Mirage Mind - Chapter 1 - Reality

A concrete warehouse stood out in the black background, outlined by the moonlight. Not far from its perimeter, four shadows slipped in and out the protection of towering metal containers, knocking out the guards as they moved closer towards the building. Light-footed, they sneaked into the entrance and hid behind the pillars. From the corners of their eyes, they could see men packing packets of white powders into aluminum sachets. The word - FLOUR - was printed in thin fine letterings on the clean surface. At a far end of the room, a businessman was scrambling to stuff his documents in his suitcase. The flapping of the papers echoed within the four walls as his sausage fingers shook. Muttering himself to be quicker, his sweaty hands fumbled to lock the suitcase with the least noise as possible. He turned to the overseer who gave a thumb-up. The four men shifted their attention to the sachets being loaded into trays before proceeding on into the wooden crates.

One of the four men, a slender shaped man with copper red hair flowing down his back in a single plait, signaled to his comrades. His dark amethyst eyes locked onto the overseer - whose height and built could pose a threat - finishing the last of the operation. Wordlessly, his comrades moved to their positions. At the electrical box, a young man dressed in gray trench coat. Milky chocolate hair bent beneath his ears as he knelt down to connect his equipment to the rainbow wires. Though his long deliberately curled fringe tumbled in front of his acorn eyes, it did not break his connection. Behind the stack of wooden crates, a tall man with cropped blond hair. His cross necklace gleamed under the lighting as he pulled out a thin silver thread. The last of the four, a brown-haired, had chosen his spot - a pillar directly behind the businessman. As his fist closed, his wolverine claws shot out soundlessly.

Laughing nervously, the businessman took out a cigar. His overseer was about to lit it when the lights suddenly went out. Swift cuts of the air were heard, followed by chocked cries and heavy thumping. Immediately, the businessman dropped his cigar. His eyes were blind to the darkness. In a second, the lights went back in full force. He squinted at the glaring brightness. When his eyes fully adjusted, he saw bodies lying motionlessly. The lucky ones had darts sticking out on their chests. They looked like they had died in their sleep. As for the others, they had either a brutal red line around their necks or three fatal slash wounds on their backs. Their eyes were widely opened, displaying the horror of witnessing Death's henchmen. The businessman squeaked in terror, hiding fearfully behind the overseer who had somehow survived the assault.

The overseer moved his hand slowly until his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. The thick mascara eyes fastened upon it. From the weapons used, he predicted at least three men. The air was beginning to grow saturated with scent of blood. With a deep breath, he inhaled, like he was drawing nourishment till he felt his brain bubbling with excitement. Whoever the assassins were, they were waiting for him. Then, he felt a warm liquid wetting the heel of his boots. Hardly moving his eyes, he already knew it came from his boss. Cowards, the whole bloody lot of them! It was solely for the money that made his decision to work for that fat lard tub. However, that doesn't mean he was going to protect him.

In a trice, a claw shot out. The overseer turned and sliced off the blades. With his spare hand, he grabbed the surprised assassin by the collar and shoved his knee deeply into his stomach. The assassin gagged as he fell heads over heels upon the hard ground. Seeing his fallen comrade, the second assassin fired arrows. With ease and grace, the overseer sliced them off, ignoring his boss' painful screams. From his belt, he threw out a boomerang that flew dangerously over the young assassin. Spitting itself into three, it released spiky chains that wasted no time in wrapping him around the arms. Hot blood spurted out as the spikes penetrated deeply into his skin. The boomerangs continued their flight, dragging the helpless assassin as it crashed into the nearest wall. Unable to get a footing, the young man fell into its direction.

Smirking at the collapsing body, the overseer moved on to the third assassin. His bushy brows arched at the sight of the red cross tattoo across his chest. A new street fashion statement? Swiftly recalling the previous two, they too bore that symbol. Cutting off the silver thread, he pulled the third assassin's arm forward and slide his right arm between his legs and clasped his leg. Driving his shoulder into his side, he effortlessly lifted him and flung him aside. Not allowing the assassin to recover from his fall, he wrapped his arm around the assassin's neck and pulled backwards as his other hand pushed the assassin's head forward. The assassin chocked a cry as the overseer gripped his right elbow with his left hand to complete the strangle lock.

Just as he could feel the assassin slipping away into everlasting unconscious, he heard a raging roar from behind. Pressing onto the hilt, the sword extended itself and pierced into the ground, bursting out at a forty-five degree angle. Half-turning, the overseer once again saw the speechless look on the first assassin's face as he fell backwards, staining his white shirt with his own blood. That stupid assassin must have thought that it could only happen in video games. He looked down at the third and saw him hanging limply in his arms. Releasing him, the overseer stomped his boot on the assassin's back and called out.

"Only three?" He mocked. "Don't pretend you aren't there unless you are intending to leave them here. Afterwards, I'm going to skin their hides and decorate my rooms with them. Their organs will be sold to the black market and I can get some good income from it. As for their remains, I'm going to feed them to my dogs! What do you say?"

"I say you are a soulless man rifting from death to death to sustain yourself," replied the last assassin as he finally merged out. His purple eyes shined harmoniously with his katana. With each thump of his leather boots, the overseer felt his heart beating for the last time. For the fourth time, he saw the bold red cross. Then, a thought struck into his mind. He remembered rumours of such men working in the shadows in their zeal to carry out justice to those who thought they could get away. Was he one of them? Did he have a name?

"Who the hell are you freaks?" The overseer shouted, trying to keep his cool. Somehow, the last assassin was very composed, taking his time to walk closer to him. It was like he already knew who the victor was going to be. Gnashing his teeth, the overseer launched forward, extending his weapon for the kill. The assassin nimbly evaded and aimed to strike. The overseer's sword automatically lengthened into segments, bent and blocked the blow. Leaping backwards, the assassin almost shown his displeasure. Digging his sword into the ground, the overseer controlled it to shoot out beneath the assassin. He jumped. Smiling devilishly, the overseer flung out more of his boomerangs. In minutes, they caught him in the same manner as the second assassin. The weight pulled him down.

Grunting, the assassin struggled to break free. In a mercilessly moment, a blow hammered across his face. Everything flashed past in rainbows crusted in red. It went black in seconds. Forcing to regain conscious, the assassin swung madly. The stinging pain of the spikes did a favour by heighten his senses back to reality. Unexplainably, he pulled himself free and head butt into the overseer's abdomen. Throwing himself backward, he kicked him sharply in the chin as he somersaulted. Shaking off his bonds, he picked up his sword. With it, he destroyed the overseer's weapon that was lying feebly next to its master. Not wishing to delay the mission as it had already been, he raised his sword above the overseer's head.

"Your death may be swift but your punishment awaits for you in Hell."

To his immense horror, the overseer caught the sword between the palms of his hands and broke it off as if it was a twig.

"Hell will have to wait a little longer, my pretty assassin." Leaping up, he plunged his elbow into the assassin, thrusting him into the wooden crates. Clouds of white powder showered over him. The assassin coughed and waved his arms as to stop the white powder from entered into his nostrils and mouth. It stinged his eyes. His heart couldn't stop pounding at his loss of sight. Before his senses could tell him anything, his flesh felt the insertion of metal.

"Hold him! Hold him!" Doctor Evan commanded harshly. "Hold him! Damn it! Or else the needle is going to break again." His voice dropped lower. "There, there. Be good and stay still. It's almost over." Pulling out the needle. "There, see. No harm done." His eyes looked softly at the young man retreating to the corner. "Come, let's return you..."

Instantly, the young man drew himself closer to the corner as if he was expecting the wall to open a secret passage. Doctor Evan beckoned his colleagues to move away. Adopting a friendly pose, he walked nearer to the man, who slumped to the floor and wrapped his knees to his chin. Rocking himself, he murmured inaudible words. Cautiously, Doctor Evan knelt down and brushed away a few strands of his disheveled hair.

"Ran Fujimiya," He began, as he was speaking to a child. "It's Doctor Evan." Squeezing his shoulder lightly so as not to scare him. "Do you know where you are?"

"Tokyo..." the young man replied slowly. His purple eyes gradually lifted up. Doctor Evan took a metal note of his dark navy eye bags.

"That's right, Ran. You are in Tokyo. Which part of Tokyo are you in?"

"A Florist shop... Kitty..."

"No, Ran. You are in a hospital. You have been with us for the past six years."

Ran's eyes shifted to the bed. It had metal railings and leather straps.

"Hospital..." he whispered breathlessly.

"That's right, you are in a hospital," Doctor Evan said approvingly. Carefully, he carried him up and placed him onto the bed, taking another metal note of his weight. Looking at his colleagues, he said.

"We better inform his sister about this. It's getting worse."

"Damn it, Aya! Open your eyes!"

Aya weakly obeyed. He saw nothing but blurred figures and smudged surroundings. Gravity didn't seem to exist. There were voices, sounding a thousand dimensions away. A wave of sleepiness overcame him. The fuzzy environment was fading away.

"Shit! The drug is affecting him!" Yoji hissed as he pulled him out of the destructive powder and half-dragged him to the floor. "Working damn fast too!" Whipping out his hand phone. "Rex! Code White Dove! I repeat, Code white dove!"

To be continued