The Kyoto Ordeal (Tales of the Other Universe Book 1)

by J. G. Taschereau

  “You are half right, Ms. Gatti,” the Creator explained. “It’s a rather complicated situation regarding who that man is and who he was. What you should understand is that our companion now is a loyal ally to me and is not a danger any more.”

  “Depends on how you mean,” Mathias said. “If he has the power to do everything you say, I’d say he’s pretty dangerous. The guy’s nearly a god.”

  “But he is not, Mr. Albright, I cannot stress that enough,” said the Creator. “An entire war was waged over that fact and it would be a shame to all the lives lost to insinuate otherwise.”

  “Whatever you say,” the bounty hunter resigned.

  “So if he has these kinds of mental powers, could he be able to pinpoint Mr. Evans’ location in the city?” Dee asked, hopeful that this could be an advantage.

  “Sadly, no,” the Creator said. “As he is not a god, his powers are still limited. He cannot search through the millions of people here to listen for the thoughts of a man he has never met before, especially if his exact location isn’t known. We will all just have to be patient and continue our search as we have been.”

  “What if that gunman shows up again?” Dee asked.

  “We will have to deal with him, or any other attempts on our lives, as they happen I’m afraid.”

  “But why did he try to kill you in the first place?” Dee asked. “They couldn’t know who you are, so they shouldn’t have a reason to go after your life.”

  “On the contrary, they have more than reason enough to try and kill me,” the Creator explained. “Or rather, the man they thought I was.”

  “Mr. Evans?”

  “I believe so. Iilil-ja came to this place, we must assume, to pursue the contents of the orb that escaped. Although Iilil-ja always stood out as the loner type, we can’t assume the same is true for the part of him that he is hunting. There may be others aiding it with whatever plans it might be devising, and those individuals will also be after Iilil-ja’s life as well as anyone helping us.”

  “But our guy’s immortal, right?” Mathias asked. “He’s a Legend, like you, so these guys shouldn’t be able to kill him that easily.”

  “Not easily at all,” said the Creator, “which is good news for him, but not so much for the three of us. We are all vulnerable, so as long as we are searching for Iilil-ja we will have to keep our guards up against future attacks. I count that both of you are capable of holding your own if necessary, as is New Baggins.”

  “And what about you?” asked Dee.

  “I’m afraid I’ll be relying on New Baggins to be a sort of bodyguard while I’m here. Outside of the Other Universe, I’m quite useless.”

  “I’ll remember that,” Mathias said, leaning back in his chair. “It’d be bad for me if you die before I get paid, you know.”

  “Don’t worry, Mr. Albright,” the Creator said as he feigned a smile. “I’ll make sure you get compensation for all of your efforts. You as well, Ms. Gatti.”

  Dee smiled, knowing that the compensation she would receive was not wealth but information she had been desperate to have for the last three years. She thought of the most important man in her life and was filled with warmth. She would need to hold onto that warmth, she decided, for the days ahead were only going to grow colder.

  On the other side of the city, the doors to a warehouse outside of a port slid open and then closed after a man entered. It was the same man who had appeared before the Creator’s party that afternoon and made an attempt on his life. He stepped into the cold warehouse and rubbed his hands together for warmth. His breath appeared before him despite the darkness, and he looked around the crowded building for the man he had come to meet.

  “Yo, Gien!” he called out. His words echoed through the building, but found no answer. As he blew warm air over his hands, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He reached for his pistol and turned, only to find the man he was looking for behind him. He was a short man with a shaved head and a scar over his right eye that did not reflect his young age at all.

  “Sgt. Rogers, you’re late,” he answered. The taller man shot him a foul look and crossed his arms.

  “How the hell do you expect me to make my way around so quickly when everything here’s written in that damn moonspeak?”

  “This is where we arrived three days ago,” his partner said. “I assumed you’d be able to find your way back without too much trouble.”

  “We got here in the morning, this city’s completely different at night.”

  “Whatever, there’s no need to keep bickering about something pointless. What happened with Evans?”

  “You didn’t tell me he had some kind of magic bodyguard,” the sergeant griped. “I was lucky to get out of there when I did. Evans is untouchable as long as that guy’s around him.”

  “You were a little too late with your attack,” Gien said. “He was alone with that girl for the entire day. I doubt they’ll stay in small groups tomorrow, and if they do that man is sure to stay near Evans.”

  “So what are we supposed to do? And at any rate, where’s Hyogo? I thought he would be here tonight.”

  “He’s keeping an eye on Evans at his hotel at the moment,” the young man said. “Though I doubt his inclusion to the plan will help us much.”

  “Doubtful, he’ll probably slow us down,” the sergeant said. “Besides, I want that guy all to myself.”

  “Evans? Why, what have you got against him?”

  “Me? Nothing at all. But still, a kill’s a kill. There’s nothing better than hunting down a human being for sport, and I can’t get enough of it.”

  “Don’t get too greedy, Rogers,” Gien warned him. “Evans is a greater danger than I think you’re expecting, even without his bodyguards. Don’t underestimate any of them, especially Evans. He looks young, but he’s killed far more men than you ever will.”

  “Ha, we’ll see about that,” the sergeant said with a wicked grin. “I’ll track him down like an animal and get him all by himself, then finish him off. Then I’ll find a way to get back at that bodyguard too, magic or not. I’ve never let a target get away before, and I won’t forgive him for that.”

  Gien said no more, instead turning and taking his leave from the insatiable gunman. Sgt. Rogers sneered at the young man and cracked his knuckles, savoring the thought of the kill that he would bring when the sun rose again.

  Chapter Seven

  The First Bloodshed

  December 15th, 2004

  The Creator’s group set out early the next morning to continue their search for the King of Magid. They debated on whether or not to split up again in case a second attack might take place. Ultimately the Creator decided that the direness of the situation overshadowed the need for added security and he opted to search with New Baggins while Mathias and Dee paired with each other. Dee was uneasy about the decision, but trusted the Creator’s judgment.

  New Baggins was waiting for the trio outside of the hotel the next morning. Before Mathias or Dee could ask any questions about the man and his powerful gifts, the Creator explained the plan of attack and the two moved along into the city. Mathias watched the two walk off and crossed his arms.

  “I still get the feeling he’s not telling us everything about that guy,” Mathias said. Dee watched New Baggins disappear around the corner and recalled the old legend in her head. She had heard it dozens of times since she was a little girl, but she never imagined that someone like that would appear in her life. Two years ago she had told someone that if she ever met a being like New Baggins or the Creator that she would show them to him to prove that beings like that really existed. But that man was two years dead and she was a world away with much more pressing matters at hand.

  “We should get started,” she said, taking out the Creator’s translator. She had practiced with it the night before so that she would be able to use it that day. Her pronunciation was still very off and the language proved much more difficult for her to learn and speak than the
initial introduction.

  “Are you going to be able to use that thing?” Mathias asked while Dee fumbled around with the buttons through her gloves. She managed to get the phrase, “Have you seen this man?” into the device and tried practicing speaking the translation aloud.

  “We should be alright,” she said, putting the translator into her purse. “Let’s get started.”

  The two decided to set their course for another park that they noticed was popular during the day. On the walk, Mathias tried to make conversation with the girl, who he had spoken little to since their search began.

  “So you work directly with the Creator, eh?” he asked. “That must be pretty nice. I bet you get all the fancy treatment that he gets, too.”

  “To some extent,” Dee said. “A lot of the time he leaves the mortal realm to return to the Kingdom of Aeris and I can’t follow with him. Only the immortal Legends are allowed there. That is to say, only Legends can survive the pressure of being in that dimension.”

  “You don’t say,” said Mathias, not terribly interested in the going-ons of the immortals.

  “The time I spend with him is good, though,” Dee admitted. “He’s very kind and also quite generous. Even though I’m just an assistant, he invites me to sit with him at any kind of official gathering he’s present at. And he doesn’t even ask that much of me.”

  “What is your job, exactly?” Mathias asked.

  “Direct Aide to the Creator Most High,” she answered. “I take down notes for him when he needs them, as well as sending out correspondences.”

  “That’s got to be a lot of work, considering all the people he’s in contact with. I mean, he runs the entire Other Universe.”

  “He’s able to handle most of it,” said Dee. “But I’m there to help with anything else that he needs.”

  “Seems kind of odd, really. I mean he’s an all powerful deity. You’d think he wouldn’t need any kind of help with things like that.”

  Dee didn’t answer him. It was something she had considered before when she was first going through the application process for the job. She had always heard stories of the Creator being an omnipotent god that was capable of doing anything, and was surprised when she met him to find his appearance no different from a normal human. Even on Earth his powers were minimal to the point where he was barely capable of defending himself. This small flaw it seemed defied millennia of beliefs of the Creator being all powerful. Dee thought nothing of it, however. Maybe no one, not even he, could be completely perfect. That, she concluded, was why he chose to have someone like her around.

  The Creator sneezed as he walked with New Baggins through Shinjuku.

  “Are you alright, my Lord?”

  “It’s fine,” the Creator said. “I’m just getting used to this cold weather. Hopefully I won’t develop some sort of illness. That might prove to be rather bothersome for the four of us, wouldn’t it?”

  The Creator felt it was necessary to try and lighten the mood in the situation that they were all in. New Baggins, despite his considerable mental bearings, had missed the humor in the Creator’s statement and assured him that the fullest attention would be brought to return the deity to health. The Creator smiled slightly and shook his head at his servant, urging them to move on with their search.

  New Baggins did all of the talking this time around, as the Creator was still not fairing well with the translator. After about an hour of asking, however, there was still no luck in anyone recognizing Adam. The two stopped outside of a convenience store while they planned where they would search next.

  “You should ask the attendants in the store if they’ve seen Iilil-ja,” the Creator suggested. “I’ll stay out here and go through the map for places he might have gone to.”

  “As you wish, my Lord,” New Baggins replied, and cautiously entered the store. He didn’t seek to cause alarm by entering with a hood over much of his face, but his general appearance might cause some fright and he figured the risk would be worth it. Still outside, the Creator pulled out a guide book of Tokyo and crossed of the last section of the city they had been through. The area they’d covered was dismal, and it was apparent they weren’t making any headway.

  “Adam Evans?” a voice suddenly said behind him. He felt something press against his back. The Creator didn’t move, and keeping his composure responded.

  “I’m sorry, but you have me mistaken for someone else,” he said calmly. “My name isn’t Adam.”

  “Shut up,” the stranger barked. “Come on, you’re coming with me. Real slow now, before your friend gets back.”

  The Creator shut the guide book and stuffed it into the front pocket of his sweatshirt. The man behind him pushed the object against the Creator’s back to guide him forward. He could only assume that the object was the gun used in the attempt on his life the day before and that his captor the same gunman. He didn’t turn around to verify this, trying not to aggravate the situation any more. He could only hope that New Baggins would discover what was happening and help him.

  “What business do you have with Adam Evans?” the Creator asked, hoping to stall the gunman.

  “Shut up and keep moving,” was the reply. The Creator realized he was without a choice and complied with his captor. The gunman stayed close to him so that his weapon, which was already illegal to possess in Japan, would not be exposed. They didn’t walk far before they reached an alleyway. The streets were not very crowded at the moment, so hardly anyone noticed the two foreigners leave the main sidewalk.

  Once he knew he was in the clear, discharged U.S. Army Sgt. Jeffery Rogers shoved the Creator into the alleyway. The Creator caught himself and turned to face his captor, concluding it was the same man from the day before. This time he was wearing a pair of sunglasses, which he removed to get a better look at his prey.

  “You’re a tough guy to find, Evans,” said Rogers. “I figured you would have been smart enough to turn tail and run home four days ago, but I guess not.”

  “No, I don’t suppose I was,” the Creator said, playing along with the gunman. He knew for certain that this man was not only after Adam but he had encountered Adam four days ago when he first arrived in Tokyo. Although this man was incredibly dangerous and unstable, he held the information that the Creator and his allies were looking for.

  “The boss warned you to get lost or else,” the sergeant said, holding his gun out towards the Creator. “We can’t have you getting in the middle of our plans, after all. Still, I’m kind of glad you came back.”

  “Oh?” the Creator asked, stalling for more time. “Why is that?”

  “Because,” Rogers answered, “I’m a hunter. Not for money or fame, just the satisfaction of having taken a life. It’s a thrilling feeling. All the more so when I get to hunt down more interesting prey.”

  “More interesting?”

  “Common people are too easy to kill, women and children even more so,” he said with a laugh. “There were a lot of them in Kuwait, but there was no satisfaction with crowning those sand monkeys. Then there are people like you, people with a history. I’ve read a bit about you; you’ve killed even more people than I have. Of course, that definitely means I can’t let you walk away. Not a nice prize like you, the infamous Adam Evans. I’m going to make you all mine.”

  Sgt. Rogers heard a click behind his chest and froze. “Taking lives like it’s nobody’s business, even women and children? That’s pretty low.”

  The Creator breathed a short sigh of relief as he saw Mathias and Dee standing behind the sergeant. “I’m glad you received the message on your communicator in time, Mr. Albright.”

  “Just consider yourself lucky we were close by,” the bounty hunter said, keeping his gun on the sergeant’s back. “Where’s Bright Boy? I thought he was supposed to be watching you and preventing this kind of situation?”

  “I’m afraid this one’s all my fault,” the Creator said with an embarrassed smile. “New Baggins will have discovered I am missing
and use his powers find me shortly. He should be here within moments.”

  “Good to hear,” said Mathias. This was not good news for Sgt. Rogers, who was counting on his sneak attack in order to win. Once the man in the golden mask arrived it was all over for him. He lowered his weapon, which Mathias eyed carefully. It was just a distraction. Rogers banged his head backwards against Mathias’, causing the bounty hunter to stumble. Rogers spun around and pistol-whipped Mathias across the face.

  “Mr. Albright!” Dee cried out. She reached for something in her purse pocket, but the disgraced soldier raised his weapon up to her.

  “Don’t move, girl,” he growled.

  “Ms. Gatti!” the Creator cried, running towards her. Rogers saw this as his chance and without a second thought turned his weapon on the Creator. He never had the chance to fire. That instant, a wave of energy surged passed Dee and struck Rogers’ entire body. It sent him flying over the Creator, where he landed face first against the cold ground. The Creator looked up to see New Baggins arriving once again in the nick of time.

  “A thousand apologies, my Lord,” his disembodied voice said. “Though next time, I’ll have to ask you not to leave my side.”

  “Certainly agreeable terms, my friend,” the Creator said. Behind him, Rogers rolled over and started to stand. His face took a brutal hit and was smeared with blood from a broken nose. Now with his weapon lost during his fall, he no longer had a chance to claim his victim and had himself become the prey.

  “Damn you all,” he growled. He knew his only chance was to run before the man in the golden mask had a chance to capture him again. Before he could take his first step backwards, a shot rang out through the air. A single bullet struck Sgt. Rogers in the temple, causing a stream of blood to spray out. His mouth opened, but he didn’t have time to speak, dying before his body even hit the ground.

  The Creator first turned to Mathias, whose eyes were already on the rooftops. It was there that the shot had come from.