Meteor Arts Saga

Chapter 29

Everyone in the chamber was astonished to hear Hitomi just called Saito 'Dad'. Everyone was lost for words.

Keiko swivelled her head, to both Hitomi and Saito few times. "Hitomi? Saito? So, you two are daughter and father?" she questioned.

Koki just noticed about the two people. Saito - the previous Lightning Samurai. And Hitomi - declared herself as Saito's daughter. Koki recalled what Issei said earlier: Beware of the samurai's daughter. "You! You're the samurai's daughter! You're the one Issei warned us about!"

"So you figured out, eh?" Hitomi asked.

"So, what's going on!?" asked Saya.

"I'll tell you, she is a Hagetaka spy!" exclaimed Issei. His accusation shocked everyone, especially Saito.

"Wait a minute! You mean to say Hitomi here is a spy?" choked Shintaro.

"Hitomi!? Her!? But she can't be!" protested Saito.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but it's true," Hitomi declared. "In fact, I am a secret agent working for Hagetaka Group. But, I have other motives."

"And what's that?"

"That is to help Mom," she answered. "I'm doing everything I can in order to help her. Since you've been barely around for so long, at least for me and Mom, I had to take matters into my own hands."

"But I finally retired my role as the Lightning Samurai, so I can able to spend more time with you and your mother, and... and...!"

"Dr. Edamura," Keiko enquired him. "This chip I have here. Where did you find it?"

"It was inside a locket. I have it right here," said Edamura, He handed it the silver necklace over to her. "That necklace was brought to me by your daughter. She told me it belongs to..."

"Hitomi..." she concluded. "Hitomi, this chip was found inside this locket, correct?"

"That's right," answered Hitomi.

Saito stared at the locket, confused. "That locket... She's been wearing that ever since she was a child! How and when did that tracking chip get inside her locket?"

"Ever since I joined the Hagetaka," answered Hitomi. "They planted the chip inside my locket because it's the last thing you'd suspect."

"I don't understand..." said Koki. "If the tracking device was inside your locket the whole time, why didn't the Hagetaka just gone ahead and besieged the Renmei hideout on the day you arrived?"

"The tracking mechanism can only be activated when it's both opened and with a press of a button."

Something sparked Issei's mind. "Wait a minute - you don't mean...?"

"That's when you and I were in the bathroom, the button you pressed sent out a signal and hence the Hagetaka arrived here."

"Wait a minute, you two were the same bathroom?" bewildered Yuuta.

"Be quiet," she hushed him.

"That explained the strange clicking sound of the button," thought Issei.

"Of all the times you've been with the Renmei, why now?" asked Koki.

"Simple answer: Right timing. When I need to call for them, they told me this, 'If you open your locket and press the button, the tracking system will activate, so we'll know where to find you. But activate it when necessary.'

"If you didn't know, they took away my things when I have arrived there, including my locket. I couldn't do anything about it while I was under assessment. I'll admit - I would've thought I'm in deep trouble because they'll find out I am working with Hagetaka. However, the committee was in disarray after hearing the news of losing your fellow samurai in Hakata.