BSD x OC

Chapter 26

"What... What do you mean sit out on the mission?!" Ali asked, straightening her posture and looking at Dazai, her hands slightly clammy and her breath hitched.

She motioned at herself, "I'm one of the strongest physically, I can think fast on my feet, and I'll-" Ali was cut of by Dazai's voice.

"We know where Kyouka is." He told her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Kyouka... Wasn't she taken away?

They know where Kyouka is?

How long have they known?

Is she still alive?

Why didn't anyone tell me?

"No one told you because... You'd probably disregard all rules and immediately try to save her. And we can't let that happen." Dazai told her, then his eyes shifted to the side.

"If you found out she was alive during the mission... What do you think you'd do?" He asked her, scratching the back of his neck.

Ali stared to the ground as she clenched her fist. "I would've... Abandoned the mission." She admitted, then she looked up. "Where's Kyouka now?" She asked.

Dazai's eyes darkened as he looked down at her, "And what will you do with that information?" He asked her, his lips pressed together.

Ali dug her nails into her skin as she took a deep breath, "Fine. But why shouldn't I rescue her?" She questioned, glaring at Dazai.

"Because... Kyouka's not apart of the agency." Dazai told her, "By rescuing her, you're just rescuing someone who killed 35 people..." He told her.

She's... Not apart of the agency?

As if he was reading her thoughts, Dazai nodded. "Yes. Remember how you had to take an entrance exam when you first came here? Kyouka hasn't taken one." He told her, his voice trailing off at the end, as though he was regretful.

"I know that Kyouka wasn't in control of her actions, and that she didn't want to kill the people but... She still killed 35 people." Dazai told her, reaching forward to try to comfort Ali.

She slapped away his hand as she sucked in a deep breath. "Well... If I'm not doing the mission, what am I supposed to do? Just sit in the back while I watch Atsushi risk his life?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Of course! And also... There's something else that you can do." Dazai told her, his voice lowering to a whisper as he leaned to her ear.

...

Ali put on her headset as she sat next to Dazai at the control room, "Just to confirm... I watch over the stuff and provide emotional support?" Ali confirmed, adjusting the volume on the speaker of the headset.

Dazai hummed as he leaned back in his chair, "That's basically it!" He told her, looking at the screens in front of the two, which were connected to multiple cameras.

Ali stared at the single blank screen in the corner, she wondered what could be behind it.

"Atsushi, Tanizaki, are you two prepared for the infiltration?" Ali asked, looking at the camera in front of her. "The coast is clear, now's the best time to get in."

For a moment, Atsushi's breathing was all she could hear, the steady and deep noises of his breath echoed through her ears before he finally spoke, "Yeah... We're ready." He told her, his voice slightly waving.

Tanizaki cleared his throat, "We're lifting off in 3... 2...1." He said, his voice also slightly quivering, though most of it was drowned out by the spinning of helicopter blades.

Ali watched through the camera's as Atsushi silently freaked out, "Don't worry Atsushi... What's the worst that could happen?" She tried reassuring him, despite her own doubts.

"Ali... 'What's the worst that could happen' isn't exactly the most comforting statement..." Atsushi said shakily, before he nervously chuckled. "Thanks though..."

Meanwhile, Ali could hear Tanizaki almost hyperventilating as he controlled the helicopter, "T-thanks Ali... And don't worry Atsushi... We'll be fine!" He said shakily, before taking a sharp breath and activating light snow.

After a couple of moments of tense silence, Atsushi's let out a hum, "I'm in." He said quietly.

Ali silently celebrated before she composed herself, "Is there anyone else in there?" She asked, her eyes darting around the screens in front of her.

Atsushi shook his head, "No... Nobody at all..." He said, walking down the hall and peeking through doors.

As he opened one of the doors, an elderly man smoking a pipe greeted him, he was swaying on a rocking chair as he sighed. "They all abandoned ship."

Ali listened in shock as the man explained what the Moby Dick was being used for, "They plan on... Destroying the whole city?" She muttered breathlessly as she stared at the screen.

She swallowed as she looked at Dazai, who shook his head, his eyes shining with determination as he looked at Ali.

Ali closed her eyes, "Atsushi... We're proceeding with the mission." She said, making her voice as steady as possible.

Atsushi's eyes widened before he nodded, "I trust you." He said simply, before looking at the man in front of him, "How... Do I prevent the crash?" He asked.

"Find the control panel, it's what's controlling the ship... You may have to deal with some troublesome security though." He told Atsushi, causing Atsushi to run to the door.

Just as his hand reached the doorknob, he turned to the man. "Why are you still here? Despite knowing what'll happen next?" He asked, tilting his head curiously.

The man stayed silent for a moment, "... The Moby Dick was never meant to be used for destruction. Yet here it is, preparing to land on an entire city to destroy it. At the very least, I could join it on its decent." He said, looking out the window.

Atsushi's lips pressed together as he opened the door and left the room, "Well... Save those plans for another day..." He muttered, leaving the room.

...

While Atsushi was navigating to the control room, Dazai received a call. He scowled as he saw the caller ID, contemplating if he should pick it up or not.

"Just pick it up, it's not gonna kill you." Ali said, not looking away from the screens in front of her.

Dazai sighed as he pressed the green button on his phone, "My Bella is so mean..." He said, brushing away a fake tear.

The person on the other side of the line grimaced, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." They said.

Dazai's eyes narrowed as his finger ghosted the hang up button.

"Ah-ah-ah! Don't hand up!" The person on the other end of the call said.

"What do you want Mori? I thought we had a agreement to not interfere with each others business." Dazai asked coldly, making sure that his voice was flat and distant.

Ali watched as Atsushi turned a corner, slightly squinting as she saw a familiar shade of black. "Is that..." She muttered under her breath.

"Ah, about that... One of my subordinates just informed me..." Mori said, trailing off at the end of his sentence.

Ali's eyes widened, as did Dazai's.

"IS THAT AKUTAGAWA?!" Both of them yelled, with Ali turning off the speaker of her headset so that Atsushi's ears wouldn't be damaged.

"Yes... I don't think we'll be able to keep this truce-" Dazai hung up on Mori quickly.