The Painter, The Recluse, and a Portrait of Joe Burrow











Noah La Porte

Loading...

Chapter 1- The Ritual of the Recluse

Loading...

The door closed behind Jackson as he stepped into the warmth of his spacious home. The bleak, rainy weather he had experienced on the way back from his auction house was not inviting at all, so he decided to stay in the comfort of his home that night. His three-story house, accompanied by a luscious landscape and a cozy backyard finished his sprawling estate. Every evening, Mr. Watamuro would partake in his so-called routine, where he would throw his coat and his trousers onto the couch. He would then recline in the coziness of his couch and swaddle himself in blankets, giving him the resemblance to a well-dressed butterfly wrapped in its cocoon. At last, this was topped with a dainty drink (or two), complete with watching a football game on a great ninety-inch television.

Loading...

This life of luxury and contentment was not one many got to enjoy in Japan, but Mr. Watamuro was one of the few who did.  Mr. Watamuro loved to fancy himself a man with a double life, one as an illegal auctioneer, catering to the upper-class elites and criminals of Tokyo, and another as a recluse, living in the comfort of his home and settling into this robotic ritual every night.

Loading...

This life of luxury and contentment was not one many got to enjoy in Japan, but Mr. Watamuro was one of the few who did.  Mr. Watamuro loved to fancy himself a man with a double life, one as an illegal auctioneer, catering to the upper-class elites and criminals of Tokyo, and another as a recluse, living in the comfort of his home and settling into this robotic ritual every night.

The last thing Chloe wanted to be doing on that beautiful morning was talking to Mr. Watamuro. Infuriated by the fact that Jackson would have the nerve to have shown up to her home and ask for a favor considering what he had done many years ago, Chloe was still wary of Mr. Watamuro’s crazy plans. The day, when he refused to put her art up for auction, was the most embarrassing moment in her life, and she still carried a grudge against the crook. When she first opened the door after he knocked, she had half the mind to slam the door on his outstretched hand, but her emotions got the best of her after he looked up at her like a sad child. Watamuro and Chloe put their emotions to the side and finally began discussing business. Mr. Watamuro wanted her to paint a portrait of his favorite football player, Joe Burrow.  Mr. Watamuro would give her 10 thousand dollars, giving her a chance to make a name for herself in the art world.

Chapter 2- Watamuro's Wonderful Idea

But Chloe, a loyal patriot to her home country, agreed to work with Jackson to create the painting, but secretly her loyalty was still with her country and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure he went to jail for his crimes. 

Chloe, who specialized in portraits, finished the painting in no time; however, it was not just painting she would be doing to this canvas. Laced inside the painting were microchips that the police could use to track the location of the painting wherever it went. Ms. Choe knew that this was the only way to see who bought the painting and to arrest them. She also believed that this was the only way of catching Mr. Watamuro, who always seemed to slip through the fingers of the authorities when the time came to arrest him.

But Chloe, a loyal patriot to her home country, agreed to work with Jackson to create the painting, but secretly her loyalty was still with her country and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure he went to jail for his crimes. 

Chloe, who specialized in portraits, finished the painting in no time; however, it was not just painting she would be doing to this canvas. Laced inside the painting were microchips that the police could use to track the location of the painting wherever it went. Ms. Choe knew that this was the only way to see who bought the painting and to arrest them. She also believed that this was the only way of catching Mr. Watamuro, who always seemed to slip through the fingers of the authorities when the time came to arrest him.

Chapter 3- Chloe's Cunning Scheme

Mr. Watamuro didn’t have bodyguards or armed men. The key to his elusiveness was his ties to the underworld and black market, as he had more connections to other criminals than a crowded coffee shop had connections to their Wi-Fi.

Chapter 4- Watamuro's Bitter Blunder

Jackson’s delight was a mask that covered his stoney face as Chloe shook his hand.  He had a slight pang of worry as she walked away suspicious that something was not right with the picture. “Maybe it's just a hunch”, he thought to himself as she disappeared into the damp dark street across from the auction house. Even though it was just a hunch, he decided to check the painting for any traps or trackers on the frame. Even a seasoned professional like Jackson missed the micro-tracker weaved into the painting itself, for he had only checked the frame for anything out of the ordinary.

He knew she held a grudge against him since he refused to put her artwork up for auction at his auction house, but he didn't know what lengths she would go to get her revenge on him, and this troubled him greatly. He checked the address he had to go to, and he realized he would have to pack his bags and head to Hong Kong where the residency of his buyer was located. He quickly placed the painting in the backseat of his car, with the same caution as handling a newborn child. He sped off, painting in tow, oblivious to the fact that the police were hot on his trail. 

Chapter 5- The Chilling Airport Chase

The sandwich store. The sandwich store is where Jackson noticed the first undercover officer. His pathetic attempt at an American tourist included (but was not limited to): a beach hat and Hawaiian shirt, flip-flops, with a Sports Illustrated magazine in hand.

Then it was the woman at the baggage drop-off , and the old man with his luggage cart. Mr. Watamuro knew he needed to board that flight, and he would do anything in his power to deliver the painting to his customer. His ticket was first-class, meaning that he would be boarding the plane first. He ran through the airport, knocking everyone out of his way, similar to a football player barreling over members of the opposing team.  Mr. Watamuro stuck out like a sore thumb, a middle-aged man sprinting through the airport with a painting of Joe Burrow the size of himself. When he finally reached the boarding gate, he had enough sweat on his brow to fill a bathtub. He gave his ticket to the flight attendant, who opened the gate and led him onto his seat on the plane. Looking out of his window, Jackson could see Chloe Choi and fifteen other policemen running through each terminal, racing towards the boarding gate as it closed slowly. The plane was pulling out onto the runway, and the agents were closing in on the gate.