Vol 1 Chapter 32 (1/2)
[Novel] NO 6 - Vol 1 Ch 3 (b)
This is a continuation of PART A
Certain words are annotated on mouse-over
He was right Don't panic Calm down Be of sound mind He had to buy more time shi+on relented
”Please don't use any violence on me”
”We won't, of course As long as you co-operate with us”
”It wouldn't be any use to retaliate anyould it?”
”Is it your policy not to take useless action? There's a good lad, he knohat he's talking about It's a waste, really”
”A waste? What is?”
”For you”
”I don't understand what you're talking about”
”You'll know in good time You've always been so”
Flanked by two Bureau officials, shi+on climbed into the car Above theht The birds were chirping A gentle breeze blew past them Times of peace and tranquility they were
The car glided forward
”Nice weather today,” co around The official sitting on shi+on's right side nodded in response ”It looks like we've been having more warmer days than usual lately”
Rashi+ turned to shi+on and smiled
”And yourself? Do you have a car?”
”No I usually take my bike or walk”
”That's a good thing Young people like you need to ht now is a battery-operated car Quite comfortable, don't you think?”
”Excellent I would think, if it wasn't for the situation I'ht now,” shi+on replied sarcastically In means of retaliation, it was the best he could htly
”As I was saying, this car runs on fuel-cell batteries Any idea how they work? We aren't too well-versed on the scientific side of things, I'm afraid”
”I don't know much either”
”What sort of things do you know about it?”
”Not much I e”
The officials on both sides of hirabbed fired to that of an interrogator
”Then just tell us what you do know”
”Like I said, what I know― it's all just general knowledge”
”Such as?”
The conversation was short, clipped and void of frivolity, but shi+on felt a sort of strangling heaviness about it He felt like so him sloith a soft, damp piece of cloth He felt nauseous
”So through electrolysis, alcohol is separated into oxygen and hydrogen, and by fusing they is―”
”Energy is what?”
”Where are we going?” shi+on asked suddenly He rose, but was yanked back and shoved into his seat
”Aren't we going to the Security Bureau? This isn't the way” The Bureau was located beside City Hall Froh the park to get there By car, it was a few minutes' distance But the scenery out the ed hi in the opposite direction
”Where do you think we're going?”
”That's what I'ht now,” said shi+on testily
”You're not entitled to ask any questions”
”What―how could you―why―”
”Haven't I told you? You're a top suspect in this case”
”What case?”
”The death that happened today, and the other one from yesterday You're on suspicion of murder”
shi+on had lost his voice He could hear the rush of blood in his ears as it receded from his face
”You're a dangerous suspect You have extensive knowledge and an intelligent brain to put it to use I could tell just from our conversation And to top it off, you're dissatisfied with your situation and feel a strong resistance against the City Superior ability and hostility toward the City Take either one, and they aren't of concern by theerous, indeed”
”Those are false accusations”
”False? I beg to differ” Rashi+'s hand extended to a silver button beside the steering wheel shi+on's and Yaan to play from the speakers
'Yamase-san, why does the Bureau have to lie about it? And isn't it strange that they can't seem to find a cause of death?'
'Yeah this incident is full of unanswered questions'
shi+on closed his eyes It was the conversation they'd had onlytapped the whole time Had a microphone been hidden in the control panel? But for what purpose?
'Ya information?'
'shi+on!'
Rashi+ pressed the button lightly again The voices were cut off For a moment, a cold silence fell in the car as if the very air had frozen over
”Care to hear a little more?”
”Please stop I can't believe this”
”Can't you?”
”I didn't kill anyone,” said shi+on flatly
”So you're saying that this bee that you were talking about is the real murderer?”
”Yes”
”Preposterous A rather contrived story for soence”
”What reason do I have to kill Yamase-san?”
”That's e're going to figure out My guess is that you wanted to start a commotion”
”―Huh?”
”A coh to shake the very roots of the city, and bask in its glory You enius fallen upon ill fortune, haven't you? So you loathed the City for not favouring you as you deserved, and felt hatred toward its citizens You believed you deserved ht of this method of murder, this unnatural death, to take society by store to do it It was very well possible that you used some kind of special chemical to commit murder”
shi+on sank deeply into the car seat All energy had left his body He realized it was a trap He had walked right into its cunning grasp He licked his lips They were parched and dry
”I see,” he said coolly ”So it's all been scripted already Rather contrivedstory yourself, maybe even more than mine”
”We'll see how contrived it is once we get through questioning you” There was aThe official on shi+on's left had handcuffed him
”There's a transet there, you'll get to take theave shi+on an idea of where he was going The West Block The Correctional Facility If he was undergoing investigation there, he was sure to be locked up right afterwards as a convict In exchange for re his handcuffs, he would have a V-chip implanted into him
―Nezuet away
He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath
”There's a good lad Keep quiet”
shi+on remained slumped, and bit his dry bottom lip
I' to help you Nezurew cale Rage at the people who had tricked hie afloat The car entered Lost Town
―Mom
”Are you worried about your mother?”
”My mother―hat'll happen to her?”
”Happen? Nothing She won't be stripped of her citizenshi+p just because her son is a convict” Rashi+ whispered soht A familiar scenery of the streets came into view The car stopped silently at the curb
”Look”
Rashi+ pointed Karan was in the irl a wrapped loaf of bread She said soirl were sht of autu, or a scene from a drama shi+on leaned forward
”Your ood look at her while you can” Rashi+ an to ain”
Rashi+ chuckled with his back to shi+on
”It's nothing to be so troubled about Sure, at first your mother will be shocked, and she'll feel sad But she'll get over it That's how life is Well, it's not like anything would co about her anyway Soon you'll find you'll have things more serious to worry about”
Rashi+'s words sliced at shi+on's heart His breath caught in his throat The rage and rebellion sian to dissipate He would never be able to return to his his nor hisof despair deeper into him
They had calculated it all They didn't stop the car near shi+on's house out of pity for him They had done it to deal him the final blow, the blow that knocked hioing back again It was a cunning and cruel trick to make him lose the will to retaliate
”I' to help you”
shi+on opened his mouth and repeated the words to himself
I' to help you Just a short sentence But Nezumi's voice had been steady with confidence
What did he look like again? He wondered, and tried to visualize Nezurey eyes
―Will I see you soon, Nezumi?
”What's that?” Rashi+ turned around, and furrowed his brow
”Are you s?”
”S? Of course not,” shi+on replied ”I don't have the courage to smile in this kind of situation”
”In this situation, huh you seem rather calm about it I hope you do understand exactly what kind of situation you're in right now”
”Almost too well”
”Aren't you calm and collected in spite of that”
”I'm a natural”
”A what?”
”A natural,” shi+on repeated ”I've been told that by so it”
Rashi+ stared at shi+on in silence The car was exiting Lost Town and approaching the western border It was shi+on's first tiular citizens were not allowed to enter into this area No 6 was a citadel― a wall made of special alloy circled the city and enclosed it In ed ith trees, but in the West Block it stood bare The car bypassed the Access Control Office
”Aren't you going to enter the West Block from here?”
”There are two gates That one was for entering and exiting the city The other one is especially for entering the Correctional Facility, it leads directly into it The Correctional Facility is a special kind of facility, even in the West Block We keep it coeneral citizens I bet you didn't know that”
”No, I didn't”
”You'll find out even h”
The path narrowed An increasing nuht
”Once we're through the woods, there will be nothing but wastelands Past the gates it'll be the sareenery, so I advise you engrave it into your memory well”
The car stopped
”What's the matter?” Rashi+ asked
”Ah, it's just” The driver pointed to so across the middle of the road Slowly, it raised itself
”Sampo?” shi+on sed
”What's this? What's a cleaning robot doing here?”
”Maybe it has orders to clean the forest area?”
”I haven't heard anything about it”
Sa up fallen leaves with his metal arms
”Keep an eye on the suspect” Rashi+ ordered the officials, and got out of the car He approached Saing to him, it fell forward
Rashi+ gave a short cry, and was dragged by Sast the trees
”Ah!” The driver raised his own voice in surprise, and opened the door to lean forward The next rey mice In a flash, they each latched onto the throat of a Bureau official
”Don't er seat A grey cloth covered his head and rapped around his shoulders Fro onto the base of the driver's neck
”These guys have s funny, and you can count on your heads being blown off”
The driver whimpered in terror
”Take his handcuffs off And the three of you, get out of the car”
No one moved
”Quickly!” he ordered sharply ”I'm impatient Do you want me to set them off?” There was a metallic sound from the mice that were latched onto each throat Click Click Click The handcuffs fell from shi+on's wrists The threeat the neck
”Nezumi!”
”Greetings later” Nezu wheel The car spun around in a U-turn, and hurtled down the road at full speed
”Nezu to make them explode?”
”Idiot You think I would plant bombs into my faithful friends? That was just to scare them”
”Were those robotAnd with Sampo, how did you―”
”Shut up,” Nezurowled He yanked the cloth off his head, and threw it to the backseat ”Wrap that over your head and stay curled up”
”Is this superfibre? Why do I have to wrap up in this?”
”Because I' to crash it”
”Crash what?”
”The car”
”What!? Why―”
Nezu wheel
”Just shut up, alright? Is asking questions all you're good for?”
”But we can just escape with the car”
”I was planning to, but―”
”But what?”