To alexma and Guest : thank you for your reviews, you both are my first ones. And thank you for following and favoriting, I hope to interest you enough to continue reading. Here's the next chapter.
The Good Idiotic Girl & The Mastermind Criminal
II – Of Lies & Betrayals
The rest of the trip had passed in complete silence in which Marie had tried to remain calm, to apease her mind from the fright Daichi had given her but nothing had worked : she had been on edge since this last conversation with the two adults, her little act of rebellious girl had just granted her to be mortified and scared shitless of the Japanese woman. Most of the time, she avoided cold-natured people like the plague but there was something off with Daichi, something so strong and yet creeping the heck out of her that she couldn't decipher. Marie didn't like it one bit, but Daichi just appeared not to care about it.
They had reached Kyoto four hours later into the evening and the three women were greeted by another mysterious man who had only spared the youngster a glance before urging her to get into their car. Although she would have loved to scream her displeasure with the whole situation here, the life-threatening warning Daichi had told always managed to eat her determination like termites and the French student just sat up like a good girl, frightened and silent under the cold glare she sent in her way. And if that wasn't enough, Marie had thought she had seen a flicker of gold in the brown eyes that now haunted her mind before it disappeared.
With no smartphone to contact and inform her parents and her friends, her plans to tell them about the incredible mess she had stepped in had failed. Daichi must have probably destroyed the device before throwing it into a fire, ruining her chances to take some pictures. Marie stared with sullen eyes at the vase on the low table, fumbling with her handbag. The cheerful student from today in Shinjuku had long disappeared, replaced by the scared girl who didn't know anything about the situation concerning her ; Daichi and Irina had dropped her into this living-room of their hideout in a neighbourhood of Kyoto and went into the kitchen with the mysterious man, Marie could hear their voices talking, sometimes snapping harshly. The cold and firm tone of Daichi chilled her to the bone, freezing her in place, haunting and frightening.
''Mister Alexander, you're starting to irritate me,'' she was saying. ''The girl we wanted to save from the Wani is here, in this living-room if you still have forgotten – which wouldn't surprise me at all, regarding your legendary failing memory. She is waiting for us to explain ourselves.'' A pause. ''What is your point exactly ?''
Said Alexander groaned in annoyance. ''And exactly how, with your burning coldness that makes everyone pee in his pants, do you want us to tell her ? It's not some random reason about building a whorehouse with hundreds of kidnapped young girls, it's a more complicated and certainly the most craziest matter I've ever dealt in my whole life. Just try to imagine for two minutes how her life would be wrecked in a matter of minutes after this revelation, she would be completly hysterical !''
In the living-room, Marie furrowed her brows in confusion. What were they talking about ? Daichi snorted loudly.
''How ironic. Coming from you, I'm quite at a loss. Weren't you the one to tell the others that having to protect – let me have the delicious pleasure to quote your words – 'some random girl who doesn't even have the brains to be accompanied by someone in charge in a city where she doesn't even know if she will be safe.' Pretty contradictory, if you want my opinion. Yes, mister Alexander, I know about this and this will be compromising for all of us.''
There was a gasp from Irina. ''What do you mean by that ?'' the blond woman asked. ''I don't understand...''
''I haven't known mister Alexander like you did, but if you don't learn how to keep your eyes open to watch ahead and behind and under a mask, you'll miss many things, miss Irina. Your friend is right about one thing – this is a matter where all logic can be forgotten and the girl is the main problem we'll have to protect. Any treachery will be severely punished. In my own way, if worse. The girl is our top priority and we have to be vigilant now : the Wani have missed their target today, they will try something else the next days to come if we don't act soon.''
There was a silence for several seconds, before Daichi continued.
''Also, I believe it's good to remind you something : someone as trustful as you can be easily blinded and that could be dangerous. Trust is something you should not give so easily and if you were all so trustful like your boss, you would all have failed to retrieve Marie Timothée before the Wani. You would have died.''
There were footsteps coming towards the door.
''And I would have laughed on your graves.''
The words, harsh and cruel, made Marie shiver and widen her eyes in shock. Coming from a woman like Daichi Matsumoto, it sounded as if she meant it and would have done it. This was more disturbing than everyone would thought and once again, the French student believed there was something off and absolutely not right about that person.
The door of the kitchen opened and Daichi, splendid and looking colder than usual, got out. Her strides were swift and almost silent if no one was paying attention the soft sounds of the leather of her high boots. When she could feel her gaze on her, Marie counted ten seconds in her head before taking a breath and rising her head towards her interlocutor. Daichi had abandoned her Fedora hat and let her pitch black hair fall freely on her shoulders, making her look like another person Marie couldn't really describe : there was that strange and frightening aura surrounding the Japanese woman – Marie shivered unintentionally – that rendered her silent and feel like the most bashful person on the earth. Daichi was as imperial as dark. Yes, that was the word. Dark. And strange. She looked both imperial and dark at the same time, which didn't match.
Daichi only blinked once.
''You and I want the same thing,'' she hissed. ''Answers. I hope you are ready to hear my questions and answers, because I won't be cautious and soft and if the idea of improvising a blackout ever crosses your mind in the next minutes, don't faint on me. I suppose I don't have to explain further what I would do if you faint, am I right ?''
Marie shook her head vigorously. Daichi ignored the death glare Alexander sent her and kept her burning eyes on the French student.
''Good. Now, let's start from the beginning. Where did you get the necklace around your neck and the strange tattoo on your neck ?''
There were very little things able to surprise Daichi Matsumoto on this earth, starting with the impossible idea that this little girl might be related to the accident which the Japanese was being the victim.
She is nothing but a frightened little mouse happening to be the cause of my accident, she thought with a harsh scowl. If she hadn't seen it by herself, Daichi would have missed the sole chance to discover what happened to her ; the tattoo on Marie Timothée's neck was quite hard to see, both small and well-hidden, but never underestimate a ninja's sharp eyes. The inscriptions of the tattoo musn't have meant something particular to the French student, if no more particular than getting a tattoo written in an ancient language would be seen as 'cool' but to Daichi Matsumoto, it was more than a mere tattoo gotten by an innocent urge to be branded. Moving her eyes to the necklace Marie was suddenly clutching with a confused stare, Daichi fought her urge to snatch it from her grasp.
''M-my necklace ?'' she stammered. ''A-and my tattoo ? But why ?''
''We think – sorry, Daichi thinks – there is a link existing between you and those sons of bitches,'' Alexander stepped in, deliberately taking the reins of this conversation and not caring about Daichi's cold glare drilling on his back. ''Usually, the Wani kidnap girls of your age to build a whorehouse in their hidden quarters and they never set them free even if they are tired of them.'' Daichi wanted to snort loudly. He was just trying not to freak her out, only to fail. ''But your case is completely different and following our informations about those gangsters, they are after you for something you have in your possession.''
Marie shook her head in disbelief.
''This is... there's no logic in this ! How could you think that a link could exist between me and those...those gangsters ?! You're being all crazy !'' At this point, Marie was almost shrieking. She shot up of her seat, still clutching her necklace tightly.
''B-besides,'' she continued. ''My family had no such problems with bad people, we've been living in peace for fifteen years and we-''
The girl suddenly stopped, clamped her mouth shut and looked down, as if feeling horrified of something they couldn't get it. Brown eyes steeled and drilled on her, freezing her body in place, while her fingers ached for grasping and pressing it until something bad happen – like death by strangulation. Irina and Alexander glanced at each other. The girl is lying. Something happened years ago and she knows it. Marie sat back down, not trusting her legs which had begun to shake violently. It would seem that denying was out of order, so Irina stepped in too.
''Marie ?'' she called softly. ''Marie, please, calm yourself. Judging by your reaction, either you remember something or can't lie properly...''
''They came once...'' It was as if she was remembering something absolutely horrible. So horrible that Daichi couldn't hold her tongue.
''Who ? Where ?'' she urged. ''Are you talking about the Wani ?''
Swallowing a painful lump, Marie nodded. ''They...it was fifteen years ago, when my parents brought me to the United States for the first time. We went to Boston to visit family. That's where it all began.''
Four-years-old Marie Timothée had been wondering how big were the United States when her parents had told that they would be going soon. Was it bigger than Russia or even Asia ? She was ecstatic and could never hold her screams of happiness whenever America was brought out. ''Est-ce qu'il y a des monuments ennuyeux là-bas ? Qu'est-ce qu'ils mangent, eux ? Ils parlent français, les z'Américains, maman ?'' It never ended and her curiosity knew no limits.
You see, children of her age were always asking questions and never tired of wondering about everything. Marie Timothée was just like them, ever curious over any thing that seemed so new to her. Travelling to another country where another different and somewhat smooth language both excited and frightened her, but her parents were positive : this will be a nice journey.
''C'est Boston, maman ? On y est ? C'est super beau !'' Marie squealed in delight, making her parents chuckle at her antics.
''Oui, chérie !'' her mother, Sarah Timothée, laughed. She smiled warmly at her daughter. ''Cela nous a pris du temps comme nous te l'avons déjà dit, mais nous y sommes arrivés. Regarde, Tata Laure et Tonton George sont déjà là ! On va leur dire-''
But the little girl had already flown towards two walking people, a man with brown hair and glasses, a big cheerful smile on his face and glinting green eyes that flashed with mischief. Uncle George looked slightly different from the picture her parents had shown her two weeks ago – he seemed older with strays of grey in his hair but even with those little changes, he still looked the same to Marie, who threw herself in his arms. Besides him was his wife, Laure, who hugged her brother in her arms. Her blue eyes shone with mirth and the woman didn't wait to talk excitedly about many things, asking if they wouldn't want to stay definitely in the United States since they had become residents last year because of George's relations in the government. Family reunions were just like this ; talking and talking, forgetting weariness and enjoying a nice view of Boston in the car. And Marie who just couldn't stop asking too many questions. Curious child.
All of this was just a foretaste of what will happen in a few days after their arrival, because they hadn't been understated : with a loud child who couldn't stop squealing like a duck, it was nearly impossible for parents to appear normal and discretion wasn't really in order when Marie Timothée wanted nothing but exploring Boston and learning English. If Uncle George didn't have to work on Saturday, she could monopolize him all day and make him drive her to the most beautiful places in the city, she had decided.
Strangely, fate could be a real bitch when everything looked perfect. Whether it was karma or not, they wouldn't know. A day when Laure and Sarah, our hyperactive child's mother, went to the supermarket to buy groceries and do some shopping, a shop caught little Marie's eyes and, asking her mother and aunt to accompany her inside – mainly because she didn't speak English and certainly would stare at the seller with wide eyes stating her incomprehension. But she so wanted to come in.
It wasn't like all the stores she saw today, this one was completely different both from the outside and the inside ; the room was large and round, almost free of space. There was a dim light above them all, allowing them to see a sort of strange-looking decoration : it wasn't made of skeletons or other those Gothic goods all somber madmen overly fascinated by death liked to wear and buy, but the complete opposite. The colours were bright and almost made the room shine with power and the lightness of the sun. It gave the shop an unnatural and mystical decoration. Of course, Marie was simply too young to sense it, but surely her mother and her aunt were.
''Ce magasin est...étrange. Je crois que c'est la première fois que je le vois ici,'' Laure said to her sister-in-law, observing the rather strange objects displayed on shelves. They all seemed rather rare and...old. There were many Antique stores in town but not this well kept and so attractive. Laure wasn't going to deny it, she was attracted to that shop.
So was Marie. ''Waouh...'' The girl's eyes were literally shining with awe and her mouth was hanging open.
''On dirait un magasin d'antiquités. Et il est décidément très bien tenu, comme s'il était nettoyé dix fois par jour !'' Sarah Timothée exclaimed, obviously pleased with the purity of the shop. ''Et regardez-moi toutes ces breloques ! On pourrait trouver quelque chose de bien, ici.''
Laure looked at Sarah, not quite convinced.
''Je...où est le vendeur ?'' Laure asked suddenly, watching Marie observe the objects displayed on the lower shelves.
Marie wasn't listening, for her eyes had caught a faint glow under other golden bracelets. Slowly, she removed them until discovering a nice-looking necklace made of silver. It was shining brightly under the dim light and there was a small strange-shaped object : it looked like a bright red pearl with strays of orange over it, covered in sort of solid glass container.
The pearl itself was strange. It seemed to call Marie. She was drawned to it.
''Are you saying that you bought this necklace ?'' Daichi's voice was tinged with mistrust and her eyes were narrowed. ''In a shop ? Nobody seeming strange to you did not just give it, as all idiotic stories begin with someone – usually a girl – given an odd object by a madman and shortly after, everything starts to shatter dramatically ?''
''I'm telling the truth !'' Marie protested, indignant.
Daichi raised an eyebrow. ''I did not call you a liar, I just found it strange. Keep telling, please.''
The French girl closed her eyes, remembering.
''Do you want to know the story of what you are holding, young child ?''
Marie had been so entranced in her reverie that she had not heard someone coming close to her and she turned her head to see a woman kneeling down besides her little form. And what a pretty woman she was ! She had midnight blue hair braided on her head, magnificent green eyes that looked so translucid when Marie stared deeply into them. She had a gentle look and a kind smile gracing her full lips. The dress she was wearing made her look like...unreal, supernatural. No, she was not pretty. She was beautiful, so beautiful that Marie felt instantly ashamed that she found this woman more beautiful than her own mother who was everything to her.
Having not enough experience in English, Marie turned towards her mother and her aunt, who were stunned at watching the unknown woman. Upon realizing that the little was expecting a translation – and also a translator –, Laure awakened and blinked.
''Y-yes, of course !'' she responded in English. ''Because we are curious as well, please tell us.''
The smile grew a little wider.
''There is an old legend about this necklace I was told when I was but a young child just like you,'' she started, as if reciting a tale. ''The legend speaks about a princess of a foreign and supernatural empire who desired nothing but a world ruled by peace and equality. Her imperial family always disagreed with her and planned to display their power over a whole world they had explored through many centuries, having seen its forces and weaknesses and the advantages they could get if they take over this world, world which was as theirs as the other inhabitants.
''Many saw an opportunity to finally rise from the lower parts of the main city and joined the imperial army to help the family in their growth, others like the dear and kind princess saw the malicious lies of the Emperor when he said he wanted to save people from their misery. So, in order to stop her father in his folly, she stole what constituted the power of the empire, sacrificing her position as a princess and heiress to put an end to the madness her father was creating and spreading.''
The woman looked at the necklace with a smile.
''The Vi Sacrae. It was said that it hold a great power, so great that mere mortals could not control it, for they were not themselves gifted with powers and immortality. But the members of the imperial family were, in fact. They were the only ones capable to bear and control such energy and the princess was very well aware of that. So she fled with the Vi Sacrae, taking the mad hopes of her beloved family and their blame with her, thus avoiding a possible destruction of their world.
''I do not know if this is true, but other scripts of the legend said that she imprisoned the Vi Sacrae in one pearl, no bigger than a rock, and hid it somewhere.''
Taking in the baffled expressions of the two women and the little girl's awestruck one, she chuckled warmly.
''If this necklace is indeed the Pearl of Vi Sacrae then take good and precious care of it, child,'' she said kindly to Marie. ''It was a kingly gift, which must be given to beautiful princesses. Just like you.'' And with that being said, she took hold of the necklace and carefully put it in Marie's small hand, closed it softly around the object, surprisingly warm at the contact. ''Just like you,'' she repeated once more.
The three days following the strange encounter were calm and peaceful. Marie took a great care of her new gift, treasuring it as if it was her own life. She became really protective when it came about it, never leaving it in her room while she wasn't in there and always wearing it when she showered, scrubbing it with softness. There was always a smile on her face whenever she looked at it. It was intriguing to the adults but, eventually, they shrugged it off. The necklace busied her, even if nobody believed the tale of the woman, it had been incredible to listen to.
On the two following days, something really strange and serious happened. They hadn't paid real attention but to young Marie, it was like feeling eyes on herself every time outside, when she and her family were out for dinner or visiting sites. For someone still so young, she was sharp : this feeling of uneasiness taking over her mind and spreading within her stomach was starting to worry her. And tell her parents and uncle and aunt she did, but each reassured Marie in their way, saying she was being silly.
Of course, a lie was better than confirming someone's worry, especially if they knew about it and the target was a little girl.
Daichi exhaled softly. ''So that's how it began, Timothée. You were given a strange necklace by an unknown woman – and you didn't have the brain to ask her name, am I correct ? - and almost immediately after, things started to go downhill. Cliché, if you want my opinion.''
''I-if you say so... though my parents told me I was just hallucinating, I could see that something was wrong,'' Marie said bitterly. ''Even though they tried to reassure me, I can remember their fearful eyes. They were afraid of something or someone...''
Little Marie tried to hide behind her mother's legs, but she knew their eyes were watching. Mean, really mean eyes belonging to some men with strange-looking drawings on their forearms (at her age, tattoos really weren't a topic her parents would like to talk about) who were looking at her with so much malice and intensity that she had to look away. They were seemingly arguing with her parents and though Uncle George and Aunt Laure were trying to calm things down, Marie could understand that something was wrong, for the stranger men's eyes sometimes shifted towards her and pointed her little form with insistance. Their words were harsh, spat, and she couldn't understand a thing ; this wasn't English or French, so what was this language they were talking ?
Who were they ?She kind of wanted to ask out loud her question but her shy nature got the best of her and reduced the courage she had gathered so far. She just remained hidden behind her mother's legs, each time trying to peep at the weird men, each time being pulled back behind her mother. Never understimate a mother's sense of protectiveness, for she would do anything to protect her family. This was what she was doing at the moment, shielding Marie from the bad guys with her own body.
Agitation began to rise between Marie's father and the apparent leader of the group of strangers as Matthieu Timothée delivered a punch at the first stranger before him.
''Matthieu, non !'' Sarah cried, eyes wide in horror.
Bewilderment could be seen on the yakuza's face as he stumbled against his comrades who steadied him shortly after. Then, bewilderment became rage as the yakuza slowly looked up and snarled.
Marie didn't see much tonight, for something or someone made her black out completely. The last thing she remembered was a voice screaming something incoherent.
Everyone sat quiet for some time, each lost in thoughts and trying to understand. In Marie's memories, there were many things about everything ; she had been able to describe the woman who gave her this necklace but apparently, if her words were true, the antique shop in which she had come in suddenly disappeared into thin air as if it had never existed in the first place when they had come back to have more details about the story. Marie Timothée's memories were a lot to digest, time was needed to find potential links relating the girl to the necklace and the role the yakuzas held in this situation.
Daichi's reflexion was more complex : there was a high possibility that those yakuzas somehow knew about the legend of the Pearl of Vi Sacrae. How, she didn't know and really would like to, for the girl sitting on this couch was in great danger. Those men she encountered years ago were strange and seemingly had gathered enough material about the necklace she was wearing around her neck – much worse, they must have had her followed each year of her life, near her house and keeping an eye on their target day and night. Following her growth, then it musn't have been difficult to collect identikits over the years. They had never disappeared from her life, they just had remained hidden in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to kidnap her.
Waiting to get their hands on the so-called Pearl of Vi Sacrae she has been wearing since her childhood.
But questions remained unanswered as Daichi stumbled upon new problems : why had they waited all those years when they could have kidnapped her long ago ? This didn't make any sense at all and all this mystery hung around this necklace. This necklace. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she closed them. She had to examine the big red pearl around it but first, there were things she had to understand. Like this tattoo on her neck.
''And the tattoo ?'' she asked. ''What does it mean ? Is it a symbol you fancied ?''
The girl looked up, rather surprised. ''My tattoo ? It's an inscription and a symbol I drew myself that I asked to be tattooed. Though I could have chosen a better place than the side of my neck...'' There was a slight pause when Marie seemed to hesitate before talking again. ''The symbol represents two mythical creatures I admired since my childhood. The dragon, for its incredible strenght and its fierceness, and the Phoenix, legendary creature which never dies for its eternity and its symbolization. I did this tattoo over three years ago and...well, at first my parents didn't like it. I thought it was because a tattoo could mean a symbol of rebellion, but it had revealed to be something else I didn't expect.''
''Like what ?'' Alexander asked, intrigued.
Her hand closed around the big pearl and a slight frown crossed her face before the bizarre expression melted into a confused one. ''Four years after I was given the necklace by this strange woman, my parents began to act stranger than before. My mother, who was never the type to do research about myths and legends, gathered countless papers about something I was strictly forbidden to read and locked them in my father's study. It was weird.''
''Did you ask them what they were working on ?'' Daichi was beginning to think that Mr and Mrs Timothée were hiding something much more dangerous than their own daughter. This was starting to get more mysterious than it already was.
''Of course. And I think they weren't being honest with me...''
Daichi smirked malevolently.
''Why am I not suprised ? They had already lied and must still be lying until today. Why don't you ask them the truth about your life and the lies you've been buying for all these years ?'' At this, she tossed Marie her smartphone, who threw her an alarmed look. ''Oh, don't give that look, surely you wanted to call them and tell what happened earlier. What's stopping you now ?''
''B-but...what am I supposed to tell them ?'' Marie, at this point, was beginning to panic. ''What if they ask me to come back ? I-I can't...the yakuzas...''
''Marie. Marie, listen.'' Irina, the figure of softness in this room, had sat besides her and put conforting hands on each of her shoulders. ''It's obvious that they will want you back in France but from what you just told us, there's no way you can't leave Japan. You're right, you just can't. The yakuzas will hunt you down and kill you before you get into a plane. But calling them and explaining the situation might calm them a bit before you demand explanations about their knowledge of the Pearl of Vi Sacrae.''
''Do you truly think that necklace I'm wearing is actually the real thing ?''
Three pairs of eyes turned towards Daichi Matsumoto, whose beautiful face was exposing a dark smirk. Her brown eyes held that golden glow Marie thought she had seen earlier and the French student shuddered, eyes widening.
Call them, the look in her eyes was silently saying. Call them and give me their answers.
Knowing she had no choice, Marie bit her lip and dialed her mother's number (She nearly broke down in tears upon seeing the numerous missed calls of her parents and friends but still managed to look strong on the outside.), waiting for the fiery questioning and the heart beating wildly.
There was one tone.
Then a voice shrilled, making everyone cringe.
''Marie ?! Marie Louise Timothée, tu as réussi à flanquer la pire frayeur à tes parents pour le reste de leur vie et nous espérons que tu as une excellente explication à-''
''Maman !'' Marie shouted too. ''Maman, je vais bien ! Je suis désolée de ne pas avoir donné de nouvelles, je...''
How could she do this ? There was so much to tell.
Sarah Timothée, on the other hand, was not so lenient and her words were harsh. ''Marie, pourquoi n'as-tu pas répondu à tous nos appels ? Tes amis aussi t'ont appelée ! Nous étions tous si inquiets, nous pensions que tu avais été enlevée par ces étrangers d'il y a quinze ans et-''
Her voice died out so suddenly that Marie was startled. ''Maman... ?'' She glanced worryingly at Alexander, Irina and Daichi. The latter was viciously staring at her, her head tilted on the side. That made her heart quicker, and painfully. ''Maman, qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? P-pourquoi tu t'es arrêtée de parler ?''
Everyone, even this good idiotic girl, could sense a problem when there was one ; anger was sometimes good in a sense when it came to revealing more than intended. Fifteen years ago, there were those strangers that scared the hell out of Marie when she was little, and now her mother just thought that she had been captured by them.
Something was really missing here, and Marie had no idea.
As her mother wasn't still responding, she resumed. ''Maman ? De quoi parles-tu ? Ces étrangers d'il y a quinze ans ? Qui sont-ils ?''
''Je...ce n'est rien, ma chérie. Rien du tout.''
Her voice was shaking, Marie noted. Other lies. That fueled her curiosity and she turned on the loudspeaker so that Alexander, Irina and Daichi could hear. She didn't have the slightest idea of what she was doing right now, but she wanted one thing right now. Answers. Breathing deeply, she put the phone on the table and braced herself.
''Mom...I-I think it's time for you to cut the crap and start talking,'' Marie said firmly, switching to English so her saviors could understand their words. ''I'm not well, mom. There's something we need to talk about.''
The noise her mother made was one out of confusion and worry.
''Pourquoi parles-tu en anglais ? Marie, que se passe-t-il ? Tu as des ennuis ?''
''Oui, maman !'' There was a stunned silence from her mother, certainly taken aback by her outburst. Marie somewhat felt a little guiltly for snapping but there was no stopping at this. Not right now. ''Mom, please. I-I almost got killed and if there hadn't been someone to save me from those sharks, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. So if you can cut the crap and start talking, it would be...good.''
Again, there was this silence. Mrs Timothée seemed to have lost her tongue, or she was just stunned about how her dear daughter had turned the tables on her side. For her part, Marie was slowly getting tired of this. This hesitation, this silence – those lies !
This had to stop. No more lies. No more lies. No more...
''Mrs Timothey, I believe your daughter has asked you a question, it would be nice and polite to answer her, am I correct ?'' Daichi's cold and haunting voice slashed through the heavy silence like a knife, startling both Marie and her mother.
''W-who is it ? Where is my daughter ? Marie ? Marie !'' Sarah Timothée's voice was panicking.
''Your daughter is well. At the time being. But I do believe that she needs answers so, why don't you talk about a past full of lies you and your husband had tried to bury to your precious Marie ? The people who were after her are quite decided to kill her and get the necklace she has around her neck.''
''What ? Th-the Pearl of Vi Sacrae ? Kill my daughter ? No, no...''
Daichi slowly smirked in dark triumph. Alexander and Irina exchanged a surprised glance, confused and feeling lost. Marie's hands began to shake lightly as Daichi conversed with her mother.
''Ah. So there's no mistaking, your daughter is indeed the keeper of this Pearl. So the legend isn't just a legend after all and, ironically, you and your husband knew about it and decided to keep your daughter ignorant from the dark secret. How convenient it must have been for both of you two !''
''Don't ! Don't you dare saying things like this !'' Marie's mother seemed furious. ''We couldn't afford to become the guardians of that Pearl because this would compromise our mission and identity !'' There was a very brief pause during which Mrs Timothée was breathing harshly. ''I...Marie...''
''Who are you ?'' Marie sounded like a child who has been slapped on the face. ''Who are you ?'' she repeated, trying not to break down.
''Marie...''
''No ! Answer me ! Who are you ?''
Sarah Timothée whimpered lowly, but it was still loud enough for Daichi to continue her taunting.
''That's how it was, Marie ? A life built on heavy lies you bought and that would eventually get you killed. Mrs Timothey, I think you don't have much choice now. Either you finally talk, or there will be more corpses to take care about just as you and your husband had done with so much talent.''
''I won't get my daughter involved into this!''
''But you already had, Mrs Timothey. She was involved the same day you decided to lie to her about the Pearl of Vi Sacrae. I'll bet your daughter's life that there is more in this mystery but what I don't understand is the part she's playing in it. Why had they waited all these years to get their plan in action when they could have just kidnapped her under your nose ? This doesn't make any sense...unless there is more to tell. Well, do you happen to know, Mrs Timothey ?'' Daichi crossed her long legs and stared hard at the phone.
For some crucial seconds, there was another painful silence. Then, they heard a resigned sigh.
''I...Marie...I never intended for you to discover this like this, believe me or not. Never. The truth is much, much more complicated and...ugly. For starters, the necklace you're wearing isn't a mere necklace. It is the real Pearl of Vi Sacrae. The legend is true.''
Astonishing. Marie gaped, doing the perfect imitation of a pufferfish, at the phone before her. The idea of the red ball she has been clutching in her hand for an hour being the actual Pearl of Vi Sacrae was so ludicrous, so ludicrous that her mind stopped abruptly. It wasn't the fact that she had been carrying the cause of her trouble for most of her life that horrified her, it was more the fact that her mother was the one to talk about it as if it was like revealing the secrets the French government hid behind their walls.
''How can you be so sure about this ?'' Daichi's voice slashed through the air once again.
''George, Laure, Matthieu and I. We...we are not what everyone thought we are, this was a cover to conceal our real identity and purpose. Marie, my true name isn't Sarah Timothée as you've always been taught, this is another lie we were forced to tell. In fact, my code name is 466 – Sphinx and I'm part of an organisation named 'Twilight Dragon'. ''
That seemed to wake Alexander and Irina up from their lethargic state. ''Wait, did you say 'Twilight Dragon' ?'' Alexander's tone was incredulous. ''But I thought this organisation has been disbanded by ours. 'Twilight Dragon' and 'The White Rose' have fought for years before all the members of your organisation got executed or scattered sixteen years ago. This can't be !''
''Clearly, your superiors lied to you too and kept the secret safe.'' Daichi snorted in disdain.
Another inspiration breathed from Sarah Timothée/466 – Sphinx.
''As we lied to Marie, you've been betrayed and deceived. The organisation has never really been destroyed. 'Twilight Dragon' is an organisation that served utopic ideals meant to change the world into something much more liveable for everyone. A world where everyone would learn to accept each other without conflicts ; social classes, differences of colour skins, everything. All members are chosen upon specifical status : orphans, living in the streets or even potential killers. Your father's and mine's belong to that category. Anyway, our goal was something really important to our superior and since he was the one to take care of me after my parent's death, I agreed to take part of his project : 'Project Faerie'.
''This project was indeed genious, but there was something missing and needed. Power. Not just an influence over someone that important like the U.S President, but a power of an unknown and more powerful nature than a nuclear bomb. Our research were growing desperate. The more we tried to search through the U.S government's data files, the more our efforts grew fruitless. I, along with George, Matthieu, Laure and a few of our comrades, was about to give up when a miracle happened.''
Daichi's eyes were half-lidded as she spoke. ''The Pearl...it had appeared somewhere on this planet, scrambling all electronic devices with the magical power within. I can't imagine how your superior must have been overjoyed to find it.''
''It-it turned out to be more than we could have imagined ! The power radiating within its small form was just...extraordinary. The Pearl had appeared somewhere in Nevada desert and we would have retrieved it in a matter of time if we hadn't...rivals and troubles.''
Thousands and loud gunshots could be heard from a good distance in Nevada desert as members of 'Twilight Dragon' scattered everywhere to avoid being hit or killed on the spot by military soldiers. Sarah Timothée, or rather known as Agent 466 – Sphinx, crawled quickly behind a rock and exhaled with difficulty. Damn, nobody had told them that the military soldiers from Area 51 got that much artillery ! Now, it was proving to be more problematic to get past these defenses and retrieve the UFO that had spiked her boss'interests without being killed.
Agent 466 – Sphinx reached for her talkie-walkie and cried. ''Egypt ? Egypt, do you copy ?''
There was a powerful explosion near her location and she took cover, wincing at the deafening sound. Then she heard the voice of her lieutenant from the talkie-walkie.
''Agent Sphinx, what are we supposed to do ?'' screamed the alarmed voice of S302 – Egypt. ''They're everywhere, if we don't do something in the next seconds we're dead !''
He was right, she knew he was right. Agent 466 – Sphinx needed to think of a plan to get inside Area 51 – but how was the problem.
''Did you really manage to get past this wall of lethal bullets all by yourself or did you receive an 'unwelcome' aid from someone else ?'' Daichi demanded.
The woman on the phone swallowed loudly.
''Well, as I said earlier, we weren't the only ones after the Pearl...''
It happened so silently and so fast that no one had seen them move in the shadows. But they could still listen as one by one, the gunshots died out and the horrible sound of broken bones filling the ruined field suggested that the military soldiers were having their necks snapped. By who, Agent 466 – Sphinx could not really guess. She only could watch in mute horror as forms dressed in military uniforms slumped lifelessly on the ground, their weapons clicking on the dirt.
Whoever did that had to be swift on his feet and as silent as a shadow. And there weren't men or women capable of such things in 'Twilight Dragon', so that just left one potential hypothesis...
''Members of Ramses II Unit, get in !'' Panic and dread surged through Agent 466 – Sphinx's veins like electricity as she dashed forward, her weapon in hands and ready to kill. ''I repeat, get in and find the target before 'Black Monkey' !''
''Copy !''
Forget the massacre, forget logic and all meanings of discretion, there was now a race against another enemy and rival they had fought for years. If there was any reason explaining their presence in Area 51 at the same as Agent 466 – Sphinx and her team, it would and could only be this one : somehow, they knew about the strange object that had landed four days ago and wanted it too. Why Black Monkey wanted it too, was another mystery amplifying the one surrounding the target.
She sprang ahead, followed by her unit, inside the big facility that was Area 51. Quickly locating the target being locked up in one the most secured safe of facility on the lowest floor underground, the woman moved as silently as possible through the shadows in order to avoid being shot at.
She had to get the object before them. She had to...
''Wait, who or what is 'Black Monkey' ?'' Daichi interrupted, slightly leaning forward. Her brows were furrowed in confusion as she waited an answer and a good explanation.
But this time, Mrs Timothée seemed more than hesitant as she fell silent. Daichi had to strain her ears more than usual to perceive what the other three couldn't and her eyes narrowed slightly when very little sounds reached her ears.
The woman was sobbing.
Remorse ? Daichi thought without buying it. She wanted to scoff and smirk cheekily at this petty act.
''I-I can't !'' Mrs Timothée whispered hurriedly, suddenly sounding panicky. ''Don't question me anymore, I already said too much ! I can't say anything more to-''
''Maman ?'' Marie called for the first time during this questioning, tears streaming down her redden cheeks and this look of betrayal in her eyes.
''No, don't even think about shutting up now !'' Daichi snarled angrily. ''Say it !''
The Japanese woman could feel herself growing frustrated and her trail of thoughts was wavering. Why was she panicking now ? Who or what was 'Black Monkey' ? Was there something this big she just couldn't talk about without risking her-
Daichi's eyes widened in realization. Of course. Damn the rules of spies ! Slamming her hands on the table and successfully making everyone else jump in alarm, she roared.
''Stupid woman, don't-''
A sudden and loud gunshot exploded and everyone, including Daichi even if she was expecting it, jumped once again on their feet. They didn't have the time to understand that a second and third gunshots echoed in the tense and deadly silence, and the familiar sound of something heavy like a body made contact with the floor. Everyone remained silent, as if absorbing what has just happened, save for Marie's desperate shouting and sobbing.
''Maman ? Maman, réponds-moi ! Maman !''
''I'm afraid Mom can no longer answer you in the state I rendered her, Marie.''
Again, there was another deadly silence in which Marie did nothing but stared dumbly at her phone, eyes wide in their sockets. She didn't see and couldn't even sense Daichi's death drilling glare as her mind had gone totally blank. It couldn't be...surely there was a mistake...
''In our organisation, there are strict rules that everyone has to respect, even our boss. If you decide to give out the secrets of Twilight Dragon to someone, the 'Last Judgement' rule has to be applied – in other words, committing suicide or being killed by a fellow comrade. That goes for any special case, even if the comrades were paired up to appear as a happily married couple.''
Signs of anxiety attack began to appear within Marie as her breathing quickened. Daichi hastily gestured towards Irina, who took a slumped and crushed French student in her arms and dragged her rather awkwardly out of the room. Alexander, who was still shocked from the recent killing, leaned forward with Daichi as if to catch precious informations. The man, whom Daichi had already guessed the identity, resumed talking with the same indifferent, infuriating tone.
''...I take it that Marie must have lost consciousness from the shock. This is understandable. Aside her, is there anyone else listening ?''
No one could be and could talk this coldly and indifferently after having killed his long-time wife. So much detachement, so much...inhumanity.
Struggling to keep her growing killing intent, Daichi folded her arms and stared hard at the phone. ''I'm listening.''
''Hm...I've heard that voice before, but this is unimportant. Just like the fact that I've killed my own wife. Let's talk about something much more important, shall we ?'' There was a brief pause when Daichi and Alexander could hear a chair being pulled back on the ground, suggesting that the son of a bitch was sitting down as if they were going to have a pleasant conversation. This just added pure fuel to Daichi's killing intent. ''You were talking about the Pearl of Vi Sacrae before I came in and disposed of Sarah, am I right ?''
He didn't wait for an answer as he kept talking.
''Well, let's be brief, for we only have ten minutes before we all get chased again.'' At that, Daichi narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but remained silent as she listened to Matthieu Timothée.''Sarah is right, the Pearl of Vi Sacrae is an extremely powerful artefact that can exceed a nuclear bomb and for that, it had been classified as a danger to humanity and had been meant to be locked up forever by 'White Rose'. However, someone else had been quicker and stole the Pearl under both the noses of 'Twilight Dragon' and 'The White Rose' that night. The mission was a terrible failure.
''Whoever stole it hadn't left any imprints to be analyzed. We thought the Pearl of Vi Sacrae to be lost for good...until it reappeared in the hands of Marie. You know a lot of the rest, but there are still dark passages that you don't know about and if we are both lucky on our sides, we will meet and I'll reveal everything I discovered about the Pearl. Nonetheless, there is still something that you should already know.''
The next words he said made her mind go blank for an instant, and Daichi only stared at the phone without talking.
So that was it. An intelligent game of minds in which she, the victim of the accident caused by the Pearl of Vi Sacrae, was supposed to confront an unknown enemy who was also connected to this artefact. Just like her, he wanted Marie for its powers. Just like her, he wanted to go back where it had begun and for that, he had sent his so-called 'yakuzas' to retrieve the girl, whatever the consequences. Why he had been called here was a mystery, just like Daichi's case.
But then, it didn't make sense. Not yet. Why her ? Why Marie Timothée ? What part did she play in her accident ?
Matthieu Timothée shook her out of her thoughts.
''Remember, there's not always logic in such events like these. But if the Pearl of Vi Sacrae called you and this guy from Arda to here, this has something to do with Marie. This all began and will end with her.''
Daichi was about to talk when some noise caught her attention and she froze, looking up at the ceiling. She didn't need the nudge from Alexander to understand and silently drew a kodachi out of nowhere.
They were here. They were here for Marie.
The man hung up and looked at his phone for several seconds before looking down lazily. The bloody dead corpse of Sarah Timothée – whom he had known as Agent 466 – Sphinx for years – looked like an infuriating sight to behold. Three holes in her head, three bullets shot when only the first one managed to kill her. It wasn't that necessary. Those eyes he had sometimes grown to like and hate at the same time were staring at nothing in particular, holding a look of complete grief. Or sadness. He couldn't choose.
But he didn't care. She had decided to tell the truth, she had sealed her fate. That was it. There was no going back.
But again, there was Marie. Marie, young, innocent Marie who was now thrown into a royal mess in which she was the unintentional main cause. Matthieu Timothée could be saddened and worried sick about her foreshadowed fate if only he knew and felt the sense of fatherhood within his mind of steel.
If only she knew the whole truth about the mystery surrounding her.
He got up from his seat, cast a last, expressionless look at the woman lying lifeless on the bloody ground, and departed at last.
If the Mystery of the Pearl of Vi Sacrae was finally discovered, things were going to get ugly and damn difficult for Marie and her mysterious savior going by the name of Daichi Matsumoto. And until they reached Arda, they will need his help.