I clear my throat. Yes . . . she did.
Except I just can’t quite remember the details.
Not when her fingers were moving inside of me and her mouth was trailing down my skin and my legs were shaking, trembling around her.
If you could . . . remind me, that would be great.
Mai grins knowingly. Today is the first phase. They’re making a batch of the Wyvern beneath the Asakusa Temple.
The meth lab beneath the church, I say. This is my part, isn’t it ?
Mai nods, almost a little worriedly. But Kaya, this wasn’t part of the original plan. Everything might still work without this . . .
But the bargaining chip would be helpful, I finish. I remember now.
The drug lab beneath the Asakusa temple will be producing a batch of Wyvern today, which means that if I somehow manage to impersonate one of the scientists, I can find out how they make it.
I can get the formula. The recipe.
And that is what the Cais want.
That is what Okami was willing to murder me over.
We can use that as a bargaining chip . . . if this works.
Blackmail.
I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, butif it means bringing down a greater evil, a bloodthirsty criminal ? I think it’s worth it.
My arm stings when I encircle it with my fingers. Lightly. Tenderly.
That’s a deep cut, Mai says. You’re going to have to be careful. It might stain through the white coat
I’ll be okay, I promise her. I’m ready to go.
Crazy, she grumbles.
I am already standing up, already fueled by adrenaline.
Okami hurt me.
And she was willing to kill Veah.
For that, I am going to do what I did to those boys who hurt Cassie. I am not going to just help them slaughter her ; that would be too kind.
I am going to tear her apart, piece by piece, until all that is left of her is rotting in prison.
Because for what she has done to Veah ?
When I meet Veah and Ren at the church, the first thing Veah does is say, Yes.
Yes ? I echo.
Ren salutes me as he dives back into the car with Mai. I really don’t know want to picture how the conversation in that ride is going to end. Try not to get yourselves killed !
Yes, to your question, Veah says, as she leads me to the side of the temple.
My question, I repeat.
She hands me a thick white coat. As I shrug it on, the pain in my arm flares again. But my bandage isn’t bleeding throughI’m fine.
And then I realize. My question.
I can call you my girlfriend now, right ?
Which means her answer is . . . yes.
Before I can thinkor squealshe says, In and out, Kaya. Try not to talk with them. They speak mostly Englishsome of them have been kidnapped by Okami from the U. S. You’ll fit in. Just pretend you’re new. Say you went to NYU, studied medicine. All we need is the formula, alright ?
Alright, I say, steadying myself.
Kaya, youyou don’t have to do this, Veah whispers. This would be
Super important in making sure your entire plan works ?
Great, Veah continues, if you pull it off. But, Kaya, you don’t have to do this. This is crazy, and if I . . . if I lost you, I would never forgive myself. It’s my fault you’re in this mess.
No, it’s not, I say fiercely. You know, I blamed you in the beginning. If only I hadn’t woken up handcuffed to a Yakuza boss, I wouldn’t even be here. But that was never true. You saved my life, Veah. And now I want to return the favour.
Veah shakes her head. Kaya, you’re . . .
Save it, I whisper, tracing the edge of her lower lip with my fingertip. Her mouth is so soft, so kissable. How about this, if I make it out alive you’ll fuck me in the cab ride back ?
Her eyes widen. She catches my wrist, bringing her lips to my knuckles. A featherlight caress. You have a dirty mouth, she breathes. And then a corner of her mouth lifts into a devilish grin. I’d have done that anyway.
A shiver curls in my blood. My girlfriend.
I smile to myself as I open the side entrance to the templea thick, heavy metal door. The air to the basement is dark, damp. In the distance, I see flickering candles.
But before I shut the door, Veah says, I’ll be waiting right here for you. If anything goes wrong, then just shout my name. I’ll be listening.
Veah, I say. I’ll be fine.
I couldn’t have known, then, how much further from the truth that single sentence was.
I couldn’t have known it would all go to hell.
Kaya, Veah calls out softly, just before the door closes. If anyone down there lays a single finger on you, I will burn this church down to the ground.
The door slams shut before I can kiss her goodbye.