Part 3 – Los Angeles or Bust
The next day outside the BDS building at 0550, everyone was waiting for Kogami, and were about to call him before they heard the roar of a supercharged V12 engine.
A sound which all over the world heralds the emanate arrival of something absolutely badass.
And something did, it was Kogami, pulling up in a 2017 Aston Martin DB11 Volante.
The car was gorgeous, painted Cobalt Blue with Ivory leather interior, with 20-spoke gloss black diamond wheels, blue brake calipers, a black grille, black tailpipes, carbon-fiber rear-view mirror caps, and carbon-fiber door handles.
"About time," Ginoza said, "Where the fuck have you been?"
"It's Chicago," Kogami said as he stepped out wearing a pair of military boots, blue jeans, a long-sleeve button-up white shirt, and a long sleeve grey coat with a black tie, "You can only drive so fast," he then walked up to Akane who was carrying two bags, "Allow me."
Akane smiled, and handed Kogami her bags which he put into the trunk of his car which contained two of his own, a small luggage case, and a doc-kit.
"That's all?" Akane asked.
"All I need," Kogami said, "A doc-kit, and a few changes of clothes. It's not like we're going to be there for a month."
After shutting the trunk, he walked around, and opened the door for Akane.
"Such a gentlemen," Akane said as she stepped inside.
The interior was completely spotless, not even a stain on the carpet.
Kogami stepped into the car, after Akane shut the door, "Like it?" He asked.
"This has to be the most pristine DB11 I've ever seen," Akane said, "Well it's actually the only one I've ever seen. She a reproduction?"
"Nope." Kogami said.
Yayoi and Shusei jumped inside Yayoi's 2020 Ford Focus TC (Turbo-charged) that the large turbo charged engine sticking out of the hood.
Ginoza and Masaoka climbed into Ginoza's 2044 Ford Falcon.
"Then she's all original?" Akane asked.
"Yes and no." Kogami said as he started up his car.
"Yes?" Akane asked.
"Original yes." Kogami said.
"And no?" Akane asked.
"Completely," Kogami said, "No. I'd say she's about sixty five percent original. The seats, the body, the folding roof, and the rims are all original. But thanks to government standards everything else, the engine, the brakes, the tires, the exhaust, the electronics in the dash, the air vents, and the gas tank has to be fitted with modern equipment. Everything not on the car but rather everything in the car had to be replaced. If it were up to me this car would be completely 100% original."
"You like classic things don't you?" Akane asked.
"Very much." Kogami said.
"Alright," Ginoza said over the communicator, "Comms check. Me and Grandpa are Car 1, acknowledge."
"Terminator Acknowledges." Kogami said as he handed the radio to Akane.
"Inspector Acknowledges." Akane said.
"Pop Star Acknowledges." Yayoi said.
"Rusty Acknowledges." Shusei said.
"Terminator," Ginoza said, "You and Inspector are Car 2."
"Acknowledged." Kogami said.
"Pop Star," Ginoza said, "You and Rusty are Car 3."
"Acknowledged." Yayoi said.
"Alright," Ginoza said, "Let's move. We've got a three-day trip to LA. If we get separated, I want to know where my Collectors are at all times. Pop Star, you and Rusty got our weapons?"
"Our primary arms." Yayoi said.
"Good," Ginoza said, "Try not to get too far behind. Once we hit LA, and finish checking into the hotel, our investigation begins."
"Alright then," Kogami said, "Let's go!"
The Trio set off for California.
I bet you're asking 'Why don't they take a plane'.
Trust me, you'd enjoy yourself more if you were to drive: you can control the temperature, you can sleep without having to listen to the baby two aisles down, you can eat whatever and whenever you want, and you can stop and stretch whenever.
It might not be the fastest, but it's much more fun to drive.
Leaving Chicago, they made their way into the outskirts of the city where Kogami flipped open his ray-ban aviator mirrored sunglasses, and slid them over his eyes.
"Nice sunglasses," Akane said, "Authentic?"
"Yes," Kogami said as he adjusted the glasses, "My great, great grandfather wore them during his service in Northern Africa, Sicily, Switzerland, and Austria," he then removed them to give them a good look, "If these glasses could talk, the stories they could tell," Kogami put them back on his face before returning to driving.
It was right around noon when they arrived in Des Moines, Iowa and the noise of the classic rock station Kogami was tuned into was broken when Akane's stomach growled.
"Hungry?" Kogami asked.
"We got time to eat?" Akane asked.
"I know a place," Kogami said before picking up the radio-mic he had, and called it in, "Shades, come in."
"Shades is asleep," Masaoka said, "This is Grandpa."
"Alright," Kogami said, "Me and Inspector are kind of hungry. We're going to find a place to put a little go-go juice down our necks."
"Alright," Masaoka said, "But find a place with a secure carpark."
"Come on Grandpa," Kogami said, "It's me."
Kogami pulled off the road into downtown Des Moines, and up to a large hotel with a multi-story garage.
After parking, Kogami escorted Akane to a small elevator with a carpet in front, and hit a button on the intercom, "Can I help you?" A gruff voice on the other side asked.
"The machines rose from the ashes of the nuclear fire," Kogami said, "Their war to exterminate mankind raged for decades, but the final battle would not be fought in the future."
"It would be fought here." The voice said.
"Tonight." Kogami finished.
"Welcome back," the voice said, "Terminator."
"Even these people know you?" Akane asked.
Kogami and Akane boarded the elevator, "A lot of people know me," Kogami said, "Take time to know the people you meet in this job, because in this job, knowing people has its benefits."
The elevator door opened to reveal something Akane didn't expect, what looked like a fancy restaurant with overhanging chandeliers and drapes, but everyone was wearing casual clothes, some were wearing business suits, others were servicemen in either their dress blues or their combat attire.
"What's this?" Akane asked.
"Welcome to The Armani," The Host said as he walked up to Kogami and Akane, "Welcome back Mr. Kogami."
"Thank you Jerald." Kogami said.
"Table for one this time?" Jerald asked.
"No," Kogami said, "Me and the lady. You know what table we want."
Jerald sat Kogami and Akane at a booth that looked like a President would eat, a Corinthian leather seat with golden stitching, and solid-gold buttons with a cherry-wood table.
As the waiter walked over, he spoke, "Welcome back Mr. Kogami," he said, "I brought an extra menu for the lady," he handed Kogami and Akane the menus.
As Akane opened the menu, she couldn't believe that a place like this would have burger with Maine Lobster Tail and a poached egg with a melty cheese center.
There was also sushi made from bacon, ground Kobe beef, and grilled shrimp.
"Can I start you off with some drinks?" The waiter asked.
"Something to keep me awake," Kogami said, "I'm driving. But the lady has some frazzled nerves so get her a little something to calm her nerves."
"I know just the thing," the waiter said, "What about appetizers?"
"Inspector?" Kogami asked.
"Uh…" Akane said as she swiftly scanned the menu, "Can we have a sampler platter?"
"Of course," the waiter said before turning to Kogami, "She's a keeper this one, Terminator."
"Keeper?" Akane asked.
"I'll be right back with your drinks," the waiter said, "And give you a minute to look over the menus?"
"What did they mean I'm a keeper?" Akane asked.
"They think every girl I bring here is a new girlfriend," Kogami said, "Like I'm some kind of international rock star."
"What is this place anyway?" Akane asked.
"The Armani is the first restaurant of its kind," Kogami said, "It's actually an exclusive club for the more upper-middle class or lower-upper class to let their hair down and not care about carbs, getting drunk, or eating too much."
"Why are you allowed in here?" Akane asked.
"Because…" Kogami said before the waiter brought them their drinks, for Kogami a bottled Blue-Stripe Uncle Bob's 8% alcohol root beer in a frosted mug, and placed a martini glass in front of Akane filled with some kind of blue liquid, "Ah thank you," as the waiter left, Kogami continued, "See a few years ago when I was starting out in the Debt Collection business the owner of the hotel and restaurant Mr. Riley was robbed by career criminals and they took a priceless Dragon Medallion his great grandfather brought back from Tibet after the Second World War. That along with some expensive kitchen equipment and a few tens of thousands of dollars in cash. But you see, the only thing that mattered to Mr. Riley was the medallion so I hunted down the thieves who just so happened had fled to Chicago, and got the medallion back for him. He was so grateful he gave me a life time membership, and everything I eat here, me and whoever I bring eats at 50% off."
"Have you decided on what you want to eat?" The waiter asked as he brought the appetizer platter.
"I'll take the fried-egg patty melt," Kogami said, "Inspector?"
"Oh," Akane said, "I'll take the Island-Sauce-tossed coconut shrimp with the side of Awesome Fries."
"Excellent choices," the waiter said as he took down their order, "I'll have those right out."
Akane took a bite of one of the bacon-stuffed coconut shrimp, she swore she had never had anything that good as an appetizer.
"Good?" Kogami asked
"Very." Akane said.
"Good, and you know," Kogami said, "You haven't even touched your drink."
"Oh right," Akane said as she picked up the martini glass, and took a sip, it was sickly-sour, defiantly alcohol, but sweet like berries and fizzy like soda, one sip defiantly helped with her nerves which were still a little frazzled, "What's this?"
"Something called a Walk on the Canal," Kogami said, "Invented Cocktail. One ounce of Ciroque Vanilla Vodka, three ounces of pineapple juice, and one ounce of Lemon-Head soda."
"It's tasty," Akane said, "Helps the nerves."
"Trust me," Kogami said, "The food will help too. Trust me you're not going to want to eat until dinner, and you will feel a little drowsy because of the booze."
"You know," Akane said, "You've really helped me since I first arrived."
"I don't leave men behind," Kogami said.
"Be honest," Akane said, "You didn't really like me after that mess up of mine did you?"
"I hardly knew you," Kogami said, "I don't hate you. I hate the Debt Collectors' learn-as-you-go system. I've lost a great number of trainees because most of the people that want to be in this business think that all you have to do is pick up a gun and suddenly they're some kind of bad-ass. The next thing you know they pick up the heaviest weapon they find, think they're invincible, and half an hour later, they're dead."
"Am I the first person you trained who hasn't been killed?" Akane asked.
"You one of them," Kogami said, "You're defiantly the first woman whose lasted in Division One."
"You sent the rest to Division Three?" Akane asked.
"Karanomori told you didn't she?" Kogami asked.
"She did," Akane said as the waiter brought them their food.
"Wow," Akane said, "Nice looking food."
"Enjoy," the waiter said, "More drinks?"
"Please." Kogami said.
Kogami sliced the sandwich in half, and took a bit, "Isn't that good," Kogami said, keeping the food in between his cheek and his gum as he talked.
Akane took one of the shrimp off the skewer, and as she ate it, she couldn't believe what she was tasting, it was possibly the best shrimp she had ever had.
Good food, good company, and good drinks: either it was the alcohol or she wasn't used to being treated this well, but she felt she might has well have been on a date with a prince.
Finishing their lunch, Kogami reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small chip about the size of a cell-phone battery, and held it out to the waiter, "Put it on the card," he said, "And give yourself a nice tip."
"This was amazing," Akane said, a little tipsy, "I loved it."
"I think you had a little too much," Kogami said.
"I only had…" Akane said before stopping, "How much did I have?"
"Three of those," Kogami said as he took the martini glass from Akane's hand, "That's enough for you."
The waiter brought back the chip, and the check which Kogami signed, "Thank you sir," he said, "We hope to see you again."
"So do I," Kogami said, "Come on Inspector."
When they got off the elevator, Akane stumbled a little and felt herself falling.
Kogami swiftly turned around, caught her in his arms, and turned back around to face his car, holding Akane around the waist.
"Whoa." Akane said.
"Come on," Kogami said as he helped her over to the car, and helped her sit down, then strapped her in, "I bet I'm going to have a hard time taking you anywhere."
"Come one you hunk," Akane said, "Shut up, and drive."
"Oh boy," Kogami said as he closed the door, and walked around to get in the driver's seat.
"How long were we in there by the way?" Akane asked.
"I'd say half an hour," Kogami said as he started the car, and drove away.
"Talking to you," Akane said, "It felt like we were they for hours."
"Bad thing," Kogami asked as he pulled onto the street.
"No," Akane said, "Very good thing."
"Might want to have this," Kogami said as he handed Akane a bottle of water which he dropped two tablets into.
Akane took the bottle, and as she took a swig, she could feel her head clear.
"Thanks," Akane said, "What is this?"
"Something to help you," Kogami said, "Works just as well as a cold shower."
"Where to next," Akane asked after taking another sip.
"Now all that's left to do is get to Denver," Kogami said, "That's where the team is heading, and where we're spending the night."
It took about eight hours for the two of them to arrive, Akane had fallen asleep, Kogami simply parked the car, and carried her into the hotel.
The Hotel they checked into was called the Silver Cat Suites, a multi-story high-rise luxury hotel in center of Downtown Denver built in 2034 by the man who created the Debt Collectors: Jason Sibyl who retired several years prior to when this story takes place a multi-billionaire.
"Can I help you sir," the clerk asked as Kogami carried Akane up to the front desk.
"Yes," Kogami said, "I believe we have a reservation."
"Honeymoon couple?" The clerk asked.
"No," Kogami said, "It should be under Kogami."
"Ah," the clerk said as he typed in Kogami's name, "Welcome sir. You asked for the two bedroom fireplace suite."
"Yes," Kogami said as he held out his hand, "May I have the key?"
"Right here sir," the clerk said as he handed Kogami the room-key, and let the two of them get to their hotel room.
As Kogami entered his and Akane's shared hotel room, he then carried Akane into the second bedroom with what he thought was the most comfortable bed, and laid her down on it before covering her up.
Kogami sat beside her bed, and looked at her sleeping form, "I've never really realized how beautiful she really is." He thought.
Akane awoke in a start, she came to realize instead of waking up in the passenger-seat of Kogami's car, she was sleeping on a very comfortable mattress.
She looked over to face the clock, and saw that the time was only about six in the morning.
She saw her purse was resting nest to the bed, so she checked inside, everything was there, even her PS6.
Akane looked down, and saw she was dressed in her regular outfit, her luggage was inside the room.
Akane walked into the main room to see Kogami cooking, "Morning," Kogami said as he flipped his spatula, and the pan hissed, "Sleep well?"
"Where are we?" Akane asked.
"The Silver Cat Suites," Kogami said as he lifted what he was cooking off the grill, and placed it on a plate to his left, he was cooking flapjacks, "Denver, Colorado."
"Where's the rest of the crew?" Akane asked.
"They're here," Kogami said, "They just decided to sleep in."
Kogami was dressed in a pair of black track pants, Akane could see several three scars on Kogami's back, they first two looked like bullet wounds, but the third was a stab wound.
Akane's implants (which I should have probably mentioned before), a pair of sensors in her eyes that let her tell various types of measurements and other things, effectively making her a walking CSI lab.
The implants identified the weapon that stabbed Kogami as a Hunter's Guthook knife.
"Line of duty?" Akane asked.
"I'm sorry," Kogami asked as he flipped the last flapjack into the plate, then turned around to place the plate just to the right of Akane's arm, "Help yourself."
Akane could help but stare, she had never seen anyone so ripped, they said six is all they'll give you, but Akane swore if it could he'd have another set of abs giving him an eight-pack.
"Well I…" Akane said before stuttering, "I'm sorry, could you please put a shirt on?"
"Sorry," Kogami said as he reached down to the floor, and picked up a navy-blue tee-shirt, but as he slid it over his head, Akane couldn't help but stare as his powerful back and shoulder muscles rippled as he pulled the cloth fabric over his head.
What she did notice beside the Navy Tattoo on his right bicep were there were two letters spread across the right side of the back of the shirt in bright yellow-gold letters 'VY', her implants couldn't make out what the other two letters were but as Kogami turned to face her she could tell instantly, they were the last two letters for 'NAVY' because there was a Department of the Navy seal over his left pectoral.
"What did you say earlier?" Kogami asked.
"Did you receive those wounds in the line of duty?" Akane asked as she fixed herself a plate.
"Not in this line," Kogami said as he pulled out the peanut butter, "Comes from my previous job."
"Previous job?" Akane asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kogami asked.
"You were U.S. Navy?" Akane asked.
"Yep," Kogami said as he placed three flapjacks on his plate, and smeared some peanut butter between each flapjack, "Thirty Five to Forty Two."
"Peanut butter on pancakes?" Akane asked.
"It's what we had back during the service," Kogami said, "Not a lot of regular butter on the ship, to fattening, so they gave us peanut butter which is healthier."
"Got any regular butter?" Akane asked.
Kogami reached into the fridge, and pulled out a small thing of complimentary butter, "Came with the room," he said as he set it in front of Akane along with a knife and fork.
As Kogami ate, Akane couldn't help but notice that Kogami had something on his mind.
"You ok Kogami?" Akane asked.
"I don't know," Kogami said, "But as I was driving I had time to think. This case stinks horribly. Something we in the Navy used to call T.R.O.C. or 'This Reeks Of Conspiracy'."
"Meaning?" Akane asked.
"I think there's something bigger going on here," Kogami said, "This is your lesson for today. Do you know what the penalty for removing the serial numbers off a gun are?"
"Fifteen to twenty five years." Akane said.
"What about selling said gun?" Kogami asked.
"Ten years." Akane said.
"What about providing the buyer with bullets that also have no serial numbers?" Kogami asked.
"Fifteen." Akane said.
"Add all that up and what's the minimum sentence this person could receive?" Kogami asked.
"Forty years." Akane said.
"Exactly," Kogami said, "This man probably has nothing to lose. So what will his reaction be?"
"Once we identify him his first response will be to try and kill us." Akane said.
"Exactly," Kogami said, "And that's when you have to be extra careful because you don't know if he has a gun or not. But in the rare case neither of you have a gun, it's always good to have a little extra security," Kogami held out a small object wrapped in cloth, Akane opened it, and revealed a folding Ka-Bar knife, "I figured I should get you something your size."
Akane flipped it open to see the blade was perfectly pristine, "Brand new?" Akane asked.
"Very new," Kogami said, "I reached out to one of my friends who deals with military surplus weapons. This blade was recently put into surplus by the military. Apparently it was cleared for service, but not issued."
After they finished eating, Akane and Kogami walked outside to Kogami's car where one man was trying to break into Kogami's car.
"Hey there man," the guy said as he turned around holding a Beretta M9, "You own this car?"
"Yes," Kogami said, "I'm going to give you a few seconds to get away from it."
"I have a better idea," the man said as he aimed the M9 at Akane, "Give me the keys, and I won't kill your girlfriend."
Kogami reached into his pocket, and dropped the keys at his feet.
The man walked toward Kogami, keeping the M9 trained on Akane before reaching down to retrieve the keys, he could get them so he looked down, and that gave Kogami the chance to act.
In one swift kick the M9 went flying across the parking garage, and threw the keys back into Kogami's hand, the second kick threw the man on his ass.
The man coughed, Kogami's combat boots had nailed him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.
"You son of a bitch," he said as he stood up, and charged at Kogami who grabbed the man by the arm, bent it upwards, and used the forward momentum to throw him onto the ground.
The man pushed himself off the ground, and ran Kogami against the wall, just like Kogami wanted.
In one swift move, Kogami threw the man headlong into the wall, kneed him once in the face, and finished him off with a swift elbow to the temple.
Akane stood there, a little dumbstruck, but she regained her composure when Kogami walked up to her, and ushered her toward his car.
"Wait here," Kogami said after putting Akane in the car.
Kogami then pulled out his phone which was the size and shape of a com-link from Star Wars the Phantom Menace with an outline of metallic-gold, the very center was made of some kind of clear acrylic material which displayed all of his apps, he quickly selected a single app as he walked over to pick up the M9, and then over the man who was lying unconscious against the wall.
"Caller please identify," the automated voice on the other line said.
"Access code Warfighter," Kogami said, "Connect me to Denver Command."
"Ares here," the voice on the other line said.
"Ben," Kogami said, "It's Shinya."
"Kogami," Ben said, "What's up?"
"I have a code 37-417a in the Silver Cat parking lot," Kogami said as he pressed a button on the side of his phone, walked over to the man who pulled the gun on him, joined the man's hand against a guard-rail, and handcuffed him, "Subject detained," Kogami turned on the speaker as the man tried to attack Kogami, but was held back by the cuffs, "Open your mouth."
"Go fuck yourself," the man said before Kogami picked up the M9, and held it against the bottom of the man's chin.
"Open your damn mouth," Kogami said, the man opened his mouth as Kogami pinched the man's nose, placed a tracker on a tongue, and then jammed his jaw shut, forcing him to swallow the tracker, "He has a tracker on him to tell you where he is," Kogami then ejected the round from the chamber by pulling back on the slide, ejected the magazine, placed the bullet back into the magazine, hit the slide release, then slid the magazine back into the gun, "Be advised…" Kogami shoved the gun into the back of man's waistband, "He's armed."
"We'll take care of it," Ben said, "Good to hear from you again my friend."
"You to," Kogami said as he picked up his phone, turned it off, and walked back toward his car.
Kogami walked back to the car, and once he entered, Akane looked a little scared.
As Kogami drove out of the parking garage, Akane spoke, "How'd you do that?" Akane asked.
"I trained," Kogami said, "All my years in the Navy. I did what I could to protect you."
"No one's ever stood up for me like that." Akane said.
"I find that hard to believe," Kogami said as he pulled onto the main road, "Beautiful girl like you?"
Akane blushed, the most handsome man she knew saying she was attractive.
As Kogami pulled onto the interstate, Akane finally realized she was holding her knife, "Why do they assign guardian angles to trainees?" Akane asked.
"What?" Kogami asked.
"Why do they assign training officers in the Debt Collectors," Akane asked, "They expect trainees to learn on the job, but yet they hand us off to training officers."
"The whole purpose behind a guardian angel is to teach you things you can't learn while on duty," Kogami said, "It's what kept me alive during my first days."
"Who was yours?" Akane asked.
"You met him on the first day," Kogami said, "His hair's just as white then as it is now."
"He taught you everything?" Akane asked.
"About the Debt Collectors, yes," Kogami said, "Everything else I learned from my other mentor, during the years of my service he was Commander Joji Saiga."
"Was?" Akane asked.
"He was still in the Navy when I left," Kogami said, "Not sure if he still is, fuck, if he still he must be at least a Rear Admiral Lower-Half now."
"Lower Half?" Akane asked.
"One-Star," Kogami said, "Lower-Half means one, Upper-Half means two."
It was a rather quiet for the rest of the way to the team's second stop in Vegas, and Akane was going to be surprised when she saw what Kogami had arranged for them.
"Mr. Kogami," the front desk receptionist said, "Welcome back. You're usual suite?"
"Not this time," Kogami said, "Suite B this time. The lady and I will be sleeping in separate beds. We're heading to LA tomorrow for a case. She's my trainee."
"Of course," the man said as he handed over the room key, "Have a good stay sir."
Kogami and Akane walked into the room, and Akane gasped, they might has well have been staying in the Presidential Suite, hot-tub, a small but full bar, a beautiful view to downtown Las Vegas.
"Kogami," Akane said, "You're spoiling me."
"Is that a problem?" Kougami asked
"NO," Akane shouted, "No. It's just, no one outside my family's ever treated me like this. I just want to say… thanks."
Kogami walked up to Akane, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You're my friend," he said, "And my partner. You don't need to thank me."
Half an hour later as Akane was getting out of the shower, and getting dressed in her night clothes, she swore she heard the sound of a violin, she quickly fixed her hair, and ran outside to see Kogami standing in front of the window overlooking Vegas with a very beautiful red cherry-wood violin with a very shiny black bow, Akane recognized the tune immediately.
"Tears of Angles," Akane said as she approached Kogami, startling him, "In… D?"
"B," Kogami said as he pointed at Akane with his bow, "Classic."
"You never struck me as a music player," Akane said as she walked up to Kogami.
"My father taught me," Kogami said, "Man was quite the musician."
"Keep playing." Akane said.
"I don't know…" Kogami said.
"Please," Akane asked, giving Kogami a cute puppy-dog face look, her big amber eyes shining up at her.
Kogami sighed, and spoke, "Ok," he said, "I capitulate, you win."
Kogami continued with the song, the sounds of his violin made Akane feel happy, and when he finished, Akane couldn't help but clap, "That was amazing Kogami," she said, "You ever consider a career as a professional musician?"
"Once," Kogami said, "I played a little in high school, I actually went to Annapolis on a musical scholarship."
"John Hopkins?" Akane asked.
"No," Kogami said, "The U.S. Naval Academy."
"What happened?" Akane asked.
"College," Kogami said as he walked over, and sat down next to Akane, "College happened, I joined up to pay for my college tuition. After graduating I liked keeping people safe so it stuck, and I lost interest in being a musician."
"You like this life," Akane asked, "You like the money?"
"As I said, I like keeping people safe," Kogami said, "The money's just an incentive."
"I guess," Akane said, "Good night Kogami."
"Akane." Kogami said.
As Akane went into her room, she turned around to see Kogami entering his room, and a small thought crossed her mind, "Am I falling for him?"
The next the rest of the way to Los Angeles, they didn't say a word, save for when they entered the city, Akane had never been to LA before, she had never seen the Pacific Ocean before, and she couldn't have been happier.
"Which hotel are we staying in tonight?" Akane asked.
"There's a small hotel downtown everyone is staying," Kogami said, "Try and stay awake till we get there."
The remaining way Los Angeles was kind of uneventful, mostly because Akane was doing research on the Hachioji Manufacturing Plant, "Interesting." Akane said.
"What have you found out?" Kogami asked.
"Seems you were right about life for the workers at the plant," Akane said, "They make less than minimum wage, only about 18,000$ a year, nobody can get by on that much."
"That's why men like that have nothing to lose," Kogami said, "Most of them have families to support, so they work overtime to make more money. If they're lucky they work fourteen hours, they can make 21,000$ a year, if they marry wives that make 30,000$ they can have a simply life, not great, but simple. It's a sad story really."
"It is," Akane said, "Doesn't change the law."
Kogami looked over at Akane, "Inspector, I'm impressed," he said, "Most trainees say there should be a little leeway with people that have to go through that."
"Not a lot of people think that," Akane said, "They usually see this," Akane gestured toward her face, "And they think I should be a model?"
"Model," Kogami asked, "A face like that you could give Helen of Troy a run for her money."
Akane blushed a little, she received a minor in history, so she understood he was referencing 'The Iliad', Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships: you know all that generic stuff.
The two arrived in Los Angeles around 9:30 (Local time), the two arrived at the hotel the team was staying, "And there they are," Shusei said as Kogami pulled up in the underground parking lot.
"We had to stop," Kogami said as he walked around to the back, and picked up the bags, "You got our room keys?"
"Right here," Ginoza said as he handed Kogami his and Akane's room key, "Have a good night you two."
Kogami and Akane entered their room, a two-room suite, queen beds, and a view to downtown L.A.
"Here we are," Kogami said as he pointed at the room to the right, "I take that room," he then pointed to the other, "You take that one?"
"Sure." Akane said.
The two walked into their rooms, and shut the doors, Akane leaned back against the door, and exhaled.
Guess what will happen next…