Behind the Mask

Your Move

To find Emi and Gigantron, I needed to leave the house but even that seemed like it would be difficult.

I peeked out of the window of my apartment. There were at three strange men lingering outside. I had seen them over the past few days, always in the same black outfits. I was sure they were KDF officers. Morishita had said they would be watching me, but they could at least have done a better job of blending in. I needed to find a way out without being seen by them.

"What are you looking at?" Juri's voice startled me, and I jumped, turning to see her looking over my shoulder.

Juri had been staying over since the article was released. She said it was because she loved my mother's cooking, but I knew it was because she wanted to keep me company. She was always there for me when things were bad.

"Oh, it's nothing," I said quickly. "I just need to get out of the house for a while. I have to go back to Kenji's house and..." I trailed off. How was I going to tell her that I was trying to track down the giant baby Kaiju?

She studied my face for a moment, then smiled. "It's okay, I'll help you," she said. "But you need a makeover."

For once, I didn't argue. This was one time I would willingly agree to one of Juri's makeovers. Almost an hour later, I looked in the mirror and barely recognized myself. My face was caked in makeup, and I wore a pink wig that looked utterly ridiculous.

"Juri, I look like insane," I said, my hands flying to the fake hair on my head.

"That's the point," she said, giggling. "You're unrecognizable. Now go."

I stood. "Thank you so much," I said, packing up a bag quickly. "Please, watch Chiho and Mana for me."

"I will," she answered. "Don't worry."

I would never stop being grateful for Juri.

When I got downstairs, I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the apartment building. The cool air hit my face and I looked around at the few people milling around. My eyes scanned the area, noticing the strange men in black. Now, I was even more sure that they were watching me.

I tightened the scarf wrapped around my neck, adjusted my wig, pulled my hat down a bit lower, and walked briskly down the sidewalk. Everys step felt heavier than the last. I was so anxious.

I had a feeling the men I noticed wouldn't be the only ones watching me. I had to stay alert.

I kept my head down and moved quickly, trying to blend in with the crowd. I let out a sigh of relief when I spotted a taxi parked nearby. Waving it down, I hurried over and hopped in.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Just drive for now," I said, sinking into the seat and glancing out the rear window to ensure I hadn't been followed.

As the car pulled away, I finally allowed myself to breathe. The tension eased slightly, but my mind was already racing with the next steps of my plan. I needed to find Emi and Gigantron. They had to be safe, and the only person who could help me with the rest of my plan was Mina. A huge part of getting Kenji out depended on our conversation.

I gave the driver, Kenji's address and focused on the road. I glanced out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur of colors. We drove through the bustling streets, weaving around traffic and pedestrians.
The world went by in a rush, but my thoughts were calm.

As we approached Kenji's house, I could feel my heartbeat quicken. The premises appeared empty. The KDF had seemingly left after finding nothing, but I wouldn't put it past them to still be lurking around. I paid the driver and hopped out, glancing around cautiously. The quiet was unsettling, almost eerie. I approached the door and knocked once, then twice. The door opened, and Mina's robotic voice greeted me.