Soul Drive: Ignition

The pale fingers of dawn stretched over the shattered skyline of Osaka, the once thriving city still silent under the lockdown. Sitting at the chipped wooden desk, Hiro watched as Yutaka began to stir in the lumpy bed. He wasn't able to fall back to sleep after his conversation with Nori, so he waited for Yutaka to wake up so he could tell him the plan.

"Yutaka," Hiro said, he had been rehearsing what he was going to say for hours now, "I think I know how we can get out of the city."

"You do?" Yutaka straightened up in the bed, his eyes locked on Hiro, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"Old traffic overflow tunnels," Hiro said, and he continued before Yutaka could ask how he came up with this idea. "I remembered it from history class—they were used to ease the amount of traffic on the streets above ground during the last population boom, but since the war, they have been sealed up."

Yutaka's eyes sparkled as he got up from the bed and gave Hiro a pat on the shoulder. "Brilliant, Hiro. Those tunnels have been forgotten even by me, we may actually have a way out of this city."

"Thank you." Hiro forced a smile, he was glad Yutaka just accepted the idea as his own. The pair began to pack up their belonging, ensuring the room was left with no evidence they had ever been there.

"Let's go," Yutaka urged, slinging a backpack over his shoulder, the scars on his arms appearing more defined than normal.

They loaded their gear into the car in silence, only scanning the area every once in a while to ensure there were no police patrols in the area. As Hiro slammed the trunk shut, he could feel the sensation of being watched and turned on the spot, staggering toward them was an older man who seemed in pain. The man waved them down, clearly desperate and looking for help.

"Hey! Are you ok?" Hiro called out, instinctively moving forward as the stranger's knees buckled. Yutaka emerged from the driver's side as he noticed Hiro's sudden change in demeanor. The man hit the ground with a soft thud, his body limp as Hiro reached him.

"Yutaka, he needs help!" Hiro shouted back at the car, he could see clear blood stains seeping through the man's shirt.

"Shhh... quiet boy" Masato rasped, his eyes fluttering open and he tried to turn his head to get a better view of the surroundings. "They're after me, you can't let them find me."

Yutaka finally made it over to them, eying the man with a skeptical gaze, something about this felt off to him.

"There is no one coming. I think you lost them," Hiro said, trying to reassure the man.

"Thank you," The man breathed shakily, he attempted to sit up but could only wince in pain. "I owe some bad people a lot of money. The two of you should go before they catch up. If they think you know me, they'll kill you too. I'll be fine, please go."

Hiro's eyes widened and Yutaka knew what was coming next before he even spoke. "Let us help you, we have bandages and a car. We could take you to a hospital," Hiro offered; he didn't want to leave the man to die in the streets.

"Hiro we don't have time for this," Yutaka interjected flatly, his cold stare never leaving the man.

"Yutaka," Hiro whispered, sensing the tension. "We can't just leave him here to die."

"No, it is ok boy. I'm no safer in a hospital than I am here, as long as I am in this city I am a dead man," The man coughed.

"Then we'll get you out of the city," Hiro replied, earning an annoyed glare from Yutaka.

"We'll be right back," Yutaka said, grabbing Hiro and pulling him out of earshot. "We can't trust this man. We don't know him. What we do know is Mach pilots can be anyone, and they are not above using your emotions against you."

"You think this guy could be a Mach pilot?" Hiro asked, looking back at the man still lying on the ground. "He can't even stand up on his own. He's not a threat to anyone."

"Hiro even if he isn't, it's his own fault for the state he is in. The last thing we need is to be involved in something like this," Yutaka decided, turning back to the car.

Hiro took one last look at the man, still breathing heavily on the street, and followed Yutaka's lead. They had to put their own survival first—trust was a luxury they couldn't afford.

Hiro's fingers nervously toyed with the frayed edge of his jacket, as he shuffled back toward the car. His mind pulled him back to Diaki's peas for help, to killing the man in order to save Tokyo.

"Yutaka," Hiro began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I can't leave him here. Not after Diaki, I need to save someone,"

Yutaka regarded Hiro with a soft expression, he finally let out a sigh. "OK, we'll take him with us. But only to the city outskirts, after that, he is on his own. Got it?”

"Thank you," Hiro said, giving the man a small hug of appreciation. "I promise I'll make sure he doesn't try anything."

Yutaka released Hiro for the hug and nodded. "Alright, Hiro. Let's get this man back on his feet and to the car."

"Right." Relief blossomed in Hiro's heart and for a moment the vision of Diaki didn't seem so strong. "We're going to get you out of Osaka."

The man’s eyes lit up with gratitude, as they helped him to his feet. "Seriously thank you, I owe you my life for this."

"Just stay quiet and give us a heads up if you see any of the people who did this to you," Yutaka said, his tone making it clear that it was not a request but a condition.

After loading the man into the vehicle, Yutaka typed to coordinates of an overflow entrance he remembered using as a kid. The car hummed to life and began its drive to the long-forgotten entranceway. Making its final turn the car came to a halt in front of a crumbling mall parking lot.

"If I remember correctly, the entrance to the tunnel is at the bottom level. But it looks like this could come down on us at any moment," Yutaka muttered, eyeing the precarious structure.

"Let me handle this," Hiro suggested, trying to keep his voice steady. "My Mach can—"

"Absolutely not," Yutaka interjected sharply, casting a wary glance at the sleeping man in the back seat. "What if he wakes up and sees you?"

"We have to know if we can get through this," Hiro said, there was a certain authority to his tone. "In my Mach, I'll be protected even if the building collapses."

"Fine but you need to enter the parking structure before you suit up," Yutaka instructed. "If our friend here wakes up before you get back, I'll come up with a reason my you're missing."

"Let's do this," Hiro said, stepping out of the car. "I'll clear a path and let you know when it is safe."

As Hiro disappeared into the structure, Yutaka watched him with narrowed eyes. Once he vanished from sight, Yutaka's eyes locked on the stranger in the back seat, trust no one he reminded himself.

The moment Hiro couldn't see the car anymore, Hiro's fingers darted to his pocket, retrieving the old cellphone. With a practiced motion, he tapped the call button, causing the Mach to spring to life. Teal armor flowed over his body like liquid courage, until he was sealed into his cybernetic suit.

He knew movement had to be calculated, one wrong move and the whole structure would come down on him. His mind raced as his suit scanned the structure, highlighting the weaknesses he needed to fix before they could enter. He worked with the precision of a surgeon, ensuring their passage would be safe.

Over an hour had passed before Hiro finally whispered "Done," powering down the Mach and making his way over to the entrance of the tunnel. He sent a brief text to Yutaka and waited to see the headlights cut through the darkness of the lower level.

"Get in," Yutaka said as he pulled up, motioning to the passenger seat. Hiro slipped inside without a word.

The man in the back seat began to stir, casting confused glances at them. Yutaka typed away on the car's keyboard, "There are no maps of these tunnels that one of these new cars can use to navigate them. So I'm going to have to switch to manual drive," He explained as the dashboard opened up, releasing a small steering wheel.

The car lurched forward as Yutaka took the wheel, its headlights revealing a barricade of cobwebs. Hiro watched as the cobwebs fell away, revealing nothing but crumbling concrete and twisted metal. The car's headlights cut feeble paths through the dust-choked darkness, their escape route a crumbling artery beneath the city's heart.

As they drove passed the debris, the man leaned forward from the back seat, taking in the relic of the past. "You and your father are quite the pair. Helping a stranger escape the city during a lockdown isn't exactly expected,"

Hiro watched Yutaka's jaw clench, "Let's just say my son cares more about people than most," Yutaka lied smoothly, not taking his gaze off the road. "It's dawned on me that we never got your name."

"Ah right, where are my manners? My name is Masato," Masato said.

Yutaka's attention wavered and the car sensor didn't seem to register the massive chunk of concrete in their path. With a curse, Yutaka slammed the brakes as he finally saw it come into view. The car skidded to a halt, gravel singing under tires, stopping mere inches from disaster.

"Everyone okay?" Yutaka's voice was sharp with adrenaline.

"Fine," Hiro exhaled, his relief palpable as his eyes fixed on the jagged pipe that just scratched the surface of the windshield. "I thought your car alerted us to anything in its path."

"Maybe it's the cobwebs," Masato suggested, sheepish. "they could be blocking the sensor."

"That could be it," Yutaka muttered, looking back at Masato.

With a careful maneuver, Yutaka reversed away from the concrete. Within hours they emerged from the tunnel, the world outside seemed alien—a forgotten field of tall grass sprawled before them, with no signs that anyone had been there since the tunnels closed.

"This is where we part ways," Yutaka said firmly as he brought the car to a stop amid the tall grass that swayed like an ocean around them.

"Are you serious? I don't even know where we are," Masato pleaded, desperation tinging his tone. "At least bring me to the road so I can follow it to a town or something."

"I can't risk that," Yutaka shot back, suspicion threading his words. "You said it yourself, some powerful people are after you. What if some witnesses us dropping you off?"

"Yutaka," Hiro interjected, glaring at the man, "we are far enough away from the city, we can drop him off at the road."

"If we do that he can figure out what direction we are heading in" Yutaka's gaze was steely, his mind churning with doubt. "If this is a play he'll be able to tell anyone where we were heading."

"You can blindfold me," Masato said, his eyes darting between the two. "Thank way I won't know which way you go."

"Earplugs too, can't have you listening for which way we go," Yutaka demanded, looking back at Masato through the rearview mirror.

"Fine by me," Masato leaned back, closing his eyes briefly. "I take it I'm not the only one on the run here." He smiled to himself as he settled in but it was clear Yutaka was done playing this game.

"Come on, let's just get to the road," Hiro said, sensing Yutaka was moments away from dragging Masato out of the car by force.

"Fine," Yutaka grumbled, his eyes narrowed with suspicion behind his glasses. "But this is the last time I make a concession for that man."

"I'd hate to draw this out any longer than it needs to be," Masato started, the smug look disappearing from his face. "I just... may I step out for a moment? Nature calls."

With a groan, Yutaka motioned for Masato to get out. Masato gave a small bow before disappearing into the tall grass. Minutes ticked by and Hiro tapped his foot impatiently on the car floor.

"Something's not right," Hiro muttered under his breath, sliding out of the car. He plunged into the tall grass, calling over his shoulder, "I'm going to check on him!"

"Hiro wait!" Yutaka called back, but Hiro was already gone.

"Masato?" Hiro shouted, leaving just enough time between calls for Masato to respond. No reply came, as he waded deeper into the tall grass.

He pressed forward, feeling a knot forming in his chest. until he stumbled out of the tall grass, the trees stood before him like silent sentinels guarding their domain. Hiro wondered if Masato would have really gone this far in to use the bathroom.

"Masato, can you hear me?" he tried again, the voice in his head screaming for him to turn back. He tried to silence the thought, touching the Mach in his pocket. *Nothing in here can hurt you* he reminded himself.

A sudden crack tore through the air, shattering the stillness. Hiro ducked instinctively as an old tree began to tip forward, its rotten core giving way. The earth shook as it landed, in front of him.

"Jesus..." He gasped for air, placing his hand on his chest. Then, spinning around, Hiro found himself face-to-face with Masato, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Masato asked innocently. "You almost got yourself crushed, next time just wait at the car."

"Why am I out here? I came looking for you." Hiro eyed Masato.

"Sorry, I just got a bit turned around in the grass," Masato replied, looking a little embarrassed. "I hope you remember the way back or your dad will be the next person to get lost in here."

Hiro scrutinized Masato for a moment longer before nodding. "I know the way back." As they emerged from the tall grass, Hiro couldn't shake the feeling that Masato had been analyzing him—was it possible Yutaka had been right?

The trio's car cut a path through the swaying sea of tall grass as everyone sat in uncomfortable silence. Yutaka, gripping the wheel, squinted as grass shifted aside. Until they reached an old dirt road without signage, with a small dilapidated building across the street.

"So this is it?" Hiro asked, examining the unused road before them.

"We've come as far as I am willing to go with our new friend hear," Yutaka murmured, retrieving a burner phone from the pocket of his worn jeans. His fingers danced over the keypad as he accessed a secured GPS network. "Untraceable," he assured with a glance at Hiro. "We're not leaving breadcrumbs for any witch to find."

"So we are just going to leave Masato here?" Hiro prodded, even though Masato made him uneasy, he didn't want to leave the injured man alone.

"Yes," Yutaka declared after a brief pause. "But according to this, there is a small town with a hospital less than two kilometers from here. He'll be fine,"

Yutaka pulled up to the old shack before turning back to Masato, "Time to get out." he instructed.

"Well, I thank you both for your kindness," Masato quipped, as he slipped out of the vehicle.

"I believe we still have the matter of making sure you can't follow us," Yutaka said, stepping out of his side of the car.

"But of course, Would you mind if we went it and found a place I could sit while you do it?" Masato asked, making his way over to the shack.

"Fine," Yutaka said as he followed. Hiro watched them go, a knot forming in his stomach. Alone, he leaned against the car, the heat from the metal seeping into his shirt, as he waited for Yutaka to return.

Once inside Yutaka glared at Masato, suspicion etched across his features. "Why are you here?" he demanded, voice low but edged.

"Because I'm on the run, just like you clearly are," Masato said, with a smirk.

"Cut the crap, Masato. You're not running from anything. Those wounds are surface level, if someone were really trying to kill you they would be deeper" Yutaka accused, eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

"Ah," Masato sighed, shaking his head. "Seems like the game is over." In a flash, he grabbed Yutaka, slamming his head against the edge of the dining table. The dull thud echoed off the concrete walls as a small pool of blood began to form.

Outside Hiro felt his stomach rumble. Taking one last look at the shack, he decided to get something to drink while he waited.

"I know the water is back here somewhere," Hiro muttered, as he dug through the back seat. Grabbing a loose glass bottle off the floor, he smiled to himself before taking a few sips.

"Here's to your last drink, Hiro," Masato whispered, as he watched Hiro from the shack.

Hiro turned back from the car and noticed Masato in the doorway, the look on Masato's face made his hair stand on end "Where's Yutaka?" Hiro asked, placing the water bottle down.

"I'm afraid he's busy at the moment," Masato replied with a chuckle. "But don't worry, I'm happy to keep you company for now."

"Where is he," Hiro demanded, stepping away from the car. Yutaka had been right from the beginning, Masato was dangerous. Hiro reached into his pocket and pulled out the old cell phone, he noted how Masato was watching him carefully.

Then out of nowhere Hiro's legs gave out and he found himself stumbling onto the grass. "Something's not right." He choked out as he felt his body getting heavier.