The Hinomoto Rebellion (36 page)

“You think that you’ve achieved your freedom just by getting out of the labs, but you’re wrong! You’re still just as much prisoners in here as you were back there. The only difference is that now you’re not being experimented on! Join us and we can save this country! If you don’t speak up, no one will ever listen to you!”

The crowd fell silent. They were looking at each other as though they were unsure of what to do. Finally, Andrea stepped closer to the edge of the table and spoke. “I’m not one of you, so I know that what I have to say may not mean anything. The same government that you all hate calls people like me
ochiudo
and smears us publicly. Both
ronin
and
Kemono
are forced to hide, but all of you don’t have to endure the mass hysteria that the government and media stirs up. And maybe that’s not enough to make this mean anything, but I can tell you that Daimyo Yasakuto’s corruption has taken away everything I ever had. I was unsure at first too! I was apprehensive at taking on what seems like an unstoppable force, but I personally believe that we can beat them! You have to learn, just like
ronin
are learning, that they will continue to keep us underground so long as we never say anything. Now is the time to fight for Hinomoto’s freedom! If you work sideby-side with
ronin
, there’s nothing we can’t do as a whole! Stop being cowards and let the world know that you’re not afraid!”

A ripple seemed to pass through the crowd, followed by a silence that made the Aka Ryuu hold their breaths. Then, a voice shouted “I will help you!”, and then another voice chimed in, and another, until the crowd was a pulsing, roaring force of cheers, applause, and most importantly, hope.

Chapter Thirteen
Accusations
“So, this is it, huh?”

Kanjou pulled his eyes away from the binoculars that Deuce had given to the Aka Ryuu and looked over at Andrea. “Yeah, the Shogun will be right there at the top of those stairs.”

The Aka Ryuu had spent about two hours in the old mall after 26 and Andrea had recruited the
Kemono
to their cause. After some organizing of the makeshift army, Kanjou had gathered up the Aka Ryuu and outlined his plans for the rest of the day. The press conference was closing in on them fast, and he felt that they should go and investigate the area it would be held in. The group had agreed, especially since they weren’t sure if the schematics they had were entirely accurate and they didn’t show any guard positions or traffic choke points with surrounding buildings.

“Here, take a look,” Kanjou said, handing Andrea the binoculars. She took them and raised her eyebrows, then looked toward the building across the street and lifted the field glasses to her eyes to peer through them.

Andrea jumped back a little as the front door of the Capitol building came into sharp focus. She had never looked through binoculars before, although she was familiar with the concept. She just wasn’t aware that they worked quite as well as she’d heard.

After the initial shock was over, she focused in on the front steps and slowly looked to either side of the doorway. “The railing and the columns could be a blessing and a curse,” she said, “Not much room between them, cuts off any quick escape by leaping off the front porch, but it’s also a very good hiding place if someone is small enough to get through those spaces.”

“Yeah well, I’m more worried about the door itself. If something happens and we have to go in the building, and that door gets shut, we’re going to have no choices but either breaking through or doubling back to get through a window or a side entrance.” Fushicho piped in.

“Yeah well, that’s why we have our furry-people friends. They’ll be dropping in on whatever trouble we encounter, and we can run straight for the Shogun and get his bony ass out of...”

Andrea stopped talking, her voice trailing off. Kanjou and Fushi looked over at her. She was staring through the binoculars, her mouth gaping open. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Kanjou asked, putting a hand over his eyes and squinting to try to see what Andrea was staring at.

The Tiger turned and dropped the binoculars. They would have fallen over the edge of the roof had Fushi not grabbed the strap before they dropped. “I’ll be right back!” she yelled as she ran for the fire escape ladder and hurried down it.

Kanjou and Fushicho exchanged a glance. “What the hell is she doing?” they said in unison.

Andrea nearly broke her neck going down the fire escape. She leaped off the fifth step from the bottom and took off running as she hit the ground, not caring who saw her as she dashed through the crowd of people leaving offices for the evening or heading out to pick up dinner before going back to work. She shoved people out of her path as she ran, unconcerned with consequences or the people who were shouting at her as she passed.

She disappeared into the coolness of an alley and stopped for a brief moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Then she took off again, her shoes splashing rancid water as she plowed through a large puddle. She paused once more at a T-junction, looked both ways, then turned to her right.

“
FOXFIRE!
” she screamed as she closed distance with the hulking shape in front of her that had been plodding along slowly.

The figure turned around suddenly, and Andrea skidded to a halt three meters in front of them, breathing heavily. “Foxfire... dammit... I hate... running... after you!” scolded Andrea as she gasped for breath.

Foxfire stared wide-eyed at Andrea, his brown eyes full of confusion. “Andrea?”

 

“Well, duh, dipshit! Who did you think it was?!” she snapped. “I haven’t changed in the past two weeks, you know?”

Foxfire suddenly stepped forward, crossing the distance that separated them and grabbing Andrea’s shoulders in his huge hands. “I’m so glad you’re safe! I have to tell you something!”

“Yeah? And I have to tell
you
something. I saw your wife, she wants you to come home.”

 

Foxfire’s eyes softened and he no longer had the look of a cornered animal. “You saw them?”

Andrea nodded, a small grin crossing her lips. “It was a few weeks ago, after the... after Tony’s Place. I promised her that if I found you, I’d tell you to come home. Your family needs you.”

Foxfire looked down at the ground, hiding his expression from Andrea. He was silent for a moment. “I would love to go home, Andrea. But if I do I’ll be putting them in more danger than they’re already in.” He looked up at her, his eyes full of worry, “Now, listen to me, this is really important! There’s a traitor in your group!.”

The word hit Andrea like a speeding truck.
Traitor.
She stared at Foxfire, her mouth agape and her eyes wide. “Wh.. How do you know about..
?
” she finally managed to choke out.

“That’s not important right now, Andrea! The important thing is that your rebellion is in danger!”

“From who...?”
“From Daimyo Yasakuto, first of all. But you also have a traitor, and I don’t know who they are. They report everything you do, all your plans, all your movements. They set you all up at the warehouse. I heard this morning that they burned down wherever you all were staying at. You’re in very real danger, Andrea!”

“Alright, alright. Calm down, Foxfire,” Andrea said. As much as she wanted to start screaming at him for more information, but since he’d just told her he had none she knew it would do no good. She needed a level head.

He sighed. “And there’s something else I need to tell you, too.” Andrea raised an eyebrow at him before he continued. “Daimyo Yasakuto is setting up the
ronin
. He... He had us go out and start telling people what the Aka Ryuu are doing so that an army of martial artists will show up to help you. He’s going to use that to try to frame you for the death of the Shogun.”

Andrea was silent for a moment, her head tilting to hide her eyes in shadow behind her bangs. “So if we fail every
ronin
in Hinomoto is going to be hunted down like a dog and killed? That’s what you’re saying?” Andrea’s fists were clenched at her sides, her knuckles white and her fingernails threatening to break through the skin on her palms.

Foxfire’s eyes softened. “In essence, yes.”

She hesitated again. “Alright then. I guess it’s official– we can’t fail. It’s not an option anymore. I’ll just have to take Yasakuto down a few pegs.”

“Please be careful, Andrea. You know how he–“
Andrea cut Foxfire off with a cold glare. “I know,” she snarled.

Foxfire looked like he was a small boy that had just been admonished by a teacher. The expression on his face made Andrea’s features soften up slightly. “Sorry. We should both get going,” she said with a small nod. “Take care of yourself, Foxfire.” She held out her hand to him.

Foxfire took her hand in his and squeezed it. “You do the same, Tiger.”

 

It was awhile before the Aka Ryuu got back to the mall. They had agreed to split up into small groups and head back at different times so as not to arouse suspicion. Andrea had been more quiet than usual and seemed jumpy, as though she was expecting something bad to happen at any second. It wasn’t long before Kanjou pulled her aside in a short hallway to talk to her.

“Is everything alright? You’re acting strange.”

She bit her tongue, unsure how much she wanted to share with Kanjou. Ever since her talk with Foxfire, she’d been nervous. There was a spy among them, after all.

But honestly, Tiger..
Kanjou
?? He can’t be a traitor, he’s too idealistic...

 

“Well?” He raised a dark brown eyebrow at her.

 

“I talked to Foxfire,” she said, her voice low, “He told me something disturbing.”

 

Now both of Kanjou’s eyebrows raised, but he waited for her to continue.

“We have a traitor in the Aka Ryuu. Foxfire told me that this person set us up at the Warehouse, and has been feeding Daimyo Yasakuto information on our plans and whereabouts. And I think I may know who it is.”

Kanjou was too shocked to say anything. He stared at Andrea with his mouth agape, not sure if he was hearing her correctly. He tried to sputter out a question, but couldn’t seem to form any words.

“I think it may be D,” stated the silver-haired girl with finality.

Kanjou let out a laugh. “Are you kidding?” he finally managed to say. “You think D is a traitor? He hates the government, Andrea, and he’s crazy about you.”

“Which is exactly my point! Let’s look at the evidence, okay?” She started ticking off points on her fingers. “Some guy that he claims is half his soul shows up and attacks me, and D just happens to be right around the corner to save me. He’s the one who suggested we go to the Shark’s Den, even though I didn’t want to go there. He tripped the alarm at the Warehouse with his falling stunt. And most importantly, when the temple burned down, the last time I saw him he was holding a lighter. Let’s not even get in to the fact that he’s been trying to get all cozy with me lately– trying to find out my weaknesses, no doubt!”

Kanjou couldn’t help but laugh, which made Andrea scowl. “Andrea, I think you’re taking D’s advances a little too seriously. And I think Foxfire’s being paranoid. We’ve got a good group here.”

“Yeah, but how much do we really know about D!? He showed up out of nowhere, he acts strangely, and he’s
way
too interested in me. Plus he’s got this crazy story about the government breaking his soul in half? Sounds a little too fantastic for me.”

“More ‘fantastic’ than the
Kemono?
”

 

Andrea opened her mouth to respond, but abruptly closed it again and looked away. She couldn’t think of an answer for that.

“Kanjou! Andrea! Come on! Dinner’s ready!” called Fushi from down the hall. Andrea scowled as she and Kanjou exchanged one final glance.

“Alright, Andrea, I’ll keep an eye on him. But I still think that if we do have a dissenter in our ranks, it’s not D,” he said before he turned to walk away.