Chapter 11

The lock clattered against the grating, the cuffs still engaged. The moment Narihisago shifted in a desperate attempt to get his leg beneath him, Kenta and Ryota seized his upper arms in iron grasps. One of them alone was enough to hold him at bay, it hardly required both. The struggle wasn't worth the energy he would spend.

They dragged him out into the middle of the floor, farther than his chain would've reached. A quiet dread filled Narihisago as they forced him chest down on the floor. A pair of strong hands pressed against each of his shoulders down before he felt someone else unlock the cuff around his right wrist. To his surprise, one at a time his arms were stretched out over his head, and the cuff relocked.

Odd, my arms able to get in front of me offers more maneuverability. What are they doing?

His shoulders, used to being locked in a position behind him for days now, complained. That wasn't shocking. The cuffs had been put on him in the Kura and hadn't been released at all since. The weight didn't let up.

A clanking sound overhead, followed by Orochi's call, "That should be good. Heft him up."

In a swift motion they lifted him upright. The cuff chain caught over something, so when they let go he was more or less hanging by it over his head. By some miracle, or placement, the weight on his right wrist rested on the outside, verses where they had cut his wrist to extract the chip. His right foot had enough contact with the floor to take some of his weight, but not enough to free the chain. He glanced up to find an old trawling hook and chain on a winch holding him fast as it hung from the rafters.

Ok, I have to admit, Orochi nailed my height by eyeballing it. That's either lucky … or he's had enough practice. That latter is a bit disturbing. Stretched out, facing the railing, he tried to glance over his shoulder to see what was going on.

Off to his left, Konya stood with his hand on the railing, face completely placid. "Narihisago. You mentioned circumstances. You will tell me what those are."

I don't care what you do to me, he tried to keep his breathing steady, I'm never going to kill for you!

Waiting for a few minutes, Konya watched barely blinking. "Interesting. Well the rat did tell me you could be difficult. Fine. There is more than one way to strike a deal." He lifted a hand in a welcoming gesture and took a step back. "Orochi."

"Heh heh, I've been waiting for this." Orochi's voice stiffened Narihisago. He was right behind him. So close that his breath stirred the hair on the back of his neck. "Someone's been a naughty boy!"

CRACK!

Narihisago arched his back, the shock propelled him forward as far as his good foot would reach. Through clenched teeth he hissed as something struck him hard and fast in the shoulder, leaving behind what stung like a snakebite. It wasn't, through the corner of his eye he caught sight of the end of a leather belt.

He shuddered. Not his first experience with this. Though in that id well Momoki had pulled him before he'd been lashed to death.

There would be no extraction here.

The end of the belt vanished from view. "Hurts like a son of bitch, don't it." Orochi laughed and took a deep breath.

Narihisago braced as much as he could, this time knowing what was coming—which almost made it worse.

It was a mistake. His taut muscles gave the improvised lash a harder point of contact. This time he had to bite down harder not to cry out.

That's what he wants! Don't give him that pleasure! Vengeance simmered in the strikes, a man exorcising his demon.

Again and again the lash bit across back, tearing the fabric of his shirt, forcing him to swallow the agony as he sagged in the chain's grasp.

Hondomachi screamed from behind. "Narihisago! Stop hitting him!"

CRACK!

"Ahhh!" Narihisago lost his nerve, the cry escaped him. "Shit!"

A scuffle broke out behind him close to the outer wall, Tsuyoshi barked, "Tired of your voice! Time to shut you up!"

All Narihisago heard from her now were muffled cries. And they were furious!

The pain welled up, spreading further and deeper, aching in his bones with each breath. He had lost track of the strikes around five, and there had been quite a few more. He wasn't even trying to stand anymore, just hanging limp by his wrists, wincing with each strike.

Konya held up a hand and stepped directly in front of Narihisago. He placed a warm finger beneath his chin and lifted it. Narihisago had nearly forgotten how cold he was till that comparative moment. Forcing Narihisago to look him in the eyes, Konya declared. "I am listening."

Panting for a few breaths Narihisago made a poor attempt to spit on the man's face. They had skipped the morning water ration, there wasn't enough saliva. He narrowed his eyes and forced out in two breaths, "Fuck … you … "

In a wave Narihisago's eyes lost focus denying him the view of Konya's reaction … a shaft of morning daylight stretching across the rafters they refocused on the pealing paint at the other end of the building. His breath hitched. He'd been too far back to see it before, the light too dim most of the time. The logo on the wall—he knew it! A smiling narwhal skewering a fish on its horn leaping through a four pointed star. Holy shit! I've been here before! The old North Star Fishing warehouse … the case, this is where we caught the Stitcher. I know where we are! But—this place was supposed to be torn down!

"Pay attention!" The belt striking the base of his neck on the left side brought him out of it. This time it hurt worse. Orochi had flipped it around, the prong of the buckle bit into his bare flesh.

Narihisago's head flew back in a scream.

"The boss was talking to you!"

"Thank you, Orochi." Konya tapped his rings together.

Forcing his eyes open, Narihisago stared up into the rafters with their rays of light. Every breath took an epic battle to draw in. Hanging with his chest extended made it harder to begin with, the growing collection of welts made it agonizing. Begging for this to stop would do no good. No one who had stood that calmly and forced a man to remove every digit would give one shit over a plea. That had been Itoh's mistake … well, one of many.

Orochi grabbed Narihisago's hair and tugged his head to face Konya. "The circumstances?"

It won't matter what I say … no, it does. I can't give a man like this access, bad enough it happens in the first place. I'd rather take this abomination to the grave. Closing his eyes, Narihisago barely got his reply out, " … piss off … "

The hand released his hair and in a heartbeat, the strokes continued.

He gritted his teeth. It had been at least two dozen blows, he no longer felt the individual welts. Just a solid mass of pain. A few left behind a rivulet of sticky fluid. He stared at the floor, shiftless.

"Not gonna talk, boy?" Orochi snarled at length. "Then you don't need to breathe."

He hadn't felt the belt slipped around his neck. With a savage tug, Orochi yanked it through the buckle. The leather cinching tight against Narihisago's neck cut off his airway to only a narrow passage. Each desperate breath whistled. Laughter filed his ears, Orochi and Tsuyoshi. In the distance Hondomachi's muted cries reached him … but just barely. The edges of his vision began to black out, tunneling, closing in on him.

Konya held up a hand. "Enough."

The tension on the belt immediately slackened. A hand reached up and unlocked the cuff. Unceremoniously, Narihisago tumbled in a heap to the floor. He stared at his hands in front of him, unbound. He trembled, but still … only one cuff was locked. For the moment, he was unbound. Visions flashed through his mind of the day he had lost it with the guards at the Kura, his fingers curled around the metal of the cuffs still attached to one wrist into a make-shift brass knuckles.

Tomorrow they are going to take Hondomachi. I can't let that happen. No matter what happens to me.

Painstakingly, he planted his left hand on the grating and pushed up with a grunt. It hurt, but this was a chance. A chance he would take. They had to get out of these vile men's hands.

Tsuyoshi closed the distance, aiming to knee him. His eyes widened as Narihisago's right hand un-holstered his gun.

"Oh shit! How did he get that?"

"Relax." Orochi pushed a hand against Tsuyoshi's chest, staring mockingly at Narihisago. "Go ahead, I want to see you try and squeeze the trigger."

Braced on his left hand, trembling from a combination of exhaustion and pain, he held the gun in his right. The barrel rode up and down relentlessly as he breathed, struggling to keep his aim lined up on Konya. This vile man … must die!

Narihisago's finger flexed, the pressure against the trigger ignited a fire up his arm. He cried out as the gun tumbled from his limp grasp. His left arm gave out, dropping him to the grating as he grabbed his bandaged wrist. NO! That was our chance!

Orochi laughed and pointed. "Fool. That cut was close to tendons and nerves. You never had a chance of that working."

Picking up the gun, Tsuyoshi shoved it back home before drawing his foot back and delivering a swift kick to the gut. It barely added to what Narihisago already drowned in, still hugging his injured arm. I failed … shit … I failed Hondomachi. They're gonna take her!

Orochi snorted. "I didn't hold back. He would have talked by now. Shit must not be true."

With a long sigh, Konya stared down and nodded once. "Agreed. It is pointless to continue."

"What do you want to do with him?"

"The fighting rings are always restocking fresh meat. I'll leave it up to them if they want to let him heal, or just use him as a punching bag for practice. Secure him for now, make the arrangements. I want to be done with this place tomorrow. Understood?"

"Sir."

At the snap of the fingers, Kenta dragged Narihisago across the floor and recuffed his hands behind his back, padlocking the chain in place.

Lying on his right side, Narihisago slowly blinked. Above him, Kenta tugged the gag from Hondomachi's mouth. She would have rushed him, if Ryota hadn't been holding her in place. The moment she was free, she yelled at their retreating forms. "Sons of bitches! All of you! Where do you get off? I'm warning you! One chance. One chance is all I need!"

"Don't … " Narihisago whispered to her, clenching his teeth to keep conscious. "Don't make my mistake and go off half-cocked."

She huffed a breath and glared as the men left. Once they were alone, Hondomachi switched her concerned gaze down on Narihisago. "Hey, you ok? You're really not looking good."

He took a few breaths before he forced out in a low voice, "It hurts to breathe … but I'll manage … because I have to." Every breath dragged the edges of the welts against his shirt. "We have to get out of here."

"No kidding! The next time they come up here I'm going to kick their asses!"

The horizon blurred, Narihisago closed his eyes fighting the pull. His stomach churned, but not from the recent torture. The lump was made of cold dread. "The next time they come up here … they'll be taking you away."

She sat up straighter. "Wait, what? Where!"

"You were sleeping. I overheard them talking."

She leaned closer. "Taking me where?"

"Konya sold you to the human trafficking racket."

Heat rose in her cheeks. "He did what!"

He shuddered, hating the sound of the chain rattling. When he braved the agony in his wrist he checked the cuffs only to be disappointed. They were latched tight, and the padlock secure. Not that he could even crawl in his current condition. It was morning … they had approximately twenty-four hours to figure something out before they would be separated.

The sound of the chain wasn't strictly his own, Hondomachi stalked back and forth, stomping her disapproval. "Why those absolute scumbags! There is no way I'm going to … ooooo! Arrrrg! The very idea! I'm going to castrate them!"

"Hondomachi," he tried to lift his head but it tugged on the gash in the side of his neck. "Sit down … please. Don't attract them up here … I can't take anymore."

Reluctantly she sat down beside him, her expression softening, tinged with worry. "Don't worry. I'm not going to be a sex slave, and you're not going to be sacrificed to some damned fighting ring. We'll figure something out. For now, get some sleep."

He shook his head. "I can't … not yet." Though he desperately wanted to, it evaded him, he was shaking too hard.

After a few minutes of watching him lie there, she asked, "Do you need a distraction?"

"Yeah. I could use one."

"Konya. He's a twisted man. Cruel of heart and controlling. But he doesn't do the actual deed. Just watches as the others do his bidding. It isn't purely a power aspect. It's as if, he won't do it himself for some reason. It's the spectacle of it. Like someone methodically causing a train wreck so they can stand back and watch."

Good … yes … she's been profiling. "Go on." He let her soft voice breaking down the man wash over him, latching on to the distraction and letting it take the edge. She'd been thorough, nailing each of the thugs down in similar conclusions to his own.

He must've drifted off, in the darkness her foot nudged his shoulder. "Narihisago?"

He opened his eyes. "Mmmph?"

"Phew! You're breathing so shallow right now. It was hard to tell. For a moment I was worried you'd died."

Drowsily he muttered, "I'd never die and leave you alone … " A bolt shot through his chest. Those words … not those words. He cringed, unable to suppress it.

Hondomachi missed it, keeping her voice soft with a tone of curiosity. "Hey, you had a daughter named Muku, right?"

His chest tightened, but he replied, " … Yes … I did."

"You've … you've talked about her a few times when we chatted in the room at the Kura before. So I was pretty sure." After a pause she swallowed and went on, her eyes searching him. "Who is … Ayako?"

His breath froze in his chest.

"S-sorry. I shouldn't have asked. It's just, you've muttered her name in your sleep a few times. You just did it again."

I have? I did? Was I dreaming? Narihisago shut his eyes against the wellspring of emotions roiling up. Impossible to untangle. Anger blazed in the darkness, churning into the raging wildfire. Blood, a vast pool of it … razor blade crusted … two amber eyes open and staring blindly … a vast empty void embracing him, swallowing him whole! His breath hitched as he struggled to rein it in. Not now! I can't face this now!

Hondomachi shifted away from him. "Sorry! Clearly I shouldn't have asked!"

He carefully shook his head. "It's not your fault … it's just … not a pleasant memory."

She drew her knees up to her chest. "Do you want me to be quiet?"

"Yes." He sighed. "For now."

"I'm sorry … I didn't mean to upset you."

No one ever means to … but they do.

~ID~

Kokufu barely glanced at his phone, the moment it rang, he answered. The calls were always important right now. "Hello?"

"Chief," Soma's voice came across the line, "I hated to bug you since I know you're in the middle of important business. But did Itoh contact you?"

"No. Why?"

"It's just that, well, I didn't worry about it so much this morning, figured something came up and he'd be in after lunch. No one has seen him. He hasn't checked in. Did he have another day off?"

Kokufu sighed and held his head up with a hand. "No. Not that I received word of. Great. This is all we need now. Thanks for letting me know. Staffing ok down there?"

"We'll manage it, Sir."

"Thank you. Let me know if you hear of anything. I'll put a call in for a check at his apartment." He hung up and set his phone down. "Seriously, Itoh? As if I don't have enough to do."

~ID~

The sky reflected on the ground in an endless horizon. Narihisago stood barefoot, staring down at his weary reflection. This was … was this really happening? He lifted his left foot and wriggled his toes, they were all the right flesh toned color. His jumpsuit a clean white. His wrists free and uninjured. In his reflection he didn't see a blackened eye or a scab in the center of his forehead.

What had happened? He closed his eyes in thought. The sun had set, bringing with it the chill of the evening. He was still held captive, as far as he knew. Was this just a dream … or … could it be …

"Akihito!" Kiki slammed into him from behind, nearly knocking him over. She held him tight. "Where have you been? It's been impossible trying to reach you!"

He hugged her back, resting his cheek against her hair. Soft silky hair draped down his bare arms, a sensation he craved. So gentle in this sanctuary. "At the moment I'm not in the Kura."

"You're not?" She looked up at him, brow wrinkled. "What happened?"

"Momoki was trying to help me. Unfortunately when he sent me offsite … well, it's complicated, but we got abducted by some yakuza."

"What?" She grabbed his arms, tugging on them. "Where are you now?"

He freed his arm and scratched his chin. "Still in a lot of trouble. The reason you're having a hard time is probably because I have a concussion."

"Oh no! Are you alright?"

He wanted to lie to her … but the truth was … "No … I'm not doing well at all, Kiki. I'm not alone, they have Hondomachi too. Things look grim. I don't think the Kura can find us in time, not before they separate us. By then our recovery will become impossible."

She pounded her fists on his chest. "This can't be happening! No! Get back here. Get back here right now!"

"I want to. I really do. There just isn't a way."

"Don't leave me all alone! You're the only I can reach. Without you … it will leave me at the mercy of those killers."

Her head rested against his chest. "I'm sorry." Gradually it dawned on him. "Wait … there might be a way out." He pushed her chin up. "Can you get a message to Fukuda?"

Kiki cocked her head. "I … I don't think so. You're the only one I can reach like this. I haven't been able to do this with anyone else. And his mind is so different."

"A dream, can you influence his dream with a vision if I describe it vividly enough to you." It was his turn to grab her shoulders frantically. "Please Kiki! Time is critical! If we can get Fukuda to relay the image to Momoki, he will know where we are when he hears it!"

"I don't know if I can."

He knelt down, grasping her hands. "You have to try! I'm desperate. This is the only way I can think of. Please, they're selling me off to the fighting rings and Hondomachi to human trafficking tomorrow. We'd never be able to dive, never be able to help catch another killer again. Kiki—we're going to die for real!"

"Don't leave me alone." she gasped. After a moment, she clenched her fists. "Somehow I'll reach Fukuda. What do I need to show him?"

"Ok, with luck Momoki will remember this … "