Chapter Twenty-Eight: Farm in Blood:

-Mount Meakan-

The “guard” held out his arms.

“Welcome!” he said. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“Hello,” April said. Kyosuke waved at him. The “guard” bowed his head.

“My name is Kon,” he said. “Watari-san had me watching this core farm for a few days now.”

“Any activity inside?” Kyosuke asked. Kon looked at the building.

“They just started for the day,” he said.

“Right,” April said. She pulled out her phone.

“Let’s see,” the English shinigami said. April blew up the map on the screen.

“We’re looking for the center of the farm,” she said. Kyosuke looked at the map with her.

“I can take you to the center,” Kon said. “I’ve made passes for you to get through the door. Once you get in, you are on your own. I cannot fully aid your mission.”

“We understand,” Kyosuke said.

“Please lead the way,” April said.

“Yes,” Kon said. The shinigami disappeared into the snow-covered building.

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Inside felt like a boiler room. Kyosuke started to fan himself.

“When did it get so hot in here?” he asked. “I think I’m going to faint.”

“It’s hot for the cores here,” Kon said. “They have to be used to warm bodies in the world.” A woman dressed in white clothes, mask, and gloves walked by, pushing a cart. Kyosuke moved out of the way.

“Whoa there!” he shouted.

“Shhh!” Kon whispered. “Please don’t try to draw attention to yourself in here.” The younger shinigami noticed three of the workers looking in their direction.

“They can’t see you,” Kon added. “But they can see me.”

“Hey, Yamamoto-san,” one of the workers said. “Are you on break or something?”

“Just doing a quick inside inspection,” the “guard” lied. “I will be out of your hair in ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” Kyosuke mouthed to April. “That’s not enough time.”

“Well, we better work fast,” April mouthed back. The worker returned to the task at hand.

“Let’s go,” Kon said to the shinigami with his eyes. The three of them started walking down the hall.

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The shinigami appeared in front of a locked steel door.

“Here it is,” Kon said. “This is as far as I go.”

“Thank you, Kon-san,” April said. The younger shinigami bowed. Kon disappeared to his post. Kyosuke turned to April.

“Ready to do this?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. The English shinigami walked up to the door. She flashed her pass in front of the scanner. The light flashed green. The locks snapped unlocked.

“We’re in,” Kyosuke said. “How do we destroy the source?”

“Watari sent instructions,” April said. “He said there are three tanks. They all have to be destroyed one by one.” Kyosuke made a face.

“And we have to do it in ten minutes?” he asked. He rubbed his forehead.

“Damn it,” the Japanese shinigami said. “Where are they?”

“There,” she said, pointing above them.

“Huh?” he asked, looking up. Three giants white pounding cocoons were attached to the ceiling. Kyosuke wailed aloud.

“Are you serious?!” he whined.

“Stop complaining,” his partner said. She aimed her right index and middle finger at the tank on the left.

“Boom,” April said. The first cocoon exploded loud enough to make their ears ring. Little fleshy pieces fell to the floor.

“Ew,” Kyosuke said. April nudged him in the arm.

“Go,” she said.

“Huh?” the Japanese shinigami asked.

“It’s your turn,” April said. “Blast the one on the right.”

“Okay…” Kyosuke said. He drew in a breath and held up his hand.

“Hon ton to chan san go!” he yelled. A pale green light sailed towards the second cocoon. Kyosuke cringed as it exploded.

“Ew,” he said.

“Has to be done,” his partner said. Suddenly, the room began to shake. Kyosuke grabbed April’s arm.

“What’s happening?” he asked.

“We don’t have much time!” April said. “Someone is coming and the building is going to collapse. Quick! Help me destroy the last cocoon!”

“Right!” Kyosuke said. Both shinigami powered up and destroyed the remaining cocoon tank. The last explosion shook everything around them. April grabbed her partner by the arm.

“Let’s get out of here!” she shouted. They vanished into thin air as the room started falling apart. They found Kon standing outside.

“Let’s get out of here!” he yelled.

“What about the people inside?!” Kyosuke asked.

“Not enough time!” the guard yelled. “Besides, I already got them out! We have to go! Come on!” Kon grabbed Kyosuke and April and disappeared from the area.

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-Ju-Oh-Cho-

Watari watched the map on the screen. The little light in Hokkaido go out.

“Excellent,” the blonde scientist said. “And not, the rest will follow.” He went back to his research on the mysterious caller and his code.