Breach of Trust

Morning of the second challenge

December 11th, 2050

Harajuku Heights

Rei was pushed to the backmost wall with little avenue for escape. Souichiro’s attacks were quick but methodical. He delivered blow after blow with such precision that Rei’s defenses were shattered at every passing opportunity.

He looked up and saw a ray of hope appeared before him. An opening. Souichiro tried to sweep his legs from under him, but he managed to leap over the man’s head. Heart beating in anxiety, Rei rolled behind his enemy and swung his blade, until—

Souichiro dodged the attack, activated his ultimate skill and… unleashed a devasting blow that dropped Rei’s HP to zero.

“K.O.!” the crowd roared at the spectacle of his defeat.

Souichiro laughed behind the arcade machine, then poked his head to the side, sneering at Rei. “Told ya. What’s that now? Ten-Zero? I could do one more. All or nothing.”

Rei grunted his frustration and got up from his chair. The crowd surrounding their match booed but he didn’t care. He needed a drink anyway.

He parted the crowd, then walked towards the bar counter. “One apple juice please.”

“That it?” the bartender asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That it,” he replied. “I need a clear head.”

The bartender shrugged. Behind him, hanging behind the counter was a giant screen projecting today’s news special. The headline ‘Anti-Exalt Faction Attacks Tokyo Metropolitan Police Station’ was displayed. Beneath it was moving text that said, ‘a series of devasting attacks following the death of renowned scientist and lead ascension researcher Daiki Tennojima had caused—’

Rei checked his phone again. It was the one lent to him by Ruby’s security team, so it didn’t have any of his usual contacts, but the one’s it did offered no response. The last thing Kiyotaka sent him was that the others got to a safe location hours ago. That helped him get a bit of sleep in Souichiro’s car, but it was getting awfully close to noon.

Souichiro suddenly appeared and sat on the bar stool next to him. “Don’t be a sore loser, Reiji. You got me anything to drink?”

“No,” he said bluntly. “What the hell are we doing here, man? The city’s finally caught on to what’s happening, people are starting to panic and exalts are on the defensive. We’re like sitting ducks out here with our wings proudly displayed.”

“It’s the law, friend,” Souichiro said with a shrug. “Nothing we can do about it.”

Rei gave the guy a flat stare.

“You want to finally answer my question?” he asked. “Why are you doing all this? You messed with everybody, even showed me the silver medallions you collected. One of which is mine in case you didn’t know.”

“What does it matter?” Souichiro said. “Aren’t they blackmailing you?”

Rei narrowed his eyes. The bar tended appeared with his apple juice but knew better not to interrupt them.

“That mine?” Souichiro asked, then took it anyway. He drank with satisfaction in his lips. “Relax, bro. What was his name… Issei, was it? Come on, you don’t actually like them.”

Rei raised an eyebrow. “Finally done pretending, are you?”

“Me?” Souichiro chuckled. “You’re the one pretending here, lover boy. Funny story, by the way. Probably the best bit out of your little con. Kind of believable, I guess, in a twisted sort of way. I mean, Ruby is pretty hot, but isn’t she the one forcing you to do all this?” He put the empty glass down. “So, why don’t you tell me who I am?”

Rei sighed. “Souichiro Miura, the grandson of Daiki Tennojima’s drinking buddy. You’re exactly who you said you are. At least as much I can scrape from Daiki’s memories.”

“That’s a really interesting power. How’d you get it?”

“It’s the only real power I’ve known since I was young. Long before I understood what being exalted meant. Useless and unpredictable is what it is.”

“Huh. Thought you’d be more impressive than that. I guess you held out alright against a trained assassin.”

“Yukari tell you that too?”

It was Souichiro’s turn to narrow his eyes.

Rei showed him the tracker underneath his yellow-plaid jacket. “I was wondering about this,” he said. “Wouldn’t be weird for Ruby to keep tabs on me, sure. But then you up and beat the crap out of Issei’s team to get the medallions he’s taking care of. The only way you’d know where they are is if someone from the inside was feeding you information. And then I remembered. The night of the will reading when Yukari was telling us who left the mansion. She specifically called you ‘Miura’ while she recited the others’ first names. Not the weirdest thing in the world, but weird enough for me to take notice. Then of course there’s the fact this jacket came directly from her. Wrong size, my ass.”

Souichiro chuckled under his breath. “Well, damn. Thought I could mess with you some more, but eh, I’m over it. That jacket was supposed to be a gift for me, but I hated the color. Keep it. Looks better on you anyway.”

“How’d you know Yukari?” Rei asked.

“We go to the same university,” Souichiro replied. “She drove Daiki Tennojima to meet my gramps one time and we bumped into each other. ‘You’re Miura, right?’ That dumbass really locked in on our shared connection. Said it was fate or some other crap. Even after we started dating, she wouldn’t stop calling me by my family name. Said she’s known me for a long time with that name to ever change it.”

“And?” Rei pressed. “That got anything to do with why you’re messing with everybody?”

“Nope.” Souichiro laughed, then ordered another glass of apple juice. Rei got himself lemonade for the color. “Yukari just wanted to mess with her boss for overworking her ass,” Souichiro continued, “and I can’t say I’m entirely different. Messing around with stuck up scientists and rich assholes is hella fun. And of course, there’s this.” Souichiro made a circle with his thumb and index finger.

“The money?”

“Lots of it. The bequethal was hefty enough, but hell, when I get my hands on that research, every ascension circle in the world will be at my mercy!”

This guy is insane.

“I guess that was impressive of you, assistant detective,” Souichiro followed, “but now what are you planning to do? Rat me out to your ‘lover’? Counter-offer! I help you free your chief and colleague and you help me win. What do you say?”

The drinks came quicker this time.

“Nice try, but I don’t trust you,” Rei said with a sip of his lemonade. Damn that hit the spot. “My task is real though, so I’m helping you get to the shrine at the very least.”

Souichiro was about to say something when Rei’s phone finally rang. It was Masa. He quickly put his drink down and answered.

“Huh?” Masa said on the other side. “Of all the people I’d connect to, it’d be you… just my luck.”

“Masa? What’s going on?”

“Our network was jammed and—look, that doesn’t matter. Listen, Rei. Contact Kiyotaka. Or even Keisuke or the police if you can. Tell them our hiding spot in Asakusa was attacked. Tell them to send help. The Anti-Exalt group got to us and they’re using weird aetheric weapons. The others think they’re prototypes from the institute.”

Rei stood up from his seat.

“Listen. The boss cancelled the contest, but I doubt that’d come through. See if—”

A loud booming noise echoed from the other side, but it didn’t sound quite like a gun. An aether blast?

“Masa? Can you hear me? Ma—”

The call cut off.