Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.

Warning: Dark theme and OOC-ness. This fic also contains hints of bendable morals which might not be comfortable for some people.

Chapter 7

To be honest, the first thought that came to Tsuna when he got his hands on the crowbar was to use it to hit the man. His panic-induced state led him to think that it was probably better if he knocked the man unconscious to avoid the possibility that the man might have a weapon on him. He had no plans to die on his first ever on-site investigation with Alaude. He did not want to be labelled as being incompetent when his competency was already brought into question during that meeting with Colonello.

It was fortunate that Tsuna had the kind of instinct that overpowered his thoughts that he changed his priority from saving himself to subduing the male which he was sure what Alaude was aiming for.

The man managed to not fall flat on his face. He had pushed out his hands in front of him at the last minute. Tsuna flinched at the sound of his bone cracking, silently hoping that he just broke a wrist or dislocated his shoulder, whichever was less of a loss of an enjoyment for the man.

Tsuna was already up and had a foot out of the doorway when the man was pulled up onto his knees, hissing in anger as Alaude cuffed his wrists together. He stared at the silver hair, at the fire blazing in those green eyes as the man stared hatefully at him.

He recognized him but did not say anything. His thoughts went flat at the sight of the rude guy from the library. He was never the superstitious type but at this moment, he wondered if a string of fate was pulled when he decided to address the man in that library.

Alaude nudged the man up which he grumpily obeyed. The guy's eyes never left him once, his expression as wild as an unfriendly cat. "What the hell?" He spatted. "What the hell are you guys arresting me for?!" he demanded.

Alaude was the one who answered. "We are going to bring you to the station for questioning." At the start of another protest, he reluctantly explained. "We have reasons to suspect you for the body found in Namimori Playground."

Tsuna ignored the one-sided verbal argument that ensued between them as the man sputtered out questions over the validity of his arrest, suddenly aware of the weapon in his hand.

The crowbar looked old but it was obvious that it was well taken care of. There was no evidence of rust on its surface. Tsuna was no expert in tools but he would be stupid to think that it was placed here in the building as an ornament or a contigent. Tools, after all, were usually kept for its uses. Usually, he noted, but the truth of his current location in the middle of the forest was enough to make him push all those other possibilities aside.

He wondered if there was more from where this came from.

What he found back in the room made his heart thrummed with excitement. "There are things scattered here," he announced softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

He felt a presence behind him. He then heard a soft thud. He turned to look at his superior, eyes glancing momentarily and the figure slumping against the wall.

The space between his brows contracted, wary. "Is it okay that you knocked him unconscious?"

Alaude did not shrug but from his tone alone, Tsuna could tell that he could care less. "He tried to obstruct justice." He moved to inspect the weapon closest to him.

"It looks like...he's trying to prepare for a zombie apocalypse or something," Tsuna said, trying to use humor to make light of the situation.

Alaude did not even so much as blink at what he was saying. Tsuna could feel that the atmosphere suddenly got even more tense. Of course Alaude would not appreciate him trying to lighten up the situation.

Tsuna tried not to let it get to him and instead went to the katana set to lean against the wall. He was about to touch the sharp edge of its blade when Alaude grabbed on his wrist. Surprised, he looked at the blonde barely processing the satellite phone in his other hand.

"Don't. We need to leave it as untouched as possible before the forensic team gets here." He let go of Tsuna's hand.

"Is it necessary for them to be deployed?" Tsuna asked, more curious than questioning Alaude's decision. "I mean we suspect this place and all but there's no obvious evidence yet."

"This is evidence enough." Alaude told him. "Have you forgotten what kind of case we're dealing with right now, little animal?"

Tsuna eyed the katana and machete that Alaude was looking at earlier. "You suspect that these were used to cut the meat off the body," his eyes glazed. "I guess you have a point. In some culture, machetes are used as meat cleavers as a part of the house kitchen utensil and the katana's blade is smooth enough to make a perfect cut." Tsuna thought about it. "But Sugihara Miwa's stature is quite small."

Alaude's eyes flashed. "Why do you say that?"

"Because," Tsuna said carefully, "That means that if any weapons here are actually used, my bet is on the katana. Katana is originally designed to cut through enemies. The same goes for the machete but the jagged edge makes it seem like an unlikely possibility but a possibility nevertheless. Cleavers are often used to cut tough meats. Considering her size, a machete will break her bones and yet they still remain smooth and in tact."

"You studied about weapons," Alaude pointed out bluntly. "What for?"

"Some books get overly detailed about how murderers kill their victim and I can't help but be curious sometimes. I want to have a clear vision of how it is done."

Alaude nodded in approval but said nothing more.

Tsuna did not realize that he was holding his breath until Alaude averted his gaze to make the call.

It was about fifteen minutes later that the forensic team arrived. Tsuna kept himself to the side as Alaude instructed the team to pick up the silver-haired man to be brought to the station immediately.

They also found out that there was a more easy way to get to the building; a more muddy but more used path leading to and from the graveyard, hidden just between the trees. The trees on that side of the forest had a marking of an arrow on them carved deep enough to make it visible but light enough for someone to be within a metre distance from it to be able to see it.

The discovery of these two paths confirmed how the criminal transferred from the corpse from Namimori Park to Namimori Playground.

"So let me confirm again," Lampo started, staring straight at the teenager in front of him. "You're here," he said slowly, simultaneously trying to make sense of things, "To bail out your friend who the patrol found in the car that was reported stolen just hours ago." He eyed the red head watching him like a hawk from the hallway near the offices.

"Yes," she answered honestly. "I don't think she stole the car," she defended. "It's her college boyfriend's and I'm sure he lent it to her."

"Thank you for that bit of information. Now we can assume that the boyfriend potentially stole the car and gave it to her to use. Not only that but this friend of yours was found to be driving under influence. So we cannot entertain you right now." Lampo said, instantly dismissing her in that very sentence.

"That's not right!" The girl argued. "I'm sure that this is a mistake. She could be a victim in this. She's not that kind of girl."

"Every one isn't really as they are," Lampo replied lazily. "Now, we'll have to question her more about the stolen car. Please understand that it is only her who knows about the whereabout of this boyfriend of hers." He immediately stood up when he saw a handcuffed young man being led into the station. From the corner of his eyes, he saw G went towards the officer who brought the guy in. Lampo eyed the girl. "I suggest for you to go home for now and come back again tomorrow, Miss."

It was about two hours after the silver haired man was brought to the station that Alaude finally arrived. The detective did not even bother greeting G who was standing behind the tinted glass intently watching the silver haired man who was glaring at the table in front of him. He heard the door click shut and immediately the man glared at Alaude who looked as impassive as ever.

"We seem to have a rebel in our hands here," Giotto commented, suddenly appearing beside G.

G did not give him any reply but instead asked, "Where did you bring the girl?"

"Someone from your team brought her to the holding cell," Giotto replied.

"I was hoping that Alaude will stop using the members of my team now that he has his own slave to command to his wishes," G said drily.

"Right, you have yet to see Tsunayoshi," Giotto noted. "Such a shame that you missed him again. Alaude really likes the kid."

"Sounds like the brat pulled out the short straw," G commented drily.

They would have continued their conversation until Alaude's voice was heard from the speaker.

"Name," he demanded curtly.

Giotto and G's attention was immediately caught. The questionings were starting.

"Why the hell would I give my name to you? Asshole." The brat had guts to be talking like that to someone as intimidating as Alaude.

"Name," Alaude demanded again. An edge that was not there before appeared in his voice. "Give me your name if you want this to proceed smoothly."

The man glare hardened. "If you want this to proceed smoothly, you mean?"

Alaude's brow twitched in annoyance. "I made no mistake in my wording. Name."

"Gokudera Hayato," the silver-haired male gritted out.

"Good," Alaude commented, causing the man to bristle at being complimented like a dog.

G saw Giotto shaking his head in pity at the boy. After years of working with Alaude, they both knew what it meant for Alaude to bring someone to this room. Alaude was a very peculiar man, only willing to heartlessly pursue people who he really suspected to be related to the case. The man's techniques knew no bounds whenever he set his target on someone. Anyone questioned outside this room could consider themselves lucky.

"Gokudera Hayato. I will repeat what you already know for formality purposes," Alaude started, his tone bored. The first few times Alaude did a questioning without stating his reasoning, he almost got into trouble for causing distress to the suspect. Alaude was a man who could care less about his reputation going down the drain as long as he did his job excellently. He did not know exactly what Giotto did but after that one time when they were almost filed a lawsuit by one unfortunate innocent suspect, Alaude suddenly followed the questioning procedure. "You are currently a suspect of our ongoing investigation regarding the death of Sugihara Miwa. The victim was found buried in Namimori Playground just last week and we have reasons to believe that the body is moved from Namimori Park to Namimori Playground. Since there is no other route in which the criminal would remain inconspicuous throughout the event, finding you there in the middle of the possible route, you are our only prime suspect."

Gokudera growled. "That damn cannibalism case? Do I look like I eat human meat for fun to you?" He pointed down at his skinny figure. G mentally nodded in agreement but Alaude was not swayed.

"That's what I want you to tell me. Your lack of documentations," Alaude threw a thin file towards Gokudera, "Led me to conclude that you are not registered here in Namimori. You came here from Italy years ago with your guardian, a man by the name of Shamal." Gokudera's glare suddenly dissipated into a careful mask as soon as his surprise at Alaude's discovery settled in, the only indication of his initial anger was his deep intake of breath. Alaude's icy stare sharpened. "That fact aside, you own tools that can be used as weapons. It is only a matter of time until the forensic team get back to me about them. Tell me about the katana."

A flash of something appeared in Gokudera's green eyes.

Alaude's lips twitched. At the way the suspect was slowly losing colours, G could already imagine the sadistic gleam in Alaude's stare right now.

"This is weird," G commented in a low voice. "Is Alaude getting soft? He's not threatening to cut his fingers off yet."

Giotto chuckled softly.

"You don't own the katana. You don't have the basic requirements for it," Alaude pointed out. "You simply don't exist in the town. That's why you went for a job that requires no such documentations."

"Are you threatening to report me?" Gokudera asked in disbelief.

"I'll consider not to if you tell me about the katana."

"I don't know anything about it," Gokudera hissed.

"That katana is yours."

"It isn't mine," Gokudera retorted harshly. "I found it."

"So you stole it."

The suggestion in that word alone threw Gokudera into a panic so he shouted in reply. "Fucking hell? Stop twisting my words."

"Tell me then."

"I found it. I fucking found it lying in the forest." He turned his head downwards and G suddenly realized how much he was trembling. "Fuck. I shouldn't have picked it up."

"Why did you not report it if it's not yours?"

He glared at Alaude again. "What if I did?" The hateful look in his eyes did not lessen. "What if I went and reported the katana? Wouldn't you lock me up the same?"

"You'll be needed to give details," Alaude answered. "Perhaps, there's a detail that you don't want to share."

"I've told you. There's no way I did it."

"I want to know about the katana," Alaude insisted.

"I've fucking told you all I know, damn it!"

"You're telling me all that you're sure of, not including all that you're thinking about it." The man stopped stared wide eyed at Alaude. "There's something you're not telling and you'll do so soon."

G was brought out of his concentration when he heard Giotto muttered Daemon's name into his phone. He saw the instruction in Giotto's eyes so he tapped on the tinted window.

"I suggest you put the questioning on hold until we get a more concrete information," Giotto told Alaude who was glowering at him for interupting his work. "What you're doing now is accusing the poor kid. I've confirmed with Daemon that there's no clear basis on your suspicions other than the fact that the kid is living there in the abandoned building. As far as I'm concerned, it's okay for him to live there as long as he's not doing anything wrong."

"He lives there. That should be reason enough."

Giotto exhaled, frustrated. "We've talked about this, Alaude. Just because he was there when you were there doesn't mean he could be the culprit. Was he even there at the time of the crime?"

Alaude's expression said that he intended to get that information out so Giotto continued. "Alaude. We don't have the time of when it happened. What we have is speculations at best."

G stared at him flatly. "Is there a reason why you're rushing to get it out from him, Alaude? Giotto told me that you were supposed to just go to see Sugihara Mugi."

"Ahh. Why don't we start with that? My hunch is telling me that whatever it is with you right now has something to do with that."

Alaude growled. "I have no time to waste."

"So do we," Giotto retorted. "If this ever got out to headquarters, they'll have us forquestioning. Especially if words get out that we're detaining an innocent person for questioning."

Alaude glared once more before he reluctantly let his tongue loose. "Sugihara Mugi existed. The building existed too."

"Is that what makes you act this way?" G asked angrily. "Because your theory was fucking crushed just like that?"

Giotto stopped G before an argument broke out between the two. "Alaude," Giotto warned at the seething gaze. "What is it?"

Alaude turned his attention fully on Giotto.

Giotto understood the silent message. A sigh of disappointment escaped him. "Alright then. I trust you, Alaude, and I trust whatever direction you're taking the investigation to is for a certain aim but I would like it that you'll let the lad go for now." At the protest he saw building on Alaude's mouth, he continued. "I also understand that he hasn't proven himself innocent due to whatever your mind is conjuring right now. I also understand that he doesn't have a permanent address or any other details that can help us find him if we find a more incriminating evidence. Therefore, I'll let you lock him up in the holding cell. Then," he stressed, "After you let the kid rest a bit and calm his mind, you can go and continue your investigation." He averted his attention to G. "We can let the girl go if she already give us a name."

G nodded. "I'll make sure of it later."

"What girl?" Alaude demanded.

Giotto looked solemnly at him. "You already had your hands full with all these murder cases so I give some of the simple cases to G and Lampo to handle since they pretty much have nothing to do right now."

Alaude said nothing but his lack of argument did not put Giotto at ease. Instead, it unsettled him. Alaude was distracted and Alaude was never distracted.

Alaude demanded that Tsuna was not to return to the station. He dismissed Tsuna telling him that he was to go to the town council to collect his first salary but Tsuna knew that this was to avoid Giotto finding out that he brought Tsuna to accompany him on something that Tsuna was not supposed to do.

It was a blessing in disguise that he would not be seeing Giotto for the remainder of the day. He had nothing against the man but it was difficult to get along with the man. Tsuna was not an idiot. He saw the walls that Giotto deliberately built between them. The man was kind, Tsuna could not deny that, but he was also very strict especially in relation to information that could get to Tsuna's hands. Tsuna understood his action to some extent. From what Tsuna could grasp from the past few days, there was some kind of a bad blood between the Arcobaleno and them. Tsuna was aware of the fact of the nature of the position he was in was which made Giotto put his guards up around him. Tsuna was literally employed by the Arcobaleno considering that they would be the one handling his remuneration but at the same time, he was paid for an internship in the police station. He might as well be a spy for the Arcobaleno so he could not really blame Giotto.

Like any other person, Tsuna was happy to finally be receiving his salary. More than that, he wished that he would not be meeting Reborn anytime soon or ever again. His first meeting with the man was enough to alert him that the man was as manipulative as a wolf and it would be in Tsuna's better interest to avoid the man as much as he could.

However, the possibility of this happening was low considering that this was where the man was working. Tsuna considered it luck that he had not seen the man when he was here with Alaude. He could not expect luck to help him twice.

There was also that thing that he found out earlier that day.

As he did expect though, he was directed towards an office, the one right beside Colonello's. He did not even blink when he saw the familiar yellow striped fedora sitting on top of the desk. The distinctive curly sideburns were too branded into Tsuna's mind for him not to remember the man. Tsuna smiled tensely.

A smirk. "Dame-Tsuna. Nice to finally see you again." It could have just been his imagination but Tsuna could hear something underlying his tone. "You're here to collect your salary. I'll just have to print your slip and hand you over the money." A wicked grin appeared. "But that's no fun. I'm sure you have something to ask."

Tsuna made himself walk towards the empty seat and sit on it without waiting for an invitation. He forced himself to look at the man straight in the eyes. "I'm here to just pick up my salary."

"You know," Reborn started knowingly, his confidence wavered not even once. "It's not good to hold your stress in." He picked up the paper from the printer tray and started to write on it. "They say that can make you go crazy."

"I don't know what you're saying," Tsuna offered a confused smile.

"I'll help you," Reborn said without lifting his gaze up from the paper. "Let's start from the burial registration filed by Sugihara Mugi."

Tsuna's smile dropped. "What about it?"

"I didn't know you were this stupid, Baka-Tsuna." A glance. "Surely, you know about Sugihara Miwa." Tsuna tensed. "That's right. Sorry about the body."

Tsuna felt his heart knocking against his ribcage. He had often thought during his first few kills about how he would be found out but often the scenario involved an innocent bystander who he then had to silence by doing the same thing. Never had he imagined a scene involving one of the most important figureheads of the town.

Tsuna could only swallow down his saliva and set his feet right down on the ground. There was no way that the man knew. He followed the man's hand as he counted the money for Tsuna's salary. There was no way that the man knew and not had him arrested.

A knowing look was directed at him. "I do," he confirmed as if he could read Tsuna's mind. "I know. "

If Tsuna had been thinking straight, he would not have blurted it out so easily. He had wanted to ask the Arcobaleno, any of them, about it in the first place but not without a concrete plan. Reborn could have admitted that out of spite, not to anything specific. But there was one existing glaring fact that he could not find some sense in from the very time that Alaude said his name. Tsuna almost did not recognize his voice when he managed to say, "Sugihara Mugi doesn't exist."

"I went to his place this morning," Tsuna kept on blurting. "I had a man pointed me there to his address. He asked if I was interested in renting the place; that the place had been abandoned for years."

"He might be living there illegally."

"Stop teasing the brat, Reborn, kora," the door behind Tsuna clicked shut. Colonello pulled a chair from beside Tsuna to the side of the desk. He placed it in reversed so that he could fold his arms on top of the backrest. "We've been waiting for him for weeks."

Tsuna felt everything clicked into place at the appearance of the second Arcobaleno. "You expected me to find out from the start," he looked pointedly at Reborn. "You guys wanted me to find out from the start. That this Sugihara Mugi person doesn't exist. That you were the one who forged those documents."

"That's right, kora."

"For what?"

Colonello sent an amused glance to Reborn. "This brat caught on things fast than Skull ever did."

Reborn smirked. "That's why he's the best choice."

Colonello laughed heartily. "Nothing escapes your sight, is there?"

Tsuna slowly felt his anger processing at being played like this. "It would be stupid to think that you guys are not gaining anything from hiding my tracks. There must be something that you want from me."

"More conceited than that idiot Skull too, kora," Colonello noted with a laughter in his voice.

Tsuna frowned.

Reborn chuckled. "Of course he's right," he said, deliberately taunting Tsuna by addressing him in third person. "When have we ever do things without expecting things in return?"

Tsuna glared.

"Let's just get this over with." Reborn started, finally turning his full attention on Tsuna. His lips curved into a smirk but his eyes were full of promises of threats. "There's a reason why I want you to be in the police station." His smirk was gone. Even Colonello had a serious expression on his face. "In fact, I want you to do something important for us."

Tsuna kept silent.

"There's a case they're currently keeping quiet about, kora. I'm sure you've heard about the four serial murders." He met Tsuna's stare and just went on without confirming if Tsuna did. "Long story short, there are six more similar murders. And yet they never announce them in the media, kora."

Tsuna just continued staring.

Colonello chuckled. "Reborn, this brat doesn't even react, kora."

Reborn nodded in approval. "We know it's not you. If we did, we won't even let you do this for us." At Tsuna's continuing silence, he elaborated. "You do this and then we won't report you."

Tsuna forced a smile on his face. "Report me for what?"

Colonello guffawed. "I like you, brat. But really, you're treading on dangerous zone right now, kora, as I'm sure you've realized."

"I don't get it. Why do you guys even bother hiding my track in the first place?" Colonello gave a quick look at Reborn at this. "Who's to say that you won't suddenly decide to tattle on me?"

"Tempting," Reborn considered, "But not now. Right now, you have an important role, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna realized that he did not even answer his question.

"What if I don't want to?" Tsuna countered.

"Like I said, tempting." Reborn smiled darkly.

"Let's be real right here, Tsuna, kora." Colonello said, halting Tsuna's reply. "It's not like you'll let yourself be arrested that easily."

"How can you be so sure?"

"It's not your style, kora," Colonello grinned wickedly. "You're a survivor," he said with a knowing glint in his eyes. "You're considering this," he stated confidently. "If you're not, you'll already be spouting about reporting us."

"That's an idea," Tsuna mocked. "I'm not an idiot. I know no one is going to believe me."

"Despite our bad relation with the superior policemen?" Reborn asked, amused.

"Despite that," Tsuna confirmed confidently. "If I have to say it, you guys have a better relationship with the citizens than they do." Tsuna eyed both of them. "Why me?"

Reborn smiled full of meanings. "I wonder."

Tsuna was not satisfied with his answer. "And that Sugihara Mugi guy?"

"An actor," Colonello was the one who replied. "So you're in, kora."

"Like I even have any choice," Tsuna said with a resigned scowl.

AN: First of all, I would like to apologize that I did not manage to upload this chapter last week. Life had been hectic these two weeks and I'm surprised I even finished this now, lol.

I can't thank you guys enough for following this fanfic. Seriously.

And I don't know if there's any Safe Haven readers here but I've finally started working on the drafting of the chapters so please look forward to it sometime soon!

Anyway, I have to rush out now. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Do let me know on your out by filling in that review window down there!

(PS: Did anyone else receive e-mail notifications of old reviews?)