AN: Seventh Episode. Also, I finally found what Motoko's two friends' names are that appeared in the 5th episode while Motoko was diving into the external memory device. Kurutan and Ran. Their names are in the credits.
#08
Bittersweet Symphony
"Are you sure it's okay for me to come with you? I mean, it's my first time meeting them and it's at her house…" Reina asked timidly as she sat in the passenger seat with her hands fidgeting.
"I told them yesterday that you were coming with me and they're already talking nonstop about meeting you, so it's too late to back out now." Motoko replied as she drove.
Reina smiled in return even though she was still nervous about meeting her sister's two best friends. She glanced back at the variety of rum and mixers in the back seat. "Is that enough stuff for the four of us?"
"It's just some things she was out of. She has plenty to serve an entire club."
Reina raised her brow as she stared ahead at the hills lined with luxurious apartments. I think she lives inside one. Reina thought as she watched the buildings pass. After another mile, they pulled into a parking garage beneath a handful of domed apartments.
Reina and Motoko carried the bags in silence up to the apartment. When they got to the door, Motoko rang the doorbell and Reina tightened her grip on the bags.
"Relax." Motoko said in a quiet voice.
Reina took a deep breath but froze as the door opened and she was greeted with a gasp.
"Oh, Motoko! Is this her?" said a woman Reina's height with short blonde hair and big hazel eyes. She wore a blue dress with pink trim that looked like a stylish apron with thigh high white boots.
"Kurutan, meet Reina. Reina, this is Kurutan." Motoko said with a hint of pride.
Reina stuck out her hand shyly and mumbled a hello, but Kurutan just laughed and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, c'mon! You don't have to be so formal!" She then grabbed Reina's hand and pulled her inside. "Hey, Ran! Motoko's here with her little sister!"
"I'm coming!" A voice called out from another room.
Reina glanced back as Kurutan continued to guide her through the apartment towards the other voice. Motoko just closed the front door and followed with a smile.
When they reached a door near the back, a woman Motoko's height came out. She had long dark brown hair and dark eyes. She wore a pink tube top with black shorts and a white belt, complimented with a blue hat. As soon as she laid eyes on Reina, her expression became even more excited. "Oh, wow!"
"Isn't she beautiful?" Kurutan asked as she continued to hold Reina's free hand.
"Of course she is!" Ran then smiled at Reina. "My name's Ran. Nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you. Here, let me take those bags." Reina only hesitated for a moment then handed the bags to her. Ran giggled and turned. "I'll go ahead and add these to the bar."
"We'll be right behind you." Kurutan said then faced Reina. "There's a restroom off to the left through that door and if you're hungry, feel free to help yourself to anything, okay?"
"Okay." Reina replied as Kurutan once again pulled her through the back door. It was a large circular room with an oversized lavender plush bed and a bar at the opposite end. The walls were lined with windows and one of the windows displayed a screen for television. The lights made the room glow warmly.
This really is like a club. Reina spotted Ran finishing mixing drinks. Ran turned and smiled and approached them with two cups. "Can't be in here without one."
Reina smiled and took the cup and sipped as Ran walked away. Because of her heightened sense of taste, Reina knew exactly what was in it with just one sip. A tropical rum mix. Nice.
"So, Motoko mentioned you're into music. I've got something I'm sure you'll appreciate." Kurutan said as she motioned Reina to follow her. She led her to a large electronic system. Once Reina realized what she was looking at, all her shyness was forgotten. It was a high-tech stereo and music system.
"No way! These things cost a fortune! How did you get it?" Reina asked as she looked over the equipment.
Kurutan smiled. "Well…" she then began telling Reina her story while Reina examined every angle of the system.
"Well that didn't take long. She fits right in." Ran said as she handed Motoko a drink.
"I'm glad Kurutan finally has someone she can talk to about music." Motoko replied as she and Ran sat down on the plush bed and watched the other two girls play with the music system.
"You're glad to have her here, aren't you?" Ran asked after noticing Motoko's permanent smile.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yeah."
Motoko chuckled. "Yeah, I'm glad that she's finally home."
"I'll drink to that." Ran said as she raised her glass and tapped it with Motoko's.
After a while, Reina and Kurutan agreed on a selection of music then joined the other two on the plush bed. The rest of the night was spent with the girls chatting and giggling and Reina enjoying herself in the presence of Motoko and new friends.
…
"Did I already mention that this place is like a mansion?" Reina said in awe as she and Motoko finished looking around the guest bedroom of Motoko's home in the hills.
"In a variety of ways." Motoko replied.
Reina chuckled as she faced Motoko. "Thanks again for letting me spend the night."
"My home is your home, too. You're welcome to stay here anytime."
Reina's smile widened but as she took a step forward, she hesitated. She was used to hugging her friends and Kurutan and Ran were huggers as well, but Reina still wasn't sure if Motoko was comfortable with such a thing or if it was still too awkward.
Motoko noticed the slight confusion in Reina's expression and realized why she had suddenly become quiet. She then opened her arms and gave Reina a comforting smile. Reina didn't hesitate this time and quickly wrapped her arms around Motoko's neck in a tight hug. Motoko closed her eyes and held Reina tightly.
After their moment of silence, Motoko held on to Reina's shoulders. "Get some sleep. We have work tomorrow."
Reina grinned. "Yes, ma'am."
Motoko playfully moved Reina's hair then left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Reina turned and glanced around the large bedroom, which was bigger than her own, and eyed the door to the attached bathroom. Even the bathroom is bigger than mine. No matter how much she denies it, this is a mansion. She chuckled to herself and took a shower, enjoying being in her sister's home and feeling like she belonged.
Reina turned the lights off and settled into the queen sized bed with a content sigh. As she stared up at the dark ceiling, she smiled while she thought about the fun she had with Kurutan and Ran. She liked them both and had greatly enjoyed hanging out with Motoko in a casual setting. Each of them had talked and laughed and drank while Kurutan and Ran got to know Reina well. They had discussed her education, where she had worked before Section 9, and her favorite things.
Reina's smile faded into a frown as she recalled one topic Kurutan brought up. Kurutan had first asked her if she had a boyfriend, which Reina easily answered 'no'. Then Kurutan asked if there was at least one guy she was interested in. Even though Reina was prepared to once again say 'not really', she had frozen instead. Her mouth couldn't form the words and her heartbeat raced. It was as if her heart insisted otherwise. After a few awkward seconds, Reina had finally managed to chuckle nervously and shake her head. She was thankful no one insisted on asking her about it.
As Reina closed her eyes, she wondered why she had that strange reaction and who exactly was she reacting to.
…..
The sun was starting to set as Reina sat quietly on the couch next to Batou in Aramaki's office. Motoko sat across from her in one of the large chairs and Aramaki sat behind his desk. Their attention was on the large screen while they watched a news report on their latest assignment; Marcelo Jarti.
Reina sat back and relaxed, glad to have a reason to be pulled away from the computer since she had been working on catching up on her reports. Togusa had been looking over her work until he was called away to tail Jarti. After he had left, Reina had become bored since she was alone and had almost fallen asleep until Motoko had come by the computer room to include her in the briefing.
"In response to recent reports of the assassination of Jenoma People's Army adviser Marcelo Jarti, the government issued an official statement that the man is in fact alive. According to their press release, Jarti suffered a wound to his right arm, but the injury was not-" The TV was turned off since no other vital information was going to come from it.
Everyone thought in silence until Batou spoke first. "He's using lookalikes to make chumps out of everybody."
"This brings the count to six failed assassination attempts, which leads me to think that all the targets may have been lookalikes." Aramaki concluded.
"So what proof have we got that the guy you're tailing is the real deal?" Batou asked Motoko.
Motoko sat with her legs crossed and hands folded on top of her knee. "None whatsoever. All we have to go on is probability."
"Hey, but didn't the behavioral specialist figure out that this one isn't a fake?" Batou asked.
"And that's probability as well." Motoko said nonchalantly.
Batou sighed. "What a pain in the ass. If it were up to me, we'd ghost hack him and find out once and for all."
"If only things were that simple." Reina commented and smiled at Batou. He just shook his head in response.
"Togusa's following the cab Jarti took from the airport. He'll be checking in. In fact, he should be touching base any minute." Motoko said.
Aramaki thought about how to proceed. "First, ascertain where he's hiding out. Then put him under 24-hour surveillance. During the past five years, Marcelo Jarti has reportedly come to Japan twelve times at intervals of roughly once every five months. I'm told that the authorities have been aware of this, but Foreign Affairs Section 1 hasn't been able to determine his activities while in our country."
"So they brought us in." Batou concluded.
Aramaki nodded. "They want us to find out why Jarti's a frequent visitor, who he's meeting with, and what he's up to."
"He's a South American drug lord, right? Why isn't that a big hint?" Batou asked.
Motoko immediately shot him down. "Not likely. I seriously doubt that Jarti would risk himself simply to deal some dope. The fact is cyber-drug sessions are popular in Japan and Jarti only traffics in natural narcotics, so he wouldn't find much demand in this country."
Batou smirked. "What a perfect opportunity if it is him! Let's take him out!"
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is involved, therefore we have to keep quiet and let him go this one time." Aramaki said.
Batou laid his head back and sighed loudly.
"That kind of defeats the whole purpose of getting involved, doesn't it? I can understand them wanting us to find out what this guy is doing, but to also ask us to keep quiet and not make an arrest…. Couldn't another section handle the surveillance since that's practically what this is?" Reina asked.
"Possibly, but we can't refuse and the ball is already rolling." Aramaki said.
"And besides, we're the best at this and they know it." Batou said and smiled at Reina.
Reina shook her head with a slight smile.
Major, I've pinpointed Jarti's hideout. I'm there now. Togusa reported in.
Where is it? Motoko asked.
The Newport Hotel. I'm sitting outside the front entrance. That bastard switched vehicles six times getting here. Togusa said.
Paz, Borma, head to the Newport Hotel. Stay put, Togusa. Motoko ordered.
"I've got to admit that guy's smart for switching cars so often." Reina commented.
"Next time, you'll be the one to tail someone like that instead of Togusa. You'll learn quickly not to admire their technique and you'll get frustrated in a heartbeat, Kid." Batou said.
Reina smirked. "You forgot that I have a high prey drive."
"That may be true, but you still get bored like anyone else. I almost caught you sleeping before the briefing, didn't I?" Motoko said while eyeing Reina.
Reina shrugged in response.
Motoko looked at Aramaki, who nodded quietly. She then stood. "We'll be taking the tilt-rotor there with Ishikawa. Reina, suit up. You're going with me. Batou, take a Tachikoma and hitch a ride with us."
"Yes, ma'am." Reina and Batou replied and set off to prepare for the mission.
…
Reina sat back, checked her seat belt then glanced up at Motoko, who sat across form her in the tilt-rotor. Even in the red glow of the passenger area, Motoko looked relaxed with her arms and legs crossed and eyes closed. I guess experience makes you calm. My heart is already racing even though nothing's happened yet.
Motoko then opened her eyes and offered Reina an assuring smile. "Nervous?"
"A little. Sorry, I know I should be used to it by now." Reina admitted.
"Just relax and take things as they come."
Reina nodded in response.
Borma, any activity? Motoko asked.
Nothing so far, but just to cover all the bases I checked the hotel's registry, but none of the guests here fit Jarti's description. He got off the elevator on the 33rd floor.
There's a VIP room up there. Motoko said.
"Since he's probably there, then that means he's waiting for someone, right?" Reina asked.
"Probably. We have no way to be sure until someone joins him since it's a busy hotel."
Reina folded her arms. "Still seems so counter-intuitive that he'd pick a hotel as a hideout."
"Actually, public places are good safe areas as they tend to keep people from causing a scene. I'm sure Jarti has several other hideouts, but you're most likely right. He's there to meet someone."
"We're closing in on the hotel." Ishikawa said.
Batou, you ready? Motoko asked.
Okie dokie, just say the word.
C'mon, you like heights, don't you? Motoko asked with a crooked smile.
Oh yeah. You know what they say, 'smokin' idiots love high places'.
Reina just barely heard the noise of the Tachikoma detaching from the bottom of the tilt-rotor.
When Batou was secured on the side of the hotel on the floor Jarti was on, he scanned the room. There he is, our boy Jarti. And he's got company. I hear a cart…a maid robot's coming.
That's perfect. I'll borrow her eyes and take a look. Motoko said.
Won't they back-hack you?
I won't fail. Motoko replied. Reina watched as Motoko closed her eyes and focused on finding a way to hack the maid. As soon as she found it, she hacked her eyes and her body went limp.
Reina wondered if she would ever be able to pull off hacking as smoothly as Motoko.
Jarti… Motoko said.
Comparing with Jarti's data, he's a match. Said the inspector who confirmed Jarti's identity at the airport.
Ishikawa, I need an ID on the guy who's with Jarti. Motoko said.
Already on it. After a few seconds, Ishikawa reported. Got it. Kanekichi Gondo. An underboss of the Korinkai mob's Niihama branch. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Gondo's the virtual lynch pin of their entire operation. The Korinkai controls most of the cyber-drug market in Japan. They've got their claws in this hotel, too.
Motoko reported in a rush. We've got trouble. A group with a badge claiming to be police just showed up looking for Gondo. They're getting rough with the body guards. Chief, what should we-
Hold on. I'm looking into it. Aramaki replied.
Make it quick, I've got a bad feeling. Motoko said.
Reina quickly unfastened her seat belt and stood, preparing for what might come.
Another body guard is acting up and opening fire- Motoko let out a quick breath and opened her eyes.
"What happened?" Reina asked as she helped Motoko out of the seat.
"The maid was taken out by one of the guys who showed up." Motoko said as she stood.
Major, these men are undercover narcotics detectives with the local police. They've been staking out the hotel disguised as guests. They're after Gondo, the Korinkai honcho, not Jarti. It'll be a real load of trouble if they apprehend our suspect in there. Let him get away. Aramaki ordered.
Reina frowned. Everything about this is counter-intuitive.
Motoko opened the side door of the tilt-rotor and Reina stood beside her. Their hair whipped around wildly from the gusts.
This'll get messy. Motoko warned.
I'll deal with it. Aramaki assured.
That's a roger, Chief. Batou, we're going down. Open up the floor above for Reina.
Roger. Batou opened fire and shot out the windows in Jarti's VIP room then a few on the floor above.
"What've you got in mind?" Reina asked, her voice raised to be heard over the wind.
"I'm not sure what will be left in the VIP room to deal with, so if you can, find a route into the hall where the mess is and make sure Jarti has no trouble getting away. Do whatever's necessary." Motoko said as she eyed Reina.
Reina nodded but held her frown.
They waited until Ishikawa had the tilt-rotor hovering just to the side of the hotel then grabbed on to individual lines and rappelled down to the broken windows. Reina swung herself and let go before Motoko and she landed steadily on the carpet covered in broken glass.
Reina glanced around, thankful the room was empty. She quickly exited the room and ran down the hall, eying the elevator. Ishikawa, can you get me into the hotel's operating system? I need access to the elevator.
Coming right up. Ishikawa replied promptly as Reina waited in front of the elevator doors.
Why not use the stairs, Kid? Batou asked.
Call it insurance. You'll see. Reina replied vaguely as online screens appeared in her vision. Ishikawa had already hacked into the system and all she had to do was take over. She quickly manipulated codes to open the doors in front of her as well as the doors below where the elevator was still stationed.
When the doors opened, Reina jumped into the chute and grabbed onto the wires. She slid down and landed on top of the elevator. While she kicked open the escape hatch, she manipulated the system to lock all doors on the stairs except for the ones on her level and the parking garage. As she landed in the empty elevator, Batou whistled. Nice thinking. That ensures they won't run into any trouble.
Before Reina could respond, she spotted Jarti and Gondo. They were already far down the hall and near the stairs. Reina was about to feel relief until she also spotted that one of the undercover narcotics detectives was still alive and aiming at the fleeing men. Reina drew her weapon and fired a shot. The gun flew out of the detective's hand and screamed out in pain. He held his wounded hand tightly.
Jarti and Gondo turned sharply in response to the commotion and watched as Reina ran at the detective and knocked him out with a kick to the back of his neck. She then stood straight and stared at the two men, her gun relaxed at her side.
Jarti's eyes were still hidden behind dark sunglasses while Gondo stared back with shock. His expression then turned to awe as he wondered if they had an ally. Reina sneered in response, her fangs showing as she raised her gun at him. Gondo gasped and hastily opened the door and disappeared with Jarti not too far behind.
Reina smirked and relaxed her grip on her gun. For an underboss, he sure is pathetic. She looked around the hall, taking in the sight. The entire hall was littered with bullet holes and bodies. She let out a sigh as she cautiously walked, feeling sorry for the detectives. If only they had planned to take Gondo down a different night. Reina picked up her pace towards the VIP room as she could hear Motoko fighting with the guards Gondo ordered to stay behind, her gun ready.
She was stopped by a loud grunt from a large body she passed. She quickly turned with her gun aimed, finding her target slowly raising himself off the floor. To Reina, he looked like an undead ultimate cage fighter. His body was littered with bullet wounds and his long hair was matted and his white pants and blue long coat were tattered.
Reina recalled it was this large man that had started the gunfight, first by punching a detective dead across the room then attacking with a machine gun. How the hell is he even breathing? Even with prosthetics, he should have been like the others by now! She stared at him with astonishment as he stood up straight and focused his eyes on her. As soon as he took a step forward, Reina pulled the trigger. She shot at his knees and shoulders to disable him, but all it did was make him wobble and twitch as he continued forward. She ground her teeth as she now aimed at his chest.
The only thing keeping her from shooting him in the head was that he was human, not robotic. When Section 9 had dealt with the geisha robots, Reina hadn't hesitated then. But because the man facing her now was either human or a cyborg with a ghost, she hesitated.
While her mind became numb, Reina pulled the trigger once more and froze as she heard a click. The magazine was empty. A cold wave shot through her body as the large man continued to approach, gaining momentum. He had a wild look in his eye that told Reina he was going to keep going until he literally dropped dead. With that realization, her animal instinct took over with a sharp intake of breath. Her adrenaline kicked into high gear and all she could hear was her heart pounding in her ears.
As Reina ran at the man, she holstered her empty gun and tensed her body. Her fists were clenched tightly and her right arm tingled. The man reacted by pulling his own arm back in preparation of hitting Reina like he had the detective. They met seconds later and as the man swung his fist, Reina dodged effortlessly by turning full circle on her toe. The movement gave momentum to her right arm and the tingling was centered in her fist.
Reina sent her fist into the man's bloodied stomach. When it made contact, arcs of white light came out from the center as her hand glowed. The man's body was then flung back. It rolled then was stopped by the wall. His body twitched violently while his eyes rolled back.
Reina stood frozen and watched his body continue to spasm. After a few seconds, it finally went limp. Reina slowly looked up as she realized the lights above and nearby were flickering. Sound came back to her ears as she could hear the clicking from the lights and her own heavy breathing. She then slowly looked down at her right hand. It was steady regardless of the shock she felt and covered with hardened blood.
Reina was also oblivious to Motoko's presence. "Things seem to have gotten out of hand." Motoko commented as she glanced around then stared at Reina's back. She had entered the hall while Reina had been staring up at the lights. Motoko was relieved that she was unharmed. The sudden bright light and strange electrical noise had alarmed her.
Motoko noticed the large body against the wall a few feet away and realized he had been the recipient of Reina's attack. The flickering lights made her wonder just how many volts could come from Reina's body to cause such a power surge. Her worry returned as Reina hadn't turned or even responded to her presence and continued staring at her bloodied hand. "Can you hear me?"
Reina had heard Motoko's first comment but was still trying to make sense of what she had done. She then sighed slightly and turned, setting the issue aside to think about later. "Yeah, loud and clear." As she approached Motoko, she took out her gun and replaced the empty magazine. "And I agree. Things did get out of hand and it was all unnecessary." She holstered her gun and stood next to Motoko.
Motoko searched Reina's face for any sign of a breakdown, but her expression was set into a serious look and her silver eyes were bright as she stared back at her. Satisfied with Reina's focus, Motoko nodded then turned to head towards the elevator. "Make sure all the doors are unlocked and the elevator is back online."
"Roger." Reina said and followed closely behind Motoko as she brought back her online connection and restored the system.
Ishikawa, pick us up on the roof. Batou, meet us there.
Roger. Both replied.
"Everything is set and the elevator should work without a problem." Reina said.
"Good." Motoko said as they stepped into the elevator.
While the elevator rose, they leaned against the wall and hand rail, Motoko with her arms crossed and Reina's hands on the rail.
Togusa here. I'm in the car tailing Jarti.
Roger. Borma and Paz are following you. Trade off in eight minutes. Motoko replied.
Reina silently wondered what Togusa would think about what happened in the hall. She then sighed and scooted closer to Motoko, their shoulders now touching. She sought comfort from the shock she still felt.
Motoko looked down at her with a softened expression. "Are you okay?"
Reina nodded as she met her eyes. "Yeah."
Motoko smiled slightly and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "Need to sit out for the rest of the game?"
Reina smirked. "No way."
Motoko gave her a small squeeze. "If you say so."
When the doors opened on the top floor, Motoko rubbed Reina's head. "Keep it together just for a little longer, all right?"
Reina smirked and followed her towards the stairs to the roof. "What makes you think I'm weak enough to fall apart on the job?"
Motoko glanced back as she opened the door. "Well, you have fallen asleep on the job before."
"Yeah? Well I'm certainly not tired now." Reina retorted playfully as they approached the awaiting tilt-rotor.
…
Reina sat and watched as Batou yawned noisily as he settled himself on top of the Tachikoma. He offered her a smile, but when she tried to return it, it was weak.
Batou noticed the difference, but wasn't sure just how to approach it. "Hey, did someone set off a spark grenade or something while you two were taking care of things in the hotel? Instruments in the Tachikoma went haywire and the screens went to static for a few seconds. Must've been one hell of a party."
Reina felt her stomach drop as she remembered the flickering lights. She quickly looked at the ground, her crossed arms held tighter together. "Yeah, you could say that."
Batou stared at Reina then looked at Motoko questioningly, who stood nearby the Tachikoma with her arms crossed as well. Before he could ask, Motoko shook her head with a stern look. It made Batou begin to worry but he knew not to push for answers whenever Motoko gave him that look. He hoped one of them would come clean eventually.
Chief, can you find out how many Korinkai operations there are in the area? Also, check for visual records of Jarti on the outskirts of the Metropolitan expressway when he was in the country. Motoko said.
I'll have the information for you soon. Aramaki replied.
Reina quietly continued to stare at the floor. She could feel Motoko and Batou watching her.
After a few silent minutes, Togusa reported in apologetically. Major, he ditched me. Sorry.
Reina's browsed raised in surprise as she looked up at Motoko.
Borma. Motoko waited patiently for a reply, indifferent to the situation.
We just spotted him. Borma replied.
An AI assistant then began speaking. During the last five years, Jarti has been frequently reported at a service area located along the expressway heading towards the mountains in the outlying district of Niihama.
We can also zero in on several Korinkai sites with records with Jarti's concurrent activities. I'm sending you the data. Aramaki said.
"A large warehouse, huh?" Batou said as they looked over Ishikawa's shoulder.
"I pulled some really weird information on that warehouse. Quite a few days were recorded with major spikes in power consumption, which happen to coincide with Jarti's visits to Japan." Ishikawa said.
Motoko frowned. "Spikes in power consumption?"
Reina smirked. "Maybe he's growing weed?"
Ishikawa shook his head as he looked over the data once more. "No, the amount is way too high for a marijuana farm. This is something greater."
Batou pat Reina on her back when she frowned. "Nice try, Kid. I was hoping for that, too."
Borma here. Jarti just dumped his car and took to surface streets on foot. I'll tail him in a Tachikoma.
Roger. Motoko said.
"There it is." Ishikawa said as they were approaching the warehouse. "I'll find open place for you to rappel down."
Reina, Motoko and Batou then gathered by the side door. Batou slid it open and Motoko worked on getting the rappel lines set up. Reina held on to the side edge and stuck her head out and watched as they smoothly descended. The cool night air was refreshing on her skin as she breathed in deeply. She hoped she wouldn't have to use her abilities a second time. She wasn't sure if she even could.
When the tilt-rotor was just a few feet above the trees, Ishikawa looked back and nodded at Motoko. Motoko lowered the lines, one hand on the middle, and Batou grabbed onto the line on the far right. Reina took hold of the left line. She went down first and Batou and Motoko quickly followed behind. The three of them stayed in the clearing to make sure the lines returned to the tilt-rotor safely. When the tilt-rotor started to turn away, Motoko lead the way into the dense trees towards the warehouse.
They stopped nearby the warehouse. Screens appeared in Motoko and Reina's view as Batou sent them data that showed four men meeting at the entrance of the warehouse. "These are visuals from the Tachikoma." Batou explained as the clip zoomed in on Jarti and Gondo.
"Bingo." Motoko said and nodded towards the building. "Jarti and Gondo are in there."
"Security's pretty lousy." Batou commented.
Togusa here. I'm at the rear of the warehouse.
Okay. As soon as Ishikawa gains control of their lines, we'll grab Jarti. In the meantime, I'm sending Reina your way for backup. Motoko finished and glanced back at Reina.
Roger. Togusa replied.
"Go ahead and meet up with Togusa. We won't start without you, but you need to hustle." Motoko said.
Reina nodded and quickly turned on her toes and disappeared behind the dense trees.
"Something happened in the hotel." Batou bluntly stated when he was sure Reina was out of ear shot.
Motoko glanced at him then focused on the building. "All I can say is that she never truly lost touch with her abilities."
"So that electrical disturbance was her."
"For now, let's just leave it at that." Motoko said with finality.
Batou nodded and he too turned his attention to the building. Guess I need to change up her training a bit…if she's willing to share how it happened, that is.
…
When Reina was sure she was out of sight, she shifted into her wolf form to get to Togusa quickly. Her wolf form allowed her to maneuver faster through trees and quietly on the dirt. It took her only a minute to circle around the back perimeter and catch Togusa's scent. She immediately followed it to where he was positioned near the wall surrounding the factory-like structures.
Togusa stood patiently by a large tree as he stared ahead, planning the best route inside. He then heard light footfalls that sounded like more than one person. He quickly turned, his hand going to his gun automatically. He froze as soon as he saw Reina come out of the bushes, her glowing eyes focused on his own. He sighed in relief and relaxed while Reina approached slowly.
"Is there an easy opening ahead?" Reina asked as she stood by his side.
"Yeah, a back entrance with a fenced gate. I'm sure getting past it won't be a problem." Togusa said and glanced down at her. He was surprised that she wasn't even breathing hard after running all the way there. The memory of her running in her wolf form after Ryan pierce flashed in his mind. That's probably why the sound was different and why she was so fast. Togusa then realized he felt slightly disappointed from not being able to see her wolf form up close.
Reina nodded quietly, her gaze not yet meeting his. Reina here. We're ready.
Roger. Motoko said.
Major, I've got their lines. Ishikawa said.
Let's move it! Motoko ordered.
Reina finally looked up at Togusa, her expression focused. "I'll be right behind you."
Togusa nodded, his worries and thoughts pushed aside as he took the lead. Even though he knew it was temporary, he still felt a sense of pride in being paired up with her. Their experience and lack thereof created a smooth balance and he simply enjoyed her unique company even though they were both focused on the assignment.
As Reina followed Togusa to the fenced gate, she wasn't as prideful as him. Her thoughts were plagued with anxiety. But as soon as they reached the gate, Reina's attention was drawn to the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight. While she watched Togusa quickly assess the fenced gate, she frowned. That's not my instinct or anything from me. It's something else.
Togusa eyed a number pad on the wall with a space to slide a card through then turned to Reina. "Can I borrow your knife?"
"Sure." Reina unclipped it and tossed it to him. She watched with curiosity as Togusa swiftly unfolded it and stuck it into the card slide. He then skillfully fit it into place then yanked it down. The entry pad sparked but made a sound that told them their access was granted and the gate swung open.
Togusa folded the knife and handed it back to Reina with a smile. "This is even better than the standard issued ones."
Reina shrugged as she clipped it back onto her belt. "Yeah, but it's easy to hurt yourself with it in a fight."
"I don't think you have that problem." Togusa commented as he led the way towards the building.
"No, not really." Reina admitted.
They quietly moved around the area while looking for the best way into the warehouse. As they ran, Reina spotted a ventilation system. She quickly tapped Togusa on his shoulder and signaled for him to follow her. They stopped at a wall a few feet away.
"Find something?" Togusa asked as he stood beside her.
"That depends on how well you can climb." Reina said as she nodded towards the wall. Togusa followed her gaze and noticed a large vent halfway up the wall. It was accessible by blocky areas sticking out of the wall that almost seemed like a giant stairway. Reina was asking about his climbing ability because they were going to have to climb up almost five feet on each block to get to the vent, which was also at least four feet above the top block.
"I can do that, though it won't be nearly as quick as you." Togusa said.
Reina looked up at him with a crooked smile. "I'll catch you if you fall. Though I can't guarantee it'll be pretty. I might accidently grab onto you with my teeth on instinct."
"I'd honestly rather be bitten than end up with a broken leg." Togusa said. He wondered if he said something she needed to hear because Reina looked at him with raised brows at first then she seemed to be slightly relieved.
"Meet you at the top, then." Reina said.
Togusa watched Reina skillfully run up the wall and climb effortlessly. He then reached up and hauled himself up. It was one of those times he wished he had a prosthetic body or Reina's gravity-defying abilities. While he climbed, Reina opened the vent with her knife and gently placed the cover down to avoid a loud noise. She then knelt by the edge and offered her hand to Togusa as he was about to make it to the top. Without hesitation, he grabbed onto her wrist and she helped pull him up quickly with both of her hands tightly grasping his wrist.
As they stood with Reina still grasping his wrist for a moment longer, Togusa finally noticed the dark color on her right hand. Before he could ask, Reina turned and pulled herself into the vent and disappeared. Togusa followed Reina but kept silent regardless of his increasing concern for her.
You seem to like vents a lot. Togusa commented as they moved through it, wincing slightly in response to the crackling static.
Reina hesitated before responding as she too heard the static that made his voice sound like it was coming from an old hand radio. Vents almost always lead outside. I learned early that they're very convenient, though not always dependable.
Togusa recalled from her retelling of her past how she and Alexander Pierce were caught right after escaping through the ventilation system. He felt a pang of guilt for bringing back that memory for her.
This static wasn't here before. Reina said.
It might go away after we exit the system. In fact, let's drop down up ahead. Togusa said as he spotted the vent cover they were approaching.
Reina nodded and carefully stepped over the cover and kneeled down near the edge. Togusa kneeled down as well and they worked together to remove the cover, only allowing small metallic sounds to echo while they worked. Togusa placed it behind him then moved to drop down first. Reina didn't argue as she waited and watched patiently.
Togusa dropped and landed crouched with a slight grunt then quickly ran to the open entrance of the room. He withdrew his gun and checked around the right corner. Reina then dropped down and her landing seemed loud in the large open space. She withdrew her gun as she checked around the other corner of the open door.
The dimly lit hall was empty. Reina clenched her jaw as her chill grew worse. If she was in her wolf form, her hackles would have been standing straight up. She then glanced at Togusa and noticed his stern expression as he felt the same way. You go right, I go left?
Togusa looked at her and nodded.
They both then turned around the corners and ran down the hall in opposite directions, their weapons held ready.
As she listened to Togusa's footsteps fade, Reina held her gun in a tighter grip. I really don't like this place.
…
After a few minutes of searching the halls, Togusa stopped and checked around yet another corner. This place is like a maze. It's hard to tell if I've already been through here since everything looks the same. His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps approaching from the intersecting hallway ahead. They were too slow to be anyone from Section 9. Major, do you read me?
Jarti then appeared from the dark right part of the hall and walked casually towards the brightly lit left. Found him. He's our man.
…
Motoko was moving along a shipping container when she received Togusa's transmission. The static bothered her but she continued regardless. Her gun held ready in her hands, Motoko carefully peaked around the edge of the container. She noticed the factory-like structures ahead with multiple electrical pipes running everywhere and large ventilation fans on the ceiling. She guessed high amounts of electricity ran through the pipes with high voltage, mostly towards the brightly lit structure. So that's the thing causing the comm interference. Togusa, where are you?
Motoko shrank back into the shadows behind her when a large figure suddenly appeared, heading towards a brightly lit entrance in the structure. Is that him? She knew it had to be Jarti. She assumed Togusa was somewhere nearby.Togusa, can you read me? On my signal, we'll both rush him.
Copy that. Togusa replied, the static making the words barely understandable.
Batou, Reina, Jarti's in the plant. Get over here, pronto!
All she got in response was more static. Dammit. They can't hear me. Togusa, move in!
Roger!
…..
Hm? Can you repeat? Major, you didn't come in clear. Batou tried to transmit through the incoming static. He then sighed. They can't hear me. What're they after, anyway? Batou thought as he sat on a chair with his gun aimed at Jarti, who sat quietly in the other chair.
…
Reina crouched in the darkness of an empty room as the sound of footsteps came closer. Just before Motoko's instructions came in distorted, Reina had been continuing down a dark hall until she had sensed a presence ahead of her in an intersecting hall. She had hidden herself in the pitch black room just before the approaching steps turned the corner.
Reina didn't even bother reporting in as she knew it would have just been received as a static filled mess. She was confident she would be able to move out of the way if the others were closing in on Jarti as well, if the stranger approaching was indeed him. Reina became still as a stone as the figure passed the opening to the room, not even pausing to look as he didn't even sense Reina's presence.
Reina frowned and hesitated before peaking around the corner as the man's scent reached her sensitive nose. The scent was that of a man but also held a sterile and pungent smell like that of preservatives for dead creatures. As she stared at the man's back, a sharp chill ran down her spine. That looks like the same man from the hotel. He has the sunglasses and long hair and everything. But what is up with that scent? It's almost like…. Reina shuddered as she was reminded of the creatures that were created in the lab. She then glared at Jarti's back. It's almost like he isn't really human.
When Jarti was far enough away, Reina crept out of the darkness and followed him silently on her toes. After a few moments, Jarti began picking up his pace and walked faster. Reina just continued to follow so he could maybe lead her to something important. After all, the way he's walking now makes it seem like he's eager to be somewhere. No point in taking him into custody now if he might lead me to something that might explain that smell.
"…..Freeze!" A voice echoed from the distance. Reina's frown deepened as she recognized the voice as Togusa's.
Jarti then began to run with urgency and was heading in the direction of Togusa's voice. Reina began to run as well, nearly losing sight of Jarti around a corner. Her adrenaline level shot through the roof when she heard the familiar sound of Togusa's revolver firing off a bullet. It was close enough for Reina to assume he was in a nearby hall.
Jarti turned sharply around another corner with Reina closing in. Before turning around yet another corner, Reina spotted Jarti withdrawing a gun. Reina hastily ran, now not caring if her footsteps could be heard.
When she turned the corner, Togusa stood several feet down the hall, his revolver aimed at Jarti, who was knelt on the ground with his right arm wounded and bleeding.
The Jarti Reina had been following was closing in on Togusa from behind. Without letting the confusion take over, Reina swung her arm and fired her gun. The bullet curved smoothly to the right and struck behind Jarti's right ear and exited just above his left eye. His body fell heavily to the floor with a loud thud.
Togusa looked back with shock just as the body hit the floor. Reina approached quickly, her gun now aimed at the wounded Jarti ahead.
"Since there seem to be multiples, I figured killing one wouldn't hurt." Reina said as she stood beside Togusa.
Togusa stared at the Jarti she killed for a moment then focused his attention back on the one he had shot. "Are you sure that wasn't just a lookalike?"
"I'm sure. They both smell the same." Reina said bitterly.
Togusa's frown deepened as he tried to take in what Reina was saying. Same scent means the same man. But how…? He then realized the one person that was missing. "The Major. We were both supposed to rush him. I haven't seen her or heard from her."
"It's no use trying the cybercom right now. She might have him, too." Reina looked up at Togusa. "Will you be fine here?"
Togusa nodded, his eyes still on Jarti. "Yeah. Go find her. I have no idea just how many are walking around armed."
Reina gave Togusa's shoulder a squeeze before running past Jarti to continue down the hall. Though she was confident in Motoko's strength, she knew surprise could catch anyone off guard.
As Togusa watched Reina disappear in the shadows, he too became concerned about Motoko and wanted to try to establish contact even though he was doubtful it would be received. Where are you? Come in, Major!
…
Motoko rubbed her neck, which was now sore from being strangled. She glared at the two bodies she had just knocked out. They both appeared to be Jarti. Togusa, what the hell's going on? There are two Jartis!
Huh? What're talking about, Major? Batou asked, now able to understand her through the static. Jarti's in custody. As a matter of fact, I'm looking right at the man.
Just as Motoko was about to ask for clarification, a loud thud came from the shadows to her right. Motoko instantly prepared herself for another fight, her body tense and fists clenched in front of her. She relaxed when she heard feminine panting and Reina quickly ran out of the shadows.
"Major, you okay? I heard you yell, but I was still on the other side. I tried to get here as fast as I could." Reina paused as she stared at the two Jartis on the floor. She sighed heavily as she relaxed. "Looks like you didn't need my help anyway."
Motoko gently rubbed her neck once more. "It came close. Have you heard from Togusa? He was supposed to-"
"Yeah, he's fine. He tracked his Jarti down and disabled him, but the one I was following decided to try to intervene, so I took him out. Sorry." Reina explained.
Motoko nodded and stared down quietly at the Jartis.
Reina grimaced slightly after she took a deep breath. "Damn. They're covered in that stench, too."
"What are you talking about?"
"They all smell the same. It's a human scent, but there's also something nasty mixed into it." Reina explained.
Motoko frowned as she stared at Reina but didn't get a chance to ask about the scent as Batou began speaking. Major, Togusa finally came in clear and apparently has Jarti in custody too. What's going on?
I'm not sure yet. Keep an eye on the men you have in custody. Reina and I are just outside of what's causing all of this interference. We'll let you know what we find. Motoko said.
Roger.
Motoko then turned and faced the structure behind her. Reina found and picked up Motoko's weapon then handed it to her. "My chills are getting worse the closer I get to this place."
Motoko checked her gun then shrugged. "All the more reason to take a look."
Reina nodded as she held her weapon ready once more. She followed Motoko cautiously into the bright entrance. Motoko spotted a dark set of stairs leading up and slowly walked up. She checked around the corner of the turn on the stairs then signaled Reina to follow. They ascended slowly, their footsteps echoing loudly. The repulsive stench became stronger as they neared the top and Reina clenched her teeth to fight off gagging. The only noise besides their footsteps was the hum of electricity.
When they reached the top, they stepped into a large room lit with dim, green lighting. Reina paused while Motoko continued moving forward. She shut her eyes tightly as a different smell hit her senses. It was one she was too familiar with.
It was the smell of death.
Reina's eyes shot open when Motoko gasped slightly. Reina quickly ran to her side and followed her gaze. They could see inside a containment unit through a window that emitted the green glow. Inside the unit was Jarti, connected to multiple wires and his eyes were closed. Reina glanced around and realized he was inside all of the containment units.
"I believe this is where that certain smell is coming from." Motoko said as she holstered her weapon.
Reina nodded, still holding onto her own tightly. "Definitely. They had similar containment units and preserves at the lab to keep experiments alive."
Motoko then continued walking down the long room, her attention at the end. Reina followed, eying the units as she passed. When they stopped at the end, Reina couldn't hold back any longer. She hastily covered her nose with her left hand as she cringed, the smell of the slowly deteriorating body overwhelming her senses. She took a few steps back and looked away from the body.
Motoko felt bad for Reina since she had a heightened sense of smell. She sighed lightly as she stared at the real Jarti's body connected to the machine. "It's a ghost dubbing device."
"Why the hell would anyone do that to themselves?" Reina asked sharply.
"To…preserve what he represented." Motoko stated simply.
Keeping her face covered, Reina glanced at the body. That's right. The people of Jenoma see him as a hero. They'd probably go insane if they found out he's really dead. "So…what now?"
Motoko turned and walked towards her. "We clean up and get the hell out of here."
Reina stared at her with confusion as she walked away. "Major…ghost dubbing is illegal. Aren't we going to at least arrest Gondo for this?"
"We were only told to find out what's going on. We just need to clean up the wrecked copies and we're done here." Motoko stated without looking back.
Reina sighed and followed reluctantly. "I feel like we just went through all of that for nothing."
Motoko glanced back as they walked down the stairs. "No, not for nothing. We found out the truth behind Jarti's unexplainable survival of many assassination attempts as well as one of the operations the Korinkai is in control of." At the bottom Motoko turned and faced Reina. "Not to mention the fact that you can still wield your ability to it's fullest when you need it."
Reina shrugged. "I guess that's a plus or I would have been pummeled by that guy."
"Exactly. Anyway, why don't you go ahead and track down the others while I look for a place to put the copies. Have them bring the other ones here." Motoko said.
Reina nodded then ran off. Motoko crossed her arms. She'll learn to accept it eventually. I just have to keep reminding her that I already have.
…
The ghost dubbing device is the only thing we found. No narcotics or weapons. Motoko finished explaining.
She, Batou, Togusa and Reina had finally met up with Paz and Borma outside of the warehouse. Ishikawa had arrived shortly after landing the tilt-rotor. They hung around the van Paz and Borma took with the Tachikoma while Motoko explained to Aramaki what they had found.
While the others stood or sat in the van, Reina sat on the ground against the tire, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Togusa stayed within sight of her to keep an eye on her. When she and Batou had come to retrieve him, Reina's skin had been pale as if she were about to faint. Only some color has returned since she now sat still.
And what of Gondo? Aramaki asked.
He's still out cold, so we put him where the machine was so he could be assured his project was intact. We made sure we cleaned everything to make it look like nothing happened.
Understood. Return to base immediately.
Roger. Motoko replied then looked at the team. "All right, we're done here. Time to head home."
A sense of relief settled over the team as they prepared to leave. Reina slowly stood up, slightly light headed. Togusa noticed her difficulty and quickly approached her. "You okay?"
Reina nodded without meeting his eyes. "Yeah, just worn out from moving the clones around. Their smell is stuck in my nose."
"I can't imagine. Hey, are you going to be okay in the rotor? Or do you want to ride back in the car with me?" Togusa asked.
Reina glanced around, spotting Motoko, Batou, and Ishikawa standing together as if they were ready to walk back to the tilt-rotor. The tilt-rotor is further away than his car. I already had trouble just standing up….I don't think I should push myself any harder. She looked up at Togusa briefly. "That'd be great, thanks."
Togusa touched her shoulder lightly. "Stay here and I'll let them know."
Reina nodded and watched Togusa approach the others. As they talked, Motoko glanced at Reina with concern but Reina smiled slightly. The concern disappeared from Motoko's expression and she nodded at Togusa. Togusa turned and walked back while Motoko and the others left for the tilt-rotor.
Just before leaving the clearing, Motoko glanced over her shoulder and watched as Togusa and Reina left in the opposite direction. Reina's posture had become more relaxed as she walked beside Togusa. It was as if his closeness soothed her anxiety. It probably does, considering what he's done for her so far. Motoko focused her attention forward, her own worries eased. I wonder if she realizes just how much she depends on him.
…
"….so while I searched the car they dumped, they got another one and nearly ran me down. They shot up the car I was behind before leaving." Togusa sighed. "At least I have some luck and they didn't take my car."
Reina giggled. "Yeah, I'd say that was pretty lucky they didn't. But at least you weren't hurt."
"Yeah." Togusa felt relieved that he could tell Reina about what happened even though he was ashamed of losing the target. He knew he could count on her to be an interested listener and not judgmental in any way. Her smile made the entire situation seem like it was nothing.
As a silence settled, Reina idly stared out the window. While she watched lights and cars pass, she caught a whiff of a strange scent. She glanced around and was sure it wasn't present in the car before they had gotten in. She focused on the small air vent, but soon realized the scent was rising up to her, not coming at her. Reina finally looked down at her folded hands. She loosened her hands and slightly raised her right, staring at it with her jaw clenched. She had completely forgotten.
Togusa suddenly felt uneasy as the comfortable silence changed into an awkward silence. He glanced at Reina and frowned as he once again saw the deep red color on her hand. It was such a deep red it was nearly black. "What is that?" Togusa asked, his body tensing at the thought of Reina being injured.
"Blood." Reina replied quietly.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"It's not mine." Reina said as she turned her hand then made it into a fist. "I don't even have a scratch and that man was cooked from the inside."
Togusa frowned at her with deep concern. Reina hesitated then sighed. "In the hotel, I ran into some trouble in the hall. One of Gondo's guards was still alive, and of course it was the toughest one and he was bigger than Batou. I think he was a professional fighter or something like that. Anyway, I kind of wasted all the ammo I had in my gun. I have no idea why I didn't just kill him with one shot like I did to the Jarti copy, but he charged me even though he had multiple wounds. And…..everything's a bit fuzzy. It…happened so fast."
Reina hesitated once more, biting down on her lip as she stared at her fist. Togusa waited patiently, glancing at her now and then. Her expression was a mixture of sadness and fear. He knew that asking her questions rather than allowing her to say what she needs to on her own time might discourage her from confiding in him.
Reina took a deep breath and continued. "I hit him with the same kind of thing I used while I was in the lab. My hand touched an area of wounds and the shock burned the blood, which is why it looks like this. But that's not all. I was able to send him flying and he looked like he was being electrocuted by an invisible cable. All of that was caused by me. The lights almost burnt out and even the Tachikoma outside of the building was affected by it."
After a pause, Togusa felt it was now appropriate to respond. "Is that what's bothering you? That you're still capable of using it like you did in the past?"
"Kind of. It really took me by surprise. I don't think I was really ready for it." Reina admitted.
"I don't think anyone could ever be ready to use something like that no matter how much they trained for it. The shock you're feeling is normal. And if it's control you're worried about, it sounds to me like you had it completely under your control. It's not like you could have just handled the situation with a regular hit; you needed something extra to bring the guy down. Besides, it's not like you went overboard and caused the entire building to burn out."
Reina thought for a moment. "You're right. I kept it isolated to that one area, but I don't think my confidence in control was what bothered me most. I think it's the fact that I didn't feel bad about hurting him that way. I mean, I was freaked out afterwards, but I didn't even feel a thing when it happened. Even though I'm sure that's just from shock too, it's still…"
"Still worrisome…because you think you felt nothing at all about using the ability on someone else. No regret or sadness. Not even anger." Togusa finished.
Reina looked up and nodded as Togusa had found the right way to express how she felt.
"Well, believe it or not, that's normal too. It's not that you really didn't feel anything, it's just you felt something you couldn't recognize at that moment. For example, you might have been feeling complete focus on what you were doing or the determination to survive. But determination isn't anger or sadness, so it's not easy to recognize it while dealing with an intense situation." Togusa explained.
Reina looked down and relaxed her hand, now understanding Togusa's main point. What I felt was normal and I'm still human. "Yeah… I think you're right about what I felt. It was my instinct and everything else is just shock."
"Exactly. And try not to feel guilty about it later. After all, you were protecting yourself and doing your job." Togusa glanced at her and gave her a smile.
Reina sighed and relaxed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Right."
"And honestly, that feeling of determination is actually the best thing you could feel at that moment. If you had felt fear, you probably would've hesitated and gotten hurt."
"True." Reina said as she finally smiled. Once again, it was only me who looked at everything negatively. Everyone else sees it as something positive and useful. I really need to learn how to be an optimist. "The Big Guy's going to be thrilled once I tell him about it."
Togusa chuckled. "Don't be surprised if he changes your training program completely."
"I bet he will. I also wouldn't put it past him to ask me to try to hit him with it."
"Now that'd be something to see."
"It would."
They both laughed and a comfortable silence finally settled over them as they neared Section 9. Reina now had a permanent smile and Togusa was relieved that she was willing to share and face her worries with him. He was also relieved that he could always somehow ease them.
Togusa now knew for sure that he was a main source of comfort for Reina and it made something in his heart warm.
…
Reina touched her fingers lightly against the large glass window as she stared at the Rossini Air Line plane, her other hand in her jacket pocket. The sun reflected brightly off the passenger windows. The entire team met up at the airport to make sure Jarti loaded the plane without any delay. While Batou and Motoko were covering the roof, Paz and Saito wandered around the perimeter and Borma, Aramaki, Togusa and Reina stood watch at the window with the best view of the plane and boarding area.
Reina watched as people below loaded luggage into the cargo then looked back up at the ramp that led to the plane door. Jarti had disappeared moments before into the ramp and everyone had confirmed it. They watched in silence as the plane made its way to the runway and finally sped off. The plane lifted itself off the ground smoothly and began its journey out of Japan with Jarti safely in it.
Reina sighed and put her hand back in her pocket. Togusa, who stood next to her, glanced at her and knew she was disappointed that they were letting both Jarti and Gondo go.
"The one who got away." Reina commented.
Aramaki looked over at her and smiled. "We're not really walking away empty handed. The information gathered on this assignment is more than enough to put both Jarti and Gondo behind bars permanently if we need to do so in the future. Not only that, but it would also help start disbanding the Korinkai."
Reina returned the smile as she looked back up at the fading aircraft. "You're right, and I'm walking away with more than I thought possible."
Aramaki nodded in silent agreement and Togusa eyed Reina as he wondered if she was being sarcastic. As soon as she met his gaze with a sweet smile, he knew she was genuinely optimistic about her ability.
Reina then turned and touched Togusa's arm lightly before walking away. "Well, I'm heading out. I've got loads of school work."
The others said their goodbyes and Reina waved as she continued walking. Togusa watched her until she disappeared in the crowd, slightly disappointed that she couldn't stay. Though he knew her education was her top priority, he wished he could have at least had lunch with her.
Eventually everyone left the airport to continue working.
As Togusa drove towards Section 9, his thoughts wandered to Reina and the many times she had confided deep thoughts and feelings to him. Even though she talks to the Major, she still depends on me for support and advice. He also noticed Reina allowed herself to be at her most vulnerable around him. Togusa realized he was beginning to do the same by sharing with her things that embarrassed him.
Togusa then thought of his feeling of loss each time they walked away from each other. But what do I depend on her for in return? His face became hot as he remembered her smile and light touch and the warm feeling that resulted from them. Well, she is a woman after all. That kind of thing is bound to happen anyway since we work together. But even though it's natural, she's still different from anyone else I've ever met.
