Chapter 23: Freerun

Aiyama-san panted for breath as she followed Rocko's lead out of the forest. They were bound for the pickup truck that was near the road to the main highway for Koumi.

She felt her back aching from having to carry Miki. She had reclaimed her child back from Akira when she saw his body sag under the children's weight. Added with the loss of Hinata.

Her own heart felt a sliver of relief at the sounds of calm nature gracing their ears. She didn't feel the presence of the secret police still hot on their heels.

Hinata's sacrifice pained her heart. He was a good man. Why did all good men have to suffer the most?

"Yah be safe if you keep going through the gully path. I make sure to lead dem kenpei further away. Yah can get to the truck." Rocko informed the ragged bunch of adults and kids.

He felt satisfaction at seeing them safely out of the mountain forest in one piece. His friends came good with their directions.

"Where's Hina-chan?" Shouta yawned as he woke.

He wiggled off Mei-san's back.

The boy glanced around. His face contorted with panic at not seeing his Hina-chan in the group.

"Where's Hina-chan?!" He asked the adults and his older brothers with desperate earnest.

"We have to keep going Shouta." Rei calmly approached the younger boy who was going into a state of panic.

"I want Hina-chan!" Shouta raised his voice to stir birds in the air and apprehension from everyone the group.

His voice was stopped with a stinging slap to his cheek from Kei's hand.

"Chikafuji-san isn't here! He sacrificed himself to save us. Don't let him down!" Kei gave it to Shouta straight.

This calmed his little brother.

The group resumed their run out of the forest and to the pickup the truck where Yuri was able to climb up behind the wheel.

"Damn. My foot's busted. I can't drive." Yuri frowned, frustrated.

"Here. I finished it off."

Rocko handed Yuri the shiny new prosthetic foot that Hinata had designed and almost completed.

"Didn't need to do much. That guy's given yah a tool for free running."

Yuri was amazed at the fluid and intuitive design made of smooth bamboo.

The fake foot was supported by a triangle of three small springs, hammered into the underside of the shapely bamboo wooden lower calf and topside of the ankle. No chance of these snapping off. At the top of the prosthetic piece was a padded leather brace and adjustable belt to align it to the natural part of his leg. Hinata had ensured the underlay was soft, so it felt like his own skin. He had even managed to shape the foot piece so it could fit into shoes.

His heart felt a weight of loss. He fitted the prosthetic to the natural part of his leg, and tested the movement against the truck's pedals. His loss deepened where he felt the easy responsiveness from the piece.

The world had lost another untapped genius.

"Let's go," he said when he closed the driver's door.

Rocko helped the others into the back. He returned to Yuri's window and leaned on the edge. He looked at the fuel gauge with a frown.

"Yah should have enough for Koumi. Drive them safe." Rocko.

"Hinata?" Akira called out from the back.

"I'll find him. Take care of his body." Roko sighed with a reassuring smile.

Yuri stirred the pickup truck to life.

Akira kept his eyes on Rocko's receding figure as the truck moved them towards a road bound for Koumi.