Working With Phantoms

Snipping the Bud

 May 30th

Madran arrived at lunch, with the rest of the people at her table following. Something she noticed was that Akira was missing, and Rosana looked rather uncomfortable.

"Hi, Rosana? What's up?"

Rosana sighed and got her lunch out.

"Can... can we talk about what happened yesterday, Suga?"

"Huh? Oh, right."

"Where did you go when that thing happened? I heard you shout something, and then nothing else."

"Well..."

Suga sighed.

"Yeah, that was a bit suspicious of me. So, basically... how much do you want to hear?"

"Well, you've asked vague questions. If you tell me how you vanished and where you went, then I'll tell you who that man was."

"Ok. Basically, I had a friend create a type of portal to a metaphysical room called the Velvet Room."

"The what now?"

"The Velvet Room. It's a place that exists in between mind, space, reality, and dream. Only a select few can enter it, and Madran, Sheila and me are some of them."

"Wait, you two are in on this, too?"

"Yeah."

"How am I supposed to believe that?"

"Well, I did suddenly vanish. Also, has someone with the last name of Michaels been bugging you?"

Rosana's eyes went wide.

"How... how do you know that name?"

"Well, he won't be bugging you anymore."

"Uh... good?"

"Now, can you tell us what's been going on?"

Rosana sighed.

"Fine. Well, the story about my family moving here for better job opportunities wasn't really true. We've been chased by this crime-committing and drug-dealing gang since as long as I can remember. Everywhere we go, they come. I wasn't really born in Peru, either."

Suga nodded.

"Ok. Rosana, I have another thing to ask you."

"W-What? No dramatic pause? Just more questions?"

"This one isn't as rough. Please, if you can find the names to the members of that gang, give them to us. I don't have much time to explain it all, but we have a way to deal with criminals like that."

Rosana looked confused.

"Why names?"

Sheila placed her hands over Rosana's.

"We can end this cycle of running for your family once and for all. Please, just cooperate with us for a few more days and do as much as you can to uncover the identities of these gang members. That's all you need to do, and we can do the rest."

Rosana nodded as a tear formed in her eye.

"You... you promise?"

"Yes. We always do all that we can to help the people of Shibuya, no matter where they come from."

Rosana nodded and Madran saw that she suddenly realized something.

"You know, you kinda remind me of those Bodacious Babes. Y'know, the group who changed Kamoshida's heart."