2048H, Headquarters
The small lamp on the table fought to give enough illumination on the darkened room. Deadly silence hung around its premises like a heavy blanket. A single heartbeat thumped in regular rhythm, but with increasing intensity.
He had always been steadfast in his decisions and never gave one without the utmost consideration. He valued every word he said because he knows that lives are at stake. He can never be wrong and he hasn't been, as far as he can remember. He could know if a situation would lead to something of a disaster and he owes this impeccable gift so much of his current position. Never did he doubt what his foresight has given him, his instincts always a step behind the truth.
But now, that belief was about to change. The moment had come when he was the first in line to feel afraid of what he had ordered to be done. In the deepest recesses of his mind, prayers were being said. He knew that he just risked a life. And it wasn't just a simple life for it was the life of one very special person.
He grabbed his glass of liquor, sipped its bitterness to quench his anxiety and worry. "Just be safe." He muttered as his golden eyes lingered on a photograph of a girl by the table. "Come home safely." He added as he gently placed back the glass on the table. He sat on his chair and leaned back on its thick leather backrest. He wished that the ridges and bumps on the backrest would actually relieve his stress, just as the description on the flyer said but his thoughts kept on coming back to his growing cloud of fear. Several times, he tried to get out of the room and follow her in concealment. But he knew that it would endanger everything, including her. A small sardonic smile came to his angelic face. As if he wasn't sending her to danger already.
He felt empty without her. He felt like he couldn't do anything when she's not there by his side. Although she only acted as his assistant, she was the most capable of dealing with him and all his monstrosities that he had only showed to a very few two people.
He felt much calmer when she was around; she was his voice of reason and fairness. Her presence alone was his anchor in grave times. Her gentleness was his calming wind, his saving grace.
And yet, how dare he send her to a very dangerous mission!
"But sir," he remembered the quivering on her voice. He looked at her concern-filled eyes, the magenta darkening as her thoughts passed by her mind's eye. Her hands were clasped together, shaking. "You cannot go there by yourself." She added in a soft voice that almost resembled a whisper. He stepped forward at her and lifted her chin. He smiled and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "I will be fine. I know how to defend myself." He countered. Her eyes started to water and she bit her lower lip. His heart felt a pang of pain as a tear rolled down. "Please, sir, let me go instead." She pleaded again as more tears began to flow. He knew that she was only thinking of his safety. But he was just thinking the same of her. He cannot let her go. He cannot.
He wrapped an arm around her and she allowed herself to be engulfed by the fullness of him. She had regarded him so highly and very importantly in this new found life. He was her brother, her father, her mentor, her…
"I cannot bear to lose you." He told her when she kept on sobbing. "You are far more important to everyone than me. It will be easy to replace me but there is no one like you." Her muffled voice replied. His heart fluttered at this remark. Using his other free hand, he made her look at him. He leaned down and gave her a deep and loving kiss. "Shush, my dear. I will not be harmed. He cannot do so." He assured her but she remained stubborn. "No, please. Don't do this. I will go in your behalf. It will be the best move to make, sir." She clutched the lapels of his suit. His hand went down to her waist and he pulled her closer, mixing their breaths together. "The best yet…" he could not continue his statement. "You're the only thing that I have now. And I will do everything to keep you safe." He told her instead. A soft blush colored her cheeks as it matched the lovely tint of her eyes. She pulled herself away and turned her back.
"I will go instead. You will stay here, sir." She said after she had calmed down. A smile came to him at the stubbornness of this girl. "I do not give you permission." He taunted. She shook her head at this and began to walk out the room. "I'm sorry, sir. I had everything prepared now." She whispered. He walked towards her and gently held her waist and rested his head on her shoulder from behind. "No…" he said but he knew that he will just lose to this. Both of them were firm on their decisions but the truth that he must be kept safe at all times, despite what, was what gave her the winning flag in this fight. She leaned her body to him and took a deep breath. "I'll be taking my leave, sir. I'll send a report right after I return." She said and stepped away from him, and out of his lair. The echo of the door being closed resounded achingly around. His instinct told him that she will return…but not as safe and sound as before.
He grunted to himself and gobbled down the remaining of his drink. The monitor of his laptop kept on showing the log of her mission's progress. Every new line that appeared made his heart beating harder. He watched as how the log came faster, the situation getting edgier and more dangerous by the minute. "Please," he said to no one in particular as the lines appeared in increasing speed. The video feed at the lower part of the monitor showed her and the man in question.
If it wasn't for that bastard's request to meet him privately, she wouldn't have been placed in such a position. The man, their informant for the Amou Mission, wanted to tell him, the Boss, something very important that he can't rely on lined communications. He would have liked to oblige to his request but the issue of security and truth was very much on a scale that could tip any moment. Doubt was not a good thing in this field. And yet it seems that Doubt lived in every essence of this encounter.
All that was left to him now was waiting. Seconds felt like hours and minutes felt like days. The mental strain had almost drove him mad but he kept himself sane enough. He had to remain calm no matter what.
The log suddenly gave off an alarm note and the video feed was disrupted. He tensed and began to call the surveillance department. They said that they were already trying to recover the video feed. His hand gripped tightly on the handset and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
"We lost her, sir." The person from the other side softly said. "What…" the Boss couldn't believe it. How can they lose her? "It seems that the man discovered about the bugging and realized that you were not the one who met with him." The person added. "Where…where is she?" his voice came out coarse. "We…we don't know sir. We're on their trails now but they moved south.
Damn.
South…
He had to contact the Black District.
Cold sweat dripped on his neck. He couldn't process anything. He had just…fed her to the lion's den. He slammed a fist on the table and sent some of the paper stack flew. "S-Sir!" the person shouted but he dropped the receiver hard and cried out loud in frustration. Soon, footsteps were heard outside his office and the door was forced open. They caught him in his breaking moment and got hold of him. "Sir! Please! Calm down! We're doing all we can to retrieve her." One man said. But he was already getting mad. He kept on thrashing to break away from their grip. He needed to save her.
It was his fault. He should have just gone there himself. He wanted to kill himself for such stupidity.
Then, a new figure came inside the room. "Hihara-san! Thank goodness you're here. The Boss is…"
"I can see that. Let go of him. I'll deal with this myself." He said and the other men obeyed. "We'll be right outside in case you need help." The leader of the group informed. Hihara smiled a little before getting a hold of the maddened man still. "Let go of me! Hihara, I…let me go!" he shouted at him. His eyes were wide with rage and Hihara just continued to hold him. "It's okay. Look, we wont lax with this one. She's an important person in this District. We will not lose her." He said as calmly as he could. He felt sad at how their Boss was falling away from his usual cool and collected self. Many had admired his ability to stay that way even under the gravest situations. But he had his limitations.
"Yunoki! Thrashing about like some kid will not do anything to the situation so stop this right now!" Hihara bellowed and punched the Boss in the face. The Boss staggered for a few steps before losing his balance. Hihara quickly held him up. "Yunoki, please, get a hold of yourself. Calm down and-"
"Calm down! How can you expect me to do that when she's in grave danger!" Yunoki answered back and pushed Hihara away. He wiped the small trickle of blood that came from the punch he received. Yunoki was breathing hard from all the activity and glared at his green-haired colleague. "Seriously," his friend squinted at him. "Do you think acting like this is any good? I know it's almost unbearable, Yunoki. You love her so much so you're being like that but think!" Hihara spat and pointed his finger at Yunoki's forehead. "This is the moment where you need to be the best. If you want to save her, use that goddamn head of yours. All the years of training and studying that you have gathered will now be put to the test. Don't let this ruin you or the whole Purple District." Hihara gritted. "We're all counting on you the most in this moment." He added before stepping back.
Yunoki breathed a few more before fixing himself. He turned his back to him and balled his fists. "I want all surveillance cameras around the city be used to identify their route. Deploy the Fifth and Seventh Brigade. Tell Kanazawa I'll need full real-time progress report on this emergency. I don't want any disturbances right now." He said, the Boss in him returning. Hihara nodded and smiled at him. "Roger." He said before walking out.
Yunoki picked up the desk phone and started to dial a number. After three rings, the line was picked.
"I need help." He immediately said as his golden eyes glowed with deadly rage.
