The following day to Okumura's interview, there was a statement sadly announcing that Okumura had passed away, declaring that he had suffered from an unidentified illness. Mishima watched with dread as the public posted increasingly negative opinions about the Phantoms on his site, struggling to moderate the flow of vitriol and venom the mob could muster.

The Shujin grapevine was going wild with speculations about Okumura and the Phantoms, worsening the stress already weighing on them. The teachers could barely make the students focus on the subjects, they were more interested in the latest hot topic. "He really looked like he was in pain..." Makoto cast worried glances at Haru during lunch break, she was still looking down, reminded of her home situation. "She loved her father, despite all that..."

She took a decision, she'd support her teammate. "Haru, do you need help with anything?" She was surprised when Makoto approached her after the last bell. "I'm finished with my school duties for today, so I have time to spare." The girl didn't mind the offer. "Okay... Can you help me with my gardening?" Makoto was a bit thrown off, but she did recall seeing the girl handling plants before. "Sure, what do I have to do?"

While there was a somewhat peaceful silence while they worked, Haru couldn't hold back her curiosity. "Your sister came to my house for questioning..." The prosecutor had taken some officers to search out any evidence that could point to the perp. "She didn't do anything to you...?" Makoto had heard unsavory things from Mikumo and worried for her friend. "No, nobody suspected me, she only asked if I had seen someone strange around Father."

Until where the police force knew, the only trace of the Phantoms in the Okumura household was the calling card. "So... Did you steal the principal's heart?" Makoto almost dropped the watering can. "No, wait... Explain, what happened?" Haru told her what she overheard. "We'll have to ask the others, I'm a relatively new member as well."

~m~

Sae was certain that the Phantoms were the culprits behind the mental shutdowns, she only required a thread that could lead to the person behind those atrocious acts. "Niijima, you were summoned by the Chief Prosecutor." But her methods had attracted an inquiry from one of her superiors, namely, Mitsurugi Reiji. "Why now? I'm close to solving the case..." Niijima swallowed dryly, the Chief Prosecutor was a man with no tolerance for idle talk and illogical suspicions.

The walk up to his office was met with dubious glances, a call from the chief usually meant you did something wrong. "How may I help you?" He was standing by the cabinets, leafing through a case file. "Some members of the police force have expressed doubts about your behavior." Mitsurugi put away the archive and sat on one of the sofas, offering the seat across him to his guest. "Badgering witnesses rarely leads to credible accounts." He didn't miss the glare.

"Ichijou is his fiancée..." That detective must have something against her, that woman always found flaws to criticize and antagonized her. "As long I can make him see reason..." Niijima explained the reasoning behind her modus operandi, for it brought results and got her cases solved swiftly. "I see. And has your work with the SIU produced results?" She hesitated, unwilling to share her findings, but he wouldn't be fooled by lies.

"You think Okumura hired the Phantom?" His tone betrayed nothing, he only sounded mildly concerned. "This is just a hypothesis..." Mitsurugi raised a brow, waiting for her to gather her thoughts. "Perhaps Okumura was bitten by his lapdog." The Phantom Thieves had turned on their employer and caused the shutdown. "Inner strife, then. Leading to mutiny." He frowned at her theories, she was far too quick to assume malicious intent.

"What would be their motivation to attack their employer, though?" Mitsurugi wanted her to flesh out her theory. "... The announcement, he would out their identity to the public, that has to be it..." A superficial overview, passable for most but insufficient in his opinion. "How would this benefit Okumura? It would have him losing a tool that leaves no evidence." That was the dream of every criminal, to act without fear of consequences. "Besides, some targets were wholly unrelated to his business."

Niijima held back her temper, it would do her no good to antagonize her direct superior, but his skepticism was irritating, he kept pointing holes in her logic. "Then, what do you think?" Mitsurugi didn't trust her, the woman reminded him of his worst years in the field, more interested in results than the truth. "I'll refrain from making conjectures until more evidence is produced." He wasn't convinced by her logic but would say no more until she proved trustworthy.

~m~

After a few days and another checkup, Naoto was cleared to go home as long she took care of the wound and avoided overexerting herself. "Mikumo told me she'd pick me up, but where is she?" [Are you out already? I'm about to arrive.] A flashy red car caught her eye as it came down the street, then the driver pulled to the sidewalk by her. "That's quite the timing." Mikumo lowered the window and beckoned her in. "Did Mitsurugi give you permission to use his car?"

"As long I don't scratch it or stuff a body in the trunk, we'll be fine." Green eyes avoided blue ones. "Body?" Naoto threw a leery glance at the rear. "I'll tell you some other day." Naoto was about to step into the car when she heard Akira calling after her. "Hey, I almost missed you..." He was heaving after running since the station. "Oh, hello, Mikumo." After returning the greeting, Mikumo sighed at the annoying guy honking behind her. "Hop in, there's enough space."

With everybody settled in, it was time to get Naoto home. "We shouldn't take long, so just relax." Akira tried not to fidget while Sissel curled up in his lap and Morgana went to ride shotgun by Mikumo. His tongue burned with questions, but the subtle dig of claws in his thigh held him back. "Uh..." Should he try to make some small talk? Naoto was already looking out the window and Mikumo was driving. "Hm? Did you say something?" The woman turned to face him.

"You see, there was this guy who looked like a wolf or Yakuza, he even said that he had business with me." That description only had them think of one person. "Urgh, you met Rou?" Naoto explained who he was. "Mikumo was his subordinate, and these incidents must have made him curious." Akira felt a knot of worry in his gut, would Interpol get involved in this clusterfuck? "I hope that doesn't happen, things are hard enough as is..."

"Don't worry too much about Wolfie, we'll deal with him." Akira was unsure if he could trust what Mikumo said, that man seemed quite the persistent type. "Alright, I'll leave it to you." Sissel stretched his paws. "How are the others doing?" The air got heavy with tension, the interview had been broadcast right during a peak viewership time. "... They think we failed."

~m~

Shiryū was reading the newspaper at a cafe close to the Prosecutor's Office when someone caught his eye, Shido stood out with his entourage. He held back a growl, reminded of the fake president that had fooled his country. There was something prickly about the man who held himself pridefully like ambassador Onreddo. The agent left the premises, being in Shido's presence was making him feel oppressed.

His suspicions were proved correct when he had inquired with Mitsurugi, there was something rotten in this city, and he wanted some of the action. Such a big mess must have some big names involved, much like the smuggling ring he had broken a few years prior. But he should keep his head lowered in the meantime, at least, until he could snag a chat with that other big figure, Kirijo. "I'd rather not cause a conflict, but if these things are happening in Japan, what about other countries?"

Despite his lack of involvement, he didn't go unnoticed, for those who knew his identity were wary of his presence. It was far easier to prune a potential nuisance at the bud than to deal with it later. "That man is dangerous, deal with him." There was no need to worry, the hitman left no traces, and perhaps he could stir chaos to kneecap that annoying prosecutor.