Dec 24: Death of a Salaryman

[John Hino]

The night was as quiet as death. A large office rested on the top floor of a skyscraper; the Yokoshima USA building. Snow fell beyond the wall of glass behind a large desk. Spartan decor of a Japanese style is spread about the room.

Kazekane Hino was at his desk, dealing with the last of a sizable stack of paperwork generated by the robot attacks. He let out a deep sigh at not being with his son and daughter. Then got up to stretch his legs with a walk around the room.

[Narrator]

The door to his office opened, and a shapely young secretary entered with a cup of coffee, which she set on his desk. "Will you be working much later, Mr. Hino?" she asked.

[John Hino]

Mr. Hino stopped and turned to look. "I'm almost finished. Thank you Miss Meriwether." He then turned to regard his lovingly recreated Katana on display.

[Narrator]

"Very good, sir," she said, smiling as she nodded at him. She passed behind him as she walked toward the door. Then she paused, bending over to pick up a stray piece of paper. As she stood back up, her form shimmered slightly as a glint of steel appeared...

[John Hino]

Staring at the well-polished katana sheath, Mr. Hino caught a glimpse of the visual anomaly. If an attack came; he would grab the hilt and spin around, blocking with the sheathed weapon.

[Narrator]

The attack came quickly. There was the unmistakable flash of a blade, striking low for his belly.

[John Hino]

Mr. Hino's block came swiftly, knocking the strike off of it's mark. He moved to the side in a well trained defensive stance.

[Narrator]

The disguise melted away, revealing a tall man with jet black hair and one cybernetic eye. He sneered before lunging in with an impossibly fast, accurate strike toward Mr. Hino's heart.

[John Hino]

"I see he sent his best."

Mr. Hino acted quickly with his still-sheathed blade , attempting to divert the strike aside. He knew he would need a miracle to survive. This man would not give up until one of them was dead.

[Narrator]

"You should have kept quiet," the attacker said simply. He let the blade be diverted and moved in with two quick strikes, by the palm and the elbow, to the face as he moved in to take control of the sheathed blade.

[John Hino]

Mr. Hino lost his small edge in the fight and began to stumble blindly, disoriented by the blood in his eyes.

"My son... will avenge me."

[Narrator]

"It will be a shame," the attacker said, spinning and cutting a deep gash in his leg. "For the sake of your family, I pray he does not try."

[John Hino]

He shouted out as the cut hit home, falling back as he lost his balance.

[Narrator]

The attacker spun again, and this time the attack came down on the wrist of Mr. Hino's sword arm.

[John Hino]

He cried out in pain.

"Did he say to make it slow, or are you just hesitating!"

[Narrator]

The attacker was, indeed, hesitating. He readied himself to strike. "I almost hoped you would kill me."

[John Hino]

"Do what you must old friend. I expect no less from you."

[Narrator]

The attacker nodded, steeling himself. "Your family will be looked after," he promised, before the sword swept in at his neck.

[John Hino]

Mr. Hino's head was severed from his body. He was dead.