Part 3

"Fair is foul and foul is fair." – William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Yoji slumped on the couch, pressing the buttons on the remote control time to time. There was absolutely nothing interesting to watch. Maybe, 'The Ring' could be worth watching to pass the time away but it is so dull and draggy. What's the matter with the scriptwriters? Every horror movie, the monster has to be a woman, dressed in white and had extremely long black hair covering her face, very cliché indeed. The pathetic victims just need to scream and looked terrific with their distorted faces. How much do they earn by doing that? The most ominous place where the monster comes from, would be an ancient well. The well! What do the scriptwriters have against the well? Fine, a lot of people were probably murdered by drowning them in a well. Oh… the thought of the people during that time actually drank water from a well that contains the rotting corpses at the bottom or what other dead substances. Ugh! So much for the philosophy of the cycle of life, after living for a period of time, the dead returns to the soil and returns as something new and alive. Hmm… so guess the water from the well brings life as it could be 'nutritious' thanks to the nutrients kindly provided by the dead… oh… she is coming out of the television, he's too scared to move, can't scream… okay… he's dead…. Duh… damsel in distress can't believe he's dead…. Fine lady… solve how to stop the curse… the tape, girl…the tape… the VCR…. Damn, I must be bored.

He switched off the television and on the radio, turning the frequency… pop… techno… rock… classic… pop… rock… classic… nothing nice to listen to…. Darn it all. Manx, why must you kick me off this mission? Sigh! Yeah, I know, I know, it is to stay low until that Takahashi case is over. These Bokuto cops are seriously in nailing me. How well do they know Takahashi? Oh yeah, he's the hero. The good guy while I'm the bad guy. Persia said that let them continue the investigation. Well, Boss, my time is being scarified here. I should be out, having fun with some women. It's Friday night for crying out loud!!!!

That's it! I'm going out! I can't take this any more. There's my jacket and sunglasses… keys… I'm off.

Toukairin and Natsumi held hands as they walked down the lively footpaths of the park. Natsumi was chatting on and on about she and Miyuki did, Nakajima's attempts to ask Miyuki for a date and the teasing of Yoriko… Toukairin remain silent and deep in thought. Then, a hard blow came.

"Itai! Natsumi, what was that for?" He rubbed the bump on his head.

"For not listening to me, that's what. Come on, what's the matter?"

"Nothing…"

"Don't lie to me. I know that something is on your mind and its bothering you."

"Really, it's nothing…"

"Toukairin. In order to maintain a relationship between a man and a woman, they have to communicate. Since we don't have the ability to read each other minds, we have to talk by using our mouths. Saying the word – nothing - does not accomplish much. So, let's start again. What is bothering you?"

Toukairin sighed in submission, holding her hands tightly. He asked.

"Am I a good police officer?"

"Pardon?"

"Am I a good police officer? Please give me your most sincere answer."

"Humm…" Natsumi fingered his hair. "When you first came here, you are a rival to me because you beat me in everything. That was maddening. But then, I grew to like you a lot. You are brave, always putting others before yourself in times of danger and caring. Now, you want to help in the investigation of your friend's death. I understand that but…"

"But what?"

Natsumi touched his cheeks. "I'm afraid that you might not be able to handle it. You never done a murder investigation before."

"Part of me is afraid what the truth might be. Everything is so uncertain. Even Tokuno-san has second thoughts about it."

"And what have you two found out? Miyuki is having a nasty time repairing the damaged bug."

"The photo that Takahashi had, the one about this Yoji guy and Ishimaru. It's a fake. Somebody planted a digital image of Yoji. This Yoji person has classified files and we don't have access to it. But Naomi-san believes that Ishimaru had actually talked to someone at that time. And the outline that she made is so similar to…"

"Takahashi? Please, he's not the only guy who has that figure."

"That's not what I'm concerned with. Both Ishimaru and Koiwai's account shown large amounts of money being transferred to someone in USA, France and Japan currencies. That someone would be that insider. And records have shown Takahashi being unusually rich over the past years when he started out as a detective and the earlier cases that he had solved. Tokuno-san is reviewing them now."

"Now this Yoji guy and Takahashi are suspects for being the insider."

"Yes."

"Then, it has to be more than one insider…"

"Don't complicated things as they are right now…" He moaned.

"Just a thought, what if both of them are the insiders? Ishimaru and Koiwai are dead. This Yoji guy kills Takahashi because he's afraid that Takahashi might turn on him since he's with the police."

"That's the point! There are so many theories to this, so many possibilities, so many routes and the thing is there is no ending!" Toukairin walked in a circle, looking up. "What's worse, is that we have no leads or clues that would lead us to the murderer. This Yoji guy is like some kind of a ghost, popping in and out as he likes. Aoi is not much of help either."

"You can't blame him for it. Maybe he likes Yoji."

"Likes?" He extended the word. "Likes? As in?"

"Like as in friendship," Natsumi gave a mischievous smile. "I'm sure it's not the likes in that deep direction."

"Hope not. I can't imagine if he really likes Yoji."

"Oh boy, wonder if Yoji knows that Aoi is a man."

"Maybe he doesn't."

"What if he does?"

Toukairin creased up. "What if he does? Oh my, you are saying that these two are…"

"Why not?" Natsumi continued. "It's common. But I wonder how the wedding could be like… Aoi always said that he wanted to be in a wedding dress…"

"A wedding dress?" Toukairin cracked up. "Oh my stars… he in a wedding dress! Should the wedding song be 'here comes the groom' or the bride since he would be in white?"

"Gee… I don't know. What do you think?"

Toukairin and Natsumi looked at each other and then, laughed heartily at their cheeky thoughts.

Nastumi wiped off her tears. "How do you feel now?"

"Better much better. Thank you." Toukairin took Natsumi into his arms. "Thank you," he said giving her a kiss.

"Your welcome," Natsumi enjoying its sweet taste. She tiptoed to kiss him back but stopped at his stone posture.

"What?"

"It's him?"

"Who?"

"It's him. It's Yoji."

"Where?" She turned around.

"To your right, see the guy with blonde hair and sunglasses. The one hugging the girl in black mini skirt with cowboy boots."

"Yeah, I see him. He looks like a playboy." She turned towards him. "Funny that you notice that girl's mini skirt and cowboy boots. Do you like mini skirts and cowboy boots?"

"Ah… Natsumi, that's not the point…" His face turning a bit pink.

"I can wear them for you," She pinched his cheek. "If you like."

Toukairin cleared his throat. "He's leaving the place. Let's go." He grabbed her hand.

"Tailing after someone, that's something new to do during dating."

"Gomen, I'll make it up to you later, quick! He's walking to the carpark," He hid behind some cars. "Natsumi, start up the engine, will you?" He passed her the keys.

"Okay."

"Ah… Natsumi?"

"Yeah?"

"Drive carefully…"

"Yeah, whatever."

Toukairin observed Yoji cautiously. He was teasing the girl, caressing and flirting most of the time. She seemed to like it very much, proceeded to push him onto the backseat of the green sport car and resting her sumptuous body on him. Kissing and groans began. Toukairin shifted his eyes away, feeling very awkward and uncomfortable about spying on them. Leaning against the metal door of a car, he debated in his mind whether it was a wise idea to do this. Either he'll get caught or lose sight of Yoji. Who the hell is he anyway? Yet, he is the one who would answer all the questions that linked to Takahashi's death. But why wouldn't he? A car's engine hummed. Toukairin peeped from his hiding place. The headlights of the green sport car lessen the night's darkness. He saw Yoji turning the steering wheel with the girl leaning upon his shoulder. He had a temporary contented look on his face. Toukairin turned around for any sight of his car or Natsumi. The engine roared and then fainted away. Toukairin clenched his jaw.

"Nani o suru?" yelled someone behind him.

"Huh? Ah…" He shielded his eyes from the bright headlights.

"Get in, he's getting away."

"You are driving…."

"No time no argue, get in!"

Natsumi pressed on the pedals and the car zoomed off. Toukairin crossed his fingers and prayed that they and the car would be in one piece at least for the night. Natsumi tailed a safe distance between themselves and the green sport car. The green sport car traveled down to the underground tunnel, to the right side and turned to the left at the corner and down and up into the main highway.

"Man, does he know where he's knowing?" Natsumi spin the car to one side.

"Maybe, he's going for a ride. There he is… rats! He went past a cargo trunk and now he's in front.

"And I can't past him cos' the road is too narrow to do so…Can you see him?"

"Not with this thing blocking my view. I think that there's a crossway in front."

"So, is he going straight or turning?"

"We'll have to wait and see…"

The cargo trunk moved slightly to the left, allowing some room for their eyes to spot the car…

"I see him, green colour, rite?"

"Un…there's the crossway…he's moving forward."

"Yokatta. This makes my life a whole lot easier. Maybe tailing people isn't that hard after all."

"That's maybe, your driving skills is better now compared to last time. You can finally control your strength…"

"Nan desu ne.."

"Ah… nan demo nai… ah le… That's not Yoji's car!"

Natsumi leaned forward, "What do you mean it's not his car?" accidentally pressing the pedal harder. The car immediately accelerated.

"Argh!!!" she yelled at the sudden speed. The car drove past the cargo trunk, barely damaging its metal skin. It went past the green car; the family inside it stared at them with surprised. Toukairin held on the steering wheel and turned.

"Press the brakes!" he commanded.

Thankfully, Natsumi was alert enough to do so, the car screeched, the turning wheels burn slightly at the intense friction. Finally, it stopped on the sideways as Toukairin planned it to. They were panting at their close shave in nearly causing an accident. Toukarin leaned backwards, catching his breath. Natsumi leaned on his shoulder.

"Gomen ne…"

"Daijoubu. As long as you are unhurt, it doesn't matter."

"But we lost him."

"It doesn't matter now. We'll get him sooner or later."

Yoji whistled a love song and recalled the sensuous fun he had just now. That girl wasn't so bad just needed a bit more practice. He unlocked the door and opened. The hallway was dark. Guess the guys haven't finished their mission yet. He went into his room and switched on the lights. A red-haired guy in black sat on the bed, his face inexorable.

"Please don't do that Aya. You nearly scare me."

"Where were you?"

" I went out." He replied in a rebellious tone. "Got a problem with that."

"Manx ordered you to stay low," Aya stood up.

"And so I did."

"The Bokuto people have eyes on you."

"You think I don't know that."

"Then, you know what to do, they have 3 months to solve it. It's 5 weeks more. Don't screw up."

"Screwing up is not my specialty."

"Yet you did when you killed Takahashi. It was supposed to be done in a remote area."

"He had it coming."

"And his friends want revenge."

"That's because they don't know the truth about their friend. He is as guilty as sin."

"That's not what they see in you."

"I didn't say I'm innocent."

"Nobody is."

Yoji lit up a cigarette. Lavender blue wisps filled in the spaces between them.

"That's how we are supposed to live, huh. Forever in the dark, not given the pleasure of being in the sunlight for one minute."

"We chosen it. There's no turning back for any one of us."

"If there is a chance, would you take it?"

"Most likely not," Aya's face melted a little. "I don't deserve to be loved."

"None of us deserved to. But if there's a chance, I would hold on to it with both hands and cling on to it with my might, heart and soul. No man can stand in one place for long."

"Maybe, can we go back to society knowing that we have blood on our hands?"

"Can we?"

Both men pondered over the question. It has been a long time since they asked themselves about this. The questions of whether each of them can fit back into the light like a piece of a jig-jaw puzzle. How ironic when they are children, so many dreams and ambitions that they thought of completing them when they get older. The cruel twist of fate changed their routes and confined them to this dark destiny. White hunters of the dark, carrying out of justice to those who think that they can escape the hands of the law. How many can understand the concept of this? The plain fact is that they are murderers. This dark destiny convicted them already and punished them to the solitude life of the forsaken. Unable to touch affection, kindness, forgiveness and the most yearning of all, Love. The feel of being cherished, the warm of being in someone's life, the need of redemption. Yet, who can redeem people like them?

"If we can be redeem…" Aya spoke. "Who can redeem us?"

"I don't know who can…" Yoji breathed in the heavy smoke. "Just a thought, I remember a phase that my literature teacher used to taught us. 'Fair is foul and foul is fair'. His explanation is we should not take things as what they seem to be. Things that appeared fair can be foul while things that we considered foul can be fair. The white is black and black white. The truth lies and the lie tells truths. Dearest of the dearest friends becomes the most hatred of the hatred foes and vice versa. Which leads to this, this whole Weib thing. Is it justice or murder?"

"Like you said, fair is foul and foul is fair. The justice that we do is to take lives and yet we take lives for justice. We provide the justice to those who cry out for help in the night so that to let them enter the sunshine…"

"While we remain in the night. And how long are we supposed to be like this?"

"As long as there is a cry for help, we'll be there."

Yoji smiled sadly. "What a fair and foul world we are living in then."

"And yet we called it home." Inner torment glistened in Aya's eyes.