Part 6 – Hachioji Manufacturing Plant – Part 3
As they entered the plant, Kogami cleared left while Akane cleared right, "Clear," Akane said.
"Clear," Kogami said as he heard the sound of gunfire, "This way!"
As they were running towards the sound of gunfire, Kogami heard what appeared to be a machine ahead, and ducked into cover.
As he peered around the corner, he was swatted at by a large robotic arm.
As he dove backward, taking Akane with him, the arm, which was covered in a large brass sphere embedded itself four-inches into the wall.
"What is that," Akane asked as she and Kogami looked up at the drone.
"Trouble," Kogami said as pulled out his Sabertooth and fired two rounds at the drone's optical camera, the drone grabbed Kogami's revolver from him, and crushed it into a flat disk, "Fuck!"
Kogami and Akane then raised their main weapons and emptied them towards the drone as the pushed themselves back toward the staircase behind them.
As Kogami opened the door, the drone freed itself, and the two of them scrambled to their feet to run as fast as they could down the stairs.
"What about the others," Akane asked.
"They'll be fine for now," Kogami said as they charged down one flight, hearing the sound of the drone crashing through the wall still chasing them, "Right now we have to save ourselves! We're no good to them if we're dead!"
As they were running down the stairs, Akane suddenly tripped and fell down the last three steps.
"Kogami," she cried as she tried to stand up, but failed.
"You ok," Kogami asked as he knelt down to her.
"No," Akane said, as she checked her ankle, "I think I twisted it."
The two of them then turned their attention to a large clanking sound coming straight at them, "They'll be time to confirm that later," Kogami said as he put Akane's arm around his shoulders, and hoisted her into his arms, "Hold on tight!"
Kogami charged down the stairs to the next lower level and kicked the door in.
As they were running through the hall, they could hear the drone breaking through the door, Kogami grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and ran over to one of the offices.
"What are you doing," Akane asked as Kogami placed her in the nearest chair.
"Trust me," Kogami said as he ran over to the door, and screamed, "HEY! OVER HERE!"
Kogami then ran over to the desk, and placed the extinguisher on top, "Please tell me you know what you're doing," Akane said.
"Don't worry," Kogami said as he swung around his Breaker, "You'll like this. Cover your ears."
It was then that the robot tore through the door, and Kogami fired a single slug into the base of the extinguisher's valve assembly.
The extinguisher shot across the room like a bottle rocket, slammed into the drone's ocular camera, and embedded itself six inches inside the robot.
"Damn," Akane said as she looked at Kogami, "I can see why they told you to train me."
"Everything can be a weapon," Kogami said as he spun his Breaker around in his hand, chambering the next round, "Never forget that."
It was then that an explosion from upstairs drew their attention, "We can discuss lessons at a later date," she said as she held out her arms to him, "We have to get back to the team!"
Kogami picked up Akane, and ran back to the stairs, toward the sound of the explosion.
Arriving on the scene, Kogami put Akane on the ground, and the two of them peered out from behind cover to see Yuji was standing behind the drone, remotely controlling it, laughing almost hysterically.
"Any ideas," Kogami asked.
"How hard can you hit him," Akane asked, "We might be able to disable the drone fast enough."
"I can hit a guy pretty hard," Kogami said, "Depends on what you want to do."
Akane swung around her M76, "What do you think," she asked.
"I don't like this," Kogami said, "It's either we bring him in, and we get the money, or we kill him, and we get zero."
Kogami frowned a little, "Ok, you win," he said, "But be careful, I don't want to train another recruit."
"I'll be ok," Akane said as she cocked her M76, "Just worry about getting him alive."
Kogami ran around as Akane raised her SMG toward Yuji, and fired several bursts at his feet.
Yuji did a little hopping-dance the bullets landed near his feet, he then turned around, and as Akane was reloading, he maneuvered the bot so that it'd cover him, and he'd be able to attack Akane.
As he raised the drone's flamethrower, he pulled the trigger, and the flamethrower shot a small amount of flame before dying because the can was empty.
As he looked down at the controller, it was suddenly shot out of his hand, and he dove back in shock.
Yuji looked up to see Kogami approaching him, and he spoke up, "Wait, wait," he said as he stood up, "You have to understand, I was losing my mind," he held his hands up to Kogami, "Daisuke made me swallow metal shavings!"
"I understand why you did them," Kogami said as he approached Yuji, "But I can't condone it, or ignore it."
Yuji then swung at Kogami who blocked the swing and came in with his elbow which nailed Yuji across the jaw. He then grabbed Yuji around the arm, bend him downwards, and kneed him in the side of the head, knocking him out.
"Damn," Akane said as she hobbled out from behind cover.
"You ok," Kogami said as he walked over to her.
"I'm ok," Akane said, grabbing onto his shoulder as he caught her from falling, "That was some amazing CQC."
"I'm a Debt Collector," Kogami said as he hoisted Akane into his arms, "Let's go get the team."
"They don't teach you that as a debt collector," Akane said as Kogami carried her over to where the team was taking cover, "Can I pry or do I have to find out?"
"You'll find out, eventually," Kogami said, "Of that, I can be sure. But if you want, I'll confirm your suspicion."
"SEAL," Akane asked.
"Yep," Kogami said.
"Who else," Akane asked.
"Shades," Kogami said.
"Masaoka was also in, but that was before our time," Kogami said.
"That all you're going to tell me," Akane asked.
"For now," Kogami said, "I'll tell you the rest later."
"Tell her the rest of what," Ginoza asked as he walked out of cover to see Kogami holding Akane.
"Anything we should know," Shusei asked.
"She twisted her ankle," Kogami said as he walked up to them, "Can you guys take him in? We're a long way from home, and I'd rather not be here so I can get her checked out at the hospital."
"What about the money," Masaoka asked.
"You said it best, Gramps," Kogami said, "Girls come before gold."
"You seemed to have learned that lesson well," Masaoka said.
"By the way," Ginoza said as he picked up the crushed remnants of Kogami's revolver, "Sorry about your Sabertooth."
"I have a better one," Kogami said.
Kogami and Akane walked out to his car, and after putting her in, he drove off to the hospital.
The hospital workers saw Kogami entering with Akane in his arms and instantly reacted like they were seeing a lovey-dovey couple coming in.
"Can I help you two," the first nurse asked as she walked up to them.
"My partner thinks she twisted her ankle," Kogami said.
"We can take care of that right now," the nurse said as she went to get a wheelchair.
When she returned, Kogami sat her in the chair, and they wheeled her into the back.
Kogami took his seat in the lobby and waited until he saw the doors open, and Masaoka walked in, "Hey," he said as he walked up to him.
"Hello," Kogami said, "How'd it go with Yuji?"
"As well as it could," Masaoka said, "With him facing a possible death penalty for first-degree murder, filing the serial numbers off bullets and selling them, and attempted murder he confessed to everything. Needless to say, the DA was pleased, but they did agree with one thing," Kogami turned to look at Masaoka, "If it weren't for the circumstances, he wouldn't have done it."
"They knocked down the charges," Kogami asked.
"Possession of contraband," Masaoka said, "Three years under California Gun Contraband Laws."
"That means our fee is knocked down," Kogami asked.
"That's a big 'hell no'," Masaoka said, "Two hundred and fifty grand apiece."
"One and a half million spread six ways," Kogami said, "Seems fair for how far we traveled."
"Well we're going to travel back now," Masaoka said, "Ginoza wants everyone to head back to Chicago for some R&R."
"Doesn't sound too bad," Kogami said, "Especially now that Akane's been injured."
"First name basis now," Masaoka said, "You going soft on her."
"We just spent the last few days pressed together in a metal box," Kogami said, "And not to mention we saved each other's lives. I think she's going to go far in the business."
"So long as someone is there to help her along," Masaoka asked.
"She's green behind the ears, Grandpa," Kogami said, "She has a lot to learn, from all of us. I'll teach her."
Masaoka put his hand on Kogami's shoulder, and gave it a slight shake, "There's the Kogami I knew back in the day," he said.
Kogami chuckled a little, "Is Ginoza waiting outside?"
"Yes," Masaoka said.
"Why don't you go ahead," Kogami asked, "I'll take her home when we're done here."
"Ok," Masaoka said as he stood up, "Take it easy, ok?"
"Ok," Kogami said, "See you back in Chicago."
A little while after Masaoka left, the nurses wheeled Akane out of the back, her ankle was simply wrapped in a gauze bandage.
"Hey," Akane said as Kogami walked up to her.
"You good," Kogami asked.
"I'm ok," Akane said.
"How is she," Kogami asked as he looked at the doctor.
"She's fine," the doctor said, "Type-1 sprain. I recommend rest, a bag of ice, and elevation."
"Thank you, doctor," Kogami said as he reached up to the payment device the doctor held up and inserted his credit card into the slot.
"You have a good day," the doctor said.
Kogami wheeled Akane out of the hospital, and back to his car, "Back to the hotel," she asked.
"Nope," Kogami said, "Ginoza wants us to head back to Chicago."
"Why," Akane asked, "New case?"
"Nope," Kogami said, "R&R."
"Then back to Chicago," Akane asked.
"There's one thing we have to do first," Kogami said as he lifted Akane into the DB11.
The stop that Kogami mentioned was the In-N-Out Burger on Sunset Boulevard.
As they pulled up, one of the car-hops walked up to Kogami's car, "Welcome to In-N-Out, can I take your orders," he asked.
"I'll have a double-double animal-style and a chocolate shake," Kogami said.
"Yes sir," the car-hop said, "And you Miss?"
"The same," Akane said, "But with a coke."
"Ok," the carhop said as he pointed to a small lot off to the side of the building, "Just pull over there, and I'll bring your food out."
As Kogami pulled his car up, he shut the engine off, opened the door, and simply said, "I'll be right back," he walked around to the back of the car where he pulled out a couple of tee-shirts, when he got back in, he handed one to Akane, "Tuck this into your collar. This stuff is messy."
"Thanks," Akane said before starting to tuck Kogami's tee-shirt into the collar of her shirt, that was before she noticed a smell she found to be very irresistible. Making sure he wasn't looking, she gently lifted the shirt to her nose and inhaled: cologne, sweat, and gunpowder. Kind of a sexy smell in Akane's opinion.
"Inspector," Kogami said as he looked over to her, "You ok?"
"Yea, yea," Akane said, realizing she was very close to start having dirty thoughts about the man sitting next to her.
"Here," Kogami said as he undid Akane's tie a little, and adjusted the shirt he gave her.
"Thanks," Akane said before seeing their meal coming to them in the rear-view mirror.
After paying, the two of them sat in the car and enjoyed the meal laid out in front of them.
Needless to say, a double cheeseburger with extra secret sauce? Things are going to get a little messy. Luckily nothing got on the inside of the car, it ended up on the shirts Kogami provided them.
Kogami simply put them back into the bag and drove out of the parking lot.
"Thanks," Akane said.
"For what," Kogami asked.
"For being this way," Akane said, "Please don't change."
Kogami chuckled, "Ok," he said, "Only for you."
How's that…