Kumakawa was in his car on the way to Shinjuku. It was a mildly cold day. He drove along the coastal road as the sun rose slowly from the sea, leaving a beautiful view of warm light and the endless ocean. Kumakawa enjoyed the scenery until the traffic light turned green. He drove on, and after he arrived in Shinjuku he called Hiroki with his small headset. It piped in his ear, a high, shrill sound, until she finally accepted the call.
>>"Are you there, Kumakawa?"<< her voice was firm and composed, but sounded slightly different than in person. Kumakawa answered yes and told her he was in Shinjuku.
>>"Where will the target give his speech, Miss Amane?"<<
Kumakawa waited for her answer while assembling his sniper.
>>"The shopping district, most of the time"<< she replied.
Kumakawa sighed; he knew that was her way of saying he was on his own.
>>"So what you're saying is I have to find my own way through, right?"<< he asked.
Hiroki giggled softly, a little laugh she made when she was being playful.
>>"Isn't that the thrill? It makes it so much sweeter when you finally have your target."<<
Kumakawa agreed; his hunter's instinct kicked in. He questioned many people, and some provided answers. He located the president in the park. This time Kumakawa observed Haruto Shirogane, the president of Shinjuku. When the day came, Kumakawa positioned himself on the sixth floor of the building opposite, tracking his target through the scope of his sniper rifle.
>>"Target in sight. Waiting for further instructions"<< he reported.
Hiroki smiled at the information, though her expression was not visible to Kumakawa.
>>"Wait until he is three-quarters through his speech, then execute. It should be easy."<<
He acknowledged her with a quiet nod, adding nothing while watching through his scope to see what Haruto was doing. "Come on — show me who you'll speak to and how you're standing with them," Hiroki prompted. Kumakawa identified the president's wife and the secretary; it was clear to him who was who. He waited until Haruto reached the three-quarter mark of his speech.
He positioned himself on the windowsill, held his weapon steady, and aimed at the president's head. His breathing became that of a tiger watching its prey: calm and slow. When the president finished about three-quarters of his speech, Kumakawa pulled the trigger. The shot hit the president in the head; he fell to the ground.
>>"Mission accomplished. He should be dead. That was a beautiful headshot"<< Hiroki said.
Haruto, who had been on the phone, laughed softly.
>>"I saw it on TV. It was magnificent. Get out of there, quick."<<
>>"Agreed"<< Kumakawa replied.
He ran out of the apartment, dismantled his sniper into the suitcase, and took the elevator down to the street. The police arrived later, but he was long gone, already on his way back to Tokyo.