Disclaimer: Psycho Pass and Assassin's Creed belong to Ubisoft and Gen Urobuchi's taste for violent deaths…because death by knife means cut half a person's head off in that regard.

This chapter is now focused on how the Assassins do their work in a modern setting. Well to make clear of the timeline this story follows as I have had changes to when things take place, I have decided on these times:

2083: A conference in Switzerland opens for Abstergo Industries' private senior members, numbering in the thousands reveal that a hidden branch in Japan under the guise of a different company name researched into psychology and other scientific breakthroughs, came up with a way to conserve the human brain in memory and personality.

2085: Two years after, Sibyl is launched officially.

2086: Sibyl in seven months suddenly goes rogue, government officials fled while authority died, the remainder surrendering to the Sibyl system. The Templar Order retaliates by cutting off supplies to Japan as it began to close borders, and the organization Hunting was organized by the Order to deal with the problem via infiltration, M approaching the Assassins for help secretly. However, in a sudden decision of votes made in 2095, Templar Grandmasters in Asia revoked the authority of Hunting.

2110: Clemente is captured and thrown into Sibyl controlled Japan.

Hope this timeline helps sort out some of the events that are happening in the fanfiction, though there is something else I want to make clear too: unlike the Assassin's Creed games which have had Abstergo in a state of absolute power from careful planning, I made the Assassins in some countries a little more stronger than scattered teams being picked off one by one, and with Japan being unseated by power…who knows who might rise? Also the enemy will not have so much intelligence or anticipation for events, as that would make an enemy ungodly powerful and like how Naruto botched it with Madara and Kagura it is an event I do not even want to step into.

On with the show.


The people obey, that's all that matters.

I have told myself this for the last two years and even then the words come out bitter in taste, the reminder too plaguing my food and appetite that I have begun to eat less. Much as I reason within myself about what I've done, who I've condemned in Parliament even my own colleagues to this unwitting experiment…but I must remain strong when the other five have fallen, my remaining Templars will continue to keep the peace when Sibyl reaches the skies.

With the media and technology draining our need to socialize to each other save on the screen, we have metaphorically trapped their soul and mind with the Sibyl system making them dull to their senses but then the same order of things being stagnant would not let society move forward. Where there is order, there must be some sort of example that makes them know and understand that the order they have is the only solution to the problems facing them today despite all weaknesses it has.

From here on out, the rest falls to the Eye to watch over what is going on and the other three. May the Father of Understanding guide them and me to his side this day, for the man who comes for me will show no mercy.

-from the diary of K, 2085


Bunker, inside two weeks later

Rai's hidden blade struck the head of another victim, the body falling to the floor before Rai retracted his blade noticing the body let out an electric pulse shortly before the holo disappeared leaving an empty robotic entity with a brain tucked in a small cover of glass over its head the small punctured hole leaking out blood mixed with liquid. Wiping his blade with a cloth, the Master Assassin moved over to a man in a black hooded leather trench jacket clutching his elbow in pain when he moved while Rai noticed the rest of his limb bending at an unnatural angle Rai fighting his grimace. Rai spun around to see an apprentice shooting another soldier which had come up behind him in the back, the wounding blow allowing Rai to plunge his hidden blade in the scalp of his victim slamming the body onto the ground head first as the holo flickered around it and disappeared leaving a mess of oil and metal.

"Damn, apprentice you have new orders, tend to the wounded I'll deal with the last room." Rai ordered a nearby Assassin who nodded going to escort the injured man out of the room as Rai moved out to the main entrance to the vault a single corridor being the bridge towards it. "Damn overseers and their goons, just what the hell did Sibyl do to these men and women?"

Overseers, the robotic mindless drones charged by Sibyl with one duty and one order only: to protect and defend the vaults and various discovered Assassin and Templar hideouts which were the containment of certain plans and technologies as well as artefacts. Unlike intelligent AI or any movie depictions of robots, these men and women were once human, taken during the Blackout and returned wearing a human holo but no skin…guardians with a one-tracked mind. Rai had anticipated their presence when he heard of soldiers being in existence when most of the army was disbanded or disappeared off the map under mysterious circumstances, a casualty of Japan's many disappearing acts where politicians, government agencies could vanish into thin air…sometimes within their own ranks. This alarming presence was disastrous Rai recalled the casualty with his broken arm and a few other apprentices with broken ribs or were knocked out cold, Rai felt relief to have taken out nearly half the garrison before the robots were aware Master Assassin sheathing a tanto knife picking up the gun which had been smacked away during the scuffle, barely paying attention to his cut lip.

"The other teams should have cleared the cameras by now, but I have the holo…good. Time for payday," Rai muttered as he approached the few healthy fighters who gathered at the entrance, two apprentices scaling the arches that led above the main vault door. "Apprentice, how many?"

"Two on either side, three at the entrance…from the looks of the personnel files from the control room only three are human, forming the line in front. Your move Mentor," Rai heard the whistle signaling from above as soon as the scout reported the numbers, the Master Assassin nodding as he walked from his cover against the wall adjusting the soldier's uniform he wore grabbing a rifle checking the magazine. Walking up to the patrol of three, the man held up a hand as he greeted the line of men ahead the quiet shuffle of footsteps muted by his shout to the guards walking confidently up to the group who had relaxed their tense fingers on the trigger as the middle man breathed out in fright when he saw Rai appear out of the dark corridor. "What's up, ladies?"

"Damn it, man can you not just pop out of nowhere and scare us like that!" The man said suppressing the urge for his fingers to leave for his chest, the other two at his side just chuckling in response to the man's surprise the right man knocking his elbow with the middle man's while laughing. "If you're going to be this scared, maybe he could take over for you first and go calm your nerves?"

"That sounds like a good idea, scared kid like this shouldn't bother guarding vaults if you believe there would be attacks from nowhere or from the floor," Rai agreed his words having the intended effect as the two veterans at the side laughed harder the new blood bowing his head in some form of shame before Rai spoke again this time towards the middle guard inclining his head to the corridor. "Why don't you just go back and rest at the barracks if you're that jumpy, I don't want anyone to get incriminated on the job and get arrested…we already got more than enough latent criminals to start a nation-wide museum."

The two veterans laughed, the one on the left going along with the flow while Rai gave a false smile, the man giving a careful glance behind the line where the two men standing at the main doors were grabbed by their necks behind the pillars the boisterous laughter of the men muted out the killing in progress as Rai leaned against the wall letting the younger man pass him his rifle in his hand laying limply at the side before Rai turned around to speak to the young adult sternly. "Get your rest, and hold your rifle properly for goodness sakes we may be guarding doors but we aren't lazy bastards are we?" Rai watched as the young man continued to trudge away, affected by the words being spoken as the Master Assassin watched with a hint of regret before he walked to the line standing tall in the middle while continuing to speak to the two veterans who were stifling their laughter.

"That kid's new or something, I saw him briefly in the barracks."

"Yea, but he was one of the few recruits we've been getting in trickles since Sibyl launched twenty odd years ago…nowadays they hardly need the military anymore save to guard these vaults," a veteran to his right spoke as Rai gave a scratch over his head the gesture making shuffles as he continued to talk gripping the rifle in hand, the one on the left talking to his ear as well. "Since Japan cut itself from the world and became self-sufficient in its own way, the world suddenly blotted us out of their face and ignored us…20 odd years and the governments have done shit to even come here."

"Don't get caught saying that man," the man on the right said as he grimaced at his partner's lack of tact the man looking at Rai in apology. "Things have been good for us now, we have privacy and all that, we just have to follow orders or face rehabilitation…don't go throwing that away man."

"Easy for you to say because you don't have a wife, who hasn't seen your face for years and probably thinks you were dead or missing like how those Parliament members were during the Blackout!" The veteran on the right wanted to say something before Rai cut in, his face turning to stare into the man on the left who shrunk a little at seeing Rai's intimidating presence despite Rai's eyes leveling his own before Rai softened his expression. "Well I wouldn't blame you, why aren't you walking out like the others here?"

The man nervously looked down, his expression torn before he took off his cap his finger still on the trigger as Rai gave a glance at the pillar behind where a crouched figure waited for the order, nodding in Rai's direction which he returned with a sidelong frown listening to the veteran rant. "Because we have no choice, most of us…they just keep telling us to do our own jobs, not to question, not to just get answers like my wife and tell us to keep going like we're machines capable of jobs. Those who can't even handle the stress of being unable to see their children and loved ones, they just incarcerate them like sick animals in need of medication they don't need…you hear rumors of men and women being treated there like common thugs when they're bankers, businessmen, normal street vendors doing their jobs and having some difficulties in life. It's not even right, you know." The man to Rai's right nodded grimly while Rai patted the hand on the soldier's shoulder in reassurance, Rai's eyes flickering to the figure at the pillar with a small nod before he spoke to the soldier.

"You know, that isn't right. Those people shouldn't even stop you from leaving just to see your family."

"Shut up man! Are you trying to get us killed?!" The man on the right spoke worriedly as he gave a sideways glance to the door, the soldier suddenly having a frightened expression as Rai and the other veteran gave a look to the vault door without its two dark clothed sentries Rai looking at the square pillars where the two men were hiding giving a clenched fist to stop while the veteran spoke up his rifle trembling in his arms.

"Where the hell did they go?"

"They're already dead," Rai announced as the two soldiers looked confused, the man taking this chance to whistle in the air as two shadows leapt out of the square pillars from behind the soldiers facing Rai disarming the two of their weapons before Rai stared at the two men held at gunpoint by the two apprentices. "Don't worry about the cameras, the barracks has been taken care of, you were in no danger from the start."

"Who are you, what did you do?" One of the two soldiers asked before a clack of footsteps sounded behind the five, Rai turning around to see a female hooded figure walk into view while holding the young man he had seen earlier in a chokehold the woman shaking the man in her grip. "I found this boy in the rec room not too long ago when you were distracting them he was the only one we spared when we cleared out the rest of the garrison in the bunker. The communications and security have been disabled as well, we have full access to the vault and its contents, but the judgment of this boy is up to you." The woman reported as she released the young adult, the man stepping away as the woman released her grip before coming face to face with Rai who glanced at him while giving a light bow of his head in greeting throwing the cap away. "Guess we meet again but more in person. Let the young boy go and find his family, give him a change of clothes so not to draw attention as well as for the soldiers here."

"Of course," the woman said as the apprentices led the three men out of the vault, Rai leaving them to it as another figure stepped past the exiting group to his side with familiar brown colored hair and a hood at the back of her neck looking at the vault door next to Rai. "Well, there's the vault that you were looking for Rai. You're sure that whatever's in there could help us?"

"Before I escaped the first NANO tower, I took some files which were pinpointing several blueprints hidden from sight to prevent weaknesses being exposed in Sibyl's system in general. This was the only one with more significance than the others, as well as the easiest to reach within our sphere of influence…why I set the Brotherhood up here in the first place," Rai explained to Amaya as he fished out a small strange shaped key the Master Assassin placing it into a small slot and turned before he felt the rumbling of the door open to the vault, Rai entering the small rectangular room with three workbenches. "Here, this is the heart of the vault…this blueprint should be the one I'm looking for."

Reaching the table in the middle Rai snatched the paper from the workbench reading the contents with deep interest while grabbing the set of notes beside it Amaya taking her time to appreciate the other stacks which depicted personal memos and other sort of correspondences, the woman shaking her head at the papers. "It's too bad most of these correspondences aren't going to be useful anymore to anyone, Rai…these are letters stating various political resolutions and plans of trade."

"Blackmail, no doubt. Well the owners are dead, I say burn them…we don't have time to let these letters rot for the air," Rai replied as he kept the plans as Amaya drew a box of matches setting the accumulated pile into a fire pit watching them burn slowly. After a few minutes she put out the fire and joined Rai out of the bunker, the two exiting the now empty building devoid of life aside from them and a few apprentices who then made their way past the vast fields, Amaya turning to see Rai looking at the open night sky. "So what happens now?"

"We just make sense of the blueprint, and I'll think of something with you and the others. But I think we'll have to lay low for a while, our raids on the bunkers and hideouts have attracted some attention."


Unknown location

"Kasei, have they made their move?"

"No there has been no direct attacks or any attracting Sibyl's attention." Kasei spoke with a shake of her head while the shadow folded his arms almost grasping the armrest tightly before the hand retreated. "Don't you have the memories of that person in Sibyl? Can't you just use it?"

"Unfortunately limited data was recovered, only several months were compiled before subject perished and the brain exterminated. If you were expecting a wealth of information I am afraid they only contain few leads." Kasei spoke seriously as the shadow growled clearly making the irritation known to the old woman as Kasei simply pushed up her glasses, "the requirement of Sibyl members are not based off talent but incorruptibility, and said subject had too much to be recognized by Sibyl save for that portion."

"If the original tower had not been blown up by that insufferable Master Assassin back then, we would have had that wealth of information in the first place! All there is to it is to simply keep waiting until they openly show their faces to us."

"Of course, the Public Safety Bureau will always be ready to enforce the law...that is as much promised." Kasei spoke as she turned off the transmission, the older woman leaning back into her chair as she ran some thoughts through her mind before she grabbed the glass of alcohol which sat on the table consuming the drink before she folded her hands over each other her elbows resting on the desk the older woman bringing up a screen which showed a picture of the newest Inspector, Kasei observing the profile with interest.

"Or if we cannot, perhaps someone like her can."


Night time

"…"

The dark bedroom seemed to unsettle Clemente who tossed and turned in his sleep, the man unable to shake the thoughts weighing on his mind as he shut his eyes screwing them tightly before he felt an urge to jump out of the bed, which he fought back as Clemente shuffled through the sheets pulling the covers off his warm head while a cool wind from the open window blew strongly into his room preventing him from sleeping properly. Groaning, the Templar walked towards the window and brought it a little closer to the lock in order to stop more wind from breaking through shuffling towards the bed and lazily wormed his way beneath the cover.

"Great, I feel like trauma." Clemente tried to close his eyes but to no avail, the images too vivid as the Templar did his best to combat his reluctance to sleep resulting in a muffled groan. "Why the hell can't I sleep…didn't I already suffer enough?"

He could still recall when he was still part of Hunting, the memories of seeing it for the first time with their great halls and both Templar and Assassin working together filled his mind, confusion and a small bit of hope as he saw them work. He recalled the hunts, the days and nights when he spent all night watching and waiting, getting a few minutes or four hours in between at best during those times while Templar agents crawled and dragged anyone who was suspected of associating with Hunting though Clemente recalled not all were taken, the Order did their best to find such fanatics. But the screams, and dying and M's speech to the Assassin collaborators before that dark day were the start of a dying dream…one he took active part in, but that wasn't what was troubling him.

He was the final one, the known one who was taken and abandoned when fanatics came for him demanding he surrender and Clemente knowingly taking the fall as the final active member of Hunting to save his fellow moderates from more persecution, his reputation as a Master Templar and being one of Mockingbird's trusted in moderate control serving as the bigger fish out of the lot of frying bodies. And for once Clemente felt unsure of himself, what he was to do now even with the chance to eat at Sibyl and tear it apart at the seams was within the scope of his eye the future with him was now a blank trance, and that kept him awake now. "…"

But Clemente had enough of such thoughts and their guilty provocations it must wait until Sibyl has fallen, at that moment the tiredness that he waited for came up to him like an alluring lullaby and he welcomed the darkness in his vision gladly. He needed to sleep, the future of his life can be decided when he awakes for his mission tomorrow, the young woman's face coming to mind before he closed his eyes…he slept well then.


The next morning

Morning, another day with new issues of his own to handle as today was where he would begin his mission of keeping watch over his new charge, the man stood at the bathroom mirror washing his face after he had spent ten minutes full of taking care of his teeth watching for plague as he took another cup of mouthwash and spat. Wiping his mouth Clemente took a quick shower and immediately threw on some clothes after he was done, looking in the mirror's reflection past the fog on the surface.

"Even casual wear doesn't seem to suit me," Clemente touched his bare leg which had been shaved of hair, the man tracing a few clear red lines across the skin feeling uncomfortable at the appearance of the scars. Feeling too nostalgic, Clemente tore his eyes away and moved out into the kitchen pouring a bowl of cereal and milk for himself while he mulled over what he had been briefed beforehand.

Rai's assignment was simple, follow her when possible to crime scenes and to take care of her should trouble follow her home or during her duty without being seen. It was a description that was easier said than done, when he had asked what would be the best way to approach the mission Rai had simply waved him off saying he could handle planning his own mission…that freedom without a solid plan caused hesitation for Clemente who felt that it was too carefree, but he took the job anyway. Besides, tailing a person in general was an easy task so long as you kept out of sight and prevented twitching or acting like people knew what you were up to both factors strengths due to his friendlier and less intimidating presence…however the details regarding the girl made things less easy than it seems. She, Akane, was one of the newly appointed Inspectors after circumstances opened up a new vocation into the ranks and today was officially when she would begin her work which sprung up a few problems for Clemente who had been specifically assigned to protect her especially with the issue of expenses.

"I would need a taxi, a map of the city, trying not to keep an eye on her all the time to reduce expenditure…" Clemente's thoughts formed in the notepad he was writing on, the words reflecting back to him while he grabbed a cup of water and downed the liquid into his throat the cold water waking his eyes as his vision brightened somewhat, the Templar placing his cup onto the table thinking through the steps before he placed the notepad onto the table giving a glance at the clock on the wall.

"Nearly time…" Clemente counted as he drew on his navy blue waterproof hoodie which stretched to his upper thigh above the knee where his shorts covered half his lower thigh and wore his slip on shoes, checking that he had everything he needed in his pocket before he exited the door and into the hallway in time to see Akane doing the same, the woman taking notice of the Templar's exit before she made her way to him greeting the man just as he turned the lock on his flat. "Morning, Clemente-san!"

"Huh? Oh, Akane-san…morning to you as well, where are you headed off to so early?" Clemente asked in his slightly stumbling Japanese, his charge happily replying while the two made their way down the hallway toward the elevators. "It's nearly noon Clemente-san, it's not that early. I'm going to the city center for my first day since I graduated from the Academy as well as my formal invitation to my posting."

"Is that so, congratulations on your acceptance into the job," Clemente commented to which Akane gave a smile at him in return. "Thanks, so where are you headed off to?" Clemente was about to respond before the ding of the elevator doors sliding open allowing both of them to enter, Clemente pushing the ground floor button before he could turn his focus back to Akane.

"I was heading to the Public Security Bureau for a meeting," Clemente's reply surprised Akane as she let out an 'oh' before she spoke a question mark on her expression while the elevator came to a halt at their destination. "Eh? You're going to the PSB building too? Are you with the agency?"

"Huh, oh no…I am here for a private meeting with someone important there, I am not part of the divisions though it would be my first time visiting the main city hub."

"I see, are you from the countryside?" Akane guessed as Clemente nodded going along with the constructed lie that was forming from Akane's guess, the two making their way to the nearby train station once they had exited the small lobby of the apartments. "Yes, in fact I am approaching the PSB on behalf of one of my friends, he believes an old friend of his is there and he wished to pass on a message. I was coming to the city for a while, and he decided to contact me for the message. However, I am unsure as to whether I can even speak with the contact in the first place and I've barely managed to explore this city fully," Clemente said in lament as he looked at the towering buildings through the shade of the roof revealing his curiosity and fascination with the presence of the crowd pushing and squirming into bodies while they both hung at the barriers blocking the tracks.

"You can come with me, I am starting work there maybe I could talk to him for you." Akane suggested as Clemente weighed the options in his head, the man nodding a second later as he tried to form the words into Japanese. "That would be wonderful if you can do so for me, I am not too comfortable near authority and the city's rather intimidating." The two young adults fell silent before the train arrived joining the crowd which swarmed the vehicle, the two of them finding a corner by the train doors to stow away on while the train doors closed and the train moved away leaving the station behind to enter the concentrated mass of buildings before Akane opened her mouth. "You could come with me, for lunch sometime if you are staying around the city for a while. I could show you around the city center so you won't get lost and some of the shops in case you need anything."

"I would like that very much, it's rare to find such manners and gestures of goodwill nowadays especially from a kind woman like yourself," Clemente politely complimented the woman who felt a little blush by the comment as she tried to downplay her action. "I was just happy to help, that's all."

"Don't say that, it'll be a disgrace to such a compliment." Clemente teased lightly as she found no response to his statement turning around to face the corner, allowing Clemente space to observe her movements with subtle glances in her direction while his mind began a bit of profiling the basic knowledge he knew about her Akane staring out at the various windows and streets littered with traffic in silence unknowing of Clemente's stare at her back.

She's kind, that's for sure…polite even to the point of going out of her way to arrange a trip to guide me around and lunch. I need to make note I'll be paying, can't have her steal the entire kindness can I? Additionally she seems a little nervous, perhaps feeling excitement at the same time would be a cause…I can't say much. She in all honesty has this feeling that she would make a better Templar than others, Clemente reasoned within himself as he was about to grab her attention however the corner of his right eye caught someone walking towards them through the crowd. Clemente used his small window of vision to spy a man eyeing Akane from a distance, the foreigner noting the light cloudiness in his brown eyes like a haze which alerted Clemente to the intruding presence before he looked down to see a hand reaching out towards Akane's thigh. Moving towards her in a non-threatening manner to the man, Clemente gently used his hand to turn Akane who was confused to her left placing his thigh to brush the man's hand aside hearing a sharp curse from the corner of his right ear as he avoided eye contact focusing instead on Akane. "I wanted to ask you how long does it usually take for a train to get to the city center?"

"Oh, that is…around twenty minutes or so," Akane asked unsure of why he would ask such a question as the man nodded his quick wit coming up with an excuse for his question releasing his arm from her shoulder. "I'm just a bit particular with how fast I can get to places, that's all. I know it sounds ridiculous being from the countryside and all…"

"Oh no, no I wasn't going to say something like that or accuse you in any way at all!" Akane protested putting her hands in an 'X' in front of her chest her eyes closed causing a snort from Clemente who tilted his head to the side as he genuinely chuckled at her gesture. "Are you serious? You thought I was guilt-tripping you about me being some country boy unable to handle the big city? Don't worry, I wasn't implying something like that." Seeing Akane breathe out of relief the young Inspector realized that Clemente was just joking as she turned her head to the side.

"Well that was mean of you."

"Sorry, I tend to laugh at such stereotypes, forgive me for insulting your humility Akane-san."

"Repeat! Approaching city district, attention all passengers…approaching Central Station, please wait until the doors are open and exit in a timely and polite manner." The announcer on the train's speakers stated as the train grinded to a halt, the two exiting the train while Clemente noticed that the wannabe assaulter had retreated away no doubt in a bit of a panic as the man giving a single angry glare at the deviant in question letting him know his displeasure as he saw the man visibly shrink back from his intimidating stare. Shrugging after a moment, the man joined Akane walking out into the main hub of the city where a spiraling tower stood tall in the center of a large open field with roads stretching out in all eight directions as far as Clemente could see while Akane gestured to the large structure. "There it is: the NONA tower in the hub of the city…the official building belonging to the Public Safety Bureau, the only law enforcement there is since the military died out."

"I have never seen such a place like this before, this is rather unexpected." Clemente commented as Akane crossed the street with a crowd of men and women in formal attire heading for the same destination while Clemente tried to avoid body contact with the others while Akane melded normally with the crowd to the point Clemente had to see her head in order to gauge where her location was, the man avoiding another elbow as he reached the glass doors of the building trying his best to not get slammed by the entrance which was opening and closing in his face, the man slipping past the angle of the door's swing narrowly missing being hit while Akane had smoothly guided herself in with no trouble her head turned to Clemente who was dodging and avoiding his way through earning a chuckle from the young woman at his antics, Clemente reaching her side patting his hoodie before looking at her face. "What?"

"You looked rather silly doing all that to get past a door," she said as Clemente sheepishly scratched his head before giving a bow in response smiling as he did so with charm. "Your praise of my performance raises my spirits and my gratitude." Akane couldn't help but give a bit of laughter at his reaction to her teasing, the two making their way to the enquire desk to speak to the receptionist about Akane's own reporting for work.

"Huh? Inspector Ginoza, he just left for the Abolition block earlier due to an emergency case requiring his attention, though before he left he told me to pass a message for you from him, I will send it to you now." The woman behind the desk spoke with a finger on her lips, Akane giving a groan as she checked the watch through the electronic device on her wrist reading the message soon after getting another groan escaping her mouth. "That's a one and a half hour or more ride there."

"Is there any other way to travel?"

"No, the train is the only option but it arrives usually in between 45 minute intervals, and a taxi is too slow to move through this traffic." Akane replied as she scratched her head at the sudden turn of events, the long tail of hair across her chest flipping over her back before she looked back at the receptionist her mind made up. "Can you contact Inspector Ginoza and tell him I will be right there?" The receptionist nodding as she picked up a communication line from her device calling a designated number before she turned and ran for the entrance as Clemente watched her leave through the glass hearing the receptionist exchange a few words with the person called Ginoza, the man only turning back when he heard the woman address him from behind. "And what did you need, sir?"

Clemente had a thoughtful look on his face for a moment before he eventually replied after some silent deliberation, "Do you know where the abolition district would be by any chance and how to get there?"


Near the crime scene, nearly 2 hours later

"Why did it have to rain now?" Akane asked herself as she ran through the crowd gently pushing them aside to the front of the police line panting with her hands on her knees and her back bowed forward, her hand reaching into her shirt fetching a slick black rectangular item unfolding it in front of two holos acting as the security line revealing her picture and official registration before the bot ushered her inside. The woman shook and trembled under the pouring rain, her clothes as she headed for a small tent lying in wait outside of a small alleyway which was cornered off by more holo bots calmly telling the crowd to stay back, inside the small structure stood a tall lean man in a formal suit watching his wrist as she called out to the occupant. "Excuse me, are you Inspector Ginoza?"

"Ah, that is me. And you are?" Akane gave a salute to the man who turned to face her lowering his hand where a watch resided, dark hair with a long fringe covering a part of his face at his nose while a pair of spectacles flashed under the light. "Akane Tsunemori I am the new Inspector."

"I see, well then let me be brief. I must apologize in advance that I had to call you out here, especially since I was supposed to guide you for your duties…but we had a situation and I was called in first." Ginoza said as he brought up a screen transferring some data to Akane's own electronic device as she heard a beep, the woman bringing up a picture of a man and some details in his profile. Ginoza allowed her to read most of the basic details for a few brief seconds before he continued, the man bringing up more data files while he briefed Akane about the emergency. "The man you see is called Nobuo Okura and he has taken a woman hostage in the building nearby…"

Meanwhile with Clemente, Abolition District

"Please sir, you need to stay back from the crime scene."

"I understood that," Clemente said without any hint of irritation or anger giving a light nod of his head as he moved away from the bot before he entered a nearby alleyway, the man looking around before he reached for his waterproof jacket unzipping it and removing it from his shoulders letting the sleeves sticks to his arms revealing a crimson colored half and re-wearing the fabric. Reaching for both sides of the waterproof hoodie, the man unstuck two bulky lumps from their clasps landing on the outside of his jacket revealing two leather holsters attached to them carrying his pistol and a small grappling launcher while pulling some gloves on his hands. Looking down at his changed outfit, Clemente could only smile in appreciation at the work done by the Assassins before he grabbed the grappling launcher from his left pocket pulling up the black hood over his head shrouding his face aiming the grapple at the nearest roof.

"Mission time is now." Pulling the trigger Clemente watched as it grabbed the ledge pulling him up with it before he planted his hands onto the wall atop the roof and used his feet to swing over the ledge, hearing the grapple detach from the ledge allowing him to move over the obstacle landing on his feet as he watched the lights of the district flicker while flashing lights were found two blocks away, his eyes looking at the left where a sub level was located with stairs leading downwards a gloved hand waving in front of him.

"Now where are you…" Clemente muttered as he closed his eyes, focusing for a mere moment before he felt a pulse echo through the darkness flaring up as he opened them to see a golden light in the distance alongside a blue one walking down an alleyway head of his position, Clemente smiling briefly as he went to the edge of the building and climbed down landing onto the top of a trash dump before he walked alongside the alley keeping hidden in the shadows. As he moved into the left, a movement from the right caught his eye as he quickly cloaked himself in the deeper parts of the shadow catching the sight of a familiar young woman wearing a blue jacket over her formal clothes holding a large pistol in hand almost similar to his own but different in design and shape, Clemente watching her as she spun around aiming at a sleeping figure before she relaxed her grip running in the opposite direction.

"Found you." He said as he followed, his eyes focused on the golden lit track.

With Akane

"I heard you were the top student right out of the training academy." Akane turned her head to see the older man, her assigned partner eyeing her out the corner of his eye the woman feeling a little nervous as she gripped the weapon she held in between her hands replying with a bit of a stutter. "Y-yes…"

"I'll give you a friendly piece of advice when you are on this particular job, all those theories and academic skills they taught you are mostly rather impractical in the field…out here is where the realities lie. Nowadays we live in such a society where the people aren't even able to think or say what they want, machines just making them all transparent." The old man sighing as he walked on down the alley into another area his head cocked back to see the new recruit.

"Don't you agree, Miss? That we have no room to think or decide what we want, our dreams for the future or even a wish that we can work towards…isn't this society such a tragedy than it used to be?" Akane looked to the old man who wore the brown trench coat beside her with mixed emotions keeping silent for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak her mind to him. "Masoaka-san, I think that you're-" The two heard a click on their communication lines before she could reply, Akane saving her thoughts and words for later as she listened into the conversation.

"Kagari here, I found the target in the fourth floor of the KT building…how do I proceed?"

"Hmm, keep watch for the moment," Ginoza suggested while the man called Kagari gave a quiet chuckle at that holding an energy-type pistol in his hands, the man listening to the cries of the woman near him as he stared at the back of the target straddling his female hostage while screams of terror filled his ears prickling Kagari to speak with a bit of pressure. "Uh, not to be rude but from where I'm standing, this would be too much for the hostage to handle…might risk case Hazard."

"…In this case, fire."

"Got it," Kagari spoke as he brought the Dominator upwards kneeling while he saw the light glow blue on his gun. "You've been a bad boy, time to sit down."

Squeezing the trigger, Kagari watched as the man shook from the shot of the non-lethal Paralyzer, the man's screams bringing a satisfied smile to the orange-haired man watching the scene unfold before something unexpected happened which made Kagari pause, gritting his teeth as he fired another shot just as the man stumbled to his feet tapping into communications. "Damn."

"I heard two shots, what's going on?!" Ginoza's voice was heard coming up to his right as Kagari clenched his grip turning to address the Inspector and Kunizuki who had just come into view, the two unsure of what was going on as Kagari looked at the criminal grabbing his hostage in front of him holding a knife to the woman's throat while staring at the three figures at the doorway, fueling his paranoia. "Inspector, he's hyped up on some sort of medication or stimulant, I can't stun him with the Dominator."

"Shit! Stay away from me!"

"Target's mental parameters have changed, switching modes from Non-Lethal Paralyzer to Lethal Destroyer. Engage enforcement on the target."

Seeing the weapon in Kagari's hands beginning to transform and mobilize a greater degree of energy, the newly recognized criminal screamed in terror as he jumped with force against the window plummeting over the edge as Kagari reacted first running towards the window as he watched the criminal land onto a container before he got up swinging the hostage over his shoulder and running for it on foot, Kagari reporting to the rest of the team. "He's on the run at the second floor!"

With Clemente

"A red track, here?" Clemente rose a brow as he scaled over the railing onto a new floor eyeing the clear line in the concrete, the tapper in his earpiece picking up the transmissions while he traced the point towards the stairs Clemente springing into a sprint past the elevator aiming for hiding in the darkness below as he looked behind his eyes catching the red outline moving in his direction, Clemente managing to keep out of sight as he jumped over the railing and sprinted to some pipes nearby using them as cover watching as the criminal stopped Clemente seeing a woman in sleepwear hanging over his shoulder while he started ranting at two figures who had approached him the man shaking his head wildly while Clemente snuck over the pipes towards the stairs seeing the man's aura as red.

"So he's the one, an aggressor? He has a hostage, no light on her…this means he's the target."

Pulling out his pistol, the man slotted a small dart into the lower chamber raising the weapon up while bringing it to bear on the aggressor who was yelling and waving his knife at the woman over his shoulder bringing her in front of him like a human shield shouting at his pursuers. Clemente was about to take a risk with the man's back bared for a shot before he watched the aggressor suddenly releasing a hold on his prisoner letting her slump to the ground away from his reach, Clemente felt his hairs stand in alarm when the man bent down picking up something from the ground. Narrowing his eyes and taking no chances, Clemente took aim…and fired straight into the man's back.

At the same time

"Fuck you, don't move or I'll…I'll!" The man raved as he looked at Akane and Masoaka who had cornered him with their guns out, the man's insanity skyrocketing as he waved his only weapon at them before a moment of clarity made him bring the woman back in front of him shielding himself from any shots fired from the Dominators as the woman's terrified expression with the knife tip nearly digging into her skin caused her to shiver and nearly pissed herself from the threat of dying. "Drop your fucking guns!"

Akane looked to Masoaka who gave her a glance before he placed down his gun and kicked it away holding his arms up while he looked at Akane giving her a glance to do the same which the woman did reluctantly while the hostage was stifling her screams her body too badly beaten to do anything while the man dropped his knife laughing hysterically as he grabbed the gun and rose up pointing it at them while a maddened gleam greeted their eyes. "Die, Die you fucking-gah!"

"What?" Masoaka's face showed confusion which Akane took was not part of the plan before she looked at Okura who suddenly dropped the gun, his body trembling as his head sank staring at the ground for a moment before a hand grasped his throat the sounds of choking being heard scaring Akane as she watched Okura fall to his knees tearing at his hair while raving hysterically in all directions his head craning and twisting. "AAAaagrkk, grrkkk….gah ha hahahaha, Ahahahahaha, Grruurrggoo…"

"What the hell is happening to him?" Masoaka shouted as the man clutched at his throat his hand slamming an open palm down onto the concrete floor while he choked and sputtered on the invisible force tightening at his throat as his skin became visibly light blue, Okura's spasms being the center of attention as a man with spiky short black hair with his Dominator watched in confusion as Okura fell to his knees gasping for air. Meanwhile all were unaware of the man who slipped away from the scene into the maze of gas and oil drums and tanks, Clemente not turning back at the scene as he slipped the gun into his holster keeping a safe distance to watch the entire drama unfold taking in the scene with a stoic expression.

"Liquid hydrogen cyanide taken by the human body at 3500mg, carrying death in one minute and causes respiratory issues before killing the victim outright Used commonly as a gas chamber's main instrument of death, and an auto skin contact syringe dart to administer." Watching as the criminal slowly slipped away from life, Clemente tugged his hood further over his head before he bowed his head in prayer. "Rest in peace, and be judged justly for your deeds in heaven. Amen."

Masoaka's surprise was literally written all over his face as he walked over to the man grabbing the fallen Dominator by the side while the female hostage was quivering in absolute terror at seeing the corpse of Okura in a bluish tint, her mouth releasing the screams that had built up inside her throat into a raw animalistic cry. Akane barely managed to move her legs to grab her weapon moving to the woman's side as the man with spiky short black hair walked out from his hiding place keeping the gun holstered while Masoaka checked the body. "Calm down, we're part of the Public Safety. We're here to help you."

"St-Stay away from me…" the woman said as she fearfully crawled back a little, Masoaka reading for a pulse to find nothing as he noted the small projectile in his back plucking it from the man's back observing what he had collected with a look of recognition at the object in his hand. "This is…a hospital issued auto-syringe."

"Does that mean anything to you?" The man beside him spoke softly while watching Akane calming the hostage with her Dominator holstered as the elderly man pocketed the evidence, his expression grim as he put a hand under his chin in thought before he shook his head. "It can be investigated, clearly someone wanted Okura dead but perhaps this was because he was crazed and had a hostage?"

"Who knows, we have a different problem now." The spiky haired man pointed to the hostage holding up his Dominator as he looked at Masoaka who scanned her as well, his eyes widened a little before it closed for a moment the man silently walking towards the scared woman holding his Dominator up at her face, the woman letting out a scream while Akane turned around to see the man hold up his weapon stunned by the sudden turn of events. "What are you doing, Masoaka-san!"

"Check her Psycho Pass with your Dominator now, and you'll see what I mean." He said as Akane did so, the woman shocked to see the damning numerals in front of her as Masoaka's Dominator activated the non-lethal paralysis at the woman's body his hardened expression hiding any emotion behind his face. "Sorry, Miss Akane, but I must do what is to be done-"

"No, don't do it! She hasn't done anything wrong at all, she's the victim!" Akane yelled as she grabbed the waist of Masoaka who tried to shake her off, the woman continuing to grip the man's legs stopping him from moving while the woman tried to move away, falling down the stairs as a result of her efforts adding more bruises as Akane continued to yell. "She's the victim, please! You can't do this to an innocent, it isn't fair that she didn't choose to become like this…she isn't a criminal, she's confused and afraid!"

"If you're done crying about it, Inspector I have a job to do." The man beside Masoaka spoke as he descended down the stair arming his Dominator while the woman scrambling past a bunch of oil jerry cans in fear attempting to stand before her bruises caused her to drag a bunch of them to the ground, one particular can's cap managed to break loose spilling the flammable liquid in a pool around the hostage as she cried the pain of her wounds forcing her to waddle in fear as the spiky-haired man appeared in front of her. Unknown to them was Clemente who had taken a position behind the hostage a considerable distance away aiming his gun at the Enforcer just as he saw the woman bring out a lighter.

"Damn Enforcer, he's going to get her killed."

"Enough, Kogami-san." A female voice rang out as Clemente lowered the weapon stashing it inside the holster as he waited patiently while Akane confronted Kogami with her Dominator. "Enough Kogami-san the mission is done the criminal is dead already, don't even think of doing it."

Status change for mental parameters, threat level has increased from non-lethal to dangerous. Destroyer activated.

"Orders are clear as day. Sorry young lady but this woman has to go," Kogami said as he prepared to fire only to instead feel his body lose its feeling, the sudden burning of his nerves being shot overcoming his senses as he clutched the side where Akane had reacted to his action, the female Inspector shooting the man with the Dominator watching Kogami vibrate and thrash slightly before he fell to the floor knocked out cold by the paralyzer, Akane falling to her knees as she turned to address the panicked victim who still held the lighter. "That's enough, it's over…you can just put that away, or this gun will kill you. Please, don't let this be the end for you. Choose to live." Akane's pleads seemed to have its intended effect as the woman entered a state of clarity from the chaotic feelings engulfing her as she slowly flicked off the lighter and dropped it onto the floor in the puddle of oil giving a smile at Akane who returned it. Clemente sighed as he smiled feeling a measure of happiness that she at least prevented the woman from going off the edge the man getting up as he prepared to leave.

*Zap* His footsteps suddenly died as he heard a thump behind him, the Templar spinning around to see the woman unconscious on the floor while three figures stood atop a nearby container, the Templar figuring it was a good time to leave as soon as he could, but not before he heard one of the figures atop the container yell at Akane with a controlled commanding tone.

"Inspector Akane, I expect your report tomorrow on the incident and your decisions. In the meantime you are dismissed for the day, we'll discuss your duties at a later date." Seeing Akane bow her head in shame, Clemente observed her with a small smile on his face.

"Looks like you're more human than the common man."

End

Author's notes: This was a rather long chapter, my eyes are blurry and I need to sleep. This isn't much of a AN or question time. Sorry guys, until next time.

VI