Ashes to Ashes (Book Two of The Kazuya Series) (✔️)

三十三 (Thirty-Three)

(Third Person POV)

"Scale of 1 to 10. How bad do you think it's gonna be?"

"Maybe a twelve."

"Crap."

"You did it for them and they know that."

"Yes, but Koan is..."

"Different?"

"Unique."

"Aren't they all?" Damien muttered under his breath.

He and Elle were on the flight back home and Elle still hadn't answered her phone. She felt bad but she'd rather deal with the consequences face to face rather than on the phone. She couldn't give Koan her best puppy dog eyes over the phone.

~~~~

"Damien said they're on their way back." Kintaro told the group as they all stood around the safe house.

Right as they were about to leave, Damien had sent a message that they were on a plane and would be back soon. Everyone thought Koan was going to lose his mind, but he frighteningly appeared and stayed calm.
He didn't react the way they expected. He simply kicked his shoes back off and sat down on the couch.

"Any idea what they were doing? Where they went?" Renzo asked.

"No idea."

"Couldn't have gone far."

"True."

"So all we can do it wait now? Ask questions later?"

"Seems like it."

Turns out they didn't have to ask questions. Approximately a hour and a half later, Damien texted Kintaro and told him to turn on the TV to the local news station.

"FBI Director Hall made a surprise announcement just moments ago when he spoke to the press regarding the recent bombings and the prison riot. Both have left countless dead and many more still missing."

They were shocked as they began to see the pictures, videos, and documents Damien had shown them begin to pop up across the screen.

"In a twisted turn of events, recently discovered evidence gives proof that the bombings were caused by FBI agents who were recently demoted. Phone call records and recording also prove that one of these FBI agents made a call to an inmate and offered him half a million dollars to cause the riot. It is said that the initial prime suspects were being held in the prison at the time of the riot. Here is a little bit of what Director Hall had to say."

The cameras cut to FBI Director Hall standing outside in front of a large crowd of reporters. Unlike the others, Koan spotted the three men standing off in the back. He easily recognized the tattoo they all had on the side of their neck. A tattoo of a King and Queen chess piece.

"I would like to formally apologize to the innocent individuals they were hauled off in handcuffs and thrown in prison for something they did not do. I am sorry for the trouble that this has caused you and your families. I am so sorry for all the lives lost. I will admit that the Bureau is embarrassed by the actions of its own agents and that we will not rest until they are brought to justice. I am thankful to have received the...anonymous tip that led us to the evidence we have now. We'd like to also..."

The screen cut back to the news anchor sitting at the desk and Kintaro muted the TV.

"Well now we know where they went." Seiichi said.

"And we know what they did." Renzo added.

"I'm convinced now." Shiro said, throwing his hands in the air.

"Convinced about what?"

"There's not a damn thing Elle won't do for Ko-Ko."

"I could've told you that the second they started their little staring contest." Renzo scoffed.

"So this means that it's all over?" Izumi asked, clutching her husband's arm.

He gave her a smile and kissed her forehead. "It's over. We can go home."

So that's what they did. They all headed home. Upon arriving they realized that Koan was nowhere to be seen. He disappeared. Renzo and Seiichi checked his and Elle's home, but he wasn't there.

"Where did he go?" Colten asked.

"Perhaps like the last time he disappeared, it's none of our business."

~~~~~~~
A/N:

Only about one left plus the epilogue!! 🥺😬🥺