Chapter 81 - Eiji Goodbye Run (1/2)
Kei noticed they had a car tailing them when he turned onto the isolated dirt roads towards the north of Hiroshima City.
”Looks like we have a tail.” Kei bit his lip as his eyes darted to the tiny vehicle barely noticeable in the rear vision mirror.
Tyne titled his head, so he could see what Kei saw in the mirror from his view in the back-seat.
”What's the condition of the car?” He wanted to triage their chances of an outrun.
”Tank's half empty.” Kei soberly reported.
”Then try to ditch them through the forest paths,” Sean said.
He nudged Tyne closer to the back window, so he could lean forward to point at the upcoming side road that seemed to be cutting into a dense forest.
Kei glimpsed Sean's finger targetting the road. He nodded and increased speed to do a sharp turn onto the dirt road. He turned off on to a wide fire trail that was heading downwards to another main road.
Sean dared a glance at the back window, to see if they were being followed. He sighed with relief when there was no one behind them.
”Looks like we lost them.”
Eiji wasn't convinced. He held his composure in the front passenger seat with his mind reeling on plans and strategies should they be run off the road.
Tama had woken to the abrupt change of pace and leaped on to Sean lap into a trembling ball. He calmed her with pats.
Kei skilfully drove them onto the main road. The car entered the lanes at a calmer pace, and avoiding pulled carts or carriages with ease.
The way before them was eventually quiet and void of other vehicles and signs of life. Kei had managed to work out where they were, after noticing a few village signs from passing farm houses and minkas on the sides.
”SHIT!” He swore when a car swerved at them from the other side of the road, causing them to go into a fierce spin.
He dropped the gear and speed, eased back on the brakes to control the spin into a mad wobble. He was able to rebalance the car and continue the drive forward.
The offending car had regained speed to over take them. It did a sharp turn a few meters up the road to block their path.
Kei slammed the brakes. The car's screeching provoked a flock of birds into the air from nearby trees. The smell of burnt rubber wafted about their noses as they skidded to an abrupt stop.
”KEI!” Tyne yelped as his head banged Kei's when his body was jolted forward.
Eiji had instinctively slammed his arm on Kei's chest to stop his upper body from smashing onto the windshield and driving wheel. He had been wearing his seatbelt, which had stopped him from going through the windshield himself. An extra safety measure to withstand Kei's mad driving. The consequence was a jarring pain to his forearm. He checked for broken bones and still felt feeling in his fingers. Seems the most he'd suffer later was a nasty bruise.
Sean had held Tama tightly that he suffered claw marks from where she had dug into his legs to stop herself from flying.
Outside, thick dust clouds hovered around them. When the dust had settled, from the view of the window, they saw two officers step out of the other car.
Eiji gulped at the sight of an all black uniform bearing the metal emblem belonging to a kenpei officer. His mind panicked at the sight of Ren in his khaki uniform. Ren's expression was void of pleasantries and cordialness
What was he doing there?
”Step out of the car!” The kenpei shouted when he stopped a few paces away from the driver's door.
Eiji glanced to Ren standing behind the officer. He suspected the man was angry and confused behind his poker face expression.
Kei felt his blood boil when the kenpei pulled out a government issued handgun and aimed it to his head from the other side of the driver's window.
”GET... OUT!”
Kei glared into the kenpei's narrowed dark eyes and common Japanese features. The shade from the man's stiff peak cap, accentuated the sobriety to his expression. He sensed the man's mad intent from the twitches to the corner of the man's mouth.
His eyes darted to the steady black gloved finger, which hovered a fraction of a move away from pulling back the trigger that would lodge a bullet into his brain.
He sighed and carefully unlocked the door to open it, stepping out with his hands raised.
The kenpei stepped back with his gun raised higher. Not giving Kei an inch to make a break or attack.
The other men reluctantly stepped out of the car. Sean set Tama to the ground on the other side of them. At least one of them had a chance for a getaway should there be gunfire and bodies dropping to the ground.
She sniffed the dirt ground to gather her bearings and found shelter underneath the car, slightly frightened by the heighten energies coming from the humans.
”Officer Takahashi-san. What is the meaning of this?” Tyne calmly asked his question to Ren with his hands in the air.
He stood next to Kei with Eiji on the other side of him. Sean held his place closer towards the tank to hide Tama from view. They all had their hands raised in the air.
”My question to you Weber-sensei.” Ren answered, not giving away his expression. ”Officer Yamamoto-san told me what you did on the train.”
Tyne sighed. ”What do you intend to do officers?”
The kenpei lifted his gun and re-aimed it on Ren's head. ”Takahashi-kun.” He fired the trigger.
”TAKAHASHI!” Eiji wailed as Ren's body dropped to the ground. His heart raced with anxiety at seeing the man lifeless near his feet. ”WHY?!”