Chapter 17
(Ayako)
'Who did this to Hikoichi? Was it before or after Hikoichi got onto the bullet train? Has to be after because he has no reason to be on it.'
"I'm going to take him to the med room," Koshino said.
Rukawa nodded.
"Ayako-san! Rukawa-sama! I'm so glad you two are back! Did you see the news?!"
"News about what?" I asked.
"Evo's HQ was destroyed overnight!"
.
(Mitsui)
"The vice-captain of this operation told us seven mutants were captured, 19 others killed. They are currently tracking down the remaining members that are situated at other locations and promises that they will be captured. We wish them the best of luck on their future operations. Now back to Yamada-san with the weather," the reporter said.
'Impossible. They couldn't have been defeated so easily. It's not like NP hasn't attacked us before…' I thought and shut off the TV, 'is this real new or are they trying to lure us out?'
I looked at the titanium case, 'Hikoichi seemed eager to get this to Jin. It was one of his foremost thoughts. I should go find him, he should be able to find out who's been captured for me.'
.
(Rukawa)
"Kaede, you should rest," Ayako said.
"Don't you think it's odd Evo was defeated so easily? Plus Hikoichi's brain scan is showing no activity and Jin's com link has been disconnected."
"Worrying isn't going to help," Ayako said.
"Sleeping isn't going to help," I retorted.
"If I'm going to have to knock you out you could rest, I'll do it," she said.
'Violent as ever,' I thought.
"Uh…Rukawa-sama…"
"What?"
"Sendoh…he's gone," the man said.
"What?"
"Wasn't he sedated?" Ayako asked.
"He was sleeping when he teleported."
'To where?' I wondered worried, 'what if that baka teleported himself to the middle of the ocean or-'
.
(Fujima)
"If he's really the one Rukawa loves you should let me kill him now," I said.
"We need to use him against Rukawa if we want to win. After we win, you can kill him and Rukawa," Juri said, "you do want to kill Rukawa as well, don't you?"
"Yes."
She smiled, "Then follow my plan Fujima-kun. I went into his mind, you do as I say and you'll be able to control him easily."
.
(Jin)
"Will you please give me back that exo-suit?"
"When you find out who's been captured and where."
"I told you they got no record of it. I got to get back or Dawn will suffer the same fate as Evo," I said.
"So."
"You want to know who was captured? Then person you should be asking isn't me but rather those that attacked Evo," I stated.
Mitsui looked thoughtful.
.
(Sendoh)
'Kaasan…tousan…no…it's not possible…'
"Akira."
"Kaede…" I frowned, he looked horrible, "what's wrong."
He replied exhaustedly, "It's over. We've been completely defeated."
"What?"
"It's all my fault. I underestimated them. I underestimated Sawakita Eiji."
"Sawakita Eiji? He's dead."
"Dead? I wish that were true…" he said softly.
'Kaede.'
"Because of my incompetence…everyone…" his voice trailed off.
'He's always like so. He takes all the responsibility,' I thought and held him. "don't be like so. At least you're ok. We can still-"
"I'm ok?" he repeated, "you're wrong, Akira."
"What do-"
I stared at him in horror, I wanted to scream, to run but I couldn't. Kaede…he was decaying right before me!
.
(Fujima)
"How is it Sendoh? Terrible isn't it? To watch the person you love die before your eyes?"
Juri looked amused, "You're very good at breaking people."
"No, not yet," I said.
"How much longer?" Maki asked.
"A few more hours and he'll be Juri's for the molding."
She smiled, "And then it should just be a couple of hours, before he's ready to go."
"Well then, hurry it up," Maki said.
'Rukawa…it's time.'
.
(Ayako)
"Ayako-san!! Big trouble, we're completely surrounded!"
"How could that happen without warning? We got surveillance within a 25 km radius."
"I don't know. They appeared out of thin air."
'Thin air?'
~TBC