Rider killed the engine and brought his bike to a halt near the museum.
I just have to wait, right? he thought.
A light snow drifted down, melting against his face. Spotting a bench directly in front of him, Rider walked over and sat down.
Exactly two minutes later, a man came over and sat beside him. Before Rider could even react, the man spoke.
"Sent by Beast?"
Rider nodded.
"Okay, then stay still," the man said. "We're waiting for one more party, then we'll head to the Loop's third branch."
"And where exactly is that?" Rider asked.
The man pointed a finger toward the museum.
Rider looked in that direction. "Beneath the museum?"
The man shook his head. "Nah. The building behind it."
Following his gaze, Rider peered past the museum and noticed the structure tucked away behind it. "What do you guys do there?" he asked.
"Kid, stop asking questions," the man muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
A few moments later, a bus pulled up to the curb. A figure stepped off.
"She's the one," the man said.
Rider watched as a young woman stepped into the light. "A woman?" he remarked.
"Wait here. I'll go get her," the man said, standing up.
He returned shortly with the girl, and the three of them sat back down on the bench.
"This is Himari, an elite ninja," the man introduced. "A descendant of one of the most powerful families in Japan."
Rider gave a respectful nod.
Sitting in the middle, the man pulled out three photographs and handed them to Rider and Himari.
"Who are they?" Rider asked, studying the images.
"This one here is Asher, the next is Liam, and the last one is Ethan," the man explained. "These are the ones who attacked the fourth branch. Beware of them."
Rider nodded, and Himari did the same.
Ethan... I know him. He's a friend of Finn, Himari thought to herself.
The man stood up. "Let's move."
The other two rose to follow, but the man suddenly stopped and turned around. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am the Chairman of the Loop's third branch. My name's Mike."
Elsewhere—Japan.
A man knelt respectfully in front of a grand throne shrouded in dark, heavy blankets, in the middle of the room.
The room was big and four doors were on each wall.
The wall behind the man had five door, the middle one leading outside.
"Family Head, Himari has been successfully sent to the Third Branch," the man reported.
A heavy silence filled the room. No reply came.
"Sir, I know what you are thinking," the man continued carefully. "But there is a very high chance Himari will uncover information there—information that could finally lead us to Hideki Yamamoto."
From deep within the shadowed blankets, a voice finally emerged. "Well... that is the only reason I allowed Himari to go."
"Family Head, Hideki is de—"
Before the man could finish his sentence, the figure behind the blanket roared, "Silence!"
The heavy, commanding voice boomed across the room, echoing off the walls. Submitting instantly, the man nodded and backed out of the chamber.
As he exited into the hallway, he let out a long, weary sigh.
"Why the long face? Did the Family Head yell at you again?"
The voice came from the right. A man was leaning casually against a wooden pillar, his hand resting near the sheath of his sword.
"Don't you have something better to do, Hayato?" the man replied dryly.
"Well, the Family Head only listens to you, and no one else is allowed near him," Hayato said with a shrug.
The man took a deep breath. "There's nothing I can do about that."
"Nah, man, you should be proud," Hayato countered. "Everyone respects you just as much as the Family Head, because you've been in charge of everything since that day."
The man nodded slowly. "Since that day... Yes."
"Anyway, tell me," Hayato asked, leaning forward with curiosity. "Who exactly was this Hideki guy? Those of us in the current generation have never seen him. Heck, we haven't even seen the Family Head himself. Have you guys from the older generation actually seen the Family Head and Hideki?"
"Yeah," the man replied quietly. "We've seen both."
"What were they like? The Family Head and that other dude?"
The man looked at him, his expression turning serious. "Aren't you being a bit too calm? Your sister, Himari, just entered the Third Branch of the Loop."
"Well, you're the one who sent her on this mission," Hayato reasoned. "If she were still here, she'd probably just be forced into getting married."
The man nodded, offering no further argument, and began to walk away.
"Leaving so soon?" Hayato called out after him.
"Yeah," the man muttered without looking back. "I'm going to grab a drink."