E Is For Enemy

Chapter Twenty

Karma's P.O.V.

"What do you mean, 'they just let him go'?" I demanded, busting through the door.

"Karma-"

"Where is he? I need to see him!" I cut off the principal and peered around the living room, where everyone had gathered. I didn't see a familiar orange haired boy sitting amongst the crowd however, and my impatience grew. "Where?!"

"Karma, please calm down. Yes, he is back, but he is in no shape to talk to anyone right now," Asano said, his voice deep and commanding.

Finally, I let out a long breath and took a seat on the edge of the couch. "Fine. What happened? Who are all these people?"

He started the introductions, but I got too impatient not even halfway through and waved him off. "Okay nevermind, forget I asked. Where is Asano right now and what happened?" I would rather have those questions answered.

"All we know so far is that my son was abducted by some m-...thing, while at school, and was missing for almost twelve hours. We had no leads and then...well..." He looked like he was having trouble explaining how Asano had returned. It was weird to see him at a loss for words.

Finally, he just said it, and everyone in the room was visibly shocked.

"They just dropped him back off at home. On the front step, actually. Our security cameras show a black vehicle with no plates stopping at the gate. Somehow they knew the passcode to open it manually and they drove right up to the house. Two men came out, holding my son, and rang the doorbell. Then they simply placed him in front of the door and took off."

Miriam nodded. "I was the one who answered the door. I almost had a heart attack seeing him tied up on the ground like that!"

I was stunned, my mind whirring at a million miles an hour. They just...let him go? Just like that? Didn't they think Shuu would know their faces and voices? I was overjoyed and relieved Shuu was back home safely, but something wasn't right. It would be less suspicious if they had kept him longer.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"He's sleeping in his room upstairs right now," Asano answered. "He's been unconscious since he arrived. I've hired a special private doctor to examine him. Other than some elevated levels of emphrikodime in his system, he appears to be unharmed."

"What's emphriko-whatever you said?" Someone asked.

A man in a white doctors coat stepped forward. "It's a new controversial drug that has just recently been presented to the board. It is a brain altering drug, which means while under the affects of this drug, it is theoretical that one can control anothers thought and memories. The board is still under debate about whether or not this is ethical in the medical field, so the fact someone has access to this is very frightening indeed."

I had been given new pieces to the puzzle but none of them fit together. It's like they were all part of a different picture. None of them fit together and even if they did, the picture seemed to be nonsense. I couldn't figure it out. All I knew for certain right now was that I wanted to see Shuu.

"I'm going to see him," I announced, glaring defiantly at anyone to even try to stop me.

No one did.

I hurried up the stairs and ran down the hall to his room.

It was locked.

Frustrated to my wits end, I kicked the wall.

"Akabane," A voice said.

I turned to see Gakuho walking over.

He held out a key. "I didn't want him to be disrupted."

He handed it over to me and I eagerly grabbed it.

However, he kept hold of the other end and pulled it close, causing me to tumble forward, closer to him.

"We need to have a talk soon," He whispered, his deep purple eyes piercing.

"I think so too." I said coolly.

He stared a moment longer, before releasing the key.

I waited until he had left back downstairs before unlocking the door and hurrying inside, shutting it behind me. I locked it as well, not wanting to be disturbed as well.

Asano was on his bed, asleep. I assumed whoever took him had kept him under the entire time, which meant two things.

1: He probably didn't see or hear anything, which was why it was safe for them to release him.

2: He was going to be sleeping the drugs off for a long time.

But I also knew I would wait forever for him.

Climbing into the bed beside him, I laid on my side and watched him.

I was so relieved he was home without even a scratch on him that I could have fainted. But this was also bad news. It seemed the bad guys had taken what they needed from him and were twelve steps ahead. Meanwhile I was still at step one. I didn't know anything about anything anymore. The library theory had turned out to be a bust, I still couldn't find a way to speak to Markus K Emri, monsters were still attacking and getting bolder, and now our best resource and ally was potentially on the other side.

I sighed, reaching a hand out to brush Shuu's hair away from his face.

He looked so different when he was sleeping. He looked younger, like he didn't have to bear the burden of his life when he was asleep. He looked cute.

It made me blush to even just think that, but it was true.

Then the earlier events of the day came back to me.

NO IM NOT GAY

My mood plummeted like a rock being thrown into the Grand Canyon.

Well...that still didn't change anything. Even if he didn't feel anything for me, I knew I would still make the ultimate sacrifice for him.

Comforted by that fact, I finally drifted off as well.