Chapter Forty-Three: Devil’s Bargain:

Before those three days…

Katsumi raised an eyebrow. “What are ya saying, sir?”

Aiguo passed the couple a photo. “I’m looking for this key.” Miki tilted her head.

“A baby?” she asked.

“Yes,” the man said.

“She’s your daughter?” Katsumi asked.

“You can say that. I really need her back,” Aiguo said. “She’s really important to me.”

“So… where is she?” Katsumi asked.

“My people are searching for her right now. They last tracked her near an abandoned area neat the old parliament building.”

Miki gave him an odd look. “So… What do you need from us?”

Aiguo broke into a grin. “Oh… Just kill some people for me.” The couple’s eyes lit up. The boss smirked. Heh, I knew that would get their attention.

“Who do we kill?” Katsumi asked.

“Anyone you like,” Aiguo said.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“By any way?”

“Yes.”

“Whoa!” Katsumi turned to his girlfriend. “You hear that?”

Miki nodded. “Yes.” Her eyes shifted towards Aiguo. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t believe you.”

“Baby?” Katsumi asked. Miki waved him off.

“I mean it!” she said. “Nobody offers something for nothing.”

“Ah, smart girl,” Aiguo said. “I just want the baby back. Think about it. We both benefit from this deal. You get to kill people and I get my baby back. What do you say?” Miki snorted.

“We’ll see!” she said. Katsumi put his hand on her shoulder.

“Baby,” he whispered. Katsumi turned his attention back to Aiguo.

“Excuse us for a minute,” he said. Aiguo bowed his head.

“Sure,” the boss said. Katsumi took Miki by the arm and led her outside the café.

---------

“What the hell, Miki?” Katsumi asked outside the café. Miki folded her arms across her chest.

“I don’t trust him!” she shouted.

“I don’t either.”

His girlfriend snorted. “Could’ve fooled me!”

“Look, this will be temporary. We just need to go along with this until we rob him blind. It will only be for a short time.” He frowned as she rolled her eyes.

“Just go with me on this,” Katsumi insisted. “This job won’t take too long. Just go with me on this.”

Miki narrowed her eyes. “You’re not bull-shitting me, are you?”

Her boyfriend grabbed her by the hands. “I haven’t been and I won’t start now.”

“Maybe… Only if you say it.”

Katsumi smiled and dropped his shoulders. “I love you.”

Miki kissed him on the bridge of his nose. “Done. I love you too.”

“Thanks,” her boyfriend said. He led her back into the café.

---------

Aiguo looked up when he heard the couple return to their table. He lowered his glass.

“Well?” he asked. Katsumi pressed his hand on the table.

“We’re in,” he said. “When can we start?”

Aiguo smiled. “Good. Let’s begin.”