Hunting Akuma (Book Two of The Yakuza Series) (✔️)

二十五 (Twenty-Five)

(Aria's POV)

"I didn't know the house was rigged before I got there. As I walked up the steps to the house, I saw a man standing across the street. He was trying to remain unseen, but I saw him. That's how I knew something was up. I got inside the house and only took a few steps inside."

He let out a sigh. "Thanks to my father, we all know that I can walk and sneak stealthily. Light as a feather on my feet. I....used that skill to walk further into the house. I was listening and searching for what stuck out. I saw it in the kitchen. I think anyone else would've missed it, but...."

"But you pay attention to everything." I finished for him and he nodded.

"One of the floor boards was sticking up about an inch or less. It was never like that before. I walked over and crouched down a foot away and used my knife to life the board up. I knew it wouldn't go off because it was designed to go off once stepped on. That's why the board was up a little bit. I was going to just cut the wires and be done with it, but then I got to thinking. If I let it blow and let everyone assume I'm dead then people will stop looking for me, for Akuma. We can live peacefully."

"What about the body they found?"

"That was the man watching from across the street. I snuck out the back door and went around. He was so focused on the house that he didn't see me behind him. I carried him inside and laid him in the dining room. I put my watch on him and put my knife in his hand.

I didn't set off the bomb immediately after that. I took it out and rewired it. I also took some of the explosive off, the C4. The amount they put on would've blown up Mrs. Date house too. I left enough to destroy a majority of house, but not the body."

"They did a DNA test. They matched that man's DNA with yours."

He smirked. "Remember, I am the master of disguise."

"What did you do?"

"I got some of that fancy makeup and covered the tattoos on my neck and arms. I put my hair up, stole a lab assistants uniform, put on some glasses, and swiped a card off one of the workers. I was in and out within ten minutes without anyone knowing I was there. I swapped my DNA with his before they tested it."

"Where did you go after the bomb went off?"

He looked up at me and I saw the guilt in his eyes.

"You saw me didn't you?"

He nodded. "I did. I saw you drop to your knees and start screaming. That was the time in all my life that I felt the most pain. I felt like my heart was being shredded. I wanted to run to you and tell you that I was okay, but I didn't. I had to stick with my plan. After that, I went to a house."

"A house? What house?"

He glanced away.

"That little shit." I muttered once I pieced it together. "He knew the whole time?"

"I couldn't do it alone." He said.

"So when he showed up yesterday...."

"I told him to. We found Genkei before Aimoto showed up here. While he pretended to look for Genkei with Vince, I paid Genkei a visit."

"You killed him."

The pictures Vince had left were on the nightstand and he reached for them. He held the picture of Genkei's body up.

"Look carefully. I know that you know a lot about him. Tell me what doesn't fit here."

I looked the picture over very carefully. Seconds later, I saw it. I looked over it the first time I looked at it.