Chapter 16 Two hurt souls

And things were going well. After that raid Phantom got contacted a lot for more steals, and from being hired they switched to stealing just because they could, and then either keep it or decide to sell it. And Megumi left them keeping Karou in charge. She wasn’t meant to go on field anyway. She was the leader and they were the others, meaning they were meant to take care of other operations.

Without her.

She was only meant to give the plan and order, and they were meant to follow it.

With the success and their reputation rising on the streets of how skilled and dangerous they were. So she could say they were actually running things now, and she was at the top where she was meant to be. It wouldn’t be long before she was found by the others and they would all pay homage.

Well she couldn’t give herself all the credit. Sachi was a good strategist, and Karou good with formation and making the others follow orders. Haru was a good squad leader and Maya. Good with a gun and her body, but all that cockiness would get her nowhere.

And there was also Takashi. He was like a secret recipe. While they were all good, Takashi contributed a lot to the gang and that gave them the edge that all the others didn’t have. That had been her plan all along in the beginning, and if things had gone as planned, Takahiro would have been the one to die.

But he had just been so stupid which was funny because he proved to be smart. Anyway all that being said, he had served his purpose.

“Don’t you think you should talk to him?” Sachi inquired.

“Who?” she asked back.

“Takashi”.

“And why would I want to talk to him?”

“To find out what Takahiro said” she explained.

“I know what he said because he told me everything when he thought I was going to die”.

“But you know that dad had nothing to do with Fujiwara when he was still alive”.

“We can’t be sure of that” Megumi said. “He might have done something in secret with him, but I don’t care for his stupid revenge. If father killed his parents how does that involve me and my gang?”

“But he didn’t” Sachi was still calm.

“I actually have a real reason to kill Takahiro. I saw him kill my father and he will die”.

“But you know Takahiro must have told him something for him to come here”.

“Yes he did Sachi” she sighed. “It was all in his plan to take me out”.

“Well how would I know?” she asked. “I would know if you talked to me about it” she said. And Sachi was able to piss her off even if she wasn’t looking straight at her.

“I don’t want to talk about it” she said.

“And that’s why you’re here. He’s here because Takahiro is a manipulative bastard and he was able to manipulate that boy into thinking that our father killed his parents, and even though you two might not believe it, I know that father had nothing to do with the Fujiwara’s death!”

“Sachi” Megumi said.

“Don’t interrupt me. Don’t forget I was fourteen when everything happened and I was training to be leader. I knew all of his deals and not once did the name Fujiwara come up. Takahiro just wanted to use that guy for his benefit to take you out”.

“Let’s say you’re correct. He lied to Takashi so someone else could do the work for him, but it still doesn’t explain the fact that his parents are dead. Who killed them then Sachi?” she asked.

“Don’t you find it funny how it’s only Takahiro that knows how they died?”

“No” Megumi shook her head. “Because I’m the only one who knows how father died in detail. This conversation is over”.

“No it’s not” Sachi said standing with her. “There’s also the fact that Takashi is no longer needed”.

“I know” she said.

“But you also know that he is still needed”.

“How so?” she asked.

“We need his genius if we want to continue to have that edge we have currently” she said.

“Father was able to make it to the top without poison right?” she asked her sister.

“Yes. But that was in his time. Humans have evolved and so has weapons. I’m saying if we want to have that special something we need him”.

“We don’t. We need my leadership, your brain, Karou’s orderliness and Maya’s craftiness. Why do I get the feeling you want him alive after what he did?”

“You’re wrong I want him dead more than you” she stated. “I’m just planning ahead”.

“We can find someone else like him. He can’t be the only person placed on earth who can make poison. When he dies we’ll have his notes, his methods and his gadgets, and we can give it to someone else who can pick up from where he left off. And I had him make a lot down just in case” she shrugged.

“Look at you planning ahead”.

“Just being careful” she said and this time she made a move to leave Sachi didn’t stop her. Like hell she’d sit with that murderer and ask him about what made him do it. What’s next? They’d start telling each other secrets. She was done with him, and after would be Takahiro and then she could relax.

Kenji had told her that when this was over, she could come join him and she wasn’t going to pass that up. She was going to have a use for the revolver.

“Finally” she murmured.

VVVVV

This time Maya was in the bathroom with him and she made a lot of conversation which he just ignored.

“I wonder why she wants eyes on you all the time. Well you make poison so maybe she wants us here so maybe you don’t poison the water system this time” she said.

“This time?” he asked.

“Yeah. Knowing you, you could find a way to infect it and give all of us diarrhea. Last time it was the wine supply”.

“How did you know that?” he asked.

“I have my ways” she smiled.

Takashi would have turned to her, but he was naked and even if the curtain was giving him a little privacy he didn’t have that. Did Megumi actually talk to her about him?

“Yes. With you being a spy and all”.

“Yes. But that was pretty clever. Why would anyone suspect that their wine had been tampered with?”

“Did Megumi tell you that?” he asked.

“No” she said. “I’m a spy Takashi so it is my job to find out”.

He was silent and went back to the warm water and closed his eyes. He should enjoy it while it lasted. He didn’t know how Megumi planned to kill him, but he knew it wouldn’t be slow and she was going to enjoy it.

“If you want out, just tell me” Maya whispered and she sounded closer and he opened his eyes to see her silhouette close to the curtain, her fingers playing with the wet material.

He leaned against the cold wall and just stared. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to say it again because I know you heard me. Just say it and it will be done. I mean he does owe you a favor, doesn’t he?”

“You’re not making any sense” he said.

“You really are slow” she sighed. “Anyway your time is up. Get out, I have stuff to do”.

He got out with his towel round his waist and she handed him his change of clothes, and she looked normal. Like she didn’t just offer him a way out of this mess. In a way, she reminded him of Geiru. Double agent, but who could she be working for? The other gangs were not up to her standards in any way.

He was paranoid. He didn’t see the need for Megumi to have him around anymore. So his time would soon be up. And the way Karou kept looking at him. That she knew something that he didn’t and that scared him. He hadn’t been that scared when he first joined. Well the only time he had been that scared was the first time he had been on field, and when Kenji had found out.

Killing everyone again could buy him some time, but Megumi wouldn’t stop until he was dead, and he didn’t want to anger her more. He could reach a compromise. That was really funny to him. Like he would want to work with someone that killed his parents.

He could find Maya and talk to her in secret again. If he had a chance at survival she was the only one who could help him. But why would she help him?

Now that didn’t make any sense. Didn’t she like her boss? And if she was really working for someone else, he could use that to his advantage. But that didn’t mean that Megumi would believe him. Why would she believe him when he had tried to kill her?

So yes she wouldn’t believe him and now he could speed up the time of his death. Well that was a chance he was willing to take. He could at least buy himself some days or just a second. He really wondered how she was going to kill him though.

With his own poison maybe?

Because he didn’t know what the sisters did to give them immunity against his methods. He didn’t even have that. It’d be really embarrassing if that was how he died. Well he really hadn’t made a name for himself anywhere so no one would know his story.

Finding Megumi wasn’t hard to do. Training with her sword. This wasn’t time to admire her, he had to save his life.

“Can I talk to you?” he walked in confident and she turned to him with her sword and he was less confident, and leaned back immediately before his head could get severed.

Okay looked like his time was up. She rolled and kicked his ankle making him land hard on the ground. Not on the mat, on the hard ground and he hadn’t been given proper treatment so that hurt. She was over him and thrust it forward but he rolled away and she stabbed the ground.

And now she was stabbing the ground while he kept moving around like a worm, like it was a game of whack a mole. She didn’t stop though and she looked like she wasn’t going to stop. She didn’t even look like she was in there anymore. She was the one that he had seen countless times on the field.

He did a summersault when she wanted to sever his head again.

He was on his feet and kept dodging her blade and she really looked like she was going to kill him, and he only had that much training. He ducked and was able to kick her wrist and she dropped the sword and she looked to him. He might have preferred the sword to her fists, but he had to talk and he was already out of breath.

He tried to kick her legs, but she jumped and stomped with both her toes on his foot and that was painful that it had the pain traveling all the way to his brain, and he fell onto the mat and Megumi grinned down at him.

He knew she wasn’t expecting to be thrown over by his legs and she fell by his head and had the wind knocked out of her. He was on her in a heartbeat.

“At least don’t I have get a heads-up about my own death?” he joked.

“You get nothing” she told him surrendering for now. “Get off me” she told him.

“After you listen to me. You’re very capable of attacking me again”.

“I needed a sparring partner and everyone else was busy. If you had talked I would have listened”.

He got off her and she sat up.

“What do you want to tell me?”

“Well…”

“Let me guess” she cut him off. “You don’t want me to kill you and in exchange, you’ll work for me. Not a chance” she said.

“That’s not it” he said.

“So you want to die” she stated. It wasn’t a question she was going to ask because she was going to kill him.

“No” he replied.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

“Someone might be out to get you” he said.

“Of all the stories I could hear come out of your mouth that has to be the most used”.

“But I’m telling the truth” he said.

“And why would I believe you?” she asked.

“What would I gain from lying to you?’ he asked.

“More time to live and it’s not going to work”.

Well he had tried. But that didn’t mean he’d stop trying.

“So you don’t want to know who it is” he was confused.

“Takashi there’s only one person who wants me dead. And thanks to you he thinks I’m dead. Well I should thank you for that. His death would come just like that and he’ll be none the wiser” she giggled,

“But you could be in danger….”

“And you care how?” she quirked her brow. “Trying to atone for your sins?”

“Y-no but I’m sure you don’t want to lose another gang” he said.

Her fist made contact with his cheek, but he kept a straight face.

“You’re the reason I’m in this rundown building in the first place….”

“And also the reason you’re at the top now” he argued.

“Who’s the smartass that put me in this predicament in the first place?! You, and if you had bothered to research you’d know that Takahiro is a twofaced snake and not meant to be trusted”.

“Is that coming from you? Aren’t you just like him?”

“Yes and still you believed him. My father didn’t kill your parents. He didn’t give a fuck about who was Fujiwara and I’m a hundred percent sure he didn’t know they existed. Takahiro killed my father and that’s what I’m sure of. I saw him die, so at least I know what I’m doing. You don’t know anything” she seethed.

“He….”

“Knew about your parents, right? And you didn’t, and you latched on to every word he said and swallowed it. You were so consumed by your rage and revenge that you didn’t stop to use your head. My father didn’t have anything to do with your parent’s death. How are you sure that he isn’t the murderer? Wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”

He stood up and she looked up at him smiling. She had to be toying with him, because that was the only explanation. He was already scared and she knew it, and she was just trying to add more to it. Why would Takahiro lie to him? He knew his parents and was their friend.

“He had a lot to gain sending you in to kill me, right?” she stood up slowly with that look in his eyes. “You fell in his trap, like a pawn he used you”.

“And please tell what he had to gain?”

“He wouldn’t have to lift a finger. He killed my father, his biggest competition at the time and he took out your parents. Someone that actually posed a real threat. If they ever were to stage a coup, they could take him out so easily. He got rid of all his opponents to be number one, but he didn’t count on me”.

“That’s not true”.

“It’s not? He sent you and that Geiru and you were left on your own. He sacrificed his own man so you could get the job done, but he doesn’t know I’m alive. And because he knew you weren’t like him, you’d leave and now he has no opposition. A well thought out plan if you ask me. Well almost”.

“Takahiro wouldn’t do that. He-he…..you’re just trying to turn me against him and it’s not going to work” she said.

“Why would I turn you against him when you’ll be dead soon. And tell me why he couldn’t just kill me himself for his fallen friends?”

“Because that’s not how things work, and didn’t Sachi go crazy and you had training? So you two weren’t available so he couldn’t just go into your house and kill you”.

“But he could cause an accident and kill my father that day and everyone else, couldn’t he? You really are naïve”.

He was silent.

“It’s all coming together, isn’t it? You spent months with us thinking we were the enemy, while you were helping him all the while”.

“Like I’d believe you” he said.

“Don’t. It’s already too late anyway”.

He was so angry that he had forgotten why he came here in the first place. Why should he even bother? He was going to die anyway so why should he care what should happen when he wouldn’t be there. They’d kill each other that was if she didn’t die before she could get her revenge.

“Are you done here or you still have shit to tell me?” she questioned still smiling.

“Just how sure are you that you can trust this new gang of yours?” he asked.

“Easy. It doesn’t have you in it” and she walked out of the room.

Takashi groaned and sat on the mat thinking about what she had said. She was just messing with him that was it. Because there was no way he was going to admit he wasted all that time when he could have killed Takahiro and Jun right there in his office. Twice.

She was just trying to make him doubt himself just because he had taken her gang out. Yes that was it, and she wanted him to die doubting himself. She admitted that she was a two-faced snake and he wouldn’t put it past her to lie.

Now he was just confused.

VVVVV

Getting back to his prison he lay on his bed trying to devise a plan.

He could sneak out, he didn’t move around much but all the time he had left the base, he knew how to get out, the only problem was he couldn’t. He couldn’t even hold the floor with Karou so if he was caught he knew what would happen.

And the fact that was a very bad idea. He couldn’t see them, but they could see him because she had said they’d be eyes on him all the time.

Poison all of them again. Maybe not actually poison them, just make them really sleepy. But they all didn’t drink together, and he didn’t know where the main water supply was. He didn’t want to die and he didn’t want to die at the hands of Megumi of all people.

He wanted to live a long life.

And why was his bed uncomfortable?

He sat up, and looking under his blankets he found a phone. Like a real phone. A real mobile phone that came on when he touched the keypad. Why was there a phone in his room? How did the phone get into his room? Why was the phone here in the first place when eyes were always on him?

Maybe Karou must have forgotten it, but a more rational part of his brain told him that Karou wasn’t that forgetful and there was someone else who would do this and he didn’t have a doubt that it was Maya.

Why though?

Why was she going against Megumi and helping him? He needed to talk to her, but in private. But then again should he bother? He was going to die and if Megumi just had an inkling, she’d blow his brains out along with hers and she wouldn’t care.

Or he could go Romeo and Juliet. Make something that’d make him sleep for a week, but Sachi was a force he didn’t want to reckon with. She was really smart and she could have anticipated it, and the whole quiet mysterious thing and how she always looked past someone was really creepy.

He’d talk to Maya later.

And he got his opportunity when she came into his room later with his food.

“Megumi said that you weren’t going to come out because you were sulking so I brought you your food”.

“You’re nice” he said dryly.

“Aren’t I?” she asked rhetorically.

“Yes you’re nice. You’re the reason I’m here and now you’re helping me. Why’s that?”

“I see you saw my little present. Tell me you’ve used it. I need it back”.

“I didn’t use it. Why would I use it?”

“So you can ask for help. You really are slow Fujiwara”.

“I’m not going to pull anyone into this” he said.

“Yes you can’t put your family into this, but are you sure that there’s no one that can help you out of this?” she winked.

“How do you…”

“Shh. Our little secret. Are you going to take it or not?” she asked and she took the phone from his hand and turned it on, the light hurting his eyes a little and she pushed it closer. “Are you going to take it?”

“You’re joking right?”

“No” she whispered.

“You work for Megumi” he swallowed. “Why would you go against her?”

“Funny how that sounds wrong” she said. “Take it” she said grasping his wrist and leading his hand to the device.

The door opened and the device that was in her hand was slipped under her sleeve immediately, and she turned to see Karou standing there.

“Karou isn’t this a surprise” she smiled.

“What are you doing here?” she approached.

“Came to give our guest his lunch” she said gesturing to the plate that was now on his bed.

Karou looked to him and then back to Maya. He knew she could sniff out when something was wrong. Either that or she didn’t just trust anything associated with him. The point was that her eyes were moving calculating and he knew it wasn’t good.

He knew that he was nervous and he wasn’t doing a good job at hiding that, but Maya was still smiling.

“That isn’t your job” she said.

“And that isn’t your job also. Your job is to look after the boss. A babysitter, and I’m looking after him today. Megumi gave us shifts”.

“You can’t call her that, and you really have that attitude I don’t like”.

“Are you just hurt that I beat you in that spar?”

“Really childish. Get out!”

“Why?” she asked.

“You think Megumi would be happy right now seeing you here?” she asked.

Maya relented and she walked out her smile gone from her lips.

Karou just looked at him and he looked back.

“No funny business” and she stepped out.

VVVVV

“I don’t trust Maya”.

“And does your jealousy have anything to do with it?” Megumi asked.

“I am not jealous of Maya” she denied.

“Then what proof do you have that she isn’t trustworthy”.

“What do you think she gets up to every day?” Karou asked.

“She’s here most of the time, so I’d say she’s here training and waiting to jump at every task and showoff, and you can’t stand it because you don’t like people like that”.

“I have a reason. People like that are so suspicious. She has that sunny attitude which a gangster, people like us don’t have and that wanting to showoff is sickening. Don’t you find it suspicious how she was the one to find us and join? She had been following us, seeing everything we do and that is just creepy”.

“Karou this isn’t because of the spar right?” Megumi asked exasperated.

“No!” she replied incredulous.

“Okay, this isn’t because I’ve noticed her potential?” she asked.

“I’m being serious!” she almost screamed.

“You sound jealous” Sachi said quietly as she walked in, tapping her sister.

“I’m not” she said.

“And why so bothered Karou? Nobody is going to replace you” she said.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Megumi asked.

“Okay fine, don’t take me serious. I hope you don’t just live to regret it” and she walked out.

“She’s jealous” Megumi said.

“Or could be on to something” Sachi said.

“You believe she’s on to something?” Megumi asked her sister.

“No I don’t” she said. “But Karou doesn’t just say things like that. She must have a reason. She was right not to trust Takashi, right?”

“You didn’t trust him either” Megumi reminded her.

“But you did. The second person you put your trust in failed you and you’re hurt” Sachi said.

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll just keep a closer eye on her”.

“And what about the eyes on Takashi”.

“That’s why you’re here” and she left.

Maya came out of an opening in the wall and smiled to herself. Very pleased with what was unfolding.

VVVVV

He was so paranoid that he couldn’t sleep. He knew he had made her really angry, and she had told him things that he couldn’t stop mulling over. Did Takahiro kill his parents?

Did he send him here hoping he’d kill Megumi and she’d kill him?

Was that his plan all along?

He wouldn’t be getting any sleep at all.

Not even up to thirty minutes he was asleep. He didn’t hear his door open, and he didn’t hear the silent footsteps that padded to his bed, and he didn’t see the eyes that observed him or the knife that was coming closer.

Whatever guardian angel was watching him didn’t seem to fail him, because at that moment he turned and his eyes opened shocking his murderer and she almost dropped it, but she caught it and Takashi knew he had to protect himself even if he didn’t know who wanted to kill him.

He grabbed her wrist and threw her onto his bed, trying to get hold of the knife. Which was hard for him even if he was on top and trying not to get stabbed. Was he such a weakling?

Who was it?

He felt legs wrap round his midsection and the knife dropped from their hand, and he was grabbed round his neck and he was pulled down onto the obviously female body, but he didn’t have time to dwell on that. Her arm was wound round the back of his neck and his face was pressed by her side onto the bed. And that added to him not being able to breathe. He was dying slowly.

His hands fumbled for the knife that had fallen. He looked for it blindly and his heart was thumping in his chest because he needed to breathe. He got the knife and pressed it against the ribs of his attacker, and the squeezing stopped. And he was able to sit up and take a deep breath.

There wasn’t a bulb in this room so he had to strain his eyes, which wasn’t actually working and he decided to touch maybe. They were actually way close, so she wouldn’t bother if he felt around a little.

“Why didn’t you just stab me?” she asked.

He recognized that voice and he tightened the hold on the knife that was still against her.

“I don’t just kill for no reason” he replied.

“Like how you killed my gang? They killed your parents like I did?” she asked. If he killed her right now, he would face much things worse. But he wasn’t so sure anymore. This was his chance to have his revenge and he had Maya. But whoever she was working for wouldn’t be able to save him in time.

His hold on the knife lessened and she moved immediately, knocking it out of his hand and switching their position and she was on top, the knife at his neck pressing hard.

“Go ahead then” he said.

She pressed the knife in there and she wanted to do it so bad. All those months of planning, looking for him, just waiting so she could kill him after what he did. Then that talk she had with Sachi which did something to her.

She had told him things, put everything in him and thought she had gotten her revenge. If her father were here, he’d be very disappointed. She had trusted him, a luxury she didn’t give to others and he had played her. He had killed her, but now she’d return the favor.

She moved her hand and brought the knife down hard.

Takashi opened his eyes and looked to where she had stabbed the pillow. Really close to his cheek and she had cut him. It stung badly.

She couldn’t do it. Gangster or not, she only killed those who really deserved it. He did deserve it, but Takahiro was a manipulative person and should she really blame him?

Yes she would. He should have asked questions before.

She’d kill him, but she wouldn’t do it right now.

She drew the knife out of the pillow and looked down at him.

“Why didn’t you do it?” he questioned.

She leaned down and she always had a reason for everything, but not this time. She didn’t have one for kissing him and she was sure that he had no reason to kiss her.

She couldn’t help but remember the words of Kenji.