Runaway Train, Lock 7 (Final Chapter!)
Series Title: Runaway Train
Rating: Pg-13, language and violence
Pairs: Ohmiya, Sakuraiba
Genre: Action, Romance, and 1920’s Historical AU
Summary: At last, Nino comes face to face with the other robbers, and sets his plan for outwitting them into motion.
DC: Not real, not mine. This fic is about as far from historically and mechanically accurate as Nino is from looking old, so please do not read if you’re anal for history and accuracy.
Note: For ariange. It feels so great to say that this is the last chapter~ I cannot thank those of you who’ve faithfully read and commented on this series enough. You people are wonderful, encouraging and inspiring. Thank you. If you'd ever like to reread the series, you can find it all at the Runaway Train Station
“This is it.” Sho said, his voice high and strained. “This is the storage car right before the Safe Car.”
“Alright, open it. This is the end of the line for our retreat.” As the self appointed rear guard, Jun had his back to us, watching for the approach of the other robbers without blinking. They hadn’t caught up to us yet. I assume they were still securing the Engine, or continuing to pillage the passengers.
“Both of you, give me your keys.” I held out my hands, after Sho had opened the storage car’s door. Obediently they both turned them over. One set, Sho’s, I slipped into my pocket, the other I used to unlock the rear door. Peaking out of the door frame, I caught a glimpse of the exalted Safe car. It was different, I noted, but only because it had six locks as opposed to the usual one. Everything else about it’s build and style looked exactly as all of the other storage cars on the train.
Turning away from the Safe car, I checked my immediate surroundings on the balcony. With a smile, I noted the service ladder just to the left of this storage car’s doorframe. Perfect.
After making sure the rear door was propped open, to provide both light and a soon to be ‘magical’ escape, I returned inside the yet unfamiliar storage car to search for something I could use in my plan while Jun and Aiba readied themselves for battle again in case my plan failed. Ohno and Sho stood around being useless.
“Oi, you two, help me find a large sheet or bolt of cloth!” I hollered, digging though the various trunks and boxes. If I had time to marvel at the quality of clothes I came across in search of a sheet I would have noticed the small fortune invested in every garment. My hands closed around a hatbox, and I peaked inside to spy a top hat with a baby blue silk band, possibly worth more then my entire life savings.
So maybe I did notice the value, and was saving the information for later use, and possible theft. Every magician needs a good top hat anyway, it’s the symbol of the trade.
“Will this work?” Sho held up a large petticoat, the waist big enough for all five of us to fit inside.
“It would, if not for the massive gaping hole in the middle. I need something solid. A cape or a blanket.” I sighed and continued rummaging.
“This?” Ohno held up a sunshine yellow silk table cloth embroidered with pink and white butterfly design, yet large enough for a king’s banquet table. “It’s really soft…” He began petting the fabric absentmindedly, and something in my chest twitched rather painfully again.
“That…might work.” I managed.
“They’re coming, just entered the next car down!” Jun shouted from his watch position at the front of the car. Without waiting he dove for his hiding spot.
“Everyone, get into the positions we talked about earlier!” As Sho hid himself in a dark corner, Aiba and Jun vanished into the maze of boxes, their weapons at the ready to disable the other robbers if need be at a moment’s notice, should my plan fail or if the robbers turn out to have no connection to Ohno.
Hastily I began folding the tablecloth Ohno had found in a special series of folds. I hadn’t done this trick in a long time, or with such a large target, and piece of cloth. But surely making a person vanish behind a tablecloth can’t be all that different then making a carrot disappear behind a hankie.
“What was I supposed to do again?” Ohno looked at me with large shinning worried eyes, and my throat seized up a little.
“Stand here beside me. There. When I throw this ‘over’ you, run out the back door and up the side ladder as fast and as quietly as you can.” I draped the carefully folded cloth over one arm, and once the silk was set, removed the pistol from the holster with the same hand. “Hopefully they won’t kill me before I can perform the magic.”
“If they’re my friends, they won’t kill you.” Ohno said simply, taking my free hand and swinging it between us once as if we long time friends and weren’t in a life or death circumstance. Well he probably wasn’t about to be shot, but I could be as soon as they see me.
Even so, I decided to let him hold my hand, if it was so much comfort to him in this situation.
Our hands feel nice together at least, in an indescribable way.
From his hiding position in the dark depths of the car, I thought I heard Jun mumble “Not fair, I saw him first.” But that might have been my ears playing tricks on me.
A few seconds later, they entered our car.
All four of them, still masked, still armed, still very dangerous and life threatening.
Suddenly I’m not so confident.
“Ah, hell, this is where you’ve been hiding, Ohno?” One of them said with an aggravated sigh. “You were supposed to stay put!”
“Who’s that guy? Who is he?” Wondered another.
“Look at that they’re holding hands! Hands!”
“W-what?” Ohno took a step back, out of surprise. “W-who are you?”
“Ah I understand…” One robber removed his mask, and I blinked. Once I saw the long hair that feathered down to his shoulders, I double checked his chest, just to be sure the robber wasn’t really a woman. He flicked a lock of hair from his forehead, and my eye twitched. What a weirdo.
“Oh, Maachin.” Ohno grinned.
“…………That ……..thing………. Is your Maachin?” I stared, my mouth open slightly but I didn’t care.
“Yep.”
“I’m not a thing.” Huffed Maachin, tossing his head slightly in annoyance so his hair fluttered gently along his shoulders.
“I’m really sorry if that offended you. I meant to say ‘transvestite,’ not thing.” This….could be bad. Taunting the enemy Maabastardchin was not part of the plan. He could shoot me as fast as a blink, holding hands with Ohno or otherwise.
“Oi, don’t insult-” One of the remaining masked robbers, the largest and tallest by far spoke up but stopped when he realized Ohno was laughing.
“Maachan a transvestite…hahaha.”
“You have no sense of situation do you.” I marveled briefly at Ohno’s complete composure before there was a flash of silver and one of the shorter masked men aimed their pistol at me.
“We don’t have time for this. Who are you?”
“Put that away Yone, it could hurt someone.” Chastised Ohno, remarkably, though the person he addressed made no move to obey.
“I’m….” I blinked, realizing this was the cue, and then grinned, dropping Ohno’s hand and holding the gun loosely to Ohno’s head. The man stiffened visibly beside me, but showed little emotion otherwise. I did my best to sound cold, heartless and unattached. “I’m a Magician who’s currently holding this man hostage. Pay up or I‘ll send a bullet though his already absent mind.”
“What?” Still masked, the shortest laughed and stepped forward as graceful as a ballerina, twirling his own pistol around his finger. “Don’t be stupid, just put your gun away, and hand him over before we kill you.”
“I can’t do that, I’m afraid. Besides, is it him you’re really after, or these?” Careful not to mess up the folds on the silk tablecloth, put the gun back in it’s holster and pulled Ohno’s key ring from my pocket, jiggling them in the air.
“Ah!” The four of them, and Ohno exclaimed at once, all of their eyes locked on the keys that they absolutely needed to gain access to the treasures in the Safe car.
“So you do want these then? That’s good to hear.” I smirked, and tossed the keys over my shoulder, out of the back door. By the sound of it, they bounced off the Safe car wall, and flew off into the country side, lost forever.
“NO!” The one Ohno had dubbed Yone shouted, ultimate wrath seething though his words. “I’m going to kill you. It will be excruciating and most unpleasant.”
I swallowed nervously, watching his finger tighten on his trigger. “Wait just a moment before you do. I’m a Magician remember, I can make those keys reappear.”
“You-” Yone growled, dangerously.
“Do it.” Maachin ordered, skeptically, slowly tucking his long hair behind an ear with one finger. “If you can.”
I’ve decided I don’t like Maachin in the least. Not only does he look like a girl, and has sinful designs on Ohno (he absolutely does, I can tell) but he also doubts my talent as a magician. This means war.
“It appears we have skeptics in the audience, ladies,…. oh, sorry not ladies… transvestites and gentlemen! Please direct your attention to my empty palms. As you can see, they’re empty. Right, lovely assistant Oh-chan?” I held my hands palm up for him to inspect after showing them to the not so entertained burglars.
Blushing slightly, perhaps from being called Oh-chan, he nodded. “E-empty.”
“My hands don’t like being empty.” I explained, sadly. “In the very same way the keys don’t like being thrown out into oblivion. The keys want to be held. My hands want to hold them. It’s a depressing relationship when you think about it…”
“Get on with it so we can kill you.” Hissed Yone again.
“Threatening me with death really motivates me to go faster, thank you.” I grinned, despite the weak tremors of fear pulsing though my veins with every loud heartbeat. “Where was I….oh yes. I was saying that my hands have become despondent since parting with the keys a moment ago. They don’t really remember the magic to summon the keys back, they’re so depressed.” I held up my hands, flopping them around weakly, pretending not to have control over them. “It seems I’m going to need some help energizing them again. Any volunteers?”
The tallest and largest one seemed to half raise his hand before the really short one punched him.
“Well then, my dear assistant Oh-chan, if you would do the honors please.” I held my limp hands out for him, and he just stared at me, confused before taking them in his.
“Like this…?”
“No, don’t just hold them. You need to kiss the backs of them. Hand holding isn’t enough to stimulate a rock, let alone my lonely hands.”
“Um………..o-okay…” Scarlet to his ears, Ohno bent forward quickly, pressing his lips to the back of both my hands quickly and gently.
“O-oi.” Maachin protested, taking a step forward before Yone held him back. He doesn’t like Ohno kissing my hands? Interesting…
“Ah!” I stole my hand back quickly, and shoved them in my pant’s pockets. “Now look what you’ve done!”
“W-what did I do?”
“Kissing so gently like that…you’ve made my hands run for cover. They’re very shy you know.”
“But you told me to-”
“Now you’ll have to bring them back out of hiding by kissing somewhere else.”
“W-what? Why?” He paused, moistening his lips as his eyes widened slightly. “Where?”
“Where you kissed me the very first time of course. On the mouth.” I pursed my lips feeling more then a little victorious as Maachin let out a muffled cry of anguish.
“Y-you didn’t have to tell them we did that…” Embarrassed, Ohno‘s blush deepened to the roots of his hair, and if my life didn’t depend on what I did in the next four minutes, I might have reveled at how wonderful it felt to champion Maachin and to have Ohno look pleasantly conflicted about kissing me in front of his friends.
Devastated, Maachin mumbled softly. “I don‘t like him.”
“Just let me kill him for you, please?” Pleaded Yone, perhaps trying to comfort Maachin.
“Not yet, we need the keys.” Reminded the tiny one in a sharp voice. “Hurry up with this stupid performance.”
“Such an impatient audience.” I sighed, though growing more nervous as I neared the most dangerous part of the magic show. “Ah wait…what’s this….” I pulled Sho’s spare set of keys from my pocket, where I had stored them earlier. “Never mind that kiss Oh-chan, my hands and the keys have been reunited at last!”
“O-oh…”
“Finally!” Before I could blink, Yone pulled the trigger.
I felt a blast of scorching heat from a bullet that burnt my skin as the small cylinder passed within millimeters of my face.
Then I heard the ear splitting bang, much after the fact, and the choking odor of burning gunpowder drifted though the confined car like a morning fog.
Riveted from the brush with death, I watched petrified as Yone took better aim on my face, and pulled the trigger.
“Ah damn it, out of bullets at a time like this!” Yone threw his gun to the floor with a loud clatter and turned to his companions, to relieve them of their weapons.
Immobile I saw the glints of gun barrels in the shadows of the car; Jun and Aiba were about ready to take matters into their own hands, however bloody the outcome
Shaking myself out of the horrorstruck state, I cleared my throat to gain the robber’s attention. “I’m sorry to interrupt your squabble over who’s going to kill me, with what and when, but I have one last trick I’d like you to see. A Grand Finale, if you will.”
They all turned to glare at me, but I continued before one of them could speak up. “Here Oh-chan, hold these keys of yours. Yes. There. Hold onto them tightly for me.”
I pulled the silk table cloth from my shoulder, making sure to preserve the folds. “I’m now going to make this man, who is holding your cherished keys, disappear~”
“Wait-” Maachin stepped forward again and I grinned, throwing the large sheet ‘over’ Ohno, and holding carefully onto certain folds giving the illusion that he was still beneath the cloth.
After several seconds of a stunned silence, I let the tablecloth fall to the ground, empty. “Abracadabra.”
The four of them stared at the spot were Ohno had been, silently, obviously confounded at such an impressive magic.
Not to mention that once again, their friend and the all important keys had vanished from their grasp. Good work Ninomiya. I deserve pension for this, I hope you saw how awesome that was Boss-man, and have a bonus lined up.
“Behind you!” Jun suddenly shouted, giving away his position as two of the robbers suddenly turned on him, following his voice.
There was another earsplitting pop of gunfire, from Aiba’s direction, and towards mine.
Towards me? Why would he be shooting at me?
What did Jun say? “Behind you!”
Oh shit-
My stomach dropped the floor and I reached for the pistol in my holster, only to find that it was no longer there. The cold metal barrel of the very same pistol was pressed up against the side of my head not even a second later.
His free arm wrapped around my shoulder, his pretty little hand hanging casually near my chin.
I kept my gaze cold and in front, refusing to give Ohno the satisfaction of my glance. I watched as Jun and Aiba had been rooted out from behind the towers of luggage, having sacrificed their chance at an ambush for me. They were tied together around the middle and to a vertical support post and due to their loud protests, were gagged. Fires were blazing in Jun’s eyes, he didn’t take defeat well.
“I hate you.” I muttered, and meant it.
“Please don’t.” Ohno said, sounding slightly depressed.
“You tricked me. I hate you.”
“I didn’t trick you. Ok, maybe I did. But you guys weren’t telling me the whole truth either. It was kind of obvious you were lying to me from the start.” He chucked in my ear, and it pissed me off that it still slightly tickled.
“I thought I was a damn good liar.”
“You are. It wasn’t a lie that gave it away though, it was honesty. In the safe car after you woke me from my nap, the most infamous mob boss on this side of the city introduced himself without so much as an alias. Matsumoto Jun.”
My mouth opened slightly as I remembered that scene from so long ago.
“Was I? Who are you anyway?” Ohno had asked.
“Nino. Ninomiya Kazunari.”
“I’m Matsumoto Jun. And we‘re running very late, so we‘ll see you around.”
“What a fool. He did say that, didn’t he.” I laughed sarcastically. “He screwed us over before things even got started.
“I’m really sorry about this.”
“No you aren’t.”
“I am. A little bit.”
“Shut up, I sick of hearing you.”
“Sorry.” He mumbled, and fell silent, but the pistol remained pressed firmly against my skull.
“Alright, tie him up Ohno.” The shortest one said, finishing binding Jun and Aiba to the post and rounding on me. “Lets see if he can pull any crazy Houdini like escape magic.”
Without warning, Ohno shoved his hand into my pants pocket. I‘ve never felt so violated. “Get your hand out of my pants, you rapist.”
“Sorry, just here for the handcuffs…ah there they are.” From my pocket Ohno removed everything. The handcuffs I‘d thrifted from Aiba, all of my lock picking wires, and even my ticket stub. “Don’t need these….” Nonchalantly, he threw my precious wire collection out of the open door behind him before handcuffing me a post diagonal from Jun and Aiba.
“I really hate you.” I growled. Without my wires, I can’t do anything to break myself free.
“I wish you wouldn’t.” Mumbled Ohno. He had the gall to look upset, though that too was probably more of his acting. “You’re the one who assumed so much….”
I know that. Hearing him state the obvious doesn’t make me feel better at all. I don’t know why I trusted him. Why I didn’t doubt him. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid.
“Alright then, I’ve got the bags from the stuff we snitched from passengers. Let’s get the best of what the safe car has to offer and get out of here.” The shortest one ordered heaving a large sack over his shoulder before heading out of the open back door, and the others followed with their own sacks, and Ohno brought up the rear.
“Thanks for…everything.” Ohno bowed humbly. From the front end of the car, Jun was sending glare daggers of ultimate spite towards the traitor, and Aiba simply didn‘t look up.
I kept my head down, refusing to comfort him with recognition or a goodbye.
Ohno sighed, and closed the door, throwing us into darkness that matched perfectly well with everyone’s mood.
I sank to the floor, trying to get as comfortable as the handcuffs would allow me. How could I have been so absolutely blind as to trust him? I’ve lost my touch. My grip with reality. I’ve gone softer then any street savy guy should ever be.
As I was wallowing in self disgust, Sho finally reappeared from his own hiding place. He hadn’t been armed so it was no wonder he didn’t show himself before now. “Masaki!” He shouted, concernedly, before running rather blindly over to the bound and gagged man.
“Sho, I’m sorry we lost. It’s all my fault…” Cried the tall one, once he was free of his gag.
“Shush, you did your best. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Safe isn’t good enough! Matsujun, I’m so sorry, I-”
“Not your fault.” Jun must have been freed as well. His voice was hollow and dejected. The man was the cause of this whole end result, giving away his real name like that. In fact his failure on the mission was greater then anyone else’s, including mine. The thought made me feel slightly better about myself. Slightly.
When Sho opened the front door to let in some light, I could see Jun lounging remorsefully against a near by box, and Aiba was headed towards me, a small key in his hand.
So he had the key to the handcuffs the whole time. Go figure.
“You were really cool.” He said as he undid the handcuffs. “I didn’t know you were so good at magic.”
“Obviously I wasn’t good enough. That bastard didn’t disappear as he was supposed to.”
“Don’t take it too hard.” Sho comforted. “We did the best we could to protect the wealth of the passengers. I’m just relieved no one was seriously hurt. The police will be at the station when we arrive, we can reveal the identities of the culprits, and explain the entire situation to them and they‘ll take over.”
I snorted though my nose, “We can’t tell the police the truth. The three of us, and maybe you too will get arrested.”
“W-what?”
Aiba bit his lip before clapping a hand on Sho‘s shoulder tentatively. “Um, Sho-chan….I think it’s time we had that talk…”
Before Aiba could continue with his identity confession, there was suddenly a deafening scraping of metal, and the train lurched forward as if it had been freed of a great burden.
As the closest, I opened the rear door. Ohno and his friends had detached the Safe car with it’s unfathomable treasures and the caboose while the train was in motion. Their cars were cruising to a stop, and I could see Ohno waving jovially from the ledge of the Safe car as the distance between us grew.
I didn’t wave back.
It was well into the late night hours before the Ariange pulled into her first destination.
Sho had agreed to come up with an alias story for the police, to protect us even though he was less then pleased at having been used by Aiba.
But the two had returned to their sleep cabin shortly before the train pulled into the station, so I’m disgustingly confident that they made up.
Jun had hardly said a word since Ohno and his company made off with the Safe Car. We had gone back to the private cabin he’d reserved and switched back into our old clothes. He changed into his suit at least, I kept the new shirt and pants, dawning my threadbare coat over the uniform.
I had thrown the rest of my clothes into the leather briefcase that I thought was a lucky find before, deciding to take it with me as a souvenir of a day wasted on an unwanted adventure that turned out to be fruitless. Even Jun’s large bag of money had been stolen, since he’d made the mistake to leave it in this private compartment with his clothes where Maachin and the rest found it.
Together, we stepped off the train, Jun adjusting his deep purple tie and trying to hide his face from the number of cops that were swarming station. “I gave you the offer before and it still remains.”
“What offer?” I asked tiredly, stepping aside for a couple police officers to board the train and survey the damage.
“To join my gang. Not every mission is as disappointing as that one was. In fact I’ve never lost before today.”
“No thanks. I’ve learned that I’m not the adventurous type. I’ll stick to street side magic. It’s slightly safer. Are you going to pay me for my time though?”
We came to a stop near the edge of the platform above the tracks. Jun sighed and ran a hand though his hair. “I can, but it won’t be much. Not near what I promised. If you’d rather, I know some places I can hook you up with for slightly higher class performance venues, if you‘re serious about being a magician instead of a lock picker. I can set you up with a stable job too, like I did for Aiba.”
“That-” Suddenly someone bumped into me, interrupting my answer. They lost their balance and teetered on the edge of the platform.
“Watch it!” Jun lunged forward, and pulled the person back to safety. I wonder how such a good guy ever even fell into the Mob society. “Are you alright?”
“Ah…thanks.” The man blushed, probably because Jun still had his arm firmly around his middle. I noticed then that he was a cop by his blue uniform and badge. Slowly I took a step back. Then another.
“Sorry about that sir, and thanks for saving me. I’m Officer Ikuta, please don’t be afraid to….” The policeman paused, the flush vanishing from his cheeks as he stared into Jun’s face. With a shaky hand he touched the mole near Jun’s mouth. “You…”
I took another step back, as Jun became scarlet under the officer’s touch. He stepped away from the officer instantly. “Sorry, I must be on my-”
“Matsumoto…Jun?” Gasped the officer, and Jun just barely cringed.
“No, you must be mistaken I‘m not-”
The officer fumbled for his whistle, and before it had even shrilled, Jun bolted though the crowd. Most of the remaining officers took off after him, but I had a feeling he’d escape. A flashy exit for a flashy man.
I had been backing away the whole time, slowly as not to draw attention to myself, and as luck would have it, I backed right into a stationary police officer.
“I’m sorry officer, I’m no one of impor-”
“Ikuta,” The officer shouted, gripping my upper arm painfully. “What about this guy?”
“He was with Matsumoto, so take him in for questioning!” The officer shouted before running after Jun himself.
Several minutes later I found myself handcuffed again, and thrown roughly into the back of an empty police truck.
After locking me in, the officer went off to help in the search for the escaped Matsumoto.
I sat on the uncomfortable wooden bench and reflected on a horrible day gone worse. Today was certainly an unlucky day if there ever were one.
Alright, Ninomiya, stay calm.
Many long minutes passed as I sat in the cold van. If I could just get hold of a wire, I could set myself free. With as little noise as I could make, I fell to the floor of the truck, and felt around for any fallen instruments I could use to pick a lock, unable to see anything beyond the small dim square of street-lamp light that fell though the barred window.
Nothing.
Sighing as if it could possibly relive the situation, I flopped back on the rough wooden bench, depressed beyond depression.
I want to cry.
What have I done to deserve this injustice?
I didn’t even get a chance to actually steal anything of arrest-able value, yet here I am. About to get sent to prison.
There was nothing to do but wait. So I waited. For the police to come back, for a wire to drop into my hands, for Matsumoto to come and take responsibility for a mostly innocent man getting arrested. Anything really.
Someone coughed outside of the police truck. Numbly I knew that the germs probably were making their way into this in closed space with every passing second.
Great, now I’m going to get sick too.
They’re going to throw me in jail where I get to be someone’s bitch every night, and on top of it all, I’ll have the flu.
Fantastic.
The person coughed again.
“Could you go somewhere else and cough already?” I demanded aloud.
They coughed again, as if to spite me.
“Quit spreading your nasty germs around, don’t you know some people can’t afford a good tonic!”
“Sorry.” Said the cougher, though a laugh. I blinked recognizing the voice as my heart flip-flopped in my chest. Before I could stop myself I stood up and peaked though the barred window.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I whispered, shocked beyond further emotion.
Ohno held up a wire, one I recognized as part of my collection. “Want it?” He said by way of response.
“Of course I do, give it here!” I held my hands to the bar expectantly, hope inflating my heart for the first time in a long time.
“Will you not hate me anymore then?”
“What? Why’s that important? Just give me the wire before the police get back!”
“It’s very important.” Ohno said, looking very troubled in the lamp light. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
“Ok, ok whatever, I don’t hate you, just give me the wire!”
He held the wire closer to the bars so that I could almost reach it before hesitating and pulling it back. I beat my head against he bars, exasperated.
“I want…. to assist you.” He said, nervously, as if he were confessing his love or something.
I laughed ironically. “If you want to assist me, then just give me the damn wire, please.”
“No no no. I mean, I want to be your assistant. Like with magic. It was a lot of fun back on the train. We could be a duo or something.”
“Sure whatever you want. Wire please.” He put the wire in my hand, and I undid the handcuffs in seconds. I turned to the door, and after several more moments to break the stronger lock, the door opened.
Ohno was grinning goofily at me, and I grinned back. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“See ya.”
“Bye.”
Waving, I turned on my heel and walked swiftly away from the train station. I turned around to see Ohno following me, at a stride’s distance like a faithful puppy.
His choice to follow me, not that I know where I’m going. I slowed in my tracks, realizing the weight of the situation. I have no money, not even the snazzy briefcase of Jun’s to pawn off, and I’m on the far side of some unfamiliar city with no way to get home.
Great.
Maybe I should have stayed in the police car. They would have fed me and had a place for me to sleep.
“I’m hungry.” Ohno complained, coming up to stand behind me. “Lets find somewhere to eat.”
“Why are you still here? You can’t seriously want to be my assistant.” I asked him tiredly, rubbing my temple. “Besides, where did your beloved Maachin go off to?”
“I don’t know. Getting ready for the dance troupe’s next performance probably. We separated after dividing the winnings from that train. I sold off my share earlier and decided to find you and be your assistant. And now I’m hungry.” He finished, looking around for a still open restaurant.
He spotted one a ways down the road and headed towards it happily, taking hold of my upper arm.
I fought down the urge to blush. I don‘t trust him, not for a second, but I can‘t see why he‘d rescue me from a police car for any other reason. It’s not like I have money he can steal, or anything of value. If he wanted to harm me physically, he could have done it back when he had me tied up. I guess it wouldn‘t hurt to go along with him for a while, since I have nothing to loose. Though was I still compelled to ask, “Why split with them for me? Why me?”
Frowning, his grip switched from my arm to my hand, though he never stopped touching me. “Reasons. I don’t want you to hate me, I know that much.”
“Are you joshing me? That’s your reason?”
“Not really. It’s more of a wild guess though, because I can‘t really explain it.”
“You are so weird.”
“Yeah…”
“I don’t get you.”
“Neither do I.”
Rating: Pg-13, language and violence
Pairs: Ohmiya, Sakuraiba
Genre: Action, Romance, and 1920’s Historical AU
Summary: At last, Nino comes face to face with the other robbers, and sets his plan for outwitting them into motion.
DC: Not real, not mine. This fic is about as far from historically and mechanically accurate as Nino is from looking old, so please do not read if you’re anal for history and accuracy.
Note: For ariange. It feels so great to say that this is the last chapter~ I cannot thank those of you who’ve faithfully read and commented on this series enough. You people are wonderful, encouraging and inspiring. Thank you. If you'd ever like to reread the series, you can find it all at the Runaway Train Station
“This is it.” Sho said, his voice high and strained. “This is the storage car right before the Safe Car.”
“Alright, open it. This is the end of the line for our retreat.” As the self appointed rear guard, Jun had his back to us, watching for the approach of the other robbers without blinking. They hadn’t caught up to us yet. I assume they were still securing the Engine, or continuing to pillage the passengers.
“Both of you, give me your keys.” I held out my hands, after Sho had opened the storage car’s door. Obediently they both turned them over. One set, Sho’s, I slipped into my pocket, the other I used to unlock the rear door. Peaking out of the door frame, I caught a glimpse of the exalted Safe car. It was different, I noted, but only because it had six locks as opposed to the usual one. Everything else about it’s build and style looked exactly as all of the other storage cars on the train.
Turning away from the Safe car, I checked my immediate surroundings on the balcony. With a smile, I noted the service ladder just to the left of this storage car’s doorframe. Perfect.
After making sure the rear door was propped open, to provide both light and a soon to be ‘magical’ escape, I returned inside the yet unfamiliar storage car to search for something I could use in my plan while Jun and Aiba readied themselves for battle again in case my plan failed. Ohno and Sho stood around being useless.
“Oi, you two, help me find a large sheet or bolt of cloth!” I hollered, digging though the various trunks and boxes. If I had time to marvel at the quality of clothes I came across in search of a sheet I would have noticed the small fortune invested in every garment. My hands closed around a hatbox, and I peaked inside to spy a top hat with a baby blue silk band, possibly worth more then my entire life savings.
So maybe I did notice the value, and was saving the information for later use, and possible theft. Every magician needs a good top hat anyway, it’s the symbol of the trade.
“Will this work?” Sho held up a large petticoat, the waist big enough for all five of us to fit inside.
“It would, if not for the massive gaping hole in the middle. I need something solid. A cape or a blanket.” I sighed and continued rummaging.
“This?” Ohno held up a sunshine yellow silk table cloth embroidered with pink and white butterfly design, yet large enough for a king’s banquet table. “It’s really soft…” He began petting the fabric absentmindedly, and something in my chest twitched rather painfully again.
“That…might work.” I managed.
“They’re coming, just entered the next car down!” Jun shouted from his watch position at the front of the car. Without waiting he dove for his hiding spot.
“Everyone, get into the positions we talked about earlier!” As Sho hid himself in a dark corner, Aiba and Jun vanished into the maze of boxes, their weapons at the ready to disable the other robbers if need be at a moment’s notice, should my plan fail or if the robbers turn out to have no connection to Ohno.
Hastily I began folding the tablecloth Ohno had found in a special series of folds. I hadn’t done this trick in a long time, or with such a large target, and piece of cloth. But surely making a person vanish behind a tablecloth can’t be all that different then making a carrot disappear behind a hankie.
“What was I supposed to do again?” Ohno looked at me with large shinning worried eyes, and my throat seized up a little.
“Stand here beside me. There. When I throw this ‘over’ you, run out the back door and up the side ladder as fast and as quietly as you can.” I draped the carefully folded cloth over one arm, and once the silk was set, removed the pistol from the holster with the same hand. “Hopefully they won’t kill me before I can perform the magic.”
“If they’re my friends, they won’t kill you.” Ohno said simply, taking my free hand and swinging it between us once as if we long time friends and weren’t in a life or death circumstance. Well he probably wasn’t about to be shot, but I could be as soon as they see me.
Even so, I decided to let him hold my hand, if it was so much comfort to him in this situation.
Our hands feel nice together at least, in an indescribable way.
From his hiding position in the dark depths of the car, I thought I heard Jun mumble “Not fair, I saw him first.” But that might have been my ears playing tricks on me.
A few seconds later, they entered our car.
All four of them, still masked, still armed, still very dangerous and life threatening.
Suddenly I’m not so confident.
“Ah, hell, this is where you’ve been hiding, Ohno?” One of them said with an aggravated sigh. “You were supposed to stay put!”
“Who’s that guy? Who is he?” Wondered another.
“Look at that they’re holding hands! Hands!”
“W-what?” Ohno took a step back, out of surprise. “W-who are you?”
“Ah I understand…” One robber removed his mask, and I blinked. Once I saw the long hair that feathered down to his shoulders, I double checked his chest, just to be sure the robber wasn’t really a woman. He flicked a lock of hair from his forehead, and my eye twitched. What a weirdo.
“Oh, Maachin.” Ohno grinned.
“…………That ……..thing………. Is your Maachin?” I stared, my mouth open slightly but I didn’t care.
“Yep.”
“I’m not a thing.” Huffed Maachin, tossing his head slightly in annoyance so his hair fluttered gently along his shoulders.
“I’m really sorry if that offended you. I meant to say ‘transvestite,’ not thing.” This….could be bad. Taunting the enemy Maabastardchin was not part of the plan. He could shoot me as fast as a blink, holding hands with Ohno or otherwise.
“Oi, don’t insult-” One of the remaining masked robbers, the largest and tallest by far spoke up but stopped when he realized Ohno was laughing.
“Maachan a transvestite…hahaha.”
“You have no sense of situation do you.” I marveled briefly at Ohno’s complete composure before there was a flash of silver and one of the shorter masked men aimed their pistol at me.
“We don’t have time for this. Who are you?”
“Put that away Yone, it could hurt someone.” Chastised Ohno, remarkably, though the person he addressed made no move to obey.
“I’m….” I blinked, realizing this was the cue, and then grinned, dropping Ohno’s hand and holding the gun loosely to Ohno’s head. The man stiffened visibly beside me, but showed little emotion otherwise. I did my best to sound cold, heartless and unattached. “I’m a Magician who’s currently holding this man hostage. Pay up or I‘ll send a bullet though his already absent mind.”
“What?” Still masked, the shortest laughed and stepped forward as graceful as a ballerina, twirling his own pistol around his finger. “Don’t be stupid, just put your gun away, and hand him over before we kill you.”
“I can’t do that, I’m afraid. Besides, is it him you’re really after, or these?” Careful not to mess up the folds on the silk tablecloth, put the gun back in it’s holster and pulled Ohno’s key ring from my pocket, jiggling them in the air.
“Ah!” The four of them, and Ohno exclaimed at once, all of their eyes locked on the keys that they absolutely needed to gain access to the treasures in the Safe car.
“So you do want these then? That’s good to hear.” I smirked, and tossed the keys over my shoulder, out of the back door. By the sound of it, they bounced off the Safe car wall, and flew off into the country side, lost forever.
“NO!” The one Ohno had dubbed Yone shouted, ultimate wrath seething though his words. “I’m going to kill you. It will be excruciating and most unpleasant.”
I swallowed nervously, watching his finger tighten on his trigger. “Wait just a moment before you do. I’m a Magician remember, I can make those keys reappear.”
“You-” Yone growled, dangerously.
“Do it.” Maachin ordered, skeptically, slowly tucking his long hair behind an ear with one finger. “If you can.”
I’ve decided I don’t like Maachin in the least. Not only does he look like a girl, and has sinful designs on Ohno (he absolutely does, I can tell) but he also doubts my talent as a magician. This means war.
“It appears we have skeptics in the audience, ladies,…. oh, sorry not ladies… transvestites and gentlemen! Please direct your attention to my empty palms. As you can see, they’re empty. Right, lovely assistant Oh-chan?” I held my hands palm up for him to inspect after showing them to the not so entertained burglars.
Blushing slightly, perhaps from being called Oh-chan, he nodded. “E-empty.”
“My hands don’t like being empty.” I explained, sadly. “In the very same way the keys don’t like being thrown out into oblivion. The keys want to be held. My hands want to hold them. It’s a depressing relationship when you think about it…”
“Get on with it so we can kill you.” Hissed Yone again.
“Threatening me with death really motivates me to go faster, thank you.” I grinned, despite the weak tremors of fear pulsing though my veins with every loud heartbeat. “Where was I….oh yes. I was saying that my hands have become despondent since parting with the keys a moment ago. They don’t really remember the magic to summon the keys back, they’re so depressed.” I held up my hands, flopping them around weakly, pretending not to have control over them. “It seems I’m going to need some help energizing them again. Any volunteers?”
The tallest and largest one seemed to half raise his hand before the really short one punched him.
“Well then, my dear assistant Oh-chan, if you would do the honors please.” I held my limp hands out for him, and he just stared at me, confused before taking them in his.
“Like this…?”
“No, don’t just hold them. You need to kiss the backs of them. Hand holding isn’t enough to stimulate a rock, let alone my lonely hands.”
“Um………..o-okay…” Scarlet to his ears, Ohno bent forward quickly, pressing his lips to the back of both my hands quickly and gently.
“O-oi.” Maachin protested, taking a step forward before Yone held him back. He doesn’t like Ohno kissing my hands? Interesting…
“Ah!” I stole my hand back quickly, and shoved them in my pant’s pockets. “Now look what you’ve done!”
“W-what did I do?”
“Kissing so gently like that…you’ve made my hands run for cover. They’re very shy you know.”
“But you told me to-”
“Now you’ll have to bring them back out of hiding by kissing somewhere else.”
“W-what? Why?” He paused, moistening his lips as his eyes widened slightly. “Where?”
“Where you kissed me the very first time of course. On the mouth.” I pursed my lips feeling more then a little victorious as Maachin let out a muffled cry of anguish.
“Y-you didn’t have to tell them we did that…” Embarrassed, Ohno‘s blush deepened to the roots of his hair, and if my life didn’t depend on what I did in the next four minutes, I might have reveled at how wonderful it felt to champion Maachin and to have Ohno look pleasantly conflicted about kissing me in front of his friends.
Devastated, Maachin mumbled softly. “I don‘t like him.”
“Just let me kill him for you, please?” Pleaded Yone, perhaps trying to comfort Maachin.
“Not yet, we need the keys.” Reminded the tiny one in a sharp voice. “Hurry up with this stupid performance.”
“Such an impatient audience.” I sighed, though growing more nervous as I neared the most dangerous part of the magic show. “Ah wait…what’s this….” I pulled Sho’s spare set of keys from my pocket, where I had stored them earlier. “Never mind that kiss Oh-chan, my hands and the keys have been reunited at last!”
“O-oh…”
“Finally!” Before I could blink, Yone pulled the trigger.
I felt a blast of scorching heat from a bullet that burnt my skin as the small cylinder passed within millimeters of my face.
Then I heard the ear splitting bang, much after the fact, and the choking odor of burning gunpowder drifted though the confined car like a morning fog.
Riveted from the brush with death, I watched petrified as Yone took better aim on my face, and pulled the trigger.
“Ah damn it, out of bullets at a time like this!” Yone threw his gun to the floor with a loud clatter and turned to his companions, to relieve them of their weapons.
Immobile I saw the glints of gun barrels in the shadows of the car; Jun and Aiba were about ready to take matters into their own hands, however bloody the outcome
Shaking myself out of the horrorstruck state, I cleared my throat to gain the robber’s attention. “I’m sorry to interrupt your squabble over who’s going to kill me, with what and when, but I have one last trick I’d like you to see. A Grand Finale, if you will.”
They all turned to glare at me, but I continued before one of them could speak up. “Here Oh-chan, hold these keys of yours. Yes. There. Hold onto them tightly for me.”
I pulled the silk table cloth from my shoulder, making sure to preserve the folds. “I’m now going to make this man, who is holding your cherished keys, disappear~”
“Wait-” Maachin stepped forward again and I grinned, throwing the large sheet ‘over’ Ohno, and holding carefully onto certain folds giving the illusion that he was still beneath the cloth.
After several seconds of a stunned silence, I let the tablecloth fall to the ground, empty. “Abracadabra.”
The four of them stared at the spot were Ohno had been, silently, obviously confounded at such an impressive magic.
Not to mention that once again, their friend and the all important keys had vanished from their grasp. Good work Ninomiya. I deserve pension for this, I hope you saw how awesome that was Boss-man, and have a bonus lined up.
“Behind you!” Jun suddenly shouted, giving away his position as two of the robbers suddenly turned on him, following his voice.
There was another earsplitting pop of gunfire, from Aiba’s direction, and towards mine.
Towards me? Why would he be shooting at me?
What did Jun say? “Behind you!”
Oh shit-
My stomach dropped the floor and I reached for the pistol in my holster, only to find that it was no longer there. The cold metal barrel of the very same pistol was pressed up against the side of my head not even a second later.
His free arm wrapped around my shoulder, his pretty little hand hanging casually near my chin.
I kept my gaze cold and in front, refusing to give Ohno the satisfaction of my glance. I watched as Jun and Aiba had been rooted out from behind the towers of luggage, having sacrificed their chance at an ambush for me. They were tied together around the middle and to a vertical support post and due to their loud protests, were gagged. Fires were blazing in Jun’s eyes, he didn’t take defeat well.
“I hate you.” I muttered, and meant it.
“Please don’t.” Ohno said, sounding slightly depressed.
“You tricked me. I hate you.”
“I didn’t trick you. Ok, maybe I did. But you guys weren’t telling me the whole truth either. It was kind of obvious you were lying to me from the start.” He chucked in my ear, and it pissed me off that it still slightly tickled.
“I thought I was a damn good liar.”
“You are. It wasn’t a lie that gave it away though, it was honesty. In the safe car after you woke me from my nap, the most infamous mob boss on this side of the city introduced himself without so much as an alias. Matsumoto Jun.”
My mouth opened slightly as I remembered that scene from so long ago.
“Was I? Who are you anyway?” Ohno had asked.
“Nino. Ninomiya Kazunari.”
“I’m Matsumoto Jun. And we‘re running very late, so we‘ll see you around.”
“What a fool. He did say that, didn’t he.” I laughed sarcastically. “He screwed us over before things even got started.
“I’m really sorry about this.”
“No you aren’t.”
“I am. A little bit.”
“Shut up, I sick of hearing you.”
“Sorry.” He mumbled, and fell silent, but the pistol remained pressed firmly against my skull.
“Alright, tie him up Ohno.” The shortest one said, finishing binding Jun and Aiba to the post and rounding on me. “Lets see if he can pull any crazy Houdini like escape magic.”
Without warning, Ohno shoved his hand into my pants pocket. I‘ve never felt so violated. “Get your hand out of my pants, you rapist.”
“Sorry, just here for the handcuffs…ah there they are.” From my pocket Ohno removed everything. The handcuffs I‘d thrifted from Aiba, all of my lock picking wires, and even my ticket stub. “Don’t need these….” Nonchalantly, he threw my precious wire collection out of the open door behind him before handcuffing me a post diagonal from Jun and Aiba.
“I really hate you.” I growled. Without my wires, I can’t do anything to break myself free.
“I wish you wouldn’t.” Mumbled Ohno. He had the gall to look upset, though that too was probably more of his acting. “You’re the one who assumed so much….”
I know that. Hearing him state the obvious doesn’t make me feel better at all. I don’t know why I trusted him. Why I didn’t doubt him. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid.
“Alright then, I’ve got the bags from the stuff we snitched from passengers. Let’s get the best of what the safe car has to offer and get out of here.” The shortest one ordered heaving a large sack over his shoulder before heading out of the open back door, and the others followed with their own sacks, and Ohno brought up the rear.
“Thanks for…everything.” Ohno bowed humbly. From the front end of the car, Jun was sending glare daggers of ultimate spite towards the traitor, and Aiba simply didn‘t look up.
I kept my head down, refusing to comfort him with recognition or a goodbye.
Ohno sighed, and closed the door, throwing us into darkness that matched perfectly well with everyone’s mood.
I sank to the floor, trying to get as comfortable as the handcuffs would allow me. How could I have been so absolutely blind as to trust him? I’ve lost my touch. My grip with reality. I’ve gone softer then any street savy guy should ever be.
As I was wallowing in self disgust, Sho finally reappeared from his own hiding place. He hadn’t been armed so it was no wonder he didn’t show himself before now. “Masaki!” He shouted, concernedly, before running rather blindly over to the bound and gagged man.
“Sho, I’m sorry we lost. It’s all my fault…” Cried the tall one, once he was free of his gag.
“Shush, you did your best. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Safe isn’t good enough! Matsujun, I’m so sorry, I-”
“Not your fault.” Jun must have been freed as well. His voice was hollow and dejected. The man was the cause of this whole end result, giving away his real name like that. In fact his failure on the mission was greater then anyone else’s, including mine. The thought made me feel slightly better about myself. Slightly.
When Sho opened the front door to let in some light, I could see Jun lounging remorsefully against a near by box, and Aiba was headed towards me, a small key in his hand.
So he had the key to the handcuffs the whole time. Go figure.
“You were really cool.” He said as he undid the handcuffs. “I didn’t know you were so good at magic.”
“Obviously I wasn’t good enough. That bastard didn’t disappear as he was supposed to.”
“Don’t take it too hard.” Sho comforted. “We did the best we could to protect the wealth of the passengers. I’m just relieved no one was seriously hurt. The police will be at the station when we arrive, we can reveal the identities of the culprits, and explain the entire situation to them and they‘ll take over.”
I snorted though my nose, “We can’t tell the police the truth. The three of us, and maybe you too will get arrested.”
“W-what?”
Aiba bit his lip before clapping a hand on Sho‘s shoulder tentatively. “Um, Sho-chan….I think it’s time we had that talk…”
Before Aiba could continue with his identity confession, there was suddenly a deafening scraping of metal, and the train lurched forward as if it had been freed of a great burden.
As the closest, I opened the rear door. Ohno and his friends had detached the Safe car with it’s unfathomable treasures and the caboose while the train was in motion. Their cars were cruising to a stop, and I could see Ohno waving jovially from the ledge of the Safe car as the distance between us grew.
I didn’t wave back.
It was well into the late night hours before the Ariange pulled into her first destination.
Sho had agreed to come up with an alias story for the police, to protect us even though he was less then pleased at having been used by Aiba.
But the two had returned to their sleep cabin shortly before the train pulled into the station, so I’m disgustingly confident that they made up.
Jun had hardly said a word since Ohno and his company made off with the Safe Car. We had gone back to the private cabin he’d reserved and switched back into our old clothes. He changed into his suit at least, I kept the new shirt and pants, dawning my threadbare coat over the uniform.
I had thrown the rest of my clothes into the leather briefcase that I thought was a lucky find before, deciding to take it with me as a souvenir of a day wasted on an unwanted adventure that turned out to be fruitless. Even Jun’s large bag of money had been stolen, since he’d made the mistake to leave it in this private compartment with his clothes where Maachin and the rest found it.
Together, we stepped off the train, Jun adjusting his deep purple tie and trying to hide his face from the number of cops that were swarming station. “I gave you the offer before and it still remains.”
“What offer?” I asked tiredly, stepping aside for a couple police officers to board the train and survey the damage.
“To join my gang. Not every mission is as disappointing as that one was. In fact I’ve never lost before today.”
“No thanks. I’ve learned that I’m not the adventurous type. I’ll stick to street side magic. It’s slightly safer. Are you going to pay me for my time though?”
We came to a stop near the edge of the platform above the tracks. Jun sighed and ran a hand though his hair. “I can, but it won’t be much. Not near what I promised. If you’d rather, I know some places I can hook you up with for slightly higher class performance venues, if you‘re serious about being a magician instead of a lock picker. I can set you up with a stable job too, like I did for Aiba.”
“That-” Suddenly someone bumped into me, interrupting my answer. They lost their balance and teetered on the edge of the platform.
“Watch it!” Jun lunged forward, and pulled the person back to safety. I wonder how such a good guy ever even fell into the Mob society. “Are you alright?”
“Ah…thanks.” The man blushed, probably because Jun still had his arm firmly around his middle. I noticed then that he was a cop by his blue uniform and badge. Slowly I took a step back. Then another.
“Sorry about that sir, and thanks for saving me. I’m Officer Ikuta, please don’t be afraid to….” The policeman paused, the flush vanishing from his cheeks as he stared into Jun’s face. With a shaky hand he touched the mole near Jun’s mouth. “You…”
I took another step back, as Jun became scarlet under the officer’s touch. He stepped away from the officer instantly. “Sorry, I must be on my-”
“Matsumoto…Jun?” Gasped the officer, and Jun just barely cringed.
“No, you must be mistaken I‘m not-”
The officer fumbled for his whistle, and before it had even shrilled, Jun bolted though the crowd. Most of the remaining officers took off after him, but I had a feeling he’d escape. A flashy exit for a flashy man.
I had been backing away the whole time, slowly as not to draw attention to myself, and as luck would have it, I backed right into a stationary police officer.
“I’m sorry officer, I’m no one of impor-”
“Ikuta,” The officer shouted, gripping my upper arm painfully. “What about this guy?”
“He was with Matsumoto, so take him in for questioning!” The officer shouted before running after Jun himself.
Several minutes later I found myself handcuffed again, and thrown roughly into the back of an empty police truck.
After locking me in, the officer went off to help in the search for the escaped Matsumoto.
I sat on the uncomfortable wooden bench and reflected on a horrible day gone worse. Today was certainly an unlucky day if there ever were one.
Alright, Ninomiya, stay calm.
Many long minutes passed as I sat in the cold van. If I could just get hold of a wire, I could set myself free. With as little noise as I could make, I fell to the floor of the truck, and felt around for any fallen instruments I could use to pick a lock, unable to see anything beyond the small dim square of street-lamp light that fell though the barred window.
Nothing.
Sighing as if it could possibly relive the situation, I flopped back on the rough wooden bench, depressed beyond depression.
I want to cry.
What have I done to deserve this injustice?
I didn’t even get a chance to actually steal anything of arrest-able value, yet here I am. About to get sent to prison.
There was nothing to do but wait. So I waited. For the police to come back, for a wire to drop into my hands, for Matsumoto to come and take responsibility for a mostly innocent man getting arrested. Anything really.
Someone coughed outside of the police truck. Numbly I knew that the germs probably were making their way into this in closed space with every passing second.
Great, now I’m going to get sick too.
They’re going to throw me in jail where I get to be someone’s bitch every night, and on top of it all, I’ll have the flu.
Fantastic.
The person coughed again.
“Could you go somewhere else and cough already?” I demanded aloud.
They coughed again, as if to spite me.
“Quit spreading your nasty germs around, don’t you know some people can’t afford a good tonic!”
“Sorry.” Said the cougher, though a laugh. I blinked recognizing the voice as my heart flip-flopped in my chest. Before I could stop myself I stood up and peaked though the barred window.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I whispered, shocked beyond further emotion.
Ohno held up a wire, one I recognized as part of my collection. “Want it?” He said by way of response.
“Of course I do, give it here!” I held my hands to the bar expectantly, hope inflating my heart for the first time in a long time.
“Will you not hate me anymore then?”
“What? Why’s that important? Just give me the wire before the police get back!”
“It’s very important.” Ohno said, looking very troubled in the lamp light. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
“Ok, ok whatever, I don’t hate you, just give me the wire!”
He held the wire closer to the bars so that I could almost reach it before hesitating and pulling it back. I beat my head against he bars, exasperated.
“I want…. to assist you.” He said, nervously, as if he were confessing his love or something.
I laughed ironically. “If you want to assist me, then just give me the damn wire, please.”
“No no no. I mean, I want to be your assistant. Like with magic. It was a lot of fun back on the train. We could be a duo or something.”
“Sure whatever you want. Wire please.” He put the wire in my hand, and I undid the handcuffs in seconds. I turned to the door, and after several more moments to break the stronger lock, the door opened.
Ohno was grinning goofily at me, and I grinned back. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“See ya.”
“Bye.”
Waving, I turned on my heel and walked swiftly away from the train station. I turned around to see Ohno following me, at a stride’s distance like a faithful puppy.
His choice to follow me, not that I know where I’m going. I slowed in my tracks, realizing the weight of the situation. I have no money, not even the snazzy briefcase of Jun’s to pawn off, and I’m on the far side of some unfamiliar city with no way to get home.
Great.
Maybe I should have stayed in the police car. They would have fed me and had a place for me to sleep.
“I’m hungry.” Ohno complained, coming up to stand behind me. “Lets find somewhere to eat.”
“Why are you still here? You can’t seriously want to be my assistant.” I asked him tiredly, rubbing my temple. “Besides, where did your beloved Maachin go off to?”
“I don’t know. Getting ready for the dance troupe’s next performance probably. We separated after dividing the winnings from that train. I sold off my share earlier and decided to find you and be your assistant. And now I’m hungry.” He finished, looking around for a still open restaurant.
He spotted one a ways down the road and headed towards it happily, taking hold of my upper arm.
I fought down the urge to blush. I don‘t trust him, not for a second, but I can‘t see why he‘d rescue me from a police car for any other reason. It’s not like I have money he can steal, or anything of value. If he wanted to harm me physically, he could have done it back when he had me tied up. I guess it wouldn‘t hurt to go along with him for a while, since I have nothing to loose. Though was I still compelled to ask, “Why split with them for me? Why me?”
Frowning, his grip switched from my arm to my hand, though he never stopped touching me. “Reasons. I don’t want you to hate me, I know that much.”
“Are you joshing me? That’s your reason?”
“Not really. It’s more of a wild guess though, because I can‘t really explain it.”
“You are so weird.”
“Yeah…”
“I don’t get you.”
“Neither do I.”