Warnings: Language, Violence.

The following short story deals with the subject matter of slave trafficking, reader discretion is advised.

Danno rolled into the fray, refocusing his mind. He set aside the flutter from the near kiss and the excitement from Aliana’s revelation that she was an undercover agent, and instead brought to the forefront his anger towards his father at his despicable schemes.

Coming to a crouch, he shot at one of his father’s goons, then at the other. In his peripheral vision, he saw Aliana move along the wall and lunge at one of their attackers.

Danno grabbed the legs of another, tripping him, and shot him in the head. Then he leapt up to his feet, putting his bodyguard training to good use, and pulled the arm of another gunman, shoving him into his comrade. The two careened to the ground and Aliana and Danno each one of them simultaneously.

With the contingent of guards down, Danno instinctively took Aliana’s hand and ran across the corridor. They found rooms, securely locked, with nothing but a small window in each door to peer inside from. Using Hibiki’s keycard, Aliana unlocked the doors.

There were dozens of young women inside the scantily furnished rooms. These women were of all nationalities, talking in various languages, trying to understand one another. Most of them were in their early twenties, some of them looked no older than sixteen, and all of them looked battered and bruised.

Danno clamped down the sudden urge to vomit.

Aliana was able to communicate with some of them in Spanish; others who understood her in English, translated into their language to their fellow captives.

‘There’s another elevator at the other end of the corridor. I believe it goes up to the ground floor,’ expressed Danno.

‘Danno!’ bellowed Mr. Igoshimi Senior, rage in his gritty voice.

Danno froze. His father’s footsteps were hurried and heavy, coming from across the long hall.

Danno turned to Aliana. ‘Get the girls to safety.’

‘I’m not letting you face your father alone,’ insisted Aliana.

‘Someone has to get these girls out,’ growled Danno. ‘My father is mine to deal with.’ He checked his gun clip and readied himself for the inevitable. He glanced down the hall. ‘Father and brother,’ he corrected himself.

‘I’m coming back,’ Aliana promised.

She hurriedly ushered the girls towards the other elevator, shooting any guards who came running towards them.

Danno turned towards his approaching father and brother and stalked towards them, gun held up at eye level, arm out in front of him, ready to pull the trigger on them.

He came face to face with them, several metres away, keeping his gun aimed at their heads. Mr. Igoshimi Senior held his gun at his side. Hibiki held his by his face, resting his jaw and cheek on it, looking smug.

‘I knew you were soft, Danno,’ his brother chided, ‘but I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to betray our father’s legacy.’

‘A legacy? Is that what you call it? Capturing innocent immigrants and using them as slaves? Abusing them, coercing them, so they will obey out of fear!? You’re both disgusting. All my life I just wanted your approval, to be worthy of your praise. I was wrong to want it. Now I know what you truly are, father.’

‘And what is that, son?’

‘A monster!’ seethed Danno. ‘A disgusting monster.’

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