Blood of the Guilty

Memory 36: Bigger Fish

"Thank you for joining me," said Tomiko as she sipped her coffee, "Sipping coffee with someone else always feels better than drinking alone."

"Why me out of any other person at the company?" asked Kaminaro as he looked around for potential assassins.

"I've yet to thank you for the hostage situation back then," replied Tomiko, "This is merely my thanks."

The two sat in silence together, drinking their coffees. Tomiko's eyes widened behind Kaminaro, who turned around to find a thief running away from a tour bus.

"Crime is pretty apparent in Akihabara, isn't it?" asked Kaminaro.

"We've already had plenty of murderers in Akihabara," responded Tomiko, "I'm just glad I wasn't one of them."

"It's a cruel thing to happen to anybody," sipped Kaminaro.

"At least that crime can be punished compared to legal crime."

"Legal crime?"

"You should already know this now, but our CEO scams people through his stocks and sharing investments. It's likely why the hostage situation happened back then too. Unfortunately it's out of our power to stop it. Even if we want to quit, our lives would just be ruined by him and his referrals. Others have tried it already."

"Sounds like hell. Is there really nothing to stop it?"

"Tomorrow is a day off, so we plan on trying to find a way to destroy the company from the inside. At least something to knock down that big building of his that he's so proud of. It's even better that only the CEO and his bodyguards would be in the building at that time since he has work to finish up on."

"Destroy the building, huh?" thought Kaminaro as he looked up to the sky, sipping his coffee, "If I go down to the car garage below the building, the pillars there are just enough to destroy the structure of the building. That'd help the employees here and would be a huge loss for the CEO. It's even possible to kill him during that destruction.

What am I saying? I'm the one who needs this job to keep my cover. I'm in no obligation to even help these people in the first place."

"Masao..." said Tomiko, her eyes on the floor, with the cup of coffee covering her mouth, "Thank you for everything you've done so far. It's... really helped everyone out."

Kaminaro looked at Tomiko, his cup of coffee also covering his face. He then looked at the ground, "It's no problem. I'm just doing my job."

He thought long and hard about his situation. Wouldn't it be so much easier to just live out his life like this? Without the pressure of anyone chasing him or having to hide his tracks? It would mean to go cold turkey on his entire fetish, his reasonings for his killings.

"Do you think people can change?" asked Kaminaro, his eyes still at the floor.

"I believe anyone can change, no matter how deep of a mess they're in," replied Tomiko, "It'd be difficult for some people, but it's not impossible."

"That sounds pretty idealistic."

"Call it positive thinking," smiled Tomiko, "But anyone can change. It's just built into everyone."

"Sounds flawed. What if someone can't change? Their situation is just too deep?"

"Then that person can at least hope and pray that he can at least find some form of forgiveness."

"Would they really forgive me..?" thought Kaminaro, "After all I've done... This is pointless... What am I doing pleasuring myself after all these years? I'm sorry Tomiko... I'm sorry Marisa... I haven't changed at all these past few months."

"Masao?" asked Tomiko.

"I'm here," replied Kaminaro, "Just been thinking too much, I suppose."

"I didn't expect you to be the philosophical type," she giggled a little, "Maybe it's the coffee that's been energizing you."

"Could be," said Kaminaro, "Thanks again for the coffee."

"It's my thanks."

"It's decided," thought Kaminaro, "If I'm going to go out, I might at least do something to make my daughter and wife happy. Something that I could do to look them in the eyes once I see them again.

Who am I kidding..? I'm likely to go to hell. I'll try my best anyways.

I'll try make things right."