Part 16: Takeshi - Second Day - Part 4

Track—Drittestock




"I'll go with you."

I stared back in Tsugumi's eyes. I didn't think about going against her. Tsugumi nodded.


"Hey, what about Coco?"


"I've got another job I want Coco to do."


"Another job? What's that?"


"I want you to tell You and the Kid what I just told you. I mean, tell them that Takeshi and I are going to the Generator Room..."


"Oh, that."


"Roger! Ten-four that!"

Coco clicked her heels together and gave a kind of salute.

Track—Zweitestock



'EI' meant egg in German. It was also a literal take on the egg-shaped elevator that traveled up and down rails into the ocean on the side of LeMU. A ballast tank was attached to the floor. It would take in or release seawater from the tank as necessary to increase or reduce buoyancy-thus making the elevator rise or sink.

Once Tsugumi and I were inside, we sealed the watertight doors on the LeMU side of the elevator. All we had to do was release the lock connecting us to LeMU and the 'egg' would sink away. Tsugumi pulled the operating lever next to the door.


"........."


"........."

Nothing happened.


"What's going on? We're not sinking at all."


"Doesn't look like it, does it."

Tsugumi calmly opened up the toolbox she had brought with her. Inside were an electric screwdriver, hydraulic cutting machine, some kind of laser or welding device, a small gas burner... The box was packed with any and all kinds of tools.


"Huh? What're you going to do...with that?"


"If it won't sink..."


"Then we'll just have to sink it."
Well, that sounds completely logica—wait, what?


"...Huh?"

Track—Kopfsprung


Oh fuck no.

Tsugumi took the lit torch in hand and slowly stood up. Blue flame erupted from it like a jet engine, hissing in the dim light.


"N-n-n-n-no way... You're kidding, right? Tsugumi..."

Tsugumi didn't answer. Tsugumi grinned triumphantly. She put the flame to the edge of the elevator's shell.
OH. FUCK. NO.


"Yikes!"

There was no time to stop her.

A coin-sized hole opened in the egg-shaped elevator and seawater came spurting in with tremendous force.


"You idiot! Idiot! Idiooot! W-w-w-w-what're you trying to do? A hole! There's a hole!"


"Yeah, I made it."

Tsugumi was as calm as ever. She extinguished the flame as if nothing had happened. She placed it in the toolbox and shut the lid. The seawater created a mist, descending all around us. Tsugumi licked the droplet off of her lips.
We’re gonna die.


"You're crazy, right!? Yeah, being cooped in here's made you crazy!"


"Heh, heh, heh...."

Tsugumi just snickered. As we continued this exchange, water continued to pour in. It pooled in the bottom of the egg. It covered our ankles, then our shins, swallowing our knees and the lapping at our thighs.

I...