Chapter 29
"Computers aren't meant to do that right?" asked Yukari pointing at the screen. The single word still remained in place.
"Try turning it on and off?" suggested Tomo. "Or maybe control alt delete?"
"No I don't think this is a normal programme…well I say think, I mean pretty obvious" said Kimura.
"Really?" asked Yukari. "Well I do hate computers so I don't really know much about them…"
THE ONE KNOWN AS KIMURA IS CORRECT
"Kimura? How do you know who I am?" asked the teacher.
I AM AWARE OF YOU ALL
"Even me?" asked Tomo pointing to herself.
THAT IS CORRECT TOMO
"Cool" said Tomo to herself.
"I wouldn't really call this cool" muttered Kimura.
"But who the hell are we talking to?" asked Yamaguchi. "I'm not really sure what the hell is going on, but I know this isn't normal."
"Maybe we're talking to whatever is behind this strange stuff" said Yukari. "Hey are you the guy responsible for all of this?"
YUKARI YOU COULD CONSIDER ME TO BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE
HOWEVER I CAN NOT BE CONSIDERED A GUY
"A girl?" suggested Yukari. A silence fell over the vehicle as the group turned to look at the teacher. "What? Females can be just as bloodthirsty as men!"
I WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED THE SAME SPECIES AS YOU
"So what, are you like an alien or something?" asked Tomo. "From space or something?"
I HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PLANET FOR LONGER THEN YOU HUMANS
"Then why hasn't anything like this happened before?" asked Yukari as though she was accusing a student of lying about their homework.
HOW CAN YOU BE CERTAIN OF THAT YUKARI?
"So what…you've done this before?" asked Kimura as Yukari moved away from the screen annoyed at possibly being corrected. "To other places and other people?"
THAT WOULD BE TELLING KIMURA
"I don't like the attitude of this guy" muttered Yukari to Tomo after nudging her student.
"So why are we still here?" asked Yamaguchi. "And why did those others get to escape?"
THAT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL. MY ENTITIES WERE UNABLE TO DISABLE THE OTHER VEHICLE AND SO IT WAS ABLE TO LEAVE. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF ALLOWING THEM OUT OF TOKYO
"This guy loves the sound of his own voice" muttered Yukari.
"He doesn't have a voice" replied Tomo.
"Crap, I knew I should have run for the other vehicle…had more armour. Unlike this one" muttered Yamaguchi.
"Yeah, yeah I knew I should have as well" said Kozo, his voice still emotionless.
"But what are you?" asked Kimura.
YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND ME
"Try me" said Yamaguchi.
"Yeah, I think I could handle it" said Yukari. "Come on please, what the hell are you?"
THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT NEEDED
"I think it is needed Mr Caps guy…I want to know what you are…at least give us a name" said Yukari.
"Maybe he has forgotten his name?" suggested Tomo.
ACROSS THE CENTURIES I HAVE BEEN CALLED MANY THINGS BY YOUR SPECIES. I HAVE BEEN CALLED BOTH GOD AND THE DEVIL- I HAVE EVEN SIMPLY BEEN CALLED EVIL ITSELF
"Aren't you thinking a bit high of yourself?" asked Yukari.
THOSE ARE TERMS USED BY YOUR SPECIES. THOUGH YOU HAVE ALL ADVANCED GREATLY SINCE I LAST EMERGED
"How old are you?"
OLD
"That…doesn't really answer the question" said Yukari.
IT IS SOON TIME FOR ME TO RETURN TO THE EARTH. YOUR TECHNOLOGY IS MUCH IMPROVED BUT I WILL VANISH ONCE MORE
I AM COMING
"Coming? I don't suppose you could tell us when?" asked Yukari.
The screen switched off, a low hum coming to an end. The screen was just as lifeless as before the conversation had started.
"Well I guess that means the talking is over?" asked Yamaguchi.
"You're lucky, he never mentioned your name" said Tomo.
"So what the hell was that?" asked Yukari. "And what can we do?"
"I have idea" said Petric who had been quiet since entering the vehicle.
"What idea?" asked Kimura.
"Thinking about what I saw earlier- and what that thing said. Perhaps that thing is the hive mind controlling the other things."
"Controlling other things?" asked Yukari.
"When I studied creature…it had very little to suggest it could even think by itself- I found myself thinking perhaps something controlled it."
"So what are you saying Mr Scientist guy? That the thing we were talking to might control all of those other bloodthirsty bastards?" asked Yamaguchi.
"Perhaps" said Petric. "But I cannot be sure."
"Well it has been the only thing to talk to us" said Kimura. "And it was talking to Takuya as well."
"Maybe that's how they knew our names- Takuya told it" said Yukari. "Or at least I hope that's what happened…if not it's a bit creepy."
"Bit creepy?" asked Kimura.
"But what can we do?" asked Yamaguchi.
"Kill that thing?" suggested Yukari. "That would work right? If it controls them then if we kill it…well…nothing controls them. And hopefully they die…or run out of control."
"So we kill that thing?" asked Yamaguchi, glancing over towards Petric.
"Well it might work if I correct" replied Petric. "If I correct."
"Well what the hell else do we have to do?" said Yamaguchi. "I say we try this method."
"I'm all for that" said Yukari. She glanced across at Tomo who looked a bit blank. The girl realized she was being looked at and quickly looked back at Yukari. After a pause she nodded her head.
"I'm for that too" replied Kimura.
"I try and help too" said Petric.
"What about you Kozo?" asked Yamaguchi. "You want to help out?"
Kozo said nothing, merely staring out of the windshield.
"I take that as a yes" said Yamaguchi as the floor started to rumble.
"Oh great" said Yukari.
"Oh God it's coming back!" screamed Kozo before the windshield shattered inwards, spraying glass across the interior of the vehicle. Yukari saw a blur through the broken windshield and Kozo thumped back into the chair. It creaked and suddenly he was screaming as something gripped his head. Over the fierce rumbling and rattling from inside the vehicle Yukari couldn't hear the skull cracking- but she turned away in horror as the man's head crushed inwards splattering blood across the now slumped shoulders. With a faint movement the crushed head was torn away from head and the body slumped forward. Blood dripped to the floor below as Kimura covered Tomo's eyes reflexively.
Yukari slipped and fell to the floor. She tried to stand up when she became aware of the vehicle starting to tilt- suddenly she realized- the damn thing was being turned over! She heard Yamaguchi yell out something, but couldn't make out the words, before the vehicle tipped to one side and her face met the wall. Groggily her head slumped down against the floor as she heard brief gunfire.
