Vampire and His Pleasant Companions: Volume 4 - Part 4
It must have been about an hour... no, maybe two, according to his internal clock, when Al heard footsteps. The boss was calling out to Giraffe. The bathroom was located near the cockpit, and the conversation was audible from just outside.
[“...Angel will arrive in Texas in an hour. The other side demanded the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Angel, but I refused, saying we'd take them to Guyana. Hostages are valuable insurance. They insisted on at least handing over the dead flight attendant's body, though.”]
The boss paused.
[“If that's what they want, we'll give it to them. We can also execute the traitor nicely, and by handing over Cat, we'll make them think that the intel about her being one of us was wrong.”]
Giraffe nonchalantly asked, [“So we're going to kill her?”]
[“Yeah, you do it. Dress Cat in the flight attendant's uniform and shoot her in the left chest.”]
[“Should I do it now?”]
[“Hurry up. I want it done before Angel arrives. Crow and I can't leave the cockpit with all these demands they're throwing at us. I'm counting on you to take care of Cat.”]
[“Got it,”] Giraffe replied.
Al clutched his head in despair. Cat was going to be killed, misunderstood as a traitor because of him. Even if she was a bad person, he couldn't bear the thought of that.
His mind raced. Even if he left the bathroom, could he save Cat and take down the remaining four hijackers alone? With no weapons... It was impossible, no matter how optimistic he tried to be. His only advantage was that he couldn't die, but that didn't mean he was good in a fight. While he agonized over the situation, it seemed Giraffe had started moving.
[“Cat, change into this,”] he ordered. There was no response.
[“I’ve even untied your hands and feet. If you don’t change, I’ll shoot you.”]
A harsh laugh that seemed to cut through the air echoed.
[“You'll shoot me whether I change or not. I heard your earlier conversation!”]
A heavy sign, but Al couldn't tell who it came from.
[“...If you hadn't known, you could have faced death without fear, but what an unfortunate woman you are. However, there is no need to be afraid. If you die at the hands of Angel's apostle, your soul will be purified.”]
[“No... no! Don't shoot... I don't want to die, I don't want to die... Stop it!”]
A heart-wrenching scream. Al couldn't bear to listen any longer and reflexively pounded on the bathroom door. Silence fell over the tragic scene. Al pounded on the door again, harder this time.
[“Who's there?!”]
The bathroom door was kicked repeatedly, each blow causing it to dent inward. Currently, the only ones in first class were Giraffe and Cat. There were no sounds from the other hijackers. Now that Al had healed and regained his human form, he thought that while he couldn't take on all four at once, he might be able to handle them one by one.
[“Open this door!”]
Al had never deliberately sought injury before, and he knew that if he went out now, there was a high chance he would get hurt again. After finally getting the pain taken away, he would likely end up injured once more. He felt guilty for the trouble it would cause Akira, who had let him drink until he was healed.
But he couldn't just leave Cat to her fate. Even if he ended up battered and unable to move, he couldn't bear the thought of regretting not trying. ...It would be okay. Even if he was reduced to a piece of flesh, Akira would surely come to pick him up.
[“Hey!”]
Ignoring the angry shouting, Al took three deep breaths. He silently apologized in his heart to Akira, who had risked his life to hide him here.
Al unlocked the door and burst out into the aisle. Surprised by the sudden movement, Giraffe was a moment too slow in aiming his gun at Al. Not missing this brief chance, Al lunged at Giraffe's right hand. Like a naked bull charging in a bullring, Al tackled Giraffe, knocking him down in the aisle. Al grabbed Giraffe's right hand and slammed it repeatedly against the blue carpet. Despite this, Giraffe stubbornly refused to let go of the gun, and countered by punching Al in the face with his left hand and kneeing him in the stomach.
The blow to his abdomen was effective, and Al groaned, just as a second hit landed. The forceful kick sent Al sprawling onto his back, with Giraffe pouncing on top of him. As the two men grappled, something jumped over them—Cat. Noticing her, Giraffe tried to aim at her, but Al quickly grabbed his hand and shook it, preventing him from getting a clear shot. During the struggle, Cat opened the exit door near the cockpit and fled outside.
[“Hey, you!”] Giraffe shouted, punching Al in the face with his left hand before scrambling to his feet and rushing to close the door that Cat had only half-opened. Al seized the opportunity to grab Giraffe's right hand again, thinking that if he could just take the gun, he might have a chance. But Giraffe was stronger, and once again, he pinned Al down.
Realizing the gun was getting closer to his head, Al instinctively grabbed the barrel and shoved his finger into the muzzle. If Giraffe fired now, the gun could misfire and cause damage to both of them. Aware of this, Giraffe clicked his tongue in frustration and suddenly bit down on Al's exposed shoulder.
“Ughhh!”
All let out a cry of pain as Giraffe bit down with the force of a rabid dog. In an attempt to shake him off, Al punched Giraffe in the head with his left hand. But the harder he hit, the deeper Giraffe's teeth sank into his flesh. The pain was excruciating. Desperate to pry him off, Al grabbed Giraffe's hair, along with his balaclava, and yanked hard.
The balaclava slipped off, but Giraffe's teeth remained firmly embedded in Al's shoulder. Dangling in front of his nose, Giraffe's hair was a fiery red. Through the pain of being bitten, the words "memory manipulation" flashed through Al's mind.
Al pressed the index finger of his left hand against Giraffe's forehead and began to think of words related to religion, Angel, and the hijacking—anything that might be connected to Giraffe. Suddenly, a torrent of vivid memories flooded into Al's mind, like a high-speed montage.
Giraffe's real name was Edward Ings. A boy named Ed who grew up in Wyoming, loved by his parents. He was an excellent student, very serious, and the pride of his family. After graduating from college and starting a job, his overly serious and difficult nature made it hard for him to fit in, so he quit. As he drifted from job to job, he lost more and more confidence in himself. Then he met Angel, the leader of the Peaceful House cult. Ed became deeply involved in the religion, donating all his savings to the cult and starting a communal life with Angel. Ed was completely devoted to Angel and, under his orders, began killing people.
There was Sue, the accountant who had doubts about the cult and wanted to leave; Crave, a middle-aged man who angered Angel by disagreeing with him; a platinum-blonde girl kidnapped for a sacrificial ritual; Ashley, a black-haired actress who had laughed and called Ed crazy when he tried to recruit her into Peaceful House...
The police raided the cult. The world Ed had known, full of happiness, crumbled. Angel was arrested. Ed was driven to despair... and then came the hijacking plan.
Al mentally commanded, “Forget everything related to the religion!” But the pain in his shoulder only grew worse. It wasn't working. Memory manipulation only worked one out of five times. But if he tried five times, one should work...
Kyiv's words came back to him: "Erasing specific memories is relatively tricky." Maybe trying to erase only the memories related to the religion was the problem. He needed to simplify it... Al concentrated hard and commanded, "Erase all memories after you met Angel!"
In his mind, the vibrant images swirled like a tornado before disappearing with a pop, like popcorn. The explosion in Giraffe's mind was much larger than the one he had caused when manipulating Akira's memory.
Did it work...? Just as Al allowed himself to relax, Giraffe broke free of his grip. The gun barrel was pressed firmly against Al's forehead.
[“Who are you?!”]
Giraffe's face was filled with a terrifying intensity as he closed in.
[“I’m asking who you are!”]
The gun barrel ground into Al's forehead, and as he imagined his brain bursting, he replied, [“Albert Irving”].
The memory manipulation hadn't worked. He tried to reach out with his left hand to try again, but Giraffe roughly slapped it away.
[“Why... why did you... attack me?”]
Giraffe's expression softened into confusion. [“Why... did I attack... you?”]
Giraffe frowned and tilted his head, looking at his right hand. [“Whoa...”] he exclaimed, staring intently at the gun he was holding.
[“Why am I holding a gun? Where...where am I?”]
Giraffe stood up, looking around in confusion.
[“Inside a plane...? So, I’m on my way back to Wyoming?”]
Giraffe hits his head with his left hand.
[“I don’t know, I can’t remember. Where was I going?”]
He walked to the door near the cockpit but quickly returned to Al's side, looking disoriented. Something was definitely wrong.
[“Have you lost your mind? You don't remember getting on a plane—memory loss? ...But you remember your parents' and siblings' names, your elementary, middle, and high school days.”]
...It worked. The memory manipulation, like Russian roulette, had "hit." Al stood up and extended his right hand toward Giraffe.
[“Give me that gun.”]
Giraffe hesitated, his gaze wandering, but then shook his head and firmly gripped the gun with both hands.
[“You're strange. You're stark naked on a plane... It's creepy.”]
[“I might be naked, but this plane is in serious trouble. There are hij—”]
[“Hey, Giraffe,”] Al's words were cut off by Dog's voice coming from the economy class.
[“What’s all the commotion about?”]
The curtain separating economy class was suddenly pulled back, and Dog appeared. Spotting Al, Dog immediately drew the gun from his jeans and aimed it at him. Al found himself caught between Dog, armed with a gun, and Giraffe.
[“Hey, you!”] Giraffe pointed at Al, anger clear in his voice. [“You lie to me! You said your name was Albert, but aren't you really Giraffe? What were you planning to do by taking my gun?!”]
[“What are you talking about?!”] Dog shouted. [“Giraffe is your nickname! Who the hell is that naked guy? I've never seen him before. And why aren't you wearing your balaclava? You'll get recognized!”]
Giraffe glared at Dog. [“What are you talking about?! My name's not Giraffe, and I don't know anything about a naked man. And what's this about a balaclava? It sounds like something a bank robber would wear.”]
[“Bank robber...”] Dog was thrown off by Giraffe's demeanor, who had apparently reverted to his pre-Angel state. Normally, this would have been a two-on-one situation, but with Giraffe forgetting about Angel, it was now almost a one-on-one. All Al needed was the gun...
Al lunged for Giraffe's right hand. If he wouldn't lend the gun, Al would have to take it by force. Startled, Giraffe spun around. In his attempt to sixteen the right hand, Al lost his balance and fell into the aisle in front of the bathroom.
A gunshot ranged out with a loud bang . The bullet embedded itself in the carpet just an inch (about 2.5 centimeters) from Al's right cheek, sending up a thin wisp of smoke.
[“Ahhhh!”] Although Al was the one who was shot at, it was Giraffe who screamed in terror. [“W-why did you shoot?! He doesn’t even have a weapon!”]
[“He tried to take your gun!”]
[“That doesn't mean you had to shoot! What if he died?”]
While Dog hesitated, Al bolted toward the front of the plane. He found himself in the area right after the entrance, where the cockpit door was ahead of him, with a galley for storing carts on the right. Further back, on the left, was the bathroom, with another galley on the right, and beyond that were the first-class seats.
Al took refuge in the galley, but he knew it was only a matter of time before Dog started shooting again.
[“Hey, Giraffe! Stop standing there and help me catch him!”] Dog shouted. Al quickly scanned his surroundings for anything he could use for defense, but all he saw were blankets and newspapers. Then he noticed the cart. The rectangular cart used to distribute drinks was stored in the galley. Al jumped at it, released the brake, and pulled it out.
[“I said help me!”] Dog's voice grew louder, but Giraffe didn't respond.
[“Hey, where are you going?! Get back here!”]
Giraffe seemed to have retreated to the back of the plane. A person with normal nerves, suddenly caught in a gunfight on a plane without any understanding of what was going on, would likely try to get as far away from the scene as possible.
Dog gave up on chasing after Giraffe and decided to deal with Al first, advancing toward him. Al, still hidden behind the tall cart, rolled it into the aisle. A gunshot ranks out, causing the cart to vibrate. Putting all his strength into it, Al shoved the cart toward Dog, who backed away in surprise.
[“Whoa!”]
Dog recoiled, and the cart blocked his path, forcing him to climb over it to reach Al. Seeing that this tactic worked, Al dashed back to the galley and pulled out another cart. Dog had managed to climb over the first cart, so Al sent the second one his way.
[“You little...!”]
As Dog attempted to climb over the second cart, Al threw a bottle of soda at him. His aim was poor, and Dog dodged it, but the act of throwing things as both an attack and a defense seemed to irritate Dog, whose expression grew increasingly hostile. The moment reached its peak when Al opened a can of beer and threw it at Dog. The beer showered Dog, covering him in foam.
[“Don’t mess with me!”] Dog bellowed in rage.
There was only one cart left for defense, and Dog was almost upon him. As Al prepared to push the cart down the aisle, Dog, now close enough, grabbed it and yanked it down, dragging Al along with it.
Al fell onto the aisle, landing on top of the cart. As he lay there face down, something hard pressed against the back of his head. A drop of beer dripped onto his cheek.
[“You've been nothing but trouble, you bastard. Die!”]
He was about to be shot... At that moment, a voice rang out.
[“Don't move!”]
It was Akira's voice. Al looked up in disbelief and saw Akira standing in front of the curtain separating the economy class. To Al's shock, Akira was holding a gun. Dog's eyes widened in astonishment.
[“Move, and I'll shoot,”] Akira shouted, his voice firm. Dog, unable to turn fully, kept his gun trained on Al but froze in place.
[“You drop your gun. Otherwise, I'll shoot this guy,”] Dog threatened, pressing the gun against Al's head hard enough to cause pain.
[“If you shoot him, I'll kill you. If you want to die, go ahead and shoot,”] Akira's face was pale, and though his hand holding the gun was visibly trembling, he stood his ground against Dog.
[“...Where did you get that gun?”] Dog asked, his voice laced with suspicion. Akira lets out a little laugh.
[“Your partner had a change of heart.”]
It was Giraffe! The memory manipulation had erased his memories of Angel and the religion, leading him to give the gun to Akira. Dog clicked his tongue in frustration.
There was a chance they might survive this. Hope flickered into Al's chest. Cat had escaped the plane, and with Giraffe now harmless, only three hijackers remained. Two of them were still in the cockpit, likely unaware of the chaos unfolding in the cabin despite the gunshots.
They were down to one gun each, but with their two-on-one advantage, they had the upper hand. Dog was focused on Akira and wasn't watching Al. If Al counterattacked now, they might be able to overpower Dog... Al glanced at Akira, who put his gaze with a warning look, silently telling him, "Don't. "
[“Put the gun down,”] Akira commanded, his voice firm. Dog scowled in response.
[“I said, put it down! Or I'll shoot,”] Akira threatened. Dog was at a disadvantage since he was aiming his gun at Al. Killing the hostage wouldn't help him if it meant getting killed in return. Dog cursed under his breath and reluctantly moved the gun away from the back of Al's head.
[“Keep your arms up... Al, stand up and walk over to me.”]
[“Wait!”] Dog shouted.
[“I'll blow up the bomb on this plane! If I do that, we'll all be blown to pieces!”]
Akira's expression hardened instantly.
[“He’s lying!”] Al interrupted. [“There's no bomb on this plane. These guys only have four guns and a few knives as weapons.”]
[“Shut up! Quiet!”] Dog's voice cracked, proving Al's accusation was true. Akira glared at Dog with an intense stare that made him hesitate, then called out to Al, [“Come over here.”]
Akira kept his gun aimed directly at Dog's head. In the tense standoff, Al edged past Dog and started walking down the cart-cluttered aisle toward Akira at the rear.
A metallic click sounded behind him. Reflexively, Al turned to see someone stepping out of the cockpit. It was Crow. Crow hadn't expected to see anyone other than his allies in the aisle, and he shouted in surprise as he aimed his gun at Al.
[“Who the hell are you?!”] Crow shouted, and Al saw Dog drop flat onto a seat.
[“Crow, kill that naked guy!”] Dog ordered.
Just as Al braced himself, a gunshot ranked out. Pain exploded in his right shoulder. The force of the shot sent Al staggering backward until he collapsed onto one of the carts lying in the aisle.
“Al!” Akira's voice reached him through the haze of pain. It hurt—his shoulder throbbed as blood poured out, the very blood he had just received. What a waste... Al pressed his left hand to his shoulder and tried to sit up, realizing the situation had taken a turn for the worse.
Dog, crouched between the seats, and Crow, standing in the aisle, were no longer aiming at Al. But Akira was nowhere to be seen. He had retreated a few steps and was using the wall that separated first class from economy as a shield, hiding while aiming his gun through a small gap in the curtain.
[“The boss said he heard something strange, so I came to check, and what a mess I found,”] Crow spat, still loving at Akira. Dog sighed, his gun still pointed at the curtain.
[“Giraffe's gone mad. He was always a bit unhinged, but now he's started saying nonsense and even handed his gun to a passenger. He's in the back seats, but you might as well consider him useless.”]
[“Unbelievable!”] Crow growled in frustration.
[“I’ll deal with Giraffe later. He's likely unarmed, so it should be easy,”] Dog snorted.
[“The real problem is this naked guy. I don't know how he got on board, but he knows too much about our operation,”] Dog said, a hint of menace in his voice.
Al knew that if things continued like this, he'd be shot in the head or heart... As if reading his thoughts, he heard a click above him.
[“Don't shoot him!”] Akira's voice rang out. Crow looked up to see Akira peeking out slightly from behind the curtain.
[“...Drop your gun,”] Crow ordered Akira.
[“If you hand over your gun, we won't shoot this guy anymore.”]
Akira's gun wavered as if he were hesitating. Crow's face twisted into a predatory grin, sensing victory. Even if Akira surrendered his gun, Crow would still shoot Al and then kill Akira. Al was sure of it.
[“Don’t drop the gun!”] Al shouted. [“I'll be fine even if I'm shot. I won't die!”]
[“What do you mean you won't die?”] Crow sneered, his shoulders shaking with mocking laughter. [“Are you immortal? Want me to test that theory right now?”]
The gun aimed at Al wavered, taunting Akira.
[“...If I give up my gun, will you really not shoot him?”] Akira asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.
[“Akira, don't do it!”] Al tried to stop him, but Crow kicked him in the head, slamming his face into the cart.
[“You can have my gun, but only after you let him go,”] Akira offered.
Crow shook his head dismissively, as if to say, "No way."
[“Letting the naked guy go won't change anything if you don't give up your gun first. Hand it over now!”]
The tense negotiation continued between Akira and Crow. Akira insisted he wouldn't surrender the gun until they released Al, saying he couldn't trust them otherwise. In the deadlock, Crow proposed a compromise.
[“We'll release him. But as soon as he crosses over the third cart lying in the aisle, you throw your gun over to us.”]
The third cart was less than two feet (about 61 centimeters) from where Akira was hiding behind the curtain. If Akira threw the gun and then immediately charged, he might avoid getting shot. But what would happen after that? Akira would be unarmed, and with the two of them attacking, they might kill him.
[“Walk slowly!”] Crow barked, shoving Al's injured shoulder, causing him to yelp in pain. The throbbing in his wound intensified. It wasn't a good idea to go any further. If Al moved closer, Akira would have to hand over the gun, leaving him defenseless. Was there any way to keep himself from getting more injured and prevent Akira from giving up the gun? He had to think of something...
His hesitation showed in his steps, and Al moved forward at a turtle's pace, forgetting about time. As he passed the second cart and approached the third, Akira leaned out slightly from his cover. A faint click sounded behind him. In that moment, Al realized the truth. The hijackers weren't interested in exchanging him for the gun. They were just waiting for Akira to drop his guard and expose himself.
Al spread his arms wide and dove down the aisle toward the curtain where Akira was. Three gunshots rank out in rapid succession, and searing pain shot through his right leg.
Al collapsed onto Akira's knees. The impact was so strong that it knocked Akira over, causing him to fall backward. The force of the fall sent the gun flying from Akira's hand, skidding down the aisle toward the galley in the middle of the cabin. Without that gun, they couldn't fight back. As Al tried to drag himself over to retrieve it, another shot rang out, this time striking his left leg, causing him to collapse, his knee buckling.
...Both legs had been shot. Al tried to rise, intending to at least get Akira out of harm's way, but a hard object pressed against his head made him realize the situation. The gun was gone, he had been shot, and there was no hope left. In a last desperate move, Al wrapped his arms around Akira's head and chest, trying to protect him.
"Al, let go!"
But Al refused. No matter what, he wouldn't let go. He couldn't let Akira die. Even if his limbs were torn off, no matter what happened to his body, he wouldn't let Akira die. As long as he protected his head and heart... Akira would survive.
[“Causin' us a lot of trouble, aren't ya?”] Crow's voice sent a shiver through Al. He was terrified—terrified of Akira being killed. There was only one Akira in the world. If his heart stopped or his head was destroyed, there would be no replacement. Not anywhere on Earth.
"I said, let go!"
Akira struggled in Al's arms.
"No."
"Al!"
"No way!"
Even if he protected Akira like this, he might still die. Even if they tore Al's bullet-ridden body away, they might still shoot Akira. He couldn't stand that. Someone, help... help... At least save Akira... Al tightened his grip around Akira's head. His injured right shoulder throbbed with pain, but he didn't care.
If he were a full vampire—no, if he were even a little stronger, if he had a body like Kyiv's that could heal instantly after being shot, Akira wouldn't have had to face such danger. He was sure of it. Kyiv had repeatedly asked him to "try drinking his blood."
[“Hey, Dog. The gun this guy had flown down the aisle. Go fetch it,”] Crow ordered.
["Okay,"] Dog responded, and with light steps, he jumped over Al and Akira. As he turned back, he advised Crow, [“You shouldn't shoot them in the aisle.”]
[“Bodies would just get in the way later,”] Crow agreed, nodding. [“You two, get to the side seats.”] But if they stood up, Akira would be exposed to the gun.
["No,"] Al refused.
[“I said, get up!”] Crow kicked Al's wounded right leg, and Al screamed in pain. Akira, still in his arms, trembled. Akira, who normally would hit someone with a newspaper or book when angry, was shaking.
"Al, you don't need to protect me. So..."
[“Stop babbling in that foreign language and move already!”] Crow snapped. The tense, pain-filled air was broken by Dog's lazy voice calling out from the aisle, [“Hey, I don't see it.”]
[“The gun he had—it's nowhere to be found,”] Dog said as he crouched down and peered under the seats.
[“It rolled toward the central galley,”] Crow responded, irritated by Al's defiance, and kicked his left leg this time. The pain made Al's body tremble, and tears welled up in his eyes.
[“Don’t kick him. I'll—”] Akira began, but Al quickly covered his mouth. They could be killed at any moment; he didn't want to provoke Crow any further. Yet, when Akira tried to speak again, Al shoved his hand into Akira's mouth. Akira bit down hard, causing Al to cry out in pain before Akira's jaw relaxed.
[“...This is too much trouble. Maybe we should just kill them here and move them to the seats later,”] Crow muttered as he aimed his gun. Al, still holding Akira, closed his eyes. If Akira died, Al wanted to die with him. He didn't want to live without him.
Two gunshots range out.
“Ughhhh!” Crow groaned like a wounded bull, followed by a heavy thud. What happened? Al slowly turned to see Crow lying on his back, blood gushing from his right hand. It wasn't just his hand; his left thigh was stained a dark, red-black color. Crow had been shot. But how? Al couldn't understand what was happening.
[“Grab his gun and hide!”] A voice called out from a distance. Without even checking who it was, Al reached for Crow's gun lying nearby. He couldn't reach it. As he moved his knee, a sharp pain shot through his lower body. Both his legs and right shoulder had been shot; he couldn't get up.
Before Al could reach it, another hand grabbed the gun. It was Akira. He pulled himself out from under Al, gripped the gun tightly, and then dragged Al's body between the seats.
The sound of gunfire filled the air. It was close yet distant, coming from somewhere between the central galley and the seats five rows ahead. Dog was firing from the seats, while Giraffe was returning fire from the galley.
The clicks of an empty magazine echoed as Giraffe's gun ran out of bullets. Dog leaped from the seats into the aisle, rushing toward the galley to finish off Giraffe.
Akira, still hiding behind the seats, fired his gun. The bullet missed by a wide margin, embedding itself in the plane's ceiling, but it was enough to stop Dog in his tracks. He hesitated, then turned back and aimed his gun at Akira. The two guns were now pointed at each other.
Akira didn't move, but Dog slowly retreated toward the front of the plane, keeping his gun trained on Akira. As he moved, he picked up Crow, slung him over his shoulder, and backed into the first-class section, disappearing behind the curtain.
[“Hey, are you okay?”] Giraffe rushed over to where Al and Akira were hiding.
["Al's been shot in the legs and arm,"] Akira replied, looking at Al, who was covered in blood. Giraffe muttered, [“This is bad.”]
[“Let's get him to the galley for now. It’s bigger and easier to hide in there,”] Giraffe suggested. Al was carried by the two of them into the central galley. It was just big enough for two adults to lie side by side, but it was far better than the seats or the aisle.
[“Ever since I gave you the gun, I've been worried about what was happening up front,”] Giraffe said, his voice animated, his hands gesturing dramatically as if he were excited.
[“The hostages were told to stay quiet and wait for help, but I couldn't just sit there. I snuck around to check on things and saw you two being attacked. I didn't know what to do, but then, right next to where I was hiding, a gun flew over. It was like divine intervention.”]
With Angel and all memories of the religion wiped from his mind by memory manipulation, Giraffe had also forgotten that he was one of the hijackers. Now, filled with a sense of justice, he was fighting against his former comrades.
[“How many of them are left?”] Giraffe asked.
Before Akira could answer, Al spoke up, [“Three.”]
[“So the guy I shot in the arm and leg, the black guy, and one more,”] Giraffe confirmed, and Al nodded.
[“That's the boss, and he's in the cockpit.”]
[“Got it!”] Giraffe nodded shallowly. [“The guy I shot in the limbs is injured and unarmed, so he's no longer a threat. He's probably useless by now. Do you think they have hostages in the cockpit?”]
[“The pilot's in there,”] Akira answered.
[“Then the boss won't be able to leave the cockpit. If we can deal with that guy Dog, we'll be fine.”]
Giraffe turned to Akira and asked, [“Does your gun still have bullets?”]
[“It does, but...”] Akira hesitated slightly.
[“Lend it to me,”] Giraffe said, extending his right hand.
[“Are you planning to get into a gunfight? It's dangerous,”] Akira cautioned. Giraffe shrugged.
[“It'd be nice if we could just talk it out without using weapons, but I don't think that's an option here.”]
[“They've got injured people on their side too. Maybe we should take it easy and wait it out,”] Akira suggested.
[“Don’t worry. I won't do anything reckless,”] Giraffe reassured him, taking the gun from Akira. [“You two stay hidden here,”] he added as he headed down the aisle. There was a certain reckless, almost fleeting quality to his demeanor, as if he were willingly walking into danger. Akira seemed concerned and lingered in the aisle for a moment before giving up and returning to the galley. He stared at Al's wounded legs and shoulder, his expression pained as if he himself were the one injured.
"I'm okay... vampire," Al murmured, fearing that if he admitted the pain, Akira would look even more distressed. Instead, he clung to Akira's knee as he crouched down beside him.
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