A Love Like Roses, Alpha run

Scene 7.Action

Gah! My head was killing me! Why do I feel so constraint? I can't move my wrists! Come on, legs, move! Oh wait; I'm tied to a chair. Wait, why am I so mellow about that?!

I tried looking up, but was blinded by extremely bright lights. These gave me more of a headache than long-word lady back at the hospital. What was her name again, Mrs. Yui? Oh no, don't tell me she's... Wait, did I just her a door slam?! OK, now is not the time for revelations, Nagano!

Some guy donned in a suit walked in, along with two lackeys with military rifles and knives holstered on their belt. I only call them lackeys because they obeyed suit guy like little obedient puppies. To me, they were more like full grown Pit Bull Terriers. Preceding the thought of those guards, I could feel a warm liquid run down my leg and into my socks. Oh joy...

"Katsumoto Nagano." Yay, the suit knows my name. "Sixteen. Living by himself in a small apartment complex, studying feverishly for his finals coming up. How is that studying proceeding, Nagano?"

What an insensitive prick, addressing me by my first name. Who is this guy, anyways? I refused to answer this guy.

"Oh where are my manners? My name is Ibuka Moromao, but that's all you need to know. Let me get to the point, Nagano. The government isn't pleased with you, well, after-school activities..."

"What are you babbling about?"

"Don't play dumb, we know all about your affiliation with Unmei no Bara, Hacktivist! Now tell us, who's leading this operation?"

I had an uncanny ability, even as a child, to read faces abnormally well. I could tell if you were sad, angry, depressed, or happy simply by staring into the eyes of the person. It freaked out a lot of people, to be able to tell their exact emotion without them even telling me. This guy, this government official, was bluffing. He didn't know anything. Good face though, bro. You deserve a round of applause. Just kidding.

"You don't know anything, don't you? Your bluffing, Ibuka." I told him straight to his face.

Oh, that's also an uncanny trait I have; pissing people off. I know this because he snapped his fingers, and one of the guards shoved the butt of their assault rifle into my gut. Words can't describe how much that hurt.

"We will soon, child! Right now, we have government officials inspecting your apartment as we speak, looking for that laptop of yours." He bent down and whispered into my ear, "and to think, your little crush is a suspected member, too. How sad if she were to get kidnapped, right?"

He gave that smug, triumphant smirk I hate. I spat in his face. This guy was the scum of the earth. No wonder I became a Hacktivist back then. My spit was full with blood. Two things crossed my mind at this moment: my internal organs are going to fail and what I just did was awesome. It was awesome in the way that I got blood and spit on that scum's face. It was so satisfying.

The guy snapped his fingers twice, and the last thing I knew, I got knocked out. When I came to it, I was in an old cell with a steel cage. I could only say that because I could hear another one next to my cell slam. It was pitch black around me. I couldn't even see my hand wave in front of me. So, I started doing what I do best: thinking.

Was it Tsubaki next to me? No, it couldn't have been! She can't possibly be a member of Unmei no Bara! I can never imagine it. All this Unmei no Bara nonsense is giving me hell! I'd rather of preferred execution rather than the torture that came from even mentioning this accursed organization. If I ever see the leader of this damn organization in my lifetime, he will surely get punished for everything he has done to me and those around me, especially Tsubaki!

I couldn't help feeling alone and helpless at this point. If that really is her to the side of me, in that cell, how am I ever going to protect her? I couldn't do it, back then against those small thugs. If I can't do that, then how the hell can I protect her against an entire government? Ahh, I'm so weak! I felt the flood of tears streaming down my dirty, grimy face. What a failure, I was. Even back then, with mother and father. I couldn't protect them, either. Maybe I should die.

"Nag... ano..." I heard the faint, frail voice of a goddess. This time, I wish it was someone else's voice.

"Tsu... baki... Is that... you...?" I called out in the dark.

"I'm... sorry..."

"Don't... speak... love. I'm the... sorry one. I could... never... protect you... from anything... forgive me..." I felt sleepy.

"I... I've always... liked you... Nagano. Even... even since grade school... you were..."

Her sentence was cut off by a loud "BANG!" and gunfire.

"Man stations!" I heard from someone far away.

Was I being saved? Who was out there? Before I could even ask if Tsubaki had a clue what was going on, I drifted to sleep. Hopefully it wasn't that dumb organization, trying to save us...