Chapter 9: Box Hot

The atmosphere in the old church kitchen was tense, the echo of a pot crashing to the floor cutting through the silence and directing everyone's attention to a dimly lit side room. Without hesitation, Franklin rushed toward the source of the noise, with Bach following slowly, leaning on his walking stick for support.

Upon entering the kitchen, they found Sumi kneeling on the floor, her hands busily working to clean up a spilled stew. Franklin quickly joined her on the floor, his mind racing with questions about the previous night's events, while Bach positioned himself by the counter, observing the scene with a thoughtful gaze.

"What happened last night?" Franklin asked, urgency lacing his voice as he looked at Sumi for answers.

Sumi simply shook her head, unwilling or perhaps afraid to divulge too much.

Bach interjected, his voice gentle yet firm, "It's okay, you can talk, girl. Goh is out holding back the SS battalion. He's too busy to notice our little conversation."

Franklin's head snapped up to meet Bach's eyes. "He's fighting them? That old man couldn't even walk until... shouldn't I be out there helping him?" he asked, his confusion and concern evident.

"Not fighting..." Sumi corrected softly, her voice almost a whisper as she revealed more troubling details. "He's poisoning the well that they stopped by to drink out of."

The revelation struck Franklin like a physical blow, his face contorting into a mask of shock. "He's going to ruthlessly murder those people?" he exclaimed, struggling to comprehend the gravity of Goh's actions.

Sumi's response was cold, her eyes hard as she justified the plan. "They're not just anyone. They're monsters. They deserve it."

The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, but Franklin's reply was choked, laden with personal torment. "I was—... am one of them."

The admission added a complex layer to the already tense situation. Franklin was one of the very people Sumi deemed monstrous enough to deserve such a fate. The realization seemed to shift the dynamics in the room, as each person grappled with their own judgments and preconceptions.

Bach watched the exchange silently for a moment before speaking up, his voice a calm anchor in the storm of emotions. "Franklin, the path of redemption is often long and wrought with revelations that challenge our understanding of ourselves and others. What matters now is what you choose to do with the knowledge of your past."

Franklin absorbed Bach's words, a mix of resolve and fear etching his features. He nodded slowly, the decision firming up within him. "I need to stop him. No matter what they've done, poisoning isn't the answer. It's not justice—it's revenge."

Determined now, Franklin stood up, ready to confront Goh and prevent further violence. His actions were not just about stopping a wrong but about seeking redemption for himself—a redemption that might start with saving the lives of those he once called enemies.

As Sumi's haunting words lingered in the air, "They killed my mother," Franklin was immediately swept up in a tumultuous wave of memories. He shook his head, the flashback of flying over the burning city vivid and jarring. He heard the cries of mothers and dying children, the sounds of war that had once felt so distant, now painfully clear and close.

"I can't let this happen. I've got to stop him," Franklin declared, his resolve firming with each word, as he prepared to confront the very actions he feared mirrored his own past.

He stormed out of the kitchen, his steps heavy with determination, only to be met abruptly by Goh standing in the doorway. The old man's presence was imposing, taller and much larger than Franklin remembered, a stark contrast to the frail figure he had once thought confined to a wheelchair. Sumi gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in a mixture of fear and surprise.

"It's already done. Let's eat," Goh announced nonchalantly, as if discussing something as mundane as the weather, not the life-altering actions he had just confessed to.

Franklin, however, was not ready to let the moment pass. He shook his head and, with a surge of anger, shoved Goh back. "You saved my life last night. Why would you then proceed to kill all those men?" he demanded, his voice laden with a mix of confusion, betrayal, and moral outrage.

Goh, unfazed by the physical confrontation, only grunted and shrugged off Franklin's tension, maintaining a stoic demeanor. "We'll talk over dinner," he stated calmly, as if the gravity of their discussion could be postponed.

Not satisfied, Franklin stopped him again, this time shoving him harder. "I didn't forget about you drugging me. I want answers, NOW."

The stoicism on Goh's face cracked slightly as he stepped back from Franklin's shove, his brows furrowing and his broad shoulders tensing—a subtle indication that the confrontation was affecting him, despite his outward calm. "I said we'll talk over dinner!" he repeated, his voice rising slightly in a mix of irritation and command.

Franklin, noting Goh's tensed muscles and realizing the physical disadvantage he was at, gulped. He rolled his eyes and scoffed, stepping aside to let Goh pass. The realization of their size difference and the potential for physical confrontation made him reconsider his approach.

Goh, pausing before moving towards the dining area, added, "I need my tea before we can talk."

The tension between them hung heavily as Goh walked away, leaving Franklin to process the complexities of the situation. Franklin's mind raced with conflicting emotions—anger, confusion, and a growing sense of urgency to unravel the truth behind Goh's actions and their implications for all involved.

Franklin's voice was laced with anger and suspicion. "Did you poison your wife's tea too?" The question, sharp and bitter, cut through the tense air between them.

Goh's face twisted in a mixture of pain and fury at the mention of his wife. Without a moment's hesitation, he struck Franklin across the face, the force of the blow sending Franklin tumbling to the ground, crumpled and shocked.

"Don't speak of her," Goh seethed, his voice low and dangerous, filled with a raw emotion that hadn't surfaced until now.

Franklin, feeling his bruised cheek, glared up at Goh with disdain. From his crouched position on the floor, he launched a whirling sweep kick aimed at Goh's knees. The move was precise and powerful, causing Goh to collapse onto the floor with a loud thud.

"You dare strike me? I am an elite soldier of the SS battalion. Don't forget, not long ago you were begging for my help!" Franklin shouted, his military training kicking in, his voice echoing through the church with a cold, hard edge.

As Goh scrambled on the ground, he quickly closed the distance between them. He grabbed Franklin's collar and threw him up against the wall. The impact sent a sharp pain through Franklin's back, his breath hitching as he struggled against the old man's surprisingly strong grip.

Sumi watched the unfolding violence with a hand over her mouth, stifling a gasp. Bach, unaware of the visual cues due to his blindness, stood with a blank expression, his ears picking up on the chaos but unable to fully understand the situation. "Hey, you want to tell me what's going on?" he asked, his voice calm but concerned.

Sumi looked up at the blind priest and shook her head, her gesture lost on him. Bach frowned, frustrated by the silence and the escalating tension.

As Goh squeezed Franklin's collar tighter, causing him to choke, he leaned in close, his voice laced with mockery. "A lie that you fell for. I never needed your help. I only needed you to bait more monsters to kill."

Franklin ceased his struggling, his body going limp in Goh's grip as the realization of the betrayal sunk in. Tears brimmed in his eyes as the weight of Goh's words hit him. "You... just wanted them to chase me? What, so you could get revenge? Who do you think you—" Franklin's voice broke, overwhelmed by betrayal and the horrifying truth of his manipulation.

Goh's fist connected solidly with Franklin's midsection, a brutal punch that knocked the wind out of him. Franklin gasped, his body doubling over from the force of the blow, pain radiating through his torso. He struggled for breath, his hands clutching at his stomach, trying to steady himself against the wall for support.

The church, once a place of serenity and refuge, now echoed with the sounds of the scuffle, turning it into a scene of conflict and betrayal. Sumi, her hand still covering her mouth, watched in horror, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Bach, sensing the escalation but unable to see it, remained still, his expression tense, as he tried to make sense of the noises around him.

Goh stood over Franklin, his chest heaving with exertion and anger. The intensity in his eyes showed no sign of remorse or hesitation; it was clear that his actions were driven by deep-seated vengeance, a long-held grudge that had been festering, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed.