Mid-day (Sunday, May 29, 2022) LAX, Los Angeles, California, United States

As the JAL 747 pulled into the runway, Masako was happy to be able to go home. She’d catch the return back to Osaka and then a quick train ride home to Kanazawa. The sudden decline in her grandfathers health made her anxious and she watched the plane pull up to the gate tapping her foot. She pulled at the scarf around her neck and then readjusted it back to the company standard.

As soon as it stopped she was through the jetway and opening the first class airplane door. She heard a noise and watched in horror as the evacuation slide began to inflate in the narrow confines of the jetway.

“Nanka,” she cursed and quickly moved out of the way. “You forgot to disarm!” she yelled as she moved to the side. What a mess.

There was no response. No sudden movement from the plane of people departing. Usually there would be a rush, after all, tabi no haji wa kakisute.. But it was silent.

Masako noticed the lights weren’t on either and curiosity got the better of her. She stuck her head in and looked at the first class cabin. Blood coated the walls and floor. The passengers were in pieces, piled in a corner of the cabin.

She screamed.

Later that evening Charlie’s flat, TriBeCa, New York City, United States

“Have you seen this?” Jade asked Ella.

“Ugh. Yeah. Completely gross, there were videos up on YouTube and I accidentally saw it.”

“Do you think?”

“Yeah, it is definitely nothing good. Even the news is trying to say it was terrorists but the black box doesn’t show anyone leaving the plane and the pilot was killed after he had pulled up to the gate. So someone was on that plane.”

“They still haven’t opened up the flights from LAX yet.”

“I know.”

The news switched to economic news and the new rise in interest rates. Jade turned it off.

There was a knock at her door.

Seb and the Aqrabuamelu soldier from the soup kitchen, Tamzi, were at the entry.

“Oh hey Seb. Come on in.” Ella said. “This is Jade, my roommate.”

“Woah! Esta muy rica, che”. Seb looked around the foyer.

“No, no… This isn’t my place.” Sometimes Ella forgot how a absurd Charlie’s flat was. It showed you could get used to anything.

“So what are you doing here?”

“Tamzi has guard duty here and I get to tag along.”

Tamzi motioned to Seb and Seb grabbed his handgun.

They went in and started to go room by room, clearing. Ella watched Seb take it with utter seriousness and she wondered when she had started to find that sort of thing cute.

After they cleared the first floor they went up to the second.

“Is Charlie here?” Ella asked. And was answered by a yell from upstairs.

“I guess so…” Jade said faintly.

After Tamzi and Seb had done their practice, Seb went to the kitchen for food. Ella left him devouring her leftover takeout from the previous day.

Tamzi came and abased himself on the floor.

“Blessed Innana Reborn, I…”

“Oh, stand up. This bowing is out of control.”

Tamzi stood up at that point and then winked. He pulled a small ring off his finger and his features transformed

“Zana, right?”

She looked up and winked, “Good memory. I just wanted to let you know who I was. I did another assessment of your security after that debacle at your family’s house. Alistair Harris hired some really good security here. We will add a kill switch on the elevator and some nasty stuff on the stairs and roof. You’ll be fine here.”

“Well that is good to know. Put on that ring so Seb doesn’t find anything out.”

“Seb? He knows. He is a very talented boy. I am going to pull him out of the soldier path and have him work for me.”

Ella wasn’t sure what to think about that. Maybe shelve that for later.

“So what else do you need? You don’t strike me as the kind of person who doesn’t do things without plenty of motives.”

“Of course.”

“When there are a multiplicity of reasons, we think of it as rationalizing. It also lacks, for lack of a better word, purity of purpose.”

“Humans are romantics. They all want to believe they are on a holy quest. A single reason is easier to rationalize, to be emotional about.”

Ella considered it but ultimately discarded the point, it just didn’t matter right now.

“So… what are those other reasons.”

“I wanted to know what you would do now.”

“I think I would prefer to keep my own counsel for now.”

“So no vengeance for the attack on your family?”

“No.” Ella said. And then honesty compelled her, “Not yet.”