Chapter 15
Miyuki and Kenny walked back to the impromptu command center of the station. They both knew that while their lunch was wonderful, it was merely a tiny respite in this day of chaos. They reached Miyuki's temporary office and Kenny opened the door for his fiancee, then he took her in his arms and kissed her once again.
"I'm going to track down Tokuno and see what he needs me to do" Kenny said. "If you need me for anything, just let me know."
"You be safe out there, Kenny" Miyuki ordered him. "I don't want to lose you now."
"I will" he replied. "You be safe, too!"
Miyuki walked over to her desk. She sat down, still a bit light-headed from the events of the last hour. It had been how many years? She couldn't even conceive of how long she had waited-but it was worth it! Feeling Kenny's strong arms around her, looking into his eyes-really looking, without the sunglasses to hide behind-it was a dream wrapped up in a fantasy and Miyuki didn't want to wake up from it, lest she return to the nightmare.
Miyuki turned the computer on and was waiting for it to boot up when Kirishima knocked on the door frame and stuck his head in. "Do you know where Inspector Tokuno is right now?" he asked Miyuki.
"Sorry, Kirishima, but I don't" Miyuki told him. "I just got back from lunch-or was that dinner-and the last time I saw him was down at the cafeteria during the celebration."
"By the way, congratulations, Miyuki" Kirishima said. "I'm glad to see Kenny's finally make the right decision."
"Thanks, Kirishima" Miyuki replied. "Better late than never, I guess. What do you need Tokuno for?"
"He asked me to find a transport jumpsuit for Onodera" Kirishima explained. "I finally tracked them down. Someone keeps moving them."
A voice came from behind Kirishima. "About time you found that jumpsuit!" Tokuno growled. Kirishima nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Boss, it wasn't where I expected it to be" he told the Inspector. "I just about had to..."
Tokuno broke into a smile. "Relax, Yasutoshi, I'm just having a little fun with you."
"Well, warn me the next time you do that, Boss" Kirishima retorted, returning the smile.
"It wouldn't be near as much fun" Tokuno observed. "Could you take the jumpsuits into the Chief's office? Onodera is being brought there." Kirishima nodded and headed towards the office.
"What are you up to now, Miyuki?" Tokuno asked.
"I'm trying to do some calculations on what we would need to get everyone here to a safe place" Miyuki replied. "However, Nakano's computer is pretty bad. I'm thinking of moving my computer from the squad room to here."
"Do you need me to arrange some help?" Tokuno asked.
"No, I'll just get Kenny to help" Miyuki told him, beaming.
"That's it, break him in right" Tokuno chuckled. Miyuki blushed a little at that. "By the way" he continued "Where is Nakajima?"
"He went to look for you" she replied. Just then, Kenny appeared at the door.
"Inspector, I've been looking all over for you" Kenny said. "I was told I'm standing in for Sugihara?"
"Yes, he wound up in the infirmary" Tokuno told Kenny. "Come with me-I'll go over what I expect from you while you're filling in."
As Kenny and Tokuno started to leave, Miyuki called out, "Kenny, when you get a minute, I have something I need you to help me with."
"Don't worry, Miyuki" Tokuno said. "I won't keep him too long." Then they walked off.
Miyuki turned back to the computer at her desk. She typed in some information and hit "ENTER" but nothing happened. She sighed, realizing that the program she was trying to access was only on her computer in the squad room. "I can't wait for Kenny to help me move my computer up here-I'll have to go down there" she realized. She gathered up her papers, stood up from the desk and left the office.
When she reached the squad room, Miyuki found it almost deserted. Only Yuuka Endou and Takeshi Doushima were there. They were sitting in one corner, talking. Miyuki sat down at her computer and turned it on. As she was waiting for it to boot up, Natsumi's phone rang. Miyuki jumped up and reached over for the phone, hoping it would be Shouji checking in. When she put the receiver to her ear, all she could hear was digital hash. She could barely tell if a human voice was mixed in with all the noise.
"Shouji, is that you?" she asked, then listened as hard as she could. "Shouji, is that you?" she repeated, then paused for a reply again. She thought she heard something that sounded like a man's voice, but she wasn't sure and the squad room phones didn't have caller ID.
"Shouji, if this is you, I can not hear anything" Miyuki said, hoping the reception on his end was better. "Natsumi is not here-she's out on a mission" she continued. "I will let her know you called." The line went dead. Miyuki looked at the clock on the wall. The time was 1650.
Miyuki sat back down at her desk and logged into her computer. She started entering the information she needed to compile. In a few minutes she was in a rhythm and had just about tuned the whole world out. All she could see were her notes and the computer screen. Then she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She swung around, annoyed at the interruption. "Please don't disturb me" she snapped, "I'm wor..." She found Kenny standing behind her.
"I'm sorry, Miyuki" he said, a bit flustered, "I was just coming back to see what you needed. Karouko said you might be down here."
Miyuki jumped up and hugged her fiancee, burying her face in his chest. "I'm sorry, Kenny-kun" she said, holding on to him tightly, "I'm just still so stressed out by all this."
Kenny was startled by Miyuki's sudden outburst of emotions, but he smiled as she explained her reasons. He stroked her hair as he replied "That's all right, Miyuki-chan, we're all jumpy and you've been asked to do a lot in a short time. What did you want me for?"
"Mmmm... this will do for starters" Miyuki sighed, holding on to Kenny tightly. "I can't wait for tomorrow..."
"I know, Mi-chan" Kenny echoed. "I'm looking forward to calling you 'Mrs. Nakajima'."
"Mi-chan?" Miyuki said quizzically, looking up at Kenny.
"It just came to me" he replied. "Do you like it?"
"Mi-chan... Mi-chan..." Miyuki repeated, trying the pet name on for size. "I love it, Kenny-kun. I really do!" She leaned back on his chest.
Kenny bent down and kissed the top of Miyuki's head. "I'm happy you like it." They stood like that for a few minutes, then Kenny said "I'd love to do this for the rest of my life, but you wanted me to do something for you, Mi-chan?"
Miyuki sighed. "...and real life interrupts yet again" she said, pulling back form Kenny's embrace. "Kenny-kun, I need to have my computer moved to the office the Chief's got me working in as it has programs I need."
Kenny looked at the computer on the desk and then back at Miyuki. "I can do that for you, no problem. As soon as you shut it off..."
"Could you move the computer from the other office first?" Miyuki asked sweetly. "That'd give me more time to work with it here. We can move it when the other place is ready."
"As you wish" Kenny said, smiling. He gave a small bow and headed for the door.
"But you're Kenny, not Wesley" Miyuki giggled as he left. She sat back down and resumed working out the situation for which she had been asked to make a plan. She got back into the rhythm of her work.
About fifteen minutes later, Chie Sagamiono stuck her head in the squad room door, then rapped on the door sill. "Kobayakawa, would I be disturbing you if we talked for a few minutes?"
"Just give me a few seconds, Chie" Miyuki replied as she typed in one last line and clicked an icon with her mouse. "There, it'll take the computer a few minutes to process all that and print it out, so come on in."
Chie walked in the room and crossed over to a chair to sit down. She was a bit unsteady on her feet and walked slowly. She sat down at a desk across the aisle from Miyuki's, unaware it was Yoriko's desk. "I'm sorry for putting everyone out so much today, Kobayakawa." she started, her eyes downcast.
"Please don't worry about it, Chie" Miyuki said soothingly. "It's been a nightmare of a day for everyone. Oh, and please call me Miyuki."
Chie lifted her head and smiled wanly at that. "Thanks, Miyuki. I feel like I've been in a nightmare all day. The things I've seen... When I close my eyes, I still see people getting bitten and dying, only to get back up. Then to find out that happened to Yoriko..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes began to tear up.
"Oh, Chie!" Miyuki said, getting up and crossing over to Yoriko's one-time rival and giving her a warm embrace. "I know how you feel. If it wasn't for a stupid report I had to do, it could have been Natsumi or I who ended up that way. There's no sense to it at all."
Tears streaming down her face, Chie cried "I know everyone thought of us as rivals; but before that, Yoriko was one of my best friends at the academy!" She laid her on against Miyuki's shoulder and cried for a few minutes. As her tears subsided, she said "I know there's work to do. We can cry about this later."
"That's how we're all handling it right now, Chie." Miyuki assured her. "However, I have to ask-what are you doing here? I mean, how were you released from the infirmary? I know Kyou's not in the building."
"Oh, Nurse Fuji... um, Kyou's assistant, Honda, released me" Chie replied. "He checked me over and said I was able to leave but not to do any hard work for at least twenty-four hours."
Miyuki giggled at that. "Chie, I guess you didn't know. He may be helping Kyou, but Honda's not her assistant."
"He isn't?" she retorted. "Then who is he?"
"He's a mechanic at Daimaru's Motorcycle shop, Zapper" Miyuki explained.
"A mechanic?" Chie exclaimed. "I was treated by a mechanic?"
"Well, he's one of the best in Japan and I'm sure Kyou instructed him on what to look for" Miyuki quickly assured the startled Chie. "Kyou had an important mission to run. She's gathering medical supplies from a supply house she knows in the ward."
"WHAT?" Chie exclaimed again. "Doesn't she know how dangerous it is out there?"
"Don't worry" Miyuki assured Chie, "Natsumi and Saori are along for protection and another officer from Saori's station is helping to load the supplies."
"Protection? What kind of protection could the two of them give? Chie wondered.
"We caught a break earlier" Miyuki explained. "Aoi rescued Onodera, the Chuo Rapist, from turning into one of them and he took her to the illegal gun shop where he had gotten his pistol. They recovered a number of pistols and submachine guns and silencers to fit them."
"Silencers?" Chie wondered.
"It seems the walkers, as we call them, react to sound only" Miyuki said, "so having guns that don't make much noise is much safer out there."
"So that's why they kept chasing me!" Chie said, nodding. Then she asked Miyuki "Is there anything you need me to do right now?"
"I think we're good, Chie" Miyuki answered, "so why don't you go down to the cafeteria and get some food. It's been how long since you've eaten?"
"Ooh, right" Chie said as she felt her stomach. "I can feel it rumbling now. OK, good idea. Should I come back here?"
"I'll be moved in to the office they have me occupying for now by the time you get back" Miyuki told her. "We've formed into two sections, so see me when you get back and I'll tell you which one we've put you in."
"Sure, Miyuki" Chie said, smiling. "But why are you down here now?"
"Oh, I'm waiting for Kenny-kun to remove the old computer up there so we can set mine up in that office" Miyuki said, a big smile forming on her lips.
"What? Is there something I missed?" Chie exclaimed.
"Yes, I am going to be Mrs. Miyuki Nakajima" she replied.
"When did this happen?" Chie asked, excited.
"Earlier today, at lunch" Miyuki said with a silly grin on her face.
"That's what I get for fainting" Chie said, also grinning. "When's the big day?"
"Well, it won't be big, but it will be tomorrow morning" Miyuki explained.
"I guess there's no time to waste now" Chie observed.
Miyuki's phone rang. She picked it up. "Kobayakawa here. They're back? I'll be right down." She hung up the phone and headed for the door.
"What's going on now?" Chie asked.
"Natsumi and the others are back" Miyuki told Chie. "I have some important news to tell her. I'm going to head down to the back parking area."
"I guess I'll head to the cafeteria" Chie said as they walked out of the squad room together.
Miyuki arrived downstairs just as Natsumi gave her report of Sahashi's death. She came to attention with the other officers as they honored their fallen comrade. She decided that the news about Shouji could wait, since it was so sketchy. She headed back into the station.
Once the impromptu memorial service had ended, the Chief directed four officers to begin unloading the supplies. The Chief had noticed Saori sitting motionless in her seat since the four women had returned. He watched as Kyou and Kaname went over to the passenger's side of the van, opened the door and spoke softly to Saori. Then they helped her out of the passenger's seat and escorted her into the building, one woman on each side of the seemingly-catatonic officer. The Chief noticed the blood-stained bandage on her neck. He walked away from the group and motioned for Natsumi to join him.
"Tsujimoto, just what the hell happened out there?" he asked in a quiet voice as he watched the van being unloaded.
Natsumi too a deep breath and thought 'this is it'. She began, "Chief, part of is I don't know about. Saga accompanied the doctors and Sahashi into the building. I stood guard over the van and the entrance. I did learn that there was an intruder inside that had murdered the owner in an unsuccessful attempt to steal drugs. Apparently he had caught Saga unawares and was holding her with a knife to her throat."
"And where does Sahashi fit into this?" the Chief growled.
"He hadn't made it to the second floor, where the medications storage room was located, until after the intruder had taken Saga captive" Natsumi continued. "He was able to take him out with one shot."
Kachou turned to her, red faced at the last piece of information Natsumi had given him. "And just HOW was it that he was armed?" he hissed.
Natsumi knew it was now or never. She turned to face the Chief and looked him dead in the eyes. "I know what your orders were, Kachou. You did not want him armed at all. You also put me in command of this squad. That meant you trusted my judgment in tactical situations. I was there. You weren't. I observed how Sahashi, once he saw the gravity of the situation, did exactly what you had hoped he would. He manned up and resumed being an officer of the Metropolitan Police Department."
The Chief said nothing. He just glared at Natsumi.
"We were short handed as it was and I could not be in two places at the same time" Natsumi continued. "I dared not risk a thief stealing our van, or a crowd of walkers make it impossible for us to return. I made the decision to arm Sahashi. It was my decision, and mine alone. I believe that, absent losing him to the contagion, I made the right decision."
"But your decision cost Sahashi his life" the Chief retorted.
"And I will bear the pain of that outcome for the rest of my life" Natsumi replied. "However, twice in less than thirty minutes, Sahashi saved the lives of both doctors and Saga-and potentially my life the second time. He made the decision that cost him his life, but he did it to save more lives than it cost. Looking back on the whole operation and considering what we had to work with at the time, I cannot see any other alternative. I am ready to accept any punishment you deem fit."
Kachou's face softened and his anger subsided as he listened to Natsumi speak. He saw the seriousness in her eyes-the grief she would carry every day, just as countless other leaders did-just as he did. He knew he was witnessing the death of the old Natsumi-the hard-drinking, hard-headed mustang that was hard to control-and felt like the midwife for the birth of the new Natsumi-the clear-headed, decisive leader that they would need in the coming days and years if they were to survive.
"Tsujimoto..." Kachou began, "Natsumi... if you could have changed anything-anything at all-what would you have changed that might have made a difference?"
Natsumi was surprised by the change in the Chief's demeanor and his question. She thought for a bit, replaying the last incident in her head. "If I could go back and change anything" she said quietly, "I would have made sure Masumi was trained properly in the use of a pistol. That was what caused him to make his fatal decision."
"How so?" Kachou asked, intrigued by her response.
Natsumi pulled the Beretta out of the cargo pocket of her pants. The spent casing was still stuck in the ejector port. She handed it to the Chief and replied "This is what sealed his fate. He didn't know how to clear this jam."
Kachou just stared at the pistol in his hand, shocked. He couldn't believe that Sahashi had abandoned a weapon that could be so easily cleared. He grew angry-angry at an organization that would so woefully prepare its foot soldiers for any emergency situation. He turned to Natsumi and asked "What would you do now?"
"I'd make sure that anyone that is qualified to carry a gun-any gun-be taught how to handle all guns" Natsumi said. "and I'd do it as soon as possible."
"Are you up to the task?" Kachou asked?
"Me?" Natsumi inquired, then she thought. "Give me some time to figure out the fastest way to get the training out."
"Take all the time you need, Natsumi" Kachou said. "I know you won't delay. You know how important this task is to all of us."
"Am I dismissed, then?" Natsumi asked.
"I have two other questions-make that three. Why is Saga the way she is? What is the bandage on her neck? Who is that stranger that's with you, and why do you keep referring to two doctors?"
Natsumi giggled. "That's four questions, Kachou" she teased. "Well, to answer the first, I don't know for sure, but I'd have to guess there's some sort of history between Saori and Masumi that we don't know about. Second, she got a superficial knife would from the intruder-but it was before Masumi took him out. Third, that's Dr. Kaname Ichinose, who is one of our most valuable weapons in this fight. She's an epidemiologist-Kyou says the best in Japan, but she may be prejudiced. They were roommates in med school and became lovers."
"Kyou's a..." Kachou gasped.
"Seems so-but she's devoted to Nami-chan" Natsumi said dryly. "By the way, I think you should assign them their own room tonight-and it might be good to make it a bit distant from the rest of us, if you want us to get any sleep. Finally, as I said, Kyou met her in med school. She graduated but failed the boards. I'm not quite sure of the reason why she's a nurse now. You'll have to ask her yourself. Oh, and it was Masumi who first called Kyou a doctor. He said in this new world, it's the skills that count, not the degrees."
"Kyou's a..." Kachou gasped again.
"Get over it, Kachou" Natsumi chuckled. "Though I'm sure that half of the station will be devastated by the news."
"Why is it always the pretty ones?" Kachou mused.
"Chief!" Natsumi cried out.
"Did I say that out loud?" Kachou asked, still red-faced, but for a different reason now.
"You're old enough to be her father!" Natsumi continued.
"Ahem. Tsujimoto, you may go now" Kachou said formally, trying to regain his composure.
Natsumi leaned over and whispered in the Chief's ear "Besides, you have Karouko." As she walked away, chucking to herself, the Chief's entire head turned deep crimson.
Kinoshita walked out of the station, passing Natsumi as she headed in. She heard a soft chuckle as Natsumi passed but didn't think anything of it until she came up on the Chief, who was still red faced from Natsumi's parting comment. "Are you alright, Kachou?" she asked him, concerned.
All Kachou could get out was "She knows."
"She knows?" Karouko repeated, then she turned back and stared at Natsumi's back as she went through the door. Gasping, Karouko turned back to Kachou. "How did she..."
"Well, she's worked under both of us and has gotten to know us pretty well, I'd say." Kachou replied. "Also, she's an intelligent girl and a great tactician."
"I guess you're right" Karouko admitted. "Do you think it will cause problems?"
"It shouldn't" Kachou offered. "Of course, we do have some people who are pretty much strangers here and I don't know them that well."
"We'll just have to wait and see" Karouko admitted. "Now, for why I'm here. I've heard some talk about Sahashi. Do we know if he and Saga had a relationship?"
"It's hard to say" Kachou mused. "She seemed pretty broken up over the whole incident. I know Kyou and Dr. Ichinose will watch over her in the infirmary. Perhaps they can learn the true story.
"There's also a rumor flying around the station that they are..." Karouko started.
"They are" Kachou said, nodding.
"Well, I hope there's no change in how people treat Kyou" replied Karouko.
"I doubt there will be much more than some broken hearts among the men" Kachou observed.
The last of the supplies had been removed from the van and one of the officers got in to park it. The two inspectors heard a noise from within the van, then the officer jumped out of it, screaming. He was followed by a black and white streak, hissing and spitting.
Natsumi was walking back out from the building as this happened. While everyone else was startled and confused, she smiled. "Aw, kitty, kitty. Did you get scared when you woke up?" she cooed. "Natsumi is here to take care of you." At the sound of Natsumi's voice, the cat turned and ran straight for her, jumping up in her arms to take refuge there.
"Where did that cat come from?" Kachou asked Natsumi.
"He's from the medical supply house" Natsumi told the other two officers. "He's the one that warned Saori twice, from what I understand. I couldn't leave him behind."
"I wouldn't have expected you to do so" Karouko replied, smiling and scratching the cat under his chin.
"Does he have a name?" Kachou asked.
"I'll figure that out later" Natsumi called over her shoulder as she turned and headed back to the building. "Right now, I'm going to see if I can contact of Shouji."
Natsumi raced up the stairs as fast as she could with her burden. She quickly walked into the squad room, where Miyuki was working on her computer at her desk. She looked up as her partner entered the room and said, "Welcome back, Natsumi, how did it... ooh, what a pretty kitty!"
"I'll tell you later, Miyuki" Natsumi said hurrying over to her desk. "Did Shouji call while I was gone?"
Miyuki frowned. "I'm not sure" she said. "There was a call about an hour ago at your phone. I got to it in time but the connection was too bad-I could barely make out a voice at all before the call dropped. I assume that it was Shouji."
Natsumi sat down at her desk, picked up the phone and dialed Shouji's cell phone number. She listened for a few seconds, then slammed the phone down. "Please try your call again! I never..." she exclaimed.
"Did you dial 9 first?" Miyuki asked.
"OOH!" Natsumi screamed. She reached for the phone again, but it rang before she could pick up the receiver. She froze.
"Natsumi!" Miyuki snapped. "Are you going to pick up the phone?"
"I'm afraid!" Natsumi wailed. "What if it's bad news?"
"Face it head-on, Natsumi!" Miyuki urged her friend.
Natsumi picked up the phone. "Tsujimoto here."