Prelude To Terror II
Sorry for the long wait, as I was down with bronchial asthma, but now I'm partially recovered and will make up for lost time. Things will get more intense as the Seigaku players get embroiled in a hostage situation and are caught in the middle. From here you get to see how they react and work their way out of this mess.
Also, last chapter showed you how Ryoma got assaulted, from Digimons to gangsters to bikers. And let's not forget that someone's following our prodigy player and is taking videos of him. Here you get to see why. And lastly, several players from other sports anime makes an appearance here and will give more light to the plot.
Okay, enjoy and buckle up.
- - -
At an alley in Shibuya, the bikers managed to escape police hunt by entering an abandoned warehouse where other men dressed like druids quickly closed the doors and secured it, thus the pursuing cops are unaware that they missed their targets. As the coast is clear, the leader of the bikers emerged where the Shibuya Shoud Gang also emerged, injured as they suffered the wrath of Ryoma.
"Well we did our job…when are you going to pay us?"
"Yeah…that punk hurt us pretty good…you didn't say that he'd be that tough…"
"Well we did our part…pay us now or we "choo-choo" you to the cops..."
one of the druids stepped forward and responded with a menacing tone that seem to send shiver to the Shibuya Shroud Gang but seem to have clam them down, and the situation is seemingly brought under control. This brought relief to the bikers and the gang members and a discussion is about to commence.
"Please…we do not like threats…and we did say we will pay you, right? Be patient and we will give you our en of the bargain. Here…our token of our appreciation…it's all yours…"
One of the druids gave both leaders of the bikers and the Shibuya Shroud Gang a pair of briefcases and when they opened it, it contained cash that appeared to be worth Y 500,000. As both the gang are about to step out of the door, something hit them. The leader of the Shibuya Shroud Gang fell to the ground and when its gang members went to their fallen leader they saw a crossbow arrow was impaled to his neck.
Likewise, the biker's leader also fell to the ground as he too was struck down by a crossbow arrow. It turn out that a remote-controlled, miniature crossbow was placed inside the briefcases and as soon as both gang leaders were killed on the spot the rest of the druids emerged from their hiding places and outnumbered the bikers and the Shibuya Shroud Gang, and are armed with silencer armalites. In less than four minutes both gangs are dead and are in their own pool of blood.
"We leave now…we proceed with Phase 3. our comrades are already at the Shibuya Sports Mall section. Prepare the cameras as we will need more raw data on our target. And make sure there are no cops in sight and make sure we secure the mall to prevent other customers from fleeing."
And so the mysterious druids left the warehouse leaving the corpses behind, not caring if the police would ever find them nor will the corpses' stench would attract attention as flies are beginning to gather over the dead bodies.
- - -
Shibuya Supermall. The Seigaku players were cheering as they finally reached their destination save for Ryoma. Now they can relax and unwind after what happened to them earlier and now they can forget their encounter with some bad elements. Shoppers around them seemingly recognized them and this caused fangirls to flock them and the Prince of Tennis realized what is happening and decided to sneak out of the way.
Meanwhile another pair of boys arrived and this also caught the fangirls' attentions as they recognized them and one of the girls squealed as she got a glimpse of the two passing boys.
"EEEKKK!!! Tsubasa Ozora and Kojiro Hyuga! The main players from the Japan Soccer Team!!!
They're so cute!!! Let me have your autograph!!! AND A KISS!!!"
As the two soccer players politely tried to accommodate them, the Seigaku players glanced at the two soccer players, having heard of them and their exploits. They then noticed that Ryoma is missing and figured that he sneaked his way out of the crowd. They figured that he wasn't used to this kind of attention and automatically guessed where he is going.
"I think I have a pretty good guess where he is going. And I think we should get going as well. Come on, guys…or our little ace player might get into trouble and he might get into a rowdy fight."
As the tennis players moved on no one noticed that there is something going on near them as suspicious men clad in janitor uniforms are watching them amid the flock of fangirls.
- - -
At another section of the mall, three high school girls were also being flocked by both fangirls and fanboys. They are none other than the Super GALS and they are standing in front of a boutique shop where the latest trendy clothing and apparels are on sale. Ran Kotobuki was all ignition as she tries out all that is on display while Miyu Yamazaki and Aya Hoshino looks on. They sighed at how their friend is all bonkers at what she is doing and they too are unaware of what is about to happen in a few minutes from now.
After that the Super GALS decided to split up and went to their desired hangouts and agreed to meet up back at the boutique shop after two hours.
- - -
Outside the mall, several tinted vans parked at the other entrance for employees and several men dressed as security guards disembarked from the vehicles thus the guards on duty did not sense any suspicion at the arriving guards and thus the so-called security guards were easily given entrance. The "security guards" turn out to be the ones who are following Ryoma, and once the men are inside the mall they went straight to the janitors' hall and began to formulate their plans in infiltrating the rest of Shibuya Supermall without attracting attention. They agreed to disguise themselves as janitors and hide their weapons inside their carts so that they won't be suspected. Then one of the men spoke to the leader via the radio.
"Sir...five more vans have arrived, and are all dressed like janitors...should we now proceed with phase two?"
"Yes...and tell them that once all are inside...they must first disable all security devices and communication lines. Then have the others block the exit points and brought the hostages inside. Id one escapes kill. The first batch will head to the bank. The others go to the restaurant...and the others at the arcade. Now we go!"
However, another voice boomed in on their radio, and spoke to the leader of the terrorists, and a sinister conversation occurred, and this gave them a huge advantage on how to sneak in without difficulties.
"I have a better idea…when you bring out the janitor's carts, put several mops and buckets over the ammunitions that are covered with cloths, and that way the guards using the metal detector will think that its due to the buckets. And to make it easier, I'll be there to escort you so you won't get into any hassles. Very easy and clean, right?"
"You're a genius, sir. We'll get right on it."
And soon the plan went into motion, as the terrorists' contact turned out to be the owner of the mall, and was on hand to make sure that the terrorists disguising as hired janitors get in, and made it appeared that the guards on duty were doing an inadequate job. The guards manning the three other entry/exit points were unaware that they were infiltrated all thanks to the mall owner, and that was just the start of the ordeal.
As soon as the terrorists are inside, they went straight into the janitors' quarters and disabled the real ones and hogtied them and place them inside the cabinets, shooting them to death with silencer guns. The others even penetrated the guards' quarters, killing the ones there and covered their corpses, and dressed as guards, and there they went to the four entry/exit points and told the guards on duty that they were being summoned.
In less than two minutes, the guards summoned were secretly being killed, and now the Shibuya SuperMall is completely taken over, as the other terrorists reached the control room and killed everyone there, and disabled all the communications so that no one else can summon for help.
At the arcade, Ran was grinning like a maniac as she collected 1.5 million Yen after beating 100 players, and the queue even got longer, as some decided to bet their allowances just to beat her, but then their merrymaking was halted as the electricity inside the arcade stall went of, and everyone groaned at this as the game was getting interesting.
"You've got to be kidding…at least I can keep my earnings…"
As the Super GAL leader secured her earnings, she and the other boys were alarmed as they heard screams of teenage boys and girls echoing, and then she looked around seeing that men in full-body, SWAT-like suits carrying high-powered firearms approaching. She realized the situation and looked around to see if she can sneak out to change into Powered Buttercup. Looking above, she could see a pipe and looking to her right side she could see a door behind one of the arcade machines. She stealthily sneaked away as the terrorists surrounded the area and at gunpoint had the teenagers march towards the center lobby area. However, one of the terrorists saw a door moving and immediately followed it and another terrorist followed, taking a hostage with her so that their target would be forced to surrender.
At the apparel shop, Aya was smiling at herself after buying her 10th set of new clothes, and was about to head towards the exit as she saw from a distance the heavily-armed men approaching, and she turned around to see if she can escape in order to get help, but one of the cashiers saw the situation and pulled her towards the cashier stand.
"Quick…hide in here…whatever you do…don't get out."
As the black-haired teen was secured, the terrorists are already inside, ordering the terrified shoppers to march along, and one of them gun-butted the cashier who hid Aya, and ordered her to move along. Despite being a Super GAL and a student of Dan Detective School, Aya is only a 16- year old, and hence she was experiencing fear and distraught, but maintained her calmness. And because of the cashier stand's space, she couldn't properly move without revealing herself, so she has to wait until the coast is clear.
At the Sports Shop, the rest of the Seigaku members found Ryoma browsing at a section where new tennis rackets. They playfully teased him over escaping attention while they helped him choose which racket is the best to buy. At the same time the two soccer players arrived to see if they can buy new pair of soccer shoes. Other shoppers glanced and noticed two players from different sports are here and are buying their desired equipments and are whispering among themselves.
"That's the Seigaku Tennis Team…I heard they are the best team in their prefecture…look at the small guy…I hear that he's the best of his team…left-handed but the best…"
"Wow…Fuji is soooo handsome…"
"check it out…Tsubasa and Hyuga…thanks to them Japan is now on the international spotlight…they beaten the likes of Brazil and Spain…"
But then both Seigaku and the two soccer players noticed some commotion outside the shop as the two guards outside were shot to death, and the two instinctively went towards a corner and hid there on opposite sides just before the terrorists entered the bank inside the mall.
"ALRIGHT…LISTEN UP! YOU'RE ALL OUR PRISONERS! AND WE DON'T TAKE PRISONERS WHO WANTS TO DISOBEY US! IF YOU BEHAVE, WE'LL LET YOU LIVE…IF YOU DISOBEY, THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN…"
One of the terrorists opened fire at an elderly customer on her head, splattering her brain as her skull exploded, and screams were echoing inside, but were silenced as the terrorists pointed their guns at them. As pandemonium erupted, more armed men surrounded the shop and everyone inside the shop were surrounded. Ryoma took advantage of the confusion and his in the same spot as Tsubasa and Hyuga. In the confusion he accidentally took a brand new racket with him.
"Just great…first Digimons then gangsters and bikers…now terrorists…what more to ruin my day…can't I have a peace and quiet after school???"
To Be Continued…
Looks like the hostage dram has officially began. Ryoma and the two heroes from the anime Captain Tsubasa managed to hid themselves from harm and must work together to fight off the hostage takers. See next chapter on how they can do something to save the day.