Chapter 3.

Ran awoke to a gleam of sunlight and a booming echoing through the house. The same sound as yesterday. He glanced at his watch. Seven o'clock AM. The same time as yesterday. Steady as a heartbeat. He counted it as it continued. Five, six, seven...

"What is that?"

Ran glanced over to see Ken sitting up in the large chair across from him, rubbing his eyes. Eight, nine... The pounding stopped, leaving the house quiet but for the cheery sound of birds in chorus outside.

Ran looked at Ken in surprise, wondering what he was doing there, then spotting the small bandages on Ken's face, and his bandaged hands. Glass. The glass in the front door.

His back ached, and he grimaced, sitting up. He'd fallen asleep on the living room couch. He stood up, stretching the ache out of his back, trying to cover up his initial surprise by acting casual. Sore, cramped muscles cried in protest.

"It's the water heater." Ran winced as he stretched.

"From upstairs?" Ken blinked, pointing upwards.

"That's what Natsu said." Ran shrugged, blinking at the light. Ken sat up, stretching, and glanced at his hands.

"I guess I pissed him off, eh?" He rubbed the back of his head.

"You didn't piss him off." Ran glanced upwards. "I pissed him off."

Ken chuckled, stretching his own back, lifting his arms above his head. "I can't believe we stayed here."

"He wasn't going to let us leave."

Ken blinked, lowering his arms. "Shit. Do you think we're still trapped here?"

Ran got up and walked toward the foyer. Ken scrambled after him. Ran looked out through the empty window and grasped the doorknob. It turned and the door swung open easily.

"Guess not." Ken shrugged.

"Are you going to try and help him?" Ran asked quietly. Ken scrubbed his fingers through his hair.

"Yes, I am. He came out and asked for help. And he wants it badly enough to do this."

Ran nodded his head, folding his arms and looking at the floor. "Let's listen to the tape again."

Ken looked to him, and blinked. Then he smiled broadly.

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"Will you talk to us?" Asuka's voice asked on the tape. They heard the scratching of the pencil, and Youji answering.

"Yes."

"Good. Are you Katsuhiro Otomo?"

"No."

"No," Youji's voice read.

"Wait a minute." Ran sat up from the chair. "Rewind."

"Good. Are you Katsuhiro Otomo?"

"No."

"No."

Ken stared at the tape recorder and hit stop, then rewound again.

"Good. Are you Katsuhiro Otomo?"

"No."

The first "No" on the recording came out soft and echoing, high- pitched and whispery.

"No," Youji's voice said right afterward. Ken looked to Ran, eyes wide. Ran stared at the tape recorder.

"Are you Takatori Akira?"

"No," the voice spoke again before Youji echoed it.

"Holy shit." Ken gasped.

"Are you Takatori Saijou?"

"No."

Ken stopped the tape, staring at Ran. "We recorded him."

Ran nodded, staring at the tape recorder. "Play it."

"What is your name?"

"Mamoru," said the voice in a whimpery tone, like a scolded child on the verge of tears.

"Mamoru," Youji whispered.

"Are you the child Takatori Mamoru?"

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They listened to the voice of Mamoru precede Youji's as the tape went on.

"Mamoru, are you the youngest son of Takatori Reiji?"

"Shiii," the voice whispered.

"Rewind that." Ran pointed at the tape recorder quickly. "Turn it up."

Ken did so, turning the volume to its highest point.

"Mamoru, are you the youngest son of Takatori Reiji?"

"Shuuichi."

"What's wrong with it?" Ken's voice whispered. Ken hit stop, staring at the recording, open-mouthed.

"Shuuichi," Ran repeated. "Are you Reiji's son...Shuuichi..."

"Oh my god." Ken covered his mouth with his hand. The two looked at each other, confirming their conclusions.

"He wasn't Reiji's son?" Ken breathed.

"He didn't know how to explain it." Ran nodded. "That's why he was confused. Which means our other answers are probably on this tape."

"I wonder if Reiji knew." Ken frowned. Ran shrugged, and hit play.

"Mamoru, why are you in this house? Why can you not find rest?"

Mamoru's voice began to speak in its high child tone, the words blending into mumbling.

"What's he saying?" Ken whispered to Ran.

"I can't make it out." Ran shook his head, frowning. "It's too quiet."

The tape played on. "Mamoru, did you die in this house?"

"My room," Mamoru's voice whimpered.

Ken looked up, mouthing the words. Ran looked up as well, his breath quickening.

"How did you die, Mamoru?"

"My father."

After a breathless pause, Ken hit 'stop' and got up. "Oh my god."

He paced the room in quick strides as Ran watched him. Ken paced the length of the room and turned back again, hands hugging his arms shakily.

"Shuuichi was dead already," Ran said quietly.

"Oh god..." Ken's voice trembled, he turned and walked back to the window, leaning his forehead against the cold glass.

Ran looked back to the tape recorder. "He's a monster, Ken. He ran over my sister and didn't care one bit. Why does it surprise you he would murder his son?"

Ken rolled his head on the window, shaking it. "No wonder he's pissed."

Ran nodded at his back.

"He wants you to help him." Ken turned to look at him. "Because you both want the same thing."

Ran nodded again, and hit play.

"Mamoru, are you angry about Ran being in this house?"

"No."

"No," Youji's voice echoed.

"Mamoru, do you want Ran to leave?"

"No." Mamoru's voice got louder.

"No."

"Mamoru, is there something you want from Ran?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"What is it you want from Ran, Mamoru?"

"Help," Mamoru's voice wailed and the wail got louder.

"Help," Youji read. "Help. Help. Help. Hel-"

The rest of the tape filled with wailing, the sobbing of an upset child, echoed by Asuka's sobs, till it faded out.

"Now you know who and why. What are you going to do about it?" Youji's voice asked.

Ran hit stop and stood up, brushing the wrinkles from his pants. He walked toward the foyer, and Ken followed after him.

"Ran?"

Ran walked past the foyer to the boxes, tearing one open with his hands and pulling his katana from it. Then he headed for the stairs.

"Ran?" Ken followed, hurrying after the redhead stepping purposefully up the stairs.

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Ran walked up the top stairs into the attic room, looking around at the dusty furniture. He turned his katana, placing the tip against the floor in the center of the room. Ken slowly came up the stairs after him, watching him intently.

"Mamoru, you want revenge," Ran said quietly. "So do I. And you knew that, didn't you?"

The crystals in the wind chimes tinkled in an unseen breeze. Ken stared, but Ran didn't turn his head.

"Then stop these foolish pranks," Ran said evenly. "Stop hurting the people that enter this house. Stop the noises. Behave, and I will get our revenge."

The wind chimes sang, swaying, flashing light across the room. Ran blinked in the light as it shot across his eyes.

He heard splashing and turned to the bathtub by the window. A small golden-haired boy sat in his bath, a small necklace around his neck as he rippled the water colored by the stained glass window. The music box sat open on the vanity, gently chiming out its song as the boy tried to sing with it, swirling the water around in his bath. The boy looked up at the sound of footsteps, and Ran turned to see Ken standing by the wall, eyes wide in shock. A younger Reiji came up the stairs, dressed in a white button up shirt and gray slacks.

"Morning, father," the boy in the tub said quietly.

Ran clenched the katana, his rage growing. Reiji wore a neutral expression as he walked forward, past Ken, and toward the tub. The katana flashed in the light as Ran struck, and came back out the other side of the man with no effect. Reiji continued to walk up to the end of the tub, looking down at the boy. Ran stared, breathing deeply in his anger.

Mamoru looked up at his father with large innocent blue eyes, wondering what his father wanted. Reiji looked at him a moment longer, then quickly reached down into the water, grabbing the boy's small ankles. The boy gasped as he was pulled under the water, trying to cry out to have his mouth fill with water.

Ran dashed forward, spinning to gather momentum, and his katana again passed through the man holding his son's legs up out of the water. Mamoru's small fists slammed against the sides of the tub, as his screams were drowned out by water. The hollow, metallic sound of the pounding echoed loudly.

"Noooo!" Ken shrieked, dashing forward as the water splashed out of the tub, small hands flailing. Panting in rage, Ran grabbed Ken's shirt as he dashed forward, jerking him back and nearly off of his feet.

"We can't stop it." He breathed heavily, teeth clenched. "It's the past."

Mamoru's fists continued to pound against the sides of the tub. Seven, eight, nine...

The small hands convulsed, groping, twitching, before sliding down into the water. Reiji continued to hold up the thin legs a few moments longer, then released them, letting them drop. He wiped his face with his sleeve as if the effort had been strenuous, staring down at the wide-open, blue eyes beneath the surface of the water as a few last tiny bubbles of air rose up from the boy's lips.

Ken choked, briefly drawing Ran's gaze. When he looked back again, he was left staring at a cobwebbed tub filled with dust.

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Ken was silent, poking at his food as Ran sipped coffee, watching him. Ken looked utterly miserable, head hanging. Even his hair seemed to have lost its shine, looking dull and limp.

After watching him push an egg around his plate a little longer, Ran spoke up.

"Do you still want to help him?"

Ken lifted his head, eyes nearly hidden by his hanging bangs. Slowly, he nodded, looking down again.

"Good." Ran sipped his coffee. "Then we find where Reiji is staying right now."

"Youji," Ken said quietly. "Youji could find out."

"Then let's go see him."

-------------------

"Are you shitting me?" Youji demanded, nearly spilling his coffee on himself. Asuka clucked her tongue and handed him a napkin.

"They obviously aren't, Youji," she said in exasperation. "Look at their faces!"

Youji mopped up the drops on his shirt and put the cup of coffee down on the end table.

"I'm not surprised Reiji would murder his own son," Asuka continued. "He would sell his own mother if it got him somewhere. He's rotten."

Ran nodded. "Or run over a young girl for no reason at all."

"But that's the thing," Ken spoke up. "Mamoru wasn't Reiji's son. He was Shuuichi's. Maybe Reiji found out and decided to get rid of him."

Youji blinked, then threw down the napkins, hurrying to a back room. Ran and Ken stared after him.

"He's on the scent." Asuka laughed. Youji came running back with the manila folder, dropping it on the floor, and kneeling to scatter the papers in a hurry.

"Youji, our guests are housebroken." Asuka winked at Ran and Ken.

Youji stopped to give her a suffering look, then grabbed a page, reading over it quickly. "I hereby bequeath unto Takatori Mamoru my estates and finances."

Youji skimmed the page and jabbed it with his finger. "In the event Mamoru should die before his eighteenth birthday, all estates and finances will go to Takatori Hirofumi upon his eighteenth year!"

Youji held up the paper in triumph. "That was it! If Mamoru wasn't Reiji's son, he might withhold the money from him. But Hirofumi is fanatically loyal to his father. So Reiji killed him to get the money back in his hands. The kidnapping was a cover up!"

Asuka golf clapped. "He's so smart."

Youji blanched, slowly turning his head to look at his wife. She smiled sweetly at him. Youji's head twitched, and he grimaced.

"So that was his motivation," Ken said quietly.

"But it's not enough, guys." Youji shook his head. "We gotta have solid proof it happened."

"Why?" Ran asked quietly.

"The cops won't have anything to go on."

"Who said anything about cops?"

Youji stared at the solemn swordsman as that comment registered. "You aren't..."

Ran stood up, smoothing out his light jacket. "Tell me where I can find him."

"No, wait, I can't do this." Youji shook his head. "As much as I love the police, if you go kill him, and the police find out I told you were he is, then I'm an accessory. No wait, I'm a conspirator! No way. There's gotta be some proof."

Ran took a deep breath, and turned to leave. "Fine."

"No! No! Wait!" Youji snapped. "We just need some evidence! He could get the death penalty, if not life! Ran! Goddammit!"

Ran looked back at the blonde amid the papers spread on the floor.

"What kind of evidence would be left from a nine-year-old crime?" Ken asked.

"The body." Asuka nodded. "Reiji had to get rid of the body. Find that, and you've got your case."

"Asuka?" Ran asked quietly, looking at her intently. Asuka realized the intent of the look, and swallowed.

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"Mamoru, where is your body?"

The pencil began to draw, first a circle, then a square around it. A house was drawn in the corner of the square.

"Hey, that..." Ken shut his mouth, looking at Youji. Youji nodded at his wise decision.

The four-legged creatures were drawn, some facing the square, others facing away. The circle was colored in, the pencil marking a dark 'X' on it.

Ran looked at the picture, then around the room. "Mamoru, we need more, this isn't enough, you have to show us more."

Youji frowned at him, then looked back to the paper as words began to appear.

"Necklace," Youji read. "Horse. Well..."

The pencil came to rest, and Asuka opened her eyes, blinking calmly this time. Ran stood up, looking down at the sketch.

"Horse." He pointed out the creatures. Then his finger slid to the house, and to the circle.

"X marks the spot," Youji murmured.

Ran tapped the circle. "Necklace, well."

"Well!" Asuka exclaimed. "A well! This is a well! Near a house with horses! A farm, or something."

Youji leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Love your brain."

Asuka poked him in the forehead. "Yeah, sure, you married me for my brain."

"Well, that was one of the reasons." Youji grinned.

"Reiji can't have gone far." Ken scratched his cheek, then his eyes widened. "Farm! No! Not a farm! A riding stable! There was a riding stable barely even a mile from here! But they built houses on it."

"Time to go hunting." Youji chuckled in glee.

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Youji hummed as he looked over the map, turning to orient himself and avoid burning the map with his cigarette. "There."

He pointed to a whitewashed house with a small dog in the front yard. "That's where the well used to be."

"Let's go." Ran stepped forward. Ken grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"What are you going to do? Ask them if we can tear up their floor to search for a body?"

"Exactly." Ran tugged his arm free.

Asuka sighed, shaking her head. "Men. Let me handle this."

She walked up to the front door of the house as the poodle in the yard yapped at her.

The men waited as Asuka flashed her identification to the woman who answered the door, and engaged her in conversation.

"She's a police officer?" Ran looked to Youji. Youji raised an eyebrow, inhaling on the cigarette.

"No, she's an investigator too." He grinned, blowing smoke. "We're partners."

"Guys!" Asuka waved them to join her.

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"Normally I wouldn't have taken you seriously." The woman who lived in the house wrung her hands in her kitchen. "But last night my son woke the house, screaming that there was a boy trying to come up through his bedroom floor."

"Bingo." Youji chuckled, happily smoking in the house with permission. The woman looked pained and distraught, watching him. Youji handed her a cigarette and she took it gratefully.

"I tried to quit." She laughed, lighting it from Youji's offered lighter. "But I really need one right now."

"So we can look for the body?" Ken asked.

"Please, find it, so my son can sleep in peace." The woman nodded.

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Ken dug his shovel in deep, dropping the shovelful of dirt into the bucket next to him. Ran pulled the bucket up, standing above the small hole they had made in the bedroom floor. Ken planted the shovel and rested his arm on it, wiping his brow.

"Wanna switch out?" he asked, his voice echoing up the stone walls of the well.

Ran handed Youji the bucket of dirt and took off his jacket as Ken climbed up the ladder, groaning over his sore muscles.

Ran climbed down the ladder, waiting for the bucket to return, angling the hanging work light the resident had helpfully offered. He looked around at the dirt under his feet.

Mamoru, where are you? We've dug down five feet already.

"Here it comes," Ken called, and lowered the empty bucket. Placing the bucket next to his foot, Ran dug the shovel in, dropping the dirt into the bucket. He filled the bucket and waited for it to be emptied.

When it returned, he dug in again, freezing when small pale objects came up with the dirt. He let the dirt out of the shovel carefully, then gently worked the shovel tip into the dirt. On the tip of his shovel rose a small bone, and he stared at it, putting the shovel down to brush the dirt away with his hands. More bones revealed themselves as he swept the dirt away. Ran sat back on his heels, breathing heavily, staring into small dirt- filled eye sockets.

"Ran?" Ken called from above. "You okay?"

Ran just looked at the tiny bones of a small arm and shoulder, tiny teeth in a jawbone.

You were more wronged than I. He looked sorrowfully down at the small skull. A glint caught his eye, and he reached carefully for it, lifting a small chain from the dirt.

"Ran?" Ken asked anxiously.

"Yeah, Ken." Ran blew dirt from the chain, finding a small golden plate in the center. He rubbed the dirt off with his fingers, and held it up to the light.

'Mamoru' was etched in elegant calligraphy on the tarnished plate.

"I found him, Ken. I found him."

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The police came to claim the bones, excavating the crude grave for every last piece.

After thoroughly interrogating everyone, the police released the group unwillingly. No one had given a complete story. And the police knew it. But had nothing to legally hold them.

"Okay, you've got your proof." Ran looked into the rear view mirror at Youji as the investigator drove them away from the house. "Now you get me what I want."

Youji sighed, stopping at a red light. "Okay. I'll find out. But you can't leak it that I told you. Reiji is going to be antsy that his son's body turned up. And the police saw me there with you. If you get found out, you better not say a word about me."

"Done." Ran nodded.

"You too, Ken!" Youji looked back at the brunette.

"My lips are sealed," Ken promised.

"I'll call you when I find out," Youji promised back. "I still say you let the police take him."

"Youji..." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know." Youji sighed. "Damned lawyers find every loop hole and Reiji likely has a judge or two in his pocket."

Ran nodded slowly and in agreement. "Reiji cannot be dealt with within the law."

Youji sighed again, letting his shoulders slump. "Asuka and I are a part of this now, Ran. Don't fail us."

"I won't."