X
Apologizing
"Kyou-chan…?!" Saeko gasped as she saw her hovering in the air. "What are you doing out of your room…?! You need to get back quickly before your parents see you!" Leaving the staircase, she was shocked as she knew what would likely happen if either Dai or Mako were to see her like this.
"Please, you need to go back quickly before they see you. Quickly now, before anybody sees you. I do not want my sisters to get into more trouble..." She gestured for Kyou to move until her eyes noticed that Saori was standing there as well looking back at them both.
"B-But how? Saori-chan? I-I was so worried about you." Rushing forward, she quickly took her in a tight embrace.
Kyou was slightly annoyed. "Oi, Saeko-san, haven't you noticed anything about our sister? She has gone dumb again." Still hovering in midair, she looked down on the two of them. Perhaps with her back, it might not be a bad idea to get back to her room.
Getting the idea now that she was being ignored as neither of them seemed to pay any further interest towards her, she remarked, "Fine, I'll be going back then. You two just don't get so lovey-dovey with each other." Making a gesture that she needed to gag.
"You two are just weird," she commented as she kept staring at them. "This is just so weird. It's freaking me out you know."
"Don't say that," Saeko said in return. "You know that she can't help it, it isn't her fault. They are the ones who did this to her and you know that. Saori-chan would have never wanted this. I know that for sure."
Kyou had to swallow as she lowered herself to the floor. "You're right, sorry. I'm sorry about having said that. I… didn't mean it like that. I'll be going back to my room then, please take good care of our little sister. She deserves that." Slowly and gently turning on the spot, she left the two of them alone as she went back to her own room.
Saeko had been right. They all deserved a happy life but for the youngest of them it was an almost impossible dream. Her body was already ruined and her life, which was already so preciously short, would come to an end sooner than later.
This world didn't want them. That much was obvious. The hostility of so many towards her kin was obvious. This was a world that would never come to accept the Diclonius because they were just a little different. Humans already hated and killed each other for having a different skin-color or thinking differently. If so, what chance did the Diclonius ever have to become accepted by humans?
"Damn bugs, even now they still do their best to ruin what is left of our lives…"
Bando growled as he saw her lying there. Not only was it from the sheer annoyance at the stupidity of these people, but also from seeing that she appeared to be in an even worse condition than he had been led to believe.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me! All this damn effort for nothing! Damn brat isn't even able to speak, let alone give an eyewitness report!" The whole trip seemed to have been a waste of time. He cursed himself for having been so foolish.
"Damn that bastard. Damn him straight to hell and back. Just wait till I get my hands on your worthless neck, you bastard." There was no use with her in this state. She wouldn't be able to tell him anything that might shed a light on what had happened.
He scoffed as he grab the metal note block at the front of the bed, he had to check it anyway. Perhaps there might just be a hint. Didn't matter how small or how insignificant it may appear. Anything would do at this moment. He needed a lead more than anything right now.
"This is just useless. Damn brat is being kept sedated due to… due to…" He stopped all of a sudden and then re-read the line again as he came to the realization why she was in her current condition. "So that is why. Ah, that is very clever."
If his line of reasoning was sound than she was being kept this way because something she had witnessed had caused her to go into a state of shock so severe that she needed to be kept sedated for her own safety.
"What was it that you saw there? What scared you? Couldn't have been those people, huh?" He was looking at the monitor and then back to her. For now, her heart rate seemed to be normal as was her breathing. In this condition, would she be able to hear him?
"I wonder-?" He stopped as he heard a noise coming from the hall. Had the security finished whatever it was that had made him leave their post? If he was coming back then he needed to be swift, otherwise he would risk getting caught.
Leaning closer towards her ear, he said the words he hoped would trigger a reaction. "Steel dragon. What is it really? Where did you see this steel dragon? What did you see?"
Although her body didn't appear to respond as he had hoped, he noticed that mentioning those words did seem to cause a sharp rise in her heartbeat and breathing.
"Why are you having such a reaction?" He wondered. Something had definitely gone on in there. "Hey brat, what exactly was this steel dragon?"
The heart rate spiked again and for a moment it seemed like she might open her eyes but alas.
Stepping to the other side of her bed, he noticed that her hand was starting to shake but it was being held in place by the restraints. "I see, they're keeping you from moving. Perhaps I should just pull out those drugs they're giving you as well."
As long as she was being administered those drugs, she wouldn't wake up anytime soon. Studying which tube led to which medication, he made sure not to pull out the wrong one. "They sure have given you one hell of a cocktail. Damn, some of this stuff is supposed to be for severe cases only. Fucking bastards." He growled as he read more of the labels. This was going to take a little longer than he had expected.
Pressing his ears against the door, he waited as he listened for any signs of either the guard or somebody of the staff. He did not want to get interrupted now. Not when he was on the verge of finally getting some information.
"You had better start waking up really fast brat. I don't have all night for you to catch up." Outside the door, it was starting to become rather quiet and to him it was just too quiet for his liking. He didn't like this one bit.
Then all of a sudden, the girl started to mumble, though the words were meaningless and unrelated to him. Great, she was getting delirious as well now. "Just my kind of luck, being stuck here with you. Kid, you had better keep low or this night will be over soon."
His back leaning against the doorframe and his head buried between his hands, Dai was staring like he had done for the last hour or so at the floor. He wasn't in the best of moods, not after what had happened earlier.
"Why god…? Why did it have to come to this…?" He sighed as his head was slowly raised, slightly turning it to his left he was reminded again that most of the others had gone to bed as well by now. That was alright with him for the moment, he wasn't in that much of a mood to talk about it anyway.
He could go upstairs and try to get some rest along with Mako but his mind wasn't up for it. He preferred to be alone for now. At least he could try then to get his head straight.
What was he going to do with Kyou? She had definitely crossed the line this time and despite that he was fully able to understand her frustration and the circumstances but there simply was no excuse for her actions.
Another sigh came from him. "Why did you have to make such a mess of it…?" He knew that it wasn't an easy life for her and her sister, for all of them for that matter. It was surprising that they would get bored with being stuck in the house the whole day but they just couldn't go out. School was out of the question as people would simply notice their rapid aging.
There was just so much that could potentially betray what the girls were and the last thing he wanted to witness was for them to be taken away and killed. He feared that more than losing his own life. He knew what the consequences would be for him personally if he were to even be found out. That was okay as he had made the choice a long time ago. He would protect those girls no matter the odds. Their smiles would make all of his pain and troubles worth it.
"Is it alright for me to sit down as well?"
Craning his neck a little, he noticed that Kouta was standing there holding a pair of bottles in his hands. "I can't say no to you in your own house now, can I?"
"Not really. Besides, even if you did say no then I would stay. You need to talk about this."
Kneeling down next to him, Kouta handed Dai one of the bottles. "You might be thirsty from all of the thinking. I know for sure the girls have given me plenty of headaches in the past."
"Thank you, you're right." He took the bottle and placed it down next to him. "Don't get me started on those, I love them both. Kyou and Ryou, I would not want to lose either of them no matter what. For all of the pain and ordeals they put me through, I love my daughters. I don't care one bit that they are adopted or that they have horns. It doesn't mean anything to me."
Kouta took a drink. "They both know this, I'm certain that Kyou-chan didn't mean those words. She likely just said them because she was upset. Children will always love their parents."
"And yet…" Dai remarked as he reached out for the bottle next to him. "…She said those words and they did really hurt, it isn't pleasant for a parent to hear your child say them."
Kouta sighed. "Yeah... I can imagine that…" Playing with the bottle, a silence started to settle between the two of them. Kouta wasn't so certain of what else he could say. Sure, there was plenty to talk about but would that even be appropriate or would Dai simply not be in the mood for much talking anyway.
It was then that Dai fortunately broke the uneasy silence. "…So how is Saori-chan doing? I heard that she was awake again? Have there been any changes in her condition?"
Kouta had to chuckle as he thought about it. "Yes, she is fine though it seems she had a relapse into that other mental state of hers. There isn't much we can do about it but it does reduce any risk we might have for now. The other girls are happy in that she can join us tomorrow."
"Tomorrow…?" Dai raised an eyebrow as he repeated the word. "Oh yes. The barbeque, right? You're still hoping that we can continue with it tomorrow?"
Looking back, Kouta answered. "Well, that will be up to you. We still would like to go through with it as the girls have been looking forward to it for the past few days. I don't think it would be fair if it were to be ruined for them as well, or Ryou-chan for that matter."
"She doesn't…" There was a deep sigh coming from Dai as he listened. There was no need for Ryou to get punished as well but they both knew damn well that without her sister being present as well that she would not get to enjoy herself.
"That doesn't make it any easier. Honestly, I would like to let both of them enjoy it. I'm praying to god that she will apologize tomorrow. I really want that to happen. I don't want to stay mad at her."
Listening carefully to the two of them below, Kyou was giving them her full attention, she had laid low for the time being but she felt with having heard all of this as the conversation continued confident enough to come done.
"Oto-san is such a baka…"
The silence that continued beyond the door was becoming more and more foretelling to Bando. He knew by instinct that something was off. "If I didn't know any better, I would think they are planning an ambush. Oh, that is so nice of them." He grinned at the thought of that.
How he longed for getting some action and getting to break somebody's bones. "Come on then you bastards, let's see what you are made of. Come at me with all of your might."
By now, the girl had become quiet again much to his preference. If she couldn't talk then she should just keep her mouth shut unless she wanted to attract unwanted attention.
"Well at least you're being quiet-" He stopped mid-sentence as he heard noises coming from the hallway. Slightly opening the door, he had a swift peek. Just further up ahead was what appeared to be a trolley used by one of the nurses. She was out of sight but it was likely she was making final checks on the patients in the other rooms. Fuck, if this kept going she would get here soon. He couldn't take the risk just yet to leave the room as there was every chance of him getting spotted by somebody at this point.
"Just wonderful, fucking wonderful." He spat as he started to contemplate his options, leaving the room was going to be difficult with the risk of being exposed far too great but remaining in the room was also going to be an issue. Furthermore, he needed to make certain that nobody learned about him having been here; that meant disposing of any evidence.
For now, that would just mean having to hide his fiddling with the sedatives but how was he going to do that? He wasn't going to count his luck in that she wouldn't notice it.
Seeing her appear as he closed the door, his options had just narrowed down to just one. Now he needed to find a way to hide.
Moving over to the other side of her bed, he started to work on making it seem like nothing had been done to the medication. If that nurse was going to notice it, there could be trouble for him getting out of the building.
The sound of the approaching footsteps was already telling him enough. She was coming towards this room. He needed to act and fast. Scanning the room, he smiled as he got an idea.
Ryou and Saeko were keeping themselves rather quiet though that didn't stop them from constantly whispering to each other. On more than one occasions Ryou had asked her how her sister might be doing, it had been decided by her parents that for the rest of that night it would be better if Ryou were to sleep in Saeko's room.
"Do you… think that… onee-chan will be alright…?" Rolling over she was looking her straight in the eyes, somehow it appeared as if she was feeling her sister's pain as well.
"Myuu… myuu… myuu…" Lying in between the two of them was Saori. Although everybody had felt elated at her sudden waking, it was also met with some uncertainty due to her change in personality. Yet Saeko felt disappointed about it, this was not who Saori was in reality. The only great thing about her current condition in Saeko's mind was that this way she would likely be accepted at the barbeque tomorrow if it didn't get cancelled.
"She is awfully cute like this, isn't she…?" Ryou whispered as she played a little with Saori. Even she had to admit that there was a strangely cute side to her like this. "…Even though I know… that this is not her real self… Still, wouldn't it be better for her this way?"
The sudden silence felt uneasy to the two of them.
"Oh… I'm terribly sorry…" She ushered once she realized how wrong it must have sounded to Saeko, she hadn't meant it like that. "…I just meant…"
"I know… " Saeko mumbled as she held up her hand. "…People seem more at ease when they see her like this… yet our little sister deserves better… Just look at her."
Nodding her head, Ryou agreed to that. Even with the way Saori was behaving, it didn't take away just how much older her body was. About the same age as Yuka, she guessed.
"Myuu…?" Getting herself up, she turned her head from left to right as if asking what they were talking about. Both Saeko and Ryou were wondering if in this state she could understand what they were talking about.
Cradling her head, Saeko was the first to do her best at comforting her. "It is alright, dear. We are your sisters. We will always look after you no matter what happens to you. We will always love you, our dear little sister."
Saori just closed her eyes as she rested her head. "Myuu… myuu… myuu..." Before she fell asleep, leaving the two of them alone once more.
"She looks so peaceful when she sleeps… So do you want to talk about something else…?"
Seeing that Saori was now asleep, Ryou wanted to try and change the subject to talk about. In reality, there was something else she wanted to know more about from Saeko; she was keen to hear more of her experiences in going to school and having a life outside the house.
"…Would you mind… talking about school? I… I would like to know more…" There was a moment of hesitation coming from her but despite that, Ryou pressed on with her question. She wanted to know. She wanted to have a reason to leave the house more often.
"…I want to know more… about a life outside… Onee-chan and I often get bored being stuck in the house… We want to go out more. To enjoy what this world has to offer. "
Saeko wasn't certain on what to tell her. Life at school had been, as far as she was concerned, miserable. She didn't like her class, she didn't feel wanted there and the only person that even spoke to her was Mayu.
She hated every day that she had to go towards it. Already, she was dreading about having to go again on Monday. She didn't want to go. She wanted to be sick again and stay at home. But how was she going to explain all that towards Ryou? She likely didn't understand how sour such a wish for going outside could really be.
"It…" She stopped. She wasn't certain how to say it or even if she wanted to say it. Ryou always seemed so happy with hearing about the world. If she were say that the school wasn't pleasant at all she might be devastated to learn that it was a lie.
She couldn't say that to her, not with her sister being in trouble as well. Oh, what was she going to do? What was she going to tell her without ruining it for her?
"…Saeko-onee-san?" Ryou was looking at her, her eyes questioning her every move. "A-Are you alright? You look so pale all of a sudden. Are you feeling well?"
"…I-I…" Her throat was starting to feel very dry. She let out a deep sigh before speaking again. "… School isn't… what I thought it would be… Ryou-chan, if you ever go… please be careful then. Not all people out there will treat us like our family…" She hated to say it but she couldn't lie to her own kin, if she did that then she would be no better than the people who had abused them all for so many years.
"To be honest Ryou-chan… I-I… hate… I hate going to school… I hate. I hate. I hate. I hate. I just hate it."
Taken aback by that sudden reply, Ryou gasped as she didn't want to believe it. "B-B-But why? I-I don't believe t-t-that…" She stammered, clearly shocked from the revelation. "O-Oka-san told me so many nice stories about it… I-I-I w-wanted to go with onee-chan together…"
Still holding back the tears from having heard such a cruel truth, Ryou averted her eyes.
"N-N-No…" She gasped again as she quickly brushed aside a tear. It couldn't be true. She had been looking forward to the very day that she could go together with her sister. A chance for them to leave the house and make new friends, to explore what else was out there.
"Y-Y-You're wrong… you have to be wrong… I don't believe it… Saeko-onee-san… You're wrong about it… y-you must be… O-o-o-oka-san w-wouldn't lie to me…" Sobbing, her voice started to falter.
"I-I-It's… not t-true… I-it's not true… S-Saeko-onee-san, you're wrong… you must be…" Now she began to cry as well and to make matters worse, it had been Saeko's fault. She knew that she shouldn't have said those words and yet she had also not wanted to lie to one of her sisters.
Reaching out towards her in an effort to comfort and apologize to her, Ryou let Saeko know that she didn't want it. She wanted Kyou to be here now.
"I… I… want… o-onee-chan."
"I'm sorry Ryou-chan… I-I didn't mean it… I-I just… wanted to warn you…" And Saeko fell silent. No longer knowing what to say, she decided not to say anything at all.
Their mouths wide open as she stood there, neither Kouta nor Dai could come up with anything to say to her. Her sudden appearance here came as a big surprise to the both of them.
"Oto-san..." She sighed as she stepped forward towards them. "Is such a baka…" Halting, her arms were folded behind her back as if she was waiting for a reply from either of them.
Dai looked at her.
"Yeah, you're right… Oto-san is a baka… You do understand that by being here, you did something we forbade you, right…?"
She fell silent as her gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding direct eye contact with Dai. Kouta grew a little concerned as he found it difficult to read her mood. Contemplating in getting up and leaving the two of them to their own devices, he disregarded that. For all he knew, it might just be better to remain a little longer until the tension died down.
Kyou murmured something underneath her breath but neither of them could clearly hear the words she was saying and yet the movements of her lips were obvious. As she started to drag her foot across the floor, it dawned on him that she wanted to say something but she was feeling embarrassed to say it in the first place. Could that have been what she had been murmuring earlier? Had she whispered those words already, in an attempt to make her feel more confident about saying it?
Now he was really starting to wonder if it may not have been better if he had left in the first place. Looking at him, he could tell that Dai seemed rather nervous about it as well.
"Do you understand what I said to you Kyou? That I, as your father, have a very good reason to be upset about this?"
Still avoiding their looks, she gently nodded her head though she didn't say a word. Scratching his head, Kouta wasn't sure what to make of this. Was she actually trying to apologize for what she had said earlier? Her continuous silence made it all the more difficult, not to mention somewhat unpleasant, if not awkward for them.
"… C-Can I stay here…? I… I want to say something… please…?"
They both held their breath. They wanted to give her the chance to say what it was that must be hanging so heavy on her heart. When Kyou became timid like this, it meant that something was really troubling her. The only question that remained was what it was this time but considering what had been going on they could make a good guess at it. Still, if she was going to speak about it then Kouta reasoned it would be better without him.
"I will be leaving the two of you alone then." Quickly patting her on the back, he wished her all the luck that she would need. "Kyou-chan do your best, I know you can." With that, he gave her a quick wink before going back to his own room.
He had gotten away with that, having avoided being discovered it was still no good as there was no way for the girl to regain her consciousness. Not in the remaining time he had left to him. Guess this had been a fruitless chase after all.
With the nurse gone and moving towards other rooms, it had been surprisingly easy to slip out of the room, even the guard hadn't returned yet from where he had run off to.
Halting in his pace, he casted a quick glance over his shoulder. There was still this nagging feeling that he just couldn't shake off. Somehow, it felt wrong for him to walk away from this.
"What the hell is making my spine tingle like this?" Already, his eyes were searching. They were scanning the surroundings in order to locate what it was that was making his gut tell him that something was off. "The guard hadn't returned…" It came to him all of a sudden, the guard still hadn't come back and by looking at his watch he could tell that the man must have been absent for nearly an entire hour.
"He is gone for far too long, even a damn rookie wouldn't make such a mistake! Where the fuck is that little runt?"
Now, it was obvious to him what was wrong here. With the guard being gone for so long something must have happened to him. "Those fucking idiots! Can't even get this sorted! I knew that this was going to be a mess! I swear I'm going to kill the moron responsible for this!" Starting a sprint, he was running as fast as he could. Every second counted now because if it was as he feared then surely the guards long absence was because somebody had taken him out. With that knowledge, there was no shadow of a doubt that the person responsible for it was aiming to silence the witness.
To think that she was here for maybe a day and already they were already moving in to prevent her from telling whatever it was that she had witnessed. Somehow, that information had already been leaked. Just how incompetent was that departmentfor lacking to come up with the proper protection and a secure location of a vital witness?
They had ruined everything and now, unless he got there fast, there wouldn't even be a second chance for him to get back and find out something. His footsteps sounded abnormally loud. It seemed like he could be discovered any minute and yet he couldn't care about that anymore. The more attention he managed to create, the better as it would likely lessen the chance of the hired gun to get away. He wondered what kind of bastard would stoop so low to kill a defenseless child.
"Assholes like that perverted sadist… bastard got what he deserved when he was ripped apart… or that psychopath Shimada… Good riddance. They can rot in hell!"
Snarling as he rounded the corner, he could already see the door, from here it looked like he might have made it in time though the missing guard was nowhere to be seen. "Did I make it in time?" He coughed as his hand rested on the handle.
All of a sudden the door was flung open and a man stepped out, holding the barely conscious girl at a knife's edge.
She was crying alright and she wasn't being moderate about it. This may have been the first time in his life that he had heard Kyou crying this loudly. It almost made him think that she had been keeping a lot of sadness caught up inside of her.
"I-I'm sorry...! I'm sorry…! I'm so sorry… Oto-san!" He faintly heard her cry.
For all, her tough appearance on the outside when it came down to it, Kyou was just as much of a crybaby as her sister, perhaps even more. Still, to see her like this was a rare sight, one she did not show too often or on many occasions. What was it now? Perhaps the fifth or fourth time since Kyou had cried like that? From where he was sitting, Kouta could clearly hear her. Ever since she had apologized to Dai she had been fighting back the tears, her voice made it all too obvious. Her voice was wavering.
"Oto-san... Oto-san! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I really am so sorry!" She was becoming a lot louder now. It seemed that she was letting it all out at this moment. He could well imagine that she was sitting there with her arms all wrapped around Dai, refusing to let go of him all the while crying her eyes out.
"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" Oh, she was really starting to get loud by now, Kouta wondered if anybody else was going to wake up if Kyou kept on crying like that. "OTO-SAN!... OTO-SAN…! OTO-SAN!"
It had been a while since he had last heard her like this, always trying to act like she was so tough and yet also so delicate.
"UWAAAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! OTO-SAN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! I'M SORRY! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN!"
He was startled as he heard her cry like that. That was a new one. She must really be letting out some emotions. It was almost scary when he thought about it.
"UWAAAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! GOMEN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! I'M SORRY! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAAAHN!"
Hearing all that, he really did not want to switch places with Dai. God knew how badly she was hugging him at this point. He could well imagine how her grip must feel at a moment like this. No doubt there would be no escape from it.
She still kept on crying. He didn't expect that she could keep this up for such a time. He had to hand it to her but it also began to worry him that with all of the commotion she was making that the others would wake up.
"UWAAAAAAHN! UWAAAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! I'M SORRY! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! I'M SORRY! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN! UWAAAAHN!
KYOU LOVES OTO-SAN! UWAAAHN! KYOU LOVES OTO-SAN! UWAAAHN!"
Finally, after some time, the crying started to die down a little. Most likely her face would be all red by now, her eyes all swollen and puffy. He considered it fortunate that nobody had seemed to have woken up by now. He could have sworn that at least somebody would have noticed it. Perhaps it was for the better if those two were not interrupted for the time being. They both still needed some time to make up.
The less people that got in the way, the better he reasoned. Maybe it would not be such a bad idea to just open his door a little so he could keep an eye out. They had to pass his room if they wanted to see what was going on. He would do it for Kyou.
"Your father probably already told you this but I am proud of you as well Kyou-chan. It took a lot of courage to come forward and apologize to him, I'm proud of you and I guess the others would be too." He kept it to himself though he wondered if he should mention anything about it to her tomorrow. In hindsight, he decided against it as it could just make her feel uncomfortable. Opening the door just a little, he could hear her even clearer even if she was now trying to keep her voice down.
"Uwaaaahn... Uwaaaaahn… I'm so sorry oto-san, I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry. So… sorry… Uwaaaahn... Uwaaaahn... " Along with that, he could make out her sobbing. He was really feeling sorry for her.
"Don't worry too much Kyou-chan, your father surely understands by now." Hearing her like this brought back a lot of memories of Nyu. She would cry just like that when she wanted to.
Yet, they were also very painful for him and as he blinked his eye he could feel a tear running down his cheek.
"…I miss you Nyu… you and Kaede… I miss both of you…"
With the blood still dripping from the combat knife the man stepped out of the room, clad in a dark heavy suit and a mask obscuring his face. There was no doubt to Bando as to why he was here.
"Well, it seems I found my third for today. You're just unfortunate or stupid enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," the man said from behind the mask hiding his features and yet it was clear that he was speaking with a foreign accent.
There was a malevolent laugh coming from him. "That is good. I won't be satisfied with just two. I hope that you make for a better kill as that guard and the nurse were a disappointment. I didn't get to enjoy the fear in their eyes to the fullest so you will have to make up for that."
The girl tried to struggle but it seemed that she was largely under the influence of the sedations. Her eyes being hazy and her movements erratic. Pointing the tip of the knife towards him, he made his intentions without a doubt clear. Bando could do little more than chuckle as he heard the threats being issued towards him.
"You honestly think that I'm going to fucking beg for my life? Then you're even dumber than you look. By the time I'm done with you, even the doctors here won't be able to patch you up."
"Shut up! Keep your trap shut! Try and do anything funny and I will slit her throat!"
Bando tensed. He couldn't make any rash moves. This girl was the only lead that he had and he could not afford to let that go to waste. He was going to have to wait for the right moment when an opening would present itself but until then he had to bite his time.
"You're not going to run? Not that I would let you get away, anyway," Bando mentioned, cracking his fingers as he waited for the man to make to next move. He needed to keep the initiative while at the same time trying to create the atmosphere to his opponent that he was the one dictating the terms. He needed his opponent to get a false sense of being in control, then he would get complacent and that was the moment for Bando to strike.
"I have no intention of running. All I need to do is kill you and take care of this one." He pointed towards the girl, her body still limp which seemed to place extra strain on the man trying to hold her. Something that Bando could take advantage off.
As they began to move towards what seemed like one of the many staircases, Bando began to get the impression that the man was planning on going to the roof. It was odd to him.
"For a man who claims that he is not running away you seem to be getting in an awful hurry. I am starting to get a little disappointed with you." Bando remarked in a snarky tone, beginning to become rather impatient as this went on. He wasn't planning on letting this man walk and certainly not when it was with a crucial witness who had information he wanted.
"If that is so then I no longer have any use for this one." He snapped. Just as the tip of the dagger was thrusted deep into her throat, the girl's eyes finally became clear. As it slid hilt deep into the side of her neck, they went wide with fear and terror.
"…P-P-Please… help… me…ple-…" Her words were drowned out in pain as in one single violent jerk her throat was sliced open, bright arterial blood sprayed out from the cut.
Desperate for air, the girl brought up her arms in a futile effort to stem the blood and to manage to draw breath. The moment of terror she experienced lasted briefly as she led out her last dying breath. Her lifeless body slumped to the ground and fell in the pool of blood.
Bando was lit with rage. Right before his eyes the girl had been murdered. The witness was dead, without even managing as to get a single word of information from her. This bastard had ruined the only lead he possessed thus far. It stood to good reason that he was going to vent every little bit of frustration on this man.
Cracking his knuckles, he wondered which part he was going to fuck up first. "Do me a favor and don't drop the knife, I want this to be challenge. Don't pass out too fast either."
Remaining motionless, this man didn't seem to be bothered or moved by his threats either. If it was true, then this guy would likely not go down so easily. "Keep believing that. You have no idea who you are up against. Within a couple of minutes you will be dead."
Bando grinned. "I have heard that before. Believe me, you're not the first person who has tried that. Still, I do relish the opportunity to have a good fight. My life has been far too boring this last year. Let's make this one last for a while."
"I like your attitude. You should be a good sport. Honestly, waltzing through such pathetic security made this a dull assignment. Even the girl was just disappointing, still asleep even as I slid her throat."
Gritting his teeth, Bando was going to make damn sure this guy would pay. The man had a lot to answer for and even if that meant beating them out of him, he would get the information.
"Come on then. Let's get on with this!" The man boasted as he leaped forward, the knife raised high, its serrated edge ready to plunge down towards Bando.
"What's with all of the commotion?" Her eyes still half closed, Yuka appeared from her room. She could have sworn she heard somebody crying inside the house. "Do you know how early it is? It is… way too… early you know…" She yawned as behind her she closed the door.
Rubbing her eyes, everything seemed too hazy to her. She couldn't even think about how early in the morning it had to be if she was feeling this sleepy. For that matter, was it already morning or was it still the evening? "You guys… know I hate… getting up early… I need… my rest…"
Doing what she could to keep herself awake a little more, Yuka was struggling to keep her eyes open. The day had been exhausting and now she was paying the price for it. Really, she just wanted to go back to her room and tug tight back in her futon but with all of the commotion there was no chance for her at that.
By now, she thought she could just make out somebody crying. Why would somebody cry at a time like this? Rubbing her eyes, she started to get a little clearer in the head. Crying, did that mean that somebody had gotten themselves hurt?
"Mayu-chan? Nana-chan? Are you okay?" Moving towards their room, she called out to them but she stopped since she could hear that the crying didn't belong to either Mayu or Nana. She could also rule out Saeko and Ryou but that then left only two more people.
She almost screamed as she walked past Kouta's room and was all of a sudden pulled inside his room. Before she could let out a sound, somebody's hand was already over her mouth. Her senses still numb from the sleep, she didn't react in time though it was for the better as she would have punched Kouta in the face.
"Ease down Yuka, it's me," he whispered towards her, still somewhat struggling he was finding it difficult to keep her in place. "Please don't scream or yell at me, okay? But I needed to do this. Going to pull back my hand now."
Having her mouth free, she had to fight against the urge to yell or for that matter punch him in the face for having scared her like that. "You…" She sneered. "… Better have a real good reason for scaring me like that, haven't you heard the crying?"
"I do." He nodded. "But you shouldn't interrupt them. It's Kyou-chan you're hearing. She and Dai-san are having a little father to daughter talk. It is better if we stay out of it."
Yuka fell silent at hearing that. "They are? Thank god for that. I was worried that they wouldn't get a chance to talk to each other before the weekend would be over. I am really glad. So what do we do then?"
He looked at her. "Well, I think for now, it might be better if you just go back to your room. Just let everybody else know so they won't disturb them." That was easier said than done.
Getting out of his room without disturbing Dai and Kyou wasn't easy as one step too far and they would likely see her. "Ehm... Kouta…" Fiddling with her fingers, she wasn't certain on how to ask him. "…Would it be possible for me…?"
He scratched the back of his head as he began to understand what she was getting at. "Oh. Ah. Yeah, that might be problematic." Taking in a deep breath, he gave her his answer. "Well, I guess if you want you can spend the rest of the night here in my room."
She blushed at hearing him say that but as she looked over his shoulder there was something that might be a problem. "Ehm Kouta…" She pointed to it.
Looking over his own shoulder, he saw what she meant but somehow he totally misinterpreted what she was hinting at. "Oh don't worry, you can have the futon if you want. It's fine with me."
Her eyes and her mood for that as well dropped as she heard him say that. That was not what she had wanted to hear him say. Why couldn't he have said that they would have needed to
share the futon? She had hoped he would have said that. She had wanted to hear him say that.
Why on earth couldn't he have just said that? It would have been a perfect excuse for them to get a little closer. Dammit, why did he just have to ruin it?
"Kouta, I don't want to impose on you. I-I will just try and get back to my own room. Sorry to have made you feel uncomfortable…" Getting back on her feet, her head hung low. Maybe she had read the mood wrong or perhaps there was a different explanation for him still keeping a certain distance to her.
"Good night Kouta…" She mumbled as she gently opened the door before casting a quick glance to the left and then left, closing the door behind her.
He looked, wondering if he had done the right thing. "…You too Yuka." Looking back further, he was feeling a guilty about having not answered to her reaction. He knew what it was that she had hinted at but tonight wasn't really the time for it. Having to share the futon with Yuka wouldn't have been so bad, nor would he have minded it but with everything that has been going on this weekend he found it better for some other time.
"…I'm sorry Yuka… I will make it up to you… I promise you that…" Saying those words, he just lied down and pulled up the futon. Closing his eyes, he went back to sleep.
His head jerked to the side as a bullet grazed his cheek, to think this man has actually managed to draw first blood on him was a thrill in itself. Unfazed by it, he kept pressing on, giving chase to his adversary. This night was finally starting to pay off. Now he wanted to enjoy it in all of its violent glory.
Smearing away some of the blood with the back of his hand, he looked at it. How long had it been since an opponent had wounded him? Bando reveled as he felt the pain course through his body. He hadn't felt so alive in a long while. Yes, this was exactly what he had been longing for. A fight to the death against a skilled opponent.
Pulling back on the trigger, he squeezed off a short burst; lamps exploded, doors splintered and windows broke under their impacts. Repeated bursts caused a wall to crack before collapsing, the smoke obscuring his view for the moment.
Coughing but with his gun held at the ready, he moved forward. "You're a sly bastard! I will give you that!" He yelled, hoping that his opponent would hear him. It deserved to be said.
"Well you're not so half bad yourself either, mate! Been awhile since some bloke made me have to work for an assignment!" That voice with the unmistaken accent came from somewhere up ahead. "Come on then! Don't keep a bloke waiting! I'm having way too much bloody fun in this! Come on then, I've got some nice gifts for you mate!"
Bando swore that if he was going to hear one more mate coming from that guy, he would shove those gifts through his throat and force him to choke on them.
"Big talk coming from you! Care to show me that you can do more than that?! Come on you fucking bastard! I want my fight! Now stop talking big and come at me! COME AT ME!"
Responding to his taunt with lightning speed, his opponent darted from the cover as he brought up the barrel of his pistol. Reacting just as fast he, Bando leaped for cover avoiding the shots aimed for him.
Closing the distance, this was soon going to devolve into brutal hand to hand fighting but his opponent would have the edge there thanks to that knife he was wielding. As if he was going to let that get in the way, he would use his bare fists if he had to but for now he was content to let his gun do the talking for him.
Their heavy footsteps echoing as they ran up the stairs, it started to dawn on him that this man was either trying to get away. But why would he pick the roof? Out there he would be the one holding the advantage. What was this bastard planning on? What was he up to?
Even so, he could not allow him to get away, this was the only lead that remained to him. If this guy managed to get away from him then the trail would run cold. Like hell he would stand for that. Over his dead body would he allow this fucking bastard to get out of here alive.
Stepping up the pace, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He could not, would not, allow this man to get away. This was his prey and he would be damned if this guy got the slip on him. Even if it was going to the last he would do this damn night, he most certainly was not going to fail.
Cradling her in his arms, Dai watched as her tear-stained eyes were staring at him. Brushing aside a lock of her hair, he smiled at her. "I know you do, I love you too. No matter what, you will always be my daughter. We may not be connected by blood but we are by memories and feelings. To me, that means a lot more."
Sobbing and still somewhat upset, Kyou tried to listen to his words. Some of them were lost to her but their meaning wasn't fortunately.
"The same goes for your mother. Do you think that we love Sei any more than you or your sister? All three of you are equally important to us, we wouldn't want to lose any of you for that matter. Had I known back then before I brought you girls here I still would have done the same, even with all the trouble you keep causing me? That is because I love you."
"… Y-Y-You m-mean that…?"
His head resting on her shoulder, he whispered in her ear. "Of course I do. Don't tell me you think that your dad is lying to you now? I can't lie against those eyes of yours."
Lifting up her chin, he reached out for a handkerchief and wiped away some of the tears.
"You and your sister have these lovely eyes, it really it a shame to have them stained with tears. What do you say we forget about what has happened today and make some good memories tomorrow? You, me, your mother, Ryou and little Sei. What do you say about that?" Gently kissing her on the forehead, he held her tight.
For Kyou, it was all becoming a bit too much once more. Getting this much affection was even after all this time she had gotten to spend with her family something she more or less feared. Years of abuse at the DRI was still leaving its foul mark on her.
"S-So… o-oto-san isn't mad anymore?"
His head slightly tilting, he wondered what to say to her. He had been mad and pretty angry at it as well. He was still of the opinion that there was no excuse for Kyou having used her vectors or her little outburst though he fully understood her frustration at that time. Figuring that it would be wrong to already break what he had just told her, he went with the truth.
"…Kyou-chan, please look at me? I'm still mad to be honest, your words hurt both me and your mother a lot by what you said. As much as you apologize, it won't take away that you have said them. That said, we won't love you any less because of it. You are still our cherished daughter. We will always love you, we will always love our daughter, Kyou."
Sobbing and not knowing how to respond to that, she did the only thing that right now her mind could come up with. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rested her head on his shoulder as for now she was too afraid of even looking him in the eyes. For now, she preferred it this way. She just couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. All of that kindness and affection still scared her. How was she going to be able to face them again tomorrow?
Her knees were already starting to feel weak at the thought of it, the palms of her hands starting to get sweaty. She really didn't want to face either of them, especially not now when she was feeling so weak. Who could have thought that in the time she had escaped, she had really come to love these two humans so much. No, they weren't just humans, they were her parents. Parents who loved her.
"…O-Oto-san… c-could you carry me? I-I'm not feeling so g-good..."
Bando could hear the man's nose crack under the pounding he was dishing out. Grinning from ear to ear, he was enjoying every aspect of it, even with his knuckles feeling raw.
"…Kuh…" The man spat as his back was smashed against the concrete, his face all beat up and bruised. "Kuh… kuh… you… got me…" He coughed as he tried to draw breath.
Both of them were drenched with blood and the rain. Their clothes felt heavy, their bodies on the verge of collapsing. Even then Bando felt elated. It had been such a wonderful and glorious struggle to the death between them. Bleeding from a dozen cuts, he never felt better.
"…You… had this coming…" Bando grinned with growing excitement as he pulled back for a second blow, hammering down again and again he was making a bloody mess of it.
Even with his face beat up like this, the man was just laughing at him, like he was mocking him. "G-Good… you're pretty good… mate… damn that was bloody marvelous…" Coughing up blood, he tried to move but his body did not respond. "You got me… but the others… will kill you… they will kill… you and… everybody… you love… they will fuck you up…"
His face contorting at hearing that crap he hammered his fist into the wounds, torn wide open by the massive .50 rounds he had used. The man squirmed and coughed in agony but he refused to scream as if he was defying Bando to his dying breath.
"…Let it all out…" He spat back at him. "…Do your worst… the others… will avenge… my death… You're fucked… Your family is fucked… Your loved ones are so fucked…" His laughing, or the poor attempt at it, was just incredibly annoying to Bando. Even worse was that this fool actually believed that his threats were going to achieve anything other than pissing him off.
He drew a breath as he raised his fist. "What makes you think they will find out if I am going to shut you up for good? Nobody is ever going to find your corpse."
His lungs were burning, his arms felt like lead but even so he could not allow this man to live. He had killed several people, he had murdered a defenseless key witness and now he was issuing threats. There was no chance that he would allow for him to live any longer, to allow for anybody to find his remains. He would dispose of the body.
The man laughed again, his voice deformed as he was drowning in his own blood. "…They will… they have… their ways… oh, you are just fucked…"
His jaw cracked, his teeth splintered as Bando rammed his right fist into his face. "SHUT UP! YOU'RE PISSING ME OFF! WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! DIE AND ROT IN HELL! YOU'RE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME!"
Grabbing him by the collar, he hauled what remained of the man's face closer but he did not appear to be intimidated by it. "…Go on mate… Finish me off… You'll never get a chance… better than this one… but I'll leave you with one… last little treat mate..."
Snarling and ready to pound his skull back into the roof, Bando fought back the urge and listened to the man's last words. There was no more need for it either. The amount of blood he had already lost would take its effect soon enough.
"…Old abandoned industrial complex… near Koshigaya… you'll find… your answers there… just north of it… in four days… you'll be fucked… go if you dare… mate… fuck you…"
A few more garbled words came from his mouth but their meaning was lost on him before he drew his last breath. A growl came from Bando as he knew it was over. He pondered on whether he would check out the location the man had given or not.
It was better than nothing. He needed anything right now to get back at finding out what was going on. Briefly, he considered calling Dai but he quickly rejected that idea. That bastard wasn't going to be much help anyway and calling him right now might not be worth the risk.
Besides, he had some time left. If what this guy had told him was true, something was going to take place in four days from now. No, the thing he needed to do right now was to get away from this place and dispose of the body.
He chuckled as he dropped down and lied there. His body wasn't able to move for the time being. Maybe getting some rest wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. In the distance, he could already make out the approaching sirens racing towards him.
"Eh, figures… assholes…"
Author's note: Well the next chapter in this serie, so excited that it is already up to chapter 10. Well I hope you will enjoy it, take care and see you in the next chapter.