Chapter 4 - The Voice From The Dead
A dead man's phone started ringing inside a hidden compartment, and Kenji Takahashi stared at the screen: "AKIRA CALLING."
When Kenji answered, he heard a familiar voice from the man who was supposed to have died eight years ago. But before the call ended, Akira whispered three words: "Ask your brother." Kenji realized the betrayal went deeper than he ever imagined.
The apartment became completely silent.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The phone continued ringing.
The name on the screen remained unchanged.
AKIRA.
Kenji stared at it like it was a weapon pointed directly at him.
Because in a way, it was.
Akira Watanabe had been dead for eight years.
At least, that was the truth Kenji had been given.
A funeral.
A body.
A grave.
A closed case.
Everything had been arranged perfectly.
Too perfectly.
"Boss..."
Ren's voice was low.
"Don't answer."
Kenji looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because whoever is calling knows exactly where we are."
Kenji glanced around the apartment.
The hidden room.
The photographs.
Emma's necklace.
The message.
Everything had been planned.
Someone wanted him here.
Someone wanted him to discover the truth.
And that meant someone was watching.
Kenji looked at Lily.
The little girl was standing near the wall, holding her dress tightly.
She didn't understand everything.
But she understood fear.
"Stay with Ren."
She immediately shook her head.
"No."
Kenji looked surprised.
"Lily."
"My mom told me something."
"What?"
The girl looked at the phone.
"She said if Akira ever called..."
She stopped.
Her voice became smaller.
"Don't let him know where I am."
The room changed.
Kenji slowly picked up the phone.
Because that one sentence answered a question he hadn't asked yet.
Emma didn't just know Akira was alive.
She was afraid of him.
The call was still waiting.
Kenji pressed the button.
"Hello."
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a voice came through.
A voice Kenji remembered.
Older.
Rougher.
But impossible to mistake.
"Kenji."
His hand tightened.
"Akira."
Ren immediately moved closer.
Lily covered her mouth.
The voice on the phone gave a quiet laugh.
"You sound surprised."
"You are dead."
A pause.
Then Akira answered:
"That's what they wanted you to believe."
Kenji's eyes moved to the photographs on the table.
"Where is Emma?"
Another silence.
Longer this time.
"Still protecting you."
Kenji's expression changed.
"Protecting me?"
"Yes."
"She disappeared because of you."
Akira didn't answer immediately.
When he did, his voice was different.
Not confident.
Not mocking.
Almost tired.
"She disappeared because of what your brother did."
The room froze.
Kenji's eyes narrowed.
"My brother?"
"Ask him what happened eight years ago."
Kenji looked toward Ren.
Neither of them spoke.
Because Kenji had no brother.
Not anymore.
His family was dead.
Gone.
Destroyed years ago.
"You know I don't have a brother."
Akira's voice became quieter.
"That's the problem, Kenji."
A sound came through the phone.
A door closing.
Footsteps.
Then Akira spoke again.
"The person you called your brother was never your brother."
Kenji felt something cold move through him.
The memories came back.
A young man standing beside him.
A man who had shared everything with him.
A man everyone called family.
His father's adopted son.
His closest ally.
The person who knew every secret.
Hiro Sato.
No.
Kenji rejected the thought immediately.
Impossible.
Hiro couldn't be involved.
Not him.
Akira continued.
"He killed me."
Ren's eyes widened.
Kenji said nothing.
"He framed Emma."
The words came slowly.
"He created the story you believed."
Kenji looked at the photographs again.
Hiro.
Akira.
Together.
The evidence was right there.
But evidence could be manipulated.
Photos could be fake.
People could lie.
The only person who knew the truth was on the phone.
And he was supposed to be dead.
"Where are you?"
Kenji asked.
Akira didn't answer.
Instead, he said:
"Before you find me, you need to find Emma."
"Where is she?"
"She's closer than you think."
The call suddenly became filled with static.
"Akira?"
Kenji heard breathing.
Then a faint sound.
Like someone else was there.
A woman.
Crying.
Kenji froze.
"Emma?"
The sound disappeared.
Then Akira whispered:
"Don't trust anyone wearing your family's ring."
The call ended.
Kenji stood completely still.
Nobody spoke.
Then Lily slowly looked at his hand.
At the ring on his finger.
Her face changed.
"Mr. Takahashi..."
Kenji looked down.
"What?"
She pointed.
"That ring..."
His eyes narrowed.
The ring.
A family symbol passed down through generations.
Something only blood relatives and trusted members were allowed to wear.
Something he had worn since he was a teenager.
"What about it?"
Lily stepped back.
"My mom saw it before."
"When?"
"Before she disappeared."
Kenji waited.
The girl swallowed.
"She said the person wearing that ring was the reason we had to run."
The words hit harder than any accusation.
Kenji removed the ring.
Slowly.
He stared at it.
A symbol of loyalty.
A symbol of family.
A symbol he had never questioned.
Until now.
Ren moved closer.
"Boss."
Kenji looked at him.
"Check everyone."
Ren understood.
"Everyone?"
"Everyone who has ever worn this symbol."
Ren nodded.
But before he could leave, the hidden phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Kenji looked down.
A picture appeared.
His face changed immediately.
Because it wasn't a message.
It was a live image.
Taken moments ago.
Inside the apartment.
The photo showed Kenji.
Ren.
Lily.
Standing exactly where they were.
Someone was watching them.
Right now.
Kenji turned toward the window.
The street outside was empty.
Too empty.
"Kill the lights."
Everyone froze.
Then the apartment went dark.
A second later, glass shattered.
Someone fired from outside.
Ren grabbed Lily and pulled her down.
Kenji moved toward the window.
The attacker was gone.
Only one thing remained on the floor.
A small envelope.
Kenji picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
His fingers trembled.
Because the picture showed Emma.
Alive.
Sitting in a chair.
May you like
And behind her stood the person holding a gun to her head...
The person who had just sent the photo.
