Part 98: An escape route is already blocked

I also had Daru tell Kurisu to go back to her hotel, but she complained to me to "tell her the details," so I had to bend over backwards to persuade her.

Now I just need to wait for Mayuri to get back. It would be bad if I searched for her and we missed each other, so in the end, all I could do is wait in front of the building. It's okay, I keep trying to convince myself. Mayuri comes back at 6:30. That leaves about an hour before Moeka's attack.

With an hour, we could ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Shizuoka. Should we go as far as we can? Should we hide ourselves in a business hotel in Yokohama?

We can leave thiking about tomorrow for tomorrow. We don't need to obsess over the Time Leap Machine. Moeka can just have it.



Without wiping the sweat from my brow, I keep standing in the summer sunset.

Mayuri, hurry back.

"Huh?"

Startled, I turn to look towards the voice.



It looks like they're closing up shop when I see them lock the door.

That's right, I forgot about Suzuha.

"Okabe Rintarou, what are you doing there?"

"Nothing..."

That reminds me. During the attack, she was unusually agile... She insta-killed five trained men with guns. Unarmed. That's stranger than strange. At least, it's not something a normal 18 year old girl can do. In the first place, why did she leave the lab right before the attack as if she had known everything?

Amane Suzuha. She doesn't know much about her father... just what is she?

"Ah, I know. It looks like you're going to party today, so you're preparing, right?"

"Who'd you hear that from?"



"So with that said, I'll be intruding too."

"You can't!"

"Do you mean I'm a bother?"

"...no."

"Well, even though I am a lab mem, I'm still an outsider after all, huh."

"That's not it!"

"The hell's wrong, Okabe? Let my worker join your friends, too. You owe her, don't you? Thanks to this girl's belly, I let y'all off the hook for shaking the building once, ya know."

"Belly... heeey."

By the way, Suzuha recovered the coat Manager confiscated, so she's properly dressed.

"This worker's got a fine belly. It's tight and well trained."

"Dirty old man, I'm right here, you know."



"Canceled?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

I try plastering on a smile, but I don't think it went smoothly.

"Okabe. I don't know what's going on, but don't be so reckless."

"...Eh?"

I'm bewildered at how Manager suddenly gave advice. I thought he was just a simple dirty old man who loved Braun tubes. Maybe he's got some fairly sharp points about him. Or maybe he's just simply telling me to stop shaking the building with experiments.

"...I got in a fight with Mayuri. I'm a little annoyed. That's all."

I try lying with all my might.

"Ah, then isn't this bad?"

Bad?



Suzuha points across the street.





When she notices us, she waves her hand with an innocent smile.

Mayuri...!

"Huhwa? Weren't you fighting? She's really smiling, though..."

I start running. I check the time with my phone. 6:33.

"Hey! What's wrong?!"

I wasted precious time with Suzuha and Manager. I've secured Mayuri now, so next, I have to get as far from Akiba as I can...!

"Okarin, where are you going so suddenly?"

I take Mayuri's hand as she optimistically tilts her head.

"Run! Let's go to the station!"

"Wawawa... W-Wait, my bags!"

"Forget them! Just run for now!"

"Eh? Why?"

"Just keep running!"



I won't let them kill you. I absolutely won't let them kill you.

Mayuri gives no further resistance. She obediently follows. Or, actually, Mayuri's faster on her feet than I am. She quickly matches my pace.

"Hey, where are we going?"

"Haah, haah, right, haah, for now, around Tsukuba, or Yokohama..."

My breath is faint. Mayuri's breath isn't disordered at all. She's got a laid back personality, yet her motor nerves are this good. Mayuri, you're so unbalanced...!



We run through the streets lit by dazzling shops. As long as we get on a train, we can avoid the current crisis. I keep advancing with this conviction.

Or so I say, but I'm already exhausted. It's more like Mayuri's pulling me around.

"Shouldn't we rest a bit?"

"No, keep running, until we board, a train..."

I muster my strength, and advance.

"But Okarin, you're really sweaty, you know? You're weak at exercise, so you shouldn't overdo it..."



An awfully large amount of people. It's not quite jammed, though. An awful amount of shoppers are standing still at the station entrance, but none of them enter. What? Some sort of rally? A street performance?

Damn, it's bothersome at a time like this... I click my tongue thinking so, but I soon realize I'm mistaken.



Then I finally realize my mistake. That's right. Before the attack, the trains were stopped by a bomb threat! It's no wonder there are so many people. How careless of me! I was so hasty, I overlooked it!

"What could've happened?"

Mayuri tilts her head, not understanding the situation. All of the lines have been suspended. We can't escape Akiba at this rate.

What about other means of public transportation, like the subway, or bus? Should we go to another station now? I look around my surroundings in a panic. I suddenly retrace my steps while leading Mayuri when...