Chapter Sixteen: Please Help, My Friend:

November 15th, 2010.

Tsuzuki came to work with one thought in mind. He knocked on Watari’s door.

“Coming!” the scientist shinigami shouted. Tsuzuki paced around so pale. Come on. Come on. Come on. He looked up when the door opened.

“Yeah?” Watari asked. His friend stood up straight.

“I need your help!” Tsuzuki said. Watari raised an eyebrow.

“Anna?” he asked.

“Kirika-chan.”

His friend frowned. “Come inside.” Tsuzuki followed him into the lab.

“I have a question,” he said. Watari pulled up his computer.

“Is it about the key?” he asked. Tsuzuki’s jaw dropped.

“How did you know?” he asked. His friend smiled.

“I’ve been doing my own research.” Watari pulled up the files. “Check it out.” Tsuzuki looked on the screen.

“Wow,” he said. “How long have you…?”

“Since Halloween.”

“Ah.”

Watari stood back grinning. “Go ahead, ask questions.”

“Okay… Is it turn about the gate?”

“Yes.”

Tsuzuki pressed his hand to his forehead. “Oh no. He was right.”

Watari tilted his head. “Who?”

His friend sighed. “The boss of Viper’s Teeth stopped by my place two nights ago.”

“Tsuzuki…”

“Gave us two weeks to hand over Kirika-chan.”

“You can’t.”

“I know.”

“So what will you do?”

“I don’t know.”

“And you came to me for help?”

“Yes.”

Watari pushed his blonde hair from his face. “Where do you want to start?”

“Is there a safer way to test the key?”

Watari clicked to another window. “I started looking into it, but I have nothing yet.” Watari saw the worried look on Tsuzuki’s face.

“Don’t worry,” he said, waving him off. “I won’t quit on you.” Tsuzuki breathed out.

“Thanks, Watari,” he said.

“It’s fine,” the blonde scientist said. “I will need to see that little cutie again for another examination.”

Tsuzuki’s face into disgust. “She is not your shiny new toy.”

“I know, I know. You want a safer way to test the key, right?”

“Yes.” Still, Tsuzuki already resolved to stay in the lab while Kirika-chan was being examined.

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 At the Tsuzuki apartment, Daiyu got on her phone.

“Mom, dad,” she whispered. “I’m here in Japan. I found my niece.” The ice on the other line made her heart sink.