Rage burned inside me. “So it was all your fault.”
“Wait, back up a sec. Don’t look at me like that. All I did was make him a tiny bit greedier, yeah? Just gave him a little push. I can’t do anything with people who don’t have those desires in the first place. You understand me, yeah?”
Each word was just ticking me off more and more.
I need to calm down. He’s got Carol. He’s waiting for me to give him a reason.
If I lost my cool, he could take control of me. I was at a total disadvantage. He had Carol, a knife, and three strangers under his command.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, cooling the fire in my mind. At least he was really willing to talk. He took this whole villain thing seriously.
“What do you need with Carol and the book?”
“I know some folks who’ll pay good money for them. The book and the kid.”
So his motive was money. Then what about the people he’d be selling to?
“I’m the only one who can use this book. Also, kidnapping and trafficking are illegal.”
“Don’t care, so long as it makes me money. This kid don’t belong to this world anyway. Nothin’ I do to her counts as a crime. She could die and no one would ever know, ’cause she never technically existed in the first place.”
Fear flashed across Carol’s face. She could understand what he was saying, because he played the game, too.
“Don’t talk about her like that. Carol’s my guest here!”
“Gettin’ mad, are we? Man, I hate stubborn guys like you. Anyway, I’m done talkin’. Just hand over that book. You wouldn’t want this cutie getting hurt, would you?” He smirked and flashed the knife at me.
“If I give you the book, will you let her go?”
“I’d rather have both, but if I had to pick one, it’d be the book. ’Sides, people’d get suspicious seeing a guy like me carting a kid around.”
I wouldn’t hesitate to swap the book for Carol, assuming I could trust him. The book and its role in the game was important to me, but Carol was irreplaceable.
“All right.”
“You know how to play ball, huh? Good. Hey, you! Take the book off him and bring it to me,” the man ordered the woman in the kimono. She walked up to me, her eyes unfocused. She was innocent in all of this; she was brainwashed.
“Can you hear me?” I whispered, but there was no response. This guy’s control seemed to be absolute. I passed her the book, and she took it to the man.
“Thanks, doll. So this is a real, live holy book, huh?” The man studied it with interest, flicking through the pages. His guard was totally down, but I was too far away to do anything about it. He could reach Carol with the knife sooner than I could reach him.
“You have the book. Give Carol to me.”
I knew the chances of him living up to that were low. Most kidnappers would have a second demand at this point, if they didn’t just refuse to cooperate outright.
“Sure. I don’t have anythin’ against kids; there’s no need to upset her.” The man gave Carol a soft shove toward me.
I was wrong, huh? I guess I lost the book, but at least Carol’s safe.
“This way, Carol. Don’t rush. Everything’s all right now,” I called out to her gently as she hesitated.
She didn’t move, instead looking between the man and me. “This is a bad guy right, Yoshio? And the book is really important. It’s important to Mommy and Daddy and everyone.”
“That’s right, Carol, but you’re more important. Don’t worry about it, okay? Come here.” I beckoned to her, but she still didn’t move. I was terrified the guy might suddenly change his mind.
Please just listen to me, Carol.
Without the book, I wouldn’t be able to send any prophecies or perform miracles ever again, even if my villagers were still alive, but I was making the right choice here. None of the villagers would thank me for picking the book over Carol’s life.
“Get outta here. I’m lettin’ you go.”
“Over here, Carol. Quickly!”
Despite our encouragement, Carol stood her ground. She crouched down and began rummaging through her bear backpack, her back still turned to the man.
“Carol—”
“Hold on.” Carol took something from her backpack and spun around.
“What’s that? Some kinda crummy doll? Man, that’s—gah! Ah! My eyes! My throat!” The man started to violently cough. He fell to the ground and writhed, clutching at his throat and scrabbling at his eyes. I was too shocked to say anything. Gradually, his movements slowed before stopping all together. I looked carefully at his face. Tears and snot and drool streamed from every orifice.
It was a familiar scene. The same thing happened a few months ago to Sayuki’s stalker, Yoshinaga, and his men.
“Yay!” Carol spun around, clutching Destiny in her arms. It looked like it was smirking at me, but that had to be my imagination, right?
“You brought Destiny here in your bag?”
“Um, I’m sorry. I felt bad leaving it at home, and I think it wanted to come with us, so I took it.” Carol stuck her tongue out bashfully. I’d be mad at her, but she’d saved us.
“Okay. Well, if you take it out again, make sure you tell me. And thanks. Both of you.” I ran up and gave them both a hug.
I wanted to be relieved it was all over, but I knew it wasn’t. The three people the man was controlling had also collapsed and lost consciousness. If I left them here, I’d be in trouble when the man came to. I moved the three innocents to the bench and then slung the man over my back.