Beastars: A Steep Fall From Light

Chapter 16: A Small Taste is All You Need to Clear Your Head

Nakamochi was the first of the board to enter the building. He always was, except for yesterday morning when he met with the chairman at his home. The empty building seemed to echo with his footsteps. He wasn't the only one there. The security guards were at their stations and the janitorial crew was just arriving as well. The oryx pressed the button on the elevator and waited for the cab. Maybe he should try and smooth things over with Louis. He didn't really want to remove him, and he hadn't discussed doing so with the other board members. It had been a momentary lapse in reason and judgement that was blown out of proportion.

The truth was he didn't want Louis gone, he was probably the best president the conglomerate had had in a while. It was under him that the company actually experienced growth, rather than remaining on a constant plateau. And the growth was massive. He had brought the company out of a slump. Nakamochi was just afraid of the secret getting out, that was all. He would explain everything this morning when the chairman got in.

The elevator dinged and the CEO stepped in and pressed his floor. The doors slid closed and he was left in silence. There was also his behavior yesterday upon seeing the chairman's blood. Hopefully he hadn't noticed. But if he did, he'd have another thing to explain. Another matter he liked to not really talk about; or think about either. It was a private subject only he and his wife knew about. He wasn't one to let anyone else know. He'd have to think of a good lie. He was good at those.

The elevator dinged and he stepped into the empty workspaces. He turned down a hallway and paused. His door was slightly ajar. He distinctly remembered closing and locking it last night. He reached to his chest pocket and pulled out a pen. He advanced carefully, senses on high alert. Nothing seemed off. He couldn't hear anything. He couldn't see anything. He pressed a button near the top of the pen and a spike shot out. The spring loaded weapon was designed to look like a pen. He kept it on him at all times, mostly for self-defence. He used the weapon to push the door open, so he could see his office.

Papers were thrown about his office in a haphazard way. There were scribblings on them in blue ink, in the same handwriting as the Razor killer. Some said, Keep him chairman and I know all about you Nakamochi. The CEO looked to his desk and saw a pile of new files with an envelope on top. The envelope was addressed to him. Still weary, Nakamochi picked up the letter and read it.

Trying to ruin my fun, eh? Naughty, naughty. Not to worry though as I too have copies of our business dealings, so not to worry. Here are copies of the necessary files to complete the collection you have downstairs. You've played along, somewhat nicely, until now. Please continue to do so. For all your troubles I've left you a little something I KNOW you'll enjoy. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. For now.

Enjoy the last few days of your company.

~Signed,

And Nakamochi knew how it was signed, carefully maneuvering around the sharp blade taped to the bottom corner of the page. He opened the envelope some more and saw a clear plastic packet inside, containing a red liquid that the oryx recognized immediately. It made his stomach churn and his heart quicken. The Razor Killer knew? How? There was no way he could've known. After the Back Alley was torn down... No, he was bluffing. Making stuff up as he went. But then how did he have the file copies? The only way it all added up was if he was the individual Nakamochi thought he was.

"Sir?" asked a secretary coming in. "Are you alright? Do I need to call-"

"I'm fine," he lied, shoving the packet into his pocket. "When the chairman gets in, please send him to my office at once."

"Yes sir," the gazelle said. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Nakamochi responded. "I'm fine."

The CEO closed the door, collapsing backward onto it. All for nothing. It was going to get out now. There was nothing he could do to stop it. That was the end goal of this maniac. He had to tell Louis. There was no other way. If he told the whole story to him, maybe they could both put their heads together and formulate a plan. Nakamochi knew this was going to eventually happen, but why now? When he was so close to finishing his goal, Ogma's goal. What they had both worked so hard and tirelessly to achieve. Nakamochi pulled out the blood packet and felt his body respond. He wanted it so badly, yet at the same time he knew how it was most likely collected. And that made him sick. But the sight of it had already built up the sensations inside him and he needed a release.

Taking the letter opener, he poked a small hole in the plastic and popped it in his mouth. As soon as the copper-taste hit his tongue, it filled his gums and cheeks with an explosive sensation. Pure ecstasy radiated through his body, traveling along every fiber in his body and tingling the nerves. His eyes rolled back in his head as the feeling overtook his lower abdomen and nether regions. This was the taste of life. This was the feeling of taking in someone else. This was the celebration of generations past, accumulating in age like fine wine. This was the taste of blood. And the CEO of the Horns Conglomerate reveled in it.

He took a cloth from his desk drawer and stuck it in his mouth, letting it soak up the crimson thrill. He would've loved to swallow the substance, he longed to. But the last time he had, he was vomiting for the rest of the day. He continued sucking on the blood packet until it was empty, and all the blood was collected in the rag. He pulled out the plastic packaging and continued to suck on the cloth, which had soaked up all the blood. He tasted rabbit. In good shape too. She had put up a fight before her demise, as he tasted her adrenaline. Yes, her. Nakamochi could tell everything about this animal from their blood. Well not everything. The carnivores of the club had much more refined palates than he did.

As the blood became stale, Nakamochi took out the blood soaked rag. His rush of arousal subsided as he threw the handkerchief into the trash bin. He took another napkin and cleaned out the inside of his mouth, throwing that away too. How could something so wrong, feel so good?

Wait, the club. Razor had let something slip.

"Sir, the chairman says to meet him in the filing room," his secretary buzzed in.

Another power play, Nakamochi thought. Make me go to you.

The oryx picked up the stack of files and left the office. He made his way down the hall and turned to the elevator. He'd have to wait to go to the police. He took the elevator down to the basement level and made a right towards the filing room. He placed his hand on the doorknob and paused, taking a deep breath and composing himself before opening the door. Louis was there, sifting through files.

"I apologize for my threat yesterday," the businessman said. "It was empty and completely pointless."

"Is that all?" the chairman asked, not looking up from his task.

"No," the CEO answered, noting that the deer seemed a bit more out of it than yesterday. "I also apologize for calling your constituents worthless members of society. It's not their fault for being born with such a handicap."

"And?"

"That's all."

"What about the fact you made me bleed?" Louis asked, looking up from his reading. "An herbivore spilling another herbivore's blood?"

"And for that too."

Louis looked back down at his research.

"The missing files," Nakamochi said, throwing the pile of copies on the ground between them. Louis reached forward and snatched them up. He opened the first one and read through it. He looked up at Nakamochi with a raised eyebrow.

"Is this a joke?" he asked.

"We should talk," Nakamochi said, closing and locking the door behind him.