A/N: Welcome back to the Call For Blood! A lot of things happen in this chapter, so enjoy Chapter 7- Car Crash!
Chapter 7- Car Crash
After Junta's death, the group had retrieved his body from the ocean, and returned to Yomiyama. After they buried their friend, the children had been met by Mr Chibiki and Mrs Mikami. "What can we do for you, sir?" Izumi asked, before Mr Chibiki looked in her direction. "It's about Mr Nakao's death. Did he look ill before the accident?" he asked, before Adam nodded. "Yeah, he said it was simply motion sickness." He said, before Chibiki nodded. "Well, as it turns out, it might not have been. We contacted his parents after you returned to Yomiyama. Apparently, the day of your trip, they heard a crash from the stairs. After they heard, they went to check, but all they saw was the front door closing, before a car pulled away." He said, before Izumi's face furrowed due to confusion. "What does that have to do with Junta's death?" she asked, before Adam looked to her. "Everything. Junta fell down the stairs, and if he hit his head right, he could have given himself an aneurysm, which is why he always looked ill. When he was swimming for the ball, it must have burst. He was dead before the boat hit him. Am I right?" he explained, before turning to Chibiki, who nodded. "You're quite well learned for your age, Robertson." The librarian said, before Adam smirked. "But, we weren't in Yomiyama. How did Junta still die?" Takako asked, before Adam looked to her. "He received the injury that killed him inside the city. His fate was sealed the moment he fell down the stairs." He said, before he looked at his watch. "I need to get going." He said, before walking off to get his bike, Yukari following close behind him.
After a while, the two pulled up outside Adam's house. "You go on in, Yukari. I need to secure this." Adam said, before Yukari nodded, and slid off the bike, before entering the house. After Adam pushed the bike into the garage, he headed into the house, and called out, "Yukari, what do you feel like for dinner tonight?", but paused when he got no answer. "Yukari?" he asked, before walking over to the bedroom. Looking in, he saw the girl kneeling on the floor next to the bed, a wooden box opened on her lap. "I knocked something off the bedside table, and it rolled under the bed. When I went to get it, I found these." She said, passing the box to Adam. Looking inside, Adam saw his dual Hidden Blades. "Shit!" he thought to himself, as he recalled hiding his Brotherhood equipment under the bed one night while Yukari was studying at Izumi's place. Closing the box, Adam said, "You weren't supposed to see that.", as he reached out to Yukari, who batted his hand away. "Don't even touch me, murderer!" she yelled, before grabbing her bag, and running out of the house. Growling slightly after hearing the front door slam, Adam dove under the bed, retrieved his robes and equipment and threw them on, before pulling up his hood, running at the window, leaping through it, and grappling up to the rooftops. Immediately, he took off running, eventually reaching Yukari's house, which he saw had no lights on. Sneaking in through a window, he sat down in a chair, and waited for the girl to arrive, which she did, 5 minutes later.
As Yukari locked the door in a tearful rage, Adam cleared his throat, causing the girl to jump. "A simple lock wouldn't stop me." He said, before pulling his hood down. "So it's true. You are the killer from a few months ago." She said, before Adam nodded. "Yes, I am. But, I want to explain, if you'll let me." He said, before Yukari scowled. "You going to kill me afterwards, since I know who you are?" she asked, but Adam shook his head. "No. I would never harm you." He said, before he saw Yukari's hand go into her bag. "Please tell me you're not reaching for the knife." He sighed, as he had instructed Yukari to carry a knife with her at all times, in case she got attacked. Almost quicker than he could react, he saw a gleam of silver as she pulled a blade free and charged at him, but he easily disarmed her, and caught her in a sleeper hold. "Don't resist. It'll be harder if you do." He said, before he felt her body go limp. "Sorry about this, Yukari." He said, before he lifted her up onto his back…
About twenty minutes later, Yukari's eyes slowly fluttered open. As she tried to lift her hands, she found she couldn't move, as her arms and legs were tied to a chair. "Oh, I see you're awake." Adam said, from the other side of the room. "I'm sorry about… that," he said, gesturing to the ropes, "But I had to ensure you'd listen." He finished, before Yukari glared at him. "Alright, then. I'll listen. Just let me out of these." She said, before Adam raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright, I'll cut you loose. However, you scream for help, or try to run, things here get very, very complicated, and trust me, neither of us want that." He said, before flicking his wrist, activating his Hidden Blade. "Deal?" he asked, before Yukari spat, "Deal.", back at him. Nodding, Adam swiftly cut through the ropes binding her arms and legs, before stepping back. As the girl rubbed her wrists, Adam said, "Now, as a show of good faith, I'm going to remove my equipment, and place it on that table.", before quickly removing his weapons, and placing them on the table next to Yukari, before stepping back once again.
"Okay, so ask away." Adam said, before Yukari looked at him. "Okay, here's my first question: Who exactly are you?" she asked, before Adam smiled. "Adam Robertson, of the Scottish branch of the Assassin Brotherhood, pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said, bowing his head, before Yukari's brow furrowed in confusion. "Assassin Brotherhood?" she asked, before Adam nodded. "A group of professionals who, above all else, wish to safeguard the free will of humanity from those who aspire to take it from you. We've existed throughout recorded human history." He said, before Yukari said, "Bullshit." Smirking, Adam walked over to a bookcase, and pulled out a history book. Flicking through the pages, he called out, "The Crusades, the Italian Renaissance, the Golden Age of Piracy, the Seven Years War, The American, French and Industrial Revolutions. We've been making waves throughout history, and we've still not won the fucking war." He said, before snapping the book shut. Scowling, he passed the book over to Yukari, before heading back to the table he had sat on previously. "If you want, you can do the research. It's true." He said, before Yukari looked to him. "You mentioned a war. Against who?" she asked, before Adam sighed. Walking over to a pile of paper, he grabbed a pen, and wrote down a list of names. "When you get the chance, look these up. They all worked with the people we Assassins fight… The Knights Templar. They wish to bring peace, same as us, but they want to enslave all humanity to do so." He said, passing the list to Yukari. "Sounds a bit too far-fetched, I know. But trust me, I'm telling you the truth. Even though I kept the fact I'm an Assassin from you, I've never lied to you, and never will." He said, raising his hands in defence.
"One last thing. Does anyone else know you're a killer?" Yukari asked, before Adam nodded. "Takako. She knows I'm the 'serial killer' from a couple of months ago, but she doesn't know I'm an Assassin, and I'd like to keep it that away, at least until I tell the class." He said, before picking up his Hidden Blades, as Yukari glared at him. "Why should I?" she asked, before Adam flicked his wrist, engaging his Blade. "Thanks to all these deaths, the tension in the class is reaching an all-time high, and if it gets any worse… Let's just say, it'll be Volcano Day. Also, the Assassins follow a series of tenants: Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. If the public learns I'm an Assassin, I'll have broken the third tenant, and in order to remain incognito, I'll have to break the first. So, please, keep my cover intact." He said, before he picked up a bag, and tossed it to Yukari. "You left some clothes at my place." He explained, before Yukari nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yukari." He said, before pulling up his hood. "Alright, I'll keep your secret, if…you don't kill anyone else." Yukari said, before Adam nodded, and picked up a set of throwing knifes and a dagger, placing them in their sheaths. "They're my essentials." He explained, before he nodded towards the remaining weapons. "Keep them. As insurance." He said, before Yukari nodded. "Alright, I'll see you later, Yukari." He said, before leaving the house. Running to the door, Yukari got there just in time to see Adam grapple up to a rooftop, look back to her and nod, before disappearing.
After Adam made it back to his house, he slipped in through the window, and walked over to his desk. Breathing heavily as he leaned on the desk, he slammed his fist into the wood, before looking at his equipment. Growling, he ripped his blades off, before slamming them into the desk. Next, he pulled his robes off, and threw them onto the chair, before he grabbed his jacket, and ran out of the house, locking it behind him. Next, he headed to the garage, and climbed onto his bike, before slamming his helmet onto his head. "Let's ride." He thought to himself, before roaring off down the street.
After a while, he came to a stop outside the café the group had previously met at. Deciding to stop there for now, Adam stopped his bike, and pulled his helmet off, before entering the café, and sitting down at a table. Soon after, a waitress came up. "What can I get you, sir?" she asked, before Adam replied, "Coffee. Make it as strong as you can." Bowing, the waitress walked off, before Adam looked to the door, where he saw Teshigawara, Mochizuki and Sakakibara enter the café, notice him, before walking over and joining him at the table. "Alright, Adam?" Teshigawara asked, causing Adam to simply nod, before the waitress returned to the table, and placed his cup of coffee on the table. Picking it up, he downed the entire cup in one gulp, ignoring the scalding hot water. Placing the empty cup back down, he got a 1000 yen note out of his wallet. "Keep the change." He said, passing the note to the waitress, before turning back to the other two boys. "What's up, you three?" he asked, before the three boys launched into an explanation of what they planned to do the next day. After they finished, Adam nodded in understanding. "Alright, I'll see if I can make it to the school to help you, but don't wait up. If I ain't there, just go on ahead." He said, before his friends nodded. "What about Yukari? Won't she be curious where you're going?" Teshigawara asked, causing Adam's eyes to darken. As he picked up his helmet, he said, "We had a… difference of opinions. She moved out.", before slamming the helmet on, and exiting the café. Looking round, he saw a man gazing at his bike. As he went to touch it, Adam grabbed his arm. "Don't. Touch. My bike." He said, before the man nodded, and backed off. Climbing on the bike, Adam kicked the vehicle into action, before speeding off. After arriving back at his house, he parked the bike in the garage, before entering the house. Quickly getting changed, he flopped onto his bed, and stared at the ceiling. "Things are about to get a whole lot more complicated." He thought to himself, before allowing himself to drop off to sleep.
The Next Day…
After Adam was able to rouse himself from his slumber, he saw on his alarm clock that he was far past the stage of late to meet up with Teshigawara and Mochizuki, so they could get into the old Class 3-3 room in the old school building, to find Matsunaga's clue. "Fuck it, I've got bigger problems." He said, before getting a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt out of his wardrobe. "Maybe a walk will help clear my head." He said, before picking his jacket up. As he went to throw it on, he looked at his Hidden Blades, resting on the desk. Sighing, he picked them up, before stuffing them into the drawers of the desk, placing the dagger and throwing knives inside as well, before nudging the drawer shut. Looking at his robes, he stuffed them into another drawer, before throwing his jacket on. "Alright, time to go." He said, before exiting and locking the house. Turning his collar up, he started to walk down the street. After a while, he found himself at a split in the road, where he saw two familiar faces. "Hey, Yumi, Ayano!" he called out, running up to the girls. "Oh, hey Adam. What brings you round here?" Yumi asked, as Adam smiled. "Just walking, going with the flow. What about you two? Judging by the uniforms, I'm guessing… extra credit work?" he asked, before the two girls shook their heads. "We were looking for Mr Chibiki, to ask his opinion on something." Ayano said, before looking to her watch. "I've gotta get going. I'll call you when I arrive, okay?" she said to Yumi, who nodded, before she took off.
"Where's she off to?" Adam asked Yumi, who shrugged. "Home, most likely." She said, before Adam nodded in understanding. "Be that as it may, I think it's a bad idea to be walking round alone." He said, before Yumi smirked. "Careful how you word that Adam, or a girl might think you're a womaniser." She said, before Adam scoffed. "I am many things, but a womaniser? Nope." He said, before Yumi chuckled. "Well, if that's the case, I'll see you around." She said, going to walk away, before Adam sighed. "At least let me walk you home." He said, before Yumi looked back to him. "Please. It'll make me feel better." He said to defend himself, before Yumi rolled her eyes and nodded. "C'mon then." She said, before Adam gestured forwards. "Lead on."
After both of them walked for a while, they came onto a street a few blocks away from Adam's house. "Who knew you would be so close, eh Adam?" Yumi said, causing Adam to laugh slightly, as they turned a corner, and freeze in their tracks. "Jesus Christ." Adam said in shock, looking at the scene before them. An excavator seemed to have rolled backwards down the street, crashing into a house, completely destroying the entirety of the front of the building. As Adam surveyed the destruction, he heard Yumi fall to the ground besides him. Turning to face her, he saw that she was staring dead-eyed at the wreckage. Looking between her and the house a couple of times, Adam's eyes widened. "Please tell me that isn't your house, Yumi." He said, covering his eyes and sighing when she nodded. "My… brother was in there. He never left the house. Ever." She explained, before Adam groaned. "Son of a bitch." He said, before he looked round. "You know where your Mum and Dad are?" he asked, before Yumi nodded. "They're at work." She said, before Adam groaned. "What about Ayano's place? Can you wait there for your parents to pick you up?" he asked, before Yumi shook her head. "Ayano and her family are moving out of the city to escape the Calamity. They'll have left by now." She said, before Adam groaned. "You gotta be kidding me." He said, under his breath, before a voice asked, "Yumi, is that you?" Turning round, Yumi saw a man and woman standing in front of them. Launching into their arms, Yumi embraced them in tears.
Smiling at them, Adam asked, "I'll presume you two are Yumi's parents?" Nodding, the man glared at Adam. "And you are?" he demanded, before Adam extended a hand. "Adam Robertson. I'm a classmate and friend of Yumi's." he said, before Yumi's father shook his hand. "I appreciate your kindness to our daughter, Mister Robertson." He said, before Adam held up a hand. "Just Adam, please. But, speaking of your daughter…" he said, nodding towards Yumi. Looking back to his daughter, Mr Ogura said, "Yumi, your mother and I are going to look for hotel rooms, but we can only afford a room for two, so you'll need to stay with a friend for a while.", causing Yumi to look at him in anger, and Adam to look in shock. "What about Miss Ayano's place?" Yumi's mother asked, speaking for the first time. "Ayano and her family have fled the city, trying to avoid the Calamity." Adam spoke up, before he sighed. "If I may weigh in here, my house is only a couple of blocks away. She can stay with me for a while, at least until you can afford to have her stay with you." He suggested, causing Yumi to look at him. "Adam, I thought Yukari was staying with you." She said, before Adam scowled. "We had a difference of opinion, and she moved out." He said, causing Mr and Mrs Ogura to look at each other. "Yumi, we agree with Mister Robertson, but only if you want to. Tell us, do you trust him?" Yumi's mother asked, before Yumi nodded. "I trust him." She said, before Mr Ogura turned to Adam. Extending a hand, he asked, "Can you swear you'll protect our Yumi, no matter what?", before Adam nodded. "On my life, no harm will come to her." He said, before Yumi's parents nodded, and Yumi walked over to Adam. Hugging him, she said, "Thank you." Smiling, he returned the hug and said, "What are friends for?", before Yumi's parents bowed. "Well, we'll try and make some money quickly, so we can have you join us." Mr Ogura said, before Yumi nodded, and bid farewell to her parents, who walked off soon after.
"So what now, Adam?" Yumi asked, before Adam offered her his hand. "Let's go. You shouldn't be sticking around here." He said, before Yumi took his hand, and allowed him to lead her to his house. After he unlocked the front door, he let Yumi enter, before closing and locking the door. "The bed's through here." He said, before leading her to the room. "I'll have your uniform washed for tomorrow. In the meantime, you can wear… these." He said, fishing in the wardrobe for a couple seconds, before withdrawing a red shirt and tracksuit bottoms. Handing them to Yumi, Adam said, "I'll leave you to change.", before bowing and leaving the room, closing the door behind him. Sighing, Yumi looked at the clothes in her hands, before quickly pulling off her uniform, and threw Adam's clothes on, before leaving the room, to see Adam sitting on the couch, watching his TV, which was playing a news report.
"Sticking in the city of Yomiyama, a terrible accident has occurred, as a family trying to flee the town lost their lives in a terrible car accident. The family's car was struck by a falling rock, causing them to drive through a railing on the side of the road, and plummet to the rocks below, killing everyone present in the car. So far, only the body of Yomiyama Middle School student Aya Ayano has been identified, but we can assume that her parents are the remaining two bodies. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of the Ayanos. Back to you in the studio."
As the report ended, Yumi broke down again. "Ayano!" she said, drawing Adam's attention from the TV. "Shit!" he said, rushing over to support her, as she started to fall to the floor. "Ayano… she died on the way out of the city, and the Calamity still affected her." Yumi said, before Adam looked to the TV, then back to her. "Yumi, go and lie down on the bed. I'll rustle up something for you to eat." He said, before the girl nodded, and slowly got up, entering the bedroom. After the door shut, Adam walked over to the TV, where the news was still playing. Clenching his fist, he slammed it into the screen, cracking it. "Dammit!" he said, lifting his hand up, inspecting the small cuts he had received. Walking over to his kitchen, he quickly got to work on preparing a meal for Yumi, then carried it into the bedroom, where Yumi was lying underneath the covers, staring straight up at the ceiling. "Here you go, Yumi." He said, placing the food on the bedside table, snapping Yumi out of her trance. "Thanks, Adam." She said, before Adam bent down and picked up her uniform. "I'll get this washed for you." He said, before Yumi nodded and he went to leave the room. "Adam?" Yumi called out, halting his progress, as he turned back to her. "Thanks for letting me stay here." She said, before Adam smiled and bowed his head. "Anytime." He said, before leaving the room. After placing Yumi's uniform in the washing machine and starting it, he picked up a change of clothes, before entering the bathroom, soon after coming out, and placing his clothes in the washing basket. Slumping onto the couch, he soon allowed himself to drift off to sleep, shooting a glance over to his desk, where his equipment was stored, before his eyes shut.
A/N: Don't worry, I'm not throwing a curveball into the works, I am still following my original plan, I just needed to make a bit of hostility be present, as I get ever closer to the finale. Speaking of which, I have no idea how many chapters are left. Anyway, I'll see you all in Chapter 8- Class Trip. Madman out!