Chereads / Threads of the past / Chapter 9 - Shadows in the safe house

Chapter 9 - Shadows in the safe house

Renji leaned against the cold metal wall of the safe house, the faint hum of Riku's equipment buzzing in his ears. His chest rose and fell with each breath as the weight of the night pressed down on him. Kaede sat at the edge of the room on a small cot, her fingers gripping her red scarf so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Riku paced in front of them, muttering to himself. His glasses reflected the faint glow of the monitors lining the wall, each screen cycling through different camera feeds of the surrounding area.

"You're telling me she went out there alone?" Riku asked, his voice low but sharp.

Renji nodded. "She didn't give us a choice. It was the only way to draw Kuroda off our trail."

"And you think she'll just walk away from this?" Riku shook his head, exhaling sharply. "You don't know these people, Renji. Shinkuro doesn't leave loose ends."

"She knew the risks," Kaede said quietly, her voice breaking the tension. "And she still went. That has to mean something."

Riku turned to her, his expression softening slightly. "I'm not saying she's a coward. I'm saying you two are in over your heads. If she gets caught, they'll have everything—including the drive's location."

Renji clenched his fists. "We can't think like that. She knew what she was doing, and we have to trust her."

"Trust doesn't mean much to people like Kuroda," Riku muttered, turning back to his monitors.

For a moment, the room was silent, save for the faint beeping of the equipment. Renji's mind raced with possibilities—what if she didn't make it? What if Kuroda found another way to track them?

Kaede's voice broke his thoughts. "What's the next step?"

Renji turned to Riku, who didn't answer immediately. Instead, he tapped a few keys on his keyboard, pulling up a map of the city on one of the monitors. A red dot blinked on the screen, marking the last known location of the woman.

"This is where she was headed," Riku said, pointing at the map. "An old industrial zone on the outskirts of the city. If she's alive, that's where she'll regroup."

Kaede frowned. "And if she's not?"

"Then we have bigger problems," Riku replied bluntly.

Renji pushed off the wall, his jaw tightening. "We can't just sit here and wait. If there's a chance she's still out there, we have to find her."

Riku turned to him, crossing his arms. "And what do you plan to do when you get there? Kuroda won't just let you stroll in and take her back."

"I'll figure it out," Renji said, his voice firm.

"You're insane," Riku muttered, shaking his head.

"Maybe," Renji replied, grabbing his jacket. "But if she's out there, I'm not leaving her behind."

Kaede stood, her amber eyes fierce. "I'm coming with you."

"No," Renji said quickly, turning to face her. "It's too dangerous. You need to stay here with Riku."

Kaede's eyes narrowed. "I'm not hiding while you risk your life again. I've already lost too much. I'm not losing you, too."

The conviction in her voice left no room for argument, and Renji sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. But you do exactly as I say. No improvising."

Kaede smirked faintly. "Deal."

Riku threw up his hands. "This is a terrible idea, but fine. I'll monitor the area and give you a heads-up if anything changes. Just don't die out there. I don't want your ghosts haunting my shop."

Renji chuckled softly, though the weight of the situation was far from funny. "Thanks, Riku. We'll be back."

Later That Night…

The industrial zone was a sprawling maze of abandoned factories and warehouses, their skeletal structures silhouetted against the dim glow of the city skyline. Renji and Kaede moved cautiously through the shadows, their footsteps muffled by the wet pavement.

"This place gives me the creeps," Kaede whispered, glancing around nervously.

Renji tightened his grip on the metal rod he'd brought from the safe house. "Stay close. Riku said she'd be here."

As they approached one of the larger warehouses, the faint sound of voices reached their ears. Renji froze, holding up a hand to stop Kaede.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered.

Kaede nodded, her hand instinctively moving to the small knife she'd taken from Riku's stash.

They crept closer, sticking to the shadows. The voices grew clearer—a low, commanding tone that Renji recognized immediately.

"Kuroda," he muttered under his breath.

Peeking around the corner of the warehouse, Renji spotted Kuroda and a group of his men gathered near a large truck. The woman was there, her hands bound and her face bloodied, but her expression remained defiant.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble," Kuroda said, his voice calm but menacing. "I suggest you make this easier on yourself. Tell me where they are, and I might let you walk away."

The woman smirked, blood staining her teeth. "You'll have to do better than that."

Kuroda's eyes darkened, and he stepped closer to her. "Brave, but foolish."

Renji's grip on his rod tightened. He turned to Kaede, his voice low. "We need a distraction. If we can draw them away, we might have a chance to get her out."

Kaede nodded, her mind already racing. "What about that truck? If we set it off, it'll cause enough chaos to cover us."

Renji glanced at the truck, then at the nearby stack of barrels labeled flammable. A plan began to form. "You're right. But it has to be fast. Once they notice, we'll only have a few seconds."

Kaede smirked faintly. "I can handle fast."

Renji hesitated, his instincts screaming to keep her out of harm's way. But he knew they didn't have a choice.

"Alright," he said, handing her a small lighter from his pocket. "Be careful."

Kaede nodded, her expression serious. "You too."

As Kaede slipped toward the barrels, Renji prepared himself. The odds weren't in their favor, but he couldn't back down now—not when someone's life was on the line.

The night was about to explode, one way or another.