Chapter 1
Ryo sat in his chair staring at the spot Dee usually occupied. He hadn't wanted to admit that he missed the hotheaded, hard-nosed cop but he did. Dee might have done his own thing but he was a bad cop. He really wasn't. And not bad looking either, his traitor mind added. He shrugged his shoulders and picked up a new report. He heard the squeaking of Dee's chair and looked up to see J.J. Adams.
"Yes?" He asked softly.
"How is Dee-sempai? Rose wouldn't let me leave." He whispered.
"He's fine. Just a minor accident with a vice cop." Ryo shrugged.
"You're acting a little indifferent." J.J. pointed out rudely.
"Rose's stick... You're acting calmer." Ryo commented.
"I don't care to explain." J.J. spoke.
"That's okay... Why don't you go visit him." Ryo spoke as he turned to look at his files.
"Sure... I clock out in a few minutes anyway."
"Bye J.J."
"Bye Ryo."
Ryo ducked back into his work almost three fourths done when heard the squeaking of Dee's chair again. A while had passed since J.J. sat there. He was sure that Drake hadn't come into day and Donnie was out on a case. So that left one person. After glancing to make sure it wasn't one of the newbies he waited for Rose to talk first.
"I don't think that the conduct you used earlier was appropriate Ryo." Rose commented relaxing in Dee's chair.
"I could say the same about your treatment of Detective Laytner's absence." Ryo jabbed back.
"Ryo, you and I both know that Dee is a trouble cop. He doesn't follow the book and has had more accident reports then either of us can count." Rose started taking off his glasses.
"It still stands that Dee is a damn good cop. He has never done a damn thing that has lost a case in the end and you know it." Ryo snapped.
"I suppose you're right on that but it still stands that Dee..." Ryo cut in.
"Dee what? And I hope its work related." Ryo couldn't believe what he was saying to his superior.
"I'm thinking about transferring Detective Laytner to another precinct." Rose replied.
"Then I'll be putting in my transfer with his. He's my partner and you have no work related reason to separate us and you know it." Ryo snapped like lightening.
"You're right. But it still stands Ryo. Dee doesn't deserve you." Rose whispered.
"Excuse me Berkley Rose, but my private life is none of your business. Further more I am not dating Dee or any man. Leave it at that." Ryo growled slamming his files down."
"You know that you are talking to your superior right?" Rose asked smugly.
"Do you know that you are abusing your position?" Ryo returned.
Rose sighed giving up.
"You're shift is over. But I want you in here bright and early. Things are changing and you and Dee are on the A-list." He muttered standing.
"Meaning what?"
"You're going into a new unit."
"Will you still be my superior officer?" Ryo asked standing.
"Not exactly. I am still the commissioner of this precinct but your chief is someone new."
"And that is?"
"Chief Stina Lyne. She's from the twenty-third precinct in New Jersey."
"She must have moved at the right, or wrong time." Ryo commented.
"She must have. You and Dee's new office will be upstairs. You'll be apart of a team."
"Anyone else going with us?"
"Nope... All outsiders."
Ryo reported to work the next day to find Dee there with J.J. helping him move his stuff.
"Didja hear Ryo? We're moving up." He yelled as he caught the younger man's attention."
"Yeah." He muttered half-heartedly.
Once upstairs they found that their office was a large room with four desks and a large office connected at the end. Standing in the door to the office was a pretty petite woman with blond hair and civilian clothes on. With her were a tall black woman with dark hair and Small raven-haired Japanese woman.
"Konnichiwa. I am Mizu, Nozomi." She replied with a small bow.
"Konnichiwa, I am McLain, Ryo." Ryo returned.
"Um... Most of us ain't that good at Japanese." Dee whispered.
"Sorry." She giggled slightly. "I just transferred here from Japan."
"Oh... Well then. Welcome to America. I'm Dee Laytner." Dee held out his hand.
She slowly shook it. She turned.
"This is Chief Stina Lyne and Detective Ronda Fey." She introduced.
"It is good to meet you all. Welcome to the Special Cases Unit." Stina spoke.
"Special Cases?" Dee asked.
"We investigate unusual crimes. Starting with this one. The Moonshine Case." Ronda spoke sitting on a desk.
"Moonshine Case?" Ryo asked.
"So far six girls all killed during the full and new moon." Nazomi spoke.
"Ah, so to get better acquainted... What were you before?"
"I was in Special Victims Unit." Ronda offered.
"Same." Stina added.
"I was a serial killer pathologist as well as cult researcher." Nazomi added.
"And here we are just regular NYC cops." Dee laughed.
"You are partners?" Nazomi asked.
"Well, we're all partners now." Ryo spoke.
"Right." Nazomi spoke cheerfully.
"So let's get started." Ronda spoke.
"So... how was school Bikky?" Ryo asked as he sat dinner on the table.
"Same as always. Heard you lost Rose."
"Kinda sorta. We really just have a new chief and floor."
"Ah, so any new people?"
"Yeah, our chief Stina. And new partners Nazomi and Ronda."
"Yeah we're now apart of the Special Cases Unit." Dee spoke as he came from the bathroom.
"Don't you have a home?" Bikky muttered.
"What you don't like me squirt?" Dee asked balancing his sling on his leg.
"What would you do if I said. No?" Bikky asked flippantly.
"Nothing. For now." Dee smirked.
"That's cause your trying to make your way into Ryo's bed."
"Hush squirt. And you'll be proud. I'm leaving, of my own free will." Dee announced as he stood to leave.
"You are?" Bikky asked shocked.
"He has a doctor's appointment in a few minutes. Trust me, it's not by choice." Ryo put in.
"Thanks for giving me away." Dee grumbled as he stood and left.
"Well, it'll be a peaceful night." Bikky muttered as he left to go do his 'homework.'
"So. Our real first day as a team." Nazomi whispered as she opened her folder.
"What's in yours?" Ronda asked.
"I have things on what the victims have in common. Such as they all were um. I think the American term is gothic? They wore all black and lots of make up. Typically small females and. of Asian decent." She spoke as she read the file.
"Maybe it's a Vietnam Vet? I mean, they had a lot of problems with rape in Saigon." Ronda spoke.
"But it's not just Vietnamese women. Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese and so on. All from that particular region."
"Okay. Let's dig deeper. Name a feature that they had in common besides descent." Ryo spoke sitting on his desk.
"Um. They all had traditional Asian features of flattish faces and narrow eyes." Ronda pointed out.
"Alright. Um. That could be a trademark. Uh. What's his mo?" Dee asked reclining in his chair.
"A slit throat, tied together wrists and slightly burned hair. All the victims has this distinct mark." Nazomi spoke.
"So what is that up against a pile of beans?"
"It may mean he was abused by a woman." Nazomi spoke. "He may be wanting to return the trauma that was dealt to him by giving it back to the women who resemble his mother."
"So basically the perp's looking for his mother in these women?" Dee asked.
"None of them are raped. Or touched, or positioned in a sexual way." She spoke.
"So that still leaves us at square one."
"Not anymore." Stina spoke from the doorway.
"What happened?"
"Report to the hospital. We have a survivor." She reported.
"Ryo take Nazomi. Ronda and I will pour over this some more." Dee spoke.
"I thought you were possessive?" Ryo teased.
"We're all partners. We're a team." Dee flashed a brilliant smile and he and Ronda began to pour over their papers.
Nazomi and Ryo sat in Ryo's old Mazda headed towards New York General. They went up to the receptionist. Nazomi picked up her paper. She stared at the paper for a second and spoke.
"We are looking for Chen Lu." She spoke softly.
"Chen Lu? She's in room twenty-six a." She spoke as she pointed the way.
"Thank you very much!" Nazomi spoke bowing.
"You know. Here in America you don't have to bow." Ryo commented.
"But I want to. And that's what counts." She smiled as she led the way.
"I guess your right. So how old are you Nazomi?" He asked conversationally.
"I'm nineteen. I graduated at the top of my class." She smiled.
"And very early." Ryo pointed out.
"So I did. How about you?"
"I wasn't the top of my class or graduate early but." He smiled.
"My parents stuck me in a junior police program. That's all. They are very upset with me for leaving Japan though." She whispered as she came to the door.
"I figured as much. Well, here we are." Ryo spoke as he slowly pushed open the door.
Chen Lu had the mo of most of the girls, large scars around her wrists and singed hair. But the knife that was aimed for her throat had missed and a jagged bandaged line was strung across her collar.
"May I help you?" She asked softly.
"I am Detective Mizu and this is Detective McLain." Nazomi whispered bowing.
"You two are the ones that are coving the case of the killed girls... Like the way I was almost killed?" She asked.
"Yes... Could you tell me who attacked you?"
"It was Oiru aoi, it strikes down all of Asian decent who have betrayed tradition." She spat the word like acid.
"Oiru aoi?" Nazomi asked confused.
"You should know. All of the Asians know. Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, it will strike us all down." She hissed.
"But blue oil? I don't get it." Ryo murmured.
"Tradition! Tradition! All this damn tradition! That's why the girls are dying." Chen growled.
Nazomi stared at her before shaking her head vehemently.
"I do not beleve in Oiru aoi." She hissed and was gone.
"Do you think he will come back for you?" Ryo asked softly.
"There is no he! There is no she! Oiru aoi will kill me the first chance it gets. I have only prolonged my life." She spit.
"I am half Japanese and I still have not heard of Oiru aoi." Ryo muttered.
"Then you could never understand." She whispered.
"Chen..."
"Tell my mother I love her." Chen whispered.
"Nani?" Tell my mother I love her. She knows Japanese... All the girls in my group... Japanese was the language we all learned... And Oiru aoi... it will kill me."
"Do you really and truly believe you have no escape Chen?" He asked softly.
"Hai... Tell my mother I love her." She whispered.
"That I will do Chen Lu. That I will do." He whispered and was gone.
Ryo dropped into the driver's seat and looked over at Nazomi.
"What was all that about?" He asked.
"This is going to be a tough case for me. I thought when I landed on American soil that I would never have to hear about that poem again. But it's come back already. I do not think I could take this. I really do not." She whispered.
"You can do it. Come on we need to get back to the precinct." Ryo whispered starting up the car.
"I just can't believe that it's happening here. In this place."
"I can. America isn't all it's cracked up to be."
"But this is something that should have never become real."
"That's why we're researching it."
"This I know but. I will tell you about Oiru aoi when we get back to base." She whispered and that was that.
"So you mean to tell me that these girls are dying because they like the gothic scene?" Dee asked as he sat on he side of his desk.
"Unfortunately yes. This creature apparently has it in for people who don't follow tradition." Ryo spoke.
"But I still don't get this. What is this Oiru aoi?" Ronda asked.
"It is a modern Japanese poem. About tradition." Ryo muttered.
"I found it. Listen." Nazomi spoke.
It was here before the Sun Goddess was born,
It was here before the sea began to wave,
It was here before the bushido was code,
It was here to teach you right and wrong,
It was here to insure that you were good,
It was here to show you life,
And you betrayed it,
All of you that I see,
I am the avenger of tradition,
You've forgotten your roots,
Forgotten your heritage,
Forgotten where you came from,
You want to be individual,
And you are not,
Abandoning all you should be,
I am Oiru aoi,
The avenger of tradition,
Do not run,
You cannot escape,
You cannot escape,
You cannot escape.
"Who the hell wrote that sick shit?" Dee yelled.
"A man named Tai Hono." Nazomi whispered.
"Alright. I want you to find this guy. I have some questions for him." Dee growled.
"Don't bother searching." Nazomi whispered.
"What? Why?" Ronda asked.
"In Japan I was doing a case on Tai Hono. A woman murdered him because she thought his poem lead her to suicide." Nazomi whispered.
"Oh... So we are still at square one." Dee muttered jerking his sling.
"Don't mess up your arm anymore Dee." Ryo whispered.
"So what exact pattern are we seeing with this Oiru aoi?" Ronda asked.
"Asian girls who are non-traditional. But I think this guy is focusing on the more radical girls, such as the gothic girls. Punk rockers, but so far it has gone after the Asian gangs or the majority of places such as China town."
"That's because China town is very traditional. As much as it can be any ways." Ronda muttered.
"Look we're going nowhere. Get guards posted on Chen Lu and then we'll go from there." Dee muttered.
"Yes sir." Ronda spoke standing.
"This is going to be tough case to crack." Ryo whispered.
"This will be a hard case for me." Nazomi whispered.
"I think it will be a hard one for us all." Dee whispered.
"Hey. Nazomi, why don't you come over to my place tonight. We can eat and so on."
"Sure." She smiled happily.
"What about Ronda?" Dee asked smirking.
"She has a hot date tonight." Ryo answered
"At least someone on this team does." Dee smirked.
Bikky stared in awe of Nazomi as she gracefully wielded her chopsticks. She smiled at him.
"Doesn't your father use chopsticks?" She asked giggling.
"Sometimes." He whispered.
"Would you like me to teach you how to use them?" She asked softly.
"Sure. Why not." He spoke.
"Alright."
Ryo smiled as he watched Nazomi teach Bikky how to use chopsticks. He looked over at Dee who was currently slobbering over the food he had been making. He grabbed his collar and yanked him.
"Down boy. Dinner will be ready soon."
"But I'm hungry." Dee pouted.
"Quite harassing Ryo you big baby!" Bikky yelled.
"You two."
Ryo and Nazomi laughed at them and it was almost as if they'd forgotten the case they were working on. Almost. As they sat down to dinner the phone went off with shrill tones.
"Yes?" Ryo asked softly.
"We've got a new vic. Get to Times Square immediately.
"That's not our precinct."
"But it's our case. Same MO. Get out here boys." Stina yelled.
"Nazomi. Dee. We got a new girl." He spoke as he dropped the phone.
"Another?" She asked softly.
"Yeah. Bikky you have my permission to go stay the night with Cal if you want." He spoke and they left.
The girl was Lang Wong and she was defiantly on the list. She was decked out in black combat boots, sort skirt and tube top. The pasty geisha make up. She was defiantly Chinese and very, very afraid. Her neck was slit. the killer hadn't gotten that far but her body was riddle in cuts.
"So you another one that escaped." Dee whispered as he knelt down on her level.
"I didn't escape. Oiru aoi realized the other girl was still alive. He's going after her." She whispered.
"You think it will come back for you?" He asked softly.
"I know that it will. I can not escape it." She whispered.
"You'll survive this. I promise"
"How can you be so sure?" She asked staring into Dee's eyes.
"Hey lady. I'm the good guy. Of course I'm sure." Dee smiled.
"Thank you." She whispered tears filling her eyes.
"It's alright. My friend here is gonna take you to the hospital. You take care." Dee whispered as a policeman led her away.
Ryo sat in his chair staring at the spot Dee usually occupied. He hadn't wanted to admit that he missed the hotheaded, hard-nosed cop but he did. Dee might have done his own thing but he was a bad cop. He really wasn't. And not bad looking either, his traitor mind added. He shrugged his shoulders and picked up a new report. He heard the squeaking of Dee's chair and looked up to see J.J. Adams.
"Yes?" He asked softly.
"How is Dee-sempai? Rose wouldn't let me leave." He whispered.
"He's fine. Just a minor accident with a vice cop." Ryo shrugged.
"You're acting a little indifferent." J.J. pointed out rudely.
"Rose's stick... You're acting calmer." Ryo commented.
"I don't care to explain." J.J. spoke.
"That's okay... Why don't you go visit him." Ryo spoke as he turned to look at his files.
"Sure... I clock out in a few minutes anyway."
"Bye J.J."
"Bye Ryo."
Ryo ducked back into his work almost three fourths done when heard the squeaking of Dee's chair again. A while had passed since J.J. sat there. He was sure that Drake hadn't come into day and Donnie was out on a case. So that left one person. After glancing to make sure it wasn't one of the newbies he waited for Rose to talk first.
"I don't think that the conduct you used earlier was appropriate Ryo." Rose commented relaxing in Dee's chair.
"I could say the same about your treatment of Detective Laytner's absence." Ryo jabbed back.
"Ryo, you and I both know that Dee is a trouble cop. He doesn't follow the book and has had more accident reports then either of us can count." Rose started taking off his glasses.
"It still stands that Dee is a damn good cop. He has never done a damn thing that has lost a case in the end and you know it." Ryo snapped.
"I suppose you're right on that but it still stands that Dee..." Ryo cut in.
"Dee what? And I hope its work related." Ryo couldn't believe what he was saying to his superior.
"I'm thinking about transferring Detective Laytner to another precinct." Rose replied.
"Then I'll be putting in my transfer with his. He's my partner and you have no work related reason to separate us and you know it." Ryo snapped like lightening.
"You're right. But it still stands Ryo. Dee doesn't deserve you." Rose whispered.
"Excuse me Berkley Rose, but my private life is none of your business. Further more I am not dating Dee or any man. Leave it at that." Ryo growled slamming his files down."
"You know that you are talking to your superior right?" Rose asked smugly.
"Do you know that you are abusing your position?" Ryo returned.
Rose sighed giving up.
"You're shift is over. But I want you in here bright and early. Things are changing and you and Dee are on the A-list." He muttered standing.
"Meaning what?"
"You're going into a new unit."
"Will you still be my superior officer?" Ryo asked standing.
"Not exactly. I am still the commissioner of this precinct but your chief is someone new."
"And that is?"
"Chief Stina Lyne. She's from the twenty-third precinct in New Jersey."
"She must have moved at the right, or wrong time." Ryo commented.
"She must have. You and Dee's new office will be upstairs. You'll be apart of a team."
"Anyone else going with us?"
"Nope... All outsiders."
Ryo reported to work the next day to find Dee there with J.J. helping him move his stuff.
"Didja hear Ryo? We're moving up." He yelled as he caught the younger man's attention."
"Yeah." He muttered half-heartedly.
Once upstairs they found that their office was a large room with four desks and a large office connected at the end. Standing in the door to the office was a pretty petite woman with blond hair and civilian clothes on. With her were a tall black woman with dark hair and Small raven-haired Japanese woman.
"Konnichiwa. I am Mizu, Nozomi." She replied with a small bow.
"Konnichiwa, I am McLain, Ryo." Ryo returned.
"Um... Most of us ain't that good at Japanese." Dee whispered.
"Sorry." She giggled slightly. "I just transferred here from Japan."
"Oh... Well then. Welcome to America. I'm Dee Laytner." Dee held out his hand.
She slowly shook it. She turned.
"This is Chief Stina Lyne and Detective Ronda Fey." She introduced.
"It is good to meet you all. Welcome to the Special Cases Unit." Stina spoke.
"Special Cases?" Dee asked.
"We investigate unusual crimes. Starting with this one. The Moonshine Case." Ronda spoke sitting on a desk.
"Moonshine Case?" Ryo asked.
"So far six girls all killed during the full and new moon." Nazomi spoke.
"Ah, so to get better acquainted... What were you before?"
"I was in Special Victims Unit." Ronda offered.
"Same." Stina added.
"I was a serial killer pathologist as well as cult researcher." Nazomi added.
"And here we are just regular NYC cops." Dee laughed.
"You are partners?" Nazomi asked.
"Well, we're all partners now." Ryo spoke.
"Right." Nazomi spoke cheerfully.
"So let's get started." Ronda spoke.
"So... how was school Bikky?" Ryo asked as he sat dinner on the table.
"Same as always. Heard you lost Rose."
"Kinda sorta. We really just have a new chief and floor."
"Ah, so any new people?"
"Yeah, our chief Stina. And new partners Nazomi and Ronda."
"Yeah we're now apart of the Special Cases Unit." Dee spoke as he came from the bathroom.
"Don't you have a home?" Bikky muttered.
"What you don't like me squirt?" Dee asked balancing his sling on his leg.
"What would you do if I said. No?" Bikky asked flippantly.
"Nothing. For now." Dee smirked.
"That's cause your trying to make your way into Ryo's bed."
"Hush squirt. And you'll be proud. I'm leaving, of my own free will." Dee announced as he stood to leave.
"You are?" Bikky asked shocked.
"He has a doctor's appointment in a few minutes. Trust me, it's not by choice." Ryo put in.
"Thanks for giving me away." Dee grumbled as he stood and left.
"Well, it'll be a peaceful night." Bikky muttered as he left to go do his 'homework.'
"So. Our real first day as a team." Nazomi whispered as she opened her folder.
"What's in yours?" Ronda asked.
"I have things on what the victims have in common. Such as they all were um. I think the American term is gothic? They wore all black and lots of make up. Typically small females and. of Asian decent." She spoke as she read the file.
"Maybe it's a Vietnam Vet? I mean, they had a lot of problems with rape in Saigon." Ronda spoke.
"But it's not just Vietnamese women. Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese and so on. All from that particular region."
"Okay. Let's dig deeper. Name a feature that they had in common besides descent." Ryo spoke sitting on his desk.
"Um. They all had traditional Asian features of flattish faces and narrow eyes." Ronda pointed out.
"Alright. Um. That could be a trademark. Uh. What's his mo?" Dee asked reclining in his chair.
"A slit throat, tied together wrists and slightly burned hair. All the victims has this distinct mark." Nazomi spoke.
"So what is that up against a pile of beans?"
"It may mean he was abused by a woman." Nazomi spoke. "He may be wanting to return the trauma that was dealt to him by giving it back to the women who resemble his mother."
"So basically the perp's looking for his mother in these women?" Dee asked.
"None of them are raped. Or touched, or positioned in a sexual way." She spoke.
"So that still leaves us at square one."
"Not anymore." Stina spoke from the doorway.
"What happened?"
"Report to the hospital. We have a survivor." She reported.
"Ryo take Nazomi. Ronda and I will pour over this some more." Dee spoke.
"I thought you were possessive?" Ryo teased.
"We're all partners. We're a team." Dee flashed a brilliant smile and he and Ronda began to pour over their papers.
Nazomi and Ryo sat in Ryo's old Mazda headed towards New York General. They went up to the receptionist. Nazomi picked up her paper. She stared at the paper for a second and spoke.
"We are looking for Chen Lu." She spoke softly.
"Chen Lu? She's in room twenty-six a." She spoke as she pointed the way.
"Thank you very much!" Nazomi spoke bowing.
"You know. Here in America you don't have to bow." Ryo commented.
"But I want to. And that's what counts." She smiled as she led the way.
"I guess your right. So how old are you Nazomi?" He asked conversationally.
"I'm nineteen. I graduated at the top of my class." She smiled.
"And very early." Ryo pointed out.
"So I did. How about you?"
"I wasn't the top of my class or graduate early but." He smiled.
"My parents stuck me in a junior police program. That's all. They are very upset with me for leaving Japan though." She whispered as she came to the door.
"I figured as much. Well, here we are." Ryo spoke as he slowly pushed open the door.
Chen Lu had the mo of most of the girls, large scars around her wrists and singed hair. But the knife that was aimed for her throat had missed and a jagged bandaged line was strung across her collar.
"May I help you?" She asked softly.
"I am Detective Mizu and this is Detective McLain." Nazomi whispered bowing.
"You two are the ones that are coving the case of the killed girls... Like the way I was almost killed?" She asked.
"Yes... Could you tell me who attacked you?"
"It was Oiru aoi, it strikes down all of Asian decent who have betrayed tradition." She spat the word like acid.
"Oiru aoi?" Nazomi asked confused.
"You should know. All of the Asians know. Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, it will strike us all down." She hissed.
"But blue oil? I don't get it." Ryo murmured.
"Tradition! Tradition! All this damn tradition! That's why the girls are dying." Chen growled.
Nazomi stared at her before shaking her head vehemently.
"I do not beleve in Oiru aoi." She hissed and was gone.
"Do you think he will come back for you?" Ryo asked softly.
"There is no he! There is no she! Oiru aoi will kill me the first chance it gets. I have only prolonged my life." She spit.
"I am half Japanese and I still have not heard of Oiru aoi." Ryo muttered.
"Then you could never understand." She whispered.
"Chen..."
"Tell my mother I love her." Chen whispered.
"Nani?" Tell my mother I love her. She knows Japanese... All the girls in my group... Japanese was the language we all learned... And Oiru aoi... it will kill me."
"Do you really and truly believe you have no escape Chen?" He asked softly.
"Hai... Tell my mother I love her." She whispered.
"That I will do Chen Lu. That I will do." He whispered and was gone.
Ryo dropped into the driver's seat and looked over at Nazomi.
"What was all that about?" He asked.
"This is going to be a tough case for me. I thought when I landed on American soil that I would never have to hear about that poem again. But it's come back already. I do not think I could take this. I really do not." She whispered.
"You can do it. Come on we need to get back to the precinct." Ryo whispered starting up the car.
"I just can't believe that it's happening here. In this place."
"I can. America isn't all it's cracked up to be."
"But this is something that should have never become real."
"That's why we're researching it."
"This I know but. I will tell you about Oiru aoi when we get back to base." She whispered and that was that.
"So you mean to tell me that these girls are dying because they like the gothic scene?" Dee asked as he sat on he side of his desk.
"Unfortunately yes. This creature apparently has it in for people who don't follow tradition." Ryo spoke.
"But I still don't get this. What is this Oiru aoi?" Ronda asked.
"It is a modern Japanese poem. About tradition." Ryo muttered.
"I found it. Listen." Nazomi spoke.
It was here before the Sun Goddess was born,
It was here before the sea began to wave,
It was here before the bushido was code,
It was here to teach you right and wrong,
It was here to insure that you were good,
It was here to show you life,
And you betrayed it,
All of you that I see,
I am the avenger of tradition,
You've forgotten your roots,
Forgotten your heritage,
Forgotten where you came from,
You want to be individual,
And you are not,
Abandoning all you should be,
I am Oiru aoi,
The avenger of tradition,
Do not run,
You cannot escape,
You cannot escape,
You cannot escape.
"Who the hell wrote that sick shit?" Dee yelled.
"A man named Tai Hono." Nazomi whispered.
"Alright. I want you to find this guy. I have some questions for him." Dee growled.
"Don't bother searching." Nazomi whispered.
"What? Why?" Ronda asked.
"In Japan I was doing a case on Tai Hono. A woman murdered him because she thought his poem lead her to suicide." Nazomi whispered.
"Oh... So we are still at square one." Dee muttered jerking his sling.
"Don't mess up your arm anymore Dee." Ryo whispered.
"So what exact pattern are we seeing with this Oiru aoi?" Ronda asked.
"Asian girls who are non-traditional. But I think this guy is focusing on the more radical girls, such as the gothic girls. Punk rockers, but so far it has gone after the Asian gangs or the majority of places such as China town."
"That's because China town is very traditional. As much as it can be any ways." Ronda muttered.
"Look we're going nowhere. Get guards posted on Chen Lu and then we'll go from there." Dee muttered.
"Yes sir." Ronda spoke standing.
"This is going to be tough case to crack." Ryo whispered.
"This will be a hard case for me." Nazomi whispered.
"I think it will be a hard one for us all." Dee whispered.
"Hey. Nazomi, why don't you come over to my place tonight. We can eat and so on."
"Sure." She smiled happily.
"What about Ronda?" Dee asked smirking.
"She has a hot date tonight." Ryo answered
"At least someone on this team does." Dee smirked.
Bikky stared in awe of Nazomi as she gracefully wielded her chopsticks. She smiled at him.
"Doesn't your father use chopsticks?" She asked giggling.
"Sometimes." He whispered.
"Would you like me to teach you how to use them?" She asked softly.
"Sure. Why not." He spoke.
"Alright."
Ryo smiled as he watched Nazomi teach Bikky how to use chopsticks. He looked over at Dee who was currently slobbering over the food he had been making. He grabbed his collar and yanked him.
"Down boy. Dinner will be ready soon."
"But I'm hungry." Dee pouted.
"Quite harassing Ryo you big baby!" Bikky yelled.
"You two."
Ryo and Nazomi laughed at them and it was almost as if they'd forgotten the case they were working on. Almost. As they sat down to dinner the phone went off with shrill tones.
"Yes?" Ryo asked softly.
"We've got a new vic. Get to Times Square immediately.
"That's not our precinct."
"But it's our case. Same MO. Get out here boys." Stina yelled.
"Nazomi. Dee. We got a new girl." He spoke as he dropped the phone.
"Another?" She asked softly.
"Yeah. Bikky you have my permission to go stay the night with Cal if you want." He spoke and they left.
The girl was Lang Wong and she was defiantly on the list. She was decked out in black combat boots, sort skirt and tube top. The pasty geisha make up. She was defiantly Chinese and very, very afraid. Her neck was slit. the killer hadn't gotten that far but her body was riddle in cuts.
"So you another one that escaped." Dee whispered as he knelt down on her level.
"I didn't escape. Oiru aoi realized the other girl was still alive. He's going after her." She whispered.
"You think it will come back for you?" He asked softly.
"I know that it will. I can not escape it." She whispered.
"You'll survive this. I promise"
"How can you be so sure?" She asked staring into Dee's eyes.
"Hey lady. I'm the good guy. Of course I'm sure." Dee smiled.
"Thank you." She whispered tears filling her eyes.
"It's alright. My friend here is gonna take you to the hospital. You take care." Dee whispered as a policeman led her away.