As soon as they began to run, it began to rain. Careful to avoid detection, they ran only through back streets and alleys. It was only a few miles back to Anteiku, but by the end of it Kaneki's heart was ready to burst.
Hinami was the first to reach the door. She threw it open, and the trio practically fell into the cafe's kitchen. It was empty, and just as dark as outside.
"Oh, God," Touka panted. "Kaneki, you're an idiot. Just in case I didn't tell you already."
"If I'm the idiot, why are we back at Anteiku? This place'll be swarming with Investigators once Amon tells them about it!" Kaneki snapped back.
"We don't even know if Amon is still alive," Touka sighed. "What's more important right now is that Hinami stays safe."
Kaneki looked over at the shaking, red-faced girl. "Guys, really, please don't-"
"Not now, Hinami," Touka replied, interrupting the girl. She stood up and turned on the lights. "Kaneki, I left a key upstairs in Hinami's room. Would you mind getting it for me? It should be on the table."
"Yeah, sure." Kaneki pulled himself off the floor and hurried upstairs. The door was already cracked open ever so slightly. Kaneki went in and found the key with ease.
He was just about to leave when he heard something. It was faint, but there nonetheless. Staying quiet, he strained harder to listen.
"Yeah. Over here, he said." It was a man's voice, gruff and stern. But it wasn't Yomo, and certainly not Mr. Yoshimura.
Panic began to seep into Kaneki's heart. Did Amon survive? Did he tell the other Invesigators everything?
Though he dreaded to look, Kaneki slowly approached the window. Peeking out, his worst fears were confirmed. In the alleyway stood three men, each carrying a large briefcase.
Kaneki opened his mouth to yell out to the others, but no sound came out. Terrified, he instead ran back downstairs to the kitchen. Touka was standing by the cupboard, filling a backpack with packets of meat. Hinami still sat on the floor, her head hung low.
But Kaneki's sudden return caught her attention, and she looked up at him. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You don't look so-"
She was interrupted by a loud banging on the door. "THIS IS THE CCG! OPEN UP!" a man's voice shouted. The same one Kaneki had heard just a moment ago. Hinami leapt to her feet, her face as pale as a ghost.
"Come on! We gotta go! Give me that damn key!" Touka cried, her voice panicked.
He put the key into Touka's wildly trembling hand. She dashed into a hallway, Kaneki and Hinami following behind. The banging on the door grew louder.
Touka kicked aside the carpet that ran down the hall, revealing a small trapdoor. She knelt down and, amazingly, unlocked it on her first try.
Touka had just begun the climb down into the inky depths of when they heard the kitchen door make a loud cracking noise. The Doves must have been trying to kick in it. Touka quickened her pace, and soon there was enough room for another person to begin climbing.
Kaneki looked over at Hinami. "You go before me." She simply nodded, too scared to argue.
The kitchen door burst open. Kaneki didn't stop to think as he threw himself into the trapdoor, barely managing to pull it shut as he fell.
But he only fell for a moment before he felt a dull thud on his back. There was a sharp cry of pain. Hinami. Time seemed to slow down as they fell ten feet onto the cement below.
A dull pain reverberated through all Kaneki's body. Hinami was crying.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Touka yelled as she came and knelt down next to them. "The last thing we need right now is someone injured!" She pushed Kaneki off of Hinami.
"The Investigators were inside. I didn't have a choice!" Kaneki groaned, pulling himself off the ground.
"Damn it... we haven't got more than a minute till the Doves get down here. We need to run into the tunnels to avoid them." Touka, as gently as she could, picked the now-unconsicious Hinami up off the ground.
She looked forward, into the inky darkness of the labyrinth ahead. "Let's go." Touka said, and they went forward.