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Part XXI – The Void and
The Job
A pounding on the
suite’s front door jarred Momotaru awake. He arose from the sofa in the hotel’s
living room. His mind rifled through the list of names that might be
responsible for the banging. Before he could reach the front door, he heard the
click and beep of a key card swiping. The small light on the door changed from
red to green and the anger on Momotaru’s face dissipated as he heard the
announcement from outside the room.
“The Mayor of High Garden Clearing, Sir Pengar Warren
the Third, has requested an audience.”
To Momotaru’s surprise, the mayor was not the first
person to walk inside of the room. Several soldiers rushed in, lasguns drawn
and pointed directly at him. He dared not move. They were wearing dark visors. One
searched him from head to toe. The other four kept their weapons targeted on
Momotaru. Red dots lingered on every one of his vital areas.
After the guards were certain that Momotaru held no
weapons, one turned around and nodded to the mayor while the other guards
continued into the hotel suite.
Momotaru yelled out, “Looks like we have some
important company!”
The mayor walked down the hallway and stopped a few
meters in front of Momotaru. “That was a good idea,” said the mayor with a
smile showing through his thick grey beard. “We wouldn’t want any
misunderstandings between my men and your little gang of fighting girls now…
would we.”
Momotaru bristled silently at the smile plastered
across the mayor’s chubby little face. His cheeks were bright pink. The smell
of liquor wafted from his tongue, despite the fact that it was barely past the
crack of dawn.
Kya was the first to appear in the living room. She ran
towards the hallway. “What’s happening Lord Momotaru?”
“It seems like the mayor is paying us a visit,”
Momotaru replied with a forced smile. “Just as we discussed last night.”
“So you were expecting me then?” asked Mayor Warren.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Momotaru walked into the
living and took a seat. “Let’s just say that I like to try and plan for every
possible eventuality.”
“Well then, let us see if you have planned for this eventuality,” said Mayor Warren. He
took a seat at the bar stool that connected the living room to the kitchen. He
nodded to one of his assistants who disappeared out of the room and around the
corner. The assistant returned with someone that Momotaru had not seen for a
long time; his father Takeshi Hakizimana. The two men eyed each other nervously
but remained silent as the elder Hakizimana took a seat next to Mayor Warren.
One of the mayor’s attendants rifled through the
cabinets and brought out a clear plastic cup. Another attendant pulled a small
bottle of liquor from the mini-bar. The mayor was soon sipping at his beverage,
ice softly clinking.
In moments, the rest of Momotaru’s assassin sisters
left their rooms and scattered around the living room and kitchen with scowls
on their faces. Even Iris Longwing and Arif Zahur were forced to leave the
master bedroom, having taken seats next to the mayor.
Momotaru eyed them cautiously.
“Since you’ve met my associates,” said Mayor Warren
with a sweeping hand gesture that took in his two old friends. “I hope that you
have had enough time to consider the offer that has been presented to you.”
It was obvious that Momotaru had not prepared for
this. Although he held his shock from showing on his face, everyone in the room
could tell that the atmosphere had shifted. The assassin sisters tensed as they
shifted their weight from one foot to another. The guards tightened their grip
on their weapons.
Before Momotaru could parse his lips to respond, Iris
leaned forward and hurriedly spoke into the uncomfortable silence. “Actually,
I’m glad that you brought that up Pengar. I haven’t had a chance to give him
the proposal. Things got a little… heated
last night but I’m sure that once he hears this wonderful offer he’ll have no
choice but to agree.”
“Fine,” said the mayor, not bothering to hide his
frustration. “How would you like a job working for me?”
“Let me take a guess,” said Momotaru facing his
father with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow. “This is all your doing isn’t it
old man? You’ve been keeping an eye on me from the moment I left your luxurious
prison.”
The elder Hakizimana laughed. “How exactly do you
think that I’ve been able to keep tabs on you?”
Momotaru froze. A scowl crawled its way onto his face.
He looked around the room. His gaze fell on his group of female assassins. When
he looked to the leader of the sisters, Kya, she could not meet his eyes and
lowered her head. Before he could question her, the blaring sirens and klaxons
from speakers that surrounded the city erupted with a deafening sound. A
warning quickly followed the alert.
“We are under attack. This is not a drill. High
Garden Clearing is under attack.”
Everyone in the room jumped to attention.
Momotaru was the only one who did not fully
understand what that meant.
“The
Ura are attacking us… again,” said Mayor Warren. “This is the job that I wanted
to hire you for… so what do you say?” 
