"Kid, let's go."
"Where to?"
"I'll tell you on the way. Now, follow me."
The two descended quickly via the fire escape stairs, with the leader in front and the boy following behind. Once they reached the bottom, they exited through the slightly ajar door of the fire exit and walked a bit further. They finally arrived next to a car parked by the side of the road—a completely black vehicle with tinted windows, standing with an air of dark majesty beneath the rain.
The man pulled the car key from his pocket, unlocked the car, and slid into the driver's seat. The boy, meanwhile, settled into the rear seat diagonally across from him. Immediately after starting the car, the man slammed the accelerator. The tires of the stationary car spun, kicking up a spray of water, and it shot forward like an arrow. After weaving through several cars and cutting dangerously across traffic in the city, they finally burst onto the intercity highway.
"Now, are you going to explain where you're taking me?"
"As I told you before, you are going to undergo a fake death—or rather, your previous existence will be erased from the entire world. You will be wiped from all photos, videos, and documents you are in. But first, I need to take you to headquarters, and since this process will take several months, it's best that we remain out of sight."
"And how exactly is this going to happen?"
"I think you underestimate us, but due to certain secret protocols and the confidentiality of our employees, I cannot give details. You will learn and manage everything when the time comes."
"Understood. Can I ask one last question?"
"Yes."
"Location-wise, where are we heading?"
"Yokohama. If you don't have another question, be quiet now."
"Alright."
A profound silence enveloped the interior of the car. Only a few times did the leader call someone on the phone, mentioning the boy and ordering that the necessary preparations be made. Aside from that, he remained silent, focusing only on driving. At times, he would slam the accelerator, reaching incredibly high speeds, only to compose himself and slow down moments later. During this entire time, the boy did nothing but rest his head against the car window, silently watching the relentless rain and the passing road. This continued for forty minutes, perhaps an hour, before they finally arrived at a private harbor.
The harbor was surrounded by a high, electrified fence, marked everywhere with warning signs, and fully equipped with cameras. Inside, thousands of containers, stacked side-by-side and on top of each other, formed a veritable labyrinth. At the berths where ships docked, there were two colossal tower cranes, dozens of container ships and freighters—some loaded, some empty—anchored in the port. Besides them, countless trucks and small cranes were present for transporting the containers. Furthermore, numerous buildings and offices, large and small, were also located in this harbor.