But in the End

Not What It Seems

"That's your father?!" Mushitaro gasped out.

I nodded my head, turning back to the three. "Uh... surprise?" I asked, unsure of what to say.

"Mushitaro, what do you mean by what you said before?" Atsushi asked, going back to the subject at hand.

"Right." He sighed, collecting himself. "Are you aware of the organization called the Seventh Agency?"

"Seventh Agency?" I asked, tilting my head.

"They specialize in cleaning up crime and engaging in coverups." Mushitaro explained.

"I've heard of it." Kyouka spoke up. "When Fyodor was able to rescue you from your confinement. And he demanded cooperation during the Cannibalism in return."

"Ango Sakaguchi. Is the leader of that crime organization!" Mushitaro revealed, surprising even me.

"That's impossible!" Atsushi exclaimed in disbelief. "Ango Sakaguchi works for the Government."

"Actually... I wouldn't put it past him..." I trailed off, thinking back to his previous affiliations.

"Do you still not understand?!" Mushitaro asked Atsushi. "The Government is the one who created the crime organization. The Seventh Agency is the Government's shadow. There were documents on political crime cover ups, using illegal tactics, removing any damaging rumors. And it was my job to delete the evidence on all of these things. There's no doubt, if captured, I will be held in captivity until the day that I die. And you three will be erased forever."

"The three of us?" Atsushi asked in confusion. "I understand Kyouka and I, but he wouldn't have his own daughter killed."

"Don't put it past him." Mushitaro stated, glancing at me now." You may be his daughter, but he is still a lapdog to the Government."

"If that's true, then this trap will be brutal." Kyouka said. "The Special Operations Division Team, focuses on dealing with gifted and even the Port Mafia fears them. If found, they'll bombard us with poison gas and explosives and that'll be it."

"She's right." I added, crossing my arms. The Port Mafia does fear the Special Ops, but not because of what they think. It's because my father runs this Division and Mori knows that.

"So then we just need to avoid being found." Mushitaro stated matter-of-factly.

I nodded my head. "Exactly."

"You don't really know who I am, do you?" Myshitaro asked with a smug grin as he glanced up to all of us.

Confused, we all watched as he stood up and began to walk through the halls, us following. We came to a brick wall beside a huge steel door. He had Kyouka bust the wall down with her Demon Snow, walking in what was the safe of the bank.

I shared confused glances with Atsushi and Kyouka as he climbed in before coming back out, throwing money to each of us.

"Place those on top of your heads." He began walking once more.

"Okay..." I trailed off, the three of us doing what he said.

"Walk with pride in your step." Mushitaro exclaimed as he held his hand that held the money up, towards the camera pointing at us. "Impressed? If we walk with stolen goods and use my special ability to erase evidence of crime, we magically vanish from any kind of surveillance video that's recording us."

"That's cool..." Atsushi trailed off.

"Yeah that's cool and all, but that doesn't help us with the fact that my father and his men are in this building right now looking for us." I grumbled. I blinked rapidly as Atsushi suddenly shoved Mushitaro down the hall beside us before let out a snort.

"Kyouka, (Y/N), hide." Atsushi told us as he went to the wall. The two of us followed, pressing against the wall. I was about to ask what he saw, when someone spoke up.

"The targets we're looking for are in this area. There are gifted who can dismantle walls and ceilings. Secure the parameter with caution."

"It's Ango Sakaguchi." Atsushi told us, but I already knew by hearing his voice.

"But how?" Mushitaro asked in disbelief. "My ability is perfect at hiding us."

"Well... this is not good." Kyouka sighed out. "The hallway ahead is a dead end filled with vaults. There's nowhere to run!"

"Wait- what if we hide in one of the vaults?" Atsushi turned to ask us.

I shook my head. "Won't work."

Kyouka nodded. "She's right. Too dangerous. We'd be trapped like rats!"

Heading footsteps approaching, Atsushi looked back around the corner. "They're coming."

"Kyouka. Atsushi." I spoke up, glancing at the two of them. "I'll distract them. I want you two to make a run for it with Mushitaro."

"Are you crazy?!" Atsushi whispered in shock. "You'll be caught!"

"With my ability, I can make sure that you three have time to escape. And who knows? Maybe with Ango being my father, I might be sent to prison instead of being killed." I gave him a fake smile, not wanting him to worry. "What's important is Mushitaro helping with the Agency's name being cleared."

"Are you sure about this?" Kyouka asked me.

"You three." Hearing Mushitaro, the three of us looked at him. "Come with me."

Raising an eyebrow, I reluctantly followed him with the others as we entered one of the vaults. "This isn't going to work."

Mishitaro glanced to Kyouka. "Have your Demon Snow at the vault on the far end."

She did so without question, glancing back at Mushitaro. "So, what now?" He ignored her question as he heard footsteps drawing close.

"Sir!"

We heard one of the men exclaim. Mushitaro looked at Kyouka. Have Demon Snow enter the vault and deactivate your ability."

She did as he said as we heard the footstep rush over to the vault, giving us the chance to open the vault we were in and run back down the hall.

Taking the opportunity, we quickly made our way out of the building. Mushitaro began to laugh as we ran through the alley. "See that, Special Operations?!" We came to a stop as Mushitaro hunched over to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" Atsushi asked in concern.

"That was nothing!" Mushitaro beamed, straightening up. "Just a classic vanishing act that I perfected years ago! What they saw, was the moment Demon Snow closed the vault door. We were in fact, hiding in an open vault closer to the edge of the exit."

"And in the moment of the attack... Kyouka released Demon Snow and we escaped." Atsushi finished, realizing the plan Musbitaro pulled.

"It's Psychological trickery. Taking advantage of the expectation that only a bunch of fools would actually hide in an open vault." Mushitaro gloated. "The smarter you are, the more likely you are to fall for it."

"So what was the plan if they checked all of the vaults?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Then what?"

Mushitaro flinched at my question, telling me he didn't think of that possibility. "That was amazing. How'd you come up with that under so much pressure?" Atsushi praised him.

"Oh, well... I didn't come up with it." Mushitaro revealed. "Years ago, someone explained it to me."

"Who was that?" Atsushi asked him.

Instead of answering, Mushitaro let out a chuckle, talking to himself. "Shut up. You lousy sellout."

"You okay, Mushitaro?" Atsushi asked him.

"Now we just need to steal a car and go on the run. Of course, before we run, we have to erase the evidence of having stolen a car using my ability. That way, the footage from the security cameras placed throughout the city will make any video of us stealing a car vanish into thin air." Mushitaro explained, walking after Kyouka.

———
Published: 08/03/2024