Hunters Of Reality

Chapter 25: Terrorist

"Henry? He's the one who brought me to this place! Why would he want to suspect me!?"

"Be lucky that it's him---you wouldn't want Miss Yuriko to be calling you, now." She replied.

"So, where is he?"

"Right behind you, boy."

What the--? Henry? When did he get here? I didn't even notice his presence.

"As told, I've brought him to your attention, sir."

"Thank you, Harumi. Now, boy, I'm assuming that she's filled you in with the details."

"Yes, she has, alright. What's the meaning of this, Henry? This isn't some prank, right?"

"It's... about your father."

My dad?

"What about him? Are you also going to say that he's some criminal?"

"Well, we'll get to that. But what I'm trying to say is that... The day you left home to come here, I personally went to your house to take care of filling your father in with the details of your sudden departure, as promised."

"And? What did you tell him?" I asked.

"Nothing. He wasn't there. I felt that he might have gone out or something, so I kept some of my men on watch, but he never returned. He's still missing."

"WHAT!? He's missing!? Are you sure your men aren't lying?"

"No. I even went to investigate yesterday. Normally, any person would leave some sort of clue, such as footprints, or fingerprints, or signs of haste. But, nothing was missing from your house---clothes were intact, no signs of packing either. There were no clues at all. It's like he just vanished---into thin air."

"So you're going to conclude that my dad's a criminal just because he's missing!? What if he's been kidnapped? What if the Imperium guys took him as leverage, just to pull you out, or something? Weren't you supposed to be a threat to them?"

"That would have sounded like the most obvious answer, if not for Akane's case. She was affected by a memory manipulation technique. And, no matter how powerful you are, you cannot keep doing it for six months, unless you're in close proximity everyday."

"Then why my father!? It could be anyone---a customer, a friend from her university... literally anyone!" I implied.

"True, but the duration also matters. The same customer doesn't come every day for half a year. Plus, you need to stay with her for several hours a day to be able to pull it off. So, customers are out of the question. And as for her university..."

"Go on. Are you now going to imply that she never had any friends in her class?"

"She never was a college student."

What? Am I hearing something wrong?

"W-What are y-you saying? Akane was a final year student... she even told me numerous times... she was even given her shifts in accordance to her university timings. Are you saying that she's been lying to us all this time?"

"No, she never lied. Her memories were manipulated, after all. She was made to think that she was some student at a university, when in reality, she never was one. We cross checked with the university records as well. They never had anyone with the name Harumi Akane as their student for the past four years. Plus, she also moved in as your neighbour half a year ago, and immediately started working as a part timer the next day. That's what Akane here has told me. I suppose I've explained my part." Henry said. 

No way... My father lied to me? Why would he do that? So, her college, her classes, were all lies? Why?

"She was both a neighbour, and a part timer at your place. She has been in close proximity with you and your father for the past six months. However, although you're under suspicion of being involved as well, it is clear that your father is the real perpetrator." Henry said.

"N-No, you have to listen to me... This must be some misunderstanding..."

"Kidnapping, and manipulating a TYB soldier is an act of terrorism. There is no way it can be a misunderstanding. It is evident that your father's working for Imperium."

"Kidnapping? Akane never was forced to be a part timer... she came because she wanted to w-work."

"By kidnapping, I mean the event from six months ago, where an entire Imperium base was destroyed. It could have been just an act to convince that someone unknown genuinely kidnapped her, and went missing. But, it is clear that it was all your father's doing."

Crap. This is bad. I can't even argue with these statements. I don't have any proof, or an alibi for my dad. If it's true, then why did he lie to me? What was he trying to accomplish? No, I refuse to believe this. Absolutely. 

"A-Akane, come on... you know he's innocent, right? He even considered you as family... he always praised you for your hard work. He's never ever hated you, not even once. Come on, WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING?!"

"I was manipulated into leaving my actual home... I was brainwashed into thinking that I was a normal human being. Do you even realize that all my memorable moments over the past six months of working with you guys were just all lies!? I trusted your father, Ryou. I trusted that man! But it was all an act."

"Y-You can't be serious..."

"Yoshida Kenichi, was it?" Henry interrupted. "I saw the name behind a photo of you and your father."

"Y-Yeah. So what now?" I asked, hesitatingly.

"I hereby declare Yoshida Kenichi to be an international terrorist."