Hello, everyone!
Been really, really busy for the past year or so, but now I'm back, albeit temporarily… You can expect more updates during Dec for this little and maybe the Hirashi Chronicles too. It's my first stab at Cardcaptor Sakura, first time writing 1st person narrative and first time writing mystery. Wow! Lots of firsts… Didn't know what to call it at first so the title may change subsequently. Hope to receive lots of yr feedback! Thanks!
Disclaimer: Clamp owns CCS not me! Note: this applies to all subsequent chapters.
The Last Case Chapter 1Hi, the name's Syaoran Li. I'm a private eye, cancel that, was a private eye. Now, I'm a bodyguard-cum-slave-cum-lover to the most precious thing in the world. To me at least…
You must be wondering how this happened. Now it all started on this terribly normal day…
I was sitting at 'Cerberus', your average pub, where I usually meet my clients. 'Cerberus' is a not too sleazy pub near my former apartment. I had chosen it as my regular meeting place as clients would not get the impression that I was connected to the underground, but they would know that I was willing to get my hands dirty. To a certain extent, of course. Well, the baby back ribs there are pretty good too.
But I'm digressing…So I was sitting there eating this succulent, well-roasted slab of baby back ribs when my newest clients entered the establishment.
It was obvious that those two were my clients as only regulars from around the area frequented 'Cerberus'. Aside from that, I noticed that their clothes were not as well worn as most of the customers at the pub. They had probably thought to blend in with crowd and bought these clothes at the nearby departmental store.
I remember thinking then that they might be some dumb rich guys who wanted me to check up on their wives activities. If so, I would reject the case no matter the price. My last experience had not been a good one. It turned out that my client's wife had not been promiscuous…
…until she met me, that is.
My good looks are really a burden sometimes. Especially when you're trying to stay inconspicuous…it's the reason why I think I would never have made it big time being a private eye.
I'm digressing again…My clients approached my table at the far corner of the room and the older of the two stuck out his hand to greet me.
"I'm Fujitaka Kinomoto." Seeing as how my hands were lathered with delicious barbecue sauce, I decided not to shake his hand.
"This is my son, Touya." Fujitaka realized my predicament and turned his outstretched hand at an angle to gesture at the man beside him, whose face was set in a perpetual sound.
Wiping my hands clean on a napkin, I decided it was time to get down to business. "Well, Mr. Kinomoto, what can I do for you? "
Fujitaka took out a picture from the inside of his coat, orientated it and slid it across the table to face me. "This is my daughter, Sakura. She was kidnapped two weeks ago. We need you to help us find her. We can take care of the rest ourselves."
"Shouldn't this case be taken to the police?" I asked.
"The police are…"
"…unavailable at the moment." Touya cut in.
"I see…" I raised an eyebrow skeptically. Something was certainly up, and I wanted to find out just what. Let's see if they're willing to commit… "Well, I require an advance of 1000 dollars before I commit to the case."
"WHAT!" Touya yelled. "How do we know you won't just run off with the money?"
This guy was beginning to get on my nerves…
Fujitaka laid a calming hand on his son's shoulder. "It's ok, we accept your terms." He took out his checkbook and wrote a check for a thousand dollars.
Both father and son rose to leave as soon as the check was in my hands.
"Wait. What about the case file?"
"Huh?" Touya frowned at me. Then again he was frowning all the time so I can't be sure whether he was really frowning at me or not.
"If your daughter had been kidnapped two weeks ago, I'm sure you would have hired other private investigators to find her. If the people u hired were any good they would report to you every two days at least. I believe that you have a compilation of those reports. I need them so I won't waste time covering the same ground." I explained in irritation.
Fujitaka smiled warmly. "I thought that you would never ask."
"You were testing me?"
"Sort of. We need private investigators of certain caliber. If you hadn't asked for the case file then, you would be arrested when you tried to cash in that check I just gave you." Fujitaka replied, taking out a brown folder and passing it to me. "Here, every report is organized chronologically. Pass me the check inside and I'll write you a valid one."
As Fujitaka wrote out the check, I browsed through the case material. It seemed that most of the reports contained little or no substance.
As the two gentlemen rose to leave again, I stopped them. "I believe my check requires another zero."
"What?" Touya growled. I really can't stand this guy…
"Of the five investigators you have on the case, I know three of them. There have been rumours amongst our own circles that two out of these three have been killed recently. Furthermore, the reports confirm this. There have been no reports from both these investigators for the past 6 days."
"I see…you are more observant than we thought. You are still willing to take the case even though two of your compatriots have died trying?"
Without hesitation, I nodded my head.
"Very well. I look forward to your success." Fujitaka said gravely and added another zero to the value stated on the check.
I didn't know it then, but it wasn't the money that got me on the case. It was revenge too.
From the case file, I gleaned that Sakura had been last seen at a club off Clow Reed Street. I figured it would be good to start from there. What was its name again?
I flipped through the case file again. Oh yeah…
'Ruby Moon'
TBC…
A/N: Well how did you like it? I admit it's a pretty boring 1st chapter but I promise the next one will have more suspense. Did you like the way I'm incorporating the characters of CCS in the storyline? Pls review! Thanks!