This chapter contains some Japanese that might not be displayed on some computers. This is not entirely a loss, unless you speak/read Japanese and wish to know exactly what is being said. Conversations are held in the language they are written in. You are not missing any crucial information if you cannot read Japanese; it is mostly there because I need the practice, and because Liar Game is originally Japanese. Just enjoy looking at the pretty symbols!
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or Liar Game (ライアーゲーム). I sincerely hope I do justice to the characters that Mr. Gubler and Matsuda-san play so brilliantly.
日本 – 東京
Shinnichi Akiyama had been called a "Genius Swindler" by the press. That was neither a lie, nor an exaggeration, but Shinnichi was no longer involved in criminal activity.
"Akiyama-san. I believe you would want this," a woman held out a file folder. Shinnichi took the folder and opened it. He frowned as he examined the list. It was a list of names, headed by a title.
No longer involved, that is, except for one thing. Eri was his only link to the game he sought to end.
"Liar Game participants?" Shinnichi looked at the woman. "American names," he said.
"Yes," the woman replied. Shinnichi looked though the list again.
"I know this name," he tapped absently at the page. "Spencer Reid."
"Yes," Eri nodded, hands delicately folded in front of her.
"He is a criminal profiler, isn't he?" Shinnichi had heard the name while he was studying Psychology. He knew what the man did for a living, because that is what he wanted to do himself. In a way, he suceeded. He would be curious to meet the man who had inspired him. At the same time, he would have to be incredibly careful.
"Yes," Eri replied with a short nod.
"How is my English?" Shinnichi asked. Eri raised a delicate eyebrow.
"Fine," she responded. Shinnichi nodded.
"Good. May I keep these?"
"Yes," she said.
--
Two people stood in a small apartment. Shinnichi was crouched in front of a fish tank, sprinkling flakes on top of the water. The woman behind him was pouting rather cutely.
"秋山さん! どこへ行きますか?" she half-demanded.
"アメリカ。" Shinnichi stood up and dusted his hands off. He recapped the fish food bottle and set it on top of the tank. He glanced over his shoulder.
"アメリカ？どうしてですか！" the woman looked surprised. Of course, many things surprised Kanzaki Nao, but this was a real surprise—she was not expecting her guardian angel to be going anywhere.
"ライアーゲーム。" Shinnichi took another look around the apartment. Nao's eyes grew wide. She was intimately familiar with the Liar Game, having been a player-come-pawn herself.
"でも！ライアーゲームは終わりましたよ！" She grabbed his arm as he went to walk past her.
"ううん。終わりない。アメリカに行った。" Shinnichi gently prised her fingers off of his arms. He reached for the set of keys. "お願いします。" He set them in her hand and hefted a duffel bag over his shoulder.
"秋山さん！" she pleaded. "行ってないで下さい！ 秋山さん！" Nao followed him out the apartment and down the stairs. He didn't turn back. He waved a hand over his shoulder as he slid into a taxi.
"深一 くん！" Nao watched the taxi pull away. She bit her lip, clutching the keys tightly in her hand. She looked down at them, then realized that they had left the apartment unlocked. "あっ！" She ran back upstairs.
Once there, she stood in the middle of the room. She dropped onto the couch. She glanced out the window at her former teacher's house, reminiscing.
The apartment has originally been rented to spy on him, since he had so easily tricked her out of the hundred-million Yen she had received from the first round of the Liar Game only a year before. She was still just as stupidly honest as she was back then, which might account for why Shinnichi had stayed with her for so long, carefully watching over her from his own small apartment as she went about her daily business.
She decided that it was probably a good time to return to her own apartment. She carefully locked up and left the building.
--
Spencer's mail slot clicked. He heard the faint sound of a letter hitting the floor. He stood up and walked slowly towards the entry hall.
On the floor was a single, glossy black envelope.
White lettering spelled out "Opponent" on the front. He picked it up, examining it from all angles.
Spencer read softly out loud. "Your opponent in this game is: Kevin Curnow."