The Fool

They entered the sawmill and changed their clothes. Then started waiting to see if any other pickup truck was coming.

"What if they don't show up?"

"Doesn't matter, we have one truck and it's all we need. It just wouldn't be bad to have one more truck."

"And what about explosives?"

"It's our last concern. There's a mine quarry nearby, which also serves as a black market. We'll just visit them and JGSA gonna handle the rest."

"How did you learn there's a black market nearby?"

"I asked JGSA before the factory operation, in case of needing some extra equipments."

"Ugh, I can not understand if you have a perfect foresight or a keen mind, or if it's just your good luck."

"All of them with some experience. You can not cook the perfect meal with only one or two ingredients, right?" said Takahiro with a smiling face. "Anyway, they should be here any minute by now. We saw their whole schedule back in that factory."

"And if they don't, it means they already learned what happened back in there."

After waiting for a while, nobody showed up. Takahiro knew it. It wouldn't be a surprise if they speed up the things, after learning what happened to their factory.

"Well, let's visit that black market then." said Takahiro, as he stretched his back. When they got outside, a gunshot was heard.

Gina, got shot in the right side of her abdomen. Takahiro reacted quickly and took her inside. It was like as if doomsday bells were ringing inside his head.

"I shot one!" screamed someone outside.

"Let's go after the other one! Scarface will be proud of us, hehe."

As the second man spoke, they started to fire through the wooden walls of the abandoned sawmill. Takahiro got shot by his left shoulder.

'Damn it! How could it be? I didn't hear any vehicle sounds getting closer. Were they waiting for us?'

Takahiro took a look at Gina, she was losing lot of blood.

'She needs medical care right now!'

Takahiro took his pistol out and started moving towards to entrance of the sawmill. He saw two men running towards him. He shot the first one, but got shot again from his left shoulder. And then, last guy ran out of ammo due to volley fire.

Takahiro shot the last man through his head, and ran back to Gina. She was unconscious. Takahiro turned her body over.

'Nice, she has an exit wound.' thought Takahiro. There was a good chance to save her.

He took a little first aid kit, out of his backpack. There wasn't enough material for two people, but his wound wasn't as serious as Gina's.

After a fast medical care, he took her on his shoulder and walked to the their car outside. He was sure, there was more to come to that sawmill. They spent more than 10 minutes inside and that two guy waiting for them outside, probably reported their positions to the others.

Takahiro put her carefully inside and got behind the wheel, started riding away from the sawmill. He wasn't sure how much time does he have, but he couldn't risk to return back to their shack. But at that moment, he literally had no idea where to go.

As he got closer to the main road, he realised something unusual. It was too silent than usual...

'It's a trap...'

But it was too late to avoid a trap. He decided to hit the throttle all the way and turned the wheel hard to crash. Then he immediately hugged Gina to protect her from the crash. As they reached the main road, they started rolling down to the cliff. After that moment, Takahiro lost his consciousness.

Everything became dark and silent. What was his mistake this time?

You believed that everything was going the way you thought, just like the last time.

Your ego has overpowered you.

That girl made you go blind.

Why did you try to play tough guy?

You do have feelings for her, don't you?

In the end, you made the same mistake.

Your mistake wasn't being incautious.

You just fooled youself, just like the last time...

"Takahiro! Hey Takahiro! Wake the goddamn up!"

Takahiro woke up in terror. He was still hugging Gina. His vision wasn't clear and he was about to lose his mind.

"Takahiro answer!" shouted Shin in worry.

"It's.. Takahiro. I'm all good but Gina got shot."

"I can't see your location, what happened?"

"I ruin.. ruined everything again. I thought I'm the man.. all above everything. The man.. seing all the truth..."

"Just make up your mind. Whatever your situation is, get yourself somewhere safe!"

The car was upside down. Takahiro used his all strength to break the glass. He kicked it again, and again.

"It's somewhere down there! Let's avenge our brothers!" shouted a man.

Finally, Takahiro managed to break the glass. He got out with Gina, but he almost lost his all strength and energy. He tried his best to carry Gina, but he was barely conscious.

"Hey Shin, sorry for... being too careless. I-I don't think we both can make it. I'll try to hide Gina somewhere.. safe and drag them far away. You were.. right. It's not a mission that two people can handle..."

"Hey don't you dare-"

Takahiro turned the radio off and threw it down to cliff. Then he noticed a hole in the mountain, covered with bushes. It was big enough to hide Gina. He carefully lied her down and controlled her wounds for one last time.

'Seems good enough, at least she will live one or two days.'

Takahiro felt relaxed. He took a water canteen and two granola out of his pockets, and placed next to her.

As he started getting away from her, sounds got more closer. He took his pistol out, suppressor was broken. He kept walking away, both from the car and Gina.

"Here he is! I want that sneaky bastard alive!" shouted the same man again.

As Takahiro saw the first man running towards to him, he pulled the trigger and shot him in the head. Then another one showed up, and another...

After few more shots, Takahiro ran out of ammo. Then he got hit behind his head with a gun grip, and his world became darker again.