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Chapter 381
“He hosts lavish parties, charity events, art shows,” Sarai confirmed. “He loves to show off his power and influence. He’s very careful about what the public sees.”“Good,” Bucky said, a plan already forming in his mind. “That’s our weakness. We use his need for public approval against him. We make him look bad, really bad, in a way he can’t ignore. Something that makes his own people question him, or makes the authorities *have* to act.”“What kind of bad?” Sarai asked, intrigued despite herself. “He’s already a known gangster. Everyone knows he’s involved in shady dealings.”“Not just shady dealings,” Bucky clarified. “Something that exposes his true cruelty, his disregard for even his own people. Something that makes him look weak, or desperate. Something that threatens his *business* more than a simple raid would.”Sarai thought for a moment. “He has a lot of investments in the entertainment industry. Clubs, talent agencies, even a small film studio. He uses them to launder money,
Chapter 380
Kaito, seeing no escape, lunged one last time, a desperate, animalistic cry. He grabbed a heavy marble statue from a pedestal, swinging it wildly. Bucky sidestepped, his movements fluid. He caught Kaito’s arm, twisted, and brought him down to the ground. Kaito hit the expensive carpet with a grunt, the statue rolling away.Bucky knelt beside him, pressing his metal hand against Kaito’s throat, just enough to hold him, not enough to kill him quickly. “Where are the rest of the files? The ones about Hana, about the other girls? The full ledgers?”Kaito gasped for air, his eyes wide with terror. “In… in the server room… down the hall… encrypted…”Bucky gave a sharp nod. “Good. You’re going to help me get them.”He secured Kaito, tying him up with cables from the office equipment. Then, using Kaito’s access codes and his own skills, he navigated to the server room. It was a maze of blinking lights and humming machines. With Kaito’s forced cooperation, Bucky accessed the main servers, down
Chapter 379
The next day was a blur of frantic, whispered activity. Sarai, disguised in a simple wig and glasses, met her journalist contact in a bustling coffee shop, far from Kaito’s usual haunts. She fed him carefully selected pieces of information, hints about Hana’s disappearance, whispers of Kaito’s involvement, and the general location of where he might keep incriminating records. She didn’t give him everything, not yet. She needed to build the fuse, not light the whole bomb prematurely.Meanwhile, Bucky was a ghost, moving through the city’s underbelly. He watched the Akashi Tower, studying guard rotations, entry points, blind spots in the security cameras. He found a maintenance shaft, a delivery entrance, a forgotten rooftop access. He planned his approach, step by agonizing step.As evening approached, they met back in the cramped apartment. Sarai looked pale, but there was a fire in her eyes.“The journalist is interested,” she reported, her voice hushed. “He’s making calls, checking
Chapter 378
The stale air in the cramped Tokyo apartment pressed down on Bucky and Sarai. The city hummed outside, a constant, indifferent presence. They’d been holed up for a day, moving only when absolutely necessary, living off convenience store food. Sarai sat hunched on a thin futon, tracing patterns on the dusty floor with her finger. Bucky stood by the window, peering through a crack in the blinds at the neon-lit street below.“We can’t stay here,” Sarai said, her voice flat, tired. “They’ll find us. It’s only a matter of time.”Bucky turned, his face a mask of grim resolve. “And we can’t leave. Not yet.”Sarai finally looked up, her eyes dark with a mix of fear and anger. “What do you mean, ‘not yet’? We’re done, Bucky. We got the information. Max has what he needs. We need to get out.”“No,” Bucky said, his voice low but firm. “Max needs Kaito gone. Completely. Not just a piece of paper. Not just a temporary setback. Kaito’s network is too big, too deep. If we leave now, he’ll rebuild. H
Chapter 377
“What about the clothes?” Trisha asked. “We can’t wear what we have on. Too fine, too noticeable.”Anya nodded. “Elara will leave three hooded cloaks and simple tunics, along with the satchels, hidden in the tapestry passage. They’re dark, plain, and will help us blend in with the festival-goers.”As the night wore on, the initial fear slowly began to transform into a focused resolve. The close call with Captain Kael, the Queen’s chilling ultimatum – they had only solidified their determination.“Anya,” Max said, looking at the young princess, “you know the risks. If we’re caught, the Queen will be merciless. For you, it could mean… a fate worse than marriage.”Anya met his gaze, her eyes surprisingly strong. “I know. But I cannot stand by and watch my people suffer under her cruel rule. And I cannot let her marry me to a man I do not choose, for a purpose I do not believe in. You offer hope, Max. For me, and perhaps for my kingdom. I am with you.”Trisha reached out and gently squeez
Chapter 376
“She will,” Anya agreed, her expression grim. “But by the time she realizes, we should be well into the hills. And the festival will provide a good cover for our initial escape. The confusion will buy us precious hours.”Just as Max was outlining a contingency plan for if the hidden passage was blocked, a sudden, sharp rap echoed on the chamber door. All three froze.“Princess Anya? Are you in there?” a gruff voice called out. “Guard Captain Kael. I heard… voices.”Anya’s eyes widened in panic. Max’s hand instinctively went to the small dagger he kept hidden in his boot. Trisha’s breath hitched.“Voices?” Anya called out, her voice remarkably steady, though a tremor ran through her. She quickly scooped up the map, stuffing it under a cushion. “Why, yes, Captain. I am speaking with my lady-in-waiting, Elara. We were discussing the arrangements for the Festival of Whispering Winds.”“Elara?” the Captain’s voice sounded skeptical. “I did not see her enter. And the voices sounded… deeper.
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