“I’m surprised you came here first, of all places.”

“I’m surprised you let me in,” YF wanted to reply to Uraga, but held back.

Uraga tapped his fingers on his desk for a few seconds before speaking. “I know you were released, your brother decided to message me personally about it.”

“I tried to finish him,” said YF, feeling defensive. “But whatever experiments he did on others he must have done it on himself. His wounds healed at rates I’ve never seen before.”

Uraga smirked. “So you came here to try to convince me about some fantasy where you wanted to be the hero but were prevented from it due to some magical healing abilities of your brother?”

“No,” said YF. “I came here to confess that I killed an unarmed man, the operator in the reactor room,” said YF. “Ryoji was there to witness. I should receive some punishment for it.”

Uraga leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I would love nothing more than to put you in jail, particularly after you got Fujii killed,” he said. “But unfortunately I need you until we can finally can your brother. And don’t pretend like you actually want to take responsibility for anything. Your sanctimonious confession makes me want to vomit.”

YF grew somber at the words “Fujii killed.”

Uraga smirked. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know the moment you saw the screen.”

YF looked away. “I…” YF started.

“I don’t really need your puppy eyes of sadness or your useless words to express how sorry you are,” said Uraga. “What I need is to see your brother’s lifeless body pushed out into the ocean. Or better yet, burned in the suns.”

YF still hoped that putting Hiroyuki behind bars was an option. But having personally witnessed the latter’s manic state and the rate at which his wounds healed, an uncomfortable feeling that Uraga and Ryoji’s preferred solution of offing him might be more realistic turned in his stomach. Still, he wanted to stall that inevitability as much as he could.

“What did he do to you exactly?” asked YF.

“I was supposed to become Deputy Magistrate of Akeha,” said Uraga.

YF’s breath caught in his lungs.

“Yes, that's right. Performance reviews were stellar, made the right connections, somehow kept my hands clean of any scandals. But in my last few months as Magistrate here I ordered an audit on Aritomo for financial irregularities. Two weeks later my transfer to the capital was denied. Your brother was and still is the Finance Officer as you know, and I had a trustworthy source tell me he was the one who applied pressure to torpedo my career.”

YF nodded slowly. “I...see…” He couldn’t help but connect how Uraga had torpedoed his own career with what his brother did to Uraga. But even without the overhang of Fujii’s death, YF always found it difficult to confront the intimidating Ward Magistrate. The man had an aura about him that felt more oppressive than even the toughest Itsugo hooligan. In the end, YF could only wait for Uraga to continue his story.

“That was around the time I started to speak with Fujii,” said Uraga. “Of course it would’ve been a conflict of interest to disclose any of that. The village offices are technically under me, after all. Though during the year end party I was in a better mood than usual, and suppose I let out in the open how I felt.”

YF’s memory of Fujii’s body language told a much different picture from the one Uraga was portraying. But with all that Uraga had done to try to save her YF started to second guess his recollection of the incident. Thinking it over a few more moments though, YF supposed both could be true: that Uraga was genuinely in love with her but he was also forcing something beyond what Fujii was comfortable with. YF’s own memory of his conversations with Fujii in the Black Hat Bar made the situation feel yet more awkward.

“I would like to light a lavender stick for her,” said YF.

“Don’t you dare!” Uraga shouted, pounding his fist on the table.

YF flinched.

“You are going to make this right. You’re going to use that inherited ID of yours.”

YF had figured out already that Hiroyuki had somehow made YF’s blood samples compatible with an ID scan meant for the older Sakai. But to hear it vocalized in words the way Uraga had was a first. YF cursed his brother for taking such a drastic step behind his back, but also admitted he was not terribly surprised Hiroyuki made yet another decision without consulting somebody. YF wondered if his sister-in-law knew about this, and could already feel the complications that would arise when she found out.

“Don’t skip town,” said Uraga.

YF frowned. After meeting with Ryoji, YF’s next plan was to go to Ikusayama and stay there. Magistrate Uraga probably did not have the power to prevent him from exiting at port, but perhaps it was still best not to test him. YF figured he would think of a way to get off the main island — at least temporarily — later.

“Yes sir,” said YF.

“Good,” said Uraga. “Report to Kuroda and be about your duties. I will call you when I need you.”

***

YF was rather surprised that Ryoji let him into the manor as well. When he entered Ryoji’s study, he saw one large suitcase packed.

“You probably need a heightened security detail,” said YF. “The first time I gutted him I told him it was for you. I didn’t think he would survive it.”

Ryoji didn’t seem fazed. “Even if you didn’t, I was sure somebody would figure out there are few people in the world that would want Hiroyuki dead as much as me. Maybe his wife would’ve come after me, maybe his boss, who knows?”

YF eyed the suitcase. “Are you going somewhere?”

“I no longer represent the Higashi Clan,” said Ryoji. “I fully expected to perish during the operation. Since I didn’t though, it would be irresponsible to put my younger brother and the rest of the clan in danger. I will go somewhere in the mountains and live out the few weeks until your brother finds me.”

“Come with me to Ikusayama,” said YF. “We will find a way to bring him to justice.”

Ryoji shook his head. “Then I’d be putting other innocents in danger. Maybe your brother won’t do anything while you’re around but you’re not my babysitter. And I’m sure he won’t have qualms about offing a few rice farmers on the path to me.”

“But we’d be losing a valuable resource.”

“I have no resources, Sakai,” said Ryoji. “Any resource I had belongs to my brother. I’m sure he will give me whatever I need but that is not how I want this to play out. I must have no connection to my clan. My act of folly was my own, I proved myself worthless during the entire escapade anyway, and I’d like to preserve what little pride I have left by dying alone in the mountains.”

“He told me...about Naka,” said YF.

Ryoji frowned, but did not react as strongly as YF had expected.

“You know it’s weird,” said Ryoji. “A lot of things changed after the first bolts came toward us, like you said. I started to question what I was even doing there. Whether the insult to me would be fixed had I died there, whether I cared more about her or my pride being hurt. It seemed like all the reasons I thought I was there made no sense after we got out. The only clear thing about it was that I was relieved I was alive at the end.”

“Eiji said the same thing,” said YF.

“Your enlisted friend,” said Ryoji.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

YF nodded.

Ryoji looked down. “There’s nothing glorious about battle. Until we got to the staircase and the bolts stopped it was just a nonstop horror. I wonder if even the officer corps can fathom what it feels like.”

“I can assure you Eiji didn’t think there was anything wrong with that setup,” said YF. “He told me it would do little good to put officers in the front line just to trip over their bodies after. He said every job is important.” YF smiled sadly. “But he did add that the infantryman’s happens to have much more street cred than the others.”

YF recalled that it was a rather silent street cred as far as street cred went. Eiji only told YF certain things because they were childhood friends, but he had never heard Eiji mention anything about his service record outside of their private conversations. Not to the men he brawled with at the bar, not to the strippers at the club, not to the other Nishida Ward policemen; YF was even doubtful Eiji mentioned it to Kaede, his own fiance. He supposed it was just the way Eiji carried himself after those experiences that made the difference: that he simply didn’t need to explain what had happened to him. One look from Eiji would tell anyone that the idea of panic in response to most things had permanently left his psyche.

Ryoji smiled sadly at that. “Your friend’s assessment is probably accurate.”

“What did Hiroyuki do to Fujii?” asked YF.

The fearful expression Ryoji had during the raid came back to his face. “She died an agonizing death. Denture marks and fang punctures suggest it was done by a person. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

YF thought about what Reina had said about the ARC Subjects. He then wondered whether Fujii was used specifically to deter anyone from looking further into the matter or whether she was used because Hiroyuki was running out of live people to feed the Subjects. He thought about his sister-in-law, whose age would suggest she was probably a Subject as well. Should he go ask her about it? Or was that crossing the line?

“I’m assuming you don’t have a sister, right?” asked YF.

Ryoji looked confused. “I don’t. Why?”

“Nothing,” said YF. “Anyway, I will do something about this. Uraga seems determined as well.”

“And if I’m still breathing by then I will help,” said Ryoji. “But I also just need some time alone, to process things.”

“I understand,” said YF, standing up. “I am sure we will see each other again. So this is not a farewell, just a see-you-again.”

“You have more faith than me,” said Ryoji, standing up.

The two bowed to each other. YF exited the study.

***

When YF woke up his head still hurt from the previous night. He had gone to the one rundown bar on the corner of the street near his house, which usually did not have more than two patrons. The previous evening it was just him alone, though he did remember drinking so much that the bartender had to help him home.

YF picked up his receiver to see several missed calls and messages from Eiji. "Call me back ASAP. It's important," said the message. YF thought back to when he saw Eiji through the glass in the Aritomo building. Did Eiji know? His heartbeat quickened as he went to his call history and called back Eiji.

"Hey I have big news," said Eiji. He sounded serious, which worried YF.

"What?" asked YF.

"We set a date. Week of New Year. And of course I want you to be the best man," said Eiji.

YF tried as best he could to hold back a sigh of relief. "That's great! But why do you sound so sad about it?"

"Felt bad," said Eiji. "Means you have a bunch of shit to do."

"That's fine," said YF. Until he thought about his original plan to go to Ikusayama. "Wait, do I need to plan the party?"

"What do you think?"

"No strippers."

Eiji laughed out loud. "You’ve gone to the Black Hat more than me now! You still talking to your new squeeze?"

The thought of Fujii brought more pain in that moment than he could have imagined. "No…" YF replied softly.

"No need to get so serious on me YF. I’m just fucking with you. Figure something out and we'll do it, I trust you."

"Sure. I might need some time off though. New Year you said?"

"Right."

"Guess it's going to be a cold bachelor party."

"Put us in a private onsen then. Literal sausage party."

YF chuckled, feeling a little better. He could almost hear Eiji grinning on the other end. He pulled the receiver away from his face and shouted toward the display "I have to go, bye."

***

"What were you thinking?"

"Uh…"

"Are you ten or something?"

Kuroda slapped a stack of printouts onto the desk. YF read the summary paragraph that outlined how YF was detained for assaulting Hiroyuki at the latter’s home during the period YF was actually detained at the Bureau for the raid on the Aritomo building. The official time period of interrogation was cut short for consistency, but the whole description was a lie.

"You're going to be taking some time off. Without pay," said Kuroda. "I know you've been digging into your brother and thinking he’s tied into the murder somehow. But that is Shoda and Higashi’s job, not yours.” Kuroda planted his elbows on his desk and raised his hands in the air. “Sakai I know you’re long overdue to go to the Ward Office but you can’t pretend to be a policeman while you’re here. I’m sorry, it’s out of my hands. We clear?”

“Yes sir,” YF replied.

“Good,” said Kuroda, tapping his knuckles on the desk. “Now that the audit is done, go clear your head for a few weeks."

"Yes sir."

As YF made to get up, Kuroda reached a hand out. "Badge."

The physical badge was more a holdover from older times and largely meaningless since a digital one would more than suffice for any Sentinel activity. Still, having to give it up did feel a bit painful. YF took out the thick leather piece and placed it on the table.

"Don't report back on your own. I'll call you," said Kuroda.

"Yes sir."

***

Riding the train to the Maehama ferry terminal was the first time YF had felt relieved since he left the Bureau building. It was only then that the image of Fujii, the realization of what Hiroyuki had become, and thoughts of the old maintenance man came flooding back to him. YF was thankful that no one was around him when the tears started streaming down his cheeks. As he came closer to Maehama proper, more passengers started to come in, forcing him to keep his full face helmet on well after the multiple sanitation processes. It was technically illegal to do so because it made the cameras harder to ID him, but the Sentinels and police never enforced that law outside of rush hour.

After buying his ticket at the ferry terminal, YF waited by the rail instead of visiting the various stores nearby so that he could be alone. He gazed at the Triarch Towers across the bay, all three of different heights with the leftmost one the tallest. Near it was the famous International Hotel shaped in a sort of convex cone, and the World Clock Ferris Wheel.

“You look like a man in need of escape,” YF could hear from nearby. He turned to see an older man dressed in a fitted suit. The way that he stood and walked reminded him of Hiroyuki.

“You look like a man who needs to mind his own business,” said YF.

“Looks like I staked him through the heart.” The older man raised his hands, palms out. “I’m just speaking from experience.”

YF smirked. “Didn’t hear the one about unsolicited advice?”

The man reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a cigarette, extending his hand out to YF. YF eyed the light.

“No lawmen at this hour,” said the man.

YF smiled. “Sure.” He took the cigarette in his hands and then held it the way he had seen on TV. “Uh...always used boxes. Don’t you need some spark or something?”

The man took out a lighter and held it under the cigarette, thumbing the wheel once before a small flame emerged from the nozzle. YF leaned a bit so that the cigarette was over the flame and held his face there until the man pulled the lighter back. YF sucked in a bit of the smoke and then blew out.

“Not bad, huh?” asked the man.

“Yeah, not bad,” said YF.

“Morishita, please take care of me,” said the man bowing slightly.

“Ueno,” said YF, bowing back a bit lower. “Please take care of me.”

“I’m from Hinode,” said Morishita. “Was in the capital for some business before heading back.”

“A Hinode man,” said YF. “Could explain the friendliness.”

“You hear the one about stereotypes?”

YF nodded in concession. “Point taken.”

Morishita lit his own cigarette and blew out a long cloud of smoke. “What I meant to say, Ueno, is that there’s no shame in retreating when you need to. Like in business, love, life, continuing every path you start on can lead to consequences you don’t want.”

“You talking to me to yourself?” asked YF.

“Point taken,” said Morishita.

“Someone recently told me not to take half measures,” said YF.

“But it led you to do some things you regret?” asked Morishita.

“Don’t know about regret. But at least unexpected.”

“So you going to attack or you going to retreat?”

“I don’t know yet,” YF replied. “I...I don’t know.”

“A lot of people think that that’s acceptable these days,” said Morishita. “But really, it’s not. Or at least, remaining in limbo while you don’t know is not. Whether you know or not you’ll have to attack or retreat. I’d say as long as you don’t do it all the time, retreat is not a bad option.”

YF dropped the cigarette on the floor and snuffed it with his shoe the way he had seen in the movies. Morishita did the same.

“Assuming you’re not going to Hinode, my boat’s about to depart,” said Morishita.

“Going to the homeland,” said YF.

Morshita nodded and waved, starting off toward the pier. “Then kiss the ground for me.”

YF nodded. “I will.”