Chapter One

Date and Time: Monday, June 15, 2009 – 8:56 A.M.

Location: Kuchiki and Co.'s Criminal Legal Services

Click. Click. Click. A pair of heels walking down the marble floor. "Kuchiki-san, there's a conference call . . . "

"Kuchiki-san, Kuchiki-sama is waiting for you in . . . "

"Kuchiki-san, there's dozens and dozens of cases waiting . . . "

"Kuchiki-san, the Aizen case has new. . . "

"Kuchiki-san, Kindaichi-san is waiting as well in the second . . . "

"Kuchiki-san . . ."

"Enough, ladies and gentlemen! I understand that I'm a very busy woman as well as needed in various rooms, times and places at the moment. However, just let me put down this bag, coffee, coat and everything else on my damn hands and I will see to your problems individually!"

Silence ensured for two seconds, then the whole room began again.

"Kuchiki-san, Hitsugaya-san is waiting on line three . . ."

"Kuchiki-san, Tatsuki-san said that she wants to reschedule . . ."

"Kuchiki . . ."

Rukia slammed the door to her office close as she thought, "Everyday, it starts out like this, a dozen new cases showing up, requesting for my service as a lawyer. New evidence found and new criminals to be put behind bars. All because I want to see justice done . . ." She smiled at the thought, "And justice will be done.", she murmured, "I'll see to it that it does . . . Now who do I need to see first?". Rukia hung her jacket on her coat rack and put everything else into its place. "Nii-sama first, then Hitsugaya-san, then everything and everyone else." She grimaced.

After checking her reflection in the mirror (It's Nii-sama, after all, she reasoned, nothing short of perfection despite it being Monday), she walks over to her secretary. "Inoue-san, where's Nii-sama and did he say anything about meeting?"

"No, Kuchiki-san, but he's in Conference Room One though."

"Thank you and regarding Tatsuki . . . reschedule it to whenever you can cram it into my schedule." Rukia instructed.

"Of course, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia nodded and headed towards her Nii-sama.

"Good morning, Nii-sama."

"Good morning, Rukia and seeing as how you're an extremely busy woman," Rukia grimaced as Byakuya continued, "I'm going to get straight to the point. They found another one, just this morning actually. In fact, this one was the defendant that you were supposed to go to court this week to put him behind bars."

"Aizen?"

"Yes, Aizen. Such a shame too, you have an extremely strong case against him. He would have definitely received lifelong imprisonment."

"It's not a shame to me, Nii-sama, what he did, well; he should receive more than lifelong imprisonment."

Her brother looked at her.

"Nii-sama, what he did to those fifty girls and more to be found, according to him. That's not human. Scratch that even the devil wouldn't have done it. He kept each one of them alive for over three months, raping them repeatedly, performing those terrifying experiments, sawing them into pieces while they were still alive, cooking them and serving it to his guests. Hinamori-san is traumatized for life because of this son of a bitch! And so are all his dinner guests! God knows how many other girls have suffered. And he's proud of it! No remorse! Not to mention he started when he was fifteen and he's, what, forty-something now!"

Rukia took a deep breath in. "People like Aizen is why I became a lawyer, I want to see people like him behind bars so that they can never hurt other people again. I want to see justice served. I can't imagine what those fifty families are going through right now. For once, I am glad that this "Shiro-Kuro" served justice to Aizen before I did."

"You don't mean that."

"Maybe I don't, maybe I do." A pause. "Nothing was found, was there?"

"No. It's like he's a phantom. Moving through shadows and walls."

"I don't believe in phantoms and neither do you, Nii-sama. No idea whom he might be?"

"Well, there is a clue . . . it seems that he keeps a close profile to your cases."

"Okay, now you're slightly creeping me out here . . ."

"Rukia, 'Shiro-Kuro' is keeping a close tab on your cases. All the victims, except a few, have all been the accused in your cases. However, the victims are the ones that walk out of court, triumphant."

"In other words, he's punishing those that got away for the crimes." She smiled. "I may not approve of his actions but I should really express my gratitude for punishing the accused and guilty. I still believe that justice should be served in courts but after Aizen . . ." Her smile faded into a scowl. A moment passed before she continued, "Sorry but at the risk of sounding impatient, is that all, Nii-sama?"

"Yes, Rukia. Be careful and I will see you on Saturday?"

"Of course." She said quietly as she watched Byakuya walked out, no emotions on his face as he heard the answer.

She sank down on the chair. Minutes passed and Rukia wiped her eyes dry. She then pressed the intercom, "Inoue, I want to see Hitsugaya-san next . . ."

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 – 11:00 P.M.

Location: Tokyo General Hospital, Fourth-Floor Cafe

"Finally," The young man said to himself, "Surgery's over. Longest thing I ever went through in my life."

He walked over to the café and picked up a coffee and the Tokyo Daily News. "Hmm, car crash in Kyoto, forest fire," A sip of coffee, "Obama announces new . . . blah blah blah. Ahh, what do we have here? 'Shiro-kuro = justice?'. He smirked, "Justice? Just last week, he was the biggest criminal Japan has ever seen. Now, he's a hero . . ." He stood up as he finished the coffee. "So, 'Shiro-kuro', who will be next?"

He walked to his office and opened his laptop. "Ahh, Ichimaru Gin . . . accomplice of Aizen, due in court tomorrow, originally with Aizen except the fact that the bastard's dead, I wonder what fate shall you suffer?"

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 – 8:16 A.M.

Location: Haruhi Park, Tokyo

Click. Snap. Click. Snap. "So?"

"It's 'Shiro-Kuro' for sure. Clean cuts like a surgeon, same as the previous bodies. Victims were tortured for at least two hours before dying. In other words, they reap what they sow. Whatever methods they used on others, they were used on the victims themselves. Ichimaru was mutilated very slowly, 'Shiro-Kuro' stopped his bleeding and started all over again. From what I can see, bits of flesh was carved out and roasted, what happened to the cooked flesh, well, we can assume that Ichimaru consumed it. But nothing can be analyzed until I bring him back to the lab." A sigh escaped the red-haired man's lips. "No hair, skin samples can be found. No evidence left behind. He's quite the criminal, our 'Shiro-kuro'."

"For sure, not even a skin flake, Renji?"

"Nothing that I can pick up, I've got the whole forensic team working here, nothing. Nada. Zero."

"The only connection between these victims is . . . they are the accused in Rukia's cases . . ." Byakuya said quietly.

"Could it be that it's a personal vendetta against Rukia?" Renji questioned.

"No, he wouldn't be targeting the accused then. He would be targeting Rukia's clients."

"Well, then, that's all I've got. I'll send the report as soon as possible. But it's going to be a few days. Aizen's corpse has to be analyzed. Boy, is 'Shiro-kuro' a great contributor to the morgue!" Renji quipped.

"It's not funny, Renji." An old man's voice reprimanded. "These are lives, I admit they are the lowest of low. But the law and legal system is what governs our lives and keeps people in check. 'Shiro-kuro' is upsetting this balance and we need to stop him."

"Ahh, Sou-Taichou." Byakuya saluted.

"At ease, Kuchiki. Analyze all the corpses immediately, Abarai. Kuchiki will then use your reports to analyze and found similarities among the victims. I expect both reports sent out within two days to the thirteen division. Understand?"

"Hai, Sou-Taichou!"