The Last Bazaar

CHAPTER TWELVE

The hardest thing Mai Kitano had to do in the days following Grace’s shooting was tear herself away from the girl’s bedside. The initial hours were the worst, the shock of that horrific twenty-second tragedy still finding no respite in her mind. Hibiki stayed with her, though he was barely able to string a sentence together so distraught was he at having to shoot Emiko. Chika told their story and the cops gave them a break, but they returned later.

Then Grace showed visible signs of improvement. Mai’s fears eased but then her raging guilt took hold and she sought out Hibiki.

“Let’s get out of here,” she said, and they exited into fresh sunlight for the first time in days.

Hibiki told her he knew not of a cure, but of a way to take a breather, a pause from the rigors of real life. He led her to an underground parking garage where he kept a small open-top, two-seater sports car called Belle, and fired up the engine. Within fifteen minutes they were cruising outside Tokyo, along sweeping bends and long straights, greenery and stunning views catching their imaginations on all sides. The great vault of the sky stretched endlessly above them and the breeze in her hair made her wish for better days.

Mai realized not a word had passed between them since they left the hospital. She turned her face away from the sun and toward her old friend. “Dai, I just don’t know what to say.”

The cop’s face remained stoic. “There’s no coming back from this, Mai. It’s one of those life-altering events you wish you never had to face. If it wasn’t for Chika I’d be heading for a nut-house right now.”

Mai gazed at the passing scenery. The panoramic blur reminded her of the flow of life — only certain images registered and stuck.

“We have to change this life.”

Hibiki concentrated on a steady flow of rolling curves before letting out a long sigh. “And I guess that’s as simple as it sounds?”

“Harder than that, Dai. It’s impossible.”

“That’s what I thought.”

A deep valley opened up below. Hibiki slowed the car and negotiated the road that tracked along the steep edge. Mai allowed her mind to clear as stunning images filled her brain. Hibiki was right, the trip was beyond therapeutic.

“Here,” Hibiki handed her a packet of mints, “it’ll help freshen your breath.”

Mai blinked in surprise. It wasn’t in her friend’s nature to be so rude. Unless… she observed him for the first time and saw a tiny smile at the corner of his mouth. As much as it surprised her again it gave her hope too. It reminded her that Grace could live and grow up to be a wonderful, healthy girl.

And that led her onto another problem.

“We have to get Grace away from this life. As soon as possible.”

Hibiki nodded and slipped a pair of sunglasses on. “Agreed. I think she should stay in Tokyo, either with or close to Chika and me.”

“You’re staying with the TMP?”

“I’m a cop. What else would I do? Do you know how hard it is to change lifestyles after a certain age?”

Mai did know what he meant, but said nothing. The fact remained that, although Grace would no doubt want to make her own mind up, Mai herself had life-altering decisions to make. Options did exist, she knew. The Tokyo Metropolitan could probably find her a position on the force which she could steer away from special or undercover ops. A consultancy business? Her own bodyguard company? None of it sounded particularly savory, but it beat getting shot at all day long.

But did it?

Mai reflected over the recent years. The adventures she had shared with Drake and the team stood out in her memory like shining beacons, like the Aurora Borealis of her life’s events. Yes, they were tempered with loss but what kind of experience wasn’t?

Hibiki glanced across. “Thinking about SPEAR?”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Easy. That’s the first flicker of a smile I’ve seen on your face in days.”

“Am I that transparent? I thought my face was quite unreadable.”

“Not to me.”

“And you think I should return?”

“To SPEAR? I think it’s the only thing that makes you happy. And bad things aren’t going to stop happening, Mai, just because you chose to opt out. They happen every minute in every part of the world. All we can ever do is try to make things a little better.”

Mai smiled wider for a moment as Hibiki threw the vehicle around another series of bends, the wind whipping at her hair.

The cop laughed. “You can hang your head out the window if you like.”

Mai laughed too and saw a text message coming in to her friend’s cellphone through the car’s Bluetooth system. It appeared on the Sat-Nav screen as he pulled into a lay-by.

All well here. Enjoy yourselves! Chika xx

Mai settled back into the seat. “Thank you for falling for my sister.”

“The pleasure was mine. We work well together.”

Mai nodded. Of course she knew they worked even better together when they didn’t have a crazy sister living with them. It was time to make that decision.

“Drive,” she told Hibiki. “Just drive.”

The road stretched far ahead, a ribbon of dreams, a snaking stretch of immersive inspiration, and Mai spoke no more but let her mind wander through a lifetime of experience and emotion. There was no pressure, no hassle, no reason to interrupt her train of thoughts. This was to all intents and purposes tangible and true Mai-time, and she reveled in it.

In the end, she picked her phone out of the glovebox and called a number.

“Hello, Hayden, it’s me.”

The voice at the other end sounded surprised. “Oh, hi, is everything okay?”

“Yes, yes. We’re well and Grace is getting better by the hour. Something to do with a young person’s fortitude, I believe.”

“Sure, well, that’s all five-by-five. Friggin’ reception is bad here. You need anything else?”

“Yes actually, I do.” Mai stared hard into the middle-distance. “Where are you?”

Hayden reeled off an explanation and a location, ending with the question that Mai most dreaded. “Why? Are you coming back?”

She answered as truthfully as she could. “I don’t know. I’m going to try. But tell nobody, Hayden. Just in case I don’t make it.”