[h2]Mako Moritomi//Star Drop Cafe[/h2]
[h3]Saturday, June 27, 2015[/h3]

==~==

Mako stared at the notebook in his hands, feeling conflicted. Precious few of the pages had been filled up with what could only generously be called, "findings" on the nature of the kidnappings taking place in the city. He'd made connections, tangents, written down suspicions and whatever semi-pertinent information he could compile, but trying to connect it in a meaningful way was an exercise in frustration, not to mention it just made him look like a crazy conspiracy theorist. He had his hunches, his theories, but that was really about it. Nothing that would force anyone he confronted to tell the truth, anyway.

[color=0076a3][i]Of course, perhaps that's the problem,[/i][/color] he thought to himself. [color=0076a3][i]Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. It's not like I've tried asking directly yet.[/i][/color] 

It was a risky proposition, with few guarantees of getting any legitimate answers, but it would be better than nothing. Certainly better than his rather non-productive sleuthing. If he was turned down or misled, it wasn't like he was losing anything, anyway- he still had all the information he'd already acquired. And even being denied could have beneficial information for him, depending on how the person he asked reacted. He nodded to himself. 

[color=0076a3][i]So, it's a plan, then. I find someone that I suspect is operating with the group, and ask them straight. Preferably someone who's been involved for a decent amount of time- Rui or Sa-- erm. Someone. Someone else.[/i][/color]

He rolled his eyes at his foolishness before rising, fishing for his wallet in order to pay for his coffee, when something outside caught his eye. A movement, unnatural and violent. And then there were people in masks walking through the front door. And then they pulled out a variety of bludgeoning implements and other nasty-looking devices, someone threw a punch, and chaos ensued.

Two of them noticed Mako looking rather dumbstruck, and leapt for him. Instinct took over as the shocked look fell from Mako's face. His fists clenched.

His elbow flew into the face of the man on Mako's left, and judging by the sound and feeling coming from underneath the mask, something had been very broken. He turned smoothly, driving a fist into the gut of the person on the right, luxuriating in the pained gasp that escaped their mouth before whipping a forearm across the side of their head, sending them careening to the ground. His vision went red as the last logical part of his mind questioned why these idiots were attacking in broad daylight silenced itself. The logic didn't matter at this point. These were enemies. They were trying to hurt people. He would hurt them back.

Arms attempted to grab him from behind, and Mako reacted, his head whipping back, the back of his head colliding with the man's masked face again, eliciting a fresh cry of pain, before he sent an elbow smashing into his solar plexus. By this point, some of the others had noticed Mako making a nuisance of himself, and were moving toward him with cautious determination. Mako grimaced- even being skilled, the advantage in numbers would be his downfall at some point. He grit his teeth.

[color=0076a3][i]Fine, then. You want me? I'll make you work for it.[/i][/color]

He ducked under the swinging baton of one of the kidnappers, driving his shoulder into the man's gut and throwing him back into a collection of chairs and tables. He then winced as he felt a hard blow across his shoulder blades, before a hand holding a cloth moved into his field of vision, reaching for his face. He threw himself backwards, backhanding the offending cultist across the face and trying to backpedal, trying to find a wall he could put his back to, to keep anyone from sneaking up on him.

No such luck. Another blow came to his right side- that was going to bruise. He turned, seeing the kidnapper rearing back with his baton for another blow. Mako caught the man's wrist as it descended, twisting hard, grinning savagely at the now-thoroughly abused man's cry of anguish before wresting the baton from his grip and beating him across the face with it. He didn't waste time seeing the bastard fall, leaping over him toward the other kidnapper coming to back up his partner, bringing the baton down savagely, smashing into his shoulder. Mako raised the baton again, sending a smashing blow to the man's side, and again, and again, beating the man senseless. He raised his arm for another strike--

And felt one smashing into the back of his head, sending his vision sideways. Before he could recover, a fist slammed into his gut, forcing his breath from him in a wheeze. He couldn't really see, disoriented as it was, but he could feel it as the kidnappers still standing smashed into him, shoving him up against the wall and pinning him. He struggled, but it was little use- he was still reeling from the blow to his head.

"Hurry up! [i]Hurry up![/i] Quick, before he gets loose again!"

He heard the voice rasping in his ear, before a rough cloth was pressed up against his mouth and nose, the chemical it was soaked in making his head swim further.

[color=0076a3][i]Fuck, fuck, FUCK!! No!! I can't... you can't... I have... to...[/i][/color]

The color was rapidly draining from the world, his vision going dark as his struggling began to cease. As the darkness closed in, he laughed ruefully to himself.

[color=0076a3][i]I guess I'll see... whether or not I'm right... one way or another.

...Guys. 

...Please.

...Come... find me...[/i][/color]