CHAPTER 19: BRAVO

When the truck came to a halt, Najenda and Leone climbed out from the front to check the perimeter. Everyone in the back waited with anticipation since they weren't supposed to disembark until they were given the clear. A minute later, Leone knocked on the side of the truck. "Clear."

One by one, everyone exited the vehicle, with Mine and Sanfred being the last two. She watched him closely, wondering what was on his mind. Of course, he'd demonstrated excitement for this important mission, but there was something else more subtle on his mind. Somehow, she sensed it, perhaps because now she was so close to him. And yet, they pressed on.

"That place is bigger than I was expecting," Tatsumi commented.

"It's supposed to be a warehouse for vehicle repair," Najenda explained. "They would have paid the owners to reserve the location for the evening."

"What about the Imperial Arms?" Akame asked again. "We need to get confirmation that they're on site."

Najenda nodded understandingly. "Even if the Imperial Arms aren't here, we're still taking these creeps down. But for now, we are going to hang back and watch them closely. It would be ideal if we could see the special weapons with our own eyes before moving in."

"Roger," Tatsumi agreed.

While everyone was cool with things, Sanfred walked up to Najenda suddenly. "What if the association of the three ministers falls apart?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if one of them decides to betray the others? They're a bunch of scumbags, and they're already planning to betray and overthrow the Emperor. Perhaps one of them could decide it's not worth the risk and then he could betray the others to take all the supplies for himself."

"Your theorizing is certainly imaginative," Najenda said with a smile. "You're right. That is possible. But regardless of where their loyalties lie, we still have the upper hand here tonight."

Mine tapped Sanfred on the shoulder, motioning for him to walk alongside her. He didn't seem done with speaking to Najenda, but he obeyed his girlfriend's request without question. She gazed at him, eager to share some thoughts. "You don't think we can handle it?"

"I suppose I am concerned that when things go wrong, we'll be plunged into chaos." Sanfred pressed the handle of his sword, just about ready to withdraw it. "They have Imperial Arms, which means they have deadly weapons."

"So do we," she countered with a toothy grin. "And soon, we're going to have even more." With that in mind, she suddenly thought of something she'd failed to ask sooner. "Sanfred, how come you're not interested in getting an Imperial Arms? They're amazing weapons."

Despite the offer, he remained lacking in optimism. "I've been the victim of one of those tools. I do not find them suitable for my style."

It was hard to fault him for that mindset, and Mine let it be. Besides, her man was extremely capable with his own sword, as well as his incredible speed and reflexes. If anything, he more than made up for it.

The first two to move in were Bulat and Akame. Bulat had the power to go invisible, which he was putting to use now. As for Akame, she was extraordinarily stealthy, so she ascended the side of the warehouse. The two agents took their time, and then eventually Akame waved to her comrades, urging them to proceed.

The others split off to opposite sides of the warehouse. Tatsumi, Lubbock, Leone, and Najenda took the left, while Mine, Sanfred, and Sheele took the right. As they moved down the paths, they were on edge, in case there were any cameras. Fortunately, the power outside had been shut down, likely to conceal the existence of this secret meeting.

"Strange that there are no guards," Sanfred mentioned.

"They're trying to be discreet," Sheele pointed out. "This was anticipated."

Before moving on, Sanfred glanced up to Akame, barely able to see her as she was mostly concealed in the shadows atop the warehouse. But she still appeared to be calm, keeping her eyes set gazing through the window.

Mine moved on ahead, and now she was starting to wonder why the place was so quiet. Surely, there would be some presence of activity here? Yes, they wanted the meeting to be a secret, but it was still hard to imagine they didn't have anyone standing guard. With that in mind, she clutched her Pumpkin, feeling for the aura. There wasn't any sense of immediate danger being picked up, which was a good sign. Perhaps she was being paranoid after Sanfred expressed his concerns.

"Someone's coming," Sheele announced with a whisper.

Sure enough, the faint rumble of an engine carried through the night sky. Down the road, a military vehicle appeared, and it pulled into the empty lot next door to the warehouse. Once it parked, several soldiers disembarked, escorting a few men.

Sanfred pulled Mine and Sheele over to him. "That's Minister Dorin."

Mine raised an eyebrow in surprise. "So much for discretion. Why's he got so many bodyguards?" As she thought about it, it seemed to suggest that Sanfred's prediction was likely. This wasn't a complication they couldn't handle, but it still stood out in her mind.

"They manufacture both drugs and weapons," Sanfred explained. "Minister Dorin's probably trying to get both operations together tonight. It's his big break."

Sheele was suddenly filled with concern. "Maybe we should all regroup before going in. There's something off about this."

"We can't do that," Sanfred corrected her. "If we do, we'll give away our presence."

"He's right," Mine said next. "We need to stick to the plan."

Minister Dorin was a short man, wearing a dark purple cloak and a strange-looking black fedora. He was fat, but still moved with a purpose. The soldiers stood by him in organized fashion, demonstrating the validity in their training. They were armed with machine guns, but like most Imperial soldiers, they were probably equipped with swords and clubs as well.

"Is everyone inside?" Dorin asked, his voice carrying across the quiet evening air.

Another man approached him, apparently coming out of the warehouse. "Everyone's ready."

"Bring the next truck," Dorin instructed to one of his men.

"Yes, Minister." The soldier took off running in the other direction, and eventually he waved his arms in the air. Sure enough, a second engine rumbled as an additional vehicle pulled in, parking farther back this time. More soldiers got out, and they carried large boxes.

This was what Night Raid had been expecting. Surely, those boxes contained guns, drugs, supplies… and maybe even Imperial Arms. But for now, they were still sealed up.

Mine leaned back against the side of the building, concerned about her dress. She remembered how Sanfred had mocked her for the way she wore bright colors. Tonight, stealth seemed important, yet she had stubbornly dressed the same. It hadn't bothered her in the past, but this time she wasn't proud.

"He's taking a long time to enter the building," Sanfred pointed out.

"Yeah…" Mine said in agreement. "Wonder why."

"Just trying to show off his organization?" Sheele suggested.

"He was always one to boast," Sanfred admitted. "Still, though, according to what we just heard, the other two ministers are already inside. So, the question now is simple: Why is Minister Dorin entering along with the Imperial Soldiers carrying the supplies?"

Suddenly, it made sense. Mine stared in disbelief. "The intelligence we got said they hadn't acquired the Imperial Arms yet. But Minister Dorin is there with the Imperial Soldiers, arriving at the same time. Has he already made the deal?"

"We can't say for sure until we see what's in the crates," Sanfred explained.

"So… we must still wait," Sheele said with a focused gaze.

"Indeed," Sanfred acknowledged.

While they waited, Mine thought things over. Maybe there weren't any Imperial Arms in those crates. Those could just be regular weapons, being traded in for the Imperial Arms. The only way to know for sure was to see them when they were opened. She also considered the fact that Imperial Arms weren't necessarily large items. They could be quite small, and easy to hide as well.

Another possible scenario existed. The Empire's men could use the Imperial Arms to kill the three plotting ministers. If they had such powerful weapons, and they knew how to use them, it was achievable. Suddenly, there were so many possible ways for things to go.

It wasn't easy keeping her cool, but Mine breathed lightly. By now, she had practiced steady breathing in recent days, thanks to Sanfred's constant urging. Naturally, she didn't excel with the technique the way that her partner did, but she knew she was improving gradually. This would be a good test of her growth.

Suddenly, Sanfred motioned to Mine and Sheele, getting them to look up. Akame was there, a concerned look on her face. "I can confirm a shipment of drugs is inside the warehouse. No sign of any weapons yet."

"How many enemies?" Sanfred asked.

"Sixty-four," she revealed.

"Whoa." Mine and Sanfred said it simultaneously, then stared at each other.

Sheele clapped her hands and smiled. "Aw, you two. Matching each other's responses."

Mine just growled, not in the mood for any of that, especially with such a tense mission at hand. "Where's Bulat?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Akame glanced back over her shoulder. "He's circling the roof on the other side. There's too many people for him to sneak around on the ground level."

At least, so far things were under control. Mine held her sniper close, eager to bring it to use. Sixty-four enemies were a lot, but with all of Night Raid on the scene, it would be a cake walk. Surpassing Sanfred's kill count was what mattered now. And with her special weapon, she was confident that she'd succeed.

Akame returned her attention to the meeting going on inside the building. She found a window with a small hole in it, allowing her to hear the voices of the people inside.

"We're ready to proceed," a tall man in Imperial military uniform said in a rich voice. He held a hand up, motioning for some of his men to bring some boxes forward. "These will be game changers in the near future. If you take them, be prepared for the burden to come."

Minister Dorin smiled with anticipation, although he remained smug and refrained from rushing to see the boxes. "General Nodham. We have been waiting for this day for quite some time. All I've ever wanted was something to show for my hard work. I'm sure the other ministers feel the same way. This is that fulfillment we've been seeking."

Another one of the ministers stepped forward, holding a brown cane. "We have access to the palace. The time will come when we can get close to him. Once we have our chance, we'll take it. And then it will be a new dawn."

"Easy now, Carter," Dorin said, raising a thick hand to slow things down. "All in good time. For now, we must see to it that these soldiers are rewarded for their cooperation."

Akame watched General Nodham closely. She'd never seen him before, but either way, he was a high-ranking official from the Empire. The man took a long breath of air, as if he understood the gravity of his actions. But he had come this far, and he was not about to pull back now. "We have four Imperial Arms. As agreed. Have you brought your end of the bargain?"

Dorin and Carter looked at each other with smiles, then turned simultaneously to the third minister. "Haymer. Show him."

"Aye." Haymer looked younger than the other two ministers, but he was just as deeply involved in their plots. He approached the men under his authority and gave them the signal. They began to remove the crate covers with crowbars, until each one was opened. Behind them were more men with hammers and nails, ready to seal them right back up afterward.

The tall soldier walked down the line, checking each box thoroughly, while Akame watched them from her hiding spot as well. She saw weapons, drugs, alcohol, and more. No Imperial Arms, but that wasn't how it would work. Instead, she kept her attention on General Nodham, who was responsible for bringing the Imperial Arms to the site. So far, they hadn't turned up.

"Very good," he announced after several minutes of inspection. "A little extra, even. Don't think I didn't notice that."

"You have a sharp mind," Dorin complimented. "No wonder you're doing well in your position."

"My men have been instructed to give this symbol." He held his right hand to his heart, showing the index and middle fingers together against his chest. "If they give this symbol, they are not to be harmed. They've all been made aware of your agenda."

"Boldness," Dorin said, nodding his head as if impressed. "A good general. You're looking out for your men. And they're loyal enough to follow your orders, even when they are bold ones."

"They are loyal to me at all times."

From there, the general walked over to his soldiers containing the precious cargo. There were four boxes, smaller than the large crates of supplies. In fact, the boxes looked like they were fit for fancy clothing, making for a good cover up. The general took one box, while three of his men took the others, and then they opened them up.

Akame made sure she clearly saw what was inside each one. A cane, a coat, a hat, and a sword. The aura from the items was unmistakable. "I can confirm a visual," Akame said, in a voice quiet enough to avoid getting attention from enemies, but clear enough for Mine, Sanfred, and Sheele to hear her from down below. "Four Imperial Arms."

Mine gulped nervously. Once the rest of the team found out, it would be time to move in.

"Wait for me to return," Akame instructed, while she snuck off. It was important for the others to learn what she knew immediately.

Meanwhile, Mine studied the side of the building. It was thick, but her Pumpkin could blast through the wall, giving them an opening.

Sanfred tapped Mine's shoulder. "The first priority is disarming some of those machine guns."

"Right," Mine agreed.

"Lubbock can handle them," Sheele brought up. "He'll catch a bunch of them with his wires."

"And I can focus my firepower on them," Mine added. "They're probably standing close together."

"We don't know what those Imperial Arms are capable of," Sanfred pointed out. "But once we go inside, I believe the ministers will quickly go for them. Therefore, I would like to move in quickly to stop that from happening."

Mine and Sheele both looked worried. "Are you sure you can make it in time?" Mine inquired. "There's going to be a lot of chaos in there once you go in."

"I am ready for the arena," he assured her.

As usual, Mine knew better than to just assume everything would be fine. She walked closer to Sanfred, moving him back a few feet, away from Sheele. "What are you thinking?"

He took a few moments to weigh things. "As intimidating as it looks in there, the greatest threat is still the Imperial Arms. If I can get in there and stop them from using those weapons, it will eliminate a grave danger."

"But then you'll be the one taking on the danger yourself," she explained, putting her hands to her hips. "You've been pretty cautious this whole time. It doesn't seem like to you suddenly be willing to take on the riskiest task."

"You've underestimated me."

"Well…" She looked down, feeling a sudden dose of fear. "Maybe I've been thinking about what you said before."

"Aye." Sanfred ran his fingers through one of Mine's tails of hair. "You are worried about death. That is fine."

"I meant…" Mine tensed up and glared comically, even though Sheele wasn't watching them. "I meant, the other thing. The… love thing."

"Ah. Yes, I have not forgotten."

For some reason, Mine was motivated to share her thoughts now, even though it felt like a bad time. "Since we both feel the same way… maybe after this, we can… talk more about our future."

Sanfred was gazing into her eyes. It was hard for Mine to explain what she saw in his gaze. On one hand, there was love. On the other, it felt like they were seeing each other for the last time. It was a haunting blue gaze.

Then Sanfred smiled, ridding the tone of reason to doubt. "I look forward to it." From there, he came forward and kissed her lips, gently and caringly.

After that, Mine wasn't afraid of anything. She kissed him back, then felt her entire body get pumped up. They were going out there to annihilate the enemy, and they were going to survive together.

"Time to move in," Akame announced from above.

Mine smiled as she wiped a single tear from her eye, and then she aimed her gun at the side of the warehouse. It glowed with a bright orange light, and then she unleashed a huge burst of energy. The wall was destroyed, leaving a neat passage available, as well as a great deal of commotion in the building.

Elsewhere, additional bursts of activity rang out in the night, which was no longer silent. The ambush was commencing.