The Imagination Latibule: Bullet Train - A Sour Taste

Chapter 4

"I missed my stop," Ladybug said, and you slapped your hand to your forehead. You'd excused yourself from Tangerine and Lemon's plotting to wander up and down the train, feigning usefulness and promising that if you found the man who stole the case you'd kill him. Tangerine had headed in the opposite direction and Lemon had waited outside the train, obviously the cause of Ladydbug's inability to fuck off.

"Y'know I'd say that's pretty evident by the fact that you're standing in front of me," you replied. "Why?"

"Because god hates me."

"No, she doesn't," you said, and then you noticed that he was empty handed. "Do you still have the case?"

"Yeah, I stashed it."

"Good. I don't wanna know where. Just get off at the next stop."

"Ah, it sounds so easy when you say it."

"Tangerine and Lemon are on the war path," you said. "Nothing about this sounds easy, and the sooner you're out of here the better." 

The two of you glanced at each other, intending to go your separate ways, but neither of you had discussed in what direction you were headed. For Ladybug it was a given - away from the Twins, but you didn't feel like dealing with them right this second, so you stepped the same way Ladybug did. You caught his eye, and with a resigned sigh, he motioned for you to go ahead of him. 

"Does the name El cigarillo mean anything to you?" he asked as the two of you loitered outside the toilet car. 

"El saguaro? The cartel boss?" you asked.

"Yeah, he was in a wedding I infiltrated in Mexico. I was the cocktail server," Ladybug said. 

"I heard about that. It was the Wolf's wedding," you said.

"Snap, I knew I recognized that guy. I'm really good with faces." 

"Wait, so you saw him too," you said. "I saw him get on the train in Tokyo. There's about four too many assassins on this ride for my liking." 

"Yeah," Ladybug said. "He's the guy." 

"The guy?" 

"The guy who stabbed me," he said calmly, tugging at a rip in his jacket pocket. "I spilled wine on his suit. He's dead now."

Your jaw dropped. "So you couldn't get off a train but you killed the wolf?" 

"It was an accident," Ladybug whined. "I'm really gonna have to process my part in the incident on Monday."

"As you say, that's Monday's job," you sighed. "Today's is to disappear down the end of the train and make sure Lemon and Tangerine don't blow your brains out. Capisce?" Ladybug nodded. "Watch yourself down there. Tangerine's a trigger happy guy." 

"Yes ma'am," Ladybug said with a sarcastic salute, and he headed off. The sooner he was off the train, the sooner you could get off. As he vanished from sight, you slid into a nearby seat, groaning like you had the joints of a 90 year old and resting your forehead against the table. There technically wasn't anything stopping you from getting off the train. You owed no allegiance to Ladybug, and if Maria had double booked the mission it was only right that you should get out of his way. But there was something keeping you on the train. Too many coincidences. You didn't like it, and you were intent on finding out why. 

"Enjoying yourself?" Tangerine asked and you lifted your head to see him staring distastefully at you from the seat opposite, finger tapping against the gun he held by his side. He wasn't aiming it at you. Progress? 

"Having a bloody marvellous time," you answered, crossing your legs in the chair. 

"You seen our guy? Or the briefcase?"