VIGILANTE JUSTICE
Chapter 10: "The Hunt For Hana"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
Once again it was an unusual sight, but for the second day in a row the workers at the Central Police building in Minato-ku saw Sailor Senshi enter the building. The previous day it had been three and set inter-office gossip going. This time it was five - - and one of the five was the famous Sailor Moon herself. As they headed for the elevator and a meeting with Superintendent Sakurada, they all could hear the low murmuring.
"Ah, the life of a star," chuckled Sailor Venus.
"Honestly, I don't know how you stand it, Venus," Sailor Moon said anxiously, for the notoriety made her uncomfortable.
"Stand it," Jupiter chortled. "She thrives on it."
"You know, I don't have to take this character assassination from you," Venus jabbed playfully.
"Really? Who do you usually take it from?" Jupiter shot back. Everyone enjoyed the banter - - everyone, Mercury noted to herself, but Mars.
The five senshi met Superintendent Sakurada and two of her detectives in the holding facility in Police Central. Sakurada seemed pleased to see them, particularly Venus. The detectives didn't evidence the same enthusiasm.
"Well, they're all here, just like you asked," Venus told Sakurada. "Have things changed since yesterday?"
Sakurada nodded and waved them into a room. Inside the room was a conference table with four chairs and an observation window. The window looked into an interrogation room. Hideki Kuroda sat at the table in the interrogation room, along with another detective. The detective was asking Kuroda questions and Kuroda was steadfastly refusing to answer.
"Last night there were three more Yakuza killings," Sakurada told the senshi. "They were all hits on gambling couriers for the Inagawa-kai clan. The result was nine dead. Missing from the bodies, we estimate, were six weapons and three satchels full of gambling money."
Jupiter whistled.
"Curious behavior, given the previous killings," Mercury judged. "It would indicate her objectives seem to have changed."
"How so?" Jupiter asked.
"Before," Mercury explained, "her targets were usually middle or upper people in the Yakuza hierarchy. Guards and couriers are very low on the hierarchical chain and would usually only be collateral killings. These three incidents indicate that they were specifically targeted. Also the previous incidents were spaced out, indicating prior planning, and no valuables and only the occasional weapon was taken." Everyone looked at Mercury, but only the detectives were amazed. "My hypothesis at the moment would be that she specifically targeted these gambling profit couriers and their bodyguards to assemble a large cache of weapons and money, possibly to replace the cache lost on yesterday's raid of her home."
"Just what we were thinking," one of the detectives replied with new found respect. "How long have you been familiar with the facts of this case?"
"I've been aware of the string of assassinations for weeks now," Mercury replied, "but I only heard about the courier incidents just now."
Jupiter glanced smugly at the detectives.
"Needless to say, the Inagawa-kai aren't too happy with this," Sakurada spoke up. "Arrests they can deal with, but when someone starts killing their couriers and stealing their money, they tend to start shooting back. We need to find Hana Saito and put a stop to this before a war erupts and innocent people get caught in the crossfire."
Sakurada looked through the window at Kuroda and scowled.
"So far Kuroda hasn't divulged anything, either about where Saito might be or what her original objective was. So I was wondering whether any of you might be able to get something out of him."
All of the senshi looked to Mars. She noticed after a few moments and grimaced.
"All right," she heaved a sigh and listlessly headed for the door. "I'll try." One of the detectives moved to accompany her.
"Hey, Sailor Moon," Jupiter whispered to Sailor Moon as she sidled up next to the senshi, "what's up with Mars? Did she have a fight with Derek when she was in America?"
"Later, Jupiter," Sailor Moon whispered back. Her blue eyes dripped with pain and sympathy for her friend.
Sailor Mars entered the room, accompanied by one of the detectives. The detective already in the room stood up, surprised to see one of the famous senshi there. Kuroda was surprised as well, but quickly dropped behind a mask of sullen defiance. Mars walked over and stood across from Kuroda, the table between them. Everyone in the room suddenly had the sensation of hackles rising.
"Tell me about Hana Saito," Mars said in a soft, even tone.
Kuroda glared belligerently at her, but said nothing. Mars only stared. Their eyes met for a time. Then, after about twenty seconds, Kuroda looked away. Mars continued to stare. Kuroda glanced back up at her, then turned away again. Everyone in the room looked at her in wonder. Everyone in the next room watched the scene with the same feeling. Kuroda remained silent, but he was clearly uncomfortable. Mars continued to stare, and the two detectives couldn't help but think that the senshi's violet eyes seemed to be penetrating down to Kuroda's very soul.
Without warning, Mars turned and walked out of the room. The detective that had accompanied her quickly moved to catch up. They entered the observation room and everybody looked expectantly to her.
"I'm sorry," Mars replied, her demeanor disappointed and just a little embarrassed. "I couldn't read anything from him. I couldn't get my sight to work."
"Perhaps there was nothing to see," Mercury offered. "Perhaps he doesn't know where she is."
"Maybe, but that's not what I mean," Mars told them. "I couldn't get any impression from him. My," and they saw Mars flush slightly, unwelcomely, "well, SOMETHING is interfering with my second sight. I'm sorry."
"You did your best," Venus shrugged. "We'll just have to puzzle it out the old-fashioned way."
"Sailor Mercury," Sakurada ventured, "you said earlier that you thought her objective may have changed. What did you mean by that?"
"Simply put, the evidence indicates to me she's hoarding resources," Mercury responded. "There are two logical possibilities: She either means to carry out her next planned assassination and needed to replace the resources she lost when her home was raided, or she's assembling money and resources for a new and larger objective."
"Which would be?" Venus asked.
"Logically, the only thing that could be as important to her as finishing her original mission might be to secure the freedom of her surrogate parent and mentor."
"You mean an assault on the holding facility?" Sakurada gasped. "She means to break Kuroda out of jail?"
"It's a distinct possibility, Superintendent," Mercury said gravely. "One I suggest you prepare for."
"Superintendent!" one of the detectives exclaimed. He was on his cell phone. "Igawa's team discovered some papers at the suspect's home. They look like plans for an assassination attempt."
"Is there any indication of the target?" Sakurada demanded.
"Yes, Ma'am. Kon Nagakawa." The senshi looked to Sakurada.
"Nagakawa is one of the upper circle of the Inagawa-kai," she explained. "He runs the prostitution for the clan. If she hits him, after last night, we'll get our war. They'll tear up all of southeast Tokyo looking for her."
"Superintendent," Sailor Moon spoke up, touching the woman's jacket sleeve. "May I talk to him? Maybe I can get him to understand what he's doing and get him to tell us where she might be."
"It couldn't hurt to try," Sakurada nodded. "Harada, get surveillance on Nagakawa - - four teams. The rest of the precinct goes on full alert to find Saito - - all points bulletin and all free teams searching for her. Coordinate with Minato-ku and concentrate there for now." She glanced at Mercury. "And put the lock-up on full security alert. Everybody's to be armed and ready. Take her alive if you can."
Kuroda sat in the interrogation room, staring at the table in front of him. As the detective guarding him sat staving off boredom, Kuroda reflected back on his encounter with Sailor Mars. She just stared at him with those eyes, eyes that seemed to take on an unearthly quality after a while. He couldn't pinpoint how. Nothing about her had changed. And yet - - when she asked him about Hana, it was almost like she didn't expect him to answer with words.
The door opened and the detective perked up. Kuroda looked over and found Sailor Moon sliding in through the door sideways to accommodate the white wings on her costume. Everyone in Tokyo knew the famous Sailor Moon. And yet, she seemed so small and unremarkable. This little slip of a woman was the champion of Tokyo?
"Hello," she said, bending down to him and smiling. Kuroda looked at her, at her bright smile and the deep blue pools of her eyes and it was all he could do not to smile back at her. "I'm Sailor Moon. May I sit down?"
She actually waited until Kuroda nodded.
"I know what you want," Kuroda rumbled. "I'm not going to tell you anything."
"I thought you'd say that," Sailor Moon replied, her features shifting to a slightly forlorn look. "You feel like you're protecting Hana. You've protected her all these years, when she had nobody else. You stepped in and gave her somebody to love her when she had no one."
"I had to," Kuroda whispered hoarsely. "Hanbei was like a brother to me. Hana was," and he laughed quietly at the memory. "I was her favorite 'uncle'. She was such a bright child."
"You wanted to help her in her time of need," Sailor Moon continued. "That was very kind of you. I only want to help her, too."
"You want to stop her," Kuroda scowled.
"Of course. Can't you see what she's become?"
"A warrior," Kuroda said. "A means to exact justice."
"A way to exact vengeance," Sailor Moon countered softly. Kuroda glared at her. "And nothing comes of vengeance but sorrow. Oh, can't you see what your thirst for vengeance has done to her? You've stolen her childhood."
"The Yakuza stole her childhood!" Kuroda snapped. "The Yakuza stole everything from her! I showed her how to get it back!"
"No, the Yakuza stole her parents," Sailor Moon corrected him. "And she'll never get them back. By turning her into a killing machine, you stole her childhood." Kuroda lapsed into a sullen silence. "Does she laugh, Kuroda-San? Does she play? Does she dream? Does she fill her days with dreams of the heights she'll one day hope to achieve, or of the handsome man who'll sweep her off her feet and fill her life with joy? That's what a teenage girl does. I know it's too late to restore some of that. Blood and killing has stained her hands and stained her dreams. But I can try to help her move on from that, to move on from obsessions with vengeance and become someone of peace again. Please let me try to help her. Tell me where she is. Don't you owe that to her? She's already paid you with ten years of her life. Don't you owe it to her to let her live the rest of it herself? Doesn't she deserve some peace at last?"
Kuroda looked up at Sailor Moon and found her crying. And the sight of those tears reminded him of another sight from ten years ago. It was the sight of young Hana crying, knowing that her parents were dead, that her favorite uncle-in-spirit might die and leave her all alone in the world. He could see through the medicated haze he was in that she wouldn't be afraid so long as he stayed with her, that she would do anything he said so long as he didn't leave her alone. It was the face of an innocent girl who needed security in her life again.
And what did he give her?
"They had to pay," Kuroda said, almost a whimper. "I couldn't do it - - not without my leg. And - - and Hana was willing. She worked hard. She picked it up so fast. It was what she wanted."
"Maybe she wanted it because you wanted it," Sailor Moon offered. "Maybe it's not what she still wants. Where is she?"
Kuroda shook his head. "I don't know. I - - there was a safe house. I set it up in case the Yakuza found out where we lived. Just a little hole in the wall to hide out in case . . ."
"Where?" Sailor Moon asked.
"1-21-6 Sakura-kanda," Kuroda choked out. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Sailor Moon was smiling gratefully at him. All of a sudden he didn't feel so bad about what he'd just done.
"Get two units over there!" Sakurada barked to the detectives, the group observing from the next room.
"I'll go, too," Venus volunteered. "She's a handful, Superintendent." Sakurada nodded.
Hana looked through the binoculars and sized up her target. Nothing had changed. The target hadn't moved. There were still opposition everywhere. And the day was still too bright. Her plan to initiate action once night fell remained her best option. Hana, her body covered in a black leotard with shielded leather vest and boots, snuggled back into her blind on the roof across from her quarry. Her hood was in the satchel that sat next to her.
The binoculars resting in her lap, Hana absently reached into the bag. Fishing around between the cache of weapons she'd managed to salvage, steal and scrounge, the coil of rope and the building map, Hana came up with her food supply. It was some dried beef, a few rice balls and some bottled water. She took a rationed bite, mostly to relieve boredom. If she had a partner, Hana would have taken a nap. She'd been up late the night before and there was still hours until she planned to move. But the girl feared something happening while she was asleep, so she stayed awake. If sleep came, it came. Otherwise, she'd stay awake.
Her binoculars came up to her eyes again and Hana looked down from her perch. But she wasn't viewing her target this time. Her eyes locked on a man. He was relatively young and had the dark, dashing good looks that always seemed to make her heart flutter in her chest. He wore a tailored suit and it made him look just so exquisite. And Hana found herself daydreaming about walking next to him, her arm on his, feeling his virile masculinity send goose-flesh up the skin of her arm. She wondered what it would be like to be curled up against him, the both of them naked and gloriously in love. What would it be like to look up into his eyes and see his love for her burning in them like flames. What would it be like to have those masculine arms fold around her and know instinctively that she was safe and secure, and that the rest of her life would be bliss.
"I wish," she heard herself whisper and pulled back from the binoculars.
How many times had she caught herself longing for such things? The mission was the important thing. If she didn't concentrate, she risked failure. Hana's chest heaved with a petulant sigh. Maybe the mission was coming to an end. Maybe their time had finally run out. That would be bad, though.
Wouldn't it? Hana snuggled back into her blind. Her eyelids drooped once and then closed.
"Should we stick around?" Jupiter asked.
They were still in Police Central. Naturally Sailor Moon couldn't decide and Mars didn't seem like she cared whether they did or didn't - - or about much else.
"Without knowing where or when Hana Saito will strike, there doesn't seem to be much point to staying," Mercury judged. "Although I'm willing to wait around until Venus and the others report on the safe house."
Sailor Moon nodded. She eased over to Sailor Mars, who was brooding in a corner.
"Mars?" Sailor Moon ventured timidly. "Would you like to have lunch?"
Mars grimaced.
"My treat," Sailor Moon persisted.
"No, thanks," Mars whispered.
"Please?"
Mars sighed. "I know you're trying to help. I appreciate it, believe me. I do. But I'd rather be alone. Thank you for last night."
Jupiter watched them interact from across the room. She recognized the signs from her own past. This was more than just a quarrel between Rei and Derek. She could tell.
Their senshi communicators signaled. Mercury answered first.
"The police and I just tossed this safe house," Venus reported. "Nobody's here now, but she may have been here recently. There are signs that she may have stopped long enough to pick up one or more things."
"Weapons?" Jupiter asked over her own communicator.
"Maybe. Maybe other supplies. Don't suppose there's any possibility she grabbed an overnight bag and headed for the train station?"
"Doubtful, Venus," Mercury replied. "We're going to head home. Please be on alert."
"Great. No soaps for me," Venus replied, then ended the communication.
Everybody started to go, but they stopped when they saw Superintendent Sakurada pick up a phone.
"This is Sakurada," she said. "Get an armored van ready. I want the prisoner Kuroda moved to the central holding facility at the courthouse."
"You're moving him?" Mercury asked.
"Yes," Sakurada nodded. "I don't want to take the chance of him being her target. The courthouse is more defensible than this is."
Continued in Chapter 11