I looked at Yoichi. “Why aren’t they putting people on the helicopters yet and getting them outside?”
“The Tiger goes first and then everyone else—”
“Hell no. Call whoever is up there and tell them to load all four helicopters and take them off. I can wait for the second trip—”
“There may not be a second trip. They’re taking everyone who can fit on the helicopters to safehouses in Tokyo. That could take forty minutes to an hour.”
“No.”
That long per round trip and only four helicopters. That meant barely sixty people per trip if we crammed everyone in.
The math was not survivable.
I shook my head. “Have the helicopters go to Kenji’s private island and drop people off and then come back. Do they know where it is?”
“They would.”
“Could you contact the helicopters?”
“Of course. I have the contact for Kenji’s personal one.”
“Then, have them sent to the island. That would take them five to ten minutes. The helicopters could make several trips and get a lot of people out of here, if we do that.”
Yoichi pressed on the phone. “You’re overriding Reo’s evacuation plan. Are you okay with that?”
I swallowed. “Should I. . .call Reo and ask?”
“And fuck up his already fucked up focus? No.” Yoichi tabbed his phone and placed it against his ear. “Your plan is solid. Reo is juggling fifty things right now and our Roar is efficient and a genius, but he is still a man.”
I let out a long breath.
Poor Reo. You would have caught that if not for your mind being so packed.
Yoichi switched to Japanese as he delivered the orders to the pilot.
Seconds later, he hung up the phone and then pointed to the left. “Your cart is over there. I don’t see the driver, but we don’t need him. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
A boom went off in the distance.
A woman near the front door screamed and dropped to her knees with her arms over her head.
Oh no! Are they here?!
Another boom came.
The ground shook under my feet.
I lost my balance.
Yoichi grabbed my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I straightened and got back in step. “What the hell was that?”
"They're testing the antiaircraft guns on the outer ridge."
I watched the woman cry on the ground and headed to her.
