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Return to Me

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As Haichi checked the cards in his pocket, his stomach fell out from beneath him. It had been years since he'd donned this particular look and as such, he'd neglected to take one important thing into consideration. Times change and businesses close. This company went out almost a decade ago and here he was just slinging this card around like nobody's business.

"Well shit," the raccoon cursed quietly as he stopped dead on the sidewalk and rolled his eyes, "Now they'll think I had something to do with that woman. Great, just…just great."

Taking his frustration out on the poor card in his hands by ripping it to pieces, he quickly placed the remnants in a garbage can before heading towards the subway. It never even occurred to him that they might be able to trace his real identity through the card.

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"Someone did what?!" the police officer taking down the report exclaimed incrediously as he paused in his note taking and stared at his friend, "Chiyo, this is serious! We need to look into what cases you're on. Maybe even have someone posted outside your home!"

"I think this attack was from an extracurricular project of mine," Chiyo admitted sheepishly before pulling the card out of her pocket, "But it seems it's bled into my professional life as well. Anyway, could you run prints and see what you can find out about this card. A witness gave it to me but I think he might be involved somehow."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," her friend answered before he furrowed his brow and groaned, "This isn't about your father's case is it?"

"I never said that," Chiyo replied a little too heatedly, "I was attacked in broad daylight by an unknown assailant. I spoke with the restaurant owner as well as the surrounding businesses and they are all going to provide security footage. This man on the card though is our only real lead."

"I'll see what I can do but you should put in for a family emergency especially considering…well you know…" the man trailed off leadingly before sighing and mumbling quietly for her ears alone, "They already think you suffered psychological trauma from that one case."

"Yeah, family emergency," Chiyo snorted before waving her hand idly at nothing in particular, "What family would that be? Might as well put in for sick leave. It'll be just as suspicious. I'm coming to work Monday whether you like it or not."

"Don't say I didn't warn ya," her partner commented with a heavy sigh as he finished up his report, "Any other witnesses?"

"Yes, one," Chiyo admitted, "Uh, Ryo Ishinomori."

"Hold up, no. No, no, no, no," the partner groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, "Not him. Anyone but him."

"We were just…" Chiyo protested weakly before the look on her partner's face had her stopping mid-sentence.

"I can't submit this report," he sighed as he gave her a sympathetic look, "They find out you're hanging out with him, your career is over. Over, Chiyo. You've got to believe me."

"So just because he's a bystander, suddenly that's a crime on my part?" Chiyo clipped back heatedly to which her partner grimaced and shrugged, "I just know that the guy is bad news. Seriously bad news. At least for you. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be the judge of that," Chiyo hissed as she ripped the report out of his hand and affixed her signature before purposefully walking over to the primary desk and sliding it over to the secretary and ordering a bit too forcefully, "Process that."

"Chiyo, you shouldn't have done that," her partner whispered quietly to himself as he watched her leave, "You don't even know what you've done."

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"YOU STUPID BITCH!" a burly heavily tattooed man snarled as he raked his clawed fingers across the petite woman's face – five perfect gauges immediately bleeding profusely as she cowered slightly, her arms being held up by two other equally menacing men, "She's filed a report. There's video evidence. Witnesses. What the fuck were you thinking?!"

"I just…" the woman whimpered weakly as tears welled in the corners of her eyes, "I just wanted…"

"You allowed yourself to be videotaped," the man hissed as he drew back his hand once more and brought his claws down against her shoulder – earning a high pitched scream of pain, "Not just attacking her. That would've been bad enough. You used your demonic powers in plain sight! You stupid whore!"

"I didn't think…" the woman panted heavily – tears now freely cascading down her face as another hard slap against her face reverberated loudly against the walls.

"You aren't paid to think," the man growled, "You've potentially exposed our entire operation with your mess. The human world we can handle but if the demon task force gets wind of this, it's our ass."

"She's…she's just some girl," the woman protested weakly, "Why would they…"

"She's not just some girl you fucking moron," the man hissed as he slammed his hand into her throat – cutting off any further protests, "Just like her friend isn't just some guy. Do you know who protects them or the powers at play here? We merely wanted you to observe. That's it. One simple task and you couldn't even do that!"

"She isn't…. close…. to anyone… else," the woman rasped desperate as her fingers clawed weakly at the hand on her throat, "Who…"

"This is the last straw," the man hissed as he tightened his grip and grinned maliciously down at her before raising his other hand and placing it gently against the back of her head, "You're expendable. No one will ever notice you're gone and that's good news for us."

A simple twist was all it took for the woman to go limp – the light fading from her eyes instantly as the two men released her arms and she crumpled on the floor.

"Tell the boss," the burly man ordered as he reached for a towel and began wiping off the excess blood, "We need to nip this in the bud."