Kisshu's Illness Chapter 28:

Finding Lettuce

About fifteen minutes after Shiro left, he returned with Pai, who actually looked angry. "Shiro, where are the computers?" he asked after saying a brief hello to Ichigo and Kisshu.

"They're in one of our back rooms," Shiro replied. "Come with me." Pai, Ichigo and Kisshu followed him into a small room near the back of the station. Another officer was already in there, looking at the computers. Shiro went up to him and said, "Officer Itou, we need to use one of these computers. We've got a lead on the missing girl's whereabouts."

"Okay, I'll stop for a while," Officer Itou said. He stood up and moved back. Shiro nodded to Pai, who immediately sat down at the monitor, and started typing. The others watched with interest as Pai pulled up a new window. Pai typed 'Mew Lettuce' into the search box.

Suddenly Pai looked closely at the screen, then said, "Bingo!"

"You found her?" Kisshu asked.

"I didn't find her precise location, but her pendant is at least near the docks in Tokyo Bay," Pai said. "So she should be there. Let's go."

"Okay, but shouldn't we get more people?" Kisshu asked. "It's not going to be easy to find her with only the four of us."

"Yeah…" Ichigo said.

Shiro said, "I could probably get some others to help us, but we need to be discreet about it. Ryou will just run if we bring an army."

"Do you have people who you trust to keep our secret?" Pai said.

"Hai," Shiro replied. "I'll go ask at the front desk to see where they are." He left, and Pai got up from the chair. He looked worried.

"Pai, I'm sure we'll find Lettuce," Ichigo said. Pai just nodded.

Suddenly Shiro came back and said, "I've called up another eight of my most trusted friends in the police force. They'll be here soon, so let's go out front and wait." The others nodded, and followed Shiro out to the front lobby.

About half an hour later, everyone was gathered in the front lobby, and Shiro was briefing his friends. "Okay, we're going to the docks, and we're going to split up into pairs. I'm giving the kids walkie-talkies as well, since they might need them. I'm pairing Kisshu with Ichigo, since I don't want to split them up."

"Wait, shouldn't one of us go with them, then?" one woman said.

"They can handle it- right you two?" Shiro said.

"Yeah, and we can communicate telepathically, so if we get separated, it's easy for us to find each other," Ichigo said.

"Okay…" the other police officers said.

"Well, should we choose the other pairs?" Shiro asked.

"Yeah," the others said. Shiro then said to the woman who had first spoken, "Nori, you will go with Yoshi. Genji, you'll go with Sunki. Ai, you're with Hideki. Kira, you're with Dimari, and I'll pair with Pai."

"Got it," the other police officers said seriously.

"Okay, let's move out," Shiro said. They all went out to the parking lot, and got into different cars. Kisshu, Ichigo and Pai went with Shiro, but all the others went two to a car.

After a short drive, Shiro pulled to a stop, as did his friends. "We'll go on foot from here, it's too dangerous to drive in," he told everyone when they got out of the cars. They were pretty close to the docks, so everyone nodded. "Kisshu, Ichigo, I'm giving you one walkie-talkie, since you don't need one to communicate with each other. If you find something, let me know. All you have to do with these is press that red button and type in the number 35. That'll make sure you get on our frequency, rather than someone else's."

"Okay," the two of them said.

"Should we start with the warehouses?" one officer asked.

"That's a good idea," Shiro said. "Okay, let's get going. Keep in touch, and if you find anything, tell the rest of us immediately. Don't rush in on your own."

"Hai!' everyone said, and split up into their assigned pairs. Then they all went off in different directions.

I don't know if that's really a cliffhanger, but I'm posting again tonight, so I guess it doesn't matter. Please review!