Onii-chan〜

“Oh my gosh, it is you!” The robot removes its foot, allowing me to stand. “I didn’t recognize you with that messy hair, and how did you get that scar on your cheek? It makes you look tough and rugged. The big bro I remember had such a kind and gentle face, but I like you this way too. Maybe even better.”

Still unsure what was going on, I nevertheless decide to take advantage of the strange turn of events. “We need to get out of here without the police catching us. Can you help?”

“You know I’d do anything for you, big bro.” The robot envelopes me in a hug that threatens to break every bone in the upper half of my body.

“Can’t… breathe.”

The robot quickly releases me. “Sorry, big bro. I’m still not used to my strength. I was just so happy to see you again.” It sniffles, or at least mimics sniffling. “I thought I’d never see you again. First, the money stopped coming, then they told me you’d been killed by Russian separatists. I was so lonely…” The robot starts crying and throws its arms around me again, gentler this time.

“There, there.” I pat the robot on the shoulder. “That must have been tough, but right now, we need to escape.”

“Oh, right, but how?”

“Er, I was hoping you’d have an idea. You know the building layout better than I do. Maybe there’s a secret passage or something?”

“I wish! They never let me leave this room. I’ve been stuck here for years. It’s enough to make a girl go crazy, ha ha.”

Saionji steps close and clears her throat. “Maybe you could pretend to take me hostage, and we could bluff our way past the police.”

“Too risky.” I shake my head.

“Oh, right, you’re here too,” the robot says. “Is she your girlfriend or something, big bro? Because I gotta say, she’s not good enough for you.”

“I’m not good enough for him?! I think you have things backward.”

“Pfft. Rich girl like you would have no idea what big bro’s really worth. After our parents were killed, he raised me all on his own. He was only fourteen—in the prime of his youth—but he gave up his club, his friendships, even the girl he had a crush on, for my sake. There’s no better man on Earth.”

Hold on. “Chiyo, is that actually you in there?”

“Of course it is! Did you think I was still playing around?”

Before she can answer, the elevator in the lobby chimes. Someone has managed to activate the secure elevator. I stealth myself and move to take the police by surprise, but a lone woman in a long lab coat with bags under her eyes steps off.

“Chiyo, what kind of mess did you make this time?” the woman calls out. “I can’t keep—” She freezes when she sees Saionji. “Oh, hello. I don’t think we’ve…” She trails off when she sees Tanaka tied up by the wall. “What’s going on here?”

“Dr. Ito, my big bro came to rescue me!”

The woman shakes her head. “I’d better check your sensors. That’s a woman, not a ‘big bro.’ Besides, you don’t have any family left, remember?”

“That’s what I thought too, but he showed up in my room suddenly. It’s OK, big bro, you can come out. Dr. Ito is a good person.”

“Don’t move.” I drop my stealth field and hold a hand to the woman’s throat. “Tell us how to get out of here without getting caught.”

She’s not intimidated. “And you are?”

“Taichi Tsuruta. Her older brother.”

“But you’re dead. I saw the papers myself.” She bites her lower lip. “Damn that Fujisaki. He’d go that far? Still, it doesn’t change anything. Sorry, Chiyo, but I can’t help you escape.”

Her eyes flick toward the back of the room. At first, I think it’s from nervousness, but she repeats the motion a couple times, so I focus my sonar on the area. Everything seems normal, but then I notice that the center of the wall looks slightly darker on the imaging. It barely registers. I might not have been able to detect it with my old implants.

I point to the spot. “Chiyo, there’s something behind that wall. See if you can get to it.”

“Aye aye, sir!” After giving an exaggerated salute, Chiyo lumbers over to the wall and puts her fist through it. Ripping away the facade, she reveals a large elevator door.

Saionji runs over to her while I tie up Dr. Ito next to Tanaka. Gotta keep up the charade and make it look like she didn’t help us out. Before leaving to join them, I pull the gag from Tanaka’s mouth. “No hard feelings, Tanaka. For what it’s worth, you almost had me.”

He spits on the floor. “My name’s not Tanaka.”

“Tsuruta,” Saionji calls from across the room. “There’s a retina scanner. We need the projection.”

I give not Tanaka an apologetic nod and jog over to Saionji. “I still don’t feel like I can do a full projection, but maybe just the head.”

Closing my eyes, I concentrate. Would probably help if I had any idea how this projection stuff works. It was just tech, so why can’t I use it as I please? Maybe it takes a lot of electricity, and the implants had to be recharged. I hope it’s not trying to get the energy from me.

“Gross,” I hear Saionji say, and I open my eyes. Fujisaki’s head is lying on the floor at my feet. Well, the top half of it, anyway. It’s missing the jaw. I hold it up to the scanner built into the wall and a light above the elevator lights up. Moments later, the doors open to reveal a spacious, if a bit dusty, interior. We waste no time piling in.

“Why do you think they built this behind a wall, big bro?”

I shrug. “Who knows how the rich think?”

“The wall probably slides open,” Saionji explains. “You didn’t have to tear it off.”

“Oops!” Chiyo puts one hand behind her head and changes the projection of her face to look like she’s sticking her tongue out while winking. “Te-hee.” She’s still making that pose when the elevator doors open.

I’m sure the police officers pointing their crystals at us find it very amusing.