Takemichi walked out of the HQ through the side entrance/exit and there, Kato was waiting for him leaning against a wall. “Well, well, well. Look who it is, a newly promoted inspector.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t start.”

  Pushing himself off the wall, Kato walked towards and in front of Takemichi.

  So, how does it feel to be a part of the big league now?”

  “It feels...weird.” Takemichi admitted. “I don’t know if I deserve it.”

  “Nonsense.” Hitting him on the back, Kato said. “You deserve it more than most of the guys in there. You’re a good officer.”

  Chuckling at the remark, Takemichi said. “You’re just saying that because we’re friends.”

  “Maybe.” Kato said with a grin. “Anyway, what did the vice pres say to you?”

  Trying to downplay the conversation, Takemichi said. “He just...congratulated me on my promotion, that’s all.”

  “C’mon, I know you. You’re hiding something.”

  Takemichi sighed, “Alright..he asked me..abo—no..what my opinion of the Kusonoki conglomerate was before and after my promotion.”

  “And what did you tell him?”

  “I told him the truth. That I didn’t have a great opinion of the conglomerate before, but now..I don’t know what to think.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  Just then their conversation was interrupted as Takemichi and Kato were each given a thin book by a man who was passing them out to every police officer in sight. The man had a bag slung over his shoulder, filled with more books.

  Takemichi was puzzled, looking at the book in hand, not expecting to be handed something by a stranger.

  Kato flipped through the pages of his book. “Hey, what’s this?”

  Takemichi opened his own book and began reading. The title read “Instructions for Lockdown Enforcement”.

  “Instructions on how to enforce the lockdown.” Takemichi said, skimming through the pages. “This must be from the Kusonoki conglomerate.”

  Nodding, Kato skimmed through his own book. “They’ve covered everything. Curfew hours, travel restrictions, the penalties for breaking the rules. It’s all in here.”

  “It seems so.”

  Takemichi frowned as he read on. “Some of these restrictions are pretty severe. Curfew for all 24 hour’s, no gatherings of more than two people in public, no travelling outside of approved zones without permission..”

  Kato nodded, “It’s all for the good of the nation, supposedly.”

  “So, are you going to gun down everyone on the streets like it says?” Takemichi asked.

  “Of course not, man. You know me.” Kato said, stuffing the book into his pocket. “But there will be some officers who will take these instructions very seriously. Maybe even too seriously.”

  “Fucking psychopaths.”

  “This is going to get ugly. I’m afraid of the level of abuse of power that’s about to take place.”

  Just then, both of their radio’s crackled to line and said the respective districts and areas they have been assigned to. Kato had been assigned to district X. And Takemichi to district B.

  “Well, I guess this is where we part ways.” Kato said, putting on his police cap. “Stay safe.”

  “Yeah, you too.” Takemichi said, “I’ll see you soon.”

  With that, they went their separate ways.

  ————————————————————

  Takemichi found himself stuck in traffic on his way back to district B. The roads were filled with cars, people trying to get back home before the lockdown. An announcement blared over the radio, warning everyone they had only 20 minutes to reach their destination before the lockdown began.

  Horns blared incessantly, and people shouted and cursed at each other.

  Takemichi weaved his way through the traffic, using his siren and flashing lights to make his way through. He could see people packing into buses, taxis and other forms of public transport, hoping to reach their destination before the lockdown. Some were walking, others were running.

  He saw police officers standing at every bus stop and corner, directing traffic and trying to maintain order. But it was almost impossible.

  Eventually, he reached District B. The sight that greeted him was one of pure chaos. People were trying to force their way into the few available shelters, there were scuffles and arguments breaking out over who was supposed to be let in first. Some people were even trying to bribe the police officers stationed at the doors.

  Takemichi had never seen anything like it before. It was like a scene out of a disaster movie, not that he had seen that many. The only disaster movie he has seen was with his grandfather..what was the title again? He couldn’t remember but in it the moon fell onto the earth.

  He parked his car and got out, trying to make his way through the throngs of people. The other officers stationed there were shouting and trying to hold the crowd back, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with a broomstick. While pushing his way through, Some people recognized him as an officer and let him pass, while others cursed at him and accused him of prioritizing himself.

  Finally, he made it to the police station. It was a scene of relative calm compared to the streets outside. Officers were organizing themselves, checking their gear and planning where they would be deployed.

  He had a specific goal in mind – to grab some extra firepower. Handguns were never enough, as he had learned the hard way during previous riots. The police in year 2109 had become complacent, enjoying their positions of privilege and rarely having to do much actual work. Getting up at five in the morning to actually do their jobs was an annoyance to many. As a result, they were not well-trained or equipped to handle difficult situations.

  When riots broke out, police officers dropped like puppets whose strings have been cut. And Takemichi wasn’t going to be one of them.

  He made his way through the station, looking for the weapons locker. It was located in a small room in the back, guarded by a senior officer.

  As he approached, he could feel the officer’s eyes on him, sizing him up but he him go inside. The room was small and cramped, and quite dimly lit too. The room was filled with all sorts of weapons – rifles, shotguns, tasers, tear gas canisters, riot shields, and even a few larger guns that were usually used in raids.

  He grabbed a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun, knowing that they would be useful in the days ahead. He also grabbed some extra ammo, just to be safe.

  When he made his way out of the room, the senior officer looked at him and then ignored him.

  He knew that some of his fellow officers might judge him for taking more than his fair share of weapons but he didn’t care.

  Before leaving the station, Takemichi stopped and pulled out his police issue radio. He turned it on and set the channel to 8, the channel he had instructed his daughter to use whenever she needed to get in touch with him.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  He pressed the talk button and said, “Rini, this is daddy. Do you read me?”

  There was a moment of silence, and then he heard a familiar voice crackle over the line. “Daddy! I read you loud and clear!”

  Takemichi let out a sigh of relief. “Good, I’m glad you’re okay. You are at home, right?”

  “Yeah, I’m at home. It’s really boring, though. No one is allowed to go outside and all the shops are closed.”

  “I know, sweetheart. But you need to stay indoors, okay? It’s for your safety, do not even for a second open the door for anyone or come outside,” Takemichi said.

  “I know, daddy, I’m not stupid.” Rini said. “But it’s so bor—”

  “Don’t finish that sentence,” Takemichi interrupted, his tone firm. “You listen to me and you stay inside, end of discussion. Do you understand me?”

  There was a pause, and then Rini replied in a small voice, “Yes, daddy, I understand. I won’t leave the house, I promise.”

  “Good,” Takemichi said, his voice softening a bit. “Now, I have to go and start my shift. I’ll try to call you as often as I can, okay?”

  “Okay, daddy. Be careful, okay? I love you.”

  “I love you too, Rini. Don’t forget that.”

  With that, Takemichi said his goodbyes and switched off the radio.

  He felt depressed knowing that his daughter was cooped up indoors, but he knew she was going to be safe there, the Kusonoki conglomerate will deliver daily food and water to the house so there was no need to worry about supplies. He made a mental note to himself to make it up to her once the lockdown was lifted.

  A few minutes passed and a announcement was made on every loudspeaker in the city, warning all remaining citizens to shelter indoors as the lockdown commenced. Takemichi stood inside, watching as the gates to the station were closed and locked.

  He was just about to step out of the station when he noticed the crowd of people standing outside, all of them looking panicked and scared. There were around 100 to 200 people standing there and they all knew what was about to happen..He could see a few fellow officers already drawing their weapons and taking aim at the crowds of people who were still outside.

  The instructions had been given – anyone on the streets after the lockdown was to be gunned down on sight, no questions asked. Takemichi felt a knot in his stomach as he watched the people outside. They were just regular citizens, some with families, some with jobs to go to, but they were all stuck here, everywhere else was jam packed or completely shut and sealed. They had gathered in front of the police station hoping they would be let in but alas, that was not the case. Takemichi closed his eyes..there were even children in that crowd..

  He turned to another officer who was standing nearby. “What are we going to do with all these people?”

  The officer grunted, “We can’t let them in, you know that. People can’t just enter a police station, t’s their fault not mine.”

  Takemichi couldn’t believe what he just heard. “You’re serious? We can’t just leave them out there! Some of them are even kids! They’ll get sho—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, he heard sounds of gunfire and screaming.

  The crowd outside the station had started panicking, running in all directions. Takemichi saw people falling to ground, hit by bullets from the officers who were firing at the crowd.

  “What the hell!” He yelled but the officer’s who were shooting payed him no mind, they even shot some of the people that tried to run into the station. Feeling nauseous and enraged, Takemichi tried to think of something to do but nothing came to his mind. So, instead He just closed his eyes and put his hands on his ears, waiting for it to finish.

  The shooting went on for a few more minutes before it finally stopped.

  With hesitation, Takemichi removed his hands from his ears and opened his eyes. He would be haunted by the sight that met his eyes for the rest of his life. The air reeked of death, A sea of blood spread across the road like an oil spill in the ocean. Bodies littered the ground like discarded puppets as if a slaughterhouse had been set up on this very spot. Some face-down in pools of blood, others on their backs or sides, all frozen in perpetual screams while others wore expressions of utter despair. What had once been hopeful eyes now stared blankly into nothingness.

  Blood-soaked shoes and clothes were scattered everywhere, abandoned by those who had desperately tried to escape but we’re unable to do so.

  As Takemichi left the police station, he felt so guilty that he felt like his heart was about to burst. his left lay a young woman’s corpse, her bright pink dress stained crimson from multiple gunshot wounds. Her eyes remained frozen in terror, as if she’d witnessed some unspeakable evil before meeting her maker.

  Nearby, a middle-aged man’s body slumped against a lamppost, his suit torn and bloodied, blood coming out of his blood and dripping onto his chest.

  To his right, a cluster of children’s bodies lay huddled together, their tiny limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Their small faces in pain, their eyes wide with the thought that they would never again feel the warmth of sunlight or the comfort of parental arms.

  He tried to ignore it, closing his eyes once more and walking towards the general direction of his car, when he heard a soft whimpering sound coming from the corner. He turned his head, his heart sinking as he saw a little boy, no older than seven, on his knees, trying to make himself as small as possible.

  Takemichi took a step closer and knelt down in front of the boy. “Are you alright?” He said softly, not wanting to scare him.

  The boy looked up at him, tears streaming down his face. “Please...don’t hurt me..” he whispered, his voice quivering.

  Takemichi quickly looked around, making sure no officers were near. He then quickly grabbed the boy and gently pulled him into the car, placing him on the passenger seat. As soon as the door was closed, he pressed a button on the side of the car and all the windows and windshield immediately tinted, obscuring anyone from looking in. Takemichi knew that if the other officers saw the boy, they would not hesitate to shoot him.

  Technically, he was supposed to shoot all loiterers who did not have valid permits to be outside, regardless of their circumstances. But as he looked at the trembling boy sitting next to him, a mere child with his whole life still ahead of him, he just couldn’t do it. Despite everything, he was still a human being with morals and empathy, and seeing the boy shaking with fear tugged at his heartstrings.

  He couldn’t help but think about his own daughter, Riki, in the boy’s place. She was older than this boy, maybe just by a few months but still nonetheless in the same age range. Would he shoot his daughter if this was her? Absolutely no!

  And so, it would be hypocritical of him to shoot other people’s children when in the same situation he would spare the life of his daughter in a heart beat.

  “What’s your name, boy?” He asked cautiously.

  The boy hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice still shaking. “M-maximilian...Maximilian maximus lvein alferto.” He said, barely loud enough for Takemichi to hear him.

  Takemichi couldn’t help but note how long the kid’s name was, and it certainly wasn’t Japanese too. This sounded like an English name, like the one the royal families had.

  “Maximilian, that’s a pretty long name,” he said, trying to keep his tone light. “You don’t sound Japanese, where are you from?”

  “lithrum. The kingdom of lithrum.”

  Takemichi raised his eyebrows in surprise. What was lithrum? As far as he knew, there wasn’t any Nation named that on earth and he was confident in as, geography was his strongest subject in school after all.

  “Lithrum, huh? I’ve never heard of it before,” he said, trying to hide his confusion. “Is it far from here?”

  The boy looked at him with wide eyes. “You guys don’t know about the kingdom of Lithrum? I thought that all humans knew about the existence of the nine kingdoms.”

  Takemichi was even more puzzled now. Nine kingdoms? What nine kingdoms? He was about to ask the boy but decided to get his most important concern out of the way first.

  “Nevermind, we can talk about that later. For now, I need to know, how did you end up here, in this situation. Where are your parents?”

  The boy looked down at the floor, “I don’t know...I was with my papa and mama and guards, but I got lost, and then weird humans started chasing me.”

  The boy’s response confused Takemichi even more.

  Guards? He was with his father and mother, so did that mean he was the son of someone important? And why wasn’t he wearing anything to protect him from the outside world? His lungs would fail within two months if he was continuously exposed to the atmosphere.

  It was even worse for him as finding a paediatric lung transplant would be much more difficult than finding one for an adult, which was already hard. Not that it mattered for himself or his daughter as they both had artificial lungs. Most children in Neo-Tokyo didn’t have that luxury though.

  He looked closer at the boy’s outfit, trying to see if there was anything that could give him a clue about who he was or where he came from, but there wasn’t anything special he could see.

  He was wearing a simple brown shirt and shorts, nothing special about them, but there was something that caught his eye. On the boy’s right hand, he was wearing a ring on his ring finger. It was made of a serpent coiled around his finger. In its mouth, a beautiful red Ruby glistened.

  The ring looked expensive, and definitely not something a boy of his age would be wearing unless he came from a wealthy family.

  Was this boy a victim of human trafficking? There were numerous horror stories related to the trafficking of human organs, but he was thankful he had never been assigned to a unit that dealt with such cases. If the boy was a victim of such a heinous crime, the vile culprits would have surely taken the valuable ring on his finger as soon as they got their hands on it.

  However, the longer he looked at the ring, the more he noticed something strange about it. It looked old, and not just a few years old, but centuries old. The gold band was worn and had several scratches on it, as if it had been worn for generations. Was it a family heirloom of sorts?

  If it was indeed a family heirloom, then it could be worth a fortune. And if the boy was the son of a wealthy man, that might explain why he was being chased by those “weird humans”. Perhaps they were after him for ransom, or worse – for organ harvesting.

  With all the clues pointing towards the boy’s wealthy background the only thing bugging Takemichi was how such an influential family could loose or allow their son to wander around but he did say he was lost.. Takemichi sighed.

  Takemichi turned to the boy and spoke in a stern voice, “Max, listen to me. I need you to go sit in the back and make yourself as small as possible. Do not make a noise, understood?”

  The boy nodded vigorously, his eyes wide with fear. He quietly made his way to the back of the car and sat down, making himself as small as possible like Takemichi had instructed.

  Takemichi started the engine of the car and thought about his next move. Where should he go? He couldn’t take the boy to his own home; Rini was there and the apartment was locked, he could get special permission but it would be quite the trouble...ahh fuck it..might as well go to his home.

  With a sigh, he turned the car around and began driving towards his apartment.