Chapter 7: Growing Feelings
„…and then that crazy woman kicked me into the stomach, took my gun and helped her kidnapper to escape! Can you believe that?" Inspector van Dyk raged, earning a sympathetic look from the police psychologist, Setsuna Meioh. "Well, I guess the hostage is suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome." She then spoke. Inspector van Dyk gaped at her. "From the what?" she then asked, frowning. "The Stockholm Syndrome." Setsuna replied patiently. "It means that she either fell for her kidnapper, or that she started to identify herself with him." "You mean, there are people who fall in love with the ones who kidnap them?" Inspector van Dyk repeated, her eyes widening. "But hey! The kidnapper mentioned that he…pardon, that she is female. That would mean…" The inspector started to daydream, and Setsuna let out a sigh. "Whatever!" she then interrupted the inspector's fantasies, causing the blonde woman to let out a sigh. "We have to find them as soon as possible." The psychologist spoke, her voice clearly showing that she meant every word she said. "Oh, we will find them." Inspector van Dyk replied, dark clouds appearing over her head. "Be sure of that, we will find them."
"There, all done." Michiru spoke, leaned back and admired her handwork. Haruka looked down on the bandage Michiru had wrapped around her shoulder, where the splinter had dug into her flesh, then gave the aqua haired girl a lopsided smile. "Thanks." Michiru smiled back. "Anytime, Haruka." The two women sat next to their car in the grass for a while, just grinning at each other, then Haruka stood up. "We should get moving again. Maybe that inspector isn't so dumb after all and comes up with the idea that we went here." Michiru nodded and also got to her feet. The two of them climbed into the car, and Haruka started the engine. "There's just one more thing I'd like to know." The blonde spoke while she started to drive down the small path that led through the forest. "And what would that be?" Michiru asked, looking at the blonde curiously. "Why did you help me out back there in the hotel?" Haruka asked, shooting her a short look. "I mean, I know that you want to get away from your father, but you look old enough to move out. And the police would never come up with the idea to blame you for anything, after all, you were kidnapped. So, why?" Michiru blushed deeply when she answered the blondes question. "Because I like you, Haruka. And I trust you that you won't hurt me." Now, Haruka blushed too, and she coughed before she replied: "Well…thanks. You know, I kind of like you too." Michiru beamed at her companion, making her chuckle. "Now, now, stop grinning like that. You look as if you just won in the lottery." Michiru giggled at the blondes remark and shrugged. "Wish I did. Hey, do you have any clue where we can go?" Haruka sighed and shook her head. "Nope…you?" Michiru also declined, and Haruka stopped the car. The two women looked at each other for a while, but neither Haruka nor Michiru were thinking about a place to go. More likely, the two had the very same thought: "And what would happen if I kiss her?" Unfortunately, both women were to scared to make their thought reality, and so Haruka finally spoke: "No idea, huh? It has to be some deserted place, where they won't find us that easily…" Michiru nodded, in her mind still busy with imaging Haruka and herself kissing. "Maybe we should go up into the mountains." The aqua haired girl suggested as soon as she had managed to get those fantasies out of her head. Haruka considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Good idea. There aren't much people…and not much alcohol." She added, her voice darkening. Michiru didn't make a comment about the last part of the blondes sentence, and Haruka also stayed silent. "We have to get through the woods first…and I'm afraid we have to leave the car behind." The blonde finally spoke after a few moments of silence. Michiru agreed and nodded. "The cops know what it looks like, it's too dangerous. So, let's get everything we could need, and then walk, okay?" Haruka nodded, and the two women started to rummage through the car in search of needful things.
"Inspector van Dyk? There's somebody who wants to talk to you." The inspector looked up from the protocol she was reading and found herself eye to eye with a young police officer. "Really? Send him in." the blonde woman mumbled before she returned her attention to the protocol. The officer nodded and left the room. Moments later, the door opened again, and a man dressed completely in black came marching in. A long scar ran from his temple down his cheek, and his eyes seemed colder than ice. "So we meet again, Inspector van Dyk." He now spoke, sitting down and looking at the blonde woman. "I can't say that I'm pleased about that fact, Kazuya." The inspector replied, lighting a cigarette. The man named Kazuya smirked and shrugged. "Actually, I don't really care if you're pleased to meet me, Inspector. I'm here for business." Inspector van Dyk blew a cloud of smoke into the man's face, giving him a cold look. "I don't make business with the Yakuza." She then informed him, her voice not all too friendly. "Why not? We could make you rich. Besides, we are after the same person, Inspector." Kazuya pulled a photo from his jacket and shoved it over the desk to the inspector, who accepted and had a look at it. "Haruka Tenoh." Kazuya spoke while van Dyk studied the photo. "Bank robber, killer, kidnapper. And we want her too." "Good for you." The inspector replied, in a pretty derisive tone. "Then see if you can find her. We can't." "Actually, I was more likely thinking that at first you find her, and then we'll kill her." Kazuya shot back, already expecting the inspector to agree. Instead, she laughed into his face. "Yeah right. Any other wishes you have? Maybe you also want the hostage, so your men can have a little fun with her. Dream on." "Of course we also would pay you for Tenoh's extradition into our hands." Kazuya now offered, but that angered the inspector even more. "Who do you think I am, some corrupt low-class officer? I don't want you filthy money, you piece of dirt, and now get out of my office before I lock you in." Kazuya shot an angered look at the blonde woman, rising from his chair. "Fine then. If you don't want to cooperate with us, it's your loss." He spat, his calm composure slipping for a second. Inspector van Dyk saved her breath and just glared at him. Kazuya huffed once more, then turned on his heels and marched out of the office, slamming the door behind him so hard that the glass shook in it's frame. "Fuck you." Inspector van Dyk mumbled, suppressing the sudden need of running after the Yakuza and kick his ass from here to next Sunday. She sighed before she returned her attention to the protocol, with a small part of her mind hoping that her men and she found Tenoh before the Yakuza did. After all, she knew what Yakuza people did to their captives, and she wanted to spare Haruka that pain.