Chapter 9 – The Lie
Kako woke with a splitting headache. She found herself in a dark room lying on a strange and unfamiliar bed. Someone had removed her shoes; they lay on a chair next to the bed. She tried to sit but the effort was too much for her and she slumped back to the mattress with a soft groan. Her head . . . it felt as though her brain had been knocked loose.
She struggled to remember why she was here in this strange place and why her head hurt so much. She ran her fingers over the back of her head and felt the bloody mass of hair where Loz's fist had connected with her skull. Slowly her memory returned. She remembered the alley and the feeling of a strong arm around her neck. She remembered the scratchy unshaven face on her cheek as her attacker taunted her. And she remembered that voice; her rescuer's voice. She didn't even know his name, but his face slowly resolved in front of her.
She didn't hear him enter the room or cross the floor to stand at the foot of the bed.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
Kako started at the sound of his voice and sat up too quickly. Blood drained from her face as the room swirled around her, and she fell sideways off the bed. Yazoo moved quickly around the bed and caught her before she hit the floor.
"Lay still," he said as he carefully maneuvered her back on to the bed. He sat down next to her and watched her face as she struggled to deal with the pain in her head and neck. "You really do have a big knot in the back of your head," he said.
"Who was that guy?" Kako asked.
"Who knows. Just some thug. They're all over this area," he answered. "What were you doing in this part of town anyway?"
Kako thought for a moment. What was she doing when she was attacked? "I was going to the school, but I think I took a wrong turn somewhere. I wasn't paying attention," she said quietly. The memory of the dream was returning now.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"I brought you to my place. It was close by and I didn't feel like carrying you all the way to the school," Yazoo said. The lie came easily to his lips.
"Well . . . thanks. What's your name anyway?" she asked.
Yazoo thought for a second. He hadn't thought far enough ahead to figure out if he wanted her to know his real name. He decided to play it safe. "Taka, my name is Taka. What's yours?" he asked with a smile. Kako chuckled and held out her hand. "Kako, its nice to meet you."
Yazoo stood up and looked down at Kako. The color was returning to her face and she looked stronger. "How are you feeling?" he asked again.
"Better, thanks," she said as she carefully swung her legs over the bed and tried to stand. He held out his arms to steady her as she stood.
"I better get going. My Dad will wonder where I am if I don't get to the school soon," she said. She turned to face him. "Why not come with me. We could use a good student like you. I need a decent sparring partner," she said with a smile.
"Well, I don't think the school's the place for me, but any time you need a sparring partner, just let me know," he smiled back at her.
Kako winced as she extended her arm to pick up her shoes. It felt like a pin had pricked her in the crook of her arm. She frowned and rubbed it, put on her shoes and walked to the door. She turned once more and said goodbye to Yazoo.
He watched as she walked away down the street. He pulled a small glass vial from his pocket and rolled it between his fingers. "Soon . . . soon you will be mine," he thought.