Days Without Sun
Chapter Thirty: Closing
Aikawa had no sooner taken flight than she stumbled again as a small explosion boomed behind her. Scrambling back upright, she cast wide eyes over her shoulder and saw a flower of flame blooming in the direction of the driveway, just beyond the jungled patch she'd run through. Following the blast, the rapid crackle of machine gun fire filled the night, along with the loud cries of warring and wounded men.
Though it seemed too soon for the international squad Alvarez had mentioned, Aikawa was filled with a sudden hope.
Maybe I should just hunker down and let the Calvary find me.
She was no fainting damsel in distress, but her slender limbs were trembling in exertion and fright. The recent events had far exceeded her normal operations as an active and autonomous woman.
Before the evading forces, whoever they were, had the chance to locate her, however, Korovin's hounds did. Aikawa's head snapped around as a new auditory chaos was added to the din. Three terrifying hounds had been roused by the cries of their dying comrade and were now flying across the grounds towards her.
Aikawa gave a yelp and pushed off again, her bare feet carrying her quickly across the grassy lawn. Her mind raced as frantically as her legs, as she tried to piece together what she'd seen on the screens in Augusto's office with her surroundings.
Veering off to the left, in what she hoped was the correct direction, she prayed to her ancestors to guide her.
I promise I will visit the family grave more often; I will give an offering to the temple; I will stop drinking too much at office events; I will stop cursing at my authors; I will stop lusting after men… Well, gay men at least…
She was fast running out of things to promise when up ahead of her she suddenly recognized the building that had been identified as the estate's bunker. The sound of the dogs had come much closer. Aikawa could even hear their loud panting now and heavy footfalls pounding the turf.
Oh, please… please…
She wanted desperately to look behind her, but she had run track in high school and knew that such a move would break her momentum. So instead, she lowered her head and dug deep. Her burning lungs scorched hotter as she put everything she had into one final burst of speed to carry her to the bunker's door.
Her goal loomed ahead. With every footfall Aikawa expected to feel an iron maw grip her heel.
She still held the lighter and her aerosol, one in each pumping fist, but she'd no idea how much of the spray was left and it certainly wouldn't be enough to take on all three hounds.
But if the door is locked.
Aikawa felt the jolt to her bones as the grass ended and her bare feet slapped the concrete walk that led to the building before her. It seemed as though she'd barely headed down this when she heard the hard scrabble of nails on the cement behind her.
The hand holding lighter reached out before her. The lighter slipped from her fingers as they stretched for the knob, but before she could even gasp out a curse, they were twisting and the door was swinging out towards her.
Hardly letting it open enough to accommodate her passage, Aikawa slipped in. She did curse now, as one of her shoulders hit the door. She could feel her skin tear, beneath her now-ragged blouse. Pushing past this new pain, Aikawa forced herself forwards. The moment she cleared the door, she dropped the aerosol can she was holding and both hands grabbed the door knob and pulled it hard behind her.
No sooner had the latch caught than Aikawa shrieked as one of the hounds' bodies collided with the door. The impact of the hit was hard enough to dent the metal and send a crack spiraling out through the double-paned window.
Even though there were bars over the glass on her side, Aikawa leapt backwards.
Another heavy thud followed as the second mastiff hit. The muffled noise of the dogs' raucous howls and frantic barking bled through the heavy door. The skittering screech of nails against steel as the dogs madly tried to tear through to their prey filled the small entry.
Filled with a primal panic by these sounds, Aikawa turned and bolted blindly down the stairs.
Without his bloody trail to guide him, Santo-Justino felt himself now at a distinct loss. Still, he'd exited Korovin's chamber of death and followed the hall he'd last been in, traveling away from his initial path, allowing himself to be drawn deeper into the bowels of Korovin's mazed world.
After several more twists and turns, the hall that Santo Justino was in ended in a "T." He was filled with a rising sense of frustration, wondering which of the two new directions he should go and knowing he was, in actuality, completely lost. He understood only too well, that with every uniformed step he was losing valuable time.
At a sudden loss for productive motion, Santo Justino had just stepped up to the wall before him to mark another of his guiding crosses, when a glint off the slick floor at the far reach of the corridor to left caught his eye.
Moving quickly to this, Santo Justino found himself looking down at a drying puddle of fluid. The hall reeked of stomach bile and sperm.
Is this from Usami or someone else?
The detective felt his heart accelerate and his spirit revive as he thought of the empty bags in Korovin's freezer.
One of Korovin's captives, maybe?
Looking up from this spew, just beyond it, Santo Justino saw a good sized black duffle, apparently abandoned, sitting open on the floor.
Stepping quickly over to it, the detective squatted down. Peering into the bag, he stuck in a tentative hand and shifted the contents. Whoever the bag belonged to, he was loaded for bear. Given some of the tools in the duffle, its owner was obviously intent on causing someone some significant and painful damage.
He picked up a crisp leather wallet from the bottom of the rucksack and flipped it open. The name that greeted him was new, but the cool eyes staring back at him were very familiar.
Usami.
A new fear gripped him. He'd obviously underestimated his client. And what was more, given the contents of the sack, it was clear that the man had been pushed over the edge.
While he still didn't think that Usami had any chance in a face to face confrontation with Korovin, Santo Justino felt even more strongly now that he had to locate these two men soon.
His mind flashed to the cold depths of Korovin's freezer and to the report of all Korovin's other atrocities. While he knew all too well the rage that gripped Usami, he believed wholeheartedly that what Korovin's victims needed was justice… Not revenge.
Akihiko unbuttoned the black cuffs of his shirt with aplomb, despite the burn of Korovin's lecherous eyes traveling over his flesh. His pale skin glowed against the dark fabric. Cuffs undone, he pulled out of his sleeves with a certain languid grace, though his gaze was constantly flickering to the remote clasped in Korovin's hand, checking to see if the man's thumb had shifted.
Korovin gave a cackle of satisfaction when Akihiko's wrist sheath was revealed.
Akihiko met his over-bright eyes and he shrugged. "You know, they make these things so light nowadays, it's easy to forget you're wearing one."
Korovin snorted at this.
"Take it off and throw it to the side."
Akihiko nodded and complied. "You can't blame me for trying." His tone was light, but his face was grim as the sleeve-scabbard clattered against the floor, far to his right.
"Ah... but I can punish you for it."
Akihiko bowed his head at these words, glimpsing Korovin's thumb ever so lightly tapping the trigger.
The gun Jadir had taped high up between his shoulder blades burned like a brand against his skin. He'd had Jadir dry his skin as best he could, before applying the surgical tape, but feeling the nervous sweat, dripping down his back now, Akihiko prayed it would hold until he had his chance.
It would be so easy, to reach back. One quick move…
But as long as Korovin literally held Misaki's life in his hand, there was no way he could risk it.
"While you're considering your behavior… and I your punishment…" Korovin's voice snapped Akihiko from his thoughts. "Jadir, come!" Korovin's command was clear and demanding.
Akihiko's lowered eyes shifted to Jadir, who seemed to be locked into another spasm.
"I don't think he can make it. I'd best help him."
"You stay where you are, Usami!" Korovin shot a hard glare at Akihiko. "I imagine you'd like that…
"You… Jadir… and the coat you so gentlemanly offered… All nice and close…"
"No, if he can't walk, Jadir can crawl here."
Akihiko watched, his insides tormented as Jadir obeyed and weakly dragged himself towards Korovin, pulling the coat along in his remaining, white-knuckled hand. The boy was obviously in a tremendous amount of pain.
He was about five feet from his captor when Korovin stopped him.
"Push the coat to me, Jadir."
Though it seemed to take him an extraordinary effort, Jadir tossed the jacket towards his master, but it fell short.
Korovin growled in annoyance and stepped forward. He caught the fabric with his foot and pulled the coat towards him; his trigger hand holding steady. When the garment was resting at his feet, he bent down to retrieve it.
He disregarded Jadir, who now lay curled on his side, breathing heavily. Jadir's hand grasped his lower belly. Even when the boy uttered a low moan, Korovin kept his eyes fixed on Akihiko.
The two men stared at each other unblinkingly.
Korovin draped the jacket over the arm that held the remote and his free hand very carefully rubbed lightly over one pocket. His brow quirked and a moment later he stuck his fingers gingerly in and pulled it inside out.
It was empty.
The Doc cocked his head slightly and his eyes flickered between the empty pocket and Usami. He noted a tic in Usami's brow and a different shade in the man's pale eyes. Korovin's hand sought out the jacket's other pocket.
Going through the same process soon revealed it to be empty as well.
Korovin felt a perverse joy in the shocked expression that now showed so plainly on Usami's face. But he was unprepared for the sudden outburst that followed.
"What the fuck, Jadir? Where's the knife?"
Jadir lifted his head. Whatever tremor had gripped him just minutes ago seemed to have passed. Rather than turn to answer Akihiko's furious query, Jadir looked over at Korovin with pleading eyes.
"Gone."
At this single word, croaked from Jadir's ragged throat, Korovin's face lit up with wide and wicked smile. Korovin allowed the coat to flutter down from his arms. His chest swelled with a mad pleasure at his pet's action and Usami's fist-clenching rage.
He stepped over to Jadir, grabbed the boy by his close cropped hair with his free hand and pulled his pet up to his feet. Once raised, Korovin's hand slipped down and gripped Jadir's slender throat.
Keeping one eye on Usami, his trigger hand held out to the side, Korovin kissed Jadir savagely, re-splitting the boy's already broken bottom lip. Jadir's hand grasped Korovin's strong wrist as he fought to stay upright. His two fingers scrabbled against his captor's flesh as his breath was cut short by the broad thumb crushing his windpipe.
Jadir thrashed weakly but at last submitted and stilled. As soon as he did this, Korovin released his pet's mouth and lessened his grip on his throat.
Korovin's eyes left Usami for only an instant. He sought out Jadir's and once he knew he'd touched the soul of the boy, beneath the fluttering lids; he gave a quick glance down at the youth's slick, distended belly.
"Three more months…"
"Well, I suppose it should comfort me to know you could do at least one thing right, Pet." Korovin relinquished his hold on Jadir completely with a shove and Jadir staggered sideways and crumpled.
Akihiko knew he should have taken a shot while Korovin had been attending to Jadir, but the boy had been in front of the demon.
Had his anger at the supposedly "gone" knife been real and not a play to appeal to Korovin's pride and get Jadir close enough to his master to strike out, Akihiko supposed he could have shot without hesitation. However, Jadir had shown such immense bravery in this precarious gamble, so, even as close as the youth seemed to death, Akihiko found he could not let it come from his own hand.
Mercy though this might be.
His eyes lingered on Jadir's still form for only a second. The boy looked to be unconscious, his breathing labored and shallow.
Akihiko knew he was on his own now. Lavender eyes flicked back to Korovin who was obviously gloating.
"I imagine that must be quite a blow to your ego, Usami. Especially since it seems there are generally few who are impervious to your charms." Korovin's tongue flicked out and licked a spot of Jadir's blood from the corner of his mouth.
Akihiko's bare shoulders twitched in what might be read as another shrug. "What should I have expected? I did put a gun to his head.
"But it was worth a shot."
Korovin's brow twitched at how quickly his opponent had recovered his composure. He couldn't wait to break Usami of his cool impertinence. His thumb ghosted around the remote's trigger and he was pleased with how quickly Usami's countenance changed. The broad shoulders dipped ever so slightly but this time they stayed down.
"Anything else you'd like to confess? I will tell you now, the price of your first penance is already going to be damnably high." Korovin held out the remote, relishing watching Usami shift uneasily.
"I have an ankle sheath as well."
Korovin grinned broadly. "Well, let's see it then. And you can lose the rest of your clothes now, the shoes too, while you're at it."
Rather than bend down, knowing that if he did, Korovin would see his gun, Akihiko dropped gracefully without complaint into a seated position on the floor and began untying his shoes. He stripped off his socks next and then undid the ankle sheath.
He was preparing to throw it off to the side as he had the wrist sheath, but Korovin stopped him.
"I'd like to see the knife."
I'd like you to see it too… Closely. Akihiko's mouth formed a grim line as he pulled the blade from its scabbard. It glinted wickedly under the light.
"Nice…" Korovin looked appreciatively from the blade to Usami.
"Think you can hold on to that while divesting yourself of the rest of your clothes?"
Akihiko studied Korovin, curiously. He grunted at the rhetorical question and then rose slowly to his feet, blade in hand and began to undo his belt.
"You know, Usami, you're not the only one who's been withholding a little information here." Korovin's voice had taken on a sly, smug tone.
Akihiko's hands stilled and one eyebrow cocked.
"I don't think I told you to stop. Off!"
Akihiko kept his gaze coolly fixed on Korovin as his thumbs hooked the top of both his pants and his briefs and began to slide these down off his narrow hips.
Korovin was silent as he watched Usami's pants slip down revealing long muscular legs. His eyes swept back up over Usami, in his entirety then. He admired the broad shoulders and developed, but tightly-muscled chest.
Akihiko's normally lean lines had sharpened in Misaki's absence. The ridges of his taut belly were more pronounced, as was the sinewy strength of his arms.
Dropping his gaze down again, Korovin's eyes took on a feverish glint at the sight of his adversary's heavy ball sac and limp cock. He licked his lips with a thick tongue.
"Impressive. I guess you're not conventionally Japanese in more ways than one." Korovin nodded at Usami's member, sizable even when un-aroused.
Akihiko's face remained unmoved but his eyes narrowed.
Racist bastard.
Korovin caught the subtle gesture and smiled, feeling he was getting an excellent understanding now of his new grownup toy.
Let's play a bit.
"As I was saying before I got distracted... About information withheld, naughty secrets kept... You might be interested to know about a lovely hallucinogenic I've engineered. I administered it to your little whore some time back.
"It was designed to locate the mind's most terrible memories and call them forth with great clarity. It traps its taker into the most horrible nightmares that go on for hours, built on the recipient's life events. It doesn't matter if one's eyes are open or closed, if he is conscious or unconscious.
"You should have heard your little rabbit hole screaming when his mangled parents came for an extended visit. Or when his older brother wanted to lock him away for being a deviant."
Korovin's face took on an evil leer. "Or when he begged you not to rape him, but you wouldn't stop pounding him." He cackled seeing the effect this had on Usami. He watched as Usami's face fell and Korovin thought for a moment author was even tearing up.
"Hmmm… or was that me? I get so confused sometimes…"
Akihiko's voice was barely a whisper. "I am nothing like you."
"Maybe so… But if that's true, why don't you take that knife and show me where it's going to hurt you the most when I press this trigger.
"Heart… Or cock?
"First, punishment… You choose."
Akihiko looked at Korovin with a solemn expression on his face. His voice was filled with disdain. "As if there was any question."
Without any hesitation he pressed the blade of the knife to his chest.
Korovin was annoyed by Usami's haughty tone.
"Show me."
Pressing the steel to his skin, Akihiko tried to keep his face still. Not because of the pain he felt as the blade bit into his flesh, but because next to Korovin he suddenly saw Jadir twitch.
Akihiko bit his bottom lip drawing blood and gritted his teeth as he pressed the knife down at an angle, driving the tip much deeper into his chest than he knew was prudent. He grunted at the pain and felt his skin and the muscle beneath give.
The surface over his heart began weeping; the crimson slick of it ran down his the center of his encouraged the flow pressing further and the blood welled. It took all he had not to cry out.
The trail rolled down the core of him from chest to cock.
Akihiko's dick twitched at the warmth; he felt his own blood begin to drip off its tip.
Korovin was mesmerized by the sight of the blood. His eyes had been riveted from the first moment the blade had touched Akihiko's skin but now he was all but panting. In his lust, Korovin's grip on the remote had lightened. His thumb, along with other parts of him, no doubt, had lifted.
He was enraptured, completely oblivious to the figure rousing beside him.
It was only a few seconds later, but to Akihiko it seemed like an eternity, when Korovin's open-mouthed leer turned into a twisted mask.
Korovin screamed and the remote fell from his hand as it unconsciously dropped to locate the origin of the sudden excruciating pain that shot through his leg even as it crumpled beneath him.
Inuyasha lover33- Sorry I missed you the last round of shout outs. Thanks for the review!
Alcuzey- Yes, poor Jadir. Something is definitely going on with him. Yeah, I remember that movie. Brrrrrr... And faced with the realities of a sick mind like Korovin's is shocking. Glad it impacted you.
Jackattack456- Thanks so much. I have really been enjoying these last chapters. Usami is such a complex character, as are all the players in this fic. I will do my best to pull Jadir through this, but he's in very bad shape now. So we'll have to see. I'll do my best to keep up the pace till the end.
Katrinadianne- I am back. Well, I never actually left, I just went into hiding for a while. I am glad you're enjoying this story. I have to say, I have been quietly enjoying your fic "When Cherry Blossoms Fall." Nice work and looking forward to your updates as well.
Pheonixette101- read your profile, so cute how you misspelled your name. I like it. Gives you character. And I love your enthusiasm and your fun wording. I shall now have to add "Shamazing" to my list of new vocabulary too. (Glad you like my lemons as well...Heh)
Primordium- Thank you and I will do my best to keep him with us. Don't make any promises though.
Puppyfacetwo- It is building and as you see in the next chapter, it reached its bursting point. Sad about your dog and fire. My dachshund is that way with vacuum cleaners.
Suniichan- Thank you. So happy you're enjoying it. Hope you check out some of my other pennames if you haven't already.
Amaya Kawano- What a sweet "thank you." I am so pleased to have such an empathetic reader and that you're enjoying this piece so much. Thank you for letting me know!
Dragonish- I left a note for you on youtube. Not sure if I did it right. Anyway, I look forward to hearing your ideas. I appreciate reader input.
TBF101- My Flamingo, I love your pet name for Korovin. I also love the thought of keeping you on your toes. And yes, I have been wanting a naked Usami for a while. Korovin is not the only evil bastard out there you know... * wink.
Barrettachante- Thank you, Koi! I enjoy keeping you preoccupied. Not sure about literary genius, but I am having a hell of a lot of fun with this story now.