Meteor Arts Saga

Chapter 30

The leader offered his speech, "On behalf of Hagetaka Group, all of you are hereby under arrest. While you are under custody, we will conduct a probe inside the facility and gather any information with your connection with other Meteor Artists, with or without your permission. Now where are do keep the Intel?"

"I'm afraid you won't find them here, the information we keep has been destroyed," answered Keiko.

"Wrong answer!" he bellowed. "Even if you did destroy the evidence, that doesn't mean you don't have another way to hide them! Tell us we'll fire at will!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Take a look around you: you're inside a glass dome. One bullet, no matter where you shoot, is all it takes to break the glass. If the bullet hits the glass, the glass will break. And if the glass breaks, then the water will splash over the entire place and kill us all."

The soldiers scanned the entire dome. "So wait. This is to trap us?"

"I say this is to keep us safe from harm. You can kill us here with those firearms of yours, but you'll bring an end to yourselves too."

"Clever woman," he mumbled, irritated. Now all the troops belayed their weapons and switched to their stun-guns.

"Hitomi, you can still make up your mind. Let us help you."

"I can't do that and I won't betray my mother," said Hitomi. "Besides, there's another way that we can take away the evidence from you."

"Yeah, and what'll that be?" pressed Shintaro.

"If you won't surrender the evidence," Hitomi pointed the gun at her head, "I'll shoot myself."

"What!?" astonished Shintaro.

"Hitomi! You can't be serious!" shouted Saito.

"Dad, if you love me so much, tell her to hand over the evidence," said Hitomi.

"You're bluffing!"

"Oh, yeah? Why don't we find out when I'm gonna count up to ten." She slowly counted as the tension raise.

"Wait!" called Keiko, just before Hitomi counted at the last second. She grabbed out a small disk drive from her kimono and presented it to her. "See this, Hitomi? Inside holds the information you need."

"Mom! Don't tell me you're giving in!" protested Saya.

"Enemy or not, Hitomi is still Saito's daughter. Even Saito and I wouldn't allow it." Then Keiko left a subtle wink to her allies. She turned back to the soldiers. "You want the disk? You can have it."

"Not so fast," the leader spoke. "Take a couple of steps forward and then leave on the ground."

"How about this, why don't one of you do the same and I'll hand it over?"

"And if we refuse?"

"Then I'll order these Artists here to destroy the glass dome."

"What!?" pressed Saito.

"Just do it. We did them a favour and now it's their turn, just to be fair. But I want Hitomi to do the honours."

"Very well," the leader reluctantly complied.

As agreed, Keiko and Hitomi both approach to each other, ready to negotiate. Hitomi opened her palm to collect the disk drive. Keiko was about to hand the drive to her, but... she threw it up high, leaving the Hagetaka troops distracted. Keiko unleashed her Meteor Wave, repelling Hitomi and the troops in front of her.

Saya stepped in and cut the disk drive in half with her sword, and Keiko's bodyguards came to their mistress's aid. Shintaro ran in front in defend Keiko and the rest of his company.