NEWS and Action

Yuuki got up and ran towards the door, trying desperately to pry it open but it was super glued shut.

"There's no use in running away now," Doubt called out behind her. "You knew from the start I wasn't a kind man."

Yuuki breathed, "I'm not being part of your murder schemes. Is this your idea of fun - have me name the murderer and you kill them, then I can take the guilt for life. Ridiculous."

Doubt sighed, sitting comfortably on his chair, though his looks were very sullen, "in this world there are many things that are way beyond ridiculous. It takes one to know one. You won't understand my logic if you haven't been through what I have."

"Nothing can justify you being a killer," Yuuki said back, "I'm tired. I-I don't know what I've been thinking. I regret chasing after you for your help." Tears were now falling down Yuuki's cheek, "I'm not a murderer. I'm not part of anything vulgar like that."

There was moments of silence in the room. Yuuki only thinking of one thing - she will not be part of his murders and hurt someone she doesn't know that hasn't done anything to her. Doubt finally tapped a few keys on his keypad and the door clicked, "you can go Yuuki Cross BUT this is the last time I'm going to set you free. I don't allow my preys to escape a third time."

Without another seconds thought, Yuuki dashed out the door, leaving for good. Blank and unable to think straight Yuuki sat silently inside her empty house which felt quite foreign to her at this precise moment without her father's usual nagging. The past hours was lived out like a dream. TWISTED and daunting. Yuuki clutched at the thin shirt that was clinging to her beating heart. She looked up and two images drifted before her weary eyes. The first: her gentle father, the last: DOUBT and his cruel, sinister smile. "Is there really such a twisted man in this world?" Yuuki asked herself, still unable to acknowledge the man she had met within those hours that seemed so wrong. Doubt had nothing but a twisted mind and the reason he didn't kill her was to mentally torment her, trying to trick her into committing crimes with him. He was probably planning to blame everything on her and have her become his scapegoat. What was she doing? Digging up his murdered victim for him… Yuuki rubbed her forehead in frustration.

She opened the TV, not having any intentions to watching it but only wishing the sound it makes can calm her in her deathly silent house. It was the daily news… Yuuki walked over towards the open-kitchen and began to make herself a cup of coffee.

… "a women's corpse has been dug up by the police late this morning by the back of the abandoned warehouse near the gangsters frequent district…"

Yuuki stopped in her motions, stood still and stared at the screen that blazed at her from the TV. Her hand shook at the sight of the recognisable place. The same place where she was this morning, digging up…

… "after some investigation, we have confirmed the identity of the women to be the 45 year old Sharon Cliff, whose husband Aaron Cliff had previously filed a missing person's case to the police a few days ago. Inspector, what else have you got to say about this case?… Judging by the way the corpse looks, she's been dead for five days. Currently we are looking for our prime suspect - Benny Gibbs who is missing."

Yuuki moved closer to the TV, straining to make sure she didn't miss a single word said. Her heart was pounding at the same time.

"…Mr Cliff, have you got anything to say?… Yes. I'm sorry Sharon. If I had talked this through with you and trusted you more, we wouldn't have argued and…you wouldn't have been killed. Please find Benny Gibbs…"

It ended there. Other news flashed from the screen. Yuuki was virtually clutching the side of the TV. She bit her lips and breathed heavily then ran towards the door and back again. She even gave herself a light slap on the face which finally calmed her down. What she had just heard on the news was exactly the same things she read in Doubts office. Even the police suspects Benny Gibbs or… There was one thing that she was certain - Doubt was not the murderer. If he isn't the murderer then digging up the corpse was… "I don't understand him but-"

Yuuki looked at a picture of her and her father set on the table, memories flicking back to her once more;

"Yuuki, you know why I want to be a cop so much?" Kaien asked his daughter.

The 7 year-old Yuuki smiled with a lollipop in her mouth but shook her head. Kaien patted her head, "it's because I can bring justice to those who need it the most and help people. Yuuki - if ever you face a crime, remember to trust your instincts and help the one who you believe deserves it."

"Daddy, crimes are scary - I'm don't want to play with it."

Kaien picked little Yuuki up, "don't be scared of it…"

The door closed shut with a click as the keys turned its lock. Yuuki started up the car, driving out onto the main roads; her mind reviewed all the information she was presented with for the past hours. Doubt, the dead women, her husband and lover. The real culprit who killed Sharon Cliff could only be him… and the evidence was there. Yuuki couldn't believe what she was doing right now. She was back at the warehouse, parked rather away from it, trying to avoid the polices attention. "Kaien, maybe the detective instincts run in the blood. I'm determined to know a few things. One - can I find the evidence here? Two - if my deductions are true of the culprit? Three - if one and two are right then… is Doubt innocent?"

Yuuki sat in her car, observing as the police slowly left the crime scene. If the police didn't look as thoroughly as she did when she took the photos for Doubt then, that thing must be still there. She glanced at her clock, it was 4:50. At 5, she decided to go; waiting for a few more minutes in case anyone came back. The clock ticked and her heart beat. Everything will become clear.

Yuuki crept out her car, closing the door so gently, careful as to not make any noise. Looking around to see that she was properly alone, she snuck under the tapes that surrounded the area and headed for where the corpse was once buried. She stood, thinking and retracing her steps. Yuuki ran towards the place in her mind and started to rummage around the long grasses upon approaching it. "Where is it?"

She was so intense in finding the thing that she did not notice a shadow looming over towards her, closing its distance with hers. A smile breaking across her face as she grabbed the object but she stopped, noticing the light being blocked from behind and spun around; not quick enough to evade the blow that landed on her head. Yuuki dropped to the floor, holding her head. Though dizzy she saw the man before her clearly, "I knew you were the murderer…"

He hissed at her face, holding the wooden stick above his head, ready to strike at Yuuki again, "too bad. I'm taking that thing back myself miss."

He moved, Yuuki holding up her hands trying to protect herself and from the corner of her eye she saw Doubt standing still from behind. Knowing that he saw her, she mouthed "help," to him but he stayed very still. Yuuki felt the wooden stick hit her hand and raised again for another. She was desperate and knew she couldn't protect herself again form another attack with her bruised arms that ached; yet she could only stare at Doubt and ask in her mind… "are you really going to let me die, DOUBT."

[AUTHORS-P.S. Please read my other story: Royal Revenge: .net/s/6475806/1/Royal_Revenge]