The Lone Vigilante Issei – High School DxD
Hey everyone, it's me Hide Shinyama.
Sorry for the late release, but I've been quite lazy as of late. I don't seem to be getting into writing lately, but it only changes once I begin. Other reasons included are the number of job interviews that I had to deal with and college applications (because it's that time of the year now). There were some other distractions, too. What are those other distractions? Well, I'll reveal it to you in an extra chapter someday.
Anyway, on with the story.
In the last chapter, Issei and his classmates had been caught up in a terrorist takeover at Hotel Entertainment. Everyone in the hotel has been caught, but Issei managed to escape into the vents. Now, he is trying to get out of the vents and figure out what is going on.
What will Issei discover about these hijackers? Are Sanma and the others be alright? How will Issei cope?
Find out in…
Chapter 36 – Hotel Crisis – Rescue
3rd of October, Saturday, 7:05 pm – in the vents, Hotel Entertainment
"I hope I can get out soon. Staying in this position really isn't fun…" Issei said, trying his best to ignore the discomfort of his horizontal position.
[I agree. It really is a pain to know that my host has to resort to slinking away like a worm when you could be facing them head on] Ddraig agreed.
"You know, I'm not sure how to feel about that statement…" Issei responded. He felt like Ddraig was poking fun at him again.
Issei shook his head and moved on. He had been crawling around for quite a while now, trying to look for a way out. He didn't know where to go and he had no intention of sitting around (figuratively) and waiting for Matsuda to set up the more detailed map, so Issei decided to take the initiative.
Just then, the wristwatch rang and Issei picked it up.
"Issei, I did it! Phoebe has just scanned the place and created the map. Check your watch," Matsuda proudly announced.
Issei checked the display and was amazed. Not only, did it tell him where he was, but also every detail in the hotel, such as floors, rooms and even the various people in it. Granted, he wasn't able to see precise photographs of the places scanned, but this was also good.
"Thanks, Matsuda. I appreciate it," Issei thanked his friend. "Is Phoebe fine though? I mean, what if the terrorists discover her?"
"Not a problem. I had her shrink down to the smallest size possible. There's no way they will discover her, unless they have sharp eyes – if they even bother to check out every square inch of sky in their immediate vicinity," Matsuda stated with confidence for who in their right mind would do that?
"Good to know. Now, how do I get out of here…?" Issei asked himself partially, looking at the map.
He studied the map and then made a frown.
"According to the map, you should be able to reach the locker rooms of the swimming pool area. That's the best and safest way to get out of the vents," Matsuda suggested.
Issei remained silent.
"Issei?" Matsuda spoke up. "What's wrong?" he wondered.
"It's… never mind… I'll get you later. See you," Issei hung up.
He face palmed himself.
"I knew I should have gone left instead of right…" Issei murmured, as he tried to go back the way he came.
It turned out that he took a wrong turn at the junction earlier and now had to backtrack his way there.
And upon doing so, he discovered another problem.
"Dang it!" Issei cursed.
The vents were so cramped, he could not turn around.
3rd of October, Saturday, 7:10 pm – elsewhere in the vents, Hotel Entertainment
Now, Issei was on the right way.
The reason why Issei took the way back to the junction was because the way he had gone previously was a dead end. Okay, it wasn't exactly a dead end, but the only way onwards from that path was up. Issei was not in a mood to spider climb up the vents, which is why he took the current route. That way, he could climb down to the vents, just as Matsuda said.
Annoying, considering he had to crawl backwards this whole time. Luckily, he was able to reach the junction from earlier where he could turn himself around. Now, he was crawling forward and hopefully he was going to get out of the vents soon.
He heard the sound of water sloshing in the distance. The distinct smell of chlorine entered his nostrils. Sure enough, he was at the swimming pool area. Issei was tempted to take a swim at that moment, but shook his head. Now wasn't the time to take a plunge.
Moving further, his ears caught the sound of what seemed like whimpering and sobbing coming from below. Issei stopped for a moment. He tried to figure out what it was, but could not.
Issei checked the map on his watch. The locker rooms were just around the corner. He was getting close. That was when he noticed the white spots in the room next to the locker room to which he was heading towards. What were they supposed to be?
Issei reached a grate on his way. He looked down below and saw a relatively narrow room with lockers on both sides and a bench in the middle.
"Perfect! This is it. Now, all I need to do is get down from here…" Issei said, happy at finally being able to get out.
He summoned the Boosted Gear and grasped the grate. Issei pulled…
[Boost!]
With increased strength, Issei tore open the grate and yanked it away from where it was with much force. He laid it aside in the vent and carefully moved to edge of the opening.
"Okay… I hope I don't hurt myself while doing this…" Issei said to himself. He realized that he needed to find a way down without falling – a more difficult task than he had expected.
Nevertheless, he had an idea. He lunged himself over the gap, leaving his body carefully suspended over the gap, carefully moved his body forward and then dropping his lower body to dangle below.
Issei checked down below to see if it was safe to drop down. No obstacles were below, nor was the drop too high… Good let's do this…
Issei let go off the vent and landed on his feet. His fall was not exactly graceful, for he fell forward, but managed to blunt his fall with his hands and rolling on his side.
"Yeesh! I've got to practice my landing skills in the future…" Issei mentally noted.
He got up and looked around in the darkness of the locker room. At that moment, he could hear the voices from before in the next room, except this time it was much more audible than before. But to Issei's discomfort, the owners of the voices were letting out terrified screams.
"KYAH!" "STOP, PLEASE I BEG YOU!" "YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!"
A mixture of women's voices was heard, crying in outrage and fear. But then the screams were silenced…
"SHUT UP, B****!" a man's voice shouted.
[BAM!]
Fear turned into horror, as a gun shot rang out in the next room. Issei froze in shock. He feared the worst. They didn't…
Issei's instincts told him to remain where he was, but his mind told him to take a look. Nearing the door, he looked through the key hole and saw an image, which would haunt his dreams for the next nights.
Inside were a number of men and women, wearing swimming trunks or bathing suits. All of them were on the floor with each of the men making sure they didn't do anything unwanted. The hostages were cowering and trembling at the presence of three men in black leather clothing. Each one of them had a gun and one of them had just discharged his gun. What made the scene so haunting was where the gun had aimed at.
It was the body of a man, freshly bleeding from a bullet wound through his head.
The hostages reacted in utter fear and terror. Some had looked away, others were crying silently and others were wailing, their psyche utterly broken. Issei himself was also trembling, but in his case it was not so much from horror. Rather, it was from a rage, he never thought he would ever have in his life. And yet, he did.
Smirking disgustingly, one of the men spoke up. "Now, you listen up. The next time any of you say or do something stupid, remember this," he gestured his hand to the dead man.
The other two men laughed, as the hostages shivered in fright. Issei could practically smell the fear in the room.
Looking around, one of the men grabbed a woman wearing a black bikini by her long black hair, yanking her up and making her cry in pain.
"You look nice… You're coming with me…" he said and licked his lips.
The woman widened her eyes in horror. The terrorist's lustful grin told her everything. Yet, she could do nothing as he dragged her by the hair. Her face twisted in agony because of the pain from her head, as she was dragged to the locker room where Issei was.
Before the terrorist entered, he turned around to face his colleagues. "Hey, you two keep watch. I'm going to have some fun with this girl here."
"Don't take too long. It's my turn after that," one of his colleagues answered.
With a thumbs up, the man opened the door and dragged his poor victim into the darkness of the room. The door was shut behind them. The woman was thrown on top of the bench in the room, while the rapist terrorist straddled her.
By then, Issei had retreated into the darkness of the room, hiding out of sight behind a locker. He watched as the man ripped the woman's bikini top off her body. The poor woman whispered and tried to get him off her, but the man was too strong.
"Don't struggle. I promise you'll feel like you're in Heaven once I plunge my thing into you…" the terrorist said as he dropped. He started to take off his pants to the woman's horror.
Issei couldn't bear it anymore. He wanted to just lunge at the terrorist and end him then and there. But because of the two gunmen and their hostages in the next room, it wasn't wise to that. Who knew what these men would do?
Issei realized he had to take the men out quietly one by one to minimize harm.
Using the darkness to his advantage, Issei snuck forward. He slowly approached the terrorist, who was too busy preparing himself for the upcoming rape session to notice Issei. The woman didn't notice Issei either, she was trying her best to free herself.
"Please… Don't…" the woman cried quietly.
"Oh, come on, babe…" the terrorist grinned and panted at the naked woman beneath him. "Don't cry. You and I will have a great time toge- HMPHPHHHH!?"
The man was seized by Issei from behind. The woman managed to get away from under the terrorist and crawled away to the other end of the room as quickly as she could. The man struggled and tried to pry Issei's hand off his face. But Issei kept him in check. He used his left arm with the Boosted Gear to choke the man by the neck. He gasped and coughed until he fell unconscious. Issei laid the man's limp body on the bench and made sure he was unconscious, before checking up on the woman.
He quickly dismissed the Boosted Gear before doing so. He didn't want people finding about his abilities, after all.
The naked woman flinched in fright and was about to scream. But Issei motioned with his hands in a calming manner.
"Easy! I won't hurt you! So, please…" Issei whispered in an authoritative but calm manner.
It worked. The woman calmed down and relaxed. She then realized that she was completely topless and hastily covered her chest with her arms.
Issei blushed and had a bit of a nosebleed. Her boobs were quite big…
He shook his head. 'This isn't the time, Issei…' he thought to himself.
"Are you alright?" Issei asked the woman.
The woman nodded once. She looked at him wearily, still suspicious of Issei. She looked around in the darkness.
"Is something wrong?" Issei asked her.
"My bikini… it's around here somewhere… but I can't see…" the dark-haired woman answered.
Issei looked around as well. Thanks to his dragonized eyes, this was an easy feat.
"Over there," Issei pointed at the corner of the room where her black top lay.
The woman strained her eyes to adjust herself to the darkness. She looked at the corner and saw what she wanted to look for. She went over and picked it up. As she put it on, Issei turned his eyes away.
Although he enjoyed peeping at girls while they were changing, there was something about the current situation that made it feel particularly wrong. Maybe it was because the woman had almost been raped just a minute ago and was still recovering from the shock. Maybe it also had to do with the fact that there was a terrorist takeover and people's lives were in danger.
In either case, Issei really didn't feel like it. He had to focus. There were two gunmen in the room next door and he needed to figure out how to take them out and save the hostages. One wrong move and they could be dead.
"You… Who are you?" the woman asked Issei calmly, interrupting his thoughts.
"Me? Just a lucky passerby that got here from crawling through the vents like a spy agent," Issei answered in a light-hearted manner.
The woman looked at him with an uncertain expression. Then, they heard something from the other room. It was the sound of a smack.
"Shut up! If you don't quit your whining, you're dead!" one of the gunmen threatened someone.
The woman turned her face back to Issei. "Please, you've got to do something! They're going to kill them at this rate!" she pleaded with Issei.
Issei nodded and went back to thinking. He was in a room with a woman and there were hostages and two hostage-takers in the other room. The third one was unconscious and lying here in this room. And lastly, it was dark in this room and bright in the next one.
Could he cook up a plan with all these facts in mind?
"Umm… sir?" the woman addressed him worried.
"Tell me. Are there any more terrorists other than those three here?" Issei pointed at the unconscious man in the room and the room next door.
The woman thought for a bit. She shook her head.
"No, only those three. When we were enjoying ourselves, only these three came in to take us hostage. It was horrible. They fired warning shots and told us to come out of the water. They brought all of us into the men's dressing room next door. The rest you know…" the woman ended her explanation quietly. It was clear she was still shaken up by the experience.
Issei took it in. He mulled over it, as stroked his chin with his fingers.
"Tell me, what's going on here? Why are they doing this?" the woman asked of Issei.
"I don't know," Issei answered with a bit more annoyance in his tone than he wanted to. "And we don't have time for explanations, we've got to help them. But to do that, I need to think."
The women went silent and Issei resumed his thoughts from before.
Could he cook up with a plan with all that information he heard?
The answer was, of course!
Issei turned his attention back to the woman. "Listen, I've got a plan. But I need your help on this. Here's what we'll do…" he said and told her what to do.
After, he finished telling her his plan, Issei steeled himself.
'I hope I can do this…' he thought to himself.
3rd of October, Saturday, 7:12 pm – in the locker room with the hostages, Hotel Entertainment
"That's strange…" one of the terrorists remarked to his colleague.
"What is?" the man asked him.
"Jonas should be getting in on the action in there," the first man pointed with his thumb at the other room. "I would have thought we would be hearing noises, like 'Ohhh…' or 'Ahhh' or 'Nooo…'. Instead, all we get is silence. Absolute silence."
"Maybe, the walls are soundproof, " the second man guessed.
"Somehow, I don't think so…" the first man muttered.
Just as he said that, they heard the woman who was dragged inside scream.
"See? What did tell you?" the first man told his colleague.
"Please, help him! He suddenly just collapsed!" the woman cried out.
This got everyone's attention. The two men immediately went to the door and opened it. They stepped into the darkness and saw the woman cowering at the back of the room with their unconscious colleague, lying on the floor.
"What is going on here!?" the two men rushed towards their fallen comrade.
A big mistake.
As they made their way over to the woman, they failed to notice that one of the locker doors was open. Had they done so; they would have noticed Issei lying in wait for them inside. And just when they passed by him with their backs exposed…
[BAM!] a gunshot rang out.
With a cry, one of the men fell to the floor with a hole in his back. The other colleague looked at his comrade in disbelief at the sudden turn of events.
He turned around and pulled out his gun, but Issei, despite using a gun for the first time in his life, was faster.
[BAM!]
With another shot, the second man fell to the ground with a hole in his chest.
After a few seconds of silence, Issei dropped the gun and fell on his knees exhausted. The black-haired woman had curled herself in a ball with her ears covered. She uncovered hear ears and saw the fallen men lying motionless on the ground. She crawled to their bodies to feel their pulse.
No pulse could be felt.
"Are they dead?" Issei asked the woman.
Issei looked at her calmly, but inwardly he felt conflicted and unsettled. Killing human beings was never an easy thing to do.
She nodded calmly, trying her best to keep her unease at check.
Issei said nothing. He got up without a word and turned towards the door.
"Let's check on the others," Issei said and went ahead.
The woman followed him quickly, not wanting to remain with the corpses.
Issei was shaking, remembering the cries of death just a few moments ago, ringing in his ears.
'It was just like back then…' Issei thought to himself.
Those were second and third times in which he had killed living human beings, their lives just snuffed out like that. What's worse was that he was using a gun, too. Issei would have been more comfortable using his Boosted Gear to do the kills, but he didn't.
For one, the Boosted Gear was too destructive and would have caused more damage and noise than he would have liked. It would have also alerted the other terrorists and make them come here. With a gunshot, the terrorists could be fooled into thinking that it was one of their own firing it, say, in order to kill a hostage.
The second reason was so that his connection to the supernatural would remain a secret as much as possible. Ddraig had already complained about how easy he flashed the Boosted Gear in front of people.
[Be very careful about the people around you who find out about your powers and me. The more people know about them, the more unnecessary attention you will get. You were lucky with Sanma, Ryuga and the Tengu family. But sooner or later, you will come across nefarious humans or supernatural beings disguised as humans friendlier than friendly motives. I don't think I need to say what will happen when they find out. So, hide your Boosted Gear from everybody uninvolved with the supernatural] Ddraig told him once.
Hence, why Issei had picked the gun instead of using the Boosted Gear. But using it caused some unpleasant memories to surface.
Like that night in the alleyway…
'Calm down, Issei… just calm down…' Issei told himself to stop his body from trembling.
He took in a deep breath and exhaled. It worked… Now, on to the hostages…
Upon entering the room with the hostages, he was greeted by looks of shock and fear. Some had flinched back and others were too stunned by Issei's appearance to say anything.
Issei held his hands up to calm them. "Relax. I'm not with the terrorists. I'm here to help you," Issei assured them.
Once the black-haired woman appeared from the room, the hostages were immensely relieved, their spirits lifted. They all stood up and rejoiced. Some of them were narrating Issei with questions.
"Are you really here to save us?"
"Who are you? How did you do it?"
"What's going on? Why did these people attack us?"
Issei was overwhelmed by the throng of liberated hostages that he motioned them to keep their distance.
"Easy, easy, calm down… I need you people to calm down and listen. Okay?" Issei ordered them, trying his best to keep them under control.
The former hostages quickly understood and backed off. They waited for Issei to speak.
"Now, I'm sure you've gone through a lot and I'm sure you want to leave this nightmare for good. However…" Issei paused, causing people to tense at what Issei had to say next. "…the terrorists you saw here are far from the only ones. In fact, the entire building is under their control."
Gasps and fearful whispering broke out among the people, some of them asking out loud what to do.
"So, what I have to say is this. I want you people to all stay put right here. I wish I could tell you people to leave, but I'm afraid the way to the main entrance and the hallways are filled with gunmen, so I'm sorry to say this, but…" Issei spoke and was about to say more when a man dressed in a life-guard shirt and swimming trunks spoke out.
"Wait! If I may say something about that please?" the life-guard spoke up.
"Okay…" Issei consented and gestured the man to speak.
Everybody turned their attention to the life-guard, who cleared his throat first before speaking.
"About the way out, there is no need to go out through the main entrance," the life-guard revealed.
Issei and the hostages paid the man rapt attention.
"What do you mean?" Issei asked of the man.
"I'm saying that there is another way to leave the place. And it's not only the fastest way to get out, but the safest way, too," the life-guard revealed to everyone's shock.
The other hostages instantly crowded around him.
"There is? Which way?" they demanded fervently.
The life-guard was caught off guard by the throng of people, begging him to answer the question.
Nevertheless, the man soon found his composure to answer.
"It's at the back of the swimming hall. If any of you have noticed, there's a fire exit. That fire exit leads to an outdoor lounge area and a pool, which is closed for the season. In that area, there is a perimeter wall a good distance further. Somewhere alongside the wall, there is an emergency exit which leads you out into the street. That's how we get out," the life-guard explained.
Everybody was starting to cheer and clap, but Issei waved his arms in the air in a bid to quiet down the people.
"Hey, not so loud!" Issei silenced them. "What if the terrorists hear the commotion and come down here?"
The rescued hostages instantly went silent. He had a point…
"Look, I know you people are happy, but none of us are safe just yet. We only will be until we get out of here. Mr. Life-guard, you must be trained in evacuating people like in a fire alarm, right? Can you lead them out?" Issei asked the life-guard.
The life-guard nodded. "Yes, I can. Although, it's another matter if it's a hostage situation like now. I mean, what if there are shooters watching from above?"
"Shooters?"
"From above…?"
"It can't be…"
Panicked whispers broke out from among the people, some desperate and others terrified.
Issei cursed within himself. Shooters looking down below? He completely forgot about that.
It seemed like running straight towards the exit was going to be more difficult than he imagined.
'Of course… as though a situation like this could ever be so easy…' Issei mentally murmured.
They needed to come up with a plan – a fail-proof one at that. As Issei considered what action to take, he heard the life-guard give out instructions.
"Alright, listen up. I know we're all worried and shaken about what has happened today. But we can all live through this if we do this right. Everybody, take your keys for your lockers and take out what you need. Take only the most necessary things with you. Don't take too much time getting dressed because the terrorists are going to find out that we're free. You've got one minute to get ready. I'll go over to the life-guard booth to find the keys for the exit. I want you to be ready by the time I get back. Now move it!" the man clapped his hands and everybody quickly got to their lockers to take out their stuff.
In that moment, Issei could not help but feel like having the limelight stolen from him. It's not that he wanted to have all the attention for himself, rather it felt like an unexpected dark horse of a player came in and gotten attention in ways he didn't imagine.
Not that it was a bad thing though… In fact, with people like this, where would the world be?
"Excuse me…" the life-guard addressed Issei as politely as he could.
Issei turned to face the man.
"Can you watch keep a lookout for shooters? You're the only one capable of dealing with them," the life-guard asked of him.
"Sure, why not?" Issei simply replied.
"Good. I really have to thank you for saving us. I don't know what we could have done without you…" the life-guard replied with a light smile, before heading out.
Issei went out to let the people dress in peace, while he watched the corridor between the dressing rooms and the hallway of the hotel. Looking into the darkness of the hotel, it felt ominous, as if evil beings of all kinds lay there. Granted, there were terrorists patrolling there and Issei knew it, but somehow it felt like… there was more to it. Something foreboding…
"Excuse me…" the life-guard interrupted Issei from his thoughts.
Issei faced the man and saw that the man had gotten his keys.
"Any sign of shooters?" he queried.
"Nope," Issei said, shaking his head.
"Good. Then we're good to go," the life-guard said, his keys jingling as he went.
The rescued hostages had already gotten dressed and packed. Some had barely managed to so because of how little time they had. The women looked particularly untidy because of their unkempt hair. But in a situation of life and death that didn't matter.
"I hope you're ready. It's time to leave. I want you all to remain as quiet as possible while we head out. You will all follow me to the emergency exit and then stay there, while this kid and I," the life-guard said referring to Issei and himself. "…scout the area outside to look for the door. Once we've found it and made sure the coast is clear, we will signal you to go. You'll go two by two, so as not to attract the attention of any shooters on the top floors. Most importantly, stay as quiet as possible. Understood?" the life-guard whispered the last part, to which the former hostages nodded.
The group of people departed, walking as quietly as they could. The sound of quiet splashing made by shoes on the wet floor and the sound of pool water were the only things that could be heard. It was dusk outside and it was getting dark. It felt sinister, especially considering that the lights were off in the swimming hall.
They got to the glass door leading them outside. The life-guard stepped forward and used the keys to open it. The fresh cool evening air hit everyone – a welcome contrast to the stuffy chlorine air of the swimming hall. It felt like they were free at last…
"Kid?" the life-guard addressed Issei.
"Yeah," Issei responded with a nod.
Nothing more needed to be said. They knew what they needed to be done.
Issei and the life-guard stepped out into the outdoor pool lounge area.
Just like inside the swimming hall, it was also dark and quiet. Only the sound of the water splashing against the edge of the pool and the sound of footsteps could be heard. The only differences were that the pool was significantly smaller and the smell of chlorine was absent.
But both of them knew that the enemy was near. Utmost caution was taken.
"Kid? Could you wait here and watch my back for me?" the life-guard asked Issei.
"Okay. But are sure you don't…" Issei tried to argue.
"It's okay. The door is right over there," the life-guard pointed at a certain section of the perimeter wall where Issei could see the rough outline of a door. "I'll give you a signal. Then you can start telling the first two to come. Okay?"
"Okay, I'll watch your back…" Issei promised.
The life-guard departed for the door, looking around vigilantly for terrorists.
Issei used this opportunity to call Matsuda.
"Matsuda, I need you to do something. Where's Phoebe?" Issei asked him.
"Flying around the building, checking the situation. Issei, it's not looking good. The whole hotel complex has been taken over. There are gunmen all over the place and hostages, numbering in the hundreds across the area," Matsuda told him the dire news.
"Hundreds? Oh goodness…" Issei groaned at what he heard. "What about the police?"
"What about the police…" Matsuda asked confused.
"What about them? There are terrorists here and hundreds of hostages. Do you even have to ask? Where are they?" Issei demanded in frustration.
"Nowhere. I think they don't even know about the situation there," Matsuda replied.
"Then call them. If they don't know about it then they can learn about it from you," Issei told Matsuda.
"I'll get Motohama to do it. Consider it done," Matsuda stated.
"Good… one more thing. Can you have Phoebe tell me in real time how many terrorists inside the building are facing the outdoor pool area? I want to make sure nobody spots us," Issei requested.
"Us? Who is 'us'?" Matsuda wondered.
"Me and a bunch of hostages I helped earlier. We're trying to leave the area through a back door," Issei explained briefly.
"You saved hostages already? That's great! You've got to tell me about it later," Matsuda said enthusiastically.
"I will. Anyway, about what I've asked you to do…" Issei reminded Matsuda.
"No problem. I'll contact you later. See you soon," Matsuda answered.
"Yeah. Later," Issei hung up.
No sooner was he done with the phone call that the life-guard opened the door to the exit. He raised his arm and waved it. That was the signal.
Issei went back to the emergency exit where the freed hostages were waiting.
"Okay. Is everyone here?" Issei asked them.
Everybody nodded in the affirmative. Issei counted them. There were 35, men, women and children in total.
"Good. Here's what we'll do. Each of you will go two by two at my signal. You see the life-guard back there where the door is? That's where you'll be heading. When I say go, you run. Don't look back and don't stop for anything until you've gone through the door. All right?" Issei instructed them.
They nodded. But one of the hostages, the woman that Issei had saved from rape earlier, had a concern.
"What about the shooters in the upper floors? What do we do when they start shooting?" she asked.
"You just keep running. The faster you run, the better. That's all I can say. In fact, let's give it a trial run. You two…" Issei pointed at an older couple. "…can set the example."
"What? Us?" the old man said surprised.
"Why us?" the man's wife asked.
"I think the most vulnerable should get to safety first. Now, are you ready?" Issei asked them.
The old couple looked at everyone in bewilderment, but when Issei said…
"Go!"
…the old man took his wife's arm and made a dash as fast their old bodies could make.
The distance between the starting point and the door at the perimeter wall was 50 meters. Because of their age, they hobbled more than they could run. Nevertheless, they made it safe and sound, being ushered through the door by the life-guard. The life-guard could be seen giving a thumbs up.
It all took about 20 seconds.
Everybody cheered. The first people had been saved and were free from the terror in the hotel.
"Good. Now, who is next?" Issei asked the group.
The next duo of a middle-aged man and woman volunteered. Being younger, they naturally ran faster and got there in 15 seconds.
"That's good. Who's next?" Issei asked for the next duo.
The next two went and thus a well-structured routine was formed.
At that moment, Issei received a call from his wristwatch.
"Excuse me. Could you take over, ma'am? I need to take this," Issei asked the black-haired woman whom he had personally rescued.
She looked at him confused, but did as she was asked.
Issei proceeded to take the call.
"What gives?" Issei asked.
"Phoebe has just finished checking the upper floors facing the pool area. Most of them are too busy looking over their hostages. They don't have time to look outside," Matsuda explained.
"That's a relief…" Issei said with a smile.
"Yeah, and what's even better is that Phoebe can listen in on their conversations," Matsuda proudly announced.
"Really, huh?" Issei said impressed.
"Yeah, in fact, I found out that the remote control has a loudspeaker function. Check it out!" Matsuda said. "Phoebe, activate loudspeaker function on the controller."
{Loudspeaker activated} Phoebe said and Issei could hear different voices speaking from what seemed to be a walky-talky line.
"What is the matter, Fritzchen?" a man could be heard speaking. He had a noticeable German accent.
"Boss, bad news! Fred and Mark have been killed and the hostages have been freed!" the man called Fritzchen practically cried out.
Hostages were freed? Did the police make a big rescue operation?
"What!?" the boss shouted.
"Somebody strangled me from behind and knocked me out. When I woke up, they were dead and the hostages were gone," Fritzchen explained.
Strangled? Knocked out? That sounded familiar… it sounded just like…
"Incompetence!" the boss said angrily. "They couldn't have gotten far!"
"About that, don't worry. The hostages are just at the other end of the pool hall. They're trying to leave through an emergency exit…" Fritzchen told his boss.
Issei's blood ran cold upon hearing that sentence. No! It couldn't be!
Issei whirled around and saw a shadowy figure through the glass hiding behind the door frame of the room they came out from.
"What should I do, Boss?" Fritzchen could be heard asking.
"Shoot them. Kill anyone that tries to leave," the boss replied coldly.
Before he knew what was happening, Issei burst in through the crowd of people (whose numbers had been reduced to twelve) and shouted.
"EVERYONE RUN FOR IT! WE'VE BEEN SEE-"
[BANG!]
A shot rang out and a bullet struck Issei's chest!
"Argh!" Issei cried out and fell to the ground. He clutched his chest.
In horror and terror, the remaining hostages cried out. They instinctively ran for their lives. The black-haired woman from earlier hesitated. She looked back at Issei with worried eyes.
"GO! GET OUT OF HERE!" Issei shouted.
[BANG!]
Another bullet shot by the approaching terrorist struck Issei, this time in the shoulder.
With that, she sprinted for the perimeter door with all her might. The man fired another bullet at the fleeing woman, but it hit the wall next to the door instead.
Through the wristwatch Issei could hear the boss say, "There has been a breach at the pool area. Hostages are escaping. For those who can, take aim at the hostages down below."
Gunshots rang from above, targeting the fleeing hostages. Issei didn't know whether any of the hostages have been hit or not, but that wasn't his most pressing concern.
"Issei? What's happening? ISSEI!?" Matsuda could be heard yelling at the downed Issei.
"Issei? Do you read me? Issei, come on answer me!" Motohama called out as well.
But Issei didn't answer. He just lay there motionless, not making a sound.
The terrorist named Fritzchen walked up to Issei with a menacing look. He aimed the gun at him for a third time.
"That was for spoiling my fun earlier, you brat," Fritzchen spat as he stood over him ready to finish Issei off.
Suddenly, Issei grabbed his ankle and rose up.
"WHAT!?" Fritzchen shouted as he was caught off balance. He fell with his back to the ground.
Before the terrorist could find his bearings, Issei grabbed his other leg and holding both legs, tossed him in a high arc, in what could be considered a superhuman feat, and…
[SPLASH!]
…into the pool in a huge splash!
Fritzchen floundered about, as he tried to swim. Sadly, he could not because of his lack of swimming skills, leading him to sink deeper into the pool waters. His last thoughts before drowning were about how Issei could survive two shots and still have enough strength to kill him.
How could this be happening…?
Issei got up and grimaced in pain. Being hit by bullets really smarted…
He looked outside to see what became of the hostages. They were gone. Even the life-guard that stood guard at the perimeter door was gone. Issei gave out a huge sigh.
"Good, they made it…" Issei said relieved.
He was glad they were safe. They no longer needed to suffer…
"Issei? Are you there?" Matsuda spoke up again.
"Yeah. I'm here all right," Issei replied.
"Dude! What happened just now? One moment there were shots and in the next you fell. Were you shot?" Motohama spoke up this time.
"Yeah, I'm fine. My chest and shoulder hurt, but nothing broken or bleeding," Issei answered nonchalantly.
"Huh? You got shot by a gun and you're fine? How is that possible?" Matsuda asked.
"Dragon Scales," Issei answered while walking alongside the pool. "Just last week, Ddraig helped me dragonize my torso. My back and chest have dragon scales on them. It's like living armory."
"Man, that's awesome. So that means you're bullet proof, right?" Motohama queried.
"Yeah, but it still hurts," Issei said, as he rubbed his sore shoulder. "The dragonizing is still not complete. I can a bullet or two, but if these guys start shooting machine guns or anything stronger, I might get killed for real."
"Yeah, but still. It's cool! Those terrorists won't stand a chance against you!" Motohama exclaimed proudly.
"Yeah, nobody can kill a dragon this easily! They're invincible! And you're one of them!" Matsuda added.
[Ahem! I'm the dragon here. Young Issei here is just the host] Ddraig spoke up in irritation at being ignored.
"Of course, of course…" Matsuda said offhandedly, not wanting to pick a fight with Ddraig. "But anyway, did you find Sanma and the others?"
Issei blinked in surprise. Oh goodness! He completely forgot about them!
"No, sadly… I did manage to save all the hostages in the pool area," Issei revealed.
"That's good to know," Matsuda said.
Just then, Issei heard Matsuda let out a gasp of surprise.
"What is it, Matsuda?" Motohama asked, wondering about his friend's reaction.
"Issei, bad news! Phoebe just picked up the vital signals of terrorists converging on your position! They're coming from the hotel corridors and coming your way! You've got to get out of there fast!" Matsuda warned Issei.
Issei looked around in alarm, trying to find a way out. He could try to run out through the perimeter wall and out of the complex, but there were shooters ready to gun him down if he did that. He may be able to take in bullets, but only barely so. Running to some other place outdoors was also foolish bfor the same reason. Going through the entrance of the swimming hall was suicide because of the approaching terrorists. Thus, only one way out remained…
Issei sprinted towards the locker rooms. On his way, he could hear the quickened footsteps of multiple people coming towards the swimming hall. Issei rushed into the locker rooms and into the room he dropped into from the vent.
"Here goes…" Issei said and jumped up into the vent. Because he used both arms and his shoulders to climb up, his injured shoulder stung. Issei felt tempted to let go, but he resisted. He scrambled up and got crawling – and just in time.
By the time the men had come, Issei had more or less vanished, leaving only the dead bodies of their three colleagues behind.
"That was a close one…" Issei said, as he crawled through the vents once more. He stopped to nurse his sore shoulder once more.
[Partner. Don't worry. Your shoulder will heal. Just give it some time. A dragon's body is more robust after all] Ddraig said to him.
"Noted," Issei answered and resumed crawling.
That was one long memorable day and it didn't even feel like the end of it. So much violence, terror, adrenaline and shootings all just for… for…
At that moment Issei stopped. What was all of that for?
He slapped himself in the face. He forgot to interrogate those jerks as to why they were doing this!
The wristwatch rang again. It was probably Matsuda again.
"Shoot it," Issei said, as he picked up the call.
"Whoa! What's wrong? You sound pissed!" Matsuda remarked.
"Sorry, it's just… I forgot to ask these terrorists about their motives… you know? For doing this?" Issei said to Matsuda in tired frustration.
"Oh well, I guess I can have Phoebe fly around the building and listen in on them. Oh! By the way, I've got some good news!" Matsuda said positively energized.
"Good news?" Issei asked surprised. What could that be about?
"The hostages have all made it out alive," Matsuda revealed. "No deaths, no injuries. They're waiting just outside the complex near the street waiting for police. In fact, a number if police cars have just made it there and are arriving in big numbers."
"That's really great news," Issei said. His voice didn't show it, but he truly was happy at the bottom of his heart.
"Say, where are you right now?" Matsuda wondered.
"I'm back in the vents. It was the only way of escape. But now, I don't know where to go. If I go back the same way I first got in here, I'll end up back in the bathroom and that's probably guarded by now."
"Yeah, it is…" Matsuda said after checking the live schematics. "Hold on. I'll check…"
After twenty seconds or so, Matsuda finally gave him the answer he was seeking.
"According to the map, you should be able to get to the kitchen near the canteen. Follow the way back, then go a long way straight ahead, then turn right and you can get there," Matsuda instructed Issei.
"Roger that," Issei said and hung up.
He made his way there in that cramped vent, going at a snail's pace.
3rd of October, Saturday, 7:30 pm – back in the locker room, Hotel Entertainment
"What the heck happened here?" asked a terrorist.
He and some of his colleagues were inspecting the place their boss had called them to. Apparently, the hostages here had managed to escape. What's more, it was believed that their comrades in this area were incapacitated as well.
True enough, that was exactly what they found. And it was an ugly sight…
"Man, oh man…" another one shook his head. "Those hostages must have taken their guns and used it on them. These guys were clearly shot."
"And look at Fritzchen," said a third one. "They threw him into the pool. The water killed him. Poor guy. If only he had learned how to swim…"
"How did they even throw him into the middle of the pool? I just can't imagine how this could be possible," said the first man.
Just then, a walky-talky sounded, leading the first man to pick it up.
"Yes?" he asked.
"How is the situation at the pool?" the voice of the boss asked.
"Not good. Our guys have been killed, three in total. All the hostages have escaped, too. They went out through a door connecting the inside of the hotel area with the outside," the terrorist summarized.
"Keep watch there and increase your vigilance to code yellow. Watch out for any intruders. If it moves, kill them," the boss said sternly.
"Yes, Boss. Over and out," the subordinate replied and hung up.
3rd of October, Thursday, 7:34 pm – in the vents, Hotel Entertainment
"Man, I really hate this…" Issei complained. At least, he was getting to his destination.
Issei looked through the grates overlooking a huge hall. Judging by the tables, chairs and the food on them, this had to be the canteen. Issei looked and saw a number of people in fine clothing, kneeling or sitting on the floor. All of them were watched over by men in black suits and guns. Unlike the locker room, which only had less than thirty people, there must be hundreds of people in this room.
"More hostages, great!" Issei murmured at the scene. "And more terrorists, too…"
Issei tried to count the men with guns. There had to be about twenty of them. This was going to be difficult… How on earth was he supposed to save all of them?
Anyway, best to move on… The kitchen is just nearby.
Passing past the walls of the canteen, Issei finally arrived at the kitchen and was just about to reach a grate above the center of the room when…
"Hrgh!" a stifled cry of pain and the sound of a blunt impact could be heard just below Issei's position.
At that moment, Issei recognized that voice. And seeing at the scene below confirmed his suspicions.
It was Sanma! And Cat Fu was there with him!
But the situation wasn't looking good. Sanma was lying on his stomach with his hands behind his back. He was pinned down and surrounded by three men who were either holding him down or taking their turns punching him. Cat Fu was held down, while being touched and fondled all over by two horny terrorists. She had a look of anger and murder on her face, as she definitely glared at the men, all while not giving into the pleasure of being touched. She would have knocked them all out, but there were too many gunmen in the room. She could be killed at any moment, so biding her time was the best choice. Sanma was equally defiant, resisting and enduring everything the terrorists threw at him, glaring angrily.
Other than that, there were cooking staff being subdued as well. Only in their case, they were only guarded by two men, one of whom was experimenting with the stove and making an omelet. Despite that, the cooking staff of five men was way more frightened and intimidated by the terrorists. They were cooperative and sheepish, thus avoiding the abuse Sanma and Cat Fu were getting.
In other words, there were seven of them this time. This was definitely going to be a tougher feat beating them this time.
"Nice butt... so soft…"
"I wanna finger her… That should be more than enough to compensate for that punch from earlier…"
The two perverted terrorists said out loud. Issei clenched his teeth as he heard these words. It may have been a bit hard to hear because of the sound of the stove sizzling, but for Issei it was loud and clear.
"Hrk!"
"You want it to stop? Then stop glaring at me like that," one of the terrorists said after punching Sanma.
"Let me have a few more punches. I'm still sore from being head butted earlier," another terrorist with a bruised cheek said.
"Relax. We've got all night," said a third one who was holding Sanma down at his legs.
"But why?" asked one of the two men guarding the kitchen staff. "I mean, I don't even get it."
"Get what?" asked the terrorist with the bruise.
"This whole operation. A hijack situation like this is almost always suicide. I mean, look at history or movies. See how it turned out for the perpetrators. Even if you don't die, you could end up in jail or on the run. Shouldn't we just issue a ransom for those rich celebrities and business people and take them someplace secret? I mean, why capture the entire hotel. And what is it that we need a whole night for?" the man asked while scratching his head.
At this Issei perked up. That was a good question… he decided to listen in.
"Yeah, that's a good point," the one who had punched earlier remarked. "Why do all this? Those VIP in the top floors would give us more than money for their freedom. Why hold all of the normal people here?" he gestured at the hostages in the room.
The one cooking an omelet spoke up. He used a spatula to put it on a plate before answering.
"First, to make sure nobody leaks out what's going on. And two, I have the feeling that this is more than just some old hijacking operation," the wannabe chef said.
"What? Why?" asked the one groping Cat Fu's butt.
"It's because of the boss. The boss is the kind of person that would never do a job, unless he is sure that the risk is outweighed by the benefits. And something tells me that ransoms aren't what he is after. Even if the boss gets half the country's wealth, it would mean little if he was on the run, let alone dead or in jail," the pseudo-chef explained.
"If ransoms aren't the goal, then… what is?" asked the terrorist groping Cat Fu's boobs.
"Beats me!" the cooking terrorist shrugged and continued his cooking. The smell of omelets reached Issei's nose. It was pleasant, made him feel hungry. But the situation with Sanma was anything but pleasant.
"Hey, why are you pulling out your gun?" one of the terrorists asked his bruised colleague.
"I changed my mind. I don't want punch him, I wanna put a hole in his leg," he replied and aimed at Sanma.
Issei decided he had to do something. He summoned the Boosted Gear on his arm with a green flash and began to push down the grate. The man was right beneath Issei, so if there was any opportunity, it was now!
Sanma widened his eyes and tried to struggle, but the terrorists had a tight grip on him. They forced him to kneel so that their colleague could shoot Issei's leg.
"This is gonna hurt, boy…" the terrorist sadistically grinned and was ready to pull the trigger.
[CLANG!]
"Huh? OW!"
[BANG!]
"HRGH! HACK!?"
Within a second, the grate hit the gunman's head. It knocked him out, causing him to misfire and shoot a bullet through one of his colleague's throat. With the latter falling dead, Sanma's left arm was free.
"GAH!"
With quick movements, Sanma karate-chopped the back of the other terrorist's neck and rendering him unconscious.
"DAMN IT! HE'S FREE!" one of the two men groping Cat Fu cried out.
In that moment, they were distracted from Cat Fu. A big mistake.
"OOF!?" "ARGH!"
Cat Fu promptly kneed one of them in the face and jabbed another one in the throat. Both were unconscious.
"YOU DAMN…" The cook hijacker cursed and pulled out his gun, his other remaining colleague doing the same.
With one accord, Sanma and Cat Fu rushed at their opponents. Being superior martial artists, they had an easy time. Sanma punched his opponent in the stomach and karate-chopped the back of his neck. Cat Fu kicked the failed chef criminal in his private parts, leaving him overwhelmed by the pain and falling unconscious as well.
The cooking staff was stunned for it happened so fast. But they understood quickly that they were free. They stood up and immediately thanked Sanma and Cat Fu.
"Ehehe… it was nothing…" Sanma said with a blush.
"Why so shy, Airen? You help defeat gangsters," Cat Fu told him as she embraced him.
"Yeah, but only because that guy," Sanma pointed at the terrorist knocked out by the grate. "…was hit by something from above. If it hadn't been for that, I would have never knocked them out."
"Something from above?" Cat Fu wondered.
"That would be me!" Issei said from the vents.
In surprise, everyone looked around the kitchen to find the origin of the voice. That was when Issei dropped down from above, his Boosted Gear long dismissed.
"Issei, my man!" Sanma expressed joyfully and broke off from Cat Fu. Cat Fu looked really surprised at Issei's appearance – especially considering that he came from above.
"Good to see you, as well," Issei replied as they exchanged fist bumps.
"How did ya get here?" Sanma asked.
"Air vents," Issei pointed above him. Everybody looked at the vents and saw that it was true. The grate above the room was missing.
"Ah… I see… But anyway… What's going on? Why are these guys attackin' us?" Sanma said, his demeanor becoming serious.
"Beats me. All I know is that they're looking for something than just ransoms for rich people. You probably heard it yourself," Issei replied.
"Oh yeah… that. I really had no idea what to make of it. I just thought you knew more. Maybe there's a vault with trillions of yen in it or somethin'," Sanma guessed.
Sanma looked at the kitchen staff expecting their opinion. All of them shrugged and said they didn't know either.
"Anyway, I think we should get out of here. Is there some place to get out of here?" Issei asked the kitchen staff.
"There's the dining hall. But there are terrorists there. The only way out is through the back," a burly cook said.
"The back?" Issei asked.
"Yes, there's a door that leads to a back alley. If there's a way to leave safely, it's through there," the man answered.
Suddenly, a knock on the door leading to the dining hall was heard.
[!]
Everyone's hairs stood on edge!
The door opened, revealing a terrorist.
"Hey, what's all the commotion, gu-? Hey! How did you get ou-? AGH!" the terrorist screamed, before being dragged in by Sanma and knocked by Cat Fu by a shiatsu point.
Sanma quickly closed the door, but the damage had already been done. Some of the terrorists had already spotted Sanma and could take action any second now.
"Dang it! I think they saw me!" Sanma cursed in a cold sweat.
"Everyone, go out the back! Sanma, Cat Fu, you also! Run as fast as you can from this place!" Issei ordered everybody.
With some bewildered staring and looking around, the staff quickly escaped. Now, Issei would have preferred to accompany them to check out the situation there.
But time wasn't on their side!
Issei could already hear the men on the other side of the door saying, "Something is wrong! Come on, let's check out the kitchen!".
Issei was panicking. He summoned the Boosted Gear and steered himself. Come what may, he was going to hold off the terrorists here and now.
But then, Sanma stepped forward and blocked Issei's path with his arm. Cat Fu also moved past Issei with her sword (Where did she pull that one from?) ready.
"What are you doing!? I told you to run run away!" Issei said to Sanma and Cat Fu.
But Sanma shook his head.
"Step aside. You did your part. Now, it's our turn," Sanma said in a manner that exuded coolness.
Cat Fu gave Issei a look. Unlike before, she showed no hostility, but rather begrudging respect.
"Airen is right. You stay back…" Cat Fu said, before looking forward and clenching her teeth. "They humiliate Cat Fu. Now, they pay!"
Issei couldn't help but feel… strangely comforted, safe and positively motivated in general. He felt that with those two, he could be assured that all will go well.
[Get ready for a show, Partner. These two are going to slaughter these fools] Ddraig said gleefully.
With a smile, Issei nodded and stepped to the side, away from the two martial artists.
Sanma kicked the door, destroying its hinges and causing the door to knock down three terrorists.
"WHAT!?"
"HOW CAN…!?"
"WHY!?"
The terrorists cried out in confusion even as they saw Sanma and Cat Fu rushing out at them. They pulled their guns out. But because of how disorganized they were at the moment; they didn't stand much of a chance.
Sanma ran to the nearest opponent in high speed. With a jump, he kneed the gunman straight in the chin. The terrorist hit his head against the table and was out. Cat Fu came out from right behind Sanma. She used that same table that the terrorist had knocked into as a jumping platform. Another terrorist managed to shoot his gun…
[BANG!]
…but it missed Cat Fu by a few inches, passing by her torso. With her sword, she lunged at the fearful gunman and stabbed him in the chest. With a bloody chest, he fell dead.
[BANG!] [BANG!] [BANG!]
More shots were fired both at Sanma and Cat Fu. They missed. Sanma and Cat Fu gracefully jumped and ducked out of the way and were using the cutlery as throwing projectiles. These stabbed the hands of three gunmen causing them to scream in pain and drop their weapons.
For the hostages in the hall, it looked unreal. Granted, the whole fact that they were held hostages by men in black suits and guns was surreal enough. But seeing the two teenagers using Kung Fu to dodge bullets and take out enemies. They felt like they were in an action movie.
"Damn you!" shouted one of the ten remaining hostage takers. He and his colleagues were firing their guns as well as they could, but none of their bullets could hit them. The two of them were too nimble.
"MOKO TAKABISHA! (Pride of the Fierce Tiger)" Sanma cried out and fired a chi blast at a shooter.
"HUH!?" a terrorist voiced dumbfounded before being sent flying into another colleague. They both ended up unconscious.
"WAH!" "UGH!" "BUAH!"
The three unarmed ones were knocked down by a flying table thrown by Cat Fu.
"Crap! I've got to do something!" one of the remaining terrorists said in a panic. He was planning on running away, but upon spotting a nearby hostage, a woman in her forties wearing a red shirt and black skirt, he decided on something else.
"AGH!" "URK!"
Two more men were either knocked out or killed by Sanma and Cat Fu respectively (at the same time, too). At this point, the last remaining terrorist in front of them lost his nerve. He panicked and ran.
Sanma threw a cup at the man. It shattered upon impact, sending him bleeding from the back of his head and unconscious to the ground.
"ENOUGH!" the voice of one of the terrorists rang out.
Sanma and Cat Fu turned and saw the man hold a woman hostage. He held her by the hair and a gun pointed at her temple.
"If you move, she dies," the terrorist threatened.
Sanma and Cat Fu growled.
"Coward…" Sanma spat out. Neither he nor Cat Fu made a move. They didn't want the hostage to die.
The gunman smirked. "Call me what you like, but I don't have flashy Kung Fu skills like you do. Now, turn around."
Sanma raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Do I need to say anymore?" the shooter pressed his gun against the woman. She shivered and closed her eyes in fear of death.
Cat Fu and Sanma saw that he was serious, they slowly turned around.
Issei, meanwhile, had watched the whole scene unfold before him and was gritting his teeth. He was about to shoot the cowardly terrorist with his Boosted Gear when Ddraig spoke up.
[Partner. You must not expose your powers in front of the people] Ddraig warned his host.
"Are you kidding me?! There are lives at stake here!" Issei whispered harshly to Ddraig.
[Listen. I have a better idea. Here's what you'll do. Do as I say…] Ddraig answered.
Sanma and Cat Fu had turned their backs towards the terrorist. The terrorist raised his gun at them ready to shoot. Before the trigger could be pulled…
"Hey! Over here, douche bag!" Issei called out.
The terrorist looked in Issei's direction. For some reason, Issei had come out of the kitchen with a frying pan in his hand.
"Eat this!" Issei cried and threw something from the pan. The gunman was so distracted by the scene that Cat Fu took notice and moved.
"HRGH! AGH!"
In a flash, Cat Fu stabbed her sword into the terrorist's shoulder. The hostage scrambled away, as her captor fell down dead bleeding. As she withdrew her sword, she heard the sound of something flopping. To everyone's surprise, what Issei threw were omelets.
"That was… dumb…" Issei remarked, amazed and relieved that Ddraig's plan worked.
[But it worked as planned, didn't it? The terrorist was distracted and the two of them took the hint] Ddraig said smugly.
Issei sighed at the stupidity of it all. But there were more important issues at hand. He turned his attention to the hostages, who were getting up and profoundly thanking Sanma and Cat Fu.
"It was nothing. Just a martial artist's honor…" Sanma said with a blush at the thanks and praise he got.
"Cat Fu feels déjà-vu here…" Cat Fu remarked.
While that was going on, Issei made another call to Matsuda.
"Good news. More hostages are free, Sanma and Cat Fu included. But they still need to get out of here. Tell me about the situation at the hotel backside. Is it safe? Any terrorists watching there?" Issei asked.
"Well, I'll tell you the good news first. A bunch of hostages managed to come out from the back. Maybe you've met them already. They were cooks. They didn't seem to be harmed, so it's safe to say that getting out from there should not be a problem, but…"
"But what?" Issei beckoned Matsuda on.
"You've got to be careful. The terrorists have increased their vigilance and have deployed sentries on every floor. They are watching every side and every entrance, ready to shoot anything that moves. I heard it in transmissions from their boss. Issei, the situation is getting worse. If you go out there right now, you'll die, not to mention the other hostages," Matsuda said grimly.
Issei took the news in. He rubbed his forehead.
"Who is this 'Boss'? Why is he doing this?" Issei asked and gritted his teeth.
"I don't know. All I know is that he's probably European or something. His accent is a dead giveaway. Other than that, no name, profile or anything. He's just known as the Boss. That's all I got," Matsuda replied.
Issei sat down at a nearby table. This was bad indeed and he didn't know what to do. It wasn't going to be as easy as before. But he had to think of something. Lives were at stake, including Sanma and Cat Fu.
"By the way, the police have surrounded the building complex. There's a lot of press there, too. That's also the reason why the terrorists are so scared now. Thought you would like to know," Matsuda mentioned.
"Hmm… I see… I'll figure something out. Talk to you later," Issei said.
"Yeah. Later," Matsuda said and hung up.
Sanma and Cat Fu noticed Issei's downcast mood, despite the upbeat atmosphere the freed hostages were given.
They came up to him. Issei looked up to them.
"Issei?" Sanma addressed him.
Issei gave Sanma a serious look. He let his gaze wander to Cat Fu as well, before speaking.
"Guys, we've got a problem. A very serious problem. Get all the hostages over here. They need to hear this, too," Issei stated seriously.
Cat Fu and Sanma didn't question him and promptly did as they were asked. They did that not just because of the tone of his voice.
Rather, they saw nobility and resolve that was hardened like a diamond, shining in his eyes.
3rd of October, Saturday, 7:45 pm – just outside the Hotel Entertainment complex
Just as Matsuda had said, there were police cars and police men in the masses. Special forces and hovering helicopters were also nearby as well. On top of that, reporters were on the scene trying to lap up as much information as they could. They had asked police men, experts and also the witnesses. By now, all of Japan had known that there was a major national crisis at hand. But with all that commentary, one thing stood out. The general populace heard stories about a boy who helped save all of them with nothing but his wit, body and will. The witnesses described him as having been killed to save them all.
Whatever the facts and tales, one thing was sure. The terrorists were armed and dangerous. Despite their setbacks, they were far from defeated.
Taking a smoke, Inspector Kogoro looked at the hotel from a safe distance. Such a grand hotel… and it had to fall victim to an attack like this.
Inspector Kogoro was assigned to guard the area and get his men ready – ready for the orders to storm the place.
And that was Chapter 36 of the Lone Vigilante Issei.
Now, we're getting started in this hijacking thriller.
It's not easy figuring out what things to put in there and what side-plots to add in, but I think I have a much clearer idea now. So, stay tuned.
Right now, I should note, neither Issei nor any of his friends have any idea what is going on. Rescuing the hostages is the only thing they can do for now. But just what are the plans and motives of the terrorists and the man known as "Boss"? Is it really just about getting ransoms for rich people or perhaps something else?
I did give one hint in the story about the motives. Remember the conversation the terrorists in the kitchen had earlier?
As for Issei, he is notably stronger than the last arc. This time his body is more robust thanks to more dragonizing. His body has scales that protect him from bullets. However, his natural body armor is imperfect. And bullets can still hurt him, even if it won't cause fatal injuries anymore.
There will be other surprises later, so stay tuned.
Matsuda and Motohama are given a supporting role. They feed Issei information and give him tips on how to progress, like Alfred and Oracle do to Batman in the Arkham games.
Cat Fu and Sanma have been rescued. Ukyu and Nakane and many more hostages have yet to be freed. How will that go? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
Finally, I ought to mention that for this scenario, I used a certain movie as a reference. Can you guess what it is?
How did you like the story? Please read and review. I would like to hear from you.
And as always, I hope to see you next time, hopefully with me being less lazy.
Until then.
Hide Shinyama
