Page 145 of Emperor of Wrath

“Buckle up.”

I peel out of the driveway, roaring onto the main road.

“What the fuck is going on, Kenzo?” Mal mutters.

“Leka is going on,” I say, glancing over at him. “Hajime was paid off. They never found the body after all.”

“Fuck,” Mal spits. “He’s alive?!”

“Well, he’s not confirmed dead,” I throw back. “And that’s enough for me to worry when my wife goes for a drive and doesn’t answer?—”

“KENZO!”

I see the skid marks on the road just as Mal roars my name. My foot stamps on the brakes. My hand spins the wheel to the side as we come to a screeching stop right in front of the twisted pile of wrecked motorcycles.

Holy fuck.

I’m out of the car in a millisecond, bolting for the wreckage.

“ANNIKA!” I scream. My heart almost stops when I see the black, purple, and neon pink bike twisted and wrenched in half on the side of the road. “ANNIKA!!”

“Kenzo!”

Tak is bleeding from the shoulder and limping as he emerges from the underbrush and the trees next to the mountain road. He’s got his arm around a banged-up looking Hana, who’s pressing a hand to a cut on her forehead.

Shit.

I rush to them along with Mal, dropping to my knees to help Hana sit on the ground.

“They took her!” Hana blurts, wincing as she looks at me, her eyes frightened. “Kenzo, they took Annika!”

“Who?!”

“Leka!” Takeshi grunts. He shakes his head as my eyes go wide. “He made it,” he hisses quietly. “Somehow that fucker is still alive, and he’s got Tengan helping him. They slammed into us with a van, wiped us all out, and then dragged Annika into the back?—”

“Freya!” Hana winces, pointing across the road to the dented-up guardrail. “She went over!”

She’s barely finished getting the words out before Mal is bolting, hurdling over the guardrail like he’s trying to race a train before he disappears into the underbrush.

“Which way,” I snarl, turning back to Hana and Tak.

Takeshi points up the road. “Headed toward Sakamoto Castle. Black van, I didn’t get the plate.”

“Do you have your phone?” I blurt.

He nods, gritting his teeth and digging his phone out of his pocket.

It’s completely smashed.

“Shit,” Tak swears.

Hana shakes her head. “Mine’s gone?—”

“Take mine,” I growl, shoving it into my brother’s hand. “And call our people!”

I whirl, bolting back to the car just as Mal staggers up the embankment and climbs over the guardrail.

He’s carrying a body in his arms, draped with his jacket.

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