Chapter 8: We go in war!

Nishizumi Estate, 9:15 pm

Maho was in her bedroom, lying on the bed; her face was streaked with tears that came out copiously and without control. How would she do from now on? Now that her mother was not there anymore who would provide the bills, the expenses and all the rest? Who would manage the family heritage? And above all, who would have filled the void left by her disappearance? Nobody, of course. On the other side of the room was a second bed, in which up to a year before she had slept her late sister, Miho. For a moment she seemed to see her again, under the covers, while she was saying goodnight.

"Why all the people I care for are destined to die so soon? Dad ... Miho ... MOM! "She shouted, while a violent storm raged outside.

A flash startled her; she got out of bed and looked out the window: it was raining heavily outside, and the sky was full of thunder and lightning.

Suddenly, moved by a religious fervor, she joined her hands in prayer and sent a silent request to Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, so that she would be able to embrace her mother. After a quarter of an hour the deluge ceased and a voice behind her called her:

"Maho!"

In hearing that voice, Maho was stoned. she turned abruptly, crossing her gaze with that of her mother, alive and well.

"Mom ... Oh, Mom!"

Without hesitating, she flung himself into the arms of the parent, who looked at her in surprise.

"They told me you were dead!"

"Evidently Dr. Marikawa wanted to make a joke ... I had a simple illness."

If I take it ... The I invest her with Maus!

The carrist thought, furious.

Loose hug she put her hand to her cell phone.

"What kind of viper ... People are not fooled in that way, especially on the fate of their loved ones!" She exclaimed, nervous.

She connected to FB, checking the notifications. She had received many messages, in the last hours: teammates, admirers, social friends, etc. Everyone gave her condolences for the grave mourning that had struck her, as well as messages of solidarity and incitement. However, among the various messages received, one made her skin crawl.

"Call the police ..." She said.

"How?" Her mother asked.

"Call the police, I said!"

"Explain to me what happens?"

"Erika has been kidnapped by some Sensha-do commanders, they are torturing her to extort her confession! They think she killed Miho! "

"I'll call you right away, then!"

"I go to school."

"For what purpose?"

"One of my friends is a prisoner on the Ooarai school-ship, and from what my informant explained to me, she is subjecting her to brutal torture worthy of Abu Ghraib! I have to free her, and to do that, I need help! As far as I know I'll have to face all the female students before freeing her! "

"All right ... I'll take you by car, you'd take too much time on foot!"

"Thank you…"

At the same time Haruka was consulting some practices sitting at her desk, when suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Forward."

"Good evening, inspector."

"Setsuna ... At what point are the investigations?"

"I tried to question friends and acquaintances of the victim."

"Did you get any useful information?"

"A plausible hypothesis ... Any suspicion? "

"Erika Itsumi, Maho and Shiho Nishizumi. Always them three. "

"Assuming it's true ... How do you think they acted?"

"I have some hypotheses about it."

"Tell me."

"One: Miho was killed by Erika, who acted on her own initiative or on behalf of Maho or Shiho."

"Two: Miho was killed by Maho, acting on her own or her mother's."

"Three: Miho was killed by her mother. The least likely, in my opinion. "

"Oh yes? And why?"

"Shiho Nishizumi does not seem to me the type to get her hands dirty. If I had been in her I would have delegated the work to someone else. "

"So the main suspects are them."

"Exact."

"We'll have to keep an eye on her ... Did you find any clues at the scene of the crime?"

"Nothing relevant, for now."

"I see…"

At that moment the door swung open and Agent Michiru appeared.

"I did not hear a knock," said the blonde, annoyed by the sudden raid.

"Excuse me, inspector. But it's an emergency! "

"Another crime?"

"Erika Itsumi was kidnapped and taken on board the Ooarai floating school, where she is suffering atrocious torture."

"Sure is not a joke?"

"Shiho Nishizumi gave the alarm, so I strongly doubt it."

"Agree. That all the patrols in the port area converge at Ooarai. "

"Do you intend to participate in operations?"

"Obviously."

9:45 pm

Hold on, Erika ... Please hold on!

Maho thought, clenching her hands in fists.

"And to think that they were on us calling us murderers! Race of hypocrite! "Her mother exclaimed furiously.

"If Erika dies all of them will follow her, how true the kami are!"

"All right, but avoid making nonsense or you'll end up on the gallows! I've already lost a daughter, I will not lose another one! "

Arriving at the Kuromorimine school ship, both Shiho and Maho got off the vehicle, and were welcomed by Koume.

"Maho-san, what's up?" She asked her.

"Did you gather the others?"

"Yes, they are waiting for you in the meeting room, but Erika is absent."

"I know the reason ... And soon you will know it too!"

The meeting room was packed to the brim, hundreds of girls anxiously awaited the announcement of their leader, wondering what could have urged her to call them so urgently. A thousand hypotheses circulated among those present, and none of them was pleasant. After a few minutes, finally, Maho went up on stage, in the company of her mother and Koume.

"Listen, my faithful teammates! Erika Itsumi, my deputy and a prominent element of the school has been kidnapped! "

A loud murmur immediately arose.

"Erika kidnapped?"

"Who is the culprit?"

"Did you alert the police?"

"Keep Calm ... I will answer your questions: the police have already been informed. As for the kidnappers, this is the student council of Ooarai, with the complicity of the commanders of the main schools! Anzio, Pravda, Saunders, St. Gloriana and others! "

"Who has informed you of the thing? "

"Why did they kidnap her?"

"They consider her guilty of Miho's death ... And to warn me was Kinuyo Nushi, commander of Chi-Ha-Tan! But now is not the time to get lost in chatter, we must assault the Ooarai school-ship and free Erika! "

"Assault the Ooarai?" Koume asked, incredulous.

Many others were puzzled by that perspective.

"Yes, assault! We can not remain aloof while one of us is brutally massacred! Are you with me? "

After the initial hesitations all the girls erupted in a single cry of approval:

"YES!"

"This is the plan: a part of you will have to block all access to the port, no one will have to enter or leave, execept for to police and medical units. Four of you will board the Focke-Achgelis, with me and Koume. Is it clear to you? "

A new yes, even more thunderous than the previous one, was the answer.

"We'll give the Ooarai sluts a good lesson!"

The crowd shouted exultantly.

"To your panzer! WE GO IN WAR! "Maho shouted, furious.