Aiko and Akira were standing still, leaning against the brick wall. In the numerous, crooked alleys, Aiko found a small, hidden internal courtyard. When she had start her job as a delivery girl, she used to always get lost in this neighbourhood, not only was it like a maze but the buildings were accessible sometimes by several small courtyard like the one they were in. 

Aiko had precipitately entered the place and instantly turned off the engine. After helping Akira off the bike, she shove it behind the staircase that lead on one of the entrance and pushed the recycling bean in front of the passage, hiding their sight from the street. 

Holding her breath she listened to the men looking for them. Next to her, Akira was wobbling dangerously but did his best to keep it together. 

- Shit ! Said a voice too close to their hideout, it’s bad enough we had to run down those fucking stairs, but now we lost them ?

- Fuck ! You’re right ! I’m gonna kill them for making me run like that through the city! Look at me ! Just look at me ! I’m sweating like a pig ! 

- Aren’t you alway sweating like a pig ?

- What did you !

- Now, now, interfered a calming voice, since we’re all exhausted and sweaty, how about we go on with our search. Unless you want to stay here all night, of course.

- Yes sir ! 

Aiko sat still way after the clamours calmed down. She waited until the footsteps that echoed in her temples quieted completely. She only started breathing again when her heartbeat resumed his pace. She only came back to her senses when Akira slipped against the wall to fall on the floor. 

- Hold on a little more ! Murmured Aiko in a military voice

- Yes mam… Akira faintly answered. 

She helped him back on the bike and waited nervously before finally exiting the courtyard awkwardly as she dragged and pushed her bike silently. Holding her breath, she turned the key as slowly as she could, and her blood ran cold when the engine rumbled desperately. Aiko thanked her old scooter a thousand time for its perseverance and drove away in the night.

Without too much difficulties and no more goons following them, Aiko manage to get into Kazuto district quite swiftly and she finally entered the district with much noise from her dying motorcycle.

The deserted Main Street was adorned with fickle street lights. This was a traditional market street, with shops on the ground floor and habitation above. It was mainly two to free storey buildings which were a bit decrepit and mostly covered with graffitis. Aiko noticed a few group of people here and there, chatting softly and giving suspicious look to the loud convoy. The delivery girl swallowed difficulty, she was well aware of the infamous reputation of Kazuto district. From the counterfeit purses and clothes, to the newest drug, not even mentioning the smuggled tobacco, this place was heaven for any illicit transaction. Aiko vaguely remembered an article she read on internet saying that the police pretty much gave up on that neighbourhood. If she recalled correctly, there was a mention about a gang who maintained some sort of peace there and so the police decided to let slide most of the illegal business in order to avoid a civil war. Her heart beat faster when she crossed the suspicious gaze of a tattooed man, smoking in front of a barely lit shop. 

- “Granny’s noodles”, suddenly said a voice behind her, don’t worry we’re almost there. 

Aiko wasn’t sure if she wasn’t supposed to worry about the tattooed guy, or about her mission finally coming to an end. But before she could find an answer to that dilemma, she arrived in front of an old shop. The neons of the old-fashioned sign were agonising in a last attempt to show their customers in. Blue, plastic tables and chairs were hardly supporting the weight of the men and their dinner that were sitting there. The eyes turned to Aiko who slowed down until she stopped to their level. They were visibly more surprised than threatening, but those men were still pretty impressive. 

A long silence followed where everyone was staring at each other curiously, not too sure about what to do next. 

A weak groan reminded Aiko why she was here in the first place.

- Damn it! She muttered as she hopped out of her saddle difficulty, I came here to deliver this to you, she said to the men who didn’t budge.

The words got mixed up in her mouth and her knee was killing her, she could barely carry Akira and the men were showing no signs of helping her. 

- What is going on here ? Asked someone on the doorstep 

- This for you, she answered supporting Akira as well as she could

- A helping hand would be nice, muttered the man swaggering.

At the sound of Akira’s voice, the men stood up with a jolt. Like a warm, they quickly gather around them and took the injured man off Aiko’s shoulder, with much noise and exclamations they dragged him inside the shop and when the door closed Aiko was standing by herself in the silent street. 

She stared at the shop a little longer and finally took a deep breath releasing the tension built over the night. 

She turned slowly to her bikes which was on the verge of dying and smiled weakly. She lost the crate, the tires were practically destroyed, the bodyshell completely dented, and all she could hope now, was that she would have enough power to take her home. But as she was leaping to her faithful companion, a cold voice stopped her : 

- Miss delivery girl, please get inside.

- Do… I have to ? Aiko asked after turning back slowly

- Yes.

The short answer was so definitive and Aiko had absolutely no energy left to retaliate that she accepted her fate a bit too easily.

- My bike…

- Don’t worry, no one will touch it..

Aiko could have sworn that she heard disdain in his last word but couldn’t help to agree with him so she quietly followed him inside.