Chapter Twenty-Five: Wolf in the Fox:
The following
events took place on the day Anna got the call from Yoshimi.
-3:00 a.m.-
Aki stood
waiting in front of a closed internet café. Three shadowy men approached her.
The conversation was brief. They understood what she wanted. She gave them
money. The men nodded and parted ways. Aki herself vanished.
-7:00 a.m.-
Josuke was on
the train heading south. He already left Tokyo. He decided he would go as far as
he could. But, what was the point?
“They will just
kill me.”
He laughed to
himself. The question was who.
-7:45 a.m.-
Three men
boarded the Shinkansen. The came on separately. They blended in with the crowd.
No eye contact. No communication. Just get on and ride.
Five stops. Five
stops before the final outcome.
-First Stop-
Eight people got
off. Twenty got on. Everything looked normal. Josuke kept to himself. Don’t look
up. Keep quiet. Don’t draw attention. The shadow men do the same. The ride felt
normal. So normal.
-Second Stop-
Twelve people
get off. Six people got on. One of the men looked around. Only the eyes moved.
He knew Josuke was here. Which seat was he in? The front? The back? Maybe the
middle.
The other two
men began their search.
-Third Stop-
Twenty-one
people got off. Fifty people get on. Neither side moved. Josuke knew someone was
watching him. What should he do? It’s a crowded train. There were cameras
everywhere. On the positive side, they knew it too. But, something had to give.
Who would move
first?
-Fourth Stop-
Two people got
off. Seventy people got on. The men began to move. Josuke held his breath. He
could feel it coming. But one weapon on him. One knife. But, everything had to
be timed. There still people around. Plus, the cameras were still running.
He clinched his
fists. Maybe this would be it.
-Fifth Stop-
The people got
off. Eighteen people got on. Josuke finally got up. He looked behind him. No one
following him. Couldn’t let his guard down. This could be it.
He made it to
the bathroom. But, he wasn’t alone. Josuke froze.
“Oh,” he said.
“You’re here. Are you going to kill me?” There was a pause. Josuke turned his
head.
“No?” he asked.
“Then… what do you want?” Another pause.
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By the next
stop, a large crowd got off. More people got on. The shadow men got off and went
in different directions. Josuke was nowhere to be found.
Anna would not know until days later.