Justice at Delphi - The Fall of Sibyl

Chapter 8

The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

-Sun Tzu

The ceiling fan in Kogami's room squeaked as it completed its lazy revolution. The flimsy blades barely stirred the thick, humid air. The cool night air had given way to a stifling morning stagnation. Kogami lay on his back, a sheen of sweat glistening on his chest. He was loath to move. Partly because it was too hot. The old apartment was not equipped with air conditioning more advanced than the squeaky ceiling fan. The other part was Akane.

He was amazed at how she could sleep in such stifling heat. Her head rested on his shoulder, his arm trapped under her. Any attempt to rescue his numbing limb would certainly wake her. Settling for shifting his position, Kogami distracted himself by watching her sleep. Her face was relaxed and peaceful. What he wouldn't give to forget about Sibyl and just spend his days waking up just like this. Hot, lazy days in bed with Akane.

But...there was no forgetting Sibyl...or their responsibilities.

He let out a weary sigh.

"Stop."

Kogami looked down in surprise at Akane. At first, he thought she was talking in her sleep. Then, she opened her tired eyes and pursed her lips at him. "I can practically hear you thinking. No more weary sighs." She poked him in the chest.  "We're together now and we have a big problem to tackle. We don't have time for silent brooding."

"Brooding?"

She gave him a flat stare. "Yes. That thing you do when you overthink."

The corner of his mouth curved in amusement. "I'll try, but I can't make any promises." He leaned down and playfully pecked her cheek. " We need to get moving. I've got a few things I need to tie up before I leave."

Akane nodded. "Me too. All my stuff is in my room. I'm not keen on wearing the same clothes." She nodded to the pile on the floor of Kogami's room.

He smirked and rolled out of bed. "I think you look great in my shirt."

She blushed. "Yeah, well, I can't just wear that in the street." She ignored his snickering and padded to the bathroom. At least she could get a shower before they left.

***

"How hard is it to find one guy?!" Mason King snapped. His patience was as frayed as the arm chair in which he sat. He viciously stabbed the butt of his cigarette into the worn fabric. His cold blue eyes regarded his men with a menacing stare. "Six months, you've had to track this guy down. Six months!"

He exploded out of his arm chair. His tall, rangy body taught with barely leashed rage. He paced furiously around the small room. "After six months all you've got is bupkis?! How does his trail just go cold out of nowhere? This guy isn't some ghost. He's here in this damn town! You morons just need to find him!"

A chorus of "yes, boss," replied.

"Good. Now get out of my sight!" Mason dismissed his men and collapsed in the worn arm chair. Running a frustrated hand through his short blonde locks, he eyed his surroundings with disgust. He'd once lived in the lap of luxury. Central air and heating. Clear, hot running water. King sized bed - no pun intended - with 400 thread count sheets. Polished marble floors. A garden with exotic plants. An endless string of beautiful women at his disposal. He had everything he ever wanted. Life as a mercenary had been good. He'd amassed a small fortune and was contemplating retirement.

Everything was coming up roses until he crossed paths with Shinya Kogami.

Mason cursed they day he laid eyes on the bastard. He should have killed him when he had the chance. Kogami was squirrel-y. In spite of the chaos, Kogami had managed to slip through his fingers after destroying his life. While there was no way he could find the hacker who had siphoned off his massive wealth, he could track down and eviscerate the man who made it possible. He scowled at the cracked plaster on the wall of the squalid apartment he'd rented.

Death was too good for him.

Kogami needed to suffer. He didn't care how long it took. Mason would find what Kogami loved most and destroy it. The growl of his stomach interrupted his vengeful thoughts. He sighed, dragging himself to his feet. Cooking in the tiny kitchenette was out of the question. Mason would have to settle for street food. He slipped on a pair of sunglasses and stepped out into the hall.

He nearly collided with a young woman exiting the room next to his. Murmuring a polite apology, she continued down the hall with a pack slung over her shoulder. Mason watched her go for a moment before following. She was petite with a pretty face. However, there was something in the way she moved that intrigued him. There was a loose grace about her combined with an economy of motion that suggested she knew how to handle herself.

Curious, Mason decided to follow her.

Careful to keep his distance, he trailed her through the market. Picking up a quick bite, he casually watched her enter another building with rooms to rent. Why a second room? It wasn't as if this place could be any better than her previous accommodations. She had to be meeting someone. For what purpose? Mason wondered. This wasn't exactly a spot for a romantic rendezvous.

Glancing at his watch, he frowned.  His curiosity was taking up too much time. Mason was about to abandon his spot down the street from the decrepit apartment building, when she finally appeared. She was smiling at someone behind her. It was a breath taking smile. Pretty had become beautiful. It had been ages since he'd been with a beautiful woman. All plans of pursuing her came to a screeching halt when he saw the person she'd been smiling at.

Shinya Kogami.

Rage blossomed in his chest. Mason clenched his fists in an effort to refrain from charging down the street and attacking Kogami. He took a few deep breaths. He would not make the same mistakes twice. The last time he had attacked Kogami head on did not end well. As the red haze of fury cleared from his vision, he observed the couple. Couple. That's exactly what they were...a couple.

Kogami grinned at her, his eyes soft. The woman laughed at something he said. She rose on her toes and kissed him. The desperate, possessive way Kogami held her told Mason everything he needed to know. A warped smile twisted his lips. The gods of fortune were smiling down on him once more. Six months of tracking this bastard and he stumbles across him by chance. Raising his wrist unit, he opened a channel to his men.

"Rico, Jay. Head to my location. I've found our stray dog."

"Yes, sir." "Be there soon."

Mason moved at a leisurely pace through the market. He cast casual glances in their direction. He couldn't get too close. Kogami had instincts like an animal. They moved at a steady pace. Definitely had a specific location in mind. He watched them walk into Rio's nameless bar. It was the kind of place that if you had ask for the name, you didn't belong there. What was Kogami doing with that smuggler?

Dismissing, his questions, Mason focused on just how he was going to separate Kogami from his lovely companion.