Chapter 13 - Unlucky For Some
Cardiff, Wales, 2015
The figure grunted as it lifted Ide's limp body and carried him to the waiting car.
The waiting driver leaned over to push the door open, and the figure forced Ide into the backseat. He then slammed the door and slid into the passenger seat.
"Done. Let's get back to base and see what the chief has to say."
The driver smiled, unpleasantly. The figure frowned and turned.
"You aren't..."
"My name is Lester. No, I'm not the man you arrived with. Needless to say, I am the man with the gun."
The figure froze and swore. Lester swung the handgun in a neat arc, crashing it into the man's temple. He slumped over the dashboard.
He lifted his sleeve to speak into it. "I have apprehended the men, L."
"Good."
"Two. Both Caucasian males. I have one gagged and bound in the trunk, the other unconcious in the front seat. No identification on the gagged one, both wearing similar black suits. There's a metal case in the car with a collection of false passports and driving licenses," Lester leant over to open the unconcious figure's jacket. He pulled a handgun out, carefully. "Both were armed. Also in the car is Ide. Unconcious."
"Good," Near agreed, crackling on Lester's sleeve. "Get Ide and the prisoners out. Set up base in a new hotel. Lose the car."
"Will do," Lester put his wrist down and turned back to Ide. He grabbed his arm and shook him.
Ide's eyes opened. He stared, dumbstruck. Lester rolled his eyes.
"Sorry about that," he apologised, switching effortlessly from an American drawl to fluent Japanese. "Near knew Aizawa would take the case. We needed bait."
"You used me?" Ide goggled. Lester shrugged.
"Sorry. Near just figured you'd be obvious enough that you'd get captured. We've rigged the city CCTV, we were tailing you. You were never in any danger."
Ide stared silently at the car floor. Then he looked up, puzzled.
"Did they get Matsuda?"
Lester froze. "Matsuda's here?"
Ide hesitated, and shrugged. "Maybe."
"Damn," Lester held his wrist up to speak into it. "Did you hear that, L?"
"Yes," Near admitted. "Please do not call me Near out-loud again. I suspect the car may be wired. It does not give away my true identity, but I would appreciate it if we avoided giving clues to the enemy in the future."
Lester looked around at the car, eyes wide. He gestured to Ide, and they shifted the figure front the passenger seat into the back. Then they drove on.
As night fell, a lone figure dived from an open car door as it plummetted into the Cardiff bay. Lester swore as he trudged onto the beach, wringing the water from his shirt.
Near had taken his first piece on the chess board.