Thursday 1.11 - Deuces

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Sato blinked his eyes, wincing against the flourescent lighting that hit his eyes. Trained to assess first, then move, he pressed his fingers down until the metal bars and spare bedding convinced him he was in a hospital. He attempted to raise an arm. The straps there convinced him he was in a Kritiker hospital.

Not that they didn't trust him, one of their own agents. But after what most of them had seen -

Well. He couldn't blame them for their precaution.

The reasons behind the location of his body and pain that was now screaming at him for attention came back to him.

The disk.

Johnson.

Those men.

He had been set up?

If that were the case, he should be dead.

Those men hadn't killed him.

Therefore...

Sato frowned heavily, the expression sitting awkwardly on his usually pleasant features. There was a strong indication that someone hadn't obeyed orders. But it hadn't been Weiss - Weiss had delivered the disk quite punctually. He had no doubt that Bombay would have made copies before putting a hit out on him, and there was certainly no reason - by his own assessment, they were still loyal to their cause.

So then Johnson. Or someone else in Kritiker. But here he was in a Kritiker facility...

His headache was intensifying. He had no taste for this sort of business. He scanned the room and found his briefcase propped on a chair by the window. He relaxed marginally, then thumbed the red service button by his hand.

Unfortunately, he had less of a taste for being killed, or allowing some defect to take down the company he loved.

The nurse appeared at the door. "Wonderful! You're awake, Mr. Sato!"

He nodded, slowly, and gave her a sweet smile. "I was wondering if you would be so kind as to hand me my briefcase..."