Vol 8 Chapter 31 (2/2)
”My plan was a success Look at this confusion The Correctional Facility is cru to my intentions Frankly, I didn't expect it to turn out so well You served your purpose a hundred times better than I expected You were really useful to me”
shi+on stood up unsteadily
”Nezu about?”
”I never believed that Safu would be safe The moment she was imprisoned, I knew the possibility of her escape was close to nil shi+on― saving Safu never mattered toof destroying it and getting out of there as soon as possible That was it”
The superfibre cloth slid fro his head unwittingly? Nezumi stooped to pick the fabric up, and stared intently at the boy in front of hiive ize for and be done with”
”What are you talking about?” shi+on said loudly ”I'le word”
Really? Can you really not understand?
You're a liar, shi+on You do get it You understand every single word And you'll never forgive me You'll lose faith in me and loathe me Or would you―
Cheep!
Tsukiyo squeaked sharply Nezumi felt his spine tense He felt like transparent arroere stabbing into him It was murderous intent
He turned around A un at him He was not a Security Bureau official He was one of the soldiers who had been under Rashi+'s command
Nezumi had noticed him too late
”shi+on, duck!” He shoved shi+on as hard as he could Iht seemed to pierce his entire body
It scorched him
He tried to screaht, but no voice ca It was hot
”Nezumi!”
He could see shi+on, wide-eyed He could see clearly the boy's screaers The ie was so vivid, it seemed hardly real
The vivid scene blurred, and darkness closed in
All colour faded
Raugh!
The black dog was thrown out across the floor Its limbs convulsed as it foamed at the mouth The Bureau official had propped hiun in his hand The black dog eventually stopped ressive nature, it had loved to nap in the sun It would often lie in the sunlight s out It had a temperamental disposition, but it was loyal to Inukashi+,
I', and apologized inside his heart I'ive un He could see the hollowed cheeks of the thin-faced man who held it Inukashi+ did not flinch He did not stop A moment of hesitation, a moment of confusion could cost hi With the enemy before hiun and fired blindly in furious succession
daant murderers You're all cruel, dirty thieves Give back everything you've stolen frouys have trampled over everyone in the West Block for this whole time You killed people indiscriminately You cold-blooded ht You shameful, despicable people damnit
He mentally hurled as many insults at them as he could He could not voice his vilification If only his wrath could turn into bullets and shatter that blue-grey weapon
Can't you give us a miracle like that for once, God? You were quick to turn your back on the West Block, like aher infant on the barren plains Doesn't your ive me a miracle, at least, to make up for it Hand over that miracle so we can survive
His foot slipped He lost his balance and landed on his bottom Bullets bounced at his feet If he had not fallen, he would have been shot cleanly through
Phew, I still have some luck left
”Don't uns at the bass rumbled
”We'll exterminate you well Be prepared”
Sewer rats? Don't you dare put me on the same level as those lowly anier, but realized the gun was out of bullets He glanced at the power shovel
What the hell are you doing behind there, oldfrom the somewhat comically wide mouth of the shockwave cannon Preparations seeid wind blew up at hionna die here? That can't happen You gotta be kidding onna be ruined before the main actors even appear What the hell do I do now? Do sohts went out An alarm sounded
”What? What is it?”
”I don't know So's happened inside”
”Hey! Did you hear an explosion?”
”Huh? Oh, now that you itation of the officials
”I can't see! I can't see anything in here!”
Shrill screams, almost shrieks, echoed in the darkness It's the same as with the smell They're really, really weak Inukashi+ smirked
The people of No 6 were so unbelievably, so laughably hen even a se occurred in their clean and comfortable environment Perhaps soldiers would have had a little more resistance But the Security Bureau officials were cowering, clearly exposing their fragility
Look at what a loss you're all at You build that murder weapon with a cool face, but you're afraid of the dark Disgusting Inukashi+ hurled abuse at the on his botto out
”Not yet Don't rush it,” he told hirew louder Its enorency alert Eency evacuation Eency evacuation
All personnel, evacuate immediately
Level 5, Level 5
”Level 5!? What is it, what's going on?”
”I don't know, but we should evacuate We have to get out of here, or we'll be in danger”
”Hey, there it is again I heard it Things are exploding everywhere Get out!”
”I-I wish I could, but it's so dark why aren't the backup lights co on?”
”This is a trash depot Do you think they have backup lights?”
Now! Inukashi+ leapt to his feet, using his whole body for leverage I'm used to the dark You'll see how different I a his gun around It hit sos snarled and pounced Inukashi+ started yanking out all the pipes and cables attached to the cannon
bastards bastards Making crap like this You guyspeople
Level 5, Level 5
Eency evacuation
”Outside! Get outside! It's dangerous in here!”
”Yeah, get out! We have to evacuate!”
The Security Bureau officials fled through the door leading outside
Inukashi+ stood, breathing heavily Sweat poured off his whole body But he was shaking He could not stop His teeth chattered His heart was palpitating so badly, he had trouble catching his breath
He fell to his knees as the strength left his approached One with a patched coat pushed its nose up against him Inukashi+ latched on to its furry collar and buried his face in its soft fur It s as he could res, and his friends It smelled more sweetly than any flower
Tears spilled over They streamed down one after another We're saved We've been saved The dog licked away the tears on his cheeks It's warm Oh, it's so waruys Thank you Thanks soout through the door of the waste collection area ”Looks like they ran off”
”Yeesh, old onna be now? Were you off shopping for today's dinner or soa wouldn't see thehed softly in the dark
”I told you, I'entle than me Fortune could turn every which way, but I would never be able to go wild and let loose like you”
”Well, you can turn right back around and never coain You're just a useless drunkard even when you're around, anyway You'd only hold htly ”Ah, but I have to say that was an iard for you now If I were a girl, I'd have fallen for you right there Bravo, bravo”
Inukashi+ wrinkled his nose at Rikiga's applause
”You falling for oosebuht? I'd appreciate it if you could lay off that stuff, it's bad for ht here”
Rikiga paid no attention to Inukashi+'s insults He cupped his hand around his ear and listened intently The alarm stopped as abruptly as it had started
Inukashi+ also pricked his ears
He could hear so like the distant rumble of the sea, or distant thunder
What is it? What is that sound?
”Soa said in a queerly languid voice ”And that's not it I can hear screa in there, too It's in there Yeah, I can hear it”
The door connecting the Correctional Facility to the waste processing area was still open, which hy they could hear as going on inside Two spaces which had always been firmly divided were now connected
”Hey, Inukashi+ Is this a precursor? Is this the beginning?” His voice quavered as it tapered off Inukashi+ could not see his face, but he knew that Rikiga was probably flushed with excitement He did not even need to look My face is probably that colour, too, Inukashi+ thought I' It's finally beginning It's actually beginning
Nezuuys actually did it I don't knohat the hell you did, but you did it You set the alarhout the Correctional Facility Level 5 Is that the highest hazard level? If it was hah, this is getting interesting This is gonna be fun
Those un salutes in the distance
Inukashi+ had been licking his lips unwittingly
Nezumi, that fraudulent bastard wasn't just a talker He did what he pro to co
Suddenly, the lights flashed They went out again, and the room sank into darkness The door closed, opened, tried to close again, but stopped at about two-thirds of the way
”What is it? Is it practicing a dance?” Rikiga cracked a la
”Go dance along with it, old ain This isn't a dance These are its last spasives out Just like that black dog, the Correctional Facility is writhing in pain at the brink of death
Notes