Vol.3.

Ch. 5

Empty Sabotage *

Alu felt her vision go black.

This was bad.

— ~*x*~ —-

The silence stretched out for her but she felt a familiar fox demon stirring in her mind. Oh great, he was going to start complaining, Alu mused.

Juubi, growled. Why do you have to be so damn fragile? Low Blood Sugar? Give me a break! You have me, a powerful entity inside you and yet we get easily knocked down by something like that? Pathetic…

You really like to listen to the sound of your own voice, as always… Alu just curled up on the couch. Wait.

Couch?

Alu's eyes snapped open. She had been in a car…right? When did she get onto this leather grey couch in some high rise apartment that looked like something out of a tech nerd's dream? The walls, floor, and bar counter were all white and pristine. The floor was tile with grey, black and silver specks of stone in it for aesthetic appeal. She was in what was clearly the living room, with the entertainment center and television facing her, against a wall across from the glass coffee table that was between. A simple fluffy grey blanket rolled down her shoulders, piling up in her lap as she sat up. There seemed to be no one else around.

Oh great, she'd really fallen asleep.

Her blurry vision snapped to attention, noticing a sliding glass door, leading to what looked like a rather nice balcony. It was clearly night-time….

She gulped. Oh, they were high up. This was clearly a top floor kind of room. But how long has she been asleep here? Alu grimaced. Why did she have to black out so much? She really should start eating better…ugh, it was really looking like a job with the agency was the only way to make any real money.

Her eyes flickered as her breath caught in her throat. Oh, right. She'd angered them. It wouldn't actually even surprise her if they said no to having her join. Not that she was going to. Alu grimaced. She didn't want to prove Ranpo right. Sure, that made her a brat but there was more to it than that. Of course she wanted to say yes. That had never been the issue. But wanting something and acting on it? Those were two different things.

"Why are you making this so much more complicated than it needs to be? Just say yes, already!"

She could totally picture Ranpo, with those stupid glasses, smarmy, and bossy, striking a pose and pointing his finger at her saying that. Alu felt her heart sink. Honestly, she didn't know how to face him, not after how she'd spoken to him.

She saw a note on the coffee table. Blinking, she picked it up. It read in scrawled writing:

You may help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. I don't know your preferences or allergies. Elise-Chan and I want you to take care of your health properly. If you have any questions, I have put my number into the phone as well. Again, keep it with you. I meant what I said earlier. I don't want anything from you other than for you to continue to be nice to my precious Elise-Chan.

—Mr. R

Alu blinked. Well, he certainly sounded formal and polite in his writing. She wondered just how many masks this guy was used to wearing. Alu's eyes flickered. This world felt like it was full of people stuck in a masquerade ball. While that could sound fun, it wasn't always.

People wore masks for a reason, right?

Getting up, Alu's stomach growled. Alu sensed Juubi was oddly quiet. Right, when she got drained, he too, felt it. She sighed. She went to the fridge—for something to do , more than anything. Opening it, she saw it was stocked with a lot of things. Huh, that guy didn't look like it but did he eat a lot? Alu mused, as she pulled out a yogurt. She just went ahead and ate it. She didn't plan to take the phone with her. As much as she wanted to talk with that little girl again, she knew that maintaining relationships was hard—and well— Alu didn't know if she had a right to even stick herself into the business of what happened around this city much longer after the mess of everything that she had made at the agency.

That boy, Ryou, as well, Alu still had to find him. Maybe she'd head to the United Kingdom after all for a change of scenery. And as for that organization, Mimic? Ugh, she wanted to throttle their leader. Her eyes narrowed. His ability was annoying but if it was a matter of speed, she'd just have to be faster than six seconds.

Oh yes, she'd done her homework. Alu was rather good at gathering information when she put her mind to something. In the original timeline, to pass the time waiting for her vision to come true, she'd tracked down some soldiers thanks to Juubi and well, the rest was thanks to Juubi.

Alu sighed, exhasperated.

Of course she still cared. She couldn't just walk away from those people. Seemed she did have some loose ends to tie up before she left this world, after all.

Those loose ends aren't your problem, Juubi growled. I want to leave this world, already…

There's a reason the portal hasn't made itself known to us, Alu thought, throwing the empty yogurt now into the trash can near the sink. She sighed again. Looking in the fridge, she did see some things she could totally take to go. But her hand twitched, and she pulled it back.

Ugh, what now? It's free food. Take it before I starve! Juubi complained.

Alu didn't want to take more than she felt she deserved—and to begin with, she didn't really think she deserved much. But she grabbed some bread and peanut butter and jelly. Making herself something simple, trying to be quiet in case that man had already gone to bed in the other room, she just began to nibble the sandwich she made.

It tasted so good. It was just peanut butter, jelly, and bread. Alu felt a faint memory—joy, like she was a kid again? What a strange feeling… Her eyes flickered. They watered. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Juubi, were you able to sense anything else about that man?

Hmph, he's definitely shadier than an umbrella blocking the sun at the beach, Juubi huffed, disgruntled in her mind. But I think we should take the phone at least. We can get money for it.

No, Alu stated firmly, I won't steal from him.

He practically gave it to you.

Juubi, I know he's most likely trying to get close to me in order to ask something of me— it was clear today that there is something about him that screams he runs some kinda organization.

If you know, why not just …oh, I don't know…take advantage, squeeze some money out of him and then bolt?

Juubi, that's now how I work.

And look at how well that's gone for you. We're broke, homeless, and you're constantly biting off the heads of everyone nice that approaches you!

Alu gulped, and she put down what was left of the sandwich, appetite just gone. Juubi wasn't wrong. Of course, Alu knew that. Technically, Ranpo wasn't wrong either. Alu also knew that. Ranpo was a really smart guy. Honestly, he kinda was a better detective than she'd accused him of not being. She regretted speaking to him like she had. She just couldn't stand the thought that a story deduced by him was done in such an … unfeeling way.

Alu hadn't really told anyone, not even Juubi, but she had always wanted to become a detective. Ever since she was little and read about them in novels, she had always wanted to find the truth of the matter—by getting to the heart of it. It felt like Ranpo was great at getting the truth out, but when it came to the heart of the matter, it just felt like he didn't care. Alu knew that it was dumb. She was pushing her own beliefs onto him. It wasn't his fault. It really wasn't. They just both solved mysteries differently.

Alu just couldn't undo the pit in her stomach that there was more to that Ryou boy than simply what Ranpo had deduced. She knew she could have totally taken that situation and spun it better but at the time, she felt cornered. She acted reflexively and said something really hurtful.

Was it just 'teenage' hormones? No… this was more than just 'being a teenager' as most adults would like to put it. Alu genuinely wanted to be better about sometimes letting her emotions get the better of her. While she did pride herself on steeling herself normally when the situation called for it, she just couldn't agree with how Ranpo solved cases.

He was an incredible detective.

But he was also incredibly insensitive sometimes. Alu hated feeling like she was the dumber one for wanting to bring some 'heart' into a case being solved. Sure, it helped to know that Ryou was running things on some level and had been responsible for her getting captured but she still wanted to certify things for herself. She grimaced.

Why do I have to be difficult… she looked at the counter, forlorn. I didn't mean to say what I had said to him. But, he wasn't getting it. I don't know anything about his parents, sure. I don't know the kind of people they were or what values they had been teaching him up until their accident…but, I just, can't accept that they taught him to look at a case without caring about the people involved, but making the case about just caring about the evidence.

Alu just put stuff away, quickly. She didn't want to stay long. Being as quiet as she could, she checked out the front door.

"So, you're leaving?" Elise's voice came from behind her with no warning. Alu nearly shot to the ceiling, like a cat hanging off a lamp.

She turned, seeing Elise standing there, wearing her usual Lolita outfit, looking at her unblinkingly. "Oh, uh…yeah…?" Alu felt awkward. "I mean…I already imposed…too much…"

"You're not imposing! I want you to stay a little longer! At least leave in the morning!" Elise huffed, putting her hands on her hips. She didn't bother speaking quietly and Alu winced.

"Ah, not so loud," she flustered at Elise.

"Why not?" Elise huffed, confused.

"Well, I mean…doesn't…uh…Rintaro sleep?" Alu asked, weakly.

"He saws logs like you wouldn't believe," Elise huffed, rolling her eyes, wrinkling her nose as though thinking about him sleeping disgusted her. Alu was just low-key grateful Elise didn't apparently…sleep with him in his bed. At least, to her limited knowledge.

"Er," Alu supposed that would make sense considering he had an ability that could literally alert him if anything was going south. "So you just…watch him?"

"Well, I don't need to sleep, so usually, yes," Elise huffed. Oh, so she did spend time in his bedroom. Alu twitched, the thought of that guy doing anything to Elise made her blood curdle. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't actually like that sort of relationship between them. After all, she was an ability, so perhaps he had boundaries for her? Elise never stated he did anything besides just spoil her after all. Still, Alu wasn't sure how to casually ask something of that darker nature without setting Elise off accidentally or something."But don't try to change the subject!" She pointed at Alu. "I command you to stay here!"

Alu blinked. Elise didn't come across as annoying to Alu. Rather, she seemed like she was also trying to figure herself out. Alu recalled their earlier conversation. That's right, Elise had spoken about being disgusting then, and why normal people would dislike her very existence. Alu's eyes flickered.

To be an ability that had to live with that knowledge, was so sad.

Was there really no one in this world that would consider being Miss Elise's friend?

Alu felt a pang. She should leave this city. But she couldn't. Not when there were people here that she wanted to help. Maybe she was going to be used by that man. Maybe he was planning to use Alu's desire to help kids to get her to trust Elise. Honestly, Alu wasn't that stupid. She knew that there was a reason for Elise and Rintaro's adamant interest in her. But, now didn't seem like the time to bring that up. Honestly, she wanted to know more about their motif. Her eyes flickered. Maybe she would stick around. Just a little longer. Not like she had any idea where Ryou was, that much she agreed with when it came to Ranpo's earlier deduction.

And well, she kinda wanted to get to know this odd little feisty girl more. Maybe she was doing it for a selfish reason of not wanting to feel like she was on her own in this world, who knows. Alu just felt like out of all the people she'd met thus far, that Elise was oddly the most relatable.

Human, or not, other people always would determine the worth of others based on their own biased opinions. Alu's mind flashed to an angry older woman, thin lines on her face, dressed in a suit, holding a belt that cracked. Alu flinched, her arms going up as though she was being hit. She let out a noise, falling back suddenly against the front door, jolting when she realized she was falling. With a flail she slid down the door, breathing hard, still holding her arms out in front of herself as though anticipating to be hit.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Elise asked, frowning, squinting at her.

Alu's heart thudded in her chest. Oh right, just a memory. A distant bad memory. She was seeing that woman a lot lately. That horrible woman. Alu quivered and she hugged herself, drawing her knees to her chest.

"Sorry," she whispered, and Elise knew something was up. Elise huffed.

"Whatever. It's fine. Just come sleep in my room with me!" she said, holding out her hand to Alu.

"Huh? Oh—no, you probably want space," Alu said, feeling self-conscious.

"No, it's fine. I don't care about space unless it's Rintaro. In that case I definitely keep him locked out of my room," Miss Elise said, matter-of-fact. Honestly, Alu still felt some concern when Elise talked like that.

"Does…does…he…uh…just barge into your room to bother you?" Alu found herself asking, grimacing.

"What? Oh he mostly just wants to dress me up, and shower me with pointless things," Miss Elise clarified with a shrug. "I mean, I don't need to sleep so I didn't see the point of him getting me my own room but he was adamant about it…" she trailed off. "It's a room fit for a doll though, so I suppose it does suit me…"

Alu sensed it again. There it was. That sadness, that she knew, was solely Elise's feelings and no one else's.

Alu hugged Elise to herself. She just couldn't shake this feeling, that Elise was going through her own something but sometimes, it was better not to say anything at all. Elise was bewildered, not used to being hugged. "What are you doing?" She was stiff.

"I'm hugging you," Alu said, pulling back with a small smile. "I'll stop though—if it bothers you."

Elise shook her head, looking at Alu, blankly. "No, I'm not bothered. I just don't understand why you did it."

Alu's eyes flickered. She patted Elise's head, straightening up again. "Because, you looked like you needed one."

"Huh…" Elise blinked, staring at Alu. She was oddly fascinated and puzzled. "What does that look like?"

Alu gazed back at Elise, just smiling smally. "Honestly? You just kinda looked how I feel…" she admitted.

"Oh," Elise blinked. She held out her arms to Alu. "Want to hug again?"

Alu pursed her lips so she wouldn't randomly squeal and alarm Elise. Elise was trying to be useful or something, Alu could tell but it was damn cute. She giggled. "You really have a good heart," she commented, smiling at Elise.

Elise blinked. She honestly didn't know what to make of that statement. Did she have a good heart? She didn't know. She didn't have one. A Heart.

And Rintaro's heart was full of shit. Ew.

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm an ability, I don't have that," she found herself deadpan replying.

Alu shrugged, nonplussed. "Then why did you want to hug me?"

"I didn't. You just said you hugged me because I looked like how you feel..and usually people hug when they are either happy or sad…and I doubt it was a happy moment," she said, observationally like someone pointing out details as a tour guide.

"Elise," Alu smiled at her, amused. "I think there's more kindness in you than you realize."

Elise didn't know what to do with that. She furrowed her brow. "No, I think you're just trying to make me feel better," she said. She honestly knew the facts after all. She was Rintaro's ability, a physical manifestation of his lust for little girls. She honestly didn't get why this girl was convinced there was more to her than that. No one else cared.

Elise didn't even know what it meant to care. Humans were such oddballs. They were gross and needy and super clingy. Elise made a face like an unhappy pug, and Alu pursed her lips. That grumpy expression of Elise's was actually really refreshing. She could tell Elise was actually really expressive even if she herself didn't realize it.

"Maybe I am, but it's what I feel," Alu said, cheerful. She stretched. Well, leaving in the dead of night was not exactly a great move and Alu weighed the pros and cons of sticking it out here in this penthouse with Elise and that Dr. Pervy as she dubbed him. Alu couldn't place why, but talking to Elise actually was putting her in a good mood again. At least, she felt like conversation oddly came easy. Elise kept gazing at her. Alu took a deep breath. "If it's alright with you, I think I'll take you up on your offer." She said, consenting finally.

Elise's expression seemed to perk up at that. "Good!" She grabbed Alu's arm and dragged her to her own bedroom. Alu let out a noise of surprise. This little girl was definitely strong!

Alu looked at Elise's bedroom once they entered. Her eyebrow twitched. This room was absolutely meant for a little girl in an Alice in Wonderland high…. Pink walls, frilly carpet, a big bed with a canopy, and lots of stuffed animals, books, and the like on shelves and a dresser. This wasn't even including the walk in closet which no doubt had more little girl themed stuff.

"Wow…you weren't kidding…when you said he spoils you…" Alu said, grimacing. She had never had anything this extravagant as a little girl growing up, but she honestly was grateful—this was another level of utterly disturbing since she was aware of what kind of person this Rintaro was. "Hey Elise," Alu said, patting Elise's shoulder.

"Mm?" Elise blinked at her.

"If you can't stand that guy….you should consider giving him up, seriously," Alu said, shivering.

Elise giggled. "I can't even if I wanted to. You know that, silly!" She brushed off Alu's touch easily enough, clasping her hands behind her back and stepping into the room. She opened up her arms, as though she was going to spin around. "This is where you can play with me!"

Alu could sort of tell she was deflecting. She hadn't denied wanting to leave that man, though. Alu's eyes flickered. Jeez, just when she had one thing on her plate she had to go pile on something else. Alu knew she tended to put too much onto her plate to begin with, but she felt like she couldn't half-ass this. She needed to help Elise. She wanted to help her. She hummed to herself, with a small smile. "Okay, but I have just one condition," she said, holding up a finger.

Elise lowered her arms, tilting her head. "What is it?" She sounded curious.

"Let's be friends~" Alu said brightly, beaming at her.

"…friends?" Elise blinked. "You know being friends with me means being friends with Rintaro, right?" She huffed. "I don't think you wanna be friends with him."

Alu grinned. "Oh, you're correct. I don't want anything to do with that man if what you say about him preying on little girls is true—which I have no reason not to believe you," she said, cheerfully.

"Uh…I'm his ability," Elise began.

"—No, not right now you're not."

Elise's eyes flickered. She looked to Alu, quiet, bewildered. Alu hummed, and she looked around the room some more, letting Elise process. "I can't turn it off," Elise said, deadpan. She was confused. She wanted to manipulate this girl into trusting her—-and yet here she was, handing herself over on a silver platter and wanting to be friends and saying all this weird crap about her being more than an ability even though Elise knew for a fact she was literally just that. Elise had no free will. She was just an extension of Rintaro's.

That's all she'd ever be.

"Sure you can!" Alu said brightly, ruffling Elise's head. Elise let out an indignant noise of disgruntlement.

"Don't mess with my hair!" She pouted, smacking Alu's hand away. Alu giggled.

"See? Was that reaction, Rintaro?" She teased Elise.

Elise felt an angry blush growing on her cheeks. "No! I mean! He's the one who asked me to be like this, okay!" Elise hissed in exasperation. She clutched the hem of her dress, fisting it in her small hands, feeling honestly, not sure what.

Alu blinked. "Oh, what are you normally like?" She was curious.

Elise huffed with exasperation. "I'm not like anything…" her tone was bitter. "I'm just…" she didn't know why she was talking like this to Alu. She was supposed to be the one doing the emotional manipulation here! Why did she feel like she was the one being led around by the nose!?

Alu could tell Elise was getting upset, and she just quickly changed the subject, hoping to distress her. "So would you mind if I locked the door?" She asked Elise brightly.

Elise blinked. "Huh?"

"You know? So Rintaro doesn't walk in like a total creeper before we're up in the morning?" Alu remarked, brightly.

Elise wondered if she should point out that as an extension of Rintaro, he could technically summon her to his side at any time regardless of the physical barrier. But, it would make sense for this girl to want a locked door between herself and Elise's master. Elise nodded. She wanted to say something witty—something a smart-mouthed elementary-year old would say— but nothing came to mind. "Yeah, probably a good idea," she found herself nodding, just agreeing with Alu.

Alu went ahead and locked the door from the inside. She knew if Rintaro commanded it, Elise would have to unlock it so it was kind of pointless but for the moment, she could pretend it kept him out for a bit longer. Alu didn't really feel tired, but she knew that tomorrow was going to be oddly eventful somehow. She looked at Elise. "…Is it really okay for me to be in your room? I mean, I can sleep on the couch if you'd like. I don't want to actually get in your space bubble or anything."

"No, I want to sleep on the bed with you," Elise said, sitting on the bed.

Alu stared a little. "Uh, you want to sleep…?" She asked, furrowing her brow. If Elise wasn't an ability, it wouldn't be as surprising.

"Well, you'll sleep…I'll watch," Elise said, tilting her head. "I may have to keep an eye on Rintaro, but I don't mind keeping an eye on you too…" she sighed. "Don't worry about Rintaro. I'll kick him where the sun doesn't shine if he does try to do anything."

Alu actually believed her on that with how her eyes glinted like hell's fury for a split second. She smiled, grateful for Elise's earnestness. "Haha… I'd stay awake to see that, honestly," she snickered lightly, covering her hand with her mouth. The thought of that perverse bastard getting kicked for making bad choices by Elise-Chan, his own ability, brought some inner sadistic karmatic joy to her.

Elise found herself giggling too, and the two girls had a small bonding moment at the thought of it being at Rintaro's expense. Alu lay on the bed and it was so dang soft. She found herself sort of finding it almost too easy to get sleepy again. She patted the bed next to her. Elise came over and sort of got onto the bed, just lying down, next to her, on her side, head propped in her palm, just watching Alu in the classic 'sun-bathing' pose. "So, do you like the bed?"

Alu yawned. "Yeah, it's soft…hey, you can feel things, like touch, taste…right?" she found herself asking through her sleepiness. Elise was quiet for a moment.

"No," she finally answered. "I feel nothing." That subdued response made Alu determined.

"We'll change that…somehow. After all, it's more fun to experience things anyways when you have a friend to share it with…" she murmured.

Alu just wrapped an arm around Elise , pulling her in close and snuggling her to her chest. Elise made a noise of bewilderment. "W-Wh-What?" She would have said more and smacked Alu, but a snore told her a moment later, that Alu had fallen asleep.

Elise watched the sleeping girl. She really didn't get her. But, she found that she didn't want to leave her side. She couldn't explain it.

Elise-Chan, you're doing well.

Elise actually felt a jolt in her system. Rintaro's voice had been sudden in her mind. I'm doing exactly what you ordered me to, Rintaro.

Elise was following orders. Catching that girl in the web Rintaro was laying out, was Elise's only purpose. That was all. It was so funny. It was so easy to turn off everything when it didn't have to do with this girl. So why did following orders actually make Elise feel like she was in the wrong?

Is something wrong, my dear? Rintaro pressed her gently, but Elise knew that he knew everything. There was no way she could hide anything from him. Elise's eyes went glassy and her tone was monotone, with a devil-may-care attitude.

No, nothing at all. Rintaro, that girl will be yours soon.

A momentary silence.

Excellent.

—X—-

Fukuzawa couldn't sleep.

Though he was wearing his night time robe, he just kept his day clothes neatly folded in case he had to get changed at a moment's notice. Though, he was prepared to get dressed and just sleep in his clothes for the rest of night.

He looked at his phone on a small table near his bedside mat. It showed over 10 missed calls to that damn Mori Ogai. Fukuzawa groaned. He hated that man, passionately. And no, he didn't mean he hated him like someone does in kismesis or whatever. He absolutely hated him. That man was a pervert, a demon, literally the harbinger of sin itself. Fukuzawa's blood boiled at the thought of the young girl, Alu, somehow in that bastard's clutches.

Ugh. He knew exactly what Mori had planned for her. Get her to leave his agency's offer in the dirt and have her join the Port Mafia. Fukuzawa thought back to the conversation he'd had earlier with Ranpo and Yosano.

—X—

"What?" Fukuzawa's expression was horrified.

"I can't follow them, they're too far," Yosano's voice continued into his phone.

"Just come back, we'll ask Ranpo what should be done," Fukuzawa said curt.

"Alright," Yosano replied and hung up.

Fukuzawa was already opening the door to the office. "Ranpo!" He said sharply, making Ranpo jump. Ranpo had been at his desk, munching and doing something but when Fukuzawa opened the door, he fell out of his chair at Fukuzawa's loud abrupt shouting.

"What's up, Prez?" Ranpo asked, wincing and rubbing his sore butt. He straightened up, frowning since he saw that Fukuzawa's demeanor was way more stiff than usual.

"It's Alu," Fukuzawa said, voice shaking, "She's been taken by that damn Mori Ogai."

Ranpo's eyes flashed, and he opened them. He didn't tend to be concerned actually easily about things but even he knew this was serious. His aloof personality took a back seat and he took out his black frames. "What do you need from me," he asked, completely serious.

"We need to find out where that bastard lives," Fukuzawa said, agitated. "But I don't actually have anything substantial you can go on."

Ranpo chuckled, in a good mood, grinning like the kid he was internally. "President, we have the only tool we need!"

"What is that?" Fukuzawa asked dumbly.

Ranpo knew that high tech was not Fukuzawa's forte. Luckily, it was Katai's! Ranpo smirked. "I have someone who can trace for us based on your phone, alone."

Fukuzawa blinked.

He just nodded. He handed his phone over to Ranpo wordlessly and Ranpo took it, brushing past Fukuzawa. "Just let me know the plan."

"The plan is we will try to contact him through your mobile, and if that doesn't work, and we're not able to trace his signal, then we will plan from there." Ranpo said, brisk.

"What if he hurts that girl," Fukuzawa's body trembled. He felt this need to get Alu free, now! Ranpo put a hand on Fukuzawa's arm. He patted it. Fukuzawa looked to Ranpo, his expression still anxious. But Ranpo was smiling, and calm. How was he so calm?

"Don't worry, nothing bad will happen," Ranpo said, reassuringly, gazing at Fukuzawa.

"How do you know…there's no evidence," Fukuzawa grimaced. He trusted Ranpo's skills of deduction, of course! But they were working with a blank slate here! There was no telling what Mori was already plotting!

"It's not based on evidence this time," Ranpo said quietly. Fukuzawa looked to him, sensing Ranpo's confident yet serious tone.

"Are you deducing from the heart now?" Fukuzawa found himself asking. He wasn't trying to sound rude or anything, he was just well, a bit surprised.

Ranpo laughed. "No, the heart is lame," he said with a smirk.

Fukuzawa had a bad feeling that if that girl heard him say that, that she'd hit him. Fukuzawa sighed inwardly. He was prepared to be the middleman from now on when these two argued. But, at the same time, Fukuzawa still thought it was healthy for Ranpo to grow from this. Although, he wanted the girl to also grow. Fukuzawa cared about all his kids. But he knew that at least while he did care, he wasn't the disgusting pervert who only was drawn to kids for the sake of emotionally manipulating them into serving his own purposes. "So, what are you deducing based on?" He asked Ranpo.

"Facts and a hunch," Ranpo said, with a bright smile. "That girl may be young and inexperienced in a lot of ways, but at the same time, I know that for a fact, even she wouldn't join that man's agency. She already has trouble committing to ours."

"What if he hurts her to get her to join?" Fukuzawa asked, worried.

"He won't," Ranpo shrugged, letting his arm drop and adjusting his hat on his head. "That man knows that if he were to set her off, that he would lose as well."

Fukuzawa pursed his lips. Ranpo was right. Of course he was. Okay, he could calm down now. He had to calm down. He had to make sure that first and foremost that their focus was getting her out of Mori's grasp. He nodded to Ranpo. "Okay, Katai is at home today with Kunikida. Do we need to bring Kunikida on as well?"

Ranpo nodded. "It depends on his schedule. But yes, Yosano will stay here." He sounded serious again. "She shouldn't get too close to that man."

Fukuzawa agreed. After all, it had been Mori Ogai who had broken Yosano down years ago when she was a child herself. Using her ability and abusing her desire to help others, Mori Ogai broke that girl's will and it had taken Ranpo and Fukuzawa taking her from Mori in order for her to start on the path to healing. "Yes. Alright. Report to me when you're set."

Ranpo gave him a thumbs up. "Roger that, President!" He was grinning again. Fukuzawa was honestly really relieved that Ranpo wasn't actually upset with that girl from her earlier outburst. Fukuzawa could tell that Ranpo perhaps, had matured a little bit, just a little after all in these past eight years.

—X—

Well, that brought the President back to the present. Katai had tried to trace Mori Ogai's number but apparently Mori Ogai had more than one cellular line. Trying to find the one that was directly linked to Alu was impossible. Katai's skills had its limits. While he could manipulate technology, he still needed to see it on some level. Unfortunately, since he couldn't force a cellphone tower to just link them straight to Mori, that had been a dead end. However, Ranpo had stated all wasn't for not as Katai had been able to determine the area that Mori used his phones the most.

Unable to sleep, Fukuzawa got up and sat at his table, pulling out the map that Ranpo had doodled on from the earlier meeting. It showed circles in red ink where Mori was most likely holding the girl. There were six places total. At this point, Ranpo had said it would be up to them seeing all of them.

Fukuzawa took a deep breath, trying to think how they would narrow the search down. Kunikida was in school tomorrow and Fukuzawa didn't want to mess up that kid's bright future by asking him for help at this time. Katai who hated drama had politely asked to stay out of this one. Fukuzawa knew that Katai had done what he could and Ranpo had deduced that at this point, there wasn't much Katai would be willing to contribute. And again, Yosano was not going to interact any more than required with that scheming schmuck of a bastard. That just left Fukuzawa and Ranpo.

Fukuzawa's eyes flickered. He sighed.

I considered asking Odasaku for help but Ranpo did point out that with him still having just recently left the Port Mafia and turning over a new leaf for those orphans, that angering his ex-boss and possibly placing a legit target on their backs wasn't going to actually be helpful to this situation at all. That just leaves Ranpo and I to retrieve the girl.

Fukuzawa looked out the window, to the night sky and sleepy city. He just hoped that miss Alu knew that she did have a place she could run to.

—-X—-

A/N: *Bebe Rexha