Chapter twenty one:
After the ride the two arrive to the location.
Edmon leads Kaoru inside and they are taken to a large room where a lot of people are gathered.
Kaoru stays close to Edmon who casually greets those that he walks past. He pauses at the steps leading up the set up stage while Edmon climbs up them.
Edmon turns once up the stairs. "Stay there for right now. Trust me. Everything will be fine. Just come up when I gesture to you." He makes it fully onto the stage and to a microphone. He clears his throat causing the chatter to die down like a wave. "Everyone! Thank you for coming! We have a great announcement about the upcoming upgrade and the plan we have for afterwards to be able to move forward. And this accomplishment of being able to move forward in this plan sooner than expected falls onto a single person's contribution. Someone I am sure that you all will come to see is as good of an addition to this project as all of you are. While I may give him plenty of credit in this part do not feel as though your contributions are not as appreciated or as important. This entire project wouldn't be where it is today without all of you. Never forget that."
Kaoru can see why people would want to follow him. He knows that truthfully Edmon sees a lot of those that are here as disposable and as not that important. Yet he knows that the group is definitely falling for every word of praise that this man says.
"Now then. I would like to officially introduce our newest member, who is also my successor and my new apprentice. The one who has come onboard to help our vision be able to move forward faster than we have all planned. The one who will take out those pesky higher ups with the solution that has been wonderfully crafted from hard work that is so amazing to see from you guys. Kaoru Hitachiin!" He gestures to Kaoru who comes up onto the stage.
Kaoru turns to look to the crowd of faces that look to him clearly happy to have him onboard. He almost feels uncomfortable as this isn't truly earned since he is secretly completely against the groups plan. He just smiles as if he is going along. He is so thankful for the practice with the host club acts.
Edmon puts a hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "Kaoru has already shot down his old mentor Jiro. Not even caught for doing it. Now with this newest solution it is time for the other higher ups to fall as Jiro has already done." He looks to Kaoru instead of looking to the crowd that he is speaking to.
"Would you like to say a few words? My dear apprentice?"
Kaoru nods and he steps to take Edmon's place when the other moves out of the way even letting Edmon's hand fall off of his shoulder. "I would like to start with saying that I am so glad that I was able to join this group. I think that the great teamwork we all have will help us accomplish great things." He can see the happiness of his words spread. He doesn't get to say anymore as suddenly gas masked police looking figures burst onto the stage from a side door. He is tackled, Edmon also being tackled down, only to find himself facing one of the female higher ups.
Her name is Miwa and her strawberry blonde shoulder length hair slightly falls over her face and her stunning blue eyes have convincing tears in them. She speaks as if not having noticed that the microphone had fallen into prime position for everyone to hear her words while they are surrounded being trapped by the raid. "How could you Kaoru!? You could have been on the road for greatness! And yet you choose to throw it all away!?"
"I have seen it more than anyone else." Kaoru plays along giving a convincing glare back at Miwa so anyone in the group who looks at him thinks that he is indeed on their side. "You promote those you prefer and suppress those you don't like. We will finish this oppressive rule you all have over everyone else! Then we will make this come to an end with us as heroes who saved the day when you couldn't! We will form a new age of better equality in this profession that deserves it!"
Miwa sighs shaking her head. "I wish we could have made you see that this isn't how things are before you fell this far. Now Jiro might die because of you."
"A necessary sacrifice." Kaoru tells her then is forced to roll over and is handcuffed while the others are also taken down.
"If only we could have stopped you from going down this dark path." Miwa mumbles sadly though it is loud enough to be heard on the microphone.
Kaoru turns his head while he lays there, pinned under Miwa pressing down onto him to keep him place despite being handcuffed, to see the rest of the group go down. He hides it though he feels relief to see that it looks like no one had managed to escape the capture. His eyes get drawn to Edmon who he notices gives him an assuring smirk. He blinks hopeful at the man despite that deep down he is nervous at knowing Edmon has an escape plan in his head. He is curious how Edmon thinks that they can get out of this one.
"I've burned the cure!" Edmon announces with a laugh. "A secret button set the case it was held in on fire as soon as you burst in I pressed it! You'll never find out how to cure this illness! The world is doomed without our knowledge on the cure! And no way in hell will any of us help you find that cure!"
A rise of cheers in agreement come from the group that is laying there under arrest.
Kaoru joins in to keep up the act.
"We'll figure out something. Somehow." Miwa mentions trying to seem hopeful.
After a little of waiting the members of the group are transported into a large van so they can be transported to the station where they'll be separated into cells.
Kaoru knows that he will be separated and released when none of the group members will know. He is sat beside Edmon and there is no chatter until the van is on the move with the back doors closed.
"They will not be able to get any information out of any of us." Edmon promises to the group who turn to look to him. He keeps his head held high despite the seemingly dire situation at hand for the group.
"How are we going to escape?" Kaoru inquires causing Edmon to turn to him with a smirk.
"The only way we possibly can." Edmon responds before Kaoru lets out a yelp as something is stabbed into his arm.
Kaoru's eyes widen we he sees it is a syringe that Edmon has injected something into him. He starts gasping and wheezing as he finds it harder to breathe. He falls forward from the uncomfortable metal seat. He crashes to the floor of the van with bad chest pain. He notices others catching it and collapsing with cries of their own. He comes to a horrifying realization when Edmon collapses next to him and reveals the blue spots. He was infected with the stronger version of this illness and it has spread rapidly like wildfire to everyone in this large van. He hears the screeching of tires before he passes out.