Chapter 22: The children

" Do you think he is going to come back?" Chiyoko asks, quietly. " Who?" Masuru starts, " The Colonel or Tetsuo?" He asks. " Either of them." She says. " If you want my opinion I don't think either of them are going to come back. Tetsuo didn't want to be here in the first place and the Colonel is probably only going after Akira.." He says. " I think he'll be back." Chiyoko says. " If you think so.." Takashi says, fiddling with a toy car. " I think Tetsuo is scared of us." Masuru chuckles. " Why?" Chiyoko asks. "After that little incadent with out powers in his room..remember that was funny.." He says. " Untill he cut his foot." Chiyoko reminds him. " So?" Takashi says. Chiyoko sqirms unesasily. She dosen't like blood, or to cause bloodshed. But he did take Akira. " But I beleive in the Colonel will come back with a plan.." Chiyoko says tightening her weak fists. Takashi nods. Masuru doubts her, but still nods. " Otherwise we're gonna haft to do something.." Masuru says.

" Why are you so pissed?" Yamagata asks Magumi in the living room. " Cuz..." She murmers. " Good answer." He smiles, sarcastic. " Shut up and leave me alone." She orders. " Huh? Oh I'm sopose to leave now?" Yamagata asks. Kei is sitting in a big red chair across from them. He sighs and rests his head on the back of it. Akira was on the floor studying the remote. Magumi shoots him a glance. Yamagata cracks up. " I SAID SHUT UP!!!" She says angrily. " It's because of what Kaneda said isn't it?" He asks. Magumi wishes that darts could fly out of her eyes into his. " No! It dosen't mater." She says. Yamagata shrugs. " Be stubborn than." He says. Magumi " By the way aren't you a little old to be getting zits the size of quarters?" she asks. Yamagata looks confused than angry. " HEY SHUT UP YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THAT ISN'T A ZIT!!!" He shouts, holding up his fist. Magumi laughs lightly and points at his forhead laughing. Tetsuo suddenly appears out of his room, still in his boxers. Magumi and Yamgata look up form their argument, suprised. " Tetsuo?" Magumi murmers. Tetsuo lays his head on her chest and curls up in a fetal position. " Tetsuo? What's wrong?" She asks. She places her hands on his back gently holding him. " What is wrong with him?" Yamagata asks. " I don't know.." Magumi says.

Tetsuo where is AKira?
Where is he? Where is akira?
You know you can't run forever Tetsuo. You're eventruly going to die.
Where is Akira..? TETSUO!

Tetsuo's face seems to be in agony. Magumi looks at his arm. It looks like the robotic blood stained arm they left him with. It can't be that. " What's wrong?" She asks again. " TETSUO!" Yamagata shouts angrily. " If you're horny get the hell out of here!" He says. " Gawd!!!! SHUT UP!" Kei shouts. They stare at him in disbeleif. " Why don't you let Tetsuo talk?" He asks. They sweatdrop. KEI is sticking up for TETSUO! KEI! Tetsuo's lips move slowly together and apart with no sound. Magumi leans close to his mouth so she can hear him. " Akira....." He whispers. Magumi pulls back in shock.

" He isn't responding." Chiyoko says, panting. "What? He must be stronger.." Masuru says. " This isn't good. He dosen't know the power he is unleashing against the world by bringing Akira out?" The colonel says, apperaing. " COLONEL!" THey gasp in unison. " That's right. I saved those kids..now I must get you out of here..." He says. " Where?" Takashi asks. " I'm not sure yet but you'll be safe." He says, helping Chiyoko up. " I wouldn't be doing that dear sir..." Miss Gena appears, holding a gun in her arm free of the sling. " ! Let's go!" The colonel and the children run through the door, with Chiyoko on the Colonel's back. They run through the door. Gun shots ring out. The colonel staggers, but manages to spring. He's been hit. In the side. They run to the soilder's old white van. They climb in and drive off. " Are you sure?" Chiyoko asks. The colonel grips his side and places the other wavering bloody hand on the wheel. " It's ok..it's not serious." He says. A friend of his once told him what it was like to be shot. Really hot and sharp. He was right. But he couldn't afford to loose the fight at this point. The colonel clenches his teeth and continues driving, so the children would be safe.
Chiyoko looks at him with worried eyes, wringing her small hands in distress. The Colonel notices and forces a smile. " It's ok. You'll be all right." He says.

Tetsuo stops. He slowly regains he senses and looks up at a worried Magumi and not so worried Yamagata. He looks suprised. Kei stares. " What is up with this kid?" He wonders. " Well what is wrong with you?" Yamagata asks, in the most uncaring voice possible. Tetsuo sits up. He rubs his head with his robotic arm. "What happened?" magumi asks, just the opposite of Yama. Tetsuo shakes his head. " I don't know." He says. " I'm not sure what it was. Someone was calling me..." He says. He seems to remember something and jolt at the thought of it. " I..I'm sorry. I haven't told you what happened." Tetsuo takes Magumi's hand. " AN ANSWER WOULD BE NICE!" Yamgata shouts. Tetsuo takes a deep breathe, explaining how Akira got here and what happened to his arm. " A...sattelite? Outer space...?" Kei murmers. " Are you high?!" Yamgata says. " What really happened?!" He asks. Tetsuo looks angry. " That's what happened!" He says. " Now you can go put on some clothes boxer boy." Yamagata remarks. Kei snickers. Magumi looks suprised. Is she sopose to beleive what he just told her and the rest of them? Is it the truth? If so why would he take Akira out of a place like that?! And why do those people want Akira in the first place? Tetsuo frowns. Magumi's hand feels like a block of ice and she looks lost in thought. " ....." He sighs.

" Ha ha ha.." An old woman with long, black hair laughs. She is very short and has dark shades on. " Your telling me that one of their 'patients' has escaped?" She asks, trying to refrain from chuckling. " That's not all, the escaped patient has...well..h-has taken Akira with him and his wherabouts are unknown at this time." A bald monk type man says bowing lowly. The old woman stops chuckling. " Akira? What on earth could he possibly want with..Akira?"
" Lady Miyoko..what are we going to do?"
" We must start preparing, and prey. The streets are going to turn into a blood bath if this thing gets blown out of porportion. And plus they were experimenting with the drugs, correct?" Miyoko asks. The monk nods. " I'm not sure how he managed to escape. Everyone including the police and the millitary are looking for him." He adds. " OH..and what would this boy's name be?" She asks.
" I beleive it's Tetsuo Shima..." He says. " We must do what we can." She says, wringing the beads that lie between her fingers. " Or it could be the end of humanity as we know it..." She whispers under her breath.

" We must find someone who knows more about Akira..so they can help us defeat this monster..before it's created!"

" Kaneda! Where are we going?" Kay asks. " To a great evening!" He says, trying to see up her skirt in the mirror again. Kay rolls her eyes. " Ok..Kaneda.." She smiles. " Looking for police again?" She asks. Kaneda blushes and answers quickly. " Of course! Never know..now that Tetsuo and..yeah! Gotta be careful!" He smirks.

To be continued....

NEXT : CHAPTER 23