First Mission: Fourth Log (Escape)

10:01 AM

One minute I was thinking about a tactic to get away from his guards. And the next minute, he pins me to the ground!

"WATCH OUT!!" he yells.

The impact pushes me down to the ground. My training had provided me the necessary reflex to make sure I fall safely without hurting myself. But in the impact, I had let go of my kunai, the only weapon I had at that moment, and it spun away from me and into the crowd.

Sh*t. Defenseless and weaponless!

Ba-dum

A heartbeat.

Ba-dum

I hear a heart beat.

Ba-dum

Loud. Fast.

Ba-dum

And so close…

I turn my face to see his face looking down on me just inches above mine. At this close range I could see the true color of his eyes.

They were dark brown. Just like the ashes of a beechwood tree before it was mixed with water to make ink.

I found it hard not to stare. It’s like staring at the bottom of a pit… As if an inner force is telling me that I will see something in his eyes. So I kept my gaze locked into his and suddenly…

Suddenly…

I saw it.

For a brief moment, I saw his clothing and appearance change. His shirt transformed to a kimono and his face was paler and older. In the same awkward position, he towered over me, murmuring…

“Aishiteru-“

His face slowly moved closer.

He is going to kiss me!

I quickly closed my eyes shut, breaking the connection between us. When I opened them, everything went back as it had been.

And he is still... Sitting. On top. Of me.

At that sudden realization, I quickly grabbed his shirt and performed an escape, ending up in a back mount and pinning him down with my knee. I was about to dislocate his left arm when all of the sudden, the crowd burst into applause. I turned around, and saw that the people at the station were staring at us, clapping at what they thought was an excellent performance of jujitsu.

I scolded myself for forgetting where I was. It was a good thing that the people did not suspect anything. I almost exposed our existence once more. Keeping with the scene, I tapped my victim on his shoulder, signaling him to stand as I released my hold on him. I stood and bowed to the crowd, who applauded even louder. He, on the other hand, staggered as he stood, leaning to the nearby post for support. I guess I overdid it. But it doesn’t matter. I’ll kill him anyways.

I watch him as he clumsily took a bow…

And then fainted!

I grabbed him as fast as I can, preventing him from crumpling into the floor. When I looked at his face, he was paler than before I pinned him down, and his temperature was rising fast. At this distance, I could hear his heart beating slowly every minute. Immediately I knew this is not an effect of our earlier demonstration.
He was poisoned!

But how?

“Hey! Out of the way! What’s going on over there?”

The police! I better make an escape!


Yumi Takai