A Demon's Lapse

Nora was claustrophobic hiding underneath luggage in the back of the SUV, not knowing exactly where it was headed. Hours earlier, she managed to sneak aboard the plane Matsuda and his men took to Hong Kong. Being cramped in the cargo hold and now the back of this car was starting to wear her down but she kept reminding herself of her mission. How exactly she would complete it without getting caught? She didn't know. What mattered was seeing it through to the end.

She overheard Matsuda and the others speak about needing to stop by some house first. All Nora could do was look out the window from below and look at the stars in the night sky through a small gap of the luggage bags. After a long drive, they arrived at the aforementioned house. The men all got out of the car.

"Let's get the bags out," one of them said.

Nora's chest tightened, she would surely be caught.

"That can wait, let's go," Matsuda interrupted.

Nora sighed in relief. She waited a bit to get up and look around. The house was a large Western-style mansion. On the other side of the car, Nora was entertained by a large sculptured fountain that was lit up in an array of colors. Water crashed down onto statues of half-nude women holding chalices and vases. Having so much wealth like Kiyohira did was unfathomable to her. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the men returning and quickly hid back under the luggage.

From what Nora heard, the plan was to apprehend the guy and take him back to the house for questioning. She wanted to talk to him first before they got to him though. As they were driving, Nora suddenly got the urge to sneeze. Trying her best to hold it in, she couldn't help it.

"Achoo!!"

"Who was that?"

Nora winced.

"Someone's in here," said another. They quickly stopped the car.

"Search the back," Matsuda ordered.

Opening the trunk and moving all the bags out of the way, they found Nora with her hands up, nervously saying, "Hey, guys!"

Nora sat in the back of the car, looking at the city lights of Hong Kong. She had her elbow on the arm rest, her hand holding her face. She always wanted to travel the world, however, not under these circumstances.

After Matsuda yelled at her earlier demanding to know how she got there, Nora explained herself.

"Listen, I know I wasn't supposed to come but if I had asked I wouldn't have been allowed to! I need to talk to this guy! It's for my sister," she explained.

"Miss, not only have you compromised the mission, the boss will have my neck for this," Matsuda admonished her.

"I'll take the blame then but please Mr. Matsuda, let me talk to him," Nora pleaded.

He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Alright, but you do exactly as I say, understood," he said and she nodded.

As they arrived the nightlife district, the bright neon lights overwhelmed Nora. Everything was cast with reddish-orange shade. The streets were packed so they had to park a couple blocks away from their destination. Shinji, Matsuda's second-in-command, pulled out a tablet showing a map of the area. Next to it was a picture of Nakano. It was the first time she saw what he looked like, the man responsible for she and her sister's woes. Her blood boiled at the sight of his smug face. He pointed at a place called "Club K54".

"This is where he is," he said.

As they were getting out of the car, Nora opened the door and stepped out, only for Matsuda to block her path, "No, you need to wait here, it's too dangerous!"

He wouldn't hear her protests and ordered the driver to keep an eye on her.

Nora sat back down with her arms crossed, frustrated. The driver was the biggest of all Kiyohira's men. He never spoke and always had the same stoic face.

"So, how do you like your career," she asked him.

He glanced her and then looked away. At least she tried. A few moments had passed and they hadn't returned. She wondered what was happening. Did they find him? She grew increasingly impatient and restless. Then she noticed a man running past the car and she immediately recognized him. Nakano!

Without thinking, she jumped out of the car and ran after him. Quickly exiting the car, the driver finally spoke, demanding she return to no avail. In the middle of a crowded street, hordes of tourists and party goers acted like hedges in a garden maze. Pushing through them, she barely kept sight of the fugitive.

A deluge of lights and sounds enveloped Nora as she followed Nakano through several buildings, not letting him out of her sight. This guy must've been an Olympic runner or something. Crash! He threw nearby objects in her path to slow her down. Crates filled with empty glass bottles and knocked-over trash cans littered the path forward. Angry bystanders yelled and clamored.

The fugitive ran into a door at the end of a narrow alley. Music blared through the dark club with the only lights coming from dim colorful lights. It took awhile for Nora's eyes to adjust. She managed to see Nakano slip into the crowd of club goers. As she made her way through the crowd, a man put his hands on her and pulled her in for a dance. She tried pushing him away but he held onto her.

"Let me go," she shouted at the man, unsure if he was able to hear because of the music. In the corner of her eye, she saw Nakano getting away. If she didn't break away now, she'd lose him. Having no choice, she kneed the guy in the crotch, making him collapse. Nakano escaped into the bar next door and ran into the door leading into the back. Arriving in a steamy kitchen in the back of a restaurant, Nakano grabbed a metal shelf full of cooking supplies and brought it down.

Slam! Clang!

Nora's struggled with gravity, avoiding tumbling over the trap set before her. Emerging victoriously, she made it over, barely.

Busting through the backdoor, Nora was met with Nakano, standing at the edge of a balcony. As if he were an acrobat, he leaped onto the next building over. Feeling impressed by this feat but at the same time annoyed, she was stuck. Hopping over small obstacles was one thing, but onto a different building? That was something entirely different. As she watched the escapee make his way off the roof of the next building, she thought to herself, all of this couldn't have been for naught. Running back to gain momentum, she felt courage run through her body like an electric current and leapt onto the building. As if everything were in slow motion, she watched her body clumsily make her away above the street below, unsure if she was going to make the landing.

Only Nora's hands reached the building, clinging desperately on the ledge. She dangled there, legs flailing around. The street was five stories below so if she fell, she'd be a goner. Looking up, she saw her fingers trying to dig into the concrete. It was either up or down. She grimaced, commanding her arms to lift herself onto the roof. Her arms would not thank her tomorrow. Kicking her right leg up, she wrapped it around the ledge, pushing herself atop. Her sore hands were called to action once more as she pushed herself up. The old fire escape made a loud rattling sound as Nakano jumped down. As he eyed the alley below, a black shadow appeared right above him. Unable to see what it was, he was knocked onto his back, feeling the harsh wrought iron against his skin. Nora held onto him tightly.

"Get off me," he yelled, struggling underneath Nora.

A knee to the stomach knocked her over. Escaping her grasp, Nakano continued his escape, however he felt a pull on his left leg. The steadfast girl gripped onto for dear life. Trying to shake her off, he lost his balance and fell backwards down the stairs like a ragdoll thrown away by an angry child.

"Oh my god," Nora screamed in shock, not meaning to brutally injure the man.

Face down, he lay motionless at the foot of the stairs where she ran over to make sure he was still alive. Turning him face up, she found him to be breathing. Phew!, she let out. Matsuda and the others arrived, gathering around Nora and the fugitive.

"Why are you here? I told you to stay put," he scolded.

"You're welcome," she said, standing aside, as one of the men lifted and carried Nakano away.

The fluorescent tubes flickered as Nakano awoke tied to a chair in a windowless room, filled with clear tarp-covered boxes and other miscellaneous items. Nora appeared in front of him.

"Who the hell are you," he asked her.

"I'm the one asking questions here," she told him.

"You dated my sister, Rosario Ramírez, and then you abandoned her. She cares about you. Do you have any idea of the mess you put us into," she glared at him.

He chuckled at her, "They sent some girl to talk to me?"

"Answer me! Did you love my sister," she demanded.

"Baby, I've met a lot of girls, I don't keep track," he said dismissively. Nora's body filled with rage. Slap!

"What the fuck was that for, you fucking bitch," Nakano yelled.

"My sister was worried about you and you used her," she yelled back.

"Oh yeah, I remember now. Rosario, the Latin mami. She's extremely hot but wouldn't put out. Not my thing," he answered mockingly.

"You're a disgusting piece of trash and I hope you rot in hell, asshole," she snapped.

Rosie was heartbroken over this man when she deserved better. Nora called Matsuda over. "I'm done here," she said and left the room. Nakano's screams echoed throughout the staircase leading out of the basement.

Waiting in the lavish parlor of the mansion, Nora sat with her face in her hands. They would return to the island after they were done "questioning" the man. Her heart ached for her sister as she debated on whether to tell her anything about what she found out. She would be extremely devastated to find out that she was only one of many playthings of his.

Sometime later, the men entered the parlor and Matsuda said that they were finished. Nora didn't want to know anything about it and just wanted to leave.