Tokyo Demons Book 2: Chapter 7, Part 2

Ayase glanced at the clock. 2 p.m.

Sachi seemed to notice. “I know,” he murmured. “But you know how long paperwork can take.”

She fidgeted in the waiting room chair. It was a long time since she’d worried about paperwork, but that didn’t make her feel better. Red tape could still get them killed.

She’d seen Kadoyuki stall with Touya–it was only a matter of time before he figured out what hospital they were in. And now that he had the briefcase…his next step was anyone’s guess. And Kadoyuki seemed convinced that it would end very, very badly.

“T-Touya…raped me. And photographed it.”

A wave of nausea rolled through her, making her lightheaded. Ayase swallowed bile and slid her arms around herself.

“Ayase?”

Sachi reached out to touch her, but she suddenly jerked back in her chair. He widened his eyes.

“Uh, no,” she said quickly, trying to shove down the sick feeling in her stomach. “I’m just…jumpy. Sorry.”

He frowned, but said nothing. He lowered his arm and gave her some space.

Ayase nervously clenched her hands. She felt a disturbing parallel with that day in S. Hospital–when she’d returned to a waiting room, knowing something terrible about Kadoyuki, unable to tell Sachi. Kadoyuki always begged her not to tell Sachi.

At least this time she knew what he was hiding. But…that made her more desperate to tell someone. They were willing to listen to Kadoyuki, now that they’d neutralized his threat. They were possibly willing to forgive him. Wouldn’t it be easier if they knew why he’d been out of his mind with fear? This wasn’t just an issue of him getting in too deep or worrying about everyone’s safety.

And…they all knew Touya was capable of assault, after the love hotel–but raping an underclassman he was supervising? And he photographed it for trauma-inducing blackmail?!

Her palms began to sweat. She forced down the stomach-churning images that her mind kept conjuring. She didn’t want to think about the details. Ever. And she wanted to get Kadoyuki out of here, into whatever secret safe house Zayd had promised, so he and Touya would never be in the same room again.

She glanced once more at the clock. 2:10.

Sachi smiled at her, although it seemed forced. “I’m sure they’ll be done with check-out any minute,” he assured her. “They have the money, after all. And Jo and Mitsuko-senpai look like they could be Kado’s parents.”

No, they don’t.

Ayase’s phone buzzed in her pocket. As she dug it out, it buzzed again–it was a call and not a text. From Daniel.

She flipped open the phone. “Hello?”

“Ayase-kun. Are you in a taxi yet?”

“Um…no. We’ll leave when Jo and Kadoyuki do, and they’re still checking out.”

Daniel hummed, a strange edge to his voice. “I’m starting to get worried,” he murmured. “Nick was supposed to call us back by now, and he hasn’t. And his phone is going straight to voicemail.”

Ayase sat up. “Did you try Hatsumi-san?”

“Of course. Same problem.”

Ayase swallowed. The foreboding in her heart deepened.

“I…I can go straight to their place from here, if you want me to.”

Daniel went quiet. “I obviously don’t want to put you in danger, Ayase-kun.”

“But you’re worried about Nick. He’s the one with the detox drugs.”

Sachi turned to her, his eyes widening. She quickly waved him off.

“Mitsuko-senpai isn’t going with Jo and Kadoyuki, right? Maybe she’ll come with me. Just as a back-up…I mean, I should be able to handle myself, Daniel-san.” She lowered her voice. “But I might send Sachi to you.”

Sachi furrowed his brow. “Ayase…”

“I’m nervous sending Adam directly from here to Hatsumi’s apartment. That’s one of the few truly secret places we have left.” Daniel sighed. “If…if you wouldn’t mind.”

Ayase heard the thumping of crutches in the hallway. She quickly confirmed with Daniel and hung up the phone.”

Mitsuko brushed into the room, looking decidedly adult in a breezily cut dress and high heels. She tugged the edge of her wide-brimmed straw hat and smiled.

“All done,” she announced with a hint of glee. “Time to bring the kiddies home!”

Kadoyuki clomped through the doorway behind her, as jittery as he’d been all morning. Jo–once again with slicked hair and glasses–squeezed in past Kadoyuki. He irritably waved Ayase and Sachi over.

“Up. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Ayase leapt to her feet, wanting nothing more. Sachi clutched her arm as they jogged into the hallway.

“What was that phone call?” he asked. “Where did you say you’d go?”

Ayase bit the inside of her cheek. “Listen,” she said, throwing a sideways glance at Jo. “Daniel-san can’t get through to Nick. I said I’d go check it out, preferably with Mitsuko-senpai.”

“What?” Jo snapped, the muscles in his jaw twitching. “Zayd just called me. Nakajima can’t get through to Ochi.”

Kadoyuki went white as a sheet. He hung limply from his crutches, his lips quivering.

“Oh, God. It’s happening.” His eyes darted to the empty hallway behind him. “Touya’s cutting off his line.”

“I’m fucking done with your cryptic gibberish, Kado!”

“I-I mean…the future. When he watches the future and decides when to cut in.” Kadoyuki choked back a whine. “He has the Pitch. Nick-san has the antagonists. Ochi is a psychic, so he’s a th-threat. He’s taking what he needs and covering his trail!”

Ayase’s heart started to pound. Sachi touched Kadoyuki’s shoulder, his brow furrowing.

“Are you sure, Kado?”

“I-I don’t know! But he…today is his birthday and…”

“His trust fund opens up.” Jo cursed. “Sachi, is he lying?”

“Uh…no.”

Jo brushed past Ayase and grabbed Kadoyuki’s collar. “What else would that asshole need?”

“He…h-he knows about Wipe, which I think is why he gave us Wipe. Wipe is a threat to him. But Wipe was with Nick-san, so if he went there…”

“And you’re a threat to him, Kado!” Jo shouted as he shook the boy.

Kadoyuki gasped out a breath as Sachi pushed Jo off. Sachi turned to Kadoyuki with hard eyes; his fingers tightened on Kadoyuki’s shoulder.

“You don’t think Touya figured out that you’re here?” he asked, the quake to his voice betraying his nerves. “Or that you betrayed him for us?”

“I don’t know!” Kadoyuki wailed.

Mitsuko sighed angrily and shoved Jo toward the elevator. “Then we need to get to safety,” she muttered. “Now.”

Jo whipped around to her. “We’re not bringing a goddamn target with us to–”

“To your new, secretive little safe house? You said your Arabic friend’s trying to contain him, and that’s the safest place to do it. We’re sticking to the plan.”

Jo bared his teeth. “Mitsuko!”

“Baby, get in the fucking elevator.”

Jo swore a blue streak and rammed the elevator button with his fist. A light chimed above the door.

“I already called the cabs,” he snapped. “They should be here by now.”

Ayase tried not to panic as they all loaded into the elevator. She felt her paranoia deepen with the sinking compartment.

Please, she prayed, to no one in particular. Please let us get out of here.

The doors slid open on the parking level, letting in a rush of cooler air from the covered parking garage. Ayase’s eyes snapped to the exit, an open gateway with multiple lanes for cars; she saw one drive in just as another spilled onto the street. Two cabs idled beyond the entryway, hugging the opposite sidewalk.

“That’s them.” Mitsuko helped Kadoyuki get his crutches down a few steps. “Let’s go.”

Ayase gripped Sachi’s hand, suddenly desperate for the comfort. He squeezed back as they ran down the steps with Jo.

The entering car–suddenly nearing them–made Ayase freeze. But as it grew closer, she saw the siren light on top of the carriage.

A police car.

“I-I recognize those plates,” Sachi suddenly blurted. “From the church parking lot.”

“Detective Ochi?!”

The car rolled to a calm stop in front of them, and Ayase saw the outline of Ochi’s police hat. She swallowed down her heart as Jo tensed beside her.

The door opened. A tall officer in a full uniform ducked out of the car.

Kadoyuki screamed.

Touya smiled as he pulled the gun from his holster. “Excuse me,” he drawled. “I believe you have something of mine.”

***

Jo didn’t see Mitsuko move from behind him. He just heard the clack of her high heels, the click of something metallic, and the thin fsst in the air as something whizzed by Jo’s face.

Touya narrowly twisted his body as a knife cut through the air where his torso had been. It clattered to the pavement behind him as he lunged.

“Mitsuko!”

Mitsuko had already jumped at Touya, but he pistol-whipped her before she could get a good slash in; the knife in her hands cut shallowly through the edge of his policeman’s jacket. Before she even hit the ground, he drove a shoe up into her gut.

Jo dove for the gun arm, every instinct in him screaming. He saw Ayase and Sachi out of the corner of his eyes, running beside him, but it was over before Jo could blink. Touya’s iron fist hit Jo’s jaw with the force of a battering ram, sending the world to snap and twist around Jo as his sneakers flipped from the floor. He barely blocked his head before he rammed into the concrete at an angle, rolling and scraping against the parking lot while his glasses clattered elsewhere.

He heard the screech of cries as he skidded to a stop, his jaw burning like he’d dipped it in lava. The spinning world drove bile up his throat.

He saw a wavy double view of Touya, crouched over two screaming Kados. By the time the images merged, Touya had snapped the handcuffs closed and hauled Kado to his feet, Kado’s cast dragging with a hollow scrape against the concrete.

Jo spat out the blood and scrambled to his feet. He ran at Touya, his mind preparing–in sudden calmness–for the embrace of death.

Ayase exploded into the swarm. Jo reeled back, tripping, as her insects filled the air with black. The buzzing cloud descended on Touya as his eyes widened in clear surprise.

Jo’s heart jumped to his mouth. “Do it!” he shouted without thinking. “Fucking get him!”

“I’ll break his neck,” Touya snapped, his voice ringing in the garage.

The swarm pulsed. As the bugs spread across a broader space, revealing Touya behind their blotting bodies, Jo saw Kado, his hands cuffed behind him, locked up against Touya’s shoulder. Touya gripped his chin with a bruising hand, his arm bent in the position to twist.

Touya panted, his lips curled crazily. He dug his gloved fingers into Kado’s jaw.

“Do you think I’m bluffing, miss?”

The insects buzzed angrily around him, but spread further. Touya chuckled without humor.

“This certainly explains a lot,” he murmured. “Back into the girl’s body. Now.”

Kado sobbed in his grip. “Senpai–”

“Shut up, Kado-kun. The grown-ups are talking.”

Jo suddenly noticed Mitsuko, very still on the floor. Sachi was near her, gasping and wrapping an arm around his stomach.

Jo wanted to scream. But the swarm still swept away from Touya, wrapping into a condensed wave, narrowing into the floor as it twisted in a bulging column. The bugs melted into bare skin as Ayase formed like a naked goddess.

She covered herself with her hands, a frustrated cry ripping from her throat.

“Where’s Ochi?!” she demanded.

“Dead. As is Wipe, that sniveling toad. If your experiments kept his weak little body alive, then consider me impressed.”

Sachi covered his mouth. “Nick-san…!”

“No, I didn’t kill him. I’m not a sadist.” Touya snorted. “Your fight with Core isn’t over, and he might still be useful. So you get to keep him and I get to walk away.” He hummed. “But Wipe told me a little something I didn’t know yet. That you have a boy on your team who can detect lies.” Touya turned his gaze on Sachi. “A tall boy in ugly glasses.”

Sachi turned white as a sheet.

No.

Fuck…

No.

Jo’s stomach turned to lead as Touya whistled at Sachi. “Come here,” he called. “You don’t want me to kill your classmate, do you?”

Ayase dug her fingers into her flesh as she hunched over. “Touya!” she cried.

Sachi turned wide eyes to Ayase. He swallowed and rose on shaking legs.

“That’s it.” Touya scoffed down at Kado. “I can’t believe you were hiding a psychic from me. And one who could tell if you were lying? How on earth did you work around that?”

Hot, furious frustration clawed at Jo’s heart. He wanted to kill something. As he watched Sachi stumble to Touya, his vision blurred in helpless rage, Ayase’s screams ripped through him like a knife through butter.

“P-please,” Kado breathed. “Let him go…!”

“You know I can’t, Kado-kun. Psychics throw off the line.” Touya adjusted the gun in his free hand, and Jo suddenly noticed that the black glove was missing. What he’d initially thought was light flesh peeking out from behind torn leather was actually dark streaks carved into light skin.

Pitch veins. Thick, ugly veins that coursed along his flesh, along his palm and racing up the back of his hand. His blackened fingernails twitched as he tilted the gun.

“On your knees,” he ordered.

Sachi whispered something Jo couldn’t hear as he dropped to his knees in front of Touya.

“NO!” Ayase screamed.

“T-Touya!” Jo shouted, the words exploding from his burning throat. “We can’t take down Core without him!”

Touya ignored Ayase and flicked his gaze to Jo. He raised an eyebrow.

And shoved the gun into Sachi’s mouth.

“SACHI!”

“He senses supernaturals!” Kado cried.

Touya stopped. He lowered his eyes to the sobbing boy under his arm.

“Excuse me?”

“H-he’s an empath. He doesn’t just detect lies–he senses everything. Including powers!” Kado choked down his tears. “He can find you other psychics!”

Jo stopped breathing. His heart thundered in his chest as blood pounded behind his eyeballs.

“Hn.” Touya frowned. “And why should I believe you?”

“W-we used him to pick out Wipe in Motoi! He’s the reason the Church knew about Detective Ochi!” Kado squeezed his eyes shut. “Detective Nakajima would never tell them about Ochi’s power!”

Touya paused for a second, his gun arm rigid. Something danced across his eyes.

Then a smooth, dark smile pulled at his mouth.

He pulled the gun out. Sachi gasped and hunched over, his body shaking like a leaf. His hands slapped onto the concrete as his damp hair dropped into his face.

“I’m not much for teamwork,” Touya murmured, “but it’s hard to sniff out psychics myself. And I admit that Kado-kun’s moved something in me. I missed him when he was gone.” He tilted his chin against Kado’s head and smiled into his mussed hair. “It might be fun to have another boy around the house.”

Jo’s blood turned to ice. The husk to Touya’s voice, that heavy-lidded gaze, was something Jo knew all too well. Jo watched, horrified, as Touya’s thumb brushed Kado’s bottom lip.

Kado…

Touya lazily palmed the gun, extending a few fingers to Sachi in a gesture of goodwill. “I’m feeling generous….Sachi-kun, was it? So I’ll let you pick your future. You can either die here…” He rested his cheek against Kado’s head.

“Or you can come work for me. And keep Kado-kun company.”

To be continued in Chapter 8, Part 1.

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