"So, how did you manage to find me, Aoi?" asked Yoji, after giving their orders to the waiter.
"I overheard some high school girls talking about the florists in their school. One of them mention about a guy with blonde hair and sunglasses."
"Ah! My trademark. That's how everybody remembers me."
The waiter places a cup of ice-blended coffee to Yoji and a cup of sweet-smelling lemon tea to Aoi. Aoi held the cup to his lips and took a sip. He places the cup onto the saucer before putting it back onto the table. He looked up and sees an amused Yoji.
"Is something wrong?"
"Nope. I can fully understand how you bait your suspects. Your movements are so much of a woman. Even better than some."
"You flatter me."
"No, I'm speaking the truth."
Aoi laughed softly. He looked up once more, brown eyes getting solemn.
"Takahashi is dead."
Yoji's chin moved a bit. Thoughtfully, he drank his coffee. His dark eyes aimed at Aoi's.
"You are their prime suspect, Yoji."
He continued to be unperturbed.
"Yoji!" hissed Aoi. "This is serious. You can end up in jail."
" I know that."
"Since you know that, you better do something about it."
"Like?"
"Tell the police why you were involved in this."
"I thought you told them already."
"I did but it's not enough. They want to hear it from you."
"Am I really that popular with the police?"
"Stop joking. Sometimes, I feel like boxing you."
"So, you are suggesting that I 'give' myself up to the police?"
"If it prevents you from going to jail, yes!"
"I can't."
"What?"
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?"
"That means I won't go to the police."
"Why?"
"It will get messy."
"Messy?"
"Yes, messy and I don't like mess." Yoji waved his hand to a waitress. The waitress approached him. "Excuse me, miss but could you please send some coffee to the gentlemen at the back, 3 tables from here. Thank you." He stood up, taking a wallet from his pocket and tossed a few dollar bills onto the table. "Maybe, you shouldn't see me."
"What?" Aoi stood up too. "Hey, I'm not finished yet."
"Yes you are. And we are done."
Aoi helplessly watched him leave the café. He turned around and sees the waitress placing 2 cups of coffee to 2 men with sunglasses. They sheepishly gave an apologetic look. Aoi sat down and rubbed his forehead in irritation.
Tokuno inserted a tape into the video player; the television sizzled, flickered and showed a room. It was dark. Then a woman entered, she switched on the light.
"Ishimaru-san?" said the woman.
Toukairin gave a look at Tokuno, who nodded his head and pointed at the television.
The woman cautiously entered the room, looked around and went to the bathroom. She knocked on the door a few times. "Ishimaru-san?" She opened the door and peeped in. Then, she closed. Immediately, the room went into pitch darkness. A heavy sound of something smashed into the wooden door. The attacker grunted.
You surprised me, Aki. Most of my victims would be dead by now."
"Dead?"
"Yes, my dear, dead. Didn't you see the yesterday's news? About a body being found in a canal? I was the one who killed not only her but other bitches like herself that you read in the papers. I must confess that it was the most extravaganza experience I ever have. The way they begged for their life, their screams. Oh, the sensation of my baby sinking into their soft soft body. Usually, I torment them slowly. Waiting to see how long would it take them to die, slowly, second by second. "
"You should be grateful, you know. For yours will be quick. For I can't wait to feel your body after you are dead."
"Are you saying…"
"Yes yes.." his voice went higher and higher. "I love the feel of dead skin. It gets me so excited!"
A howl was heard then a gun shot.
"You bitch, I won't let you get away so fast. I used to be a sharpshooter in the army, you know. What the heck did you spray my eyes with? It hurts so much. When I'm done with you…"
The screen sizzled once more; Toukarin looked at the composed Tokuno, who said nothing. Then the screen shot up bright lights. Toukairin winced at the sudden brightness. The screen became clear once more, showing Takahashi turning over Ishimaru's corpse.
"Damn! He's being taken out."
Black covered the screen.
"That was the hidden video camera that Takahashi's men installed. However, somehow it stopped recording by itself. Look at the time," he rewind the tape. "There, the part when Ishimaru said 'For I can't wait to feel your body after you are dead'. It was 2.45a.m at that time. Now, look. That's Takahashi examining Ishimaru. The time was 2.50a.m."
"So, the murderer took 5 minutes or less."
"Exactly, this person definitely knows what he is doing. I bet that he's not alone in this. His accomplice must be expert in handling our security systems."
A knocking was heard. The door opened.
"Sumimasen, Tokuno-san," said a clean looking man, wearing spectacles.
"What is it? Can't you see that we're busy?"
"I'm sorry but you have to see this."
"This better be good, Senada."
"It is, sir," said Senada, clicking on the keyboards. "This is the photo that you want me to check." The computer screen displayed the photo of Yoji and Ishimaru. "Well, look at this." He clicked "enter'. The screen displayed the photo again.
"What happened to Yoji?" asked Toukairin.
"That's the problem," Senada pointed to the empty space. "The image of your Yoji is a digital. Somebody must have planted him there."
"So, you're telling me that somebody planted this digital image to convince Takahashi that this Yoji guy is present at Ishimaru's party."
"If the Yoji guy you area referring to happens to be real person. You can easily create digital images of people nowadays. I've already checked the list of people who were invited to Ishimaru's party, including their photos and not one of them matches your guy. Seems like this Yoji is like a ghost."
"My conclusion is that somebody have viewed through all the video cameras and selected the best location where he could plant your Yoji guy nicely. Then, he slips in the photo together with the rest and sent to Takahashi."
"Senada, can you please check the photo one more time? And Toukairin, use the another computer and check if there are any files of this guy, Yoji."
"Okay, Tokuno-san." He placed the photo onto a scanner, typing in some words. The screener made a sound, the photo appear on the screen again. Clicking a few more buttons, the digital image of Yoji was removed, leaving Ishimaru's image behind.
"From here, it is pretty obvious that Ishimaru is talking to someone. Someone who had similar features as Yoji, maybe the same height. The empty spaces surrounding this missing feature is quite… humm... If you can give me more time, I maybe able to have a rough outline… hold on… there." Thin blue line outlined the missing figure. "Just as I thought, the real person in this picture has actually the same outline as Yoji." The computer bought the two images together. "See? There could be slight differences. But whoever is talking to Ishimaru have to be among the guest lists."
"Good work, Senada. Find who that person is. We don't have much time." He patted his shoulder. "How about you, Toukairin?"
"Not as good as her. I scan his image and typed in his name." He clicked 'Enter'. "Have a look."
On the screen, printed a word, bold in red – CLASSIFIED.
"Classified?" Tokuno was taken back.
"Yes, sir and this information was from the Headquarters."
"From the headquarters…"
Yoji entered into the living room, he sees Aya sitting down at the couch. His face hard as the hardest stone in the world, arms crossed his broad chest.
"Tadaima," greeted Yoji quietly.
"Who was that woman?"
"Just one of my usual lady friends that I come across every now and then." He walked towards his room.
"She must an unique person despite of her male gender."
Yoji's hand paused at the knob at the words – male gender. His eyes met Aya's.
"So, you followed me."
"He's a police officer. The same one you worked with before."
"What are you trying to say, Aya? Get straight to the point."
"Keep a low profile from now on. You're in a lot of trouble with them."
"You are being too circumspect."
"Maybe, but at least this way, you won't blow our cover."
"Daijoubu dayo. You know me, I'll get by this."
"I hope so." Aya walked past him. "For our sakes."
"Persia, a fax came in from Bokuto Station. A Tokuno-san request permission to see into the files of Yoji," said Manx.
"Yoji? I thought that we gave him a identity."
"I've checked it out but the data in the Headquarters stated as CLASSIFIED."
"Classified? That's odd," Persia rubbed his fingers. "Then, answer that we don't have it."
"But you know how demanding they will be. They won't rest until they know the truth."
"Let them."
"Pardon?"
"Let them seek the truth but permission is denied in accessing into Yoji's files."
"Yes, Persia."
"And one more thing, for the next mission. I want Yoji to be banned from next mission. He is ordered to stay low."
"Aya has already warned him."
"That's not good enough. Nobody must know the existence of Weib except the two of us."
"Kosou!" Tokuno tore the fax paper up.
"What's wrong?" asked Toukairin.
"The headquarters people claimed that they don't have any files on any guys named Yoji. The bastards!"
"Sou ka…"
"I'm back," said Aoi, opening the door behind him.
"Found out anything?" asked Toukairin, hoping for good news.
"Nope," Aoi shook his head. "I would have if your men hadn't stop scooping around."
"It's for your protection, Aoi," Tokuno defending himself. "So, does this Yoji guy really exist?"
"Yes, he does and I don't see why you strongly suspect him as Takahashi's murderer?"
"We are not accusing him as the murderer. All of we need is him to have a word with us. To fill in the blanks," explained Tokuno, trying his best to avoid an argument. "He did saw you at the florist shop. Then, he appeared again after you were shot. Remember, you did say that he was the one who followed Koiwai. Thus, he could be the last man that saw Koiwai alive and well. Plus, he disappeared the moment Takahashi's team reached the place. Another thing, you said that he was the one who went to see the owner of the disco club. That makes two. Though, the bargirls all denied his presence but at least the bar attendants have confirmed that he was there with you. That cast suspicion."
"Suspicion. That's all you have now. And it so happens that he fits in so nicely."
"That is why we are gathering evidence to find Takahashi's killer," butt in Toukairin.
"Do you think that he's the one?"
"I'm not saying that he did or didn't. I'll follow where the evidences lead me to, no matter how ugly the truth will be. And you have to accept where it ends up to."