Episode 05: A Dark Deal In The Shadows

Junichi Amase walked his large body through the darkness followed by his escorts. His stride held self importance as his body ripped through the dark alley. Not another soul was in sight. Junichi placed a cigarette in his mouth as his eyes fell upon a derelict house, broken windows were hidden by wooden planks, and it looked like it had been through a fire. One of Junichi's bodyguards quickly lights his cigarette, Junichi blows out the smoke, trying to use the nicotine to calm his anger, it failed. His expression was distorted in malice. Makoto had made a fool of him, but not only her.

“That damn bitch!!” Junichi could feel a greasy sweat cascade down his face recalling Nora's actions. “Irredeemable monsters!! The fucking lot of them!!” His guards took a step back from watching their superior angrily punch his hand against a wall. Junichi took several deep breathes and fixed his crooked tie. He threw his cigarette and stomped it out and walked towards the house.

One of his bodyguards picked up the discarded cigarette, they couldn't leave a single trace that they were there. Junichi entered the derelict house, his footsteps echoed with every step he took on the dirty wooden floor. “Thank you for coming, Junichi Amase-san.” A voice addressed through the darkness. Through the black Junichi could see a silhouette sitting on a couch at the far end of the room.

“Have you got our order?” Junichi asked in a cold business voice. A large briefcase slid across the wooden floor and stopped at Junichi's feet. One of the bodyguards picked up the case and Junichi opened it. Inside were numerous syringes filled with a transparent liquid. Junichi removed a layer of the case to see even more syringes and a small plastic file.

Junichi opened the file whilst using his phone as a light source. Inside were documents of Vampiress each one with an identifying number. At closer inspection the syringes also followed the same sequence. Each syringe could be cross referenced to a Vampiress. Junichi glanced at the first profile in the file, a Vampiress named Sara. “It seems you have some fabulous source bodies.” Junichi smiled as he closed the case. “Give it to him.” Junichi ordered. One of the bodyguards this time slid a briefcase along the ground to the silhouette, whom opened the case, emptied its contents into a new case and slid the old one back.

“You could have kept the case too.” Junichi stated.

“I have no obligation to take your bugged case.” The figure answered.

Tch, such a tricky bastard. Junichi thought to himself. His goal had been seen through.

Before Junichi could react a blade extended well over ten metres from the silhouette and stopped just short of Junichi's neck. “We shall turn a blind eye this once. But know that Dr Doe does not take betrayal lightly.” Sweat slid down Junichi's face. “Betray our trust and we will cut ties, and for an added bonus, we'll let your true employer know you're the reason. I wonder what they would do if they learned you were the reason they could no longer get their hands on our products.” Junichi could not see the figure through the darkness, but he felt a sinister smile.

“Shut up!! You're just Dr Doe's delivery boy!! Don't act like your someone special!! Having a trashy man like you wiped away is only too easy.”

Junichi's bodyguards drew their guns and pointed them at the silhouette.

“I'm calling your bluff.” The silhouette's cold gaze pierced through the darkness.

Junichi sweated profusely. The silhouette, despite having guns pointed at him, showed no fear. He knew they could not shoot.

“Dr Doe is the only one who can make the Transcender, and I'm the only link to him. Lose me, and you lose your only point of contact.” Yes, this was the silhouette's shield. If they killed him they could no longer get their hands on Dr Doe's Transcenders. For as long as they could not find Dr Doe himself, they could not risk losing this man. “Well, you could try torturing Dr Doe's location from me, although that won't work. A slowly acting deadly poison is currently running through my veins.” The silhouette revealed a bracelet on his wrist. “If left alone I would die in twenty four hours. This bracelet holds the antidote, along with an instant killing poison. In addition it also holds a special GPS and a microphone. If I'm suspected of betrayal, willing or otherwise, I will be killed instantly, and once again you'd lose your only link.”

“Insane scum...” Junichi grunted. Learning the location of Dr Doe is a strong wish of his superiors, if he could get this information his influence would increase. But it was impossible, the man before them could not be bribed or won over. He was a perfectly loyal, disposable pawn. He would not give the information, and as the figure stated it could not be tortured out of him. His plan of planting a bug had been seen through, there was literally no way of winning. The result was that Dr Doe and his assistant held all the cards.

If they could learn Dr Doe's location they could force the method of creating Transcender from him or coerce him to work for them. But this was an impossible dream, the system they created did not have a single blind spot and the potential loss was much too great. Without the Transcenders they stood no chance of achieving their objective.

“By the way, we're currently taking pre-orders for Transcenders on our future acquisition. Can I interest you?” The silhouette asked.

“Huh? You failed to grab your latest target, how do we even know you'll acquire your target.” Junichi sneered.

“The lightning Vampiress was just a side order, although I would have liked to acquire her, my main objective was still successful.”

“So your next target is...”

A document slid across the floor, Junichi picked it up and glanced at it, a smile pasted on his face. “HA-HA-HA!! Very well, we'll take you up on your offer.” Junichi's face was dyed with insanity.

“Then our business is finished.” The silhouette declares before walking into the darkness, his figure slowly disappeared from sight.

“HA-HA-HA!!” Junichi continued laughing as he set fire to the document. “I cannot wait for you to become a source of our power, you little bitch.” Junichi's smile widened as the flames consumed the profile of a certain Vampiress.