Chapter Thirty-Six: Rampage:

Around ten in the morning, the 119 call center got flooded with calls about a fire to a house in their neighborhood. It didn’t take long for the operator to figure out the address. Fire fighters drove out to the burning house. Most of the building was already consumed by flames. The firefighters did their best to put out the fires.

Meanwhile, Tomoe was on her own mission. Before she left, she grabbed her best knife from the kitchen. To her surprise, her house went up easily. Tomoe didn’t even stick around to watch. No time for that. She was going to leave this town one way or another. Let the neighbors watch. Tomoe didn’t care anymore.

Right now, Alex tried to talk some sense into her.

“Come on,” he said. “Don’t do this.” Tomoe glared at him.

“Put the knife down and talk to me,” the detective said. “What is the matter? Why are you doing this?” By now, the crowd in the parking lot got bigger. Honda pushed them back.

“Stay back,” he said. “Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along.” Tomoe’s nostrils flared.

“I hate this town,” she growled.

“Excuse me?” Alex asked. Tomoe’s face resembled a hellhound’s. He could’ve sworn that she would be able to shoot lasers from her eyes if she could. Or maybe turn him into stone.

“They’re all a bunch of liars,” she said, her tone calm and even. “They just pity me. They don’t really care about me. They never have!”

“Look, I care,” Alex said.

“Liar!” she snapped. “You’re just as bad as the rest of them!” Her grip tightened on the knife.

“I understand,” the detective said.

“No, you don’t!” Tomoe shouted. She started to breathe heavily. Alex walked up to the glass door.

“Stay back!” she yelled. The detective froze.

“Okay,” he said. The whole time, he tried to think of way to get out of this situation without anyone getting hurt or dying. Alex tried to look past the deranged woman. A small group of people sat near the counter, huddled and trembling.

“Can you at least let them go?” he asked like a father trying to calm down an unruly child.

“Why?” she asked.

“Why are you doing this?” Alex asked. “Help me understand here.” By now, Tomoe started to look annoyed.

“Why the fuck do you even care?” she asked. “You’re just going to lock me into a cage!”

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” he said. “Just let these people go and put down the knife.” Tomoe started growling at him. This clearly wasn’t going anywhere. Alex sighed, shaking his head.

“If you don’t want to come out, then I will come in,” he said. “This has got to stop.” Alex had his gun at his side. Tomoe clicked her tongue.

“No!” she snapped.

“Look,” Alex growled. “We can’t keep this up. Either you let me peacefully or I will force my way in! And I don’t think either one of us wants the latter!” There was a pause. Tomoe dropped the knife by her side. She unlocked the door and stepped away. Alex kept his hand on his gun.

“Thank you,” he said. The detective followed her inside.

Meanwhile, the young man in the backseat of the car looked out the window. He could only see the crowd in from of the store. But yet...