AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I wouldn’t mind being shot by you.”
No. This isn’t what I want. I want to hear the truth. I want Dazai to tell me the truth.
—“However, if you sense any signs of wickedness in his heart…”
No. I must find the truth.
—“Shoot him.”
“I wouldn’t mind being shot by you”?
I see.
It all makes sense now.
“Understood.”
I lift the pistol, aligning the sight just between his eyebrows. Tucking my arms in, I close one eye while carefully aiming. There is no way to miss from this distance.
“I’m going to shoot, Dazai. I’m really going to do it, so if you’re going to panic, you better start now.”
His peaceful smile never once wavers.
“Shoot me,” he says.
There is no longer any hesitation in his words. I bend my index finger around the trigger, and a bullet spits out of the muzzle.
The bullet tears through the air until it hits him right between the eyes. Dazai’s head flies back, causing his spine to arch backward. Knocked off his feet, he flies into the air and then—
—he hits the ground.
I lower my pistol. White gunpowder faintly drifts from the muzzle.
“……”
Perfect accuracy: The bullet hit him right in the middle of his skull. There was no way I’d miss this close. After putting the safety back on, I check the pistol to make sure there won’t be any misfires before returning the weapon to my pocket. I crush the fountain pen–shaped detonator in my hand, bending and twisting it until it can no longer function.
I have to think about my next move. I begin to walk back to the parked car. After taking a few steps, my cell phone starts to ring. I seem to be out of the wireless jammer’s range now. Expressionless, I look down at the screen. It’s the detective agency.
“Yes?”
It’s Dr. Yosano.
“Kunikida? Listen, we just got another threat from that obnoxious Azure Apostle guy! I’m sending it to you right now, so get a move on!”
“But I’m—”
The call ends, and I get a notification telling me I’ve received an e-mail. I open my in-box to display the following message:
Dear Sir,
I am contacting you to discuss a third request. Passenger airline flight JA815S is currently midflight. I have taken the liberty of sending an interference signal to the aircraft’s engine and yoke that will disable their functions. I would like for you to remove the device from the aircraft and save the passengers.
Thank you for your understanding.
Yours sincerely,
The Azure Apostle
