-26-
-Trial Of A Goddess-
Jamie ran his hands over the smooth blue surface of Abigail's transformed sports car, whistling lowly.
"Nice paint job," he muttered, looking at his reflection in the tinted windows.
"There was a struggle here," Moriko called, studying the ground. "Two bodies were dragged away, heading north into the woods."
"We already know where they're going," Madeline replied, pulling on the door. It was unlocked. "Come on, we haven't got much time."
Moriko shot a meaningful look at Maddy as she climbed into the driver's seat, searching for the keys. She pulled the bundle of papers she had taken from Koyane's office out of her jacket, stuffing them into the glove compartment hastily. She kept the map to Tiamat's lair, laying it out between her and Jamie.
"Maddy," Jamie said gently, "I don't know if we can let you just run towards these guys. What would Akane want you to do?"
"He'd want me to run off to the other side of the planet and lay low. He'd want me to leave him and stay safe."
"Then isn't that what you should do?"
"I'm not a child. They need me, and I'm not going to just abandon my friends to some monster. I don't care what they would want me to do, I won't be babied anymore."
She pulled down the sun visor, collecting the keys as they fell into her lap. Jamie caught her arm as she went to put them into the ignition.
"You'll never make it out of there, I'm not about to let you go off on a suicide mission."
"What are you going to do?" Maddy challenged, not caring that the man across from her was a seasoned killer.
"I'm coming with you," he replied calmly, letting her wrist go. "If we can get Akane and Abigail out alive, we will. We just have to drop Moriko off with her brother along the way. I may not have any prior commitments, but she does."
"Yeah, I'm coming too," Moriko added, "We drop Hiro off somewhere safe, then we take care of this business."
Maddy's heart hammered for a moment as she let herself properly breathe for the first time in the last few hours. "Th— thank you."
"I should probably drive," Jamie added, rolling up his sleeves.
She considered this for a moment before nodding, quickly changing seats with the bounty hunter. Moriko piled her stirring brother into the back seat, strapping herself in as Jamie turned the key. The sports car roared to life, skidding down the dirt track on the way back to the main highway. They would need to break a fair few speed limits if they were going to make it in time.
"Thank you Jamie," she said quietly, scanning the map for the fastest route to the Matsuo mines.
"They're in the mountains," he said, as if reading her mind. "I don't think the road's even on a map. Don't worry, I know how to get there. Moriko, if you wouldn't mind."
The monster hunter nodded, pulling a small phone from a pouch on her belt.
"What's she doing?" Madeline asked quietly as she spoke to someone on the other line.
"Clearing the roads. Koyane practically owned the police in Japan, and since people don't know he's dead yet we should be able to get away with calling in some favours. Anything that helps us get to Matsuo faster, right?"
She gave a quick nod, holding on as the car barrelled out of the trees and onto the main road.
>---<
YOU ARE READING
Destined For Doom
Paranormal"Death is a natural part of life," he said simply, leaning against the weathered tree. "It is as certain as the change of seasons, and as unforgiving as the tide. One must either wait for their time, or fight the tide itself. There is nothing as hol...
