A convoy of delivery trucks file in and out along the lone entrance of Mitakihara City, flanked overhead by a few helicopters piloted by various members of the JSDF. This time, goods are exchanged for panicked survivors, and brought outside the city. If there had been a mechanism for enforcing Shiori Nakae’s demands, it no longer functioned. Watching the sight, Katsumi Sasaki sighs, a mix of relief, exhaustion and with resignation that her task is far from over. That, and her memory of the conversation she had with Yui when she declared her intent to leave just a day after arriving at the gym.

Katsumi: …I’m grateful beyond words, don’t misunderstand, Arashi-san. But there are things only I can do in this type of fight.

Yui: What, like, sit your ass down and heal? What would Hanako say if she heard her mom wants to go out into that hellscape, huh?

Katsumi: My daughter and I have already spoken. She gave me her arguments and concerns, same as you are now, but ultimately, she knows that what I am doing is not only something I need to do, but realistically, something that is safer for me to do than sitting idly, or wandering blindly.

Yui: (There is a tense, pointed silence) …Listen, Needful Things, someday, we need to talk about whatever-the-hell’s got you on our side of the fence. ‘Cause some time ago, there was this group of normal folk—

Katsumi: The Conductors, right? …Don’t give me that look, Arashi-san. You’re not subtle or quiet about your own history, and the gaps are filled not with my personal approach to information, but by my position as an attorney for the city. Those men… they covered their trail, but not  completely.

Yui: …Saves me a bit of time, then.

Katsumi: But you’re not wrong. Sometime, when this is all over, you and I will have a conversation. Because you’ve deduced, somehow, that I have an unnatural power about me, though I have not made a contract with the Incubators. And it is on that point I lean now. 

Yui: …You better come back alive, Mama-Hanako. S’all I’m sayin’. Still, lettin’ you go alone don’t sit right. …Yo, Captain!

Shaking her head in the present moment, Katsumi returned to her personal entourage of survivors from the Citizens’ Council. Them, and several people she did not recognize. One of which, a man with a cane, stood out. And her escort, the woman Yui referred to as ‘Captain’ had barely introduced herself as Kohaku Hayama, but little else had been said as they made their way here. Hesitating for a bit, she approached the man standing next to someone she recognized from Mitakihara High School.

Katsumi: So, um… It looks like it’s going well, isn’t it?

Rene: Well as can be expected after days like these. Don’t worry about helping out if you’re injured ma’am, they’ve got this in hand. I’m in that boat too.

Katsumi: (she shakes her head) I’d… rather be doing anything productive at this point.

Rene: I get you, but you wouldn’t want to be gettin’ hurt worse and make your family sad. Now would you? 

Katsumi: (she motions her head towards Kohaku) I’ll be fine. At my age, I’m more liable to get injured resting on a couch. But more to the point… are things fine here? No attacks, or… anything happening as these vehicles come and go?

Rene: Not just yet. But we’re expecting there will be. That’s the other reason not to stand out in the open too much. 

Kohaku: I expect the rioters will come by soon, if the enemy isn’t in complete disorder. Ordinarily I’d expect them to be here already… 

Katsumi: Do we have a plan of action? Shelter or escape if things go awry?

Kohaku: Yeah, everyone will be taken out of here at the first sign of trouble. Already working on it. 

Toi:  (having just pointed a truck in the right direction, she joins the discussion, carrying a writing pad) It seems like whoever’s bossing the rioters around cares more about seeing the town go down than its citizens. One issue, though, we’re all out of earplugs to hand out. Got any more from those disaster relief stocks?

Katsumi: Sorry… I had enough for myself, and for the Tokai couple. I took refuge somewhere downtown, where Captain Hayama found me. (It was a perfectly rehearsed cover story to avoid mentioning Yui’s gym out loud. Both to maintain the cover Yui had given the building, and to avoid any attention going back that way, just in case.) 

Toi: Looks like we’re gonna have to improvise, then… Most people have earphones of some kind, maybe if we tell them to play loud music over those it’ll be enough to filter out the brainwashing.

Katsumi: That should work. In my experience, there’s a little bit of a time gap between hearing… her voice, and losing their will.

Toi: People in this town just can’t catch a break, huh?

Katsumi: …That would extend to us, I believe. Ah, I wonder when our guests would make themselves known? (she turns, looking behind Kohaku, towards a bit of rubble tall enough to conceal two teenagers)

Yosuke: Damn! She’s good…

Koharu: We’re not even trying to hide. (emerging from the rubble, she scurries up to Kohaku, with Yosuke sheepishly following suit) What’s with the earplugs?

Kohaku: It seems that gyaru girl can affect the mind with her voice. You had best figure something out as well. What are you doing here? It’s not safe, and… (She looks at Yosuke with narrowed eyes) I thought you were supposed to stay where you were. 

Yosuke: E-Eh, I… I mean, I wasn’t gonna let senpai sneak out on her own! W-Wouldn’t you have done the same… sir? Ma’am?

Kohaku: I heard you agreed to stay there so we’d all know you weren’t one of them anymore. 

Katsumi: (her eyes narrowed, recognizing Yosuke but otherwise not responding. Her eyes gave a ‘we need to talk later’ expression, but she cleared her throat) Regardless, this is our reality. They are here now, and we react accordingly. What is it you came here for, you two?

Koharu: We’ve found the location where the hostages are being kept.

Yosuke: Or, err, we think we do?

Koharu: We do.

Yosuke: We are making a well-educated guess.

Koharu: Shut up.

Katsumi: Where are they?

Koharu: There’s a warehouse, nondescript, somewhere in the Minato shipyard. To the north of dock #7. Resembles a description we were able to obtain—

Yosuke: I, err, own… like, a drone? … Which I used to take pictures… of random warehouses… in the shipyard that has been abandoned for years—

Koharu: He used to be with them. Told me where they’re keeping the hostages.

Yosuke: Oh, come on!

Kohaku: Did you forget we already knew that? How are we supposed to trust that this isn’t him leading us into a trap? 

Katsumi: We’re going. (She approaches Koharu, staring down into her eyes) Assuming, of course, you trust the information.

Koharu: (she glances at Yosuke, before nodding)

Katsumi: Well then… I suppose we should begin planning the rescue operation.