Chapter 10
Tick Tock Tick Tock~
It's my grandfather clock~
The voice sang with a chill and fearful melody in their tone, their voice echoing across the pitch black empty room.
A lone figure sat in the shadows as only a glimpse of light could barely make out their identity. They opened their eyes slowly but it's odd that they didn't see anything apart from dark. There was something obstructing their vision. A cloth?
Raising their head, the figure made out to be man looking to be of middle age as he grunted when he felt hurt at the back of his head. He didn't remember how he came into this position. His hands tied behind him with a cold metal steal. A handcuff?
"Hello? urghh.." the ringing in his ears chimed a searing pain into his head. There was no reply, only the sadistic melody playing around him.
An antique clock on the wall
Every hour it sound
Tick Tock Tick Tock~
Telling me what time it is
Tick Tock Tick Tock~
It's my granfather's clock
Tick Tock Tick Tock~
"Urgghh..where am I? What happened?" he turned his head toward the singing voice, trying desperately to find where it was coming from.
Footsteps creeped up from behind him as his blindfold pull down before his chin.
"Hello, Mr. Hector" the person in front of him greeted, their face hiding by the dark veil.
"Wha..you are..."
"Tch..tch..tch..." the person motioned their finger playfully in front of him commanding him to not continue another word.
He obeyed as he closed his mouth tightly.
The figure chuckled, almost mocking him as it sent goosebumps along his skin. The song, the chuckle, the eyes. Eyes of a cold, blooded killer. He knew from his years of experiences in security industry.
"Tell me something, dear mister. Where is he?" his captor asked in their slithering voice.
"He? Who?" his voice cracked a little at being asked.
"You know who. Your boss of course" the person scooted down to the eyes level. Maybe to detect any secret he tried to hide.
"I...I'll tell you everything, let me go, okay. I won't tell anybody about you. I promise" his wavering voice couldn't hide the desperation.
"Hurmmm... haha... you can try your luck. Go on.." the captor smile wickedly.
XXXXX
It's been three months after the murder case of Kosuke and now, Haruka, Yukino and Ahn were standing in front of another homicide victim. If only this isn't involving some Triad assassin, this can become the serial killer case. But the differences between a serial killer case and assassin case is, the case involving underground organization who hire the killer to kill for them, while a serial killer moves solo or in small groups, killing for their own cause. While they were focusing on guarding Natsuki, they received a call from their officer about a murder case with a card left behind. It's become more complicated and unpredictable. The move of the assassin is different from their past activity, which always involve upper hierarchy peoples. This time, it was Mr. Hector, manager and co-founder of the Hades & Hector Security. A company that provides bodyguards for hire. The same modus operandi, the same card left behind. A clean pull of wire bruise around the victim's neck. Still there was no trace or other slip from the assassin. They were a professional. They even manage to kill the manager of a bodyguard company, who lived by training as a bodyguard.
Ahn's eyes were wandering around the house, trying to find if there were any hidden cameras or clues in the house other than what they have already investigated. "Nothing"
It's a dead end. This case was frustrating, she had already investigated the Shang for years now, and it never came close enough for a clue of the killer nor their whereabouts. They are a professional killer, born and trained to be an assassin.
"Ahn-san, I think you should see this" Yukino called from in front of her laptop.
She replayed the footage from the security camera from the house lawn.
"Right before the camera turned off, there was a car not far from here. See that car?" Yukino paused the video and pointed at the screen.
Squinting her eyes, Ahn closed her distant with the screen, obstructing Haruka's vision. A grunt could be heard from behind Yukino. "Yeah. That Mercedez Benz 110. Yukino, can you process this video so we can see the plate number?"
"I can do that but I'll need few hours"
Months had gone by with controversial scandal between the Fujino heir and the Zhang Group's manager after the press conference about the company's collaboration slowly cooled down a little. The sight of them having lunch together or romantic dinner together is not an unusual anymore. Sometimes they even stop by the flower shop to enjoy the beautiful flowers and buy some of them. Other times, it was only Natsuki or Shizuru who bought flowers when they were on their way to see each other company's building. Chie even caught a picture of Natsuki's black sedan car parked outside Shizuru's house many times already; indicating Natsuki spent the night there as they leave for office together the next day. It's obviously something was going on with these two lovebirds. It's dating, yes, and it's more than just courting. Natsuki spent her nights at Shizuru's house and the father allowed it many times like it was nothing. Chie also saw Shizuru visit Natsuki's house many times and apparently she had the spare house key for herself. Yes, it is very fishy. It can be smell from far away and it's very obvious. These two were perhaps more than just above the line of dating, maybe they were engaged.. Or even married? The news about their secret marriage can be big. Why would these two women be married in secret? It will hit the press havoc and the Otome Magazine will be first to publish about it early in the morning.
After six months past, both the companies called for another press conference. It was said this press conference is to introduce their first collaborative product and at the same time to announce the company's merger plan after the successful project. The Otome Magazine speculated in their recent coverage of the infamous couple that the conference also announced about the couple's marriage with a few of related hidden-from-the-crowd photos of the two.
That brings to the question that Chie Harada asked a few minutes ago and the audience was still waiting for the reply from the President of the Fujino Corporation, Shirai Fujino was in silence.
Smoothing his thin layered moustache and clearing his throat, the president then smile before he replied. "Yes..."
After the short answer the crowded erupted in noise with rapid questions asked toward the president. The president then raised his hand motion for the press to quiet down.
"I'm happily announce that, my lovely daughter, Fujino Shizuru here..." he gestured for his daughter to come forth before he held her hand. "..Will be marrying Natsuki-san of the Zhang Group next week." Shirai turned to look at Natsuki and motioned her to come join them at the front of the podium. "The ceremony will be held at Meiji Jingu on Saturday morning. This ceremony are only attend by family members and companies acquaintances. Also one or two chosen reporters to represent the media"
After the confirmation of the truth of the news, the press was again going wild, but the reporter from the Otome Magazine yelled the question, making the crowd silent again waiting for the answer.
"Pardon your question?" calmly Shirai ask the reporter to repeat.
"Is Shizuru going to be the Zhang or is it Natsuki going to be the Fujino?" Chie repeated her question, her pen and paper in one hand and a recording device in the other.
"I'm going to take Natsuki under my wing; therefore it will be Fujino Natsuki Kruger. But, before you ask anything about it, no, I'm not going to steal her from the Zhang Group. She can make her own choice whether she wants to stay as Zhang Group's manager or she wants to join the Fujino Corporation. It's her own free will to make her own decision. Furthermore, with the marriage, Fujino Corporation and Zhang Group of the Japan Branch will be merging as one company, so where Natsuki-san works doesn't matter. I guess, that's all for now about these two. I would like to invite you all to see the demonstration of our new product at the Zhang Group's race track. Natsuki-san herself will conduct the demonstration"