Poker Face

Chapter 38

I come up empty.

I look up at Red.

“I really don’t know.” I say, the stress evident in my voice.

She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment then nods shakily.

“We will figure something out.” She says, her voice trembling.

I place my hand on her shoulder.

“We will figure something out. We have too.” I state firmly.

Akane starts walking toward the entrance in a daze.

Her feet seem to turn on their own and follow a new path. I frown and follow her.

“Akane?”

No answer.

I follow her to a polished stone. One name is etched onto the surface, Yamataro Mori.

“Who is I…”

“My father…” She whispers.

I jerk my head up.

“What?”

“He was murdered on my second birthday.” She says tearfully. “He always had a fascination with the Uchiha massacre and never believed that they were going to turn on Konaha. Some people who hated the Uchiha’s pretended to want to talk to him in the old Uchiha compound but instead…” She trails off, her voice breaking into sobs.

“I’m sorry Akane. I didn’t know.”

“I was there when it happened.”

 She falls to her knees and stares at the stone. “I may have had only 2 years with him but I loved him even thought I can barely remember him.”

I nod sympathetically.

I reread the inscription on the tombstone. A word caught my eye. ‘Mori…why does that sound familiar?’

I shook it off and gripped Red’s shoulders.

“Go home and get some sleep. Tomorrow brief the others in on the situation.”

She nods slowly.

“And you?”

“I am not sure yet. I may try and see if I can find anything out about the whereabouts of the staff but we will see what tomorrow’s sun brings us.”

“Alright. Goodnight Utau.” She whispers before standing and slowly making her way down the path.

“Goodnight Red.”

I sit in my hotel room staring at the bland wall in front of me. I had left Akane and quickly traveled to a nearby village where I had gotten myself a hotel room, careful to hide my face.

I sigh and flop down on the bed, the broken springs underneath me squeaking in protest.

I have no clue what I am going to tell Red tomorrow. I know I said I would figure something out but I am at a loss as to what to do.

Somewhere around midnight I get up and decide to take a walk to clear my head.

I look up. The sun has risen. I stop walking and lean against the wall of a shop that I now realize has been open for hours.

My walk did nothing to clear my head. If anything it only muddled my brain further.

I hear raised voices in the street ahead. I frown and against my better judgment, walk toward the commotion.

I can smell panic in the air. People are huddled in groups and whispering franticly.

The shouting had come from a group of red faced men. Some of them hold weapons, some of them are standing protectively in front of their families.