HA2 15.2 – Uncommon Delivery
Yohei had worked as courier for 23 years, so he knew every part of Nichiko like his own palm. He also had met with countless customers with unusual request. Therefore, he had no worry when his manager asked him to deliver a huge amount of package, to an abandoned factory in west of Nichiko. He just calmly sat in the passenger seat, waiting for the delivery recipient to show up and take their package.
Yohei’s calm and collected mood was stark contrast to Ryosuke, a young driver who joint the company just a week ago. In a glance, it was easy to tell that Ryosuke was jumpy and nervous as hell.
Initially, Ryosuke thought that there was no harm to work a little harder for overtime money. Therefore, he happily accepted Yohei’s offer to become his driver for tonight delivery. But now, after arriving at the dark and disquieting dropping location, that was also located too far from the closest human’s activity, Ryosuke was instantly regretting his decision.
“Senior Yohei, is this really the correct dropping point?” Ryosuke nervously asked.
“It is,” Yohei calmly replied before putting a butternut candy in his mouth.
“But this is an abandoned factory and we enter it without permission.”
“You are half correct. This place is indeed an abandoned factory, but we didn’t trespass it.”
“How so?” Ryosuke curiously asked.
“I often pass this place on my morning jog and the front gate is always locked and tightly shut, but it’s widely open when we arrive.”
“But no one here after we enter this place.”
“Be patient.” Yohei checked his watch and then continued, “It’s still 15 minutes before the appointment time. Certain people are very strict with their schedule, particularly people who avoid crowded meeting place.”
“Senior Yohei, criminal and murderer also avoid crowded meeting place.”
“Yeah, but not all of them are criminal or murderer. Sometime they just people who couldn’t stand crowed place.”
“Are you sure this is the case for our delivery?”
“Let’s hope so and calmly wait.”
“Understood.”
Yohei could tell that Ryosuke was still nervous as hell, but he had no intention to calm him. He chose to let the experience taught him personally.
While chewing the butternut candy Yohei then re-checked the electronic invoice. The package he had to deliver was coming from several mountaineering and hiking store, and each store made a small note that the item was highly likely being ordered by a small team of hardcore climber with deep knowledge and experience about their stuff.
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So, each store asked Yohei’s manager to deliver their item as professional as possible because it directly connected to the reputation of each brand their store represented. That’s why the manager picked Yohei, the best courier he had to carry the job.
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Unknowingly to Yohei and Ryosuke, just fifty meter away from the parking lot and right behind a big and long building, three people took position. With calm eyes Takeo used traffic CCTV to monitor the road in front of abandoned factory up to 5 km radius. Once he confirmed that there was no incoming traffic, Takeo immediately turned his gaze to Hide.
“We are good to go.”
“Okay,” After taking a last glance at two men on the delivery truck Hide whispered to Shizuka, “Ready?”
“I’m,” Shizuka firmly replied.
“Let’s get it done then.”
Wasting no time, Hide and Shizuka lowered their balaclava down to their chin. Then, they carefully and silently flanked the delivery truck before approaching it from behind. After that, they crawled beneath the truck, silently pace by pace like a pair of big black cat.
Right under the head of the truck, Hide stopped and took out the sleeping compound he made this afternoon, and then carefully dropped some of it to two thick handkerchiefs.
Different people had different physical fitness, weight, and age. Therefore, each people required different dose of sleeping compound to knock them out effectively. Fortunately, Hide had no difficulty to calculate the correct dose of sleeping compound for people he had just met. And so, he confidently handed over the handkerchief to knock out the young driver to Shizuka.
In the truck, Yohei and Ryosuke were oblivious to the presence of two stalkers under their butt. When they realized it, it was already too late. They could only widen their eyes as out of nowhere, strong hand suddenly gagged their mouth and nose with a thick handkerchief that had weird smell.
Yohei and Ryosuke tried their best to break free, but it was futile. Their body became limp and losing its strength as their conscious rapidly evaporated. A moment later, the two fully fell unconscious.
Hide immediately checked their vital, and once he sure it was stable he immediately gave the signal to start the unloading. While he and Shizuka checked the goods, Takeo closed the front gate to prevent unwanted interference and then moved Black Zubaru and Black Tritton closer to the delivery truck.
After that, the three moved the goods to Black Zubaru and Black Triton. They carried the work swiftly, almost without talking, but they could complement each other very well as if they were communicating without any words.
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Slowly but surely Yohei opened his eyes. After shaking his head to wash away the remains of sleepiness in his mind, he through fully checked his body. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer any harm. He also didn’t lose his wallet, watch, or other things.
In the dashboard, Yohei saw two cans of coffee and two pieces of thick chicken sandwich, but he ignored it. Without delay he shook Ryosuke shoulder to wake him up, and he instantly took a breath full of relief as Ryosuke groaned while opening his eyes.
“Where are we?” Ryosuke weakly asked.
“We are still in the dropping point, the abandoned factory,” Yohei calmly replied.
“Are we still alive?” Ryosuke asked as he checked his body.
“We are.” Yohei replied as he checked the delivery tablet. Then, he suddenly furrowed his brows. “Someone have left a hand signature on the electronic invoice.”
“Huh?” Big question mark in instant appeared in Ryosuke forehead. “Don’t tell me someone took the package while we were unconscious.”
“Let’s check it.”
Yohei and Ryosuke immediately got off the truck and checked the container. They had a hunch that they wouldn’t find the package they had to deliver. Even so, when they personally saw the container was empty they still dropped their jaw.
“Senior Yohei,” Ryosuke said in panic. “What should we do?”
“Nothing. Let’s get back to the office.”
“Are you sure we don’t need to report it to the police?”
“Why do we report it to the police?” After taking a deep breath Yohei added, “We arrive at the agreed dropping point, and someone left a hand signature after taking the package. So, even if it’s rather uncommon procedure, it’s still a complete delivery.”
“Can we really say this is a complete delivery?”
“Well…”
Yohei didn’t continue his words as his tablet suddenly received a message from his manager. It said the customer had text him to express his gratitude because the delivery company had sent their most professional courier.
“It is fine,” Yohei calmly said as he showed the message from their manager to Ryosuke. “Let’s go back.”
“Okay,” Ryosuke firmly said after reading the message.
A moment later, the delivery truck already exited the front gate of abandoned factory and drove away in moderate speed. Ryosuke calmly sat behind the wheel, while Yohei sat in the passenger seat and casually enjoyed the chicken sandwich and coffee.
Unknowingly to Yohei and Ryosuke, in the dark corner of abandoned factory, a young man also enjoyed similar chicken sandwich and coffee. He leaned his back on the wall while eating his dinner without making any sound. This young man was Hide.
He deliberately stayed behind to ensure the couriers from the delivery company didn’t meet with unwanted mishap while they were unconscious. He genuinely didn’t want something bad happen to them, because it would attract some attention from metro police.
Once he finished his dinner, Hide then left the abandoned factory using Black Zubaru. Of course, before leaving he had ensured no traceable trail could be found. He also didn’t just randomly locked and shut the front gate, but made sure it returned to its original state.
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