Battle Royale

Shogo grinned. "I suppose not, since I'm here. From what we're told, classes are chosen randomly by computer, right? My experience gives me the upper hand, but I guess the computer doesn't exclude me. So here's another case of perverted equality."

Shogo cupped his hands around the lighter and lit another cigarette.

"Now you understand how I detected the gas odor. Not to mention...," he pointed at the scar above his left brow, "this scar."

"How could they?" Noriko said as if she were about to cry. "It's too awful."

"Come on, Noriko." Shogo broke into a smile. "Now I get the chance to save you guys."

Shuya offered his hand to Shogo.

"What's this? I can't read your palm."

Shuya smiled and shook his head. Then he said, "I'm sorry I suspected you. A handshake. We're sticking together till the very end."

Shogo replied, "All right." He gripped Shuya's hand and shook it. Noriko smiled in relief.

27 students remaining

28

Kinpatsu Sakamochi (supervisor) was sitting at his faculty desk, rummaging through some scattered documents. To the north and south of him, a Special Defense Forces soldier stood by steel-plated windows equipped with gun ports. The lights inside stayed on because the building let hardly any sunlight in. Five or six soldiers were sitting at a desk facing Sakamochi, staring at a row of desktop computer monitors. Another three soldiers were wearing headphones connected to another machine that wasn't a computer. On the west wall was a large generator powering the lights, computers and other equipment. The generator's low hum filled up the room over the sound insulation. The other soldiers were taking a break in the room the students had been in.

"Now then, Yumiko Kusaka died at 8:42 a.m. and, uh huh, Yukiko Kitano, she also died at forty-two minutes after the hour." He combed his long hair back behind his ears. "Ahh—I'm so busy!"

The old black phone on the desk rang, and with his pen still in hand, Sakamochi distractedly picked up the receiver.

"Yes, this is Okishima Island School, Third Year Class B, Shiroiwa Junior High School Program Headquarters," Sakamochi answered haphazardly, when all of a sudden he stood up straight, cradling the receiver with both hands.

"Yes sir. This is Sakamochi, Superintendent. I appreciate all you've recently done for us. Yes sir. My second kid just turned two. Yes, and the wife's getting bigger by the day with the third. Oh, no. Well, we just want to contribute to our nation, joining the fight against its dwindling youth population. And how can I help you, sir?"

Sakamochi listened for a while, and then smiled, "Ah ha. My oh my. So you've got your money on Shogo Kawada? I'm betting on Kazuo Kiriyama. I have my money on him. Well, yes, Shogo Kawada is serious competition. He has experience, which is almost unheard of. Of course he's still alive. And how are you, sir? My, that's impressive. Excuse me? The current status? I believe you have access to it on the monitor. The central government's top secret website—oh, you're not good with computers? Uh, well sir, then yes, if you could just hold on a moment, sir."

Sakamochi put down his receiver for a moment and then called on a tough looking soldier sitting in front of the monitors, "Hey, Kato. Is Kawada still with those two?"

The solider named Kato tapped silently on his keyboard and curtly replied, "He is."

The radar in the students' collars enabled them to plot out each student's location on a map on the monitor. Sakamochi was about to frown at Kato's gruff attitude, but then realized how Kato was only one of the many problem students he'd had ever since he was a junior high school teacher, so it was nothing new. He picked up the receiver.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. Let's see. Shogo Kawada is proceeding with two other students. That's Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa. Let's see. Well, they're actually talking about escaping together. Would you like to hear our recording of their conversations? Oh yes, sir. Hmm, I'm not sure if he is sincere. I mean it's hard to say, but I'd say it's a bluff. Probably. I mean it's impossible to escape. Oh, and yes, hold on, one moment, sir. Documents, documents. Yes, Shogo Kawada, right? He didn't appear to have been the controversial type at his previous school. No anti-government actions or statements. Yes. His father died during the previous game. Looks like his father got drunk and provoked the government...but apparently Kawada himself said, 'Good riddance. He was a bastard anyway.' Hmmm, they probably didn't get along. Maybe his father insisted on some compensation. Yessir. If that's so, then he's better off with those two than fighting alone. Shuya Nanahara is an excellent athlete, so he'll be useful. Although Noriko Nakagawa is injured. Yes, our Tahara shot her. Yes, of course. They totally trust Shogo Kawada. Helping an injured girl, I mean, how brilliant. His conversation has been most impressive."