The Ghost Within BOOK 2⃣

Chapter 2

Japanese Bureau Intelligence HQ, Tokyo.

[8:46AM]

{Director}-[looking at data pages with sips of coffee]” Hmm. Squad F seems to be in rapid progress. What’s the secret behind this progress of yours, Inspector Uriyu.”

{Tachibana}-[smiles]” Fruit of squad F’s hard work and the new recruit and of course their great Chief’s effort.”

{Director}-” I don’t know who your sources are, but no one thinks of you as a great Chief. If anything, they call you Chief squad Failure.”

{Tachibana}-[emotionally hurt]” That’s a rude thing to say, Chief Director. Squad F has broken through. From Squad Failure to Squad Fantastic, I assure you.”

{Director}-[doubtful]” The way assured me getting Toma Hisugi over 13 times this month?”

{Tachibana}-[ashamed]” What matters is not the number of failures, Chief but the results. I mean Einstein failed 99times.”

{Director}-[silly gaze]” Einstein had all the time in the world, I don’t.”

{Tachibana}-[head down in shame]

{Director}-” How is the recruit cooping?”

{Tachibana}-[blatant lie]” He’s doing well, he was the one who even apprehended Toma Hisugi after I was done roughing him up.”

{Director}-[sarcasm]” So I heard.”

{Tachibana}-[sedate looks]” He’s just having a little difficulty in adjusting to the way we do things here in JBI(Japanese Bureau Intelligence). He’s too used to the violent methods of the JCI(Japanese Crime Intelligence).”

{Director}-[adjusts his glasses]” Take care of the boy Uriyu. We owe his father a huge and unpayable debt .”

{Tachibana}-” Understood Chief.”

{Director}-” You’re dismissed.”

JBI Quarters, Tokyo.

[9:03AM]

{Ren}-[starving]” Kiara is breakfast still not ready, I’m dying.”

{Kiara}-[setting up table]” Calm down, queen gluttony.”

{Ren}-[ashamed]” You--.”

{Hina}-[takes a seat at the table]” The atmosphere sure looks lively today.”

{Kiara}-” Not with Ren trying to swallow me.”

{Hina}-[laughs]

{Ren}-[sights Hide]” Come take a seat, Hide.”

{Hide}-” So you can poison me properly this time around? Thanks, I think I’m good.”

{Kiara}-[confused along with Hina]” Poison???”

{Ren}-[plays smart by laughing]” God what a lively morning everybody is full of good energy, that’s great.”

{Hide}-[takes a seat at the table]

{Hina}-[passes a cup of tea to Hide with a smile]

{Hide}-[snubs Hina]” No coffee?”

{Ren}-[shocked]” And when did you start doing caffeine?”

{Kiara}-[desperate]” I can make one for you now Hide.”

{Hide}-[gets up and walks out]” Don’t bother.”

{Kiara}-[sad]” Okay.”

{Ren}-” It seems things aren’t working yet, mama G2.”

{Hina}-[walks after Hide in anger]

[outdoors]

{Hina}-”Hide!!”

{Hide}-[snubs Hina]

{Hina}-[grabs his arm]” In case you forgot, that is your mother you’re treating like that. Some of us aren’t lucky enough to have our mothers still around.”

{Hide}-” Quite unfortunate for us, RIP to our parents.”[ tries getting Hina of him]

{Hina}-[clings on even harder]

{Hide}-[vulgar]” Let go of me s*x girl or do I look like a customer so much?”

{Hina}-[headbutts Hide’s chest gently]” I’m sorry for being stubborn and careless last night.”

{Hide}-[nonchalant]” As if I care.”

{Hina}-[retracting his statement to Tachibana with a funny voice]” We never agreed about you involving people close to me.”

{Hide}-[annoyed]” Close doesn’t mean care to me. Get off me you troll.”

{Hina}-” You’re a bad liar.”[tries wrapping her arms around Hide]

{Hide}-[coldly takes off Hina's arms off him]” I’ve got work, I’m stepping out.”

{Hina}-[emotionally hurt as she watches Hide walk away]

{Kiara]-[eavesdropping with Ren]” Ren shift a little, I can’t see them.”

{Ren}-[struggling]” The space is too tight.”

{Hina}-[walks indoors]” He’s gone no need.”

{Kiara}-[ashamed]” Oh Hina I was just telling Ren eavesdropping is a bad thing to do.

{Ren}-[soliloquy]” Unbelievable old woman.”

{Hina}-[confused]” Why is it so hard for him to communicate.”

{Kiara}-[off point]” It's okay Hina it happens all the time. The first child is always the troublesome one. You guys just have to make peace with the fact that it’s time to grow the family.”

{Hina}-[more confused]” What??”

{Ren}-[pulls away Kiara with disbelieve]” You’re a lost old lady Kiara.Let’s go.”

{Kiara}-” What? Did I say anything wrong?”

JBI Headquarters

[10:00AM]

{Lira}-[intimidation]” We sanction late comers here, just saying.”

{Hide}-” You can have my wages to get some female cosmetics, just saying.”[walks in]

{Lira}-[angry]” You son of a bit--”

{Tachibana}-[laughs]” Easy on your Seniors, Hide.”

{Hide}-[snubs Tachibana]

{Tachibana}-” The Chief Director wants to see you.”

{Hide}-” Where can I find him?”

{Tachibana}-” Come with me.”

[Chief Director’s Office]

{Tachibana}-[sighs]” Where did the old man run off to?”

{Director}-[steps in]” Who are you calling old man Tachibana?”

{Tachibana}-[startled]” Oh boss, how are you doing today.”

{Director}-” We already met today you idiot.”

{Tachibana}-[changes the topic swiftly]” This is the new recruit.”

{Director}-” I asked you to take care of him not bring him to me you idiot.”

{Tachibana}-[pushes Hide]” Take a seat.”

{Hide}-[takes a seat speechlessly]

{Tachibana}-” He should know everything, Chief.”

{Director}-[lets out a heavy breath]” Uriyu you idiot.”

{Hide}-[confused]” Know what exactly?”

{Director}-” Your father Saito worked for us as an informant inside the JCI when we found out about the illegal ghost project. Sadly, he died working for us. No, rather we let him die on duty. I can’t find enough words to ask you and your family for forgiveness, but still Hideoshi Asano I ask for you to forgive the entire JBI for our shortcoming in saving a good man.”

{Hide}-” You knew him as a good man, I didn’t. I couldn’t care any more or less about what transpired between you guys because I wasn’t there. I’m not here to finish what he started.I just want to get someone important back from some powerful people. Maybe you should try asking his wife for forgiveness.

So, forgiveness is out of the question.

The question though is can you give me what I need?”

[outside the Director’s office]

{Tachibana}-[walking with Hide]” That was some heat in there boy, not everyone gets to talk to the chief like that and live.”

{Hide}-” He doesn’t look like a hot head.”

{Tachibana}-” Don’t be fooled by his looks, he’s a demon.”

{Hide}-” Thank you.”

{Tachibana}-[prideful]” For what exactly? Dropping Hina-chan home last night? Or bringing you into the light of your past?”

{Hide}-[annoyed]” Both.”

{Tachibana}-[smiles full of himself]” Don’t mention your big brother is here for you always.”

{Hide}-[ nods his head in disbelieve]

[phone rings]

{Hide}-[picks up an unknown number call on speaker]

{Caller}-” It’s been a while boy.”

{Hide}-[clueless]” Who is this?”

{Caller}-” It doesn’t matter for now. Your little b***h says Hi.”

{Hide}-” You have the wrong person,goodbye.”

{Caller}-[Hina’s desperate voice on the line]” Hide I’m sorry, I just went out to store and they--”

{Hide}-[anxious]” Hina-Hina!!”

{Caller}-” Is this still the wrong person?”

{Hide}-[agitated]” Who are you?”

{Caller}-” You’ve been following me all day yesterday, and you already forgot.”

{Hide}-[catches on]” The Courier. What do you want?”

{Caller}-” You took an important client yesterday.”

{Hide}-” Where are we meeting?”

{Caller}-” A sharp boy, but I can’t make it that easy for you.”

{Tachibana}-” Hide we can’t.”

{Hide}-[ignores Tachibana’s warning]” What do you mean?”

{Caller}-” You need to find me yourself before the deal takes place. Oh, and you’ve got 3 hours if you want her back in one piece.”

{Hide}-[furious]” How do I find you in Japan in only 3 hours?”

{Caller}-[laughs]” Don’t worry I give you my word I will remain in Tokyo all through."

{Hide}-[desperate]” How do I take a word of a man I don’t know?”

{Caller}-” That’s your problem, G2.”

{Hide}-[shocked]” How do you know my name?”

{Caller}-” Tic toc.”[hangs up the phone]

{Tachibana}-[looks at Hide]” Fantastic.”

CHAPTER 2

The Call

Characters and Words

Director-Chief Director of JBI

Caller-The Courier

JBI- Japanese Bureau Intelligence