SNAKESKIN (Tangerine) ✓

十九

The Cobra

I headed back into the Momomon car, Tangerine, a few steps ahead of me. Ladybug was still in the car, sitting in an aisle seat beside the girl. Tangerine sat across from them, scooting over to the window and I followed suit.

"So," Ladybug said awkwardly as the train started to slow down. "What do we do now?"

"Well." I nodded at the briefcase, which was nestled in between his feet. "You could start with giving that back."

Ladybug chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I feel terrible," he admitted, still smiling. "But I can't give you the case."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, we're at a bit of a stalemate, aren't we?" I turned to face Tangerine as the train came to a complete stop. "Maybe we can come to an agreement."

The gangway door opened and an older man with a cane stepped into the car. My gaze followed him as he walked down the aisle, taking a seat at the table across the aisle from us. I eyed him warily as he leaned back, eyeing our unlikely group with furrowed brows.

"Really?" Ladybug sighed exasperatedly. "Okay, fella. You're creeping me out." The man just made himself comfortable, acting as if nothing was amiss. "So, if you don't mind, could you just find another seat, like way, way, way down there?" He waved towards the end of the train. "And that way I won't have to tell you twice."

I watched as the man chuckled to himself, but didn't move. "No," he answered, a small smile appearing, causing wrinkles to form on his face. "You won't."

Ladybug sighed, glancing over at us with a roll of his eyes. "Let's just move." He made to stand up, turning to the girl. "Grab your bag."

With a grunt of effort, I sent a forceful kick under the table, the heel of my shoe making contact with Ladybug's shin. He winced in pain, reaching down to rub his leg as he stared at me in surprise. "Ouch!"

A loud hiss echoed through the car and Ladybug straightened, holding his arm out in front of him, to reveal a snake coiled around his forearm. Its fangs were sunk into his skin and blood was spurting from the holes. It looked painful.

Ladybug immediately jumped from his seat, frantically trying to pull the snake off of him, but every time he removed its teeth from his skin, the snake just bit him again. I watched humorously as he sprinted towards the gangway, muttering obscenities under his breath.

I turned to Tangerine who looked just as surprised as I felt. His eyes were wide and staring in the direction Ladybug had just gone. "Was that a snake?" I asked no one in particular, my mind still trying to process what had just happened. "What the hell is a snake doing on a bullet train?"

No one responded, but the newcomer spoke up, changing the subject. "Would you know where my son is?" His gaze was directed past Tangerine and me, a soft but strict look in his eyes. He was talking to the girl, and she looked shocked that he was referring to her.

A buzzing sound started to come from the girl's backpack, so the man stuck out his cane and hooked the bag, pulling it towards him. The girl made to stop him, but she resisted. The man already had the phone in his grasp.

"Wow," the girl sighed in exasperation. "After everything."

"Alright," I said, breaking my silence and scooting into the aisle. "This seems like a private conversation." I gestured for Tangerine to follow me. "We're gonna go." I started making my way up the aisle, but the man's cane barred my way.

"No." The older man was giving me a stern look that said don't argue with me. In my peripheral vision, I could see Tangerine, who was just rising from his seat. I stepped back, bumping into my friend, who immediately steadied me with a hand on my lower back. "Please, sit back down."

"We're really not a part of this," I insisted, trying to push past but failing. "We're just gonna go find that other guy." I pushed again, but the man didn't budge.

"No," he repeated, though this voice had lowered an octave. "You are very much a part of this."

With a begrudging sigh, I turned around, ushering Tangerine back into his seat. I sat down beside him, leaning back as the man slipped into the seat across the aisle from Ladybug's unoccupied one.

He turned to the girl-who looked slightly nervous now—his cane set between his knees and his forearms resting atop it. "You are the person who pushed my grandson off the department store roof." My eyes widened in shock. But she's just a little girl. "Why?"

"Your son," the girl said, her entire demeanour changing at that moment. She looked cocky, almost proud. I was staring at her in shock, as a malevolent smirk spread onto her lips. "He was going to help me kill the White Death at Kyoto Station."

I glanced at Tangerine, my surprised expression mimicking his. What the fuck is going on?

"And that was the only way to get him onto this train," the girl continued, her eyes flicking over to me for a moment. She seemed to relish in the shock all of us were feeling.

"The White Death," the man repeated, squinting his eyes at the girl. It wasn't a question, more of a confirmation.

The girl nodded as the warning alarm blared, signalling the train was about to make its final stop. "That's right." I glanced out the window as the rushing scenery—the rice pastures and small towns—began to slow down. "But he couldn't even do that. So he's dead; just a few cars back." My brows furrowed in realisation. The man in the bathroom with Lemon is this man's son! "They're both dead."

The old man just shook his head in disappointment, leaning back in his chair. "My grandson was pushed off a roof." He gave the girl a pointed look. "What makes you think I would leave him unprotected?" The man pulled out a buzzing phone from his chest pocket, raising it to his face, barely breaking eye contact with the girl. "My grandson is safe." He lowered the device, leaning towards the girl. "And my son is not dead."

The girl jumped to her feet, staring down at the man with malice in her eyes. "Listen," she spat derogatorily. "Old man-"

The man thrust his cane towards the girl's chin, causing her to stumble back. "The only thing you know about an old man, young lady, is that he has survived much more—and much worse—than you." He poked the end of the can into her collarbone for good measure and with a grunt of anger, she grabbed her bag and stormed away.

"Now," the man continued, turning to Tangerine and me as if nothing serious had just happened. "You two."

"What about us?" I questioned, squinting my eyes in confusion as the man set his cane back on the floor. "We don't even know your son, or you."

"Ahh," the man said, a slight smile gracing his wrinkled face. "But I know you, Cobra."

"What?" I had absolutely no idea who this man was and I definitely didn't know his son. If his son was the man in the bathroom I was certain I didn't recognise him. "Look, man. I have no idea who you are, and in case you didn't know; I just got shot and now I have to get off this fucking train and give this lunatic his case." I reached under the table, dragging the case towards me. Ladybug had clearly forgotten about it in the mayhem with the snake. " I don't have time for this."

"Please," the man whispered, the desperation in his eyes keeping me from leaving the car. "Cobra, you have worked with the Whale, the Cicada and Morning Glory before, right?"

I nodded slowly, unsure how he knew those names and why he was wondering if I had worked with the people behind them. The three assassins mentioned were notorious in the underworld for being ruthless and cunning. Yes, most people in the industry were those things, but these three were exceptionally so. "How do you know that?"

The man chuckled, extending a hand towards me. "I am Shigeru Kimura," he introduced himself, but I didn't take his hand. His smile did not falter, though. He just lowered his hand to his lap. "We met in Italy."

A/N: I think this is the first time I've really strayed away from the book or movie. How do you think Bronte and Kimura Sr know each other? I would love some funny guesses!