The journalist looked up at the intruders, making a low growl. Stood in the doorway was Ayano, Ryoba, and a yakuza. The journalist made a growl, pulling his gun from his pocket. It was better to be armed in this situation. Mr. Aishi's eyes lit up when he saw his wife and daughter coming to his aid. Oka couldn't see them, but she recognised Ayano's voice. It was a sound that was so familiar to her.
"I know what you're here for, but you're not having it!" The journalist snapped defensively, pointing the gun at Ayano and Ryoba. He had finally snapped. Twenty years of anger, regret and frustration were finally being released at the source of his despair. "I can't keep living in fear for my life just because you convinced everyone you were innocent, Ryoba. I can't keep this up anymore!" He walked over to a table and picked up a knife he planned to use for torture. "Mari, think fast!" He snapped, throwing the knife in her direction. She caught it by the blade, ignoring the pain of it cutting into her hand. She held the handle with the other hand, looking at her father for instruction.
"Damn..." Satoshi muttered, seeing the extent of the mind damage Info-chan had suffered through and how obedient to her father she had become. The journalist smirked as Ayano and Ryoba raised their weapons too.
"Let's deal with this fool, shall we?" Ryoba said to Ayano and Satoshi, also smirking. She wasn't going down without one hell of a fight, not to mention she also had Ayano and a yakuza on her side. She charged at the journalist like planned, ready to deal with him. Ayano tried to get to Oka and mr. Aishi to set them free, but they knew Info-chan would guard them like her father ordered with her life. That was Satoshi's job, eliminate Info-chan non-lethally.
"Mari, kill." The journalist ordered with venom in his voice. He knew Mari didn't stand a chance, especially since she had a knife and everyone else had guns, but he really didn't care. He was using her as a distraction.
"Yes father." She said plainly, walking slowly over to where Ayano and Satoshi were standing. She wasn't able to identify the danger in his order, since she had the ability to say no stripped away from her. Satoshi narrowed his eyes, giving the journalist a disgusted look. He would never allow his daughter to be in such a position as Info-chan, but he was a much better father even though he was a yakuza.
"Good luck." Ryoba laughed as Info-chan ran at Ayano and Satoshi. Ayano ran to Oka and mr. Aishi while Satoshi kept Info-chan distracted. She pulled the material off Oka's eyes and mr. Aishi's mouth before shooting the ropes binding them off. She picked up Oka and put her over her shoulder before grabbing her father's hand and leading him out of the room. She had to make sure they were safe from harm, leaving Ryoba and Satoshi to finish this once and for all.
Satoshi and Ryoba managed to back the journalist and Info-chan into a corner. He smirked and grabbed his daughter, pointing the gun directly at her. For one moment, her eyes glossed over, and her fear was visible. It was soon covered by her father's control, but Ryoba and Satoshi knew it was there.
"Dare me?" The journalist asked wickedly, his finger going on the trigger. He had finally lost it and gone insane. "Once I kill her and you, I can finally have a life. I can finally start over!" He laughed maniacally. Ryoba's eyes widened slightly as she realised how she had broken him. Satoshi called in two of his yakuza members to deal with Info-chan. They rushed in and swiftly pulled her away from her father. She only started fighting back once the journalist gave the order. One of Satoshi's yakuza members produced a syringe from his pocket, injecting the clear substance into her neck. She struggled for a moment before passing out. What she had been injected with was a strong sedative, and on her small body it had knocked her out completely. She was swiftly removed from the room so she wouldn't be hurt anymore.
"Jut me and you now, Akane-san. No escape. Now, why don't you say your last words before what I do what I should've done twenty years ago?" Ryoba said coldly, pointing her gun at his forehead. Satoshi was silently keeping watch over the journalist so he wouldn't try anything, having already confiscated his gun. The journalist sighed as he was hit with sudden realisation about everything that he had done since the birth of his daughter. His first regret was being negligent towards her. He had no regrets over what happened with trying to bring Ryoba to justice, but he regretted what he did to his daughter.
"I'm sorry, Mari... please, protect my little girl... undo the damage I've done to her..." he asked regretfully, tears in his eyes. He knew she was strong, and could very much survive on her own, but he also knew she needed someone to care for her. "She did nothing wrong... please don't give her the same sentence you're giving me." He pleaded. In his final moments, all he could think of was his daughter. In actuality, she was all he had in the world. Nothing should've mattered more than she did, but he was greedy and driven with the wrong things.
"I promise she'll be safe." Ryoba told him, pulling the trigger. The journalist dropped dead instantly. She took a step back and turned to Satoshi. "Let's do this." She said to him, handing him the gun. He was going to stage the scene as though the journalist had committed suicide, just to avoid a murder investigation.
Ayano sat silently at Info-chan's bedside, sighing sadly. Info-chan had been put into a coma while Satoshi had someone try and find a way to undo the torture her father had inflicted on her. She'd had a few stitches in her hand from when she'd grabbed the knife her father had thrown at her, and it was now bandaged up. Ayano felt a tear in her eye, placing her hand on top of Info-chan's.
"I'm sorry, sis. I couldn't save you from this..."
