Chapter 2 of Ryo's Secret
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
After telling them about Ryo, Jake had invited them inside and brought them upstairs to Ryo's bedroom in the hopes that they might discover something that his family hadn't. Once Jake left them alone Henry and Rika went to work combing through Ryo's computer.
"Does anyone find it odd that the police aren't involved?" Jeri asked.
"It is weird." Takato murmured. "Jake seems genuinely worried about Ryo. He almost cried when we asked about him."
"So why aren't the police involved?" Rika pondered, leaning against Ryo's computer desk.
"Okay, I managed to break into Ryo's email account." Henry announced. " And what I found isn't exactly normal." He said, looking back at them from where he sat in Ryo's computer chair.
"Well, what is it?" Jeri asked, taking a seat on Ryo's bed. Takato did the same.
"It's an email-" Rika began, but Takato cut across her.
"It doesn't sound weird so far." Rika glared at him.
"-but it doesn't say anything." Rika finished.
Takato's eyebrows rose. "It still doesn't sound all that weird. People send blank emails by accident all the time."
Rika rolled her eyes. "It's a video that was sent to him of himself."
"So?" Jeri asked.
"This video was recorded the moment Ryo opened the email. That's why it's so weird. Now if I'm right, it will give us a clue." Henry explained. Everyone gathered around the computer as he pressed play.
Ryo stared blankly at his computer. He looked bored and then his eyebrows furrowed. He glanced down at himself and then back at the computer. Ryo stood, kicking his chair away. It rolled into the back wall as Ryo began frantically searching his desk. He froze and looked up. "Webcam." He muttered, smacking himself in the forehead. Ryo looked directly at the camera, his eyes narrowing as a man dressed in all black came up behind him. "Could you try to include some originality? If we're going to live in a horror movie it should at least be a good one." A phone began ringing. Ryo picked up his cell phone and studied the screen, his eyes widening. He spun around to face the and the video stopped.
"Who is he talking to?" Jeri asked.
"The guy in black." Takato replied.
Henry shook his head. "I don't think Ryo had realized there was someone behind him until the last second. He was speaking to whoever was recording the video."
"He was speaking to the person recording it?" Takato asked, looking away from the monitor. Rika gave him a you're-an-idiot look.
"Yes." Henry replied. "Ryo must know who that is."
"How can you tell?" Jeri asked.
Henry glanced at her. "The way he's acting. He realizes he's being recorded but he's not afraid and he's speaking in a casual tone but there's a hint of fondness to it."
"Like the way he speaks to Rika." Takato remarked. Jeri had to choked back a giggle. Rika's face was priceless.
"Exactly." Henry agreed. "This video was a live feed and I can tell that the person watching it is fond of Ryo as well."
"How could you not be?" Jeri muttered. Rika rolled her eyes. She was obviously the only one that heard that.
"Because they would have seen the guy standing behind Ryo and you think that's why his phone went off. They were sending him a warning." Henry nodded. Takato looked at Rika. "Do you know who it might be?"
Rika met his gaze with raised eyebrows. "Why would I know?"
"Ryo, tells you a lot."
"No, he doesn't."
"Ryo does tell you a lot more than he tells us." Henry murmured, joining Takato's teasing. Rika's eyes narrowed in response.
"He doesn't tell me anything and I don't care." Henry smiled at her. He knew she was lying.
"Sure you don't." Takato said, walking away from the computer.
Rika followed. "I do not like Ryo!"
"I never said you did, but it's so obvious that you do."
"I don't!"
Henry came up beside Rika as her hands clenched into fists. "Can't you guys just agree to disagree?"
"I DO NOT!"
"YOU DO TOO!"
Henry sighed. "Apparently not." He mumbled as Rika pounced. Henry caught her around the waist, keeping her from attacking Takato. Rika fought against him.
"If you don't like Ryo then why are you so defensive?"
"Would you two stop it! We have bigger things to worry about!" Jeri shouted. Rika ignored her and began fighting harder against Henry as her cell phone began to ring. Henry held her back with one arm and fished her cell phone out of her pocket with his free hand.
The arm Henry had around Rika fell. Rika slammed into Takato knocking the two of them onto Ryo's bed. Rika grabbed Takato by the throat and began shaking him.
"Ryo!?" Henry's shout of surprise was enough to get keep Rika from strangling the boy underneath her. She looked over at Henry. He had her phone to his ear. She jumped off of Takato and snatched her phone away from Henry. She pressed it against her ear and listened. She could hear his breathing. "Hello?" She murmured. Her heart began to beat faster as she waited anxiously for his response.
"Hey, Pumpkin." His voice was soft and quiet. Rika let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.
"You're supposed to be missing!" She accused. He chuckled, causing Rika's eyes to narrow. She hadn't been on the phone with him for two seconds and she was already irritated.
"Worried about me?"
"No!" She scoffed. "Why would I? It's everyone else that's freaking out."
Ryo sighed. "Tell them I'm sorry. I just...got lost. It's taken me a while to find my way back."
"How did you get lost?"
Ryo ignored her question. "Meet me at Mr. Wicker's mansion." Rika felt herself shiver. That place was the epitome of horror.
"That creepy old haunted house?"
"The one and only."
"No way!"
Rika hadn't noticed Takato come up behind her until he shouted "Ryo, Rika likes you!" into the phone. Rika punched him the chest, knocking him into the wall. Ryo was quiet for a long time.
"Please, Rika."
Rika's eyes widened. She couldn't help but be shocked. She couldn't remember the last time Ryo had called her by her real name. "Hell no!"
"Why not? I know my Wildcat's not scared."
"Yours?"
"Yep," He replied. "all mine."
"Fine," She whispered. "but only so I can punch you."
"It's a date."
Rika could almost see that stupid grin of his. "No it's not." She grumbled, hanging up the phone as she walked towards the door.
"What's going on?" Henry asked.
Rika looked back at Henry. "Apparently he got lost for three weeks."
Henry's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Lost?"
Rika nodded. "That's what he said."
"He didn't want to talk to us?" Takato asked.
Rika gave him an evil look. "Why would he?" She asked, turning to leave.
"Where are you going?" Takato asked.
"I'm leaving before I murder you."
Takato nodded, watching Rika open Ryo's bedroom door. "Good idea. Go cool off."
Rika spun around to face him. "You better cool off, gogglehead!" Takato took a few steps back as Henry turn Rika back towards the door.
"Go do whatever you were going to do." Henry said, pushing Rika through the door. "Let's not break any bones today." Rika sighed and exited Ryo's bedroom.
She went downstairs and out the front door. She walked as slowly as she could manage down the street, knowing it would piss Ryo off. Being patient was one thing Ryo was terrible at. Even though she was angry with him for making them and his family worry she was dying to see him. The thought of him being lost scared her. She wondered if he had been scared. Of course he wouldn't have been. Ryo had traveled the Digital World all on his own. He was the definition of bravery.
Rika began her journey into the woods. It was pleasant at first but as she traveled deeper into the trees it seemed like the shadows were following her. The moon gave off enough light fr her to see but not enough to keep the shadows from creeping her out. How had Ryo convinced her to come? Going through these woods were terrifying at night. People got killed and raped here constantly and nobody seemed to be able to catch the guy doing it. She didn't want to be one of those unfortunate people.
Rika came into a large clearing. She had never actually been to the Wicker Mansion, but she had heard things about it. She wasn't quite sure of it's exact location, but the mansion was huge and sat right in the middle of the clearing. There was no way you could miss it. It looked black in the dark and the windows were all shattered. The door was rotten and hanging lopsided on the hinges. Vines were growing up the walls and tangled with each other. Why in the world did Ryo want to meet here?
"Rika?" Rika turned around, bumping right into Ryo. He smiled at her. Rika let out a sigh of relief and for some odd reason she jumped right into his arms, almost knocking them over. For once, Ryo didn't ask questions or make fun of her, he just hugged her close to him. Very close to him, she noticed.
Ryo pulled away slightly, just enough for Rika to see his face. His expression was soft and he smiled at her again. Rika felt her heart begin to beat faster and in response to this, she punched him right in the stomach. Ruining the moment, much to her relief.
"Ow!" He mumbled. "Why did you do that?"
"I told you I was only coming so I could." She responded, pushing him away from her.
"I don't recall deserving it."
Rika rolled her eyes. "You don't have to deserve it. You are a twerp, therefore I am automatically allowed to punch you whenever I feel the need."
It was Ryo's turn to roll his eyes. "I don't remember reading that in the Tamer Manual."
Rika smirked. "Chapter 5, Section 3, Paragraph 4, Sentence 2." Ryo's eyes narrowed in response.
Rika patted him on the shoulder. "Don't feel bad Akiyama, I always win."
"You may have won the battle, babe, but you have yet to win the war."
Rika looked Ryo up and down. His cheek was bruised and he had a few cuts underneath his left eye. His hands were scratched up and the knuckles were bruised and bloody. He was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing at the last get together the Tamers had, a blue T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He was filthy. His hair was greasy and dirty. His shirt was covered in dark stains. She wasn't quite sure what those stains were but she was almost afraid to ask. Ryo didn't look like he had been lost. He looked like he had been running for his life.
"What happened to you?" She whispered.
Ryo looked away from her. "I told you...I got lost."
"Why are you lying?"
"I'm not-"
"Yes you are! You're a terrible liar Ryo."
"Rika-"
"Tell me the truth. Were you kidnapped?"
He sighed and nodded. "I escaped."
"Tell me what happened." Instead of telling her, he began walking back in the direction Rika had come. "Ryo!" He kept walking, ignoring her calls. She groaned and followed him. What in the world was going on here?
Ryo led her quietly back to his house, making sure the house was completely empty before actually letting her inside.
"Ryo?" She asked suspiciously. He looked at her.
"What?"
"What was that about?"
He shook his head at her. "Nothing. I was just seeing if anyone was home."
"Right." Rika muttered as Ryo took a seat on the couch. "Why didn't you tell me you had a brother?" She asked, sitting down beside him.
"You didn't ask."
"Do you have any other siblings?"
"I have three sisters."
"Ryo?" Rika murmured. He met her gaze. "Don't you think you should call the police?" Ryo shook his head. "Why not?"
"I can't."
"Why? They can catch whoever took you so they won't try to take someone else."
"I just can't."
"But-"
"Rika please!" Ryo's head fell into his hands. "Please stop."
Rika was about to say something, but her response was cut off when a knife came out of nowhere, sticking itself into the couch in between Rika and Ryo. Rika didn't get the chance to see where it had come from, Ryo was already pulling her up the stairs. He pushed her into his room and slammed the door shut, locking it. Ryo came away from the door, cradling his left arm close to his chest.
"What's going on?" Rika asked. He ignored her, glancing furiously at the door.
Rika jumped when Ryo's closet doors began to rattle. Ryo strode over to his closet and pulled the door open, revealing Henry, Takato and Jeri all tied up with duct tape on their mouths. "You have got to kidding me!" Ryo muttered. He began to untie them. Rika went over and helped. Once the three of them were free, Jeri burst into tears.
"Your father is crazy!" Takato shouted at Ryo as he put his arm around Jeri. Ryo didn't seem the slightest bit surprised by Takato's outburst.
"You're father did this to them?" Rika asked.
"Where's Jake?" Ryo asked, ignoring Rika.
"He left." Henry replied. "Went home I think." Ryo turned away from them all and went over to his window, opening it as a banging sound began on his bedroom door.
"We can get out through here." Ryo murmured, looking back at them. Rika noticed the blood flowing down Ryo's left arm, but she couldn't see any wounds.
"Ryo-" Takato began but Ryo didn't give him the opportunity to object.
"Just do it!" Ryo yelled. They nodded.
Henry was the first to climb out the window and then Takato. Jeri climbed onto the window sill and glanced down.
"I don't like heights." Rika rolled her eyes and pushed Jeri out the window. Jeri screamed as she fell. Takato caught her before she hit the ground.
Ryo looked at Rika. "Your turn." He murmured.
"You're coming too, right?" Ryo shook his head. "I'm not going without you."
"Look, my father is mentally unstable. I have to stay here."
"Why isn't he in an institution?"
"We're handling it."
"He locked our friends in your closet! It doesn't look like you're handling it too well!" Rika hissed.
"Drop it." Ryo warned. They glared at each other for a few minutes. Finally, Rika gave in and with a sigh climbed onto the window sill. Ryo smiled at her. " Relax, I know what I'm doing."
Rika shook her head. "I don't like it."
"You don't have to like it."
Rika clenched the sides of the windows, making sure that Ryo couldn't just push her out.
He sighed. "Leave you're door unlocked. I'll come by tonight." Rika's eyes narrowed slightly. Ryo grinned at her. "You're going to really hate me for this. You can beat me up for it later, though." Rika's eyebrows furrowed.
"What are yo-" Ryo brushed his lips against hers. It was only the lightest of kisses, but it was enough to put Rika in shock. Ryo used this to his advantage and pushed her out the window.