Chapitre 32: Extraction

They managed to reach Kominato-sensei in time. He didn't ask questions upon their arrival. Instead, he hastily prepared a futon in a cleansed room and had Akira laid out on it. Then he commenced emergency operations on his stomach wound with Hinata being his assistant.

Akira had lost consciousness by this time. On the verge of succumbing to an eternal sleep.

"Stay with me Honda-san." Hinata continued to say over Akira's unconscious form as Kominato-sensei sutured the internal and external wounds with the best of his skill.

Hinata sighed with relief when the good doctor had declared that Akira had survived the operation. However, he needed constant attention. The wound needed to be kept dry and clean.

"It was fortunate we had arrived when we did," Rika said.

Hinata nodded. His mind moved to thoughts of the others. Akira had mentioned that Yuri took them away. He had hoped that meant they were able to escape. But to where? Back to Rocko's maybe.

His thoughts were disrupted by the flurry of activity going up and down the hallway outside.

An army soldier entered the room. "Sensei! You have to hurry! There're many locals in the main room suffering gunshot and damaging wounds."

"I'll tend to him," Hinata said.

Kominato-sensei hurried out to attend to the other patients. Rika also stepped outside. Leaving Hinata alone with Akira, who was still unconscious but breathing evenly and with more color to his skin.

It wasn't going to be easy to break it off with Akira now. He needed to be by his side.

Hinata noticed that Akira's glasses weren't on his face. Not only was he delirious, but lacking good eyesight at the time he had spotted him.

"You truly love me." Hinata tenderly stroked Akira's smooth forehead.

Without his glasses, he appeared a lot younger and more handsome.

His heart began to waver from his resolve. Would Eiji want him to be pining for him forever after death? Especially when Akira was alive, wanting to be with him and in more need. It was his fault Akira was like this.

Regardless of logic. Not having Eiji in his life hurt. It was a heart ache that grew stronger the more days he awoke without Eiji by his side. Carving an emptiness in his being that no amount of living with another could fill.

Eiji was his true soulmate.

"I'm sorry Honda-san. I love you. But..." He whispered with tears streaking his cheeks.

He wiped aside his tears and focused on ensuring Akira's recovery.

A short while later, Rika returned to the room. She looked flustered and with heightened worry.

"We have to move. The secret police have gone insane!"

She explained that the secret police had recruited the aid of local authorities to help them raid villages for traitors and food to the military compounds. Using the treason card as means to ensure cooperation. She also shared a rumor that she had heard where many local military heads had been recently executed by the kenpetai.

Something drastic was going on, but no one could fathom what it was. It was clear that the war wasn't over as they had been told.

"We can't Saito-san! Akira is in no shape to be moved. I won't leave him!"

"Rocko sent word that your family is safe." Riko reassured Hinata. "He also said they had to flee. The kenpetai are crawling all over the mountains for deserters and traitors."

Kominato-sensei returned with a few veteran soldiers. They held a sling carrier that they laid next to Akira.

"We have to transport him to safety. This village is compromised." Kominato-sensei reassured Hinata.

The soldiers and Hinata carefully eased Akira onto the stretcher.

The veterans skillfully carried the stretcher out of the inn via the back way. They eased Akira into a military truck, next to other injured people on stretchers. Hinata ambled inside to be by Akira's side.

"I'm going back to my shrine," Riko said to Hinata from outside the truck.

"Thank you for everything Saito-san. May your shrine be safe and well." Hinata bowed his heartfelt thanks.

"You be safe too Chikafuji-san." She flashed him a smile.

She turned and sprinted back towards her lorry.

Kominato-sensei climbed into the truck to sit next to Akira. A few of the veterans closed up the back-end then climbed into the front to start up the engines.

The smell of diesel, smoke and gunpowder wafted past Hinata's nose as the truck made a bumpy drive.

Cries of confusion, fear, attacking and desperation rapidly receded into a heavy drone and silence as the truck fled the village for safer roads.