"The entire facility is clear. There's no one here."
Dennis, a Hound Dog member, reported the information he had gathered over the radio to the standby team.
"I see," was all the response he received from his colleagues.
They were in a hospital. Specifically, they were in the large reception lobby on the first floor. One wall was made of glass to take in the most light, but it was night and all the overhead lights were off. The pitch black hospital was quite eerie.
The 14 of them had been ordered to deal with Orson, the former Hound Dog member who had run off. They were also to silence the white nun who had become a witness. They had been told to set up explosives to blow up the entire hospital if need be.
Dennis continued with his report.
"A used smoke bomb was found in a third floor passageway. It had not been long since it was used."
"The report said a terrorist attack was possible and it was possible someone dangerous was still hiding inside, so all staff and patients were temporarily evacuated," replied Mike, a colleague who was using a handheld computer to receive another report.
Dennis removed his radio from his ear and said, "So they noticed."
"Looks that way," said Mike disinterestedly. "Personally, I feel like this is better."
"But what if some of the patients need the equipment here in the hospital?"
"They probably used hospital vehicles," said Mike offhandedly. "They're special ambulances just under 30 meters long and about the size of a tour bus. They can move quickly to a scene and surgery can be performed onboard."
"I've never heard of those."
"Of course you haven't. They failed because their size prevented them from making the turns needed to arrive at a lot of scenes. They may have succeeded somewhere other than Japan. Or maybe they could have created a convoy of smaller ambulances like a naval armada."
"You're saying something like that was at this hospital?"
"It has an underground parking garage. It wouldn't surprise me if this hospital had about 10 of those things. The bedridden patients would be loaded onto them while those that could walk would be evacuated like normal," said Mike as he turned off his handheld computer. "It's been a while since communications cut off from the Accelerator suppression team."
"So they were taken out."
"We need to send some men to pursue him, so we don't have time to rest here. Let's withdraw. If the hospital had everyone flee in such an organized fashion, they'll have eliminated anything that would indicate their destination."
"Kihara-san will not like that."
"He won't like it any more if we stay here longer and still come back saying we found nothing. This is an issue of priorities. First we eliminate Accelerator and then we can hunt down the people from the hospital. If we cover our failure with a success, even his anger will soften somewhat. At the very least, we won't be punished. Have everyone gather here," said Mike in a flat voice.
Just as Dennis was going to switch on his radio to do so, something happened.
A phone started to ring.
"…"
"…"
Dennis and Mike turned around at the same moment.
The sound was coming from the reception counter. That one specific phone was ringing as if someone knew exactly where they were.
"Could this be a trap?"
"I can't detect any wires or infrared beams."
Hearing that, Mike climbed over the counter while paying careful attention to his surroundings. After staring at the red blinking light indicating an incoming call, he picked up the receiver.
"You certainly took your time," said a lighthearted voice.
Mike frowned. If he had not been wearing that black mask, a displeased expression would have been visible. He recognized the voice of the doctor on the other side of the phone. He had once had his life saved by that doctor.
"Heaven Canceller…"
"Speaking with a patient after they leave the hospital is one of the great joys of a doctor, but I do not have much time. I hope you do not mind if I keep this short."
It seemed the doctor was aware who he was.
He likely never forgot the faces or voices of any patient of his.
(How is he watching us?)
They had knocked all of the facility's security features before going in, but some other security must have been functioning since that frog-face had been able to contact Mike so perfectly.
"This is bold of you. When hiding, the general idea is to remain silent without making any sort of provocation. Do you want us to track you down with this call?"
"I am not a child who would fail in something so basic. Also, there is something I must do even if it requires some risk."
"Something you must do?"
"I am an ally to my patients. Even if you are the sort of person who would start a deadly battle around sick patients who cannot move from their beds, I must save you if your life will be taken. What your doctor tells you is important, so please listen to me," said the doctor smoothly. However, his words contained some slight thorns. "Leave Kihara and run away. If you do not, your life is in danger."
"Are you serious?"
"You will be crushed by Accelerator."
"By that coward?"
"You seem to be mistaken about something." The doctor was not moved. "Accelerator is not on the side of good. He is not white. He may have gained some slight light and obtained a bit of the white of good, but deep down, he is still carries the black of evil. Until now…well, I suppose he was a gray that was infinitely close to black. He is a dangerous and unstable existence that could fall to either side."
"…"
"Do you understand? You are the ones who dyed him black once more after he had finally obtained that slight bit of white. And therefore, he will not hold back. I am not talking about mercy; I am saying he will not hold back. He will continue dyeing everything with blood so that he can protect that small light from being enveloped by the darkness. You must not meet Accelerator. That is all I have to say to my patient. I repeat: you must not meet Accelerator. He is no longer who you think he is."
"Such nonsense."
"I see. It is a shame I could not get through to you," said the doctor. And then he added, "By the way, who do you think it was that told us of the coming danger?"
"What?"
Mike frowned as a horrible feeling sank into his chest.
(Don't tell me it was him…)
And then another thought hit him. If it had been him that told the hospital of the danger, he would be able to guess that Hound Dog would come there.
Mike used hand motions to tell Dennis to have the team stay on their guard, but the doctor said one last thing before he could.
"Do not die. As long as you do not, I will save you."
"Gyaaaahhhhh!!"
A scream that seemed to shake the entire building exploded from the ceiling.
Gunshots rang out from here and there in the building, but those sources of noise fell silent one by one as if someone was snuffing out each one.
Something was approaching.
Mike threw down the receiver and grabbed his submachine gun while Dennis did the same. They hid behind cover, focused their eyes on the darkness, and worked to gather as much information as possible.
And…
"Fear" appeared before their eyes.
The Hound Dog team to which Dennis and Mike belonged was annihilated in about 10 minutes.