They started working their way across town. Given the vagueness of the location Will gave them, Rika felt they didn't have time to take the long way around Rallsburg. They decided to risk being seen by walking through the streets, though Rika was still frequently glancing over her shoulder and sticking to the shadows. After all, they had more to hide from than just the mundane townsfolk.
They'd seen no need to contact Viper and Rook about their new plan, and Alden had no qualms leaving them out of the loop. He'd never trusted either of them in the first place, particularly Rook. As Rika was happy to explain, they were both working for a private military group owned by a British man with a history of impulsive actions and little care for consequences.
"How do you know so much about all these companies?" Alden asked as they took a short break, waiting for a couple of people to pass by.
"Well like I said, I grew up translating between the higher ups. Since my father refused to allow my mother into the company, on account of not being a Japanese citizen, I was the only native English speaker around. I was raised to be proper and obedient, so it wasn't hard to fit into their stuffy board rooms."
Alden snorted. "Proper and obedient?"
She grinned. "Mom and I had a lot of fun in our downtime. She was a rebel too, but quietly. She'd never outright defy my father, but she found her place around the edges. She made art where no one could see it, and kept it just between us. I used to help draw for stories she wrote and act out scenes, or we'd make little hand puppets, or just sew our own special yukatas that we'd never show anyone else. She taught me how to stay myself in that mess. I'd probably still be an obedient little business lapdog in my father's boardroom if not for her."
Alden hesitated, but mustered up the bravery to ask again, "What happened to her?"
Rika's eyes narrowed. She looked away. "She had a brain tumor. It ate at her for years, probably why she never did much more than that. But even while she was sick, she was still taking care of me and raising me. My father didn't do anything. He was too busy running the company, making money and becoming a successful businessman and programmer. When he made the sale to Laushire Enterprises, my mother was in a hospital bed completely alone. It's no wonder I don't remember meeting Kendra or anyone that day." Rika pulled her right arm out of the sleeve of her jacket and pointed at the tattoo of three Japanese characters on her upper arm. "I gave myself this so I wouldn't ever forget."
"What does it say?"
"It's my mom's name. Maria." She pointed at the middle symbol. "This right here, the kanji for 'ri' is the same one in my name. Means 'clever'," Rika added with a sad smile. "She was clever, and brave, and beautiful. And she was abandoned. My father left her to die alone. I wasn't even th—" Rika stopped, catching her breath. "I'm gonna find him one day, and there's gonna be a reckoning."
Alden was about to ask more, but Rika suddenly grabbed his arm. The shock buzzed through his skull as she pulled him up flat against the wall. A group of people had just passed by, and they were armed. Mostly improvised weapons like bats or tools, but Alden spotted the long vague silhouette of a rifle.
"Shit," Rika breathed.
"Something's going on," Alden whispered.
"You think?" she shot back sarcastically.
Before Alden could quip back, there was a hiss of wind, followed by a thump above them. They both looked up startled to see Hailey crouched on the lip of the roof.
"What's going on?" Rika hissed.
"Doctor Smith is dead," Hailey whispered back, only barely audible from her height. "Rachel's out in the woods where he died, and a few people were with her. She didn't seem like she was in danger, but there's a lot of angry people out here."
"Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck."
"Rika, I heard you mentioned at least once or twice on my way back."
"Fuck!" Rika looked around in a panic, though they were still well hidden from the street.
"We should hide," Alden said warily.
"But... the Scrap," Rika moaned. She looked down the road, but the forest was still far away. "Can you get us into the woods from here, Hailey?"
"One of you, maybe, but not both. I'm tired too, I've flown a lot today," Hailey said, and Alden did finally recognize the fatigue lining her eyes. "I don't want to risk it. I could drop you."
"Fuck. Okay. Sorry. Where can we go?"
"Dan's isn't far," Alden suggested. "He seemed to like you."
"After how he got spooked by Ryan, I'm not so sure anymore."
"Can we get back to your apartment?"
Rika shook her head. "We're already halfway across town, and it's only gonna get worse from here. We need shelter now."
"Rika!" Hailey hissed.
"What?"
"Look!"
They both looked out toward the street through the narrow opening. It was Boris the bookstore owner, standing across the street and beckoning them forward.
Alden and Rika exchanged a confused look. Boris called out to them impatiently. "The hunters think you're partly to blame, Rika. Hurry, before any return."
She shrugged. "He's one of the only people I like around here." Without another word, she took off in a rush. Alden hesitated, but one glance at the retreating group of armed men on the opposite street sent him scurrying after Rika.