The Mission

“Have you seen her yet?” Sakura asked.

“No,” Spike said. He noticed her look of panic getting worse. He grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Look, we will get her back. I promise,” the cowboy said. Sakura looked deep into his eyes. She believed him, but he couldn’t blame how she felt. This was his kid too. That led to another thing that he noticed.

“Hey, have you seen anyone else around?” he asked. Sakura slowly shook her head. That told him everything that he needed to know.

“I can explain what is going on,” a voice said behind them. The couple turned to see Kaze-san floating off the ground. She looked worn out. The angel held up her hand.

“I don’t have time to explain how I got here,” she said. “You need to listen!” The couple stared at her as she didn’t give them a chance to respond.

“I know who took Miya-chan,” Kaze-san blurted out.

“Who?” Spike asked. The ghost tried to come up with a way to explain everything in the shortest amount of time possible. She drew in a breath.

“She’s been taken to Hell,” Kaze-san said. “You only have two days to get her back before she dies.” The color drained from Sakura’s face.

“But why?” she asked.

“How do we get her back?” Spike asked. Kaze-san felt a tightening in her chest. She was going to have to go faster with this.

“I will show you what you need to do,” she said. “Just come with me.” The ghost held out her hands. She couldn’t hide her pain.

“Hey, are you okay?” Spike asked.

“Don’t worry about me!” she shouted. “Just take my hands? I don’t know how much longer I can hold on!” The pain traveled up her chest. She let out a loud gasp. Sakura quickly grabbed her right hand while Spike took her other one.

“Hold on tight!” Kaze-san shouted. She closed her eyes and started chanting as fast as she could. Her heart pounded harder against her chest. In one flash, they were gone.

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“Do you understand what we need to do?” he asked.

“I think so,” she said.

“What do you mean you think so? You have to know or not.”

“I know, I know. But…”

“But?”

“I don’t know how to say this.”

“Say what? Come on. What’s the matter?”

“It’s just so much to take in, you know?”

“Yeah. But you can’t back down from this. I’m going to ask you again. Do you understand what we need to do?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” He took her hand. “You do know once we get to the gate we can’t turn back, right? Whatever happens, happens.”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, okay.”

“And what about you?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

They stopped talking once they reached the checkpoint for the first gate.

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Meanwhile, he sat back on his throne. He had the hostage still asleep in her cage and the pieces were all set. It was time to start the game. He picked up his phone and made the call.

The first piece on his side walked out to the first checkpoint.