The mind can forget... but the heart never!

Chapter 38

Mamoru led him into Celeste's grand office. Diamond was sitting in the seating area, wearing headphones and still listening to the recordings. Seiya recognized the redhead seated at the large desk. He clenched his fists but said nothing. If he wanted to save Bunny, he would have to cooperate with his captors. When Seiya's gaze fell upon the blonde woman, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"You? What are you doing here?" he asked.

Angel gave him a forced smile. "I'm Celeste's right hand and co-lead of the Black Moon with her. My real name is Angel, not Amaya; that was just a short undercover mission." She casually sat on the desk, crossing her legs.

"Alright, enough with the chitchat. We know where she's being held. In this warehouse," Celeste said, pointing at a building on the map.

Mamoru and Seiya approached the table to get a better view. Diamond removed his headphones.

"Shin has backed off from her for now, but from what it sounds like, she's not in good shape. He really did a number on her. We should hurry," Diamond said calmly. Seiya's throat tightened.

"What does he mean, he did a number on her?" he asked. He had a suspicion, but he needed to hear it to be sure.

"Shin physically tortured her, and if we don't hurry, he'll do it again," Mamoru growled through clenched teeth. It tore him apart to know that Bunny was in such a situation because of him.

"Then let's start the 'Save the Bunny' mission," Angel said calmly, hopping off the table. Diamond placed the laptop on Celeste's desk, explained a few more details to her, then turned to the others.

"Alright, let's see what equipment Saphir prepared," Diamond said.

Seiya still felt like he was in a bad movie. As he texted his brothers the presumed location of Bunny, he followed the group chosen by Mamoru.

Bunny felt only pain, everywhere in her body. She couldn't even tell what hurt the most. Every time she sank into the welcoming arms of unconsciousness, a new pain pulled her back into reality. Her vocal cords burned from the screams of agony.

"Alright. I think that's enough for now. I want to have some fun later," her adversary whispered down to her. Slowly, he loosened the rope, and Bunny fell to the ground like a wet sack. Her legs were no longer capable of carrying her weight. Her left eye was swollen from his blows. She opened her right eye just a fraction and saw his shoes moving away from her. Gratefully, Bunny felt the darkness enveloping her again.

The building was well secured from the outside. Of course, Shin anticipated a rescue attempt. Four heavily armed men were positioned on each side of the building. Two small groups were still inside the building, and his two best men were stationed near Bunny's cell. The entire area was under video surveillance. Shin settled in a small office at the other end of the hall with his sister.

Saphir tossed a bulletproof vest to each of them. Mamoru grabbed two pistols and an additional knife. Angel was also armed to the teeth. Diamond briefly pondered, but Mamoru's delay irritated him. Mamoru picked up a machine gun and handed it to Diamond. Seiya stood there, looking at the extensive arsenal spread out on the tables before him. Until now, his fights had been against monsters, demons, and other creatures. He had never fought against regular humans. He wished he could just transform into Sailor Star Fighter and rescue Bunny, but his transformation brooch was safely at home. No one had anticipated this situation. Saphir handed him a small pistol. "You're the runner; we'll do our best to keep the others off your back. Just run, try to find them, and get out quickly. It's for your protection. Have you ever fired a gun before?" Seiya shook his head. "Okay, we don't have time for practice now. During the drive, Angel will give you a basic rundown of the weapon. Alternatively, I can give you brass knuckles," Saphir said calmly, while Angel snorted. "Why do we have to take him with us? He doesn't even know how to shoot. He'll hinder us more than help," she complained. "We need him, trust me. He cares about her as much as I do, at least. That should be motivation enough for him. He's fast and can at least fight with his fists. We could have drawn a worse card; give him a chance," Mamoru tried to persuade her.

The plan was set, everyone knew what to do. Mamoru opened a small cabinet and tossed a key to Diamond. "Maintain communication with Celeste. As soon as she has something important to convey, I want to be informed." Diamond nodded at him and left. He tossed the next key to Saphir. "According to our observers, there are at least six guys outside, probably more. We'll wait for your signal. Find a good vantage point." Saphir nodded and also made his way. "You don't need to give me a key; I'll take the motorcycle. It'll make me more flexible," Angel said, leaning against the wall. "Angel, no solo actions. You wait for the signal too!" Mamoru growled at her. Angel lazily inspected her fingernails. "Yeah, I know. The big boss is back and won't tolerate any backtalk."

With two long strides, Mamoru was at her side, pressing his forearm against her throat. Angel couldn't react quickly enough. "This isn't a game, Angel. It's about the life of the woman I love. You'll go in from the back and eliminate as many as you can, except for Shin. That little scumbag is mine." "Alright, I got it," Angel gasped, struggling for breath. Mamoru increased the pressure slightly before finally releasing her. Then he turned to Seiya. "You're riding with me," he grumbled. "Uh... didn't your friend say that Angel would explain the weapon to me?" Seiya asked, feeling slightly uneasy. Mamoru took the weapon from his hand. "It's simple, it's already loaded. Release the safety, aim, pull the trigger," he said and fired at a bottle on a shelf within seconds. Then he handed the weapon back to Seiya, saying, "You'll manage."

Seiya looked at the firearm in his hand, swallowed, and hoped he wouldn't need to use it. Then he followed Mamoru to a kind of underground parking garage. Many vans were lined up here, followed by station wagons and compact cars. Mamoru stopped in front of a covered vehicle, a slight smile playing on his lips. With practiced movements, he unfastened the straps on the side that secured the cover and unveiled his beloved. A gleaming black Maserati vintage car appeared. He had received this car from Celeste's uncle back then. His first illegal driving lessons he received at the age of 13, just so he would know what to do in case of an emergency. He got this car at the age of 15 and lovingly restored it until his last day in the company. He had never driven it on the open road. Celeste seemed to have organized everything, as all the papers were on the passenger seat and it was even registered in his name.

Mamoru sat in the driver's seat and ran his hand over the steering wheel. How many hours of his life had he spent in this car? He didn't remember, but it used to be his anchor. Seiya was still standing in front of the car, watching Mamoru. He didn't want to disturb him, when his phone rang. "Yes?" he answered.

"Seiya, we'll be there in about two hours. Should we come directly to the site?" Taiki asked.

Seiya glanced at his watch and realized that Yaten must be driving like crazy if they wanted to arrive in two hours. However, the entire situation could be over in two hours. "Yes, we're heading there now. That maniac has been torturing her. We need to get her out as soon as possible." Tears of anger welled up in Seiya's eyes because he couldn't protect her from this torment. "Take care of yourself. We're hurrying," Taiki replied.

Seiya slid his phone back into his pocket and sat down next to Mamoru. Mamoru raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Who were you talking to?" "My brothers, they were going to search for me in Osaka. They turned around and will be at the hall in two hours. If it's not too late, they can reinforce us." Mamoru let out a deep breath. "Decisions like that should be discussed with the command center, with me! What's going on in there is not a stroll through a field of flowers. I can't really use inexperienced civilians in there. You've seen how Angel reacted to your presence yourself. You don't even know how to handle a weapon." Mamoru reminded himself to calm down and started the engine before speeding off with screeching tires.