"444 Wallow way at the hour of the dog."

"Kougami-san, where have you been?"

"Be there."

"Koug-

The caller hung up.

Akane felt a jumble of emotions rushing through her veins. She was content in knowing that Kougami was still alive, but was upset that she hadn't been able to save him. After Sasayama's death, Kougami plunged into a deep hole, a hole that he continued to dig, one that was only impossible to come back out of. After Akane's arrival, Kougami may have had a chance to get out of it, but Makishima forced him down deeper and deeper.

Akane knew that he wasn't back to return, something had drawn him back, something had interested him.

That afternoon after she and the enforcers returned to the office, she kept repeating to herself the message: "444 Wallow way at the hour of the dog."

The clock tower in the center of town chimed ten o'clock. Akane stood up from her desk, her heart already pounding. Her hands slippery from perspiration, she exited the office building. Repeating the message to herself again in her head, she followed the direction on her watch to the place.

It was a dark area, the street lights flickered on and off. A dead tree's limbs casted shadows on the ground as it waved with the wind. Many times she stopped as she'd heard something in the bush only to watch a mouse scuffle by. The moon was especially bright as it shown on a single house on the whole road.

She paused at the door, checked the address again, took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

"Looks like you haven't changed."

Kougami was leaning on the wall next to the door with his hands halfway in his pockets and an expressionless look on his face.

"Kougami-san!"

"Sorry, I couldn't keep my promise."

"I'm still going to save you."

"I'm already too deep in this to be saved."

"Why are you here? I know you're not here to return."

Kougami lit a cigarette and puffed in it before replying

"It seems there is another Makishima, or rather more Makishimas. "

"What do you mean?"

"Ragnarok. They have the same ideals as Makishima. The Ragnarok is a group of ten people who are bonded together by their common ability to control their psycho pass and share their hatred towards the Sybll System. I've been doing a bit of research on them. One of them can control minds." Kougami threw his cigarette on the ground and smashed it with his foot.

"Are you quite sure about this Kougami-san?"

"It's the only plausible explanation to what happened this morning."

"What did you mean on the phone?"

"The CID is a major supporter of the Sybll System. They know that you're short of manpower, and that Tsunemori Akane is an inspector with a clear blue hue. You're next."

"They're going to come after you too, aren't they? They know you killed Makishima." Akane stared at Kougami.

"Yes, that's why I thought I'd warn you." He opened his bag and took out a handgun.

"Take it."

"I don't need it, I have a dominator. " Akane batted the gun out of Kougami's hand. The gun fell on the floor and spun in a few circles before stopping two feet away from them.

"There's no wireless connection here. If you don't believe me, go ahead and try shooting it."

Akane took the dominator out from her back pocket and pointed it at Kougami, something she have normally refused to de.

[Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System cannot be activated.]

Akane tried it again, but it repeated the same message.

Flustered, she kept trying until the dominator began sparking and no longer said anything. She tossed the useless piece of metal down onto the ground, her eyes clouding with tears that she struggled to fight back.

"I won't be a killer." Akane said stubbornly.

"People kill people, not guns. You should take one for protection." He walked over to where the gun was lying, picked it up, and offered it to her again. Reluctantly, she accepted it, her hands quivering as she stowed it away in the pocket where the dominator was, where she knew she would never touch.

"I'm sorry."

He went up to Akane, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Their faces now inches away from each other. Kougami smelled of cigarettes and coffee which was somewhat soothing.

"Kougami I-

But his soft lips met hers before she could finish her sentence. A warm feeling flooded her body and all of a sudden, she yearned for more. She felt her cheeks getting red as both slackened their grip. Kougami pulled away and stared at her for a moment. Then he turned around, picked up his bag, lit another cigarette and left the place without another word. Akane didn't move from her spot. She understood Kougami's feelings and knew that the only thing that could pull him out of his hole was time, time and understanding.

Kougami would disappear again after this and his whereabouts would never be known.

Please comment! If it sucks, please tell me why so that I can improve.