Following Shira, Renji slung the x-ray rig to the other shoulder, now carrying full weight of the equipment, he could feel his back sore just from a few steps.
The route was clear—Shira had already mapped the terrain—and they moved fast, slipping between stacks until a squat, broad building rose ahead of them, the big number, painted in white, the warehouse One. It sat under brighter lamps than the other lots they'd passed.
Renji froze when he caught the perimeter. "Uh, Miss Shira… isn't that a little too many guards?"
"It's not that bad."
The space inside the yard was cavernous compared to the narrow alleys they'd been creeping through. The lamps cast long, hard shadows between at least three-high stacks of containers; moveable cranes and gangways cut silhouettes in between.
Shira counted the guards with one sweep of her eyes carefully. She waited for the pair to split, watched another man scratch his neck and glance toward the sea. When she moved her mouth, it was a single word.
"Now."
Renji flowed with her, until they reached the inner maze. The red row of roughly forty, twelve-meter containers stacked in three levels and angled until the whole cluster looked like an improvised shelter.
"Renji, camera."
He nodded and handed the device over. This time she worked faster than Jin had—less sweeping, more guessing. Leaping from one spot to the next, probing seams and corners where a careful smuggler might hide things. She didn't waste time, her scans were swift and targeted compared to Jin.
"Hmm—nothing here either."
"Uh… Miss Shira, don't tell me you'll check every one of these?" Renji craned his neck at the rows above him. The gap overhead made the lane feel like a sunless canyon.
"Only until I get something."
Damn… it'll take forever, no…?
Renji thought, but he stayed put.
"And Renji—battery."
"Oh, right." He handed over another pack, clumsy with cold and nerves.
By the sixth container Shira worked on, Renji was starting to get used to the tension around, he let his guard down just enough to ask the one question that had been burning since they left the car.
"…Hey… Miss Shira, didn't you think of bringing more men for this? Or, I dunno, not bringing the wrong guy?" He pointed thumb at his face, though Shira didn't even spare a glance at him.
She didn't answer immediately, she simply kept working, like someone who wanted the overtime job done as soon as possible.
Static flickered in their ear. Jin's voice coming in chopped, the signal barely reaching. "*Crack*Boat's repositioned*Crack* One klick away from the port."
"Understood. Maintain distance," Shira replied, then killed the line with a soft sigh. Then minutes later something like amusement flickered across her face.
"—At first, I thought it was a joke." She suddenly said, low enough for Renji alone.
"…A joke…?" He echoed and tilted his head at the change of tone in her voice.
She let a small chuckle. "The night Miss Reika fell asleep in the car—when she called me afterward, she was really furious."
The hell… that princess just playing cool, huh…
"…Haaah… yet she told me she didn't mind it..." Renji furrowed his brows, recalling that Reika said and act otherwise.
"Heh… I haven't heard her that angry in a long time it's kind of refreshing…" Her gaze drifted, like she was watching a memory, then mumbles in an inaudible voice, "Getting that angry for an overslept… compared to someone rebelled right in front of her eyes…"
"Sorry, what was that?" Renji didn't catch the last part, and walk closer to her.
"—Moving on, after that, she said 'At this point, this guy should learn about taking responsibilities, let him taste how adult works.' So… well, here you are."
"Haaaaaaaaahhh… So if only I woke her up that night… I wouldn't be here around these cold steels on Christmas…"
"I guess... Maybe try your best not to screw up next time."
"…Yet HOW on earth does she think it's okay for me to be here…" Renji raked a hand through his hair in disbelief, the cold making his scalp sting.
"She meant that you're just accompanying me as a 'driver', Renji."
"Hmm? Does that mean…"
"For your information. Miss Reika didn't know about this whole infiltration, and you better keep it at that." Shira tone carries dangerous edge at the end.
Renji gulped, as he reads the fine line. "… So I keep everything here a secret…?"
"Good boy."
"…Is it bad if she knew?"
Shira let the question lingers again for a while, as she swept another crate with the scanner. They finished the lower layer and began to climb the second level, then paused.
"…Let's just say," Shira continued as she worked, "Wherever the wind blows, we still need this deal sealed. If Miss Reika knows it's fishy, she'd cancel. But if I didn't do it like this, we'll end up—" she shrugged, the implication heavy. "—played like an idiot later."
"…I… don't really get it…" Renji mumbles then continue, "… Wait… that still doesn't link to 'Why only me?' Mr. Jin clearly capable, but shouldn't you pick another guy other than ME? Someone else fit for this kind of espionage job desk? It doesn't matter whether I'm here or not…"
Shira looked at him then, for a long breath. "Yeah. Now for the matter of bringing you here, it is my whim…" A half-smile ghosted her face. "I want to ascertain whether you're useful or not."
He gave a weak groan. "Oh, come on… Couldn't you have picked another test day?"
"Hmm? This is easy compared to what I usually—" Her voice cut off. Her eyes locked on the monochrome footage on the monitor. "…Bingo…"
Renji leaned in, trying to make sense of the shapes. The image resolved slowly as his mind learned to read the grainy contrast, a long, narrow silhouette with an obvious barrel line; nearby, clustered darker masses with the curved profile of magazines and machined housings. Even through the blur, it was unmistakable.
"Isn't this… a… bunch of rifles?" Renji said as the tip of his lips twitching.
"Yes… yes…" Shira's mouth tightened. "… Now it all makes sense—Nakai was rushing… Medical equipment marked for Middle East…"
She flipped open the comm immediately. "Jin, it's a hit. Firearms. Visual confirmed."
There was a pause on the other end—static, a soft curse, then Jin's voice: "*Crack*Copy. Should I *Crack* move in closer now?"
"Hold position. Stay ready. I'll sweep around—see if there's another." She captured the feed, thumbed a silent still image, then kept moving.
… Now I'm witnessing a live action firearms smuggling OP… crazy month indeed…
Renji stood stock still, the weight of the pack suddenly unbearable. The world narrowed like the whole night had turned over to reveal a side of the world he'd never known.
All of this… Just because I foolishly accepted her offer…? And now I'm here… just because I didn't wake her up that night?
The thought about his encounter with Reika came uninvited. Renji adjusted his stance, back pressed against cold steel container, his ragged breath fogging faintly in the night air.
He glanced at Shira's back, who kept calmly working with the bulky x-ray cam as if it was her daily job.
If not just logistics company… What else are they actually…? Who… is this Reika actually…?
The echo of crashing waves rolling through the containers like distant thunder. The chill had settled into his bones—the kind of stillness that comes when fear stops screaming and starts humming quietly under your skins.
"…Screw up…" He repeated this word silently inside his mouth.
…Various jobs… and it seems I always end up screwing it somehow…
His thoughts wandered. Late nights sweeping supermarket floors. Carrying tripods for the TV station that never paid overtime. Until Tetsuo's restaurant.
…Oh… The most peaceful job I had was with Tetsuo… Couldn't ask for a raise, though…
A quiet snort escaped him. "And now here I am…"
… I… Maybe I should stick with full time delivery job at Tetsuo after this… Heck… maybe I'll take his offer to be successor of WaraGyo…
He felt short of breath, his head heavy, Renji took a careful and slow steps outside of the gap of the containers for a fresh air, and lean his back there at the edge.
Just a minute of silence, then a sudden strobe of light slashed across the narrow lane—one guard slipped, walked below with his flashlight off, turned it on when he's near where Renji and Shira stood.
It caught the corner of Shira's eyes, her head snapped toward Renji, where he leaned too far into the open. Her instincts screamed before her words did.
"Damn—"
Her hand shot out, yanking Renji by the hem of his jacket, dragging him into shadow.
"Ghh—!" Renji grunted, as he tried to keep his body steady by the sudden force. But the x-ray camera slipped from Shira's grip, gravity snatching it before she could react.
*CLANG* *Crash*
The sound punched through the silence.
"WHO'S THERE!?"
The guard's voice that about to passed their position from below cracked sharp, light sweeping around their direction.
"Shit. We're running." She didn't wait for his reply—her hand closed on his arm like a handcuff, and they bolted off from their position immediately, jumping off to the other side of the guard.
Static burst in her earpiece—distant shouts overlapping with command chatter. Patrol units flaring up all over the grid.
"Command! I heard something on warehouse 1! And footsteps running away!"
"Copy. Unit 1-3, Moving in to check!"
"Sweep around—Possible breach, keep your eyes open!"
Listening to the chaos directly in his ear, Renji realized the gravity of his carelessness as he tripped on a cable reel with stuttering breath. "M-Miss Shira—I'm sorry—!"
"Shut it, Renji!" She switched channels and open the comm on her earpiece. "Jin, we're bailing. Where's the pick up?"
"*Crack* Same as drop spot," Jin's voice crackled through. "But I can't dock clean *Crack* lights are sweeping."
"Understood. Give me 10 minutes, keep the engine warm." She cut the line and kept running.
Sirens hadn't started, but the rhythm of boots and barked orders told Renji enough. They were tightening the perimeter.
By the time they ducked behind a parked truck, both were slick with sweat despite the cold. Shira leaned against the bumper, scanning the perimeter through narrow slits of shadow.
"Sorry," Renji gasped, clutching his knees. "I-I should've been more careful."
"…Blame game later please. Focus on running."
This is why I should be on the car dammit!! Now I'm screwing up again, see!!
He thought bitterly, but kept it to himself.
Shira's jaw clenched. The edge of frustration in her eyes wasn't directed at him—not entirely. She was already redrawing their escape route in her head, counting blind spots, listening for the patrol movement.
She dropped it because of me… Wait…
Renji's chest burned with self-loathing.
"M-Miss Shira… the camera—"
"Can't be helped," she said coldly. "We're getting away from this place first."
"Because of me—"
"Fine." Her tone cracked with irritation. "If it makes you feel better—yes, it's your fault. But it's partly mine, I should get a better grip on that stupid camera. Satisfied?"
"…Is it… okay to leave it there…?"
"Of course not. They'll trace it if they find it. But I'll manage."
Renji shut his mouth and grit his teeth.
"So don't make it worse." Shira said while giving him the cold and commanding glare.
"…I… Alright…"
They slipped through the maze again—faster now, quieter—keeping low as the guards fanned out. Voices echoed faintly. This time, Shira even resorted to crawl under a channel drain like a rat.
"Sweep the east lanes! Check the catwalks!"
By the time the northwest crane came into view, Renji's lungs were on fire. Shira tapped her comm again. "Jin, one hundred meters from entry point. Status?"
"*Crack* Copy, Closing in.*Crack*"
Shira run while not letting Renji arm go, staying under the side of shadow, they both arrive at the spot where they came in, Jin boat arrived under the ladder at perfect timing. Shira slides down the ladder first, the metal rungs slick under her gloves. She landed soft on the deck and looked up.
Renji stood frozen at the edge of the ladder.
"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Jin voice cracked with welling frustration.
Renji still didn't move. The weight in his chest felt heavier than fear. His breath coming in fast and cold.
Am I… am I… really gonna let this be another screw up?
Somewhere behind them, a patrol voices coming in again, footsteps echoing across the platform.
"Command to the rest of the unit, sweep the second platform too."
…Dammit me…
"I-I'll retrieve the camera." Renji said weakly at Shira and Jin on the boat who is waiting for him below. And both of them snapped in unison—
"The hell are you saying kid!?"
"Renji, no time for jokes—get down here!"
But Renji's eyes were fixed somewhere past them, clenching his fists, despite his trembling legs, he turned and ran back.
"—What the!? RENJI!!" Shira's shout followed him into the dark.
Jin grabbed her arm before she could climb back up. "We can't. He'll drag us all down if we stay! The patrol moving in closer to our position!!"
Shira cursed under her breath, a raw sound. Then she kicked the hull hard, frustration cracking through. "Damn it! Fuck you, Renji!!"
Jin pushed the throttle. "Told you—shouldn't have brought him."
As the boat slipped into the dark water and closer to the shore, Shira stared back toward the glowing maze of containers, lips pressed tight. She tried his frequency over and over calling for Renji—nothing. The man himself let his comm off, or he didn't know how to press the comm open for some reason, until Shira and Jin are out of the radio signal transmission for good.
"At this point," Jin muttered, "if the camera got found by the patrol, it'll be a problem but we could still dodge it, but if he's caught along with the camera…"
"I know that."
"So what now? We now know what's inside the cargo, but we got no hard proof to use against Nakai. Should we just raid the port after this?"
"…Prepare a team," she said finally. "But hold the escalation." Her tone dropped low, as she reached for her phone and typing on it. "I'll confirm if that idiot chauffeur alive or not."
--------