole in his head.

"The only good thing that went through his head." Kuroda laughed.

Shindo looked disgusted. Detective Kuroda was a racist, classicist ass. He became a cop for all the wrong reasons, it was a safe job. He came from the riot police and he loved beating protesters in the the Airport struggle [9]



It had been several days since the death of her husband. Yuji died in a manner that didn't get her banned from seeing the family, his suicide was seen as sad but more honorable. The fates must have decided some remnant of fate because if Yuji killed the security guard it would have caused the gang a bunch of problems. She sat in this funeral hall as he father-in-law comforted her.

After an autopsy the police gave the body back to them. They had the body prepared, they dressed him, applied make up to make him look good and put dry ice in his coffin. It was a simple coffin but Old Man Nakamura wanted it done simple.

The procession to the temple was very long and the wake seemed to drag on for forever. It was not that she wasn't devastated it was funerals were something Sara hated. Her father died in a car accident, her mother died suddenly of a heart attack, her grandparents minus her grandfather on her father's side had all died. Saya was too little so she'd have no memory of this. Because the next day was the funeral, services from the day before were repeated and after that, the body was taken to a crematorium and cremated.

The cremation occurred, and while they burned her husband's body the cremation attendants gave the family a tour of their facilities. After the body was burned they present the hot skeleton remnants to the family and they would begin plucking the skeleton with a special pair of chopstick (one bamboo, one willow; signifying a bridge between two worlds) for bones. Some bones were sought after, Sara would encourage Saya to take bones from the head. Sara would try to get the neck bone for the perceived image of a seated Buddha. [10]

It was days that she wore the kimono that she was not fond of. She was supposed to wear it and it was the one thing Hikosuke would insist on. She hated that thing and preferred a suit, she looked better in them.



It had been a month since Yuji's death Sara sat in his office and it felt odd to her, she was in one of the bathhouses the Nakamura family operated and she knew as Yuji's widow she'd have to fight every millimeter. If Saya would have a chance at a life she wanted Sara would make sure she would become a major power player. Though Sara hoped Saya would become a yakuza like her (technically she wasn't a yakuza but that really didn't matter). She was gonna need a plan for this as she never thought Yuji would accidentally shoot himself in the head.

But with the death of her husband she wanted a good life and she was not going to be homemaker. But she doubted she could do it from Hachioji. The problem was property in Tokyo proper was expensive. She would need some help there someone tied into real estate. But how she could do it she had no idea. But she was going to rebuild herself like Japan rebuilt it self from the ashes.

Sara wonder is she could buy property in Kabukichō? She was gonna need juice for that, somebody in real estate and then perhaps she could a long ways down the road get control of the Inagawa-kai...

But it could all go wrong, Sara figured the risk was worth the gamble.

She could get shot, like that guy in Oklahoma who ran a sports group [11], but the man lived. It gave her hope.


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Akihabara 1980s

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Shibuya 1980s



I hope my first post is good. Having fun

The death of Yuji was inspired by the death of Gaetano Fadda from Fargo Season 4.


[1] Up until the year 2000 Japanese police and prosecutors could not wiretap, they could not use undercover operations, and they could not grant immunity. It made going up the ladder in organized crime difficult. https://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/08/16/japan.police.idg/index.html

[2] Post war Japan was sort of dependent on meth they needed it to rebuild their destroyed country. But it had problems as all drugs like that do. It was made illegal in 1951. The Yakuza who were selling it on the black market before were still selling it. IT was still popular post war and post being made illegal. You can make Toyotas if you don't need sleep or as much rest.

[3] The 1981 spill of radioactive water at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant. Here instead of 16 tons in our world it is 2 tons of radioactive materials,

[4] Ninkyo Eiga = "chivalry films". They show the Yakuza like Samurai with honor and struggling with their duty and feelings. Lots of the films were pumped out by Toei Pictures.

[5] Jitsuroku Eiga = "actual record films". These films show the yakuza as ruthless, treacherous street thugs living for their own desires. Many of these films or based on or inspired by true events. These are closer to the truth. Also many of these films are put out by Toei Studios.

[6] Taiga Drama = Big River Drama They're put out on NHK and these are costly to make but they are big draws.

[7] Division 4 of Criminal investigation Bureau They specialized in Organized Crime now its own special division in the Tokyo Police merged with narcotics as both worlds meet.

[8] Koban = Police box for those unaware.

[9] Airport struggle = Sanrizuka Struggle. A bunch of people in Chiba found out their land would be bought up for an airport and the government told them via press conference. It kicked off a long struggle in Japan between the left, Farmers, and the government.

[10] I followed most of the Funeral procedures. I probably missed parts. But some things were left out deliberately. Source: https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/japanese-funerals

[11] Butterflied the death of Roger Wheeler of Telex Corporation he is severely wounded but lives. Whitey Bulger is now concerned.
 

Deleted member 147978

I'm guess this is mainly a 80s Japan TL from out of the blue. Liked and watched.
 
Headlines early 1981
Headlines early 1981

A Man is Held for Yorkshire Ripper Killings
New York Times-Reuters
January 3rd, 1981


The West Yorkshire Police today announced they had a man in custody that they believe is the Yorkshire Ripper. The Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police, Ronald Gregory said that they are winding down the operation as evidence seems clear the man is the Ripper. The police have said the man was arrested in Sheffield and handed over to the West Yorkshire Police. The suspect will be charged in the next few days.




Hostages released!
Washington Post
January 21st, 1981


As Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th, President of the United States, The Iranian Government released the 66 hostages they have been holding since 1979. Former Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher was in Algeria's capital Algiers. The Hostages are going to Ramstein Air Base in West Germany to be looked over by doctors of the US armed services. President Reagan is getting the credit for this release of the hostages on the first day of his presidency,. Many people are viewing this as America is back...



Dozens Dead in Dublin Disco Inferno
The Sun
February 15th, 1981

Dublin:
In the early morning hours of Valentines Day a fire broke out at the Stardust Night Club in the Dublin suburb of Artane. The fire injured hundreds and has killed at least 36 people accounted so far. The Dublin Fire Brigade is investigating the cause of the fire. Local hospitals are overwhelmed by the injured. Many people at a night club had trouble escaping the blaze compared to people who had no trouble leaving from a trade union function at the same building. The question on the minds of the victims' families are why could their loved ones not easily escape from the blaze?




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Colonel Tejero and Rogue Civil Guards and cowering Spanish Deputies in the Background

Failed Coup occurs in Spain
The LA Times
February 25th, 1981


The nation of Spain is reeling from the coup attempt on the 23rd by officers in the Civil Guard and the Army held most members of the Chamber of Deputies hostage during a vote for electing a Prime Minister. The Coup's Leader, Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Tejero with two hundred Civil Guard troops and support of forces of one Army general. Most Spanish forces came out to help the government. Tejero had thought he could counter democracy but ultimately King Juan Carlos, in the uniform of a Captain-General Spain's highest rank, denounced the coup on national TV at 1:15 AM. The coup fizzled out and Tejero and his forces surrendered the next day.



One Dead, Seven Injured in Shuttle Accident
New York Daily News
March 20th, 1981


One Rockwell employee has died and seven others were injured when after a test of the rockets on the Space Shuttle Columbia. What NASA sources are claiming after a test onrockets which had used a nitrogen purge to prevent a fire, the five Rockwell personnel entered the NASA craft. However, nitrogen gas was still at deadly levels and caused five Rockwell employees to pass out and a sixth made it to security to inform them of what the incident. NASA sources state this will not delay the Shuttle’s launch date in April on the 10th.



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President Reagan and Press Secretary James Brady moments before shots rang out.

Special Edition!
Reagan Shot! Brady Dead! Bush Acting Prez!
Washington Post
March 31st, 1981


Upon leaving the Washington DC, Hilton Hotel, shots rang out towards President Ronald Reagan. The President was hit as they shoved him into the presidential limo, also hit was a D.C. Police officer, a secret service agent, and James Brady. Brady was fatally wounded and was pronounced dead at George Washington University Hospital [1]. Doctors state the bullets did severe damage to the president and Mr. Brady. Vice President George Bush was in Texas at the time of the shooting and returned to DC by the evening. He is now serving as acting president per a letter he sent to congress with the cabinet supporting him [2]. Secretary of State Al Haig did cause confusion when he said “I am in control.” Which most legal experts are saying he legally did not. The suspect is in federal custody.



Eagan based WinterTech hopes to compete with Apple, IBM in Computer markets.
Minneapolis Star
April 2nd, 1981


Near the headquarters of Northwest Airlines sits a small building that employs about 200 people. This building is the newest company to join Minnesota’s computer sector, WinterTech. WinterTech is interested in a new market of computers, portables, briefcase sized machines that can be taken anywhere. WinterTech CEO Amelia Winter says that such technology is ready for the business market but they are still having issues with making it work. ”Currently our desktop is working well and we will be revealing that in San Francisco but we hope to have our portable machine ready by September. We do see ourselves as in competition with other firms.” Winter told the Star...

[3]



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Police soon after getting riot shield, before that had nothing but improvised shields.

Riot in Brixton!
The Times
April 11th, 1981


Police and a majority Afro-Caribbean youths clashed yesterday in the London Neighborhood of Brixton. The Police were woefully unprepared for the riot initially. The rioters burned cars, caused protests damage and injuries to many officers...


[4]



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STS-1 taking off!

Space Shuttle Columbia Launched!
New York Times
April 13th, 1981


NASA’s first reusable space craft, The Space Shuttle Columbia launched at 7:00 AM Eastern Standard time on April 12th. The launch was delayed two days by weather. Commanding the shuttle is veteran astronaut of the space program and a man who had been to the moon twice, once in orbit and once on it as mission commander, John Young. Piloting the shuttle was first time astronaut, Robert Crippen. President Reagan still recovering from the attempt on his life gave the crew his well wishes...



Tokyo Robbery Ends in Accidental Suicide
New York Post
April 29th, 1981

Tokyo- AP:
In the suburbs of Tokyo a man attempting to rob a money van delivery cash to a Mitsubishi Bank accidentally killed himself after tripping on some pavement and somehow shooting himself in the head. The robbery and sole victim was Yuji Nakamori [5], tied to the Nakamori family of gangsters in Tokyo. The Tokyo Police told the press that, Mr. Nakamori was a disturbed individual who was addicted to amphetamines. An unnamed police source said it was a mess as he blew his brains out over the security guard for the bank’s money delivery service.



Fun bit to do.

Notes

[1] Biggest POD James Brady is dead, the devastator round that hit him blew up close enough to his brain to do fatal damage. Nancy Reagan and Acting President Bush attend Brady’s Funeral.

[2] In this world with Brady’s death Bush decided to declare himself Acting President. It scared the shit outta the soviets but Bush informed them that this was more a precautionary measure than anything untoward.

[3] made up story but it sets things up for WinterTech. Many people thought Amelia was like Geraldine Carmichael and the Twentieth Century Motor Corporation. She proved those accusations incorrect.

[4] this one was put in for fun.

[5] The name was wrong due to a typo. I made the typo in story deliberately. It could help Sara on the international state at first...
 
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