In Medias Res: Street painted red.

Bentitsubasa was trying to crawl. To get out of this smoke, which was choking her and making her eyes burn. Her right leg was bleeding profoundly and her right arm was half torn from her body.
- Who the hell are you? - she managed to cough out at the terrifying figure towering above her, face hidden behind gas mask, gun in its hands lowered and aimed at her.
- You know, I couldn't find her head. - Muffled voice came from underneath the mask. - It must have rolled and fallen into the river.
- What the fuck are you talking about! What head? I know nothing of this! - Her head was spinning, and her limbs have gone soft, she couldn't even move them anymore. Where is Haihane? They were searching for some troublemaker MBI security couldn't handle, so they were just walking through the streets where that patrol vanished last night, when explosions tore the night and she was thrown to the ground. Before she could get up this smoke filled the air, and then two gunshots were heard, on almost tearing her arm of, second throwing her two the ground again as it struck her thigh.
- I know you don't. It was the Black. But you still will die for it. - Figure moved and stood above her, heavy boot now pressing on her neck. - All of Disciplinary squad.
- Who are... You? - sharp pain shot through her as man's foot started crushing her windpipe.
- No... Ple- Please! - she managed to squeeze out. But only answer to that was pressure of metal on her forehead. She heard a metallic sound. - No...
Gunshot sounded. Benitsubasa's head exploded, bits of bone and brains covering the ground. Her assailant silently disappeared into the smoke. Torn up street was quiet again.

Chapter 1: Kindness of strangers.

-Musubi-chan, you really have to be more careful. - Sahashi was holding a few wooden planks. - These aren't exactly cheap, and I can't find work anymore, with the lockdown and everything...
- Hehe... Training was so fun I kind of overdid it. - Musubi hit the side of her head with her fist. - Sorry, Minato-san. I'll try to be more careful.
Sun was already setting and with sky cast over as it was it was getting pretty dark. Streets were empty, almost eerily so compared to how busy they were before the lockdown. Sahashi sighed and said
- Well, don't beat yourself over it, we got all we need to repair the wall. Hey, is that guy drunk or what? - Sahashi pointed forward where a man was trying to stand up, two heavy-looking sports bags hanging from both his shoulders.
When they came closer it became clear that this was not the case. A man dressed in what should have been MBI security uniform, now torn, ragged and burnt was wounded - badly. He was bleeding from at least four nasty cuts on his arms and legs, and half of his face was burned, though one could easily see he was caucasian.
- Hey are you alright? - Sahashi kneeled beside the man, who looked up at him, but his eyes were empty, and he didn't say anything, apparently barely conscious.
- Uh we should call an ambulance... Or may be MBI, he is clearly one of theirs... - Just as Sahashi was pulling his phone out he jumped, startled as the man grabbed his arm.
- No hospital. No MBI. Kill... - Saying that apparently took all the strength he had in him and he dropped to the ground on his bags.
- Well... We can't just leave him here. Izumo inn is not that faraway, help me carry him, Musubi-chan! - MBI grunt or not Sahashi just couldn't leave a man in such condition just laying on the street. And he was in trouble with MBI, which was curious.
- Take him and I'll take his bags... Ughh... - Sahashi tried to pick up one of the bags but they were very heavy. - What the hell is in there? - Sahashi wandered aloud. It was not very polite but he had to know if this weight was worth carrying at all, so he opened the bag he was trying to lift. Inside there were guns, ammo and bricks of clay-like substance labeled SEMTEX.

And there was a lot of it.

***
- But well... I couldn't just leave him there! And he is in some sort of trouble with MBI. - Miya was not too happy when Sahashi and Musubi came from their shopping trip dragging an unconscious soldier on their shoulders. She was even less happy when she found out about the contents of his bags. She sighed.
- I can understand that and he can stay here until he can walk, but these things... They have no place at Izumo Inn!
- I understand, landlady, I will take them... - Sahashi stopped talking. - Uh... huh.
- Finally thought of that, have you? -
- Ka-Kagari-san? - Kagari was standing in the doorway.
- You can't just throw this kind of things in the trash, or leave them where someone might find them. - Kagari stepped forward and crossed his arms. - Imagine what would happen if some kid found them.
- You are right... - Sahashi rubbed his forehead. - We could throw them into the river, couldn't we? That should be safe enough. Than again, those are not our things...
- I doubt those are his things either, but you're right. Wouldn't want to get on a bad side of a man who has that kind of firepower on him for some reason. - Kagari looked at Sahashi. - Even if he is just a man he can give you plenty of trouble.
- He's not just a man. He's former ashikabi. - Matsu was peeking from the same doorway Kagari entered from. Were they all eavesdropping, Minato wandered. - His sekirei got killed yesterday, by the Black.
- And why is he in MBI uniform? - Miya wandered.
- He was combat instructor with the MBI. - Matsu clarified. - But he is listed as a casualty in yesterday's fire on the MBI warehouse at the docks. And it is correct to assume that he is dangerous. I got into his file on MBI servers. He is a mercenary, He spent all his life on the battlefields, and has sold his services since he was thirteen.
- Thirteen? - everyone was shocked a little. - That's... A bit young. - Kagari managed.
- He was born during an ethnic conflict in Eastern Europe and lost his parents before his third birthday. He was taken in by friends of his parents, who were killed ten years later, when conflict flared again. He, apperently is not from either of groups which fought so he strode from camp working for food and shelter. And well... - Matsu shook her head.
- That's awful! - Minato was in shock. Before all this craziness with sekirei his biggest problem was getting in the University.
- Don't get all sorry for him, Mina-tan. - Matsu shuffled over to Minato and took his arm. - He is not a nice person. His file is incomplete but I'm pretty sure he worked for all kind of people. Warlords, drug barons, criminal syndicates... Makes one wonder how he got his sekirei...
- And who was it? - Kagari sat across the table from Minato and Matsu, beside Miya.
- Number 72. Inochiryouku. The healer sekirei. - Matsu turned to Kagari. - She was one of those sekirei who were ill-suited for combat, like Kuno. She could heal her ashikabi, and some believe that her norito would even raise him from the dead. But since ashikabi are prohibited from fighting themself in the Sekirei plan it was kind of useless.
- Well, we may find out more when he wakes up - Kagari stood up. - I'll borrow a couple of trash bags, Miya, then go and bury his stuff somewhere, so we wouldn't have to worry about this arsenal lying around.