A/N: The number denotes the point of view that the chapter is written in; 000 represents Len's point of view, while 050 represents Rin's. That's just about it; I'm only writing things from the two of their viewpoints.

I AM A BAD, HORRIBLE PERSON. D: I updated this first and neglected TRS. /SHOT

This chapter is dedicated to all reviewers: You guys are my only inspiration right now.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

silent masquerade
(#4; fragments of the past - 050)

Brooklyn, New york, USA.

Location: Colonel's office
Date: 11 February 20XX, Wednesday
Time: 19 00

Before Rin had stepped into the Colonel's office, she already knew that trouble was brewing within headquarters itself; Lieutenant Sakine had called her roughly about half an hour after she'd left that café, while she was taking a stroll down the park, and her voice sounded urgent… she even screamed flatly in her ears, demanding for her to get back to headquarters no matter what it took, and to assemble in the Colonel's office with everyone else.

And alas, she was right.

They were all assembled in the Colonel's office, all adorning faces of desperation and trepidation. They looked pallid, their voices were sore, and even the Colonel didn't seem like he was in the mood to crack some of his jokes today, which were famous for being (not) funny. That usually smug, hearty smile was not on his face today; it was instead replaced by a look of weariness and anger, and in short… he looked absolutely appalling to her today.

The Colonel's cropped sapphire hair seemed to be extremely dull today, lack of its usual volume and healthy shine. He was in deep thought, standing near the windows of his office, facing the large city beneath him. A puzzled expression appeared on his face, and he scratched his chin as if he was in deep thought.

It wasn't just him; Lieutenant Sakine looked just as scary, if not, even much more so than him. She was already a harpy from day one, Rin had concluded, and with that dull displeased face constantly being worn on her face, especially after she had consumed that much of a liquor… She'd one day evolve into a dragon. No, it wasn't like those flying type of dragon that you see in movies or in stories. She'd be a unique dragon, a dragon with a breath of destruction that constantly spewed out harsh words, a dragon with looks that'd kill, and a dragon with a… large cleavage?

No… Rin did not just think that. It was the hormones, yes. The hormones… Ahh, it was the hormones that were speaking.

Meiko was standing near the Colonel's desk, with her arms folded neatly across her chest. She had the same look as Colonel Kaito had.

Rin gulped. The silence was starting to unnerve her. It had been minutes since she had set foot into this office and they hadn't reported or explained anything to her. Was something big going to happen?

Nevertheless, she had expected them to talk. They'd summoned her! What were they doing, sitting down there, and pretending like she'd never existed? She was a cop, just like them, and surely she'd deserve at least a proper explanation as to why they looked so troubled!

Rin cleared her throat; she had to start speaking if she wanted answers, even if it was going to be a death wish.

"Is… Is something wrong? Why am I called here?"

The Colonel was the first one to speak. He turned around, startling Rin with his masculine and deep voice. He sounded serious… too serious for Rin to handle; she wasn't used to how he was behaving because he usually didn't give a damn about his paperwork and would flee or find legitimate excuses to procrastinate from work whenever possible.

"Investigator," He said, biting his bottom lip, "I… no, we have something important and urgent to let you know."

Rin noticed the way the Lieutenant flinched. A look of terror crossed her features. "Colonel! You can't seriously be entrusting that case to this child's hands—"

That case? Now, Rin was curious. Whatever they were talking about involved her and something grave. It made Rin shudder with fear—what exactly were they going to tell her?

"Lieutenant! I have made my decision! This child—no, Investigator Rin here has the rights to participate in this case!"

Meiko grimaced. "But Colonel! This child… she doesn't know the gravity of the situation! She has failed multiple times in all the cases she has attempted to take on before and this case would not be an exception—"

"Lieutenant Meiko!"

Rin heard a voice calling out for the Lieutenant, and before she knew it, all of them had their eyes on her. It took her a while to actually notice that she was the one who'd opened her big fat lips to call for Meiko, and the worst thing was… she didn't know why.

Maybe it was because of the way Meiko was indirectly insulting her; she couldn't take the insults, however light or true they were. Whatever they were talking about right now seemed to be connected with a case that she was supposed to be a part of, and it seemed as though the Lieutenant was reluctant to let her participate in it. However, she was bent on being part of it; Meiko had given her a chance, hadn't she? She had given her a chance willingly, and Rin deserved to have that chance!

"Please," She urged, wrinkling her forehead, "Allow me to… at least… use that chance you've given me."

Meiko remained silent, her eyes never leaving Rin's. For a while, Rin thought that she was going to snap, and she thought that she was going to get into trouble again like what she'd done the last time. Then Meiko had lowered her gaze to the floor and Rin heaved a sigh of relief, taking this as a sign of her willingness to listen to what Rin had to say for once.

This was… weird. Meiko was actually being compliant and understanding for once. It truly shocked her… but it also meant that she was being extremely serious here… which meant that this issue was not to be joked around with.

Colonel Kaito glanced to and fro at the both of them, but if he was disturbed by their conversation, he did not show it.

"Tonight at twelve, when the moon is at its brightest, and when the darkness sweeps over the entire city," The Colonel explained, a perplexed look on his features, "The 'Steel Crown' will strike. He is planning to steal a rare gem, Rin, and… we need assistance, preferably from all the various departments here. I want you to be part of the operation."

What? Rin could not believe what she was hearing. "What… wait, I—"

She was taken aback by this news; what had she done to deserve this obligation? The 'Steel Crown' was a dangerous assassin who was capable of endangering the dear citizens' life and has remained uncaught, untouched and unidentified by the public or the force for a year, and yet… yet he was asking for her assistance in the matter?

"Wait… how do you know if this news is reliable, Colonel? What if it's just a trap set for us?" Of course, this scenario was possible, considering how sudden the situation was. Nobody in his or her right mind would disappear for a few months and then come back with… the intent to steal some lousy jewel! Maybe a thief would do so, but an assassin? It was simply ludicrous!

"No. It won't be one, Rin," He explained once more, "I have confirmed it with my own eyes. The original inhabitants of the target's mansion sent the calling card to me; it is indeed the symbol of the 'Steel Crown'. He is back—he is active once more. We cannot let him off the hook this time!"

Rin moistened her lips. "But I… I am merely a… what can I do?"

"You are a girl with a pure heart, Rin. I believe you will be a valuable asset to our team."

"But I—"

"No. Rin. My decision is final, whether you like it or not. Take this opportunity to prove your worth to the Lieutenant. Show her how capable you can be, Rin… I trust you."

Rin looked up, amazed with what she had just heard. "Y-you… You trust me?"

"Yes. Besides that… isn't there someone you have been searching for, Rin?" Here, Kaito had paused, and he hesitated before adding, "Perhaps the 'Steel Crown' is that one guy you have searched in vain for many years."

Rin froze at the thought of being able to finally locate that man after many years. She wasn't sure what he'd look like, but there was something… something he'd have to make her recognize him at an instance. If it that person was really the 'Steel Crown', then… then she'd really have to go this time! She had to locate that person no matter what happened, even if it was at the expense of her life.

She had been in here for so long… All the criminals whom she had interrogated were not the one she was looking for. There was a possibility, a slight chance, however small it might be, that the 'Steel Crown' was that person… It was possible, since she wasn't able to locate that person for a long time.

She had sworn to do so, hadn't she?

"Thank you, Colonel." She sighed, feeling a wave of relief wash over her; at least there was someone in here that did not look down on her. She thought everyone hated her with all his or her guts, but she was wrong; the Colonel had proved her otherwise!

The Colonel nodded in understanding. "You are dismissed."

She grinned, and for the first time in her life, she actually felt overjoyed about her occupation. She didn't thought that she would be so lucky, but of course… of course, if she was truly lucky enough to be nominated for this operation, then it also meant that she had to be serious about this job this time round, because she did not want to fail. She was going to accomplish something great this time round, and she was going to win. She was going to do it.

She was going to confirm if the 'Steel Crown' was that person…

She stepped out, finally shedding some light on her life this time round.

Location: Residential area
Date: 11 February 20XX, Wednesday
Time: 23 40

The moon hung high in the dark and night sky, seemingly to shimmer brilliantly amidst the darkness. Shadows were cast upon a mansion that stood rigidly and firmly on the ground surrounded by luscious green trees and bushes. The night was silent, for the only sounds heard were the uneven and fast breathings of some people standing directly in front of the mansion door.

Rin breathed out steadily, trying to calm her nerves down.

She was ready.

Or so, she hoped.

Her heartbeat was louder than anyone else's; she could hear it herself. Her heart was plummeting rapidly and she could feel her blood gushing through her veins all the way to the back of her mind—it sent an adrenaline rush down her system. Her cheeks were puffed and swollen and her whole lithe frame was shivering and she didn't know why.

She stood, under the moonlight, exposed for all to see. Her head was cocked to one side as she surveyed her surroundings meticulously, leaving no corner unnoticed. She let her eyes trail to every single one of the officers stationed outside with her; they were supposed to guard the entrance, making sure that not a single soul would be allowed access here, or to escape from the mansion itself.

Only the Colonel and the Lieutenant were inside, with a couple of their subordinates. They were to watch the interior of the mansion, of course, and with their supreme reflexes and superior skills, even a tiny little ant would go unnoticed!

Rin removed her little black beret, letting her well-groomed soft blonde hair cascade down her shoulders. She ran a pale and slim finger through those golden strands of hair, softly brushing through it while grabbing her hip with her other hand.

It was terrifying to wait like this. It was as if they were waiting for death to loom near; they didn't know the enemy, but the enemy knew them from inside out!

"What time is it now?" She whispered to one of the people beside her, breaking the silence with her soft and smooth voice.

The one she had spoken to immediately looked up at her and saluted her. "Yes, M'am! It's eleven fifty-five now, M'am!"

Rin frowned, letting both of her arms go limply by her sides. She shook her head briefly, and creased her brows as if something had annoyed her greatly.

She waited. Even if she had been reluctant to wait, she waited. It had been exactly one hour and forty-seven minutes since they had waited here, but there were still no signs of the wretched 'Steel Crown'.

Maybe it was a hoax after all. Maybe it had all just been a terrible joke played on them by some idiotic 'Steel Crown'-wannabe. She couldn't dismiss that possibility, but then again… only they had knowledge about his calling card. Even if there were imposters, they wouldn't have gotten their hands on the calling card…

Even if they did make one, they couldn't have gotten it to be exactly the same as the one the authentic assassin had. Every single detail, every single stroke were exactly the same as the one he had, Kaito had told her.

The blonde haired girl took a glimpse at the night sky again, and sighed with impatience. It should have been past twelve midnight already, and yet the assassin hadn't even made his move to steal anything from the mansion. Perhaps he was late? Or maybe he got lost on the way? Maybe he tripped and fell to his death while he was climbing up the rooftop. It always happened, in television shows…

She let a soft and sad frown caress her lips and decided that there were better things to do other than trying to contemplate the moon or whatever the hell she was doing. She let her gaze fall on the men surrounding her, watching them intensely behind those deep blue eyes. They look tired, as if they hadn't slept for the whole night.

She felt sorry for those people. She wanted to do something for them, but she didn't know what she could do… All they could do was to wait.

She was about to turn back to talk to the man beside her when one of her men caught her eyes. Said man had his almost all of his face covered by his bangs, and there was almost an eerie glow emitting from this strange man. She couldn't see his face properly since it was dark, but he was strange.

She didn't remember seeing him before they departed for the mansion. She didn't recall seeing this… man, anywhere; she knew her people, she knew her colleagues at work. She made the effort to memorize their faces but never in her life could she recall seeing this man before.

Never.

Something rose up her throat, and her instinct was screaming at her to talk to this man. Of course, she could be wrong, but what better than to be sure of it?

"Hey," Rin snapped, pointing at his shadowy figure among the others. "You over there. Please, could you lift up your head?"

She could have sworn she saw his whole body went rigid for a while there. The strange man did not lift up his head or reply to her command. Instead, he continued staring on the ground, and it was almost as if he was trying to pretend he hadn't heard her at all. That only served to confirm Rin's suspicion of him.

The blonde haired girl took a few steps forward, slowly making her way towards him, and stopped to glare at him after she was about a few meters away from him.

He didn't even turn to look at her.

Yes, he is definitely avoiding me, she silently mused to herself.

She thinned her lips and watched him warily. "Hey, I told you to—"

Then, there was a loud explosion in the mansion, and Rin subconsciously let out a loud gasp, immediately turning to look at the source. The lights had flickered off and there was a sharp, shrill scream that penetrated the silence in the area, and it was so loud, Rin could hear it even if she was outside.

The owner, Rin thought. Only the shrewd and rude old hag possessed such an annoying high-pitched voice. Had something happened to her? Did he attack her?

The two German shepherds tied to one of the lampposts near the mansion started growling, baring their sharp, white vampire-like fangs. They looked ferocious, and Rin could only assume that it was part of their natural instincts. Even they could sense the arrival of that crook!

So he was here now. He had found his way inside!

There was no time for any hesitation; time was of the essence. They had to get him now, or never.

The rest of the team hurriedly rushed inside the mansion, with their pistols in hand. She didn't have to tell them what to do because they automatically assumed that someone was in danger; with a scream like that, who wouldn't come to that conclusion?

Rin followed swiftly behind, making sure that every single one of them managed to get inside before she did; she didn't want to see anyone left behind, only to be quickly assassinated by the culprit.

Then she saw him.

It was that man from before—that suspicious man with that eerie glow around him.

She stopped, her eyes widening as she inspected him closely—he wasn't moving, oh yes, he clearly wasn't. He didn't even have the intention to move in like the rest of the team did. He was just there, standing idly, as if he was waiting for something to happen, and Rin reckoned he must've caught her staring at him intensively, because he had immediately made a dash for the backyard.

He was fast. He didn't even seem to be panting, or exerting any of his strength; he just sprinted away from her, and Rin was momentarily stunned there. She was at a complete loss of what to do; the people had all headed inside the mansion and she was the only idiot who'd decided to stay here, all alone, vulnerable and open to all attacks.

Hastily, she followed behind, finding it hard to catch up with him; he dove into the dark wispy shadows and it was difficult to locate him in this darkness. She couldn't see him.

The backyard was large. It was almost as large as her whole house. Still, the field was empty, devoid of anything that resembled a human; there was quite nothing that had a frame of a human's and there was nothing that seemed like a favorable place for him to hide in—crates, buckets, a pond and a few greenery; what could he possibly hide in?

She approached one of the crates with caution, being careful not to make any noise. Her breath was raspy and it came out in irregular gasps; she was afraid.

When she did peek behind the wooden crate, however, she was disappointed to find nobody there.

Where had he gone?

Where could he go?

He was not here!

But she'd saw him proceed this way, didn't he? She did!

She breathed out slowly. She had to calm down; she was too panicky to think rationally. She had to calm herself down and think; where would he have decided to hide in? Where would she hide in, if she were a criminal on the loose? Which place would be the most suitable place for her to hide in? Which place would be the most unsuspecting place, the most probable place for a criminal to hide in?

She closed her eyes, dimming her sense. All this time, she'd been thinking about distinctive objects that he'd hide in… why was she assuming that? What if he had decided to hide in a placed that she'd never be bothered to think of?

"The trees!" She exclaimed, hearing a twig snap into two as she did so.

She looked, and she noticed a dark, shadowy figure jumping down from one of the trees near the fences. She still could not see him from this angle, neither could she make his features out from the way he had carefully hidden his face from view.

She watched helplessly as he made his way away from her. The way he had climbed over the fences was with such grace and flexibility; Rin could not help but be amazed by his skills.

And there, he had gone. He had wandered off to the shadows, free and unnoticed by any of them.

She could not help but let out an annoyed growl in frustration.

She'd let him escape under her nose.

Location: Colonel's office
Date: 12 February 20XX, Thursday
Time: 02 10

Rin stood in the center of the room, feeling uneasy at the tenseness of the atmosphere. Her stomach felt like it was in knots, and her sight was slightly hazed and she felt like she was dreaming, like every single one of the people standing in front of her did not exist in her world. Her mind was constantly thinking about the events that transpired during the operation just now…

It had been a failure.

It had been her failure.

It was her fault. She had the stupidity to let him escape right in front of her very eyes when she could actually have caught up with him and threw him behind bars! Why hadn't she tried to run faster? Perhaps if she did, then things would have changed; they would be rejoicing in this room instead of frowning and she wouldn't be this… this devastated.

And she was supposed to confirm his identity, wasn't she? She was supposed to check! Now, what had she done?

Absolutely nothing!

She felt someone clasp her shoulder, throwing her back to reality.

"Don't blame yourself for it; you did your very best. You didn't mean to let him go," The Colonel said from behind that smile of his, and Rin suspected that it was all a façade to make her feel somewhat better.

She didn't.

"It was all a trap; we all fell for his decoy. You were the only one who managed to notice something amiss… Rin, you—"

She didn't want to stand there, listening to him preaching about how she should feel better about herself, or to listen him give some speech that was meant to boost her morale, because deep down in her heart she knew that it was never going to work.

As much as she thought he was right (the rest of the people did fall for that trap; they'd hurry inside as soon as that auntie had screamed), she could not help but start blaming herself for her failure to safely bring the 'Steel Crown' into justice. She was the one who'd encountered him and he'd escaped while she was standing right there, in front of his very eyes!

This was absurd. She was going to be a laughing stock to everyone.

It just made her feel worse. She didn't feel as heroic as the Colonel made her out to be.

And just to make things worse for Rin, Meiko had to open her accursed mouth; something that Rin thought should be sewn by a seamstress.

"I beg to differ with the Colonel; if you had at least tried to—"

"—Lieutenant!"

"What? I am just speaking the truth—"

"—You're not making things any better!"

Rin clenched her fists until she was sure that her long nails would leave crescent-shaped marks on her smooth palm later on. Her blood was boiling—she was going to explode any second… or rather, she was near to breaking down right now. If she had continued staying here, there were chances of her losing her control over her emotions in front of them and they were the last two people she'd want to show her weakness to.

She did the best thing she could do—she left the room with a sullen look on her face, slamming the door shut brutally.

Meiko stared at Kaito with a confused expression, her eyes hazy with what seemed like doubt. She strode to where Kaito was standing at, and folded her arms across her chest, balancing her weight on one foot while leaning against the walls beside the windows.

"Why? Why were you willing to take that gamble, Colonel? You knew very well that that child was not capable enough to be part of this operation!"

"No," Kaito merely said, his voice barely audible, "But that child… She deserves to be there, Meiko. She needs to be there."

Meiko looked puzzled. "What… what on earth are you talking about?"

"Meiko. Didn't she tell you?"

"Tell… what?"

"That child," He stated bluntly, not moving an inch, "The reason why she'd become part of us. The reason why she'd refused to quit, even after she'd made countless of blunders. Her reason."

"You know something I don't."

"Yes. I do."

Kaito placed his calloused palms on the windowsill, staring at the darkness that enveloped the dark skies outside.

"Meiko... I need to talk to you about that child."

(to be continued)

A/N: Sorry. Introductory chapter again x.x I had to make it clear that Rin had a reason to be tracking down these criminals... Next chapter will be fun (and a break from drama, drama!), I assure you. Well, in any case, a teaser would be nice so here it is:

.

Luckily for her, her clothes were still intact. They had not done anything to her yet… but they were about to do so.

.

.

He wasn't going to let that happen.

.

.

"What are you guys doing to her?"

.

Hah! Good luck, guys. I'm evil and I feed on reviews so I'm having fun teasing you guys here! Now, I'll go back to writing my next little one-shot... (Psst. I became addicted to writing one-shots after I wrote Wordplay. Read that yet? No? Go read it! /shameless selfplug)

Review, please...? With cheese and cherry and chocolate on top of the coconut tree?

Side note: I forgot to mention... I'm going to dedicated a one-shot to a few of my fellow loyal reviewers... I'll contact you guys once it is done and up ;)