Tokyo Blues
Chapter 26
The chain of events that followed after Aya's tortured eyes found mine still seem unreal to me. I do remember what was done and said, and I remember the pain, but I have no recollections of my thoughts or of the fear and anger I surely must have felt. There were no emotions, and I still wonder if that was how Weiss went through their killing sprees.
Whatever shut down my complex trains of thought helped me to stay alive, along with the upper arm strength I had acquired during my kendo training and the clout and speed that the Shihan had drilled into me along with every single kata.
The first man I took down did not see the attack coming. My foot hit his throat and crushed his windpipe. He dropped his gun and I swiped it up and aimed it at the man who held Aya, but there was no way I could have scored a hit without endangering her. The first incredulous scream that got loud came from Iwase. I turned around and pulled the trigger. The noise was deafening and multiplied as it echoed between the metal shelves. The bullet hit Iwase square in the chest.
He sank to his knees, and I stayed in place and fired the weapon once more, this time hitting the man who stood behind Iwase. He went down with a hole in his head.
Hidaka had gotten himself a gun as well, and he was standing above Fujimiya and shielding him from assaults while Aya's brother, still shaken from the tazer attack, came to. Kudo was hunting for pray in the shadows between the stacks of boxes.
The young one, Omi, who had seemed out of place in midst of these armed men from the beginning had snatched his guard's gun and was taking down one man after another with the calm accuracy of an experienced sniper. He was fast, and he was thorough.
No more than five or six seconds had passed since I had killed and disarmed the first sentinel. The leader, the elegant business man, had vanished.
I focused on the redhead gaijin who was still holding Aya like a shield in front of him and aiming bullets at Hidaka who pulled Fujimiya into safety behind a set of boxes. I raised my gun and strode towards him. As soon as he noticed me he swivelled around and aimed at me.
As I advanced a projectile bit into the back of my shoulder. There was no time to get back at the attacker, because Aya and her captor were very close now. Now it was the gaijin's turn to pull the trigger, and a bullet pierced my stomach. I kept on walking, feeling almost tranquil now, and just before I was in reach of Aya the redhead dropped her and made a run for it. I fired my gun and hit him square in the back. He stumbled and disappeared in the shadows.
When my knees gave way and I sank to the ground my vision blurred and I heard the ebbing noise of fighting around me. There could not be many men left. Next to me I heard a rattling cough. It was Iwase. Bloody froth escaped from his parted lips with every laboured breath he took. The bullet had pierced his lung. The front of his white shirt was soaked with his own blood.
"Why?" he asked and looked at me through clouded eyes.
"She's my girl," I answered.
He chuckled. "Fuck. You should've told me."
I did not linger to watch Iwase die but rolled onto my right side so I would be able to watch Aya. My vision faded, no matter how often I blinked, and I prayed she was okay. Then the agony hit. My guts were on fire, a white hot pain that stole my breath, and fear joined in as I realized that I would not get out of here anymore.
The shooting had stopped, and I saw a shadow approach Aya and pick her up. I hoped it was one of Weiss. Flopping onto my back I pressed my fist to the small hole in my stomach to keep in whatever wanted out. Above me, a neon light flickered on and off. And then, nothing.