You Deserve Better (Osamu Dazai x Reader)

Chapter 42: Echo

(Season 3, Episode 12)

Osamu complained, as he adjusted his screen. "Damn it, they must be too far underground."

We found ourselves back in the semi-truck, attempting to get a hold of the two boys, who had entered the building a mere five minutes ago.

"Try moving it around or something," I suggested.

After a couple of minutes of watching the bandaged man move around his computer, the video feed went through. "Finally, we got a connection."

"Go ahead, Dazai." Although the sound wasn't the best, I could tell that it was Atsushi's voice. I'm glad Akutagawa didn't kill him yet.

"I trust you're chasing the gifted with the virus," he concluded. "His virus infects the victims through open wounds. The fever and the nausea make it difficult to even stand up. Don't let it so much as graze you. (Y/n) and I will take care of Fyodor. Make sure you don't let that gifted out of your sight."

*Boom*

A loud explosion roared on Atsushi's end of the call, abruptly terminating it. Only static could be heard from the laptop now. 

"I hope they're alright."

"They'll be fine," Osamu reassured. "Now, we need to find Fyodor."

"Dazai, three cars just left the abandoned mines from the north," Junichiro reported through the headset. "Contact the surface team; have them followed."

"That doesn't seem right," I noted.

"Ignore them," the brunette ordered. "Those are decoys meant to slow us down."

"But how can you be sure?"

"Because that's exactly what I would do." His dark brown eyes were focused on the computer, as he thought. Not once have I ever understood how his mind works, but he also never failed to amaze me.

"Understood."

"Hey Junichiro, that cargo truck is leaving west of the mines," Kenji said. "Could that be the one?"

"No, it's not. Ignore it too."

"Now we're seeing several armed soldiers moving to the southeast. It looks like they're escorting someone in a hood."

"Now that seems too obvious," I thought out loud. If I were Fyodor, I'd give my men orders from somewhere far away. I wouldn't want to be caught dead getting on the bad side of so many gifteds.

"Ignore them," the brunette repeated, his voice sounding more frustrated by the minute.

"But what if-"

"We're trying to capture a demon; we need every hand we can spare. Ignore them."

"Dazai, there's an unidentified helicopter approaching from the east! There's no way we can fight them with our equipment. Call in the military police."

"Helicopter?" Osamu thought to himself for a second. "Do you see anyone on the ground there?"

"Hold on- Kenji, are there any people down there?"

"Looks like there's a hiker at the base of the mountain. I can't see his face cause he's wearing a hat."

"He's the one!" The brunette shouted. "Do all you can to stop that hiker. Send in Mori's men too, immediately!"

"Uh, got it." After a few minutes of radio silence, we were given terrible news. "Dazai, it's not him! It's a normal guy handcuffed with grenades in his mouth. It's not Fyodor!"