Mmm, so good!

Don't choke, Norio.
It might taste even better if you take the time to breathe.

Can you please stop nagging me for five seconds?!
Let's just be happy Mom is here!

Well I guess I'll let her perform the Heimlich maneuver on you then.


OPENING


I'm glad to see you haven't lost any of your talent for baking.

My name's Norio!
Wait, I guess you always know that.
Uh, I just got so many things to tell you!

I had no intention of reunion.
I just needed an oven for my payment.
You recently served a young girl, correct?

Y-yeah... She's really cute, isn't she? You wanna meet her?
I mean, there's a good chance you might be her mother-in-law someday.
So let's keep our fingers crossed to get along.

You're an unusual boy.
So happy to see the woman who abandoned him years ago.

That's because he was raised well.
A good heart unburdened by common sense.
He is just like an angel.

Yeah, that must be it.
The sponge cake should be done cooking in 20 minutes.

You're not already leaving, are you?
Don't you want to talk, Mom?

At no time have I been a real mother to you.
So let me give you some advice now:
She's dangerous. Try not to involve yourself with that girl.
You'll get hurt if you do.

Aww!
Even my own mother doesn't think I'm good enough for Suo!

She didn't say that.
But maybe you don't need to win this girl over.

That's right! I was just about to do that!

I wasn't trying to remind you!
Well Michiru, we can give all the parental advice in the world.
But that doesn't necessarily mean we can stop them from walking straight into heart-breaking pain.


Is that a whale?

How are things on your end, Hei?
That's some serious interference.

What's wrong?

Nothing. Just my imagination.

Hei... he's heading in the opposite direction.

Are you sure about that?
It's here.


So they set me up.

I've got you all by your lonesome, BK201.
I thought Misaki was wasting our time with her convoluted trap.
I gotta admit, she obviously knew what she was doing.
But I doubt she'd approve of my plans for you.
I finally get a chance to fight you one-on-one.
I'm looking forward to murdering you.
That was pointless!

Come in, Hei, where are you?

So what's the deal, Reaper?
Aren't you gonna use your electricity?
I didn't think you'd turn out to be so reserved!

Hei, what's going on?! Respond!

Genma, where's BK201?

She probably wants me to bring him in alive.
Well! I guess I'll have to disappoint her!

We need him alive, Genma. We've got questions for him.
Open the truck.

Don't tell me they ambushed Hei...
July, which truck has the shipment?

The third one from the front. In a mechanized container.
Would you like to know what's inside?


Stay still, damn it!
You keep wasting time here!
You're never gonna make it back to protect your little girlfriend!

I'm not worried, she knows how to protect herself.

Well I don't really see how she can. That is, unless you're talking about somebody else.
I was referring to Izanami, that sweet little love doll of yours.

Doll?
You mean...


The container is carrying a naked girl.

A girl?
That's news to me. No one told me this was a hit job.

Don't worry. I'll be okay.
I was able to kill the crane.

There's a big difference between the two!

Not if you're a Contractor, Mao.

Huh?! Damn it!

What's wrong?

I noticed something on the other shore.

Izanagi?

Most likely.

Don't kill --
You still there?

Yeah.

Run! They're heading straight for you!
You're no match for them. Now go!

A reason, to finally get you behaving like a Contractor.

I have to shoot.

What are you talking about?

Those are the orders he gave me.

What are you doing?! July!

The target... I've encountered her before. In the past.

You have?

I have.
She's a Scandinavian Doll, with silver hair.

I can't be!


Tell me why. Why do they have her?

How would I know? And why would I care?
Enough chitchat. It's getting a little boring.
Now that is just rude.

Ma! Are those Contractors?

Ignore them, dear. There is no such thing as Contractors.
Those are just normal criminals.

Uh, Mom, the Contractor is on top of the car...

Shh, I told you they don't exist. That's just a criminal.

Hey, get back here!
Alright, where's the truck?
Ugh, why did I have to use the truck!


Where the hell did they go?!

Shot trajectory, July.

Why are you just standing around?!
She's gonna be here any second!

Distance 1000.
Wind speed three, blowing from the northwest.
Five millimeter adjustment.

Don't shoot!
Don't shoot, Suo!

Yin...

Gather up half the squad -- I want them on the opposite shore with Mina.
The rest of you, secure the goods.
Continue with the transportation.

Retreat down the eastern bank.
Keep moving if I don't show up at the second rendezvous.
Take care of them, Mao

Hold on!

Run!


Considering BK201's ability to emit and manipulate electricity, I fail to see the logic in surrounding ourselves in water.
You're certain this is safe?

One hundred percent.
Our analysis of the mission data that we collected in Russia was airtight.
There's no question about it -- BK201 has lost his ability as a Contractor.


We're going to just leave him behind?

He's supposed to call, then we'll regroup.
If we don't hear from him, well, we move on without him.

You mentioned a name earlier -- Yin.

Did I? Well, she was an old partner of Hei's and mine.

A partner?

Of course in Hei's case, I guess you would say she was a bit more than that.

I see.

You made it easy to find you.


Man, I've looked everywhere for her.
I should give up. I mean, I hardly know a single thing about this girl.

Hey, Norio!

Yeah, what? Not now.
I'm too busy learning the pains of heartbreak to waste my youth with you guys...

It's crazy! Your girlfriend's having an all-out battle!
She's fighting an old lady!

Old wha...?
Oh, no! They can't already hit each other that much!

Let her go!

I have no desire to see you injured -- and I'd rather not upset my son.

Stay back.

Look, I'm only asking you to come with me.

Go with you where?

Let's go.

I said, stay back.
Get away.

Why can't they just try talking to each other?!
There's no point in having a stupid catfight!

It's a Specter.

What, where?!

No!
Mom, no!
Put my mom down, now!
Mom? Mom!
Why? Why...?

I'm sorry, Norio...

Tell me... why did you do this?
Why did you kill my mom?
Is it because you hate me?
Or is it because... you're Contractors?
How can... Contractors kill like it's nothing!

We should go.


You knew all along, didn't you?

Of course. But I have to admit I was a little surprised that they used a submarine.
That young woman certainly knows how to put together an elaborate trap.

I want to know what you're planning.

You can't follow my orders unless you know my intentions?
When did you Contractors get so finicky?

That was my last job for you. You're too untrustworthy.

And I could say the same for you.
You claimed that you could kill the Doll yourself, so I'm rather disappointed with you.


Contractors are supposed to be killers.
He's the one that gave me the order.
So why did he stop me from killing Yin?

Mm-m-m. (I don't know.)

Is it because they're history?

I have no idea. I'm sure he's got a reason. Right?


If I had to guess, I'd say that sub was headed towards Tokyo.
But why did they need Yin?

She was there when Norio's mother was murdered.
Yin was. Her Specter.

She did it? Yin killed her?

Yeah, and now we're chasing her, straight to the place you've been wanting to get to all along.

Tokyo...

So... Hei, did you lose your...


Schroeder's anti-Contractor weapon... you used it on BK201, didn't you?

That is correct. I'm impressed that you figured it out.

Why don't you tell me who you people are? What's the purpose behind Section 3?

I'm afraid I can't tell you.
Although, if I were in you position, I wouldn't think of me as your ally.

So if we've got BK201's Doll, it's probably safe to assume...

Of course. It's not even an assumption.
There's no doubt that he'll pursue us.


Who lives here?

Well, I guess you could say that I do.
It just depends on what's going on in my life.
July, take a little sugar.
What are you flipping through there?

Norio... That Contractor was actually his mother.

Yeah.

He kept harassing me about how much he loved me, but I'm sure that he hates me now. I would.
Thanks, July.
I wonder what it feels like... to be in love with someone.

Don't shoot!
Don't shoot, Suo!

That's the first time he's called me by my name.

I figured this would be a nice change of pace from eating weeds.

Where'd you get the food?
We can't eat a meal without some vegetables.
And I hate the metallic taste canned food always has.

This will get rid of the metallic taste. Trust me.
You shouldn't shoot.

Huh? What makes you say that?

I just don't think it suits you.

Was that the last of your alcohol?

Yeah, that's it.

Are you going to buy more?
Okay, I'll do what you asked.
I'll stop shooting -- but only if you can stop drinking.

Sounds like a fair deal.
I'm gonna go get us some vegetables.

Wait!


Come on, Norio. Talk to me. Please open up. I've got the rest of the cake.

I can't eat that.

You knew this was a possibility.
We've talked about it ever since she became a Contractor.
But at least you got to meet her. That means something, right?

No. It only makes it worse!

Don't say that. You should cherish that moment you had with her. No matter how short it was.
Besides, there's always a chance you'll have another moment with her. After this life.
Wouldn't you want that?
Oh, you've left your cave.

A chance to have another moment with her?
How can you talk like that when I just watched her die!
And now the only thing I have to remember her by is that single photo!
I want to remember what she was like when she was still alive, but now I can't!
And I can't forget about Suo, either!
I keep trying, but I never will!

You go on and eat all of it now.
You'll be a great man someday, Norio.
Hey, careful. Don't choke yourself.


ENDING


Is something wrong?

Oh, it's nothing.


PREVIEW

The blizzard obscures the path ahead and conceals the darkness beneath pure white.
What terrible things wait on the other side is suspicion and solitude.
Another trap is set, with sympathy laid as the bait.
No matter what, a Doll will never truly talk; they're not even really alive.
The muffled sounds their hearts make are easy to overlook.
As usual, no one will notice.