Tangerine ~ Bullet Train

14 - What was she even doing?

Yuina noticed the train slowing down slightly as they got closer to the next stop. That's when Tangerine's phone started buzzing. He didn't feel like answering it, but he had no choice. It was the employee of the White Death again, so he had to take it.

'What do you want?' he asked in an annoyed voice. 'The train is stopping,' the man told him. 'You will step out with the son and the case.'

'No,' Tangerine replied, trying to hold his voice steady, 'we will get off at Kyoto.'

'The boss needs proof that you're keeping your word. Out, with the son and the case.'

When the man hung up the phone, Tangerine started scolding at him. 'Fuck,' he said, 'he wants us to step outside with the son and the case to see if we really have them.' That would be a problem, because they had neither. Well, they did have the son, but he was no longer alive. The train started slowing down even more. They knew they had to get into action right now. Tangerine and Lemon looked at each other, knowing what to do. They would be bluffing, acting like they knew what they were doing.

'You can't be here when the train stops,' Lemon said whilst looking at Yuina. She understood no one could know another person was involved, so she nodded and jumped right into action. 'Wait,' Tangerine said whilst grabbing her arm loosely. She really didn't want to tear away, but there was no time for this. They had to act now. 'Don't go anywhere,' he said right before he let go of her. She didn't respond and walked away into the other direction.

Tangerine felt weird when standing up, watching her as she walked away. It seemed like something changed and he couldn't tell what it was. He just knew he was suddenly very scared of the thought of her leaving. He walked the other way and stood still by the doors, waiting for them to open. Lemon hid under the table and grabbed the arm of the dead son, trying to estimate when he would start waving to show those fuckers that he was "still alive". Tangerine felt his heart pumping rapidly, so he tried to take a few deep breaths before stepping out, after which he started looking around and immediately saw three men wearing suits waiting for him. He took a few steps forward, greeting them.

Yuina, who was just one wagon away, stepped outside to search for the man with the bucket hat. She didn't care if he would leave, but she did care about him taking the case with him. She didn't see him nor the case, but she did see the three men from fairly close. She felt weird realising that these men were with the mafia and that she was secretly involved in their schemes.

Tangerine had full focus on the men and didn't even see Yuina standing there. 'I asked for the son and the case,' the man in the middle said. 'Yeah, well, unlike you I'm a professional,' Tangerine replied in his steadiest voice. Out of the corner of his eye he could see movement through the window, so he looked at the dead son waving. 'There he is,' he said whilst nodding at him. 'Ain't he a happy chappy?' The three men looked at him with narrowed eyes. 'And the case?' Tangerine rolled his eyes, pretending to be tired by their lack of professionality. 'The case is stored safely of course,' he replied. 'You can tell the White Death that his son and his money will be waiting for him at Kyoto station.' He heard the warning sound of the doors closing, so he turned around and walked back steadily. Yuina got in on her side, sighing with relief when the doors would close and the train would start running again, the three men still on the platform.

What was she even doing? It had felt like a kind of thrill, but now that she has seen the employees of the White Death, she felt fear running through her body. Why would she let herself get involved in this shady mission? She could very well be killed, and although she didn't quite like the way she lived right now, she really didn't want to die. She just didn't know what to do, so she just stood there in the hallway, contemplating her life once again.