Chapter 28

The Emergency Plan (緊急プラン,) is the 28th chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
Steinbeck visits the captured Q in an underground room. Trapped within Steinbeck's vines, Q voices out their pain and professes to kill Steinbeck.

Fitzgerald greets Atsushi aboard their airborne base of operations, Moby Dick. Clad in a maid uniform, Lucy enters the room, whom Fitzgerald has allowed to stay with the Guild after her defeat. Fitzgerald then informs Atsushi of their motives in arriving to Japan: they are searching for a certain book sealed in Yokohama, and Atsushi can be considered as the guide towards it. They have captured him on air to avoid being involved in the coming ground attack on the Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia using Q's ability.

Steinbeck explains how Q's ability and his own comprise the emergency plan: his grapevines are linked to all of Yokohama's trees, whose pain signals are being transmitted towards Q. Most importantly, Q shall activate their curse throughout Yokohama and have the cursed ones attack everyone in their sight.

With Q's doll in his hand, Fitzgerald admits feeling sorry for the estimated one-fifth of the population to be cursed. Atsushi demands him not to push through with their scheme, but Fitzgerald is willing to raze the city all for the sake of acquiring the book — befitting its name, the emergency plan is otherwise known as the Incineration of Yokohama.

Steinbeck provokes Q to having their own city destroyed by their hands. Q laments their own ability and says that they did not wish to be born with such ability, merely desiring to live a happy life. In simple terms, Steinbeck tells them that it is just how it is. In the end, Steinbeck advises them that they are born like such and shall die as such; though God exists, Steinbeck tells Q that He simply does not love them.

Out of rage, Q activates their ability, revealing how handprints emerge on most of Yokohama's citizens. At the Agency headquarters, Kunikida approaches Dazai and reveals a handprint on his neck, asking Dazai to explain what is happening. As the doll begins its sinister laughter, Atsushi surrenders and tells him that the Agency shall have his full support, so long as he does not rip the doll's head. Fitzgerald finds it to be an appealing proposal and, ripping out the doll's head, agrees to establish a partnership with those who shall survive the attack.

While his subordinate remarks how it is a peaceful day, Minoura disagrees and suspects how an explosion would seem to happen per his intuition. True enough, an explosion occurs along the road, and a man with bleeding eyes suddenly appears on their car window. As Minoura attempts to restrain the man, his partner points him to the riotous road up ahead. Meanwhile, the Agency ties up Kunikida, who starts seeing an apparition of a woman clad in white burial kimono and holding a gun.

Locked up in Moby Dick, Atsushi demands for his release and thinks of something that could do to help. The orphanage director once again haunts him and dissuades him from further bringing misfortune to others. Atsushi punches through his vision, while Lucy passes by his cell on her way to burn the doll. He asks her to release him and claims how he understands her hatred, but Lucy asks her to stop and angrily states how he does not know her feelings. She tells him of her harsh childhood at an orphanage and shows him a scar on her right arm, evidence of her agony and pain that someone like him could not possibly understand.

Atsushi tells her how he had it rough as well quite similar to her childhood, also showing her his scar by his torso. Despite his hardships, he narrates how joining the Agency made him realize that loneliness is but a patch of clouds that would float in and out of sight. If they are to use their imagination, Atsushi reasons out how abandoning the people on the ground is no different from abandoning their past selves. Lucy then brings him and herself to Anne's Room.

She regrettably informs him how it is too late to deactivate the curse, since the doll's head has been ripped off. Atsushi tells her that Dazai's nullification ability can stop the curse, but Lucy reasons out that it would not work, as they are way above ground. Atsushi remains undeterred, despite the many things that might go awry on his way down the battlefield. He tells her how he once read a book that people regret the things they fail to do, reason why he wishes to do something in order to not have regrets. In the end, Anne hands Atsushi a parachute, and Lucy has linked the door to the outer wall of the Moby Dick. Atsushi worries for her, but Lucy tells him that she has been used to solitude after all. She recalls their first meeting with his companion and the doctor, whom Atsushi reveals to her as the mafia boss. She then ponders how the Guild might not have stood a chance had the Agency and the mafia formed an alliance. At the door, Lucy asks him to survive and get her out, promising him that she shall wait for his return. He then accepts and jumps off the airship.