Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files
Part 2: Hunters
Chapter 19: Mixed Messages
by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com)
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A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing!
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Daley Wong tried to stifle a yawn as he followed the doctor through the quiet hospital corridor. At five a.m. he normally would be quite happily asleep, snuggled against Yuuji, or vice versa, but he couldn't ignore the beep of his pager. He regretted waking up his partner but it was a sort of payback for the times Yuuji had to fly out off to work at odd hours just because some late breaking story was going on. The one good thing was that they usually made it up to each other afterwards, which unfortunately could be days later.
He glanced down at his data pad and almost bumped into the doctor, who had stopped at the door of the patient's room. The doctor tapped gently on the door, which was opened by a very haggard looking man in his early thirties, with a slightly portly physique and receding hairline.
"Sir, this is Detective Wong," the doctor said, introducing the visitor.
"Doctor, excuse me but we've already met," Daley said, bowing in greeting, "Dr. Yamada, I came as soon as I was summoned."
"Yes, come in, Detective Wong. I wanted to wait to call you but she insisted that I page you right away," he answered sheepishly.
"It's part of my job to be available when necessary," the detective explained.
The three of them entered the private room to find Irene Chen looking a little dazed as she sat up, with the support of several pillows.
"How are you feeling, Ms. Chen?" the doctor asked as he checked her eyes with his pocket light.
She smiled weakly and answered, "Still woozy. But at least I can put together a coherent sentence now."
"Hmm," he muttered as he checked her pulse. "As predicted, the tranquilizer seems to be clearing out of your system with no permanent damage. But I still want to keep you here through tonight for observation."
"We'll have to talk about that later, Doctor," Irene said in a tone with a certain firmness underneath it. "That's why I wanted to talk to the Detective as soon as possible about what happened."
The older man frowned but then bowed and said, "Since I'm in early, I do have other patients to check on. I will stop by around noon and we can discuss it then."
He bowed and let the three of them have their privacy to discuss the matter at hand.
"Detective... Wong, is it?" Irene asked as she squinted at him.
"Yes, ma'am. Daley Wong," he answered as he sat in the chair next to the bed while Sho took his spot beside Irene, their hands firmly clasped together. "I'm from the Neo Tech Crimes Division of the Police. It's our job to tackle cases which have been perpetrated with advanced technology and weapons. We're still in the data gathering phase to determine if it's still under our jurisdiction or if it should be handed over to the regular detective division. The case does look very straightforward but there's a couple of odd things about."
"I see. Well, Sho told me that a lot of the details are still unknown."
"That's what we tell the general public while we're in the first phase. But it's not too far from the truth," Daley admitted as he glanced at the data pad holding his own notes on the case. "Here are the facts as we know it: every person, either staff or visitor in both the sports complex and shopping plaza, was killed with very clean shots. Because no gunfire was heard, and the entire building had a blackout, no one knew what had happened until the power crew showed up about an hour later to deal with a cut power cable and sabotaged back-up generator. The killers were long gone by then. And you and Linna were the only survivors."
"'Linna?'" Irene asked, picking up on the use of the first name.
"Ms. Yamazaki is actually one of my assistant's best friends. In fact, my assistant is checking on her right now since she woke up shortly after you did."
"But she's not hurt?"
"No, not a scratch... Well, except for some strange bruises we're going to have to ask her about. But we did think she was a casualty at first, as well as yourself."
Irene grimaced as she gingerly did a test touch of small bandage at her side. "I think I did more damage by almost giving myself a heart attack when the tranquilizer dart hit me. I assure you, I'm quite surprised to be alive."
"Well, it seems you were spared intentionally. We still don't know about Linna - meaning why she was spared from being shot by either a bullet or a tranquilizer, as in your case." Daley commented grimly as he scanned his data pad and then pulled out his stylus pen. "But are you able to now give me an account of what happened before you passed out?"
Just then, a sharp knock came from the door. The bewildered exchange of looks showed that no additional visitors were expected. Sho answered it and then jumped back in a startled surprise and bow, allowing the new person to enter. A very tired but frantic looking and casually dressed Reika entered the room. She paused in her steps when she and Irene looked at each other.
Daley noticed how the women exchanged a tense look, but then Irene broke out into a pleased smile and motioned for Reika to come over for a hug. He noticed how pleased Sho looked as he watched the women.
"Detective Wong, this is my sister Reika Chang," Irene introduced. "She's CEO and President of Chang Enterprises. I want her to be here for this discussion."
So once everyone had settled themselves again, Irene began her tale, relaying the circumstances around the sudden blackout and the shooting that had started moments afterwards. Daley took copious notes but also watched the faces of the two other visitors, noticing how pale each became with every detail that was told. True, the tale was brutal, but there was something else gnawing at the back of the detective's mind that there was more to the surface of this matter, and their looks confirmed it.
"Since the shooting spree began right after the lights went out, then it's clear that it started in the plaza area, where you were," Daley surmised as he scanned through his new and old notes. "The casualty list from the plaza have all been identified as staff or owners connected with the businesses which were closing that night. We don't have any unidentified casualties that would include these four women that you mentioned."
"There was something creepy about them," Irene commented darkly. "They just watched when Linna passed out and didn't move or react. And the next instant the lights went out and the shooting started."
"How is Linna?" Reika asked softly to anyone who would answer. These were the first words Daley heard her utter.
The detective noticed how stricken she looked, as well as her use of Linna's first name. "I've heard she's fine, Ms. Chang. My assistant is with her now. In fact, I was going to check in on her after I've finished interviewing Ms. Chen."
"Reika, could you go with him?" Irene asked. "I'd go myself but I don't trust I'll be able to stand up, much less walk right now. Please, just make sure she's really all right."
Her sister looked clearly reluctant as they exchanged a meaningful look, but then Reika's expression changed to passive resignation as she gave a nod.
Daley pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and said, "I think the remaining question is what was the reason why you were shot with just a tranquilizer when everyone else was basically executed. The shootings happened in the dark, yet everyone was killed by marksman precision, I think we have to entertain the possibility that they knew who you are. Unless you really were just a random person they chose to be a survivor as some sort of general statement."
Instead of answering right away, he noticed that the two sisters exchanged another look
Reika then spoke, "Detective Wong, I have just recently taken over the leadership of our family corporation. We specialize in the business of security, and have made many powerful enemies in the process. I wouldn't be surprised if someone thought that attacking Irene, but also sparing her, would send some sort of warning statement to me and Chang Enterprises as a whole."
"Do you think that's possible?" Daley asked the patient.
Irene nodded. "That's why I'm not comfortable staying here for the night. And I certainly do not mean to offend the guards you've posted in the hospital. I'd just rather be transferred to our family compound while I recover and then figure out what our next steps are."
"Well, that would explain why Irene wasn't killed. But that doesn't explain why the slaughter happened in the first place," Daley mused.
"That last piece I couldn't begin to address," Reika admitted. "As deadly as our enemies can be, I've never heard of a 'warning' incident which involved truly innocent bystanders, meaning people who have no connection professionally or personally to my family's business. The grudges tend to be much more honorable than that."
He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sho looked extremely troubled but didn't utter a word, even though it looked like he wanted to.
"Dr. Yamada, is there something you wish to add?" the detective coaxed.
The man jumped a bit at being addressed, but then he adamantly shook his head. "N-Nothing at all. I'm just upset that innocent lives could be cold-heartedly slaughtered in such a way, though I admit I will never regret the fact that Irene was spared in the end."
Daley stood and bowed to Irene. "Well, then if you have nothing else to add for the time being, Ms. Chen, I will leave you to continue with your recovery. I truly appreciate your willingness to talk to me as soon as you regained consciousness."
"Thank you, Detective," she responded as she made a feeble attempt to return the bow. "And I do regret waking you at such an inconvenient time but I think we understand the loss of lives should put our concerns as secondary."
He nodded. "Please contact me if you remember anything else about the event as the tranquilizer continues to wear off. Dr. Yamada, it was good to talk to you again. Ms. Chang, do you wish to accompany me to see Linna?"
"Lead the way, Detective Wong," the woman answered with clearly polite enthusiasm.
-- End Chapter 19 --
