Chapter 3
Three days later a letter found it's way onto Ryo's desk. As well as one Berkley Rose. Ryo walked in and rolled his eyes at the sight of the tall blond. He stopped to regard the blue eyed man and the thought of what had brought the man to find him stopped any thoughts of admiration.
"Are you here for a reason?" He asked in polite a voice as he could muster.
"Of course. How could I not have a reason?" Rose asked training his eyes on Ryo.
"Then why are you here?" He asked.
"Well, it's about your case. I have a letter from the late Lang Wong." He spoke holding up the letter.
"Thank you for it." Ryo reached out his head but Rose didn't hand him the letter.
"Is there some reason for this?" Ryo asked feeling impatience setting in.
"Well... I want to know what's in it for me." Rose smirked.
"In it for you? Interruption of me doing my job is wrong." Ryo growled.
"If I don't get some form of payment I'll rip this letter up and you'll still be at square one."
"I could get you for obstruction of justice. Hand me the letter." He growled.
"Now Ryo... Who will IA believe? You the lowly detective of a failing unit or the commissioner?" Rose asked.
Ryo reached forward and plucked the letter out of Rose's hand. Leaning forward more he brought his knee up and slammed it right in his crotch.
"Consider that your payment." He whispered as he back up.
"I can't believe you did that?!" Rose stuttered.
"Believe it." And Ryo walked away from Rose with the letter in hand.
Ryo took the letter with him into the break room downstairs. Ripping it open as he sat down he looked up to see J.J. enter.
"Oh, so you can hang out with us lowly cops now?" J.J. asked softly.
"Look, Rose is..." Ryo didn't finish but J.J. nodded his head.
"Take all the time you want then." He replied.
Ryo nodded his thanks before turning back to the letter.
Dear Detectives,
I hope by the time you get this that I will not be dead. But I might as well be. Oiru aoi is the most deadly thing that you will have encountered so far. It is a demonic demon from the Sun Goddess' shadow. The man Tai Hono wrote it after his daughter was killed by the very same thing.
You can not find this killer... It is impossible. The only way to find him is where the sun meets the night, in it's own lands. It guards the old, the used up. It is pure demon and reside in the evilest man's heart. It is the color of ash and is hidden beneath Ozaki Sushi bar. Do not go there. Kenji guards too much to let you get close to Oiru aoi.
Onegai. Do not go there.
Lang Wong
Ryo stared at the letter in disbelief, before rereading it over and over willing there to be more. Dee had already told them that Ozaki's had been a bust, so what could Kenji possible be hiding? Closing his eyes and breathing deeply he folded the letter and stood. Maybe Nazomi or even Chen could make sense of this. Even if Rose could walk up to him and make sense out of it would make him happy.
He entered the room to find Dee and Ronda at it again. He could decided if they hated each other or what. He guessed it was a love/relationship and came and stood between them.
"I have something that might help the case.
"And what is that?" Dee asked crossing his arms.
"A letter from Lang Wong." Ryo answered waving the letter.
"Let me see it." Ronda spoke reaching forward.
"Listen to me." Ryo spoke trying to stop another fight before it started.
"Okay... So tell us... What does it say." Nazomi spoke.
"It says that there are a lot of clues in the Ozaki bar. I want to see if Chen can confirm it before we move forward." Ryo spoke.
"I want the letter analyzed." Ronda growled snatching it from Ryo's grasp.
"Now wait a minute. There is no reason to be cold. We're a team Ronda. A team." Dee spoke trying to make peace.
"Are we really you hot head scum bag?" She asked before she walked out the door.
"That went well." Dee spoke scratching the back of his head.
"Sure..." Ryo muttered sitting at his desk.
"You wanted to see me?" Chen asked peeking in the door.
"How'd you know dollface?" Dee asked with a friendly smile.
"Ronda was yelling something about the incompetence of not understanding stupid cops. And a letter from Lang Wong." She spoke as she sat at Ronda's desk.
"Basically Lang wrote a letter telling us a little about Oiru aoi and we'd like you to tell us a little as well." Ryo spoke gently.
"I can't." She whispered.
"You're safe with us Chen. Can't you see that?" Dee asked.
"He's right." Nazomi smiled.
"You're right... And if it does get a chance it's going to kill me anyway, ne?" She asked trying to smile.
"No... Don't think like that. We'll keep you safe." Dee reached out and petted her hand gently.
"Alright..." She whispered standing and facing away from them.
"Just try Chen."
"When I was taken by Oiru aoi, I was taken inside the basement of Ozaki Sushi bar. There I was branded as a traitor to my heritage."
"With the burn mark." Ryo murmured.
"Hai." She spoke pulling aside the top of her blouse showing the small mark that looked no bigger then a finger tip.
"And..." Nazomi whispered trying to encourage her.
"I was tied up and told of all the things I had done. He leaned over me and I felt the knife against my neck as he continued to talk. I couldn't tkae it anymore. I fought. I jerked up into his chin and ran." She finished running her fingers over the scar across her collar bone.
"So that is why the knife cut you in a lower area. And you are sure that it was Ozaki's basement?" Nazomi asked softly.
"Hai. I'm sure." She replied.
"Dee... Go get a warrant." Ryo spoke as he stood and hugged Chen tihgtly.
"Alright.. I'll see you fine folks in a few minutes." Dee called as he walked out the door.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kenji yelled as his door was forced open by Ryo.
"We'd like to take a look at your basement." Ryo spoke calmly.
"I am afraid that I cannot show that to you."
"I am afraid you have to. I have a warrant stating it. You can either let us do it or we will find it ourselves." Ryo stated holding the paper in front of him.
Kenji snatched it out of his hands and read it. With a growl he turned.
"Follow me please." He replied.
Dee and Ryo as well as the other members of the team followed him warily as he took them to the basement. Ryo snapped on his gloves as they reached the bottom of the steps. Walking forward into the room he noticed a rust colored spot on the floor. Dropping down near it he ran his finger over it. It was defiantly blood.
"I want this blood tested." He spoke standing.
Dee on the other hand was searching through the drawers of a nearby desk. Ryo walked over to him and peered over his shoulder.
"Have you found anything?" He asked softly.
"Nothing... Just old records in Japanese." He replied.
"Get them collected. We want everything we can find." Ryo whispered before walking away.
Dee chuckled before going through another drawer. There he noticed something odd. It was a burned piece of paper. And on the corner was written words he recognized very well.
Leave none alive
He carefully picked up the burned piece of paper and placed it in a bag. Shuffling through more he found another piece.
We serve only y
Dee felt a shiver run down his back. After putting away that piece of paper he searched around more but that seemed to be all that was there. He pulled back after a while and turned to one of the grunt workers.
"Have you found anything?" He asked softly.
"More blood stains and wire." He replied.
"Make sure to take it all." He patted his back and walked over to a door that Ryo was inspecting.
"What are you looking at." He asked touching Ryo's shoulder.
"God damn Dee. You scared the hell out of me." Ryo muttered jumping.
"Sor'y." Dee whispered shrugging his shoulders.
"The door's locked. Go get the key from Kenji." Ryo spoke as he lovwer back down to examine the handle again.
Kenji seemed reluctant to have a key but in the end he turned one over. Dee took it and opened the door. Flinging it open both he and Ryo took a step back in disgust. Ryo turned and walked away. He found Kenji and took a deep breath.
"You are under arrest for the Oiru aoi murders. Some one read him his rights." He spoke as he noticed Dee still standing in the doorway.
He walked back over to him and touched his shoulder.
"Dee." He whispered but the man didn't so much as move.
Resisting the urge to look in the disgusting room he moved around Dee to look into the older man's eyes.
"Dee snap out of it." He whispered.
"They'll all dead." He whispered back.
He stared at Dee in wonder, his seemed almost child like. He was a New York Cop, of course he'd seen dead bodies before. Why was this any different? He never batted an eye at the other horrors they'd witness but here he was in some for of shock.
"I know Dee. Come on. We're done here." He whispered.
"Who could have done such a horrible thing?" He asked softly.
"We have to go now Dee." Ryo spoke tugging on his shirt.
"Who?" Dee asked again.
Ryo sighed and then forcefully pushed Dee away from the door and up the stairs back to their car. After getting the taller man in the car he went back inside Ozaki's.
"I want this place closed down. I want everything in that basement, in that room. Examined and confiscated. Leave nothing unturned." He ordered and then turned and left.
Dee sat at his desk. He couldn't believe the way he'd fallen apart at the police station. He turned his eyes to the clock and stared at it. It was at least two hours before his shift was over. He closed his eyes and he saw that room again.
"Want to talk about it?" Nazomi's voice whispered from somewhere beside him.
"No." He muttered dropping his head in his hands.
"It's okay to talk about it." She whispered tugging on his sleeve.
"I know that... I just... I can't talk about it."
"It's because they were all Asian wasn't it. Men, women and children. What happened to you?" She asked softly.
"I saw Chen... And you and Ryo. Even someone of Penguin's charges. It was awful." He whispered.
"And way do you think you saw us?" She asked softly.
"You're all Asian... None of you are doing whatever it is that was required of you. You're all the type of people that this thing would target." He whispered.
"And who's face did you see the most?" She asked softly.
"Ryo's." He half sobbed running has hands through his hair.
"Go ahead and leave. I'll clock out for you when Ryo and I leave." She whispered.
"I don't want to go." He whispered back.
"Then go lay down in the break room. No one will bother you." She whispered petting his back before she stood.
Dee deciding that following her advice was the best deal stood up and made his way to the break room. He turned out all the lights before dropping on the old couch and squeezing his eyes tightly shut willing the image engraved to the back of his lids to leave.
Ryo opened the break room door just a fragment of an inch and stared at the shaken cop before sighing and shutting the door. Leaving Dee to his thoughts and nightmares.
He made his way back to the office and sat at his desk. Nazomi sat on his desk and peered at him. She studied him and sighed. Then she opened a little notebook and wrote in a furiously.
"Is there a point to this Nazomi?" He asked sitting up to look at her better.
"Hai. It's about Dee." She whispered.
"What about him." He asked sitting up a bit more.
"I think he should take the backseat on this case. In that room he saw us as the victims. Chen, me and mostly you. The repetition of your face shows how much he cares about you and that might make him too emotional." She whispered.
"He doesn't need to be put on the back seat. Don't worry about it." Ryo waved his hand.
"But Ryo." She started.
"We've dealt with a case of people of Asian decent being killed. And even then Dee lost it a few times but he did nothing out of line." Ryo spoke as he remember the 'vacation'
"Yes, I have heard about that but... Dee has so much to lose and I think this will make him more aware of it." She replied.
"You don't understand yet Naomi. But you will. Dee will always act on his emotions. He's a hot head." Ryo replied a small smile gracing his lips.
"Well, you do know him best after all." She said with a secret smile before running off to find Chen.
Ryo just shook his head before turning to his computer to look over the evidenced.
Ronda growled as she turned over another sheet of the report from Ozaki's, she couldn't believe that all this had been happening there. But it was over that she was sure of. She never even heard the door open. The shadow slipped in unnoticed and wove it's way closer and closer. It wrapped it's hands around her neck tightly and began to pull her backwards. Her screams never even made it passed her throat. She grasped at the shadow like hands pulling at them feebly.
"You think you can defeat something like me?" It whispered softly.
She didn't have time to respond. She was slammed against the wall and her world went black.
"We have two new deaths? Why am I being informed?" Rose asked into the receiver.
"One of your cops was murdered. I think you should come see this." Was the reply.
"Where are they?" He asked standing and grabbing his jacket.
"It's Ronda Fey. Out sir." And the voice hung up.
Cursing at the incompetence of the rookie cop, Rose dashed out of his office and out into the mid-morning traffic.
When he arrived at Ronda's apartment he noticed Dee and Ryo's cars. Muttering to himself he made his way upstairs to her apartment and stared at the sight with vague disgust. Ronda was in very much the same position as the victims of the case she was working on except for the basing of her skull and the large cut up her spine. Written in what had to be blood on the wall were words he couldn't quite make out.
"You've gotten too close." Ryo whispered to him.
"How is it that you can read it?" Rose asked.
"It's a form of Japanese writing. It's called Romanji." Ryo explained.
"I want this entire room searched." Rose muttered turning to leave.
He stopped when he heard Ryo's cell phone go off.
"What is it?" He asked turning back around.
"It's Kenji. He was found dead this morning." He replied.
"Suicide?"
"No. Throat slit and hand cuffed to the cell doors." Ryo replied.
"How the hell?" Rose asked.
"Not sure." He whispered turning away from him to go tell Dee.
Rose grabbed his arm pulling him back.
"Don't waste your time." He whispered.
"Let go of me sir." Ryo growled shaking his arms loose and walking away.
"Something up Ryo?" Dee asked as he turned to see the smaller man.
"Just Rose... But there's more news on the case. Apparently Kenji's been killed. Nazomi went to see about that. We're expected back at the station soon." He whispered.
"I still can't believe that Ronda was killed." He whispered.
"I know neither can I."
"I feel so bad about being such an asshole to her." Dee muttered.
"I know... But right now we have a case to solve."
"Yeah... One that's really starting to get close to home."
Nazomi was waiting for them when they got back. She was sitting at her desk with a shaken look on her face, When they told her what they had found her face just got paler and paler. Then she spoke.
"Chen is gone. She siad she was going to try and stop this." She whispered.
"And you let her go?" Dee yelled.
"I couldn't stop her. She seemed to possess supernatural powers. I was powerless." She cried still shaking.
Ryo gently rubbed her arm.
"It's alright... It is."
"Where the hell would she go?" Dee mutter out loud.
"Ozaki's Sushi Bar." Nazomi whispered.
"Then why the hell are we still here?" Dee asked dashing out the door.
When they got to Ozaki's bar the door was wide open and fearing the worst Dee dashed in and down the stairs. Ryo shaking his head followed slowly, keeping Dee's back checked as Nazomi followed closely behind him. In the old room that had traumatized Dee so much stood Dee staring inside.
Ryo looked beyond Dee and saw Chen staring into the eyes of a shadow. He didn't believe it possible but it seemed as if the shadow was actually alive. He taunted Chen but never seemed to notice them. Behind him, he felt Nazomi's small fingers dig into his back as she clutched his shirt. Almost daring not to breathe he reached out and touched Dee's shoulder.
The man didn't so much as jump. Ryo inwardly sighed, Dee was useless right now. He quietly walked around the older man and slipped into the room. As he entered the shadow became aware of him and he found himself flung into another wall. He gasped as the breath left his lungs as he slid down the wall. He moved to stand but found himself on the business end of his own gun.
"If you so much as move it will go off. When I am done with her you shall be judged as well." It hissed.
Ryo froze in his movements and looked towards Dee and Nazomi. Nazomi was franticly tugging at Dee's sleeve trying to get the man to be aware of her but it all seemed in vain. Ryo begun to wonder if he was going to just die here. It seemed in slow motion that Chen dived forward and was thrown backwards flying into the door. The sound of ripping skin something he probably wouldn't forget for the rest of his life.
Count Chen out.
His grim thoughts were getting the better of him. He saw Nazomi's struggles with Dee get even worse. He vaguely began to wonder why she wouldn't give up. But as he saw Chen stand even with the blood pouring out of back he began to wonder just how hopeless it was. He saw it in slow motion as Nazomi fell into the room as Chen took a leap at the shadow again. Chen was thrown into another wall and Nazomi pulled into a standing position. Chen didn't move again. And Nazomi was franticly staring at the shadow.
"I thought that you of all people Detective Mizu would know when to mind your own business." The shadow whispered.
Ryo was quite sure of how to place the voice. But he felt as if he'd heard it before in his nightmares. The shadow drew closer to Nazomi and smiled.
"Why haven't you?" It asked.
"Get away from me." She hissed lashing out at it.
The shadow's laughing only seemed to grow louder. Ryo knew he had to do something. He focused his eyes back on his gun. He knew there was no way to escape it without getting shot but what could he do to get his hands on it. That was what he was looking for. He studied it for a few minutes before a plan began to hatch in his head. Sure it was half assed but it was all he had. He dived to the side, ignoring the pain of the bullet ripping through his shoulder as he reached and grabbed the gun's handle.
He held it in his hand tightly trying to point it towards the ground as it continued to go off, searching for his skin. The gun shoot seemed to wake Dee up but the man still didn't move even through he was out of his self imposed stupor. The shadow laughed at Ryo before throwing Nazomi away from it's self.
"You can't win. What if you screw up and it kills Detective Nazomi? How would you feel then?" It asked as he fought with his gun as it now struggled to find Nazomi.
"I won't kill her," He growled.
"Who says you have a choice?"
"I do." He yanked the gun towards the shadow and it went off.
The bullet slammed into it but the shadow didn't seed fazed at all.
"You can't kill me." It laughed.
"I sure as hell will try." Ryo growled.
Ryo noticed Nazomi out of the corner of his eye. She was by Chen franticly trying to stop the blood that was pouring out of her back. He prayed that Nazomi would try to do something against the shadow. He felt the gun began to turn towards them and he jerked it back as it went off causing it to hit the shadow again.
Ryo struggled to keep his gun on the shadow as he made his way over to Nazomi and Chen. It seemed that no matter what happened this was a loose, loose situation. He gasped as he felt something enter his back. He looked down to seem some sort of rod sticking out of his side. He looked up to see the shadow.
"That was playing dirty." He breathed.
The shadow didn't reply and he continued his slow trek to Nazomi and Chen. He lowered down beside Naomi still watching the shadow.
"Pull it out."
"Nani?" She gasped.
"Pull the rod out." He growled back.
He couldn't stop his flinch from the pain and being able to feel as the rod was slowly pulled out. He didn't dare close his eyes. He was ready to stand and try to call to Dee when gunshots rang out. The shadow jerked as he was hit with bullet after bullet. Ryo jerked as he heard the sound of something splintering and Dee cussing. Then came the sound of something shattering and this sound was a hell of a lot closer.
The shadow began to dissipate and all the was left was a shattered onyx gem. He reached out and touched it but it turned to dust. He looked up to see Dee holding his left arm. They stared into each others eyes for a minute before Ryo staggered to his feet.
"Is it dead?" He asked.
"I think so..." Ryo replied starting forward.
He almost fell but Nazomi was there supporting him.
"Chen?" He asked softly.
"She'll live." Was her reply as she tried to force him to sit down.
No more was said as the sound of sirens were heard in the distance. Back up was late as usual.
Three days later a letter found it's way onto Ryo's desk. As well as one Berkley Rose. Ryo walked in and rolled his eyes at the sight of the tall blond. He stopped to regard the blue eyed man and the thought of what had brought the man to find him stopped any thoughts of admiration.
"Are you here for a reason?" He asked in polite a voice as he could muster.
"Of course. How could I not have a reason?" Rose asked training his eyes on Ryo.
"Then why are you here?" He asked.
"Well, it's about your case. I have a letter from the late Lang Wong." He spoke holding up the letter.
"Thank you for it." Ryo reached out his head but Rose didn't hand him the letter.
"Is there some reason for this?" Ryo asked feeling impatience setting in.
"Well... I want to know what's in it for me." Rose smirked.
"In it for you? Interruption of me doing my job is wrong." Ryo growled.
"If I don't get some form of payment I'll rip this letter up and you'll still be at square one."
"I could get you for obstruction of justice. Hand me the letter." He growled.
"Now Ryo... Who will IA believe? You the lowly detective of a failing unit or the commissioner?" Rose asked.
Ryo reached forward and plucked the letter out of Rose's hand. Leaning forward more he brought his knee up and slammed it right in his crotch.
"Consider that your payment." He whispered as he back up.
"I can't believe you did that?!" Rose stuttered.
"Believe it." And Ryo walked away from Rose with the letter in hand.
Ryo took the letter with him into the break room downstairs. Ripping it open as he sat down he looked up to see J.J. enter.
"Oh, so you can hang out with us lowly cops now?" J.J. asked softly.
"Look, Rose is..." Ryo didn't finish but J.J. nodded his head.
"Take all the time you want then." He replied.
Ryo nodded his thanks before turning back to the letter.
Dear Detectives,
I hope by the time you get this that I will not be dead. But I might as well be. Oiru aoi is the most deadly thing that you will have encountered so far. It is a demonic demon from the Sun Goddess' shadow. The man Tai Hono wrote it after his daughter was killed by the very same thing.
You can not find this killer... It is impossible. The only way to find him is where the sun meets the night, in it's own lands. It guards the old, the used up. It is pure demon and reside in the evilest man's heart. It is the color of ash and is hidden beneath Ozaki Sushi bar. Do not go there. Kenji guards too much to let you get close to Oiru aoi.
Onegai. Do not go there.
Lang Wong
Ryo stared at the letter in disbelief, before rereading it over and over willing there to be more. Dee had already told them that Ozaki's had been a bust, so what could Kenji possible be hiding? Closing his eyes and breathing deeply he folded the letter and stood. Maybe Nazomi or even Chen could make sense of this. Even if Rose could walk up to him and make sense out of it would make him happy.
He entered the room to find Dee and Ronda at it again. He could decided if they hated each other or what. He guessed it was a love/relationship and came and stood between them.
"I have something that might help the case.
"And what is that?" Dee asked crossing his arms.
"A letter from Lang Wong." Ryo answered waving the letter.
"Let me see it." Ronda spoke reaching forward.
"Listen to me." Ryo spoke trying to stop another fight before it started.
"Okay... So tell us... What does it say." Nazomi spoke.
"It says that there are a lot of clues in the Ozaki bar. I want to see if Chen can confirm it before we move forward." Ryo spoke.
"I want the letter analyzed." Ronda growled snatching it from Ryo's grasp.
"Now wait a minute. There is no reason to be cold. We're a team Ronda. A team." Dee spoke trying to make peace.
"Are we really you hot head scum bag?" She asked before she walked out the door.
"That went well." Dee spoke scratching the back of his head.
"Sure..." Ryo muttered sitting at his desk.
"You wanted to see me?" Chen asked peeking in the door.
"How'd you know dollface?" Dee asked with a friendly smile.
"Ronda was yelling something about the incompetence of not understanding stupid cops. And a letter from Lang Wong." She spoke as she sat at Ronda's desk.
"Basically Lang wrote a letter telling us a little about Oiru aoi and we'd like you to tell us a little as well." Ryo spoke gently.
"I can't." She whispered.
"You're safe with us Chen. Can't you see that?" Dee asked.
"He's right." Nazomi smiled.
"You're right... And if it does get a chance it's going to kill me anyway, ne?" She asked trying to smile.
"No... Don't think like that. We'll keep you safe." Dee reached out and petted her hand gently.
"Alright..." She whispered standing and facing away from them.
"Just try Chen."
"When I was taken by Oiru aoi, I was taken inside the basement of Ozaki Sushi bar. There I was branded as a traitor to my heritage."
"With the burn mark." Ryo murmured.
"Hai." She spoke pulling aside the top of her blouse showing the small mark that looked no bigger then a finger tip.
"And..." Nazomi whispered trying to encourage her.
"I was tied up and told of all the things I had done. He leaned over me and I felt the knife against my neck as he continued to talk. I couldn't tkae it anymore. I fought. I jerked up into his chin and ran." She finished running her fingers over the scar across her collar bone.
"So that is why the knife cut you in a lower area. And you are sure that it was Ozaki's basement?" Nazomi asked softly.
"Hai. I'm sure." She replied.
"Dee... Go get a warrant." Ryo spoke as he stood and hugged Chen tihgtly.
"Alright.. I'll see you fine folks in a few minutes." Dee called as he walked out the door.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kenji yelled as his door was forced open by Ryo.
"We'd like to take a look at your basement." Ryo spoke calmly.
"I am afraid that I cannot show that to you."
"I am afraid you have to. I have a warrant stating it. You can either let us do it or we will find it ourselves." Ryo stated holding the paper in front of him.
Kenji snatched it out of his hands and read it. With a growl he turned.
"Follow me please." He replied.
Dee and Ryo as well as the other members of the team followed him warily as he took them to the basement. Ryo snapped on his gloves as they reached the bottom of the steps. Walking forward into the room he noticed a rust colored spot on the floor. Dropping down near it he ran his finger over it. It was defiantly blood.
"I want this blood tested." He spoke standing.
Dee on the other hand was searching through the drawers of a nearby desk. Ryo walked over to him and peered over his shoulder.
"Have you found anything?" He asked softly.
"Nothing... Just old records in Japanese." He replied.
"Get them collected. We want everything we can find." Ryo whispered before walking away.
Dee chuckled before going through another drawer. There he noticed something odd. It was a burned piece of paper. And on the corner was written words he recognized very well.
Leave none alive
He carefully picked up the burned piece of paper and placed it in a bag. Shuffling through more he found another piece.
We serve only y
Dee felt a shiver run down his back. After putting away that piece of paper he searched around more but that seemed to be all that was there. He pulled back after a while and turned to one of the grunt workers.
"Have you found anything?" He asked softly.
"More blood stains and wire." He replied.
"Make sure to take it all." He patted his back and walked over to a door that Ryo was inspecting.
"What are you looking at." He asked touching Ryo's shoulder.
"God damn Dee. You scared the hell out of me." Ryo muttered jumping.
"Sor'y." Dee whispered shrugging his shoulders.
"The door's locked. Go get the key from Kenji." Ryo spoke as he lovwer back down to examine the handle again.
Kenji seemed reluctant to have a key but in the end he turned one over. Dee took it and opened the door. Flinging it open both he and Ryo took a step back in disgust. Ryo turned and walked away. He found Kenji and took a deep breath.
"You are under arrest for the Oiru aoi murders. Some one read him his rights." He spoke as he noticed Dee still standing in the doorway.
He walked back over to him and touched his shoulder.
"Dee." He whispered but the man didn't so much as move.
Resisting the urge to look in the disgusting room he moved around Dee to look into the older man's eyes.
"Dee snap out of it." He whispered.
"They'll all dead." He whispered back.
He stared at Dee in wonder, his seemed almost child like. He was a New York Cop, of course he'd seen dead bodies before. Why was this any different? He never batted an eye at the other horrors they'd witness but here he was in some for of shock.
"I know Dee. Come on. We're done here." He whispered.
"Who could have done such a horrible thing?" He asked softly.
"We have to go now Dee." Ryo spoke tugging on his shirt.
"Who?" Dee asked again.
Ryo sighed and then forcefully pushed Dee away from the door and up the stairs back to their car. After getting the taller man in the car he went back inside Ozaki's.
"I want this place closed down. I want everything in that basement, in that room. Examined and confiscated. Leave nothing unturned." He ordered and then turned and left.
Dee sat at his desk. He couldn't believe the way he'd fallen apart at the police station. He turned his eyes to the clock and stared at it. It was at least two hours before his shift was over. He closed his eyes and he saw that room again.
"Want to talk about it?" Nazomi's voice whispered from somewhere beside him.
"No." He muttered dropping his head in his hands.
"It's okay to talk about it." She whispered tugging on his sleeve.
"I know that... I just... I can't talk about it."
"It's because they were all Asian wasn't it. Men, women and children. What happened to you?" She asked softly.
"I saw Chen... And you and Ryo. Even someone of Penguin's charges. It was awful." He whispered.
"And way do you think you saw us?" She asked softly.
"You're all Asian... None of you are doing whatever it is that was required of you. You're all the type of people that this thing would target." He whispered.
"And who's face did you see the most?" She asked softly.
"Ryo's." He half sobbed running has hands through his hair.
"Go ahead and leave. I'll clock out for you when Ryo and I leave." She whispered.
"I don't want to go." He whispered back.
"Then go lay down in the break room. No one will bother you." She whispered petting his back before she stood.
Dee deciding that following her advice was the best deal stood up and made his way to the break room. He turned out all the lights before dropping on the old couch and squeezing his eyes tightly shut willing the image engraved to the back of his lids to leave.
Ryo opened the break room door just a fragment of an inch and stared at the shaken cop before sighing and shutting the door. Leaving Dee to his thoughts and nightmares.
He made his way back to the office and sat at his desk. Nazomi sat on his desk and peered at him. She studied him and sighed. Then she opened a little notebook and wrote in a furiously.
"Is there a point to this Nazomi?" He asked sitting up to look at her better.
"Hai. It's about Dee." She whispered.
"What about him." He asked sitting up a bit more.
"I think he should take the backseat on this case. In that room he saw us as the victims. Chen, me and mostly you. The repetition of your face shows how much he cares about you and that might make him too emotional." She whispered.
"He doesn't need to be put on the back seat. Don't worry about it." Ryo waved his hand.
"But Ryo." She started.
"We've dealt with a case of people of Asian decent being killed. And even then Dee lost it a few times but he did nothing out of line." Ryo spoke as he remember the 'vacation'
"Yes, I have heard about that but... Dee has so much to lose and I think this will make him more aware of it." She replied.
"You don't understand yet Naomi. But you will. Dee will always act on his emotions. He's a hot head." Ryo replied a small smile gracing his lips.
"Well, you do know him best after all." She said with a secret smile before running off to find Chen.
Ryo just shook his head before turning to his computer to look over the evidenced.
Ronda growled as she turned over another sheet of the report from Ozaki's, she couldn't believe that all this had been happening there. But it was over that she was sure of. She never even heard the door open. The shadow slipped in unnoticed and wove it's way closer and closer. It wrapped it's hands around her neck tightly and began to pull her backwards. Her screams never even made it passed her throat. She grasped at the shadow like hands pulling at them feebly.
"You think you can defeat something like me?" It whispered softly.
She didn't have time to respond. She was slammed against the wall and her world went black.
"We have two new deaths? Why am I being informed?" Rose asked into the receiver.
"One of your cops was murdered. I think you should come see this." Was the reply.
"Where are they?" He asked standing and grabbing his jacket.
"It's Ronda Fey. Out sir." And the voice hung up.
Cursing at the incompetence of the rookie cop, Rose dashed out of his office and out into the mid-morning traffic.
When he arrived at Ronda's apartment he noticed Dee and Ryo's cars. Muttering to himself he made his way upstairs to her apartment and stared at the sight with vague disgust. Ronda was in very much the same position as the victims of the case she was working on except for the basing of her skull and the large cut up her spine. Written in what had to be blood on the wall were words he couldn't quite make out.
"You've gotten too close." Ryo whispered to him.
"How is it that you can read it?" Rose asked.
"It's a form of Japanese writing. It's called Romanji." Ryo explained.
"I want this entire room searched." Rose muttered turning to leave.
He stopped when he heard Ryo's cell phone go off.
"What is it?" He asked turning back around.
"It's Kenji. He was found dead this morning." He replied.
"Suicide?"
"No. Throat slit and hand cuffed to the cell doors." Ryo replied.
"How the hell?" Rose asked.
"Not sure." He whispered turning away from him to go tell Dee.
Rose grabbed his arm pulling him back.
"Don't waste your time." He whispered.
"Let go of me sir." Ryo growled shaking his arms loose and walking away.
"Something up Ryo?" Dee asked as he turned to see the smaller man.
"Just Rose... But there's more news on the case. Apparently Kenji's been killed. Nazomi went to see about that. We're expected back at the station soon." He whispered.
"I still can't believe that Ronda was killed." He whispered.
"I know neither can I."
"I feel so bad about being such an asshole to her." Dee muttered.
"I know... But right now we have a case to solve."
"Yeah... One that's really starting to get close to home."
Nazomi was waiting for them when they got back. She was sitting at her desk with a shaken look on her face, When they told her what they had found her face just got paler and paler. Then she spoke.
"Chen is gone. She siad she was going to try and stop this." She whispered.
"And you let her go?" Dee yelled.
"I couldn't stop her. She seemed to possess supernatural powers. I was powerless." She cried still shaking.
Ryo gently rubbed her arm.
"It's alright... It is."
"Where the hell would she go?" Dee mutter out loud.
"Ozaki's Sushi Bar." Nazomi whispered.
"Then why the hell are we still here?" Dee asked dashing out the door.
When they got to Ozaki's bar the door was wide open and fearing the worst Dee dashed in and down the stairs. Ryo shaking his head followed slowly, keeping Dee's back checked as Nazomi followed closely behind him. In the old room that had traumatized Dee so much stood Dee staring inside.
Ryo looked beyond Dee and saw Chen staring into the eyes of a shadow. He didn't believe it possible but it seemed as if the shadow was actually alive. He taunted Chen but never seemed to notice them. Behind him, he felt Nazomi's small fingers dig into his back as she clutched his shirt. Almost daring not to breathe he reached out and touched Dee's shoulder.
The man didn't so much as jump. Ryo inwardly sighed, Dee was useless right now. He quietly walked around the older man and slipped into the room. As he entered the shadow became aware of him and he found himself flung into another wall. He gasped as the breath left his lungs as he slid down the wall. He moved to stand but found himself on the business end of his own gun.
"If you so much as move it will go off. When I am done with her you shall be judged as well." It hissed.
Ryo froze in his movements and looked towards Dee and Nazomi. Nazomi was franticly tugging at Dee's sleeve trying to get the man to be aware of her but it all seemed in vain. Ryo begun to wonder if he was going to just die here. It seemed in slow motion that Chen dived forward and was thrown backwards flying into the door. The sound of ripping skin something he probably wouldn't forget for the rest of his life.
Count Chen out.
His grim thoughts were getting the better of him. He saw Nazomi's struggles with Dee get even worse. He vaguely began to wonder why she wouldn't give up. But as he saw Chen stand even with the blood pouring out of back he began to wonder just how hopeless it was. He saw it in slow motion as Nazomi fell into the room as Chen took a leap at the shadow again. Chen was thrown into another wall and Nazomi pulled into a standing position. Chen didn't move again. And Nazomi was franticly staring at the shadow.
"I thought that you of all people Detective Mizu would know when to mind your own business." The shadow whispered.
Ryo was quite sure of how to place the voice. But he felt as if he'd heard it before in his nightmares. The shadow drew closer to Nazomi and smiled.
"Why haven't you?" It asked.
"Get away from me." She hissed lashing out at it.
The shadow's laughing only seemed to grow louder. Ryo knew he had to do something. He focused his eyes back on his gun. He knew there was no way to escape it without getting shot but what could he do to get his hands on it. That was what he was looking for. He studied it for a few minutes before a plan began to hatch in his head. Sure it was half assed but it was all he had. He dived to the side, ignoring the pain of the bullet ripping through his shoulder as he reached and grabbed the gun's handle.
He held it in his hand tightly trying to point it towards the ground as it continued to go off, searching for his skin. The gun shoot seemed to wake Dee up but the man still didn't move even through he was out of his self imposed stupor. The shadow laughed at Ryo before throwing Nazomi away from it's self.
"You can't win. What if you screw up and it kills Detective Nazomi? How would you feel then?" It asked as he fought with his gun as it now struggled to find Nazomi.
"I won't kill her," He growled.
"Who says you have a choice?"
"I do." He yanked the gun towards the shadow and it went off.
The bullet slammed into it but the shadow didn't seed fazed at all.
"You can't kill me." It laughed.
"I sure as hell will try." Ryo growled.
Ryo noticed Nazomi out of the corner of his eye. She was by Chen franticly trying to stop the blood that was pouring out of her back. He prayed that Nazomi would try to do something against the shadow. He felt the gun began to turn towards them and he jerked it back as it went off causing it to hit the shadow again.
Ryo struggled to keep his gun on the shadow as he made his way over to Nazomi and Chen. It seemed that no matter what happened this was a loose, loose situation. He gasped as he felt something enter his back. He looked down to seem some sort of rod sticking out of his side. He looked up to see the shadow.
"That was playing dirty." He breathed.
The shadow didn't reply and he continued his slow trek to Nazomi and Chen. He lowered down beside Naomi still watching the shadow.
"Pull it out."
"Nani?" She gasped.
"Pull the rod out." He growled back.
He couldn't stop his flinch from the pain and being able to feel as the rod was slowly pulled out. He didn't dare close his eyes. He was ready to stand and try to call to Dee when gunshots rang out. The shadow jerked as he was hit with bullet after bullet. Ryo jerked as he heard the sound of something splintering and Dee cussing. Then came the sound of something shattering and this sound was a hell of a lot closer.
The shadow began to dissipate and all the was left was a shattered onyx gem. He reached out and touched it but it turned to dust. He looked up to see Dee holding his left arm. They stared into each others eyes for a minute before Ryo staggered to his feet.
"Is it dead?" He asked.
"I think so..." Ryo replied starting forward.
He almost fell but Nazomi was there supporting him.
"Chen?" He asked softly.
"She'll live." Was her reply as she tried to force him to sit down.
No more was said as the sound of sirens were heard in the distance. Back up was late as usual.