Chapter 308 - Deceived by a Fox
(1)
"Good morning, Toya-kun, it's morning~"
Airi, who had recovered from her cold and was completely back to normal, was in high spirits from the morning.
"Good morning, Airi."
Saying that, I get up and start changing.
I go through my morning routine, take a shower, eat breakfast, and wait for Airi.
When Airi comes out of the shower, I pour coffee and return to the room with Airi.
School starts today.
But today, I'll only attend the morning classes.
Starting from noon, a battle awaits.
The operation to rescue Akira-san.
The Nine-Tailed Fox that touched Unity's weak point.
Only Airi, the Watanabes, the Ishiaras, and Sakai-kun will go with me.
Everyone else will act separately.
I had them listen to classes in our place, which was an important role, but there was another aim.
Splitting our forces in half couldn't be helped.
If my prediction is correct, the enemy will probably take some action today.
That was to handle it.
We create a separate room and discuss there.
Those entering are the members participating in the operation, the Tadas, Shiratori-san, Haruto, Hiyama-senpai, Sakura-san, the Nishimatsus, Kosei, Naru, Kamei-kun, Morizono-san, Misawa-kun, and Kishitani-san.
The other members will act openly as usual.
Of course, we also join the conversation.
The enemy has Akira-san's phone.
I think Akira-san has at least a lock on it, but we take every precaution.
Airi is also in clothes that are easy to move in today.
Well, it doesn't matter once she wears her suit.
I talk with Airi while drinking coffee.
"It's finally starting."
"Yeah."
"I'm counting on you, Commander-sama."
"It's fine. I absolutely never fight a losing battle. That's a rule."
"So you can already see victory in your mind, Toya-kun?"
"Well, that's if everyone moves according to the plan."
"It's okay, I'm sure it'll go well."
"I believe so too."
I've prepared for every irregularity.
I don't intend to let anyone get hurt.
It's a good opportunity to teach them what happens when they mess with Unity.
"It's about time for school~"
Airi says, and we leave the house.
We head to school and attend class normally.
After class, it's lunchtime. We meet up with Watanabe-kun and the others.
While talking with Watanabe-kun and the others, I look at my phone.
"As planned, several people just left the base."
A report comes from the scouts.
"Well then, shall we go?"
"Toya. Be careful."
"You all be careful too, Kanna."
"I know."
And so, our operation was carried out.
(2)
"Honestly, you're so scatterbrained~"
I head toward the city by bus.
Today is my husband's work day.
Maybe because it was his first job in a while, he forgot his lunch bento.
"Sorry, could you bring it?"
"Okay~"
Saying that, I head to the Central Police Station to deliver the bento.
My husband sometimes makes mistakes like that.
I hope he doesn't mess up at work too.
"Next is City Hall."
I press the button.
But we passed the stop.
There were other people getting off too.
Everyone murmurs.
Some even grab the driver.
But a single gunshot makes everyone tremble.
The inside of the bus falls into panic.
The only saving grace is that the children are at school.
I quietly send a message to my husband's phone.
The reply came:
"Don't move. I will definitely save you."
The bus stops at Pier 5.
"If you behave, I won't kill you."
The male driver says.
What is here?
The door opens.
Everyone rushes at once.
But when the man threatens to kill if they move, they obediently sit in their seats.
Two men board from the door.
One is an Arab-styled man with long black hair and a long black beard.
The other is a man with an asymmetrical fringe and light perm. He wears sunglasses and carries a laptop.
The driver receives money from the Arab-styled man and gets off the bus.
Then the Arab-styled man sits in the driver's seat and the bus starts moving again.
So far, no demands.
What will happen to us?
I must protect everyone's lives.
"One hostage is enough, right? I'll stay. Let everyone else off."
The man driving says.
"Quite brave. But that's not a deal I can make."
"What are your demands?"
"Demands? We're sending them to the police now."
Huh?
I see the other man fiddling with the PC.
"Well, let's enjoy a fun drive!"
The man laughs.
What kind of demands are they making?
(3)
Local airport. Control tower.
"This is the control tower. Permission to land."
The usual operations were underway.
Since there aren't as many takeoffs and landings as at city airports, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed.
But an announcement different from usual is made.
"This is the control tower. Speaking to the unknown aircraft. You are not cleared for takeoff. Leave the runway immediately."
The relaxed atmosphere turns tense.
No response from the unknown.
"This is the control tower. State your call sign!"
While I call out, other staff start to calculate. Also, they confirm the plane currently trying to land.
This is an emergency.
"To the control tower. Shall I call myself Nine-Tailed Fox?"
Is it a terrorist attack?
"Nine-Tailed Fox! You cannot be cleared for takeoff. Return at once!"
"This is Nine-Tailed Fox. We have no plans for takeoff yet. We'll make a demand now. If you don't comply, consider all passengers dead."
"Controller! We've identified the aircraft. It's flight ALA474."
A flight bound for Tokyo. Although the U-turn season is past, there are probably many passengers.
"Nine-Tailed Fox! We'll hear your demand."
"Release Sora Takahashi within 12 hours."
I tell them to contact the police.
Also, I announce that all flights landing at the local airport are refused.
"This is the control tower, to Nine-Tailed Fox. We need time to decide."
"We'll wait 12 hours. If demand is not met by then, consider all passengers dead."
Contact is made with the police.
But why Sora Takahashi now?
I know the name Sora Takahashi.
The corruption scandal of the Takahashi Group/Egoist that was caught last year.
What business do they have with him now?
I don't understand their aim.
The police arrived.
They said they were from the Kunisaki Police Station, so they couldn't handle a case under the jurisdiction of the Central Station.
They said they'd send someone from Central Station immediately.
Time was ticking away even as this happened.
(4)
Sakanoueshi Port.
Everyone gathered.
We hide in the shadows so as not to be noticed.
We can't see what's happening inside.
We can't contact Akira-san.
We confirmed that several people came out of the building.
Among them, the one called Jackal was confirmed.
How many more Nine-Tailed Fox members are hiding inside?
But they might come back while we're here.
I give the order to execute the operation.
First, surround the area with Emi-san's soldiers.
Then set plastic explosives on the entrance door and blow it up.
Emi-san's soldiers rush inside.
I hear a tatatan sound.
But it's drowned out by the sound of a chainsaw going 'whir'.
Sakai-kun seems annoyed by that sound.
"Here they come! Unity! I, Natsuko Ando, will become justice and punish you!"
A large woman with a chainsaw? Probably female? announces herself.
"That's no match for ordinary people. I'll handle it."
Sakai-kun says that and leaps forward.
"Here you come, Death..."
The woman with the chainsaw grins.
While that happens, I try to go inside, but Ishihara-kun shouts, "Watch out!!"
Bullets strike the ground at Ishihara-kun's feet.
"Go inside first! I'll hold this guy off."
"Nozomi, be careful!"
Emi-san calls out.
"It's fine. Holding them off is nothing."
"I've been wanting to settle things with you~. Let's end it today! Hedgehog!"
While they fight, I enter the building, where combatants and Emi-san's soldiers are glaring at each other.
"You sure are quick."
A gun is pressed to Akira-san's temple.
"Emi!!"
Airi shouts.
"First, have everyone drop their weapons... guh!"
Akira-san easily opens the handcuffs and takes the man's weapon.
"Handcuffs mean nothing."
The man who was punched flies backward, spitting blood.
That triggers the start of battle.
Once we secure Akira-san, I tell Emi-san.
Emi-san orders her soldiers to retreat.
It's not that she wants to retreat, but we would be in the way if we stayed.
Outside, the two are still fighting.
We get into the car first. Now we just wait for the two and the soldiers to withdraw.
When Ishihara-kun sees us getting into the car, he shouts, "Go on ahead!"
"Nozomi will handle this!"
"But Ishihara-kun and the others!?"
"It's even worse than that!"
Emi-san says.
"Worse?"
I ask.
Emi-san tells me to look at my phone.
Everyone looks at their phones.
We're stunned.
Simultaneous terrorist attacks: a bus hijacking and a plane hijacking.
The enemy demands the release of Sora Takahashi.
I thought they'd pull something, but this is it!
The bus hijackers seem to be on the run, but their destination is probably...
The detention location is the Central Police Station.
We hurry to the Central Police Station.
(5)
"Hiding and skulking again, Hedgehog!?"
Akira-san was rescued. Now I just need to take down this guy.
I hide in the shadows of containers and wait for him to approach.
He approaches slowly. And just as he's about to pounce, I know he'll jump in.
I kick away both his arms pointing the gun at me.
But he doesn't drop his gun and shoots at me.
I dodge the shots by rolling sideways.
When I enter his blind spot, I shoot.
But he dodges that and shoots again.
I dodge that too.
We both aim our guns at each other, and the movement stops.
"Fun. That's how it should be~"
Not fun, and I don't have time for this. I need to finish him quickly.
"Today we have plenty of time, so let me enjoy it."
I don't have that time.
What to do?
If this continues, I'll be forced to play until my ammo runs out.
I need a breakthrough.
I catch my breath.
I close my eyes and concentrate.
Remember that feeling.
Something bursts in my chest.
I can do it!!
Just as I think that, he fires.
I dodge it and charge at him.
To him, my eyes probably turned red.
I leap into his close range faster than his predicted shots.
I hit his jaw with a fist before he can reload.
Using the spring in my whole body, I send him flying upward.
He flips in the air and lands. My gun is aimed at his forehead.
I shoot him without a word.
The bullet catches his forehead, and he flies backward.
I approach him, gun still aimed, confirm he's unconscious, take both his guns, and restrain his hands.
I didn't kill him.
Even a Desert Eagle with hard rubber bullets has no lethal force.
Though it has enough force to knock someone out.
Emi's soldiers have finished withdrawing.
Now I just wait for Sakai-kun.
I watch Sakai-kun's battle and aim my gun at his temple.
"Don't threaten me. Even with hard rubber, from this distance, you'll die for sure."
Don't move.
I speak coldly to him, who has already regained consciousness.
"As expected, fighting you is never boring, Hedgehog. But you're too naive."
He moves before I do.
He body-slams me.
I stagger but fire the gun.
He dodges it and frees his hands from the restraints.
"Today is my loss. But I won't lose next time."
Saying that, I aim at his leg as he flees, but at that moment, I turn around and take evasive action.
Enemy soldiers were still left.
I fire while off-balance.
I hit the soldier's head, and he collapses.
But during that time, he escaped on a motorcycle.
Damn!
Then I hear a 'splash' sound of something falling into the sea.
It seems Sakai-kun pushed his opponent into the sea.
Sakai-kun comes running.
We get in the car, and as we leave the area, Sakai-kun fires a flare.
After that, we quickly leave the area.
A 105mm howitzer shell is dropped, and the whole area explodes.
I contact Emi and chase after her.
Emi seems to be heading for the Central Police Station.
"Good work."
I call out to Sakai-kun.
"We've both been marked, huh."
Sakai-kun smiles wryly.
I smile too.
(6)
Chiiin.
I'm sick of hearing that sound.
But it swings around without caring about our situation.
"Fidgeting around, what are you, an annoying fly!?"
She says harsh things, but I'm on the defensive and getting nowhere.
If I had to name her weak point, it would be her face, the only unarmored part?
I aim at her unbearable face and fire.
The bullet catches her forehead.
But it's an anesthetic bullet, so it probably has no lethal force.
Though her thick armor of fat would probably even nullify lethal bullets.
I wonder if the forehead was a bad choice? But I have no time to question.
Her thick armor deflects the anesthetic bullet.
When I think about it, she doesn't even bat an eye after eating a grenade.
She didn't even feel anything after being thrown from the 5th floor of an apartment.
Maybe words like 'mercy' are unnecessary for her.
Maybe this situation is beyond the principle of not killing.
Rather, if there's a way to kill her, I'd like to know.
I wonder if she'd survive even if she breathed in hydrogen sulfide.
It seems Ishihara-kun has settled his fight. No reason for me to be here either.
Rather, I need to get out of here quickly.
Still, with that armor, natural armor, and chainsaw, charging in like a car, how does she not get tired?
You'd think moving that much would make her lose some weight.
But she doesn't sweat a single drop. She's beyond fantasy, straight into horror. Though there's not an ounce of fantasy anywhere.
I stand on the quay.
She faces me.
"You can't escape now."
I make up my mind.
I'll kill her.
Though I doubt she'll actually die.
She raises her chainsaw and attacks.
I dodge lightly.
She has forward momentum but tends not to think ahead.
Even from a physics standpoint, stopping her huge body seems difficult.
To make a long story short, she fell into the sea.
There's no way that hunk of iron and fat can float.
When I look into the sea, I see her struggling desperately.
She tries to get out by grabbing a boat, but the boat can't take it.
The hull snaps with a crack. She clings to it and glares at me.
"A delicate maiden is in trouble, and you won't even help? What kind of gentleman are you?"
There are many things to nitpick, but...
"Unfortunately, I'm called Death."
"Kee~! If we meet again, remember this!"
"I'd rather this be the last time."
Saying that, I get into Ishihara-kun's car.
Then I fire a flare while Ishihara-kun is driving.
That's the signal.
The AC130 waiting overhead drops howitzer shells and wipes them all out.
Surely, drowning in the sea and taking a howitzer blast would kill her.
I've finally become a murderer.
"We've both been marked, huh."
I say that and smile wryly.
Ishihara-kun also smiles.
But Ishihara-kun's face twitches.
What's wrong?
...No way?
I look back, and there she is, chasing us, the one who should have been drowned and bombed.
"Ishihara-kun, just keep driving straight."
Saying that, I open the window, half lean out, and aim the gun at the motorcycle's tire and fire.
The tires seem to be bulletproof.
Then...
I aim for the fuel tank.
The bike explodes, and she is thrown off.
She gets run over by a following car.
I feel bad for the following car.
Normally, that would be criminal negligence.
But it's okay. Look, she gets up slowly and chases us.
If there's a woman running while carrying a chainsaw, it's scary.
Even Ishihara-kun is panicking.
She approaches.
Just as she raises the chainsaw to strike, Ishihara-kun changes lanes.
The chainsaw misses and hits the ground.
A trailing car sends her flying again as she stands there.
Her body flies up to the height of a second floor and then falls.
She embeds into the ground.
Ishihara-kun doesn't look back and just keeps running.
I look back instead.
There's no sign of her chasing.
"That's the first time I've seen a woman like that."
Ishihara-kun says.
Rather, it's more accurate to say I've never seen a life form like that.
I hope she's the only one.
(7)
After arriving at the Central Police Station, we saw a single bus.
Police officers surround the bus.
The bus hijacker said he would kill one hostage at a time if anyone approached.
The hijacker's demands were two.
Release Sora Takahashi.
And take them to the local airport.
If not, one hostage would be killed every hour.
The police decided to comply with the demands.
First, they released Sora Takahashi and put him on the bus.
Then one hostage got off.
"Shall we move on to the next negotiation?"
Transport to the local airport.
Surrounded by police cars, the bus departs for the local airport.
We meet up with Ishihara-kun and the others and follow the bus.
Can we still make it in time?
The bus will probably use the expressway.
If it's the expressway, it'll take time to get to the interchange.
If Makoto can control the traffic lights, the national road might be faster.
I know where they'll get off.
After greeting Airi's dad, we immediately depart.
We convey our intentions to Makoto via Airi.
Let's split into two groups.
One group follows the expressway, the other takes the local road.
Sakai-kun and Akira-san are in my group.
Ishihara-kun and Emi-san are in the expressway group.
Sakai-kun and Akira-san are in my car.
"I knew you'd come to save me. You haven't been cheating on me while I was gone, have you?"
"Whether it's cheating is highly questionable, but it seems I've been fallen for by a woman, and now I'm being pestered."
You shouldn't tell the truth like that. It's hard to understand.
"Oh? Where did you get such gallantry?"
"No, there are things in life called force majeure."
"You should have refused!"
Even Airi joins in.
"No, I'd love to refuse, but her obsession is such that she chases me even after being hit by a car."
There are probably question marks floating above both their heads.
As we talk, we arrive at our destination.
The bus is surrounded by police cars.
The driver gets off, along with Sora Takahashi and a woman.
"Mayumi!!"
Assistant Inspector Watase shouts.
Are they related?
When the man and Sora board the plane, Mayumi-san is released, and the hatch closes.
The plane begins to take off.
All the bus hostages are released.
But the incident doesn't end here.
There are still the hostages, the plane passengers.
What will they do with the plane passengers... and Sora Takahashi?
The men made a new demand.
Release "Allen Smilkov."
Who's that?
They say he's the leader of a local terrorist organization and the owner of Nine-Tailed Fox.
He was caught a few years ago and is serving in a local prison.
That dangerous criminal was being held locally?
He's a dangerous criminal, but they can't sacrifice the passengers' lives.
They decided to release him.
They seem to have confirmed his release.
The plane lands.
Of course, police cars are waiting.
There's nothing we can do.
Passengers come off the plane.
After protecting everyone, the police board the plane.
But it seems there's no one inside.
They quickly start identity checks.
But there isn't a single suspicious person.
Then everyone's phones ring.
Someone calling themselves X has entered our group.
"Thanks for not doing anything. We returned the hostages properly, right?"
We've been had!
It's not that we did nothing. It's that we couldn't do anything.
On the way back, the car was silent.
"We've been completely outplayed. Frustrating."
Akira-san vents her frustration.
"But I'm glad Akira-san is safe."
Airi says.
"That was all part of their calculations, wasn't it?"
Sakai-kun says, and I reply, "Probably."
We send Sakai-kun home and return home ourselves.
I take a bath first, and while Airi is in the bath, the chat is full of today's events.
Everyone expresses their regret and frustration.
"Here, Toya-kun."
Airi brings me a chu-hi.
Airi also drinks a chu-hi while looking at her phone, but soon she stops looking and starts watching TV.
I was looking at my phone, but eventually Airi takes it away and demands, "Pay attention to me~"
I watch TV with Airi, but my mind isn't on her.
Airi senses this and looks lonely.
"It's fine, isn't it? Akira-san was saved."
Airi mutters.
"But in the end, we were tricked into doing the enemy's bidding. You understand that much."
"Even so, it's okay. No one got hurt."
Airi says that everyone is safe, so that's fine.
"It's better to think about what to do next than to brood over the past. It's fine for everyone else to brood, but not you, Toya-kun! If you do that, you'll fail as a commander."
Next... what will they do next?
"You can't know that by thinking about it. We don't even know their goal. It's always been like that. First, know the enemy. Then talk, right?"
"...You're right."
Airi always teaches me the important things, the basics.
"So, Commander, what's next?"
Kosei asks.
Everyone seems to agree.
I look at Airi's face.
"Isn't that fine?"
Airi says with a smile.
I type what I'm thinking.
"Do nothing."
Everyone's reaction is as expected.
"Toya, are you okay with being on the losing end!?"
"Toya! You're not chickening out, are you!?"
"Toya, isn't it an eye for an eye?"
Kanna, Mika-san, and Watanabe-kun say.
"I won't fall for the same trick. It's fine! I can't settle for doing nothing!"
"Katagiri-kun, are you serious? You're not just going to run away, are you?"
Akira-san and Emi-san say.
"Now is the time to be patient. As long as we have no cards, we don't make a move until we get new ones."
"But even you know that doing nothing will make them think we're pushovers, right, Toya?"
"Makoto, please gather information on Nine-Tailed Fox. No need to rush. Just be careful not to fall into a trap."
"I'm already doing that. It's fine, leave it to me."
"Be careful. Even though it came from Akira-san's phone, they've infiltrated the group."
"Oh..."
"It's good to look ahead, but don't get tripped up."
"Got it."
"The enemy thinks we're beneath them. Let them keep thinking that."
"Do you have a chance of winning?"
Watanabe-kun says.
"That's what I'll think about now. What's the point of thinking about winning when we have no cards?"
No cards?
We have cards!
But those are our last trump cards.
There's no point in using them alone.
I need to use them when the time is right.
When is that?
Think...
When the tide turns, I'll press the attack all at once.
When the tide turns. That's when the enemy runs out of trump cards.
Or when we get a trump card that can change the tide.
Either way, for now, we can only endure.
Unless there's a great trick, the one who moves first loses.
There's also the difference in strength.
My thoughts are settled.
"Got an idea?"
Airi looks into my face.
"Yeah, I've got a plan."
"Then, since we're relieved, let's go to bed?"
"Yeah."
"You're smiling again, so you're okay now, right?"
Airi says that and smiles.
I get into bed with Airi.
Airi clings to me as she sleeps.
The time for counterattack will come.
For now, we endure.
Like a bud waiting for spring.