Mako Tanida (No. 83)

Send an Encrypted Message to the Men

Ah, Mako Tanida — now there’s a name that should’ve remained buried in the rubble of Japan’s underworld. But alas, ghosts are rarely content to stay dead.

Raymond “Red” Reddington here, with a tale that bleeds betrayal, vengeance, and the kind of poetic irony that makes even me pause for a drink — or, in this case, a celebratory sashimi platter.

You see, Mako Tanida was once a Yakuza kingpin — a man with an appetite for retribution and a rather unorthodox approach to justice. After escaping from a maximum-security prison (a feat that required more than just a nail file and determination), Tanida sets out to dismantle the task force responsible for his downfall, one member at a time. It’s personal. Messy. Bloody. And oh, does it send poor Agent Ressler spiraling into a moral tailspin so severe I thought he might actually loosen his tie.

As bodies pile up and secrets unravel, we learn that Ressler’s old partner, Bobby Jonica — a man so squeaky clean he practically squeaked — may not have been the Boy Scout everyone thought. Dirty money, dirty hands, and a betrayal that cuts deeper than Tanida’s blade.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth is busy playing house with a man whose secrets could fill volumes. But we’ll shelve that for now. Let’s just say Tom’s extracurricular activities are about to become very interesting.

In the end, Ressler is faced with a choice: justice or revenge. And wouldn’t you know it — the line between the two gets blurrier every time someone bleeds.

Ah, Mako Tanida. Proof that no matter how far you run, the past always catches up — preferably with a tanto to the gut.