XXXIX

“I believe my instructions were clear, were they not?” Amanda said quietly, finding Nobuo staggering back toward the house. He looked at her, nose a bloody mess.

“That bitch broke my nose!” He raged, pointing at his face.

“You were to scare her, not hurt her,” Amanda said, ignoring him. “A simple matter.”

“She fucking freaked out and started hitting me!” Nobuo yelled, the pain from his groin and nose nearly paralyzing him. “I was just trying to keep her calm but she is crazy.” Amanda raised the gun and pointed it at his face.

“Did I not make your instructions plain?” Amanda asked, her voice still quiet and dangerous.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Nobuo stumbled backward, bringing his hands up to shield his face.

“Answer my question,” Amanda’s finger tightened on the trigger and Nobuo fell to his knees.

“I’m so-sorry! Yes! Yes, your instructions were plain but she hit me first! I was defending myself!”

“What were your instructions?” Amanda stared at him, her amber eyes glinting coldly in the sun.

“I was to scare her,” Nobuo replied quickly.

“And…” Amanda prompted.

“N-Not to hurt her,” Nobuo stammered. “But-“

“I don’t like when my orders aren’t followed,” Amanda said. “You have forfeited all additional money and if you don’t leave immediately I will shoot you in the fucking head.” Amanda threw a set of car keys onto the ground.

“I-I,” Nobuo stammered before grabbing the keys. “I’ll get my things and go.”

“You’ll get the fuck out of my sight, now,” Amanda replied. “Any of your crap in the house is useless. If you want to survive to see the wreck Akari made of your face you’ll get in your car and drive and not look back.”

“You’re fucking nuts, too!” Nobuo snarled, standing unsteadily.

“You don’t want to know how nuts I can get. Get out of here.” Amanda watched him go, lowering the gun as his car growled down the dirt road. What a pain in the ass, she thought walking back inside. Why was it so damn hard to find decent help to do something as simple as threaten a girl? Perhaps, she thought as she packed her things for the trip back home, she was over thinking this whole thing.

Her plan had worked so far, Akari was separated from any and all support and ready to be broken and remade, but there had been too many other players she’d had to involve, too many loose ends. She should have simply dragged the brat back home years ago. She rubbed her temples tenderly as the headache she had raged on.

She’d treated the girl with kid gloves thus far, but those needed to come off. Once they were home, Akari would simply have to buckle down and do what she needed to do. Spare the rod, spoil the child, after all, she reasoned. For now it was time to get Akari home and tie up any and all loose ends. Amanda picked up her phone, printing the photos out she’d been sent. Once the photos were printed she pressed a button. A moment later the man answered.

“It’s time,” Amanda said. “We’re leaving soon. The money will be wired to you once I have proof and then we’re done.”

“As you wish,” the man said simply, hanging up.