Sake Bomb Read Free Page B

Birkin at her
shoulder.
    With the walk, the clothes, and the
confident attitude, Fay could have been a model. But Fay was far
from a model anything.
    Fay was a killer.
    She reached the platform just as Julie
settled an Erlenmeyer flask onto the crowded surface. Uncorking the
glass container exposed the liquid inside to the air.
     
    “ I can hold the flowers, Matushka ?”
    “ Yes, baby,” Hiro said. “Please, just
behave a little longer for mommy and we’ll have wagashi and
tea.”
    Puffs of dark pink filled her vision, and
she took the bouquet, inhaling deeply.
    “ They’re not roses, are they? They don’t
smell like roses.”
    Hiro ignored her, a rare occurrence,
reverently extracted a container from her purse and cradled it in
her palm.
    She knew what it was, had seen so many of
them it wasn’t too curious a sight. But why did Matushka bring it here? And what was that liquid inside? Was it dangerous
like in Matushka’s lab?
    A length of red yarn circled the corked
glass, and she wondered about that too.
    Hiro uncorked the flask and nestled it on
the railing between the many flowers and other open bottles; fussed
with the knot in the yarn, turning it just so.
    “ You’re gonna leave it there ‘cause you
don’t want it no more?”
    Her matushka finished murmuring
and stepped back with a shaky sigh.
    “ What’s inside of it?”
    “ Water,” Hiro croaked. “They were
thirsty. So very thirsty…”
    “ Who’s thirsty?”
     
    A bell tolled in the distance and the shared
memory dissolved, a faded picture.
    The knot in the yarn around the glass was
askew. Fay turned it so it was perfectly centered. A glance at
Julie, who nodded and then set an origami flower beside the
flask.
    “You shouldn’t be here,” Fay said evenly,
eyes fixed on the cenotaph. She’d expected Julie—Julie had a
purpose—but Akari was some 600 miles from home. Best to not be seen
together, especially so close to completion.
    On the other side of Julie, Akari had her
face angled away. She didn’t answer, couldn’t answer.
    Fay circled to the other side, gaze narrowed
on Akari's busy jaws. Her cheeks were full, mouth shifting subtly
as she chewed. Fay brushed at the corners, and then studied the
dark pink crumbs on her fingertips; touched them to her tongue.
    Sweet.
    Akari’s shoulders slumped. Still chewing,
she dug in her purse once more and removed a bag of treats.
    “Courage, strength and…”
    “Discipline,” Akari finished. “These are the
marks of a warrior…”
    A small nod and Fay took the wagashi from Akari’s clutches, dropped them into her purse. Then she hugged
the woman tightly, murmured a firm, “You and I will talk later,”
into Akari’s ear.
    Fay spun to Julie, folded the woman in a
warm embrace and delivered a different message meant for her ears
only. Listening intently, Julie nodded, and then Fay pecked her
cheek before they pulled away.
    A vintage gold locket hung at Julie’s neck,
the clasp resting just beside the heart-shaped pendant. Fay twisted
the necklace so it was righted, lightly stroking Julie’s
collarbones in the process. “You’ll have to go back tomorrow. I’ve
had the new booking information forwarded.”
    “So early? Then it’s true,” Akari blurted,
“the first shin—” Julie whirled on her and the plump woman snapped
off her words. Akari touched her chin to her chest but ventured
another inquiry. To Fay she asked, “And…still nothing of Sumi?”
    “Best not to hope.” Fay rested a gentle hand
on the woman’s shoulder. “I know you miss her, we all miss
her, but what we do is for her as well.”
    “Two gone, and now—”
    “Nothing has changed, Akari. We stick to the
plan.”
    Julie fixed Akari with a stern look. “Did
you forget your oath after all this time?”
    Akari inhaled a breath, recited, “And where
she leads I will follow.” A glance at Fay, back to Julie.
“Apologies.”
    Moments later, Fay watched the pair depart.
She definitely needed to have a