Brothers (Part 2)

Chapter 12 - Just a Little Blackmail

The next day in our cell...

Hajime: "No way in hell!"

Uno: "Well, why not?!"

Hajime: "The obvious reason. What, you think you're allowed to have free run of the damn prison? Piss off! And don't ask me stupid questions in the morning."

Uno: "What's the big deal?! I know that you're about to go there anyway! Just take us with you!"

Hajime: "Who said that I'm going?"

Uno: "Something happened to Rock and Yamato while they were there. You can't figure out what unless you go yourself. We wanna go for the same reason you do. Rock's our friend. We have every right to find out what happened to him. We can help you figure out what's going on. And we aren't going to rest until we've seen it, and with our own eyes."

Hajime: "Sorry, dumbass, but this is my job, not yours. You have no part in this. Just stay out of my way."

Hajime turned to leave.

Uno: "Oh well. I tried to be nice, but I guess it couldn't be helped..."

Uno smiled and wrapped his arms around us.

Uno: "Looks like we'll just have to go on our own then!"

Hajime froze.

Uno: "You heard me! I asked for permission out of the goodness of my heart. But if you're too busy, what with Yamato and Seitarou out of commission, I suppose we'll just plan to meet you there. I thought I'd talk to you first since it felt wrong to increase your workload unnecessarily but screw it. What's wrong? You didn't forget that you're talking to the best jailbreakers in history, did you?"

Hajime turned back to us.

Hajime: "You really think you can get there on your own?"

Uno: "Who's to say? But with Jyugo here, I know we'll make it out of this building at least. I wonder... if we end up roaming about the prison at random, who would actually get punished for it?"

Hajime: "Are you trying to threaten me?"

Uno: "You can call it what you want, bud. We asked nicely, you turned us down and here we are. So we can play it like this, or we can partner up."

Hajime: "I think you're confused. It's only a partnership if both sides benefit. I wouldn't gain squat by letting you punks tag along. This is just blackmail."

Uno: "I only make a deal if it's tilted in my favour."

Hajime: "Then you're a terrible partner."

Uno: "Say, isn't the warden gone as well? What an opportunity."

Hajime: "Wait, you know about that too?"

Nico: "Uno's a mad man. He's actually negotiating with Hajime."

Jyugo: "This sort of thing is what he's best at."

Jinx: "I honestly expected nothing less."

Uno: "So what's it gonna be then?! Are you gonna take us with you or aren't ya?! Is it really worth betting that nothing'll happen if you leave us here unguarded!?"

Hajime just stood there thinking for a solid minute.

Hajime: 'Damn it! Pesky brat's got me backed into a corner... They're too slippery to leave here. But if I just take Number 15, chances are the other three won't wait patiently. And the little runt is just as bad as 15, she can squeeze through the bars anytime she wants! If they do anything worse than escaping, it'll be my ass on the line. Yamato and Seitarou are getting medical treatment so I can't have them watch cell 13! Even if I ask the other guards for help, I'm the only one who can catch them. Number 33 and that nose of hers know where the traps are. Who knows how many these kids could set off without me around! It's a miracle that headquarters didn't take notice the last time.'

He put his forehead against the wall.

Hajime: "Mmm.... Mmm!

Uno: "Hurry up!"

Jinx: "Does he have a tummy ache again?"

For the next ten minutes, Jyugo and I watched Uno and Nico play cards while we waited for an answer, and Hajime was continuously punching holes in our wall, clearly frustrated. Until finally, we got an answer.

Hajime: "Alright!"

Jinx, Uno, Jyugo & Nico: "Huh?"

Hajime: "But just this once."

We stood up.

Uno: "Oh hell yeah!"

Uno turned to us and smiled.

Jyugo: "Wow."

Nico: "Amazing!"

Jinx: "Cool!"

Hajime: "However!"

He gripped Uno's shoulders.

Hajime: "If you punks cause me any trouble, I will hurt you."

Uno: "Y-yes, sir..."

Jinx & Nico: "Hooray!"

Hajime: "Hopefully, it was all just a mix up."