[Day 10, Early Evening] The Contingency Plan, Part 1

[Bayushi Kazushi]

The darkness in the middle of the fields is interrupted by the dim light of a densai as Bayushi Kazushi sits, waiting for a signal and hoping it never comes.

Over his shoulder is Kurumi, her sidearm in hand, keeping watch for anyone who might get too nosy about why a Scorpion marketing manager is out in the middle of nowhere, in the dark. Every so often she looks over in the direction of the converted warehouse that serves as the "Temple of Light", knowing that, in only a handful of moments, the shooting is going to start. It's a familiar feeling to the trained bodyguard, but its one she'll never learn to like.

So, the two sit and wait...

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

A third approached. Although the Detective was not with hi, zkiyoshi was recognizable enough. The Fox was casually dressed in darker clothing. He carried little more than his sidearm and his densai case.

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kurumi tenses as another approaches, but relaxes when she sees who it is.

"Who would have thought our little adventures would have led to this?" Kazushi asks, quietly. "This is probably not the right place for the Detective, so I hope he's somewhere safe."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"The resort has pet watchers.." he said. "He's safe. Has it begun yet?"

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"I don't think so," Kazushi says, "not yet. It won't be long, though. Hinata-san's last signal said they were headed up to the site."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

He nodded and glanced in the direction of the temple. "I have a feeling we'll know soon enough. Not much else to do but wait."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"I imagine that's always the hardest part," Kazushi says quietly. "I've went through exercises like this at the Academy, but..."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kazushi suddenly covers his ears as a horrifying scream echoes across the field.

"It's started!" he says harshly...nervously...

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"What was that....?" He stared in the direction of the temple, expecting to see some unknown horror. Instead, he heard echoes of gunfire. "I wish we could see more."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"Not many who hear the battle cry of the Harbingers live to tell the tale. That," Kazushi explains, "was Bayushi Hinata-san, and that's the reason he was assigned to my security detail."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"I see." he grinned. "I'm glad he didn't do that in the caverns."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"Oh, I can't even imagine the echo...," Kazushi says, shuddering at deafening possibilities of that scenario.

He pauses for a moment, looking out over the field and wishing, like Kiyoshi, that they had a better vantage point.

"Still sounds like a lot of fire being exchanged..."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"Yeah. There's more of it. I guess they didn't surrender." he sighed.

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kazushi shakes his head.

"They're religious fanatics. They weren't ever going to give in easily."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"Is that all it is?" he asked. "After the service I attended and my conversation with the karo, I thought the temple might be being used as a front for something else."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"Well, there's that, too," Kazushi admits. "There's that computer hardware they've been stockpiling, and the irregularities in their accounting. They've probably been building up to a coup for a while."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"Yasuki Umiko mentioned complications involving the leadership of the temple. Yasuki Haruto backpedaled regarding my interest in a benefit concert, after I asked about financial details regarding their charity work. There were apparently other people who handle that." He said. "I'm sure you have more details than I do, but it sounds like the 'cult' was being used."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kazushi nods.

"That tracks. So they're political fanatics disguised as religious fanatics. Even better."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"It sounds like an episode of one of my shows." He sighed. "With more gunfire."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"Oh, I wish this could be resolved by pulling the disguise off of some old troublemaker and having the magistrate haul him away," Kazushi says with a sigh. "The real thing is a bit too intense."