Soul Drive: Ignition

The air in the greenhouse was thick with tension, Hiro tried his best not to make any sudden movements as Masumi held him at knifepoint. Ai remained frozen in place, her whole body shaking. Her own gaze flickered between the knife at his neck and her friend holding it, her mind unable to process the events unfolding around her.

"Enough of this," Nori spat out, the frustration boiling in his green eyes as he removed the VR headset from his bag. "I'll kill her without harming Hiro."

"Put it down, Nori," Naomi ordered, her voice calm and commanding. She knocked his arm aside. Her sharp green eyes were fixed on the scene as if amused by Masumi's attempt to take control of the situation.

"Damn it, Naomi, we have our orders! Take out the mole." Nori's jaw clenched as he put the headset away. He ran his fingers through his hair as he started to pace the floor, he wanted to kill Masumi more and more with each passing second. "If she"—he jabbed a finger towards Masumi—" or the damn Canadians kill him, not even you will be able to stop me,"

Naomi smirked as she listened to Nori's angry rant. "This girl is just trying to act like she has some control in all of this. They used her grief to get what they wanted. What I want to know is who is really in charge and we need her alive to do that,"

"Oh please," Hiro said, his voice surprisingly steady given his precarious situation. He swallowed carefully, feeling the cool blade shift against his skin. "Look at us, Nori. She's just collecting more data on us. She has been doing it from the moment she walked in, learning to read us and predict our reactions."

Naomi's smile widened at Hiro's observation. "Clever boy," she praised, though her eyes remained calculating and cold. "Knowledge is true power after all. Knowing your enemy ensures you can out with them in the field and secure your own survival."

Nori's hands bunched into fists, as Masumi looked back toward the barricaded door once more. "You two still have time to leave," she warned, "They will kill you if they have to."

"We're not going anywhere," Naomi mused aloud, a hint of amusement colouring her tone. "Do you think we didn't come with our own weapons? I’m rather looking forward to meeting these Canadian Machs. More data is always welcome."

"Masumi you have no idea what you have put yourself in the middle of, you and Ai are the ones who need to get out of here," Hiro said, trying to reason with her, even as the edge of the knife threatened to cut his argument short.

"I said stay back, Nori," Naomi instructed, catching his movement from the corner of her eye. "Company is coming and I would hate for them to walk in on a mess."

"I'm getting tired of waiting" Nori muttered under his breath, his stare switching between Naomi and Masumi. "I can take of this and the Mach pilot." The thought of killing them both flashed through his mind, a dark whisper that promised to save Hiro. But he remembered the tracking device implanted in him, his hand reaching for the back of his neck on its own. Naomi's gaze weighed heavily on him as decided to listen to her instructions for now.

Ai's hands trembled, barely able to contain the whirlpool of betrayal and confusion that spun within her. "Masumi, why did you bring Kazuki and me here if you knew... if you knew this was a trap?" Her voice cracked, pleading for an answer that would make sense of the situation.

"Because it had to be a group idea," Masumi said, her grip on the knife unwavering as she kept it pressed against Hiro's throat. "Hiro needed to believe it was something we all planned for him. The Canadians..." She paused, swallowing hard. "They promised no harm would come to anyone but Hiro."

"No harm?" Ai's brow furrowed. "But Kazuki—"

"Kazuki was an accident, Hiro wasn't supposed to spot the wire," Masumi interrupted, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"They shot him, Masumi" Ai said, her eyes welling with tears. "You used us! You were never our friend—you manipulated my feelings for Hiro... you led Kazuki into the line of fire!" Tears stung Ai's eyes, but her gaze remained locked with Masumi's. "If Hiro is a monster then you are no better."

"Shut up!" Masumi shouted, a single tear escaping from the corner of her eye. "Hiro is the murderer, not me! He could never love someone like you!"

Nori, who had been silent, now felt his annoyance turn into something else at the thought of Ai with Hiro. 'She's a fool,' he thought to himself. 'Hiro could never love someone so weak.' He glanced at Ai, who broke down bawling after Masumi's harsh words.

"Stop crying and clear the barricade," Masumi commanded, as her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. "Do it now, or I'll end him."

With trembling hands, Ai moved to obey, shifting debris and clearing the path. Masumi turned towards Naomi and Nori. "This is your last chance to leave alive."

Naomi almost looked like she was about to laugh at the suggestion. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere. Your little display of power is quite amusing, Masumi Nakamura." Her voice was laced with condescension, her confidence unshaken despite the standoff.

The cool night air rushed in as Ai, with tear-stained cheeks and quivering lips, pushed aside the last of the tangled vines that blockaded the greenhouse entrance. Headlights from the outside world spilled over the dewy interior and illuminated the group. As soon as the opening was wide enough, a group of Canadian agents, led by the imposing figure of Hisoka, swept into the space.

"Unexpected company," Hisoka remarked, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Naomi and Nori. Her gaze lingered on Hiro, who stood, his back rigid, he was taking her in even with the knife pressed to his throat. Without hesitation, two of her agents seized Ai's arms, securing them behind her with cold, metallic cuffs. The sound echoed through the greenhouse as they secured the thrashing girl.

"Naomi Shimizu," Hisoka said, feigning surprise, "What brings you all the way out here?"

"Stupidity isn't a good look on you, Hisoka," Naomi replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know exactly why we're here."

From the corner, Nori clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "So what exactly is our plan now?" he growled. His green eyes counted the agents inside the building, making note of each other their movements.

Hisoka chuckled, overhearing Nori's question. "Yes, what exactly was your plan here? Right now, I have all the cards and a very special guest."

As if on cue, one of the agents slipped outside, only to return moments later with Kazuki in tow. Bandages wrapped around his torso, and handcuffs restrained his wrists, as they dragged him toward the center of the room. A collective gasp rose from the group—none louder than Hiro's, who couldn't help but feel relieved that Kazuki survived the shot.

"Kazuki, you're alive?" Hiro murmured, disbelief painted over his features.

"Well, of course, he is," Hisoka purred. "We ensured the shot wasn't fatal. It was quite shocking to see you leave your so-called friend to save yourselves." She tossed an accusing glance at the stunned faces of Hiro and Ai.

"How nice of you to spare the boy," Naomi interjected coolly. "But are you actually planning on letting any of them go? Please remember these are Japanese citizens and you are on Japanese soil."

"I wouldn't dream of causing an international incident," Hisoka stated, a wolfish grin spreading across her face. "I have Hiro and once we are a suitable distance from here, you will get a call informing you where you can pick up your citizens. Nobody dies and you get to tell your Prime Minister that the rogue is taken care of."

Hiro, still under the threat of Masumi's blade, caught Nori's eye. He could tell this whole situation was getting to Nori, his hands were twitching closer to his bag. Hisoka's hold on the situation might seem ironclad, but something like that never stopped Nori before, Hiro just worried Nori's rash decision-making would get someone killed.

"Unfortunately that won't work," Naomi began, genuinely surprising Hisoka, "I need Hiro alive, I have some questions and I believe he is the only one who can answer them. we'll have to find another way to settle this—an intellectual challenge, perhaps?"

"You can't be serious," Hisoka mused, shaking her head in disbelief. "You won't make it out of here unless you take my deal."

"You may not recognize my friend here out of the armour," Naomi explained, "This is Mach 2, you might remember him from the destruction of your embassy. Now he is doing everything he can to hold himself back but taking Hiro will result in him losing it. Fighting at close range has never been your strong suit. So you really hold no cards here, we share an equal risk of dying here today."

"So how do you suggest we settle this," Hisoka observed, now eyeing Nori as if he could strike at any moment. "Even with Mach two, you are outnumbered. I like my chances," Hisoka gave her troops a nod and they began to move toward the door.

Naomi's voice stopped them in their tracks, cool and unyielding. "Leaving? Hardly an option." She tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear and regarded Hisoka with a steady gaze. "Three reasons: First, if you step one foot out that door, I will allow Nori to do whatever he wants to your men. Second, the entire Japanese government is fully aware of all this. And third," she motioned subtly to Hiro, whose clenched fists spoke volumes, "He is far too valuable to let go of."

Hisoka's eyes narrowed as she processed Naomi's words, the undercurrent of risk suddenly palpable. The greenhouse had suddenly become a prison, where only one group could escape.

"Both governments want Hiro gone," Hisoka finally conceded, her tone laced with a strategist's respect. "So we need to settle this in a way that results in the fewest number of casualties."

"Agreed," Naomi nodded along. "I do have a suggestion for how we get out of this; a simple game of deduction. the prize being Hiro. Though I concede Hiro is... inconvenient for us both."

"And what exactly does this game of yours entail?," Hisoka asked, the slightest quiver betraying her confidence. "How can we be sure that the other side will play fair."

"It is a simple intellectual gamble," Naomi suggested, the hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "A test of mettle. We both hide a coin, ask questions, and then guess where it lies. The winner takes Hiro, loser gets a souvenir—a bullet-torn swatch of his clothes—to wave as a false flag of triumph."

"So either way Hiro is taken care of, no one dies and we can both claim responsibility for it," Hisoka mused, a reluctant grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I accept your challenge."

"Excellent," Naomi replied, her sharp green eyes glinting. "Let's see if I can find us a couple of coins."

As Naomi started to search her pockets, Nori rushed up next to her, the tension in his shoulders visible through his fitted black jacket. "You can't just go and bet Hiro on some stupid game," he spat, trying to control his own rage. "We can't trust her. She's just playing with us until she decides to kill us,"

"Relax," Naomi replied with an air of nonchalance, brushing his hand from her sleeve. Her gaze never left Hisoka. "I'm on your side lover boy, remember?"

"I don't love him," Nori snapped back, his green eyes flaring. "I just... Hiro deserves to live. Out of everybody here, he is the one that deserves to walk out of this."

"Of course, he does," Naomi agreed softly, her green eyes meeting Nori's in a rare moment of sincerity before she finally freed some coins from her pocket. She turned to Hisoka with a smile, displaying the coins, "Well? Who should go first?"

Hisoka exhaled slowly, as she eyed the coins as if they were bombs about to go off. With a nod that seemed to concede more than mere agreement, she said, "Fine. But we go at the same time. And any interference of any kind is a forfeit." Her purple hair shimmered as she stepped forward, her gray eyes locked on Naomi. "One on one, you and me."

"Agreed," Naomi responded crisply. "A simple test of wits and observation. We each hide a coin, exchange five questions, and then make our guesses. Winner takes all."

"Done," Hisoka affirmed, but as she glided past one of her agents, her voice dropped to a whisper meant for his ears alone, "Be ready to take the shot when I give you my signal."

Naomi caught the motion, her sharp senses missing nothing within the glass confines. "Having a pleasant conversation over there," she called out, loud enough for all to hear, "You shouldn't be wasting your time, we have coins to hide."

The two women stood facing each other, both scheming against the other, Hisoka gave a small wave before heading out to hide her coin, and Naomi gave Nori a knowing look—a keep your eyes on Hiro look—before backing into the greenhouse to do the same.