No Time: Prologue (R)

Her world incinerated into shards of glass, metal, and blazing heat as the storefront exploded, showering the sidewalk in debris.

She watched as everything moved by in slow motion, which was insane as she could feel herself being hurled through the air, end route to a debris-strewn street. She could see the bricks and glass fly by her.

She felt her skin slicing open to welcome the glass slamming into her as the only object that would give.

All that was left as she actually watched her own blood fly through the air with her was the knowledge of excruciating pain to come as her body would end up crumpled on the asphalt.

Nasuti Yagyu closed her eyes before the heat could close them shut for her.

Her world sped back up.

~*~*~

Urgency made him ignore any and all traffic laws. Urgency had him slamming his foot on the brake and smacking the clutch into a dead stop.

Concern and straight worry had him riding the screeching vehicle out with the momentum that sent the car into a spin.

The corvette crashed broadside into a parked van, but he couldn’t stop.

There was no time to stop, Seiji realized as he flicked open his belt knife and sliced through the seat belt.

Thirty seconds.

“Ryo, where is she?” He looked up the street and tapped his earpiece. Nothing but terrified looks out of innocent bystanders.

They had no idea what was coming.

The voice in his ear faded before regaining strength. “She frequents a coffee shop in that area, Touma never told said which one.”

“There’s six of them, pick one!” Seiji grimaced as the clock in his mind’s eye continued on its death knell.

Twenty-five seconds.

Where was that fucking coffee shop?

His pulse was racing as his body corresponded, his brow lining with sweat as the adrenaline began its course.

Can’t let the adrenaline take over. “I could use the help,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair.

“They mentioned something about the smallest coffee shop,” Ryo crackled over the communication link.

“I’m here, right?” Seiji tapped the ear piece before speaking.

Twenty seconds.

Hurry, his instinct screamed as he saw the black suits making their way to the other side of the street. “Doesn’t help,” he murmured into the radio as he moved to where they seemed to be escaping from.

He spun and ignored the jostled cries out of the bystanders.

“Where is she?” He eyeballed the corners as he ran to the center of the block, catching one of the suits leering at him.

You won’t make it, Date, and we’re here to see it.

Ten seconds.

“She’s right in front of you!” Ryo screamed as Seiji jerked his head to see mahogany at the corner.

The corner opposite him.

Nine.

The sunlight glittered off of her hair as Nasuti Yagyu flipped a smile over her shoulder in farewell.

Eight.

Halfway there, he caught the split second as one of the suits flipped open a metallic box, pressing something inside.

Seiji willed her to turn to him, please, ten feet and maybe he’d be able to do at least one thing right.

Seven.

She grinned into her tea as she paused on the sidewalk, digging into her purse for something unseen.

Three.

“Nasuti!” He screamed as he pushed himself to run, forget about his lungs crying and his body hating him. He needed to get to her! Thirty feet.

Two.

She looked up, bewildered as she saw flying blond racing to her. Twenty feet.

One.

Seiji Date couldn’t make it…

…The body of Nasuti Yagyu flew into him as their world exploded.