“Hurry,”
You waste no time jogging to your car, hands heavy with decades worth of work. Ultraman had just defied the KDF on live TV, in front of the whole of Japan, if not the whole world even.
Your chests constrict tighter with every second, letter and envelope in hand you grip the steering wheel and hit the gas. Cara's voice fills the interior of the car through the phone speakers, she rattles off a quick history of the friendship that was shared between professor Sato and your grandfather.
You risk a glance at the stack on the backseat and hope that friendship extends to you, as you cut a corner and melt into traffic. The faces around you are panicked and tired, sighing, you focus once more on Cara’s voice.
“… Kenji Sato, he's their one and only child. Wait, oh my goodness! It's him , the Kenji Sato, he's a star player for the Giants. But I don't see how this correlates. Big league baseball is demanding and from the letters he's supposed to be the next Ultraman.” She now sounded excited.
“Strange, maybe he's not close with his dad?”
Cara snorts. “Daddy issues.”
You roll your eyes. “That's all?”
“Just the basics for now. We'll chat later, Victor's calling. Be careful.”
“Love you too,” you reply, knowing that was her way of saying it. The beep of an ended call follows.
Now surrounded by woodland you pray the address is still valid. “I hope he's still alive.” You snort sarcastically to no one in particular, but it's understandable. The man had almost faded into total obscurity during the past few years.
You glance once more at the address and then at the two story house before you. The lights are on, you sigh in relief, at least there's someone here. There's some hope.
You knock lightly to no reply, but you notice the red laser from the CCTV cameras mounted on the porch. You knock again.
“I am looking for professor Sato. My name is y/n, granddaughter of Dr Takahashi.” You announce and hope for the best, shuffling on your feet.
With a click the door opens to reveal a gray man hunched with age. He leans on his came and peers at you. “Dr Takahashi’s granddaughter you say?” His eyes darted to the pile cradled against your shoulder and arm. “Step into the light.”
You don't need too because a switch is quickly flipped, blinding you with bright light.
“What did you say your name was again?”
“Y/n, granddaughter of—”
“Don't repeat yourself, I'm old, not deaf. And I can see the resemblance.” He squints at your face then hobbles back into the house. You take this as an invitation and follow.
“What do you want?” He asks with his back still to you.
“I'm here to ask you the whereabouts of the baby Kaiju.”
“There's so such—”
“I watched the news, and I bet you did too.” He turns to face you and you stare pointedly at some paperwork strewn about his coffee table. He follows your gaze and snorts.
“Bills.”
“My grandfather hypothesized their existence and importance forty years ago, and we have been searching for just as long. We all thought it was a myth, until we got Intel about the KDF's transport operation.” You look away to take a deep breath before meeting his eyes once more.
“If the KDF gets their hand on that island before us the Kaijus are surely doomed to extinction.”
You finish and wait, Sato sighs and rubs his forehead. “I wish I could help you, truly I do, but I am not in possession of the infant kaiju you seek.”
“What? But you're Ultraman, I mean,” your voice fails you. This is bad , you think, has the KDF—
“My,” he hesitates,”my son. Kenji is who you saw, he's with the Kaiju. I want to save Kaijus as much as you do, if not more. In Fact I've spent almost my whole life chasing this dream.” He shakes his head slowly. “But, it's ah, it's complicated. I wish I could help you.”
You suddenly feel lightheaded, but the feeling doesn't last. Hot blood rushes to your head in a flash. “So that's it? All those years of blood, sweat and tears? The Kaijus are in danger. We are in danger!” You think of some of your comrades and their current situations: arrested, detained and missing.
He turns away once more. “I'm truly sorry.” He says quietly.
You say nothing and stalk out the front door, closing it softly behind you. In your car you place your head on the steering wheel and can't help the sob that escapes you.
I'm so sorry grandad, I failed you.
You don't know how long you sit there, you are debating calling Cara to tell her how everything is going to go up in flames, when the front door bursts open. Professor Sato shouts your name.
“What?”
“You said you wanted to see the baby?” He asks, clutching a phone's receiver, I can see the glistening of tears under the moonlight.
“Yes, yes Professor. It's instrumental.”
“Be my assistant,”
“What?”
“We're going to see my son. You'll drive.”
Before you can reply he is in the car with his fingers on the console, dialing coordinates to what you presume to be his son's house.
The drive was mostly silent until we reached a sleek, modern beauty of a house. “He plays for the Giants.”
“Kenji is scared, just like you.” His voice startles you out of your pondering.
Sato gets down. “Come,”
Both of you take an elevator underground to what seems to be an armored cave.
“Dad?”
You stand back while Sato approaches a figure hunched beside the pink Kaiju you saw on the TV, it mewls softly in pain.
“Kenji.”
The figure stands, those dark eyes that have met yours countless times. Through the blimp flying overhead, the TV and even through cans of coconut water. But now you're seeing those eyes, and the rest of him, in flesh and blood. He looms over you and asks.
“Dad, who is this?”
Kenji is finally here XD, can you keep your head and your heart?