Silence In Numbers: File One, page 31
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There was a very large number of soldiers outside of the hospital, dozens even. Katsumi noticed this as the SIN car she’d taken screamed around the last corner, tires squealing as she kept her foot on the gas and barreled towards the building. It wasn’t a stealthy approach and they all unloaded their weapons on the car, but it was pretty well enforced. Katsumi threw herself down and lay across the seats as gunfire shattered her windshield and windows, tearing apart the tops of the seats and making dozens of dents in the hood. Rainwater sprayed into the car from the newly-opened windows but she kept her foot on the gas and her hand on the wheel, steering the car for the glass doors to the lobby. Soldiers dived out of the way as the dark grey car blew past them, leaving the smell of burning rubber behind as it smashed through the glass doors and sent yet more glass and shrapnel everywhere.
Katsumi opened the door and dropped out of the car behind it as the soldiers inside the lobby began firing on the car. She couldn’t handle all the soldiers outside, though, and they were coming, so she didn’t have time to hang around and pick off the ones in here with her pistol. She grabbed the car door’s handle, slamming her foot into the door. The metal joining it to the car bent and groaned. She then slid back, growling as she threw her shoulder into the door and broke it off. She kept a grip on it, rushing forward as bullets pinged off the metal and the floor around her. She turned it vertical and fired around it, taking out two soldiers. She reached one and slammed him in the head with the car door, sending him to the ground. She then flung the door at another soldier, dropping him as well.
She took off down one of the hallways, ignoring the shooting behind her. I’m here, Ayane. Making my way to you as fast as I can. The elevator wasn’t going to work so she headed for the stairs. Four soldiers stood guard at the bottom and Katsumi shot two of them, but her pistol clicked on the third one, empty. Katsumi growled and flung it at the third one instead, dazing him as it hit his helmet. She went into a slide as the fourth soldier fired at her. She kicked his legs out and spun as she rose, catching his neck and driving his head up into the wall. She then spun to the recovering third soldier, grabbing his gun and jerking it to the side as he fired, then driving her elbow into his neck. As he backed off unable to breath, she flipped the gun in his grip, holding down the trigger and unloading its magazine into his chest.
As the soldier slipped to the ground Katsumi grabbed the other’s rifle and sprinted up the stairs. The next two soldiers were simply gunned down, but the magazine ran dry at the third. As he fired she leapt from the stairs onto the railing, then flipped upwards, landing her feet on his shoulders. As he staggered backwards under the weight she slipped one leg under his chin and the other behind his head, falling back until her hands touched down so she could use the momentum to flip him back over her head, snapping his neck as he hit the floor. She grabbed his gun next and continued running, knowing she had no time to waste as she could hear many, many soldiers coming behind her.
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Reno brought the chopper to a stop above the entrance to the Garrus Limited building, lowering it enough for Kurasano, Law and Rufus to drop out. Hitomi had remained at the SIN HQ, as they knew she wasn’t ready for something like this and would just be in danger. Sano really had no idea what to expect as he led Rufus and Law into the building. They were expecting soldiers, but the building was strangely empty. M informed them that sensors indicated something bad going on deeper inside the building, though, so they kept going. This building was in the middle of a densely populated area; if anything big happened here a lot of people would die, so they found themselves running.
It was in the building’s auditorium meant for big conferences and speeches that they found what they were looking for. The Shade they’d been after was something different now, almost humanoid in shape. It was composed of blue fire and energy, constantly flickering like a TV channel getting bad reception. It was huge, some twenty feet in height, standing on two thick legs with reverse-bent knees. Its arms were held slightly away from its body in an aggressive pose. Its head was angular, with two large horns jutting out from either side bent straight back and up. Two pits of cold fury in narrow shapes were its eyes, directing a burning hatred at the three men.
“That is… not good,” Law stated as he raised the large weapon in his hands.
“Our men will be here in a few minutes,” Rufus said. “If we can just hold it off-“
A booming laugh interrupted them and the demon, despite being faceless at the moment, seemed to smile. “You will be dead before then,” it said in a voice that was a deep rumbling and a high-pitched scream at the same time, unearthly in every respect. “You are the final obstacles between myself and physical manifestation. You will suffer and bow before Belphegor, the Lord of Opening!” A loud whine filled the air as the specter spread his arms and two massive shadowy wings spread out behind him.
Rufus adjusted his sunglasses, looking at the shade of the being before them. “It’s true, then… an Ancient One, one of the two hundred angels that followed Lucifer in his rebellion against God.”
“Don’t really care what he is,” Law said, readying his weapon.
“Law’s right, it doesn’t matter,” Sano said. “We have to kill him regardless.”
Belphegor didn’t bother paying attention to their words as a portal opened up on either side of him. Inhuman howls tore at their ears and abominations began to pour through the portals. The eyes of all three men went wide as they watched. They looked at each other, and then all three raised their weapons and voices at the same time, opening fire on the demons. This was a bad, bad situation, and the chance of survival dropped with every creature that stepped into their world. Sano could only hope their Captain was doing better, and could get here soon.
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Katsumi ducked beneath the barrel of a rifle, slamming her fist into the soldier’s stomach. She slipped behind him and lifted his arm, pulling the trigger on his weapon and shooting two of his allies. She curled her arm around his neck and snapped it before shoving him away and racing ahead. Blood sprayed out of a doorway ahead of her and her heart lightened as Ayane slid out of it. Blood coated the girl’s hair and clothing, but none of it seemed to be hers.
Katsumi reached her and caught her in a hug, feeling relief as well as Ayane returning it. They shared a smile before Katsumi looked over her shoulder. “There’s too many of them. We have to get to the roof and go from there.”
Ayane nodded. “The stairs up are mostly clear. We should be able to make good time. Should we do something to stall them, though?”
“Good idea,” Katsumi said as she looked around. They decided to move two desks into the stairwell, wedging one atop the other to block the doorway. It wouldn’t take more than a minute for the soldiers to clear it, but that was a minute without bullets at their heels. Knowing time was short the two sisters took off once more, racing up one flight of stairs after another side by side, panting for breath but making no stops. Both grew hopeful as the door to the roof finally came into view minutes later. Together they threw themselves into it, breaking through onto the roof.
Then they stopped.
Joseph stood in the rain with saber in hand and a lack of emotion on his face, graying brown hair soaked enough to show he’d been waiting for them. He used a single finger to wipe water from his glasses as if a bit bored. Ayane had her katana but they had no other weapons, no firearms. Both were tired, having just fought and sprinted their way up through the building with no breaks. Neither of them hesitated before charging the man with matched looks of determination and rage. Their steps fell into a rhythm, their muscles working in unison. Two steps before reaching him they shot apart and launched themselves at him from either side.
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At the SIN HQ, Hitomi paced back and forth in her room. She had been in the command center with M, but listening to the screams and sounds of violence over the radio had gotten to her. She hated that she couldn’t yet help any of them. She knew Katsumi and Ayane were in trouble, and she knew that Sano, Rufus and Law were all in trouble, too. Even Reno was in danger as he flew recon for the others, having to dodge demon attacks that could bring him down in a fiery crash.
And here Hitomi sat, unable to help, unable to do anything but wait. It was frustrating and it drove her crazy, but what could she do? She hoped and prayed that they would all make it back alive. She was broken out of her thoughts as M appeared in her doorway. “Miss Saizen, you seem upset.”
Hitomi jumped at his sudden appearance and didn’t bother hiding her emotion. “Of course I am! I’m just sitting here while they’re all out trying not to die, fighting to keep the city alive! Why wouldn’t I be upset?!”
M tilted his head. “I understand the feelings. That is actually why I’m here; they need your help. Would you like to come with me?”
She blinked. “What? Really? Are you… I mean, what can I do?”
“First Lieutenant Lionel asked for you himself. All of us must play our part, and it is time to play yours,” he said with a sly smile.
“Of course! I mean, yes! I’ll go!” Hitomi grinned, excited to be able to do something. She was supposed to be part of the team, wasn’t she? It was dangerous out there, but if they were all risking the danger, she wouldn’t shy away. “Lead the way!”
He nodded, folding his arms behind his back as he led her down the hallway and out of the building. Beneath the advanced disguise, Sigma smiled.
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“This is seriously not what I planned for,” Sano said as he fired his assault rifle at the oncoming hordes of demonic abominations. He, Rufus, Law, and the dozen or so remaining soldiers had all taken up positions near the entrance to the building, trying to contain the demon attack. It wasn’t working. Sano cursed and leapt backwards as a massive, twisted claw tore through the stone beside him. They had been overrun quickly and were outnumbered by at least three to one already.
They just weren’t able to cut them down quickly enough, and in here they were being slaughtered. He called for a retreat and all the survivors moved out into the streets. The sounds of gunfire, eerie howls and screams filled the air. Law brought his empty hand up, clasping it around a demon’s head. The seven-foot man slammed it into a wall, crushing its head with a satisfied grin. Another demon lunged at him and he swung his large gun like a club, smacking it out of the air. He set a foot on its back and unloaded into its body, spraying blood and limbs in all directions.
Rufus ducked, dodged and flipped around claws and teeth that sought to tear at him. He held a submachine gun in each hand, spraying their special imbued bullets into everything around. A particularly large demon attempted to grab him and he hopped up onto its arm, then onto its back, sticking one barrel against the back of its head and pulling the trigger, splattering whatever it had for brains onto the floor.
Sano, meanwhile, had taken a shotgun from one of the soldiers. He was less acrobatic than Rufus but he managed to evade their strikes all the same. An odd creature with three arms – one coming from its chest – managed to grab him and he jerked himself upwards, kicking up and striking its disturbingly human-like head under the chin. Setting his feet on its chest he shoved the shotgun under its chin and blasted its head away, freeing himself from the arms.
The fact that ordinary demons were once humans that had been sent to Hell made it difficult, sometimes, to kill them like that, especially when they still retained a face. Fortunately, the pure mutated horror of their twisted forms made it easier, almost a reflex even.
The battle spilled out across the streets and demons began going after civilians, as well, breaking into nearby buildings and running down cars. The screams coming from these unfortunate victims were the hardest to hear, but honestly there was nothing to be done. M informed him he was working on something to help, but Sano had no idea what that could be.
This was a nightmare. Hundreds of demons unleashed, soldiers dropping by the minute, innocents being slaughtered by each abomination they let past, and to top it off, they hadn’t heard from Katsumi at all. Whatever she was doing, the three SIN members hoped that neither she nor Ayane had been a casualty of this hellish night.
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Joseph brought his saber up to deflect Ayane’s katana and slapped Katsumi’s hand away at the same time. His eyes followed neither of them as he spun, slicing at his older daughter while his empty left hand curled into a fist and struck at his younger one. Katsumi ducked the blade and connected with a punch to his side; Ayane leaned to the side and curled her arm around her father’s, tossing her blade behind his back as his right arm swung his saber rapidly at Katsumi.
She caught her younger sister’s blade as it passed, whirling to block the strike that would have cut into her shoulder. Katsumi went into a defensive form to deflect his attacks as Ayane tightened her grip on his other arm, keeping him hindered and waiting. After several seconds of sparring with Katsumi he slid back, getting a footing and flinging Ayane at her sister. Both had anticipated this, however, and Katsumi threw the katana a few feet into the air, bracing her own feet and lifting her hands. Ayane turned in the air, aiming her feet for Katsumi. Her feet hit Katsumi’s hands and she caught her blade as it fell, shoving with her legs at the same time as Katsumi did with her arms. She flew back at Joseph and he turned to deflect her attack as she passed.
Katsumi slammed into him and took his legs out from under him as he was distracted but he spun rapidly and set his free hand on the ground, shooting both legs out to catch her around the waist. He yanked her from the ground and spun again, slamming her into the ground and stabbing down with his saber, managing to pierce her thigh and elicit a hiss of pain. As he stood he pulled his blade from her leg and kicked her, sending her bouncing across the roof. That angered Ayane beyond reason and she came at him with a vengeance, her blade darting in from every direction.
Joseph backed up as he fended off her attacks, still showing no emotion. He dodged a stab and grabbed her wrist, flinging her past him as Katsumi somehow came back already, throwing a punch at his face. He ducked it and slammed his own into her stomach, just as he had days before. The shock and pain it caused Katsumi was obvious, but he didn’t trust it to put her down again so as she fell past him he slammed his elbow into her back. The impact made her hit the roof so hard her body bounced off, flying a few more feet before landing again. Katsumi couldn’t breathe at all, couldn’t move; all she could do was struggle to achieve both, her fingers trying to grip the wet stone.
Joseph turned back to intercept the thrusting blade of his younger daughter, who appeared to be enraged at his treatment of her older sister. Her blade was fast and skilled, even managing to cut a few bits out of his longcoat and draw blood on his hand. She was getting better with each passing second which forced him to make a move. In a blur he was beside her, setting his hand over hers like a gentle father might in an ordinary family. He jerked his hand and broke her thumb, causing the sword to fall from Ayane’s hand as she gave a cry of pain.
He used her wrist to yank her body towards him as he drove a knee up into her stomach, lifting her bodily from the ground. She flew a few feet to land on her back, coughing. Joseph wasn’t finished, though; still eerily lacking any emotion he walked over, setting a heel on her hand. He slowly pressed down, breaking her fingers one by one as she screamed.
Katsumi shuddered, tears mixing with the rainwater on her face as she struggled to stand. Her body refused her demands, ignoring her emotions. She watched as Joseph calmly moved his foot to Ayane’s chest, putting pressure down to crack her ribs one after another. Her screams were piercing, full of agony and fear. Joseph was clearly torturing her for some unknown reason and Katsumi felt it clawing inside her, her emotions a roiling storm of terror and hatred.
Hate, fear, Ayane was going to die, Ayane’s screams pounded at her ears like the waves of an ocean, tormenting her soul along with her. She couldn’t take it, not the torture, not the pain, and not the loss of her sister at that monster’s hands. Ayane’s going to die… Ayane is… going to die… Ayane is… not… not going to die… She’s not going to die… SHE’S NOT!
Katsumi lost it.
The eruption of violet flame drew a small look of surprise from Joseph. Katsumi rose to her feet as an inky blackness flowed over her, turning her hair and eyes black. She exploded from the spot and her fist connected with his cheek before he could react. The impact knocked him off Ayane and spun him around but his saber flashed out as he spun. Katsumi ducked, losing an inch of violet hair, but came up with a flurry of blows.
Joseph’s saber went spinning away off of the roof. He found his footing as his eldest daughter came after him and they traded blows, but Katsumi didn’t stop this time. The emotion in her eyes was the perfect opposite of his blank ones. His fist lashed out and connected with her chin, hers responded and hit his chest. He gave her the same punch to the stomach that had dropped her before but she kept coming, working her hands and feet in a frenzy to force him back.
His strikes grew harder as time passed, jarring her frame with each impact. She wouldn’t last long even like this, but at the last second she saw it; his hand shot out to grip her throat. She avoided it with the narrowest of margins by bending her knee as she jerked to the side, and came up with an uppercut that sent him back a few steps; that was all she needed. He was on the very edge of the 80-story building’s roof and off-balance, and thanks to the rain-slicked stone, he couldn’t recover. As he fell, the tiniest flicker of irritation flashed in his eyes.
The response was a victory. Katsumi’s hair returned to violet and her eyes to lavender, and almost immediately she felt the effects of the fight that she’d been ignoring. It didn’t matter to her, though, as she wasted no time in moving to Ayane’s side. The younger Samakura was in bad shape, bleeding from numerous wounds. Katsumi knelt beside her, leaning over to shield her face from the rain. “Ayane…? Ayane?!”
