This chapter continues the exposition. It presents most of the other main characters and a few facts. No action here ( starts next chapter).
Chapter 2:Team
Coming back in the empty main room, Saitoh opened a new cigarette pack, and began to think about his situation. He still had mitigated feelings towards this whole team stuff. He had accepted to be part of it only for Kondo, who had been his first partner when he entered the police forces. After his partner had become captain, then Chief of the Criminal Department, Saitoh had teamed with Okita. Finally, 4 years ago, his mentor had taken the risk to give up this high rank in order to create this section, and asked Saitoh and Okita to follow him. They had agreed without a second thought.
Saitoh knew that Kondo had wanted only the best for his Violent Crimes section. Yukishiro Enishi, coming from the Narcotics, was a genius when it came to investigate Mafia and traffics, which made up for his rather unbalanced temper. Kondo had teamed him with the taciturn and sensible Kitaoka Tsunan, expert in explosives and anti-terrorist strategy. Himself and Okita were getting the highest arrest and conviction rate of the criminal department. They were the perfect incarnation of the famous good cop/bad cop combination. He had however been surprised and more reserved about the others. Sagara Sanosuke had connections everywhere in the streets because he was an ex-thug, and Makimachi Misao was a specialist in information gathering, with no field experience. They also had the top forensic doctor, Takani Megumi, and the famous profiler, Shinomori Aoshi, collaborating with the team.
Until last year he had never regretted his decision to join. The section was efficient. He was even getting along more or less well with them, mostly thanks to Okita, who was easy going and had made the bridge. He wasn't really in the friendship that was linking the others, but he could stand to stay in the same room with them without feeling murderous (well, if Sagara was not staying too long, he was still such a moron). Yet their values were different. They still thought in terms of criminal and victims, still hoped that they could make justice triumph. Saitoh knew better. He knew that evil was a lingering force, and that they were just parts of a never-ending fight. Slaying evil, but never be able to eradicate it, was the irony of their task. The others were doing their jobs, and would retire one day. He had taken an oath, and would follow the path until he died. As did Okita: they had very different tempers, yet they had the same point of view. Kondo understood that. He had taught them. And as long as Kondo was at the head of the section, there was a point in being part of it.
When Kondo had decided to accept the Mayor's offer to become the Chief of Police Forces, it didn't alter Saitoh's respect for his mentor. He and Okita had both refused his following proposition to take his place. He had then expected Kondo to ask Hijikata, his successor at the head of the Criminal department, to step in. But no, he had chosen Takagi Tokio. Saitoh had felt betrayed. It was not the fact that she was a woman, or younger than he was, nor even that he disliked her: it was that she was not a cop. She was a substitute attorney, in charge of the DA's criminal affairs: her career had been on a fast track. Yes she was smart, yes she was a gifted lawyer, yes she knew how to rule her team. Still she was only a bureaucrat. He was not surprised that she could jump from one side to the other, as he knew that she was coming from an influent family, first contributor to the Mayor's campaign. Kondo had insisted that it was his idea. They had specialists in every field but law, his ex-boss had added, and had asked him to trust his judgment. Well, she didn't screw everything up like he had expected her to, but he just couldn't stand to see her in Kondo's place, acting like she deserved it. She was a bossy bitch. She was.
Enishi and Tsunan entered the spacious room, frowning at his darkened face. They sat at their desks and several seconds passed by before they talked.
"Are we out?" asked finally Kitaoka.
Saitoh shook his head. The door of the chief's office opened and Tokio stepped out, her gray suit jacket on her shoulders, her purse in one hand. She walked to the main door, glancing severely at the younger men.
"Saitoh is taking care of the report. I make it clear with you two. Next time you move I want you to inform me before. Good night, detectives." Without a second look, she left, her long ebony hair whirling behind her.
Enishi blew a sigh. "Phew. She is pissed." He seemed to find that really entertaining.
"We followed you knowing it was against the orders. Are you alone in trouble?"
Saitoh smirked. "This report is all I get, along with a scold." He hesitated. "You've helped."
"Are you kidding? I worked for the Narcotics long enough to know there is nothing to expect from them. No way I'd let Kanryu escape again. Moreover, it was quite funny to act without supervision," smiled dangerously Enishi.
"Hey, we are a team. Okita got shot, We had to see that it would be repaid. Our revenge is our business." Tsunan exchanged a knowing look with his white-haired partner.
Saitoh sighed. He had been honest with Takagi. For him, it had not been about revenge. He hadn't wanted to let his prey escape. He was chasing a violent murderer, which had turned out to be Kanryu's right arm. A weaker link of Kanryu's organization, Hatsume, had leaked them where to find the suspect, but it had been a trap and Okita had ended severely wounded. As the Narcotics were investigating Kanryu first, the hierarchy had decided that they had to handle them the case. There was no way he could let that happening. It was HIS case. He had gone to get Hatsume and made the necessary. He had fulfilled his duty. Kanryu had only been a bonus.
"What about that scum who gave you the information? As he's unfortunately still alive, shouldn't we expect him to sue?" wondered aloud Yukishiro.
Tsunan, who had lit his own tobacco stick, blew the smoke, watching inquiringly at Saitoh.
"She said she had taken care of that," he answered reluctantly.
"I know you don't like her. But she is doing a good job. She has always covered our butts. I trust her."
Yes, Yukishiro, and you have personal reasons for that. So your judgment is blurred, thought Saitoh.
"And she's quite pleasant to look at," added Tsunan.
The amber eyes narrowed in scorn.
The main door flew open, a girlie voice exclaimed: "Yuck! Smoking guys, you are disgusting!" and a tornado ran through the room, to open wide the big windows.
"Hey, I was not smoking, Misao-chan. I could even stop definitely for you."
"Hands off my partner, Sunglasses," interrupted a young, male voice.
"Great. Dumb and Dumber" mumbled Saitoh between his teeth.
He stared without sympathy at Sagara and Makimachi. Way too impulsive for his taste, and too hot-tempered. He had to admit that they had results, but mostly because they were incredibly lucky, if anybody was interested in his opinion.
Ignoring Sagara's protective stance, Enishi went on: "How was your day, honey?"
As Sano had pissed her off all day, whining around that he was bored, she entered Enishi's game and giggled the most girlishly she could: "Less interesting than yours. We had to spend it in court." She sighed deeply, her young features making a baby face. "You know what I mean."
"Yeah, just being questioned by lawyers who tried to make us say the opposite of what happened, while you had all the fun." Sagara was half pouting.
Kids, thought the older cop.
Tsunan grinned to his friend. "At least you didn't get scolded by our new boss like Saitoh"
"She's hot. She can even spank me if she wants." The two of them shared a knowing smile.
Before Saitoh could make a sarcastic comment, the storm broke.
"HEY!" yelled Misao. "I'm fed up with your attitude here. First, she is not THAT new. It's been than one year. Second, she is doing a good job, enough for you not to dare hitting on her or making your disgusting remarks when she's here. Third," she went on, turning to Saitoh," if it bothers you that much to have a boss, you should have accepted Kondo's offer to step in." As he opened his mouth, she said quickly: "I know you said nothing, but it's been a while that I wanted to tell you."
She took a deep breath, and had a wonderful, shiny smile, her sapphire eyes clearing from anger within a second. "Phew. I feel better. See you tomorrow, guys." She ran out of the room, after grabbing a pile of files.
Saitoh turned to Sano. "Are you sure your partner doesn't have multiple personalities disorder? I almost feel sorry for you."
Scratching his rebel hair, he shrugged, not paying attention to the ironic tone. "Oh, no. She just hates trials. It gets on her nerves. I should have been careful.Talking about partners, how is Okita? Misao and I were relieved when Takagi called us this afternoon, to say he will make it."
"I dropped by at the hospital before coming back here. Now that he regained consciousness, the doctors say that it's a matter of time. Lots of time." Oh, Takagi was playing the team's mother now?
" Hey, we are going for a drink at Kamiya's. Won't you join us?" proposed Tsunan. "We have to celebrate that capture, and Okita's recovery."
" I can't. I'm grounded tonight, remember? Report to write for our "not so new" boss". Saitoh couldn't hide his spite on the last words.
Kamiya's was just two streets away from the police station. It was a pub: the lights were dim, the main room smoky, the walls and seats dark green, and the furniture made of wood, making the atmosphere discreet and comfy. Most of the detectives liked this place. The proprietor being the daughter of the previous chief of police made sure they had a warm welcome and some free drinks.
"Hi, guys! So some of you had a hard day.."giggled one of the twin waitresses as she brought Tsunan, Sano and Enishi their usual pints.
"Where did you hear that from? Some Narcos here?"
"Cut it off, Sagara. You're not fighting in my bar. Sae, waves from table 5."
Sano lifted his hands at the petite, green-eyed girl who glared at him severely. "Hey, what wrong with you today Jo-chan? You don't say hello when we arrive, and now you're as warm as a winter day. What did we do?"
She put a plate of French fries in front of them.
"You'll have to wait a while for the sandwiches. Kenshin is not back yet from shopping."
Enishi snorted. She glanced at him, tightening her fists.
"If you don't like this place or the people here anymore, you don't have to come. I won't bother," she let out spitefully, before returning to the kitchen, fuming.
Sae and Tae passed by their table again, arguing.
"You blabbermouth, why did you talk about today?" "I didn't know she was just behind, idiot! You should have done something.."
"Hey!" yelled Sano. "What the hell.."
Tsunan shook his head, nodding towards Enishi, who was staring at his glass, teeth gritted.
"She is just worried about you," he said calmly. " Maybe you should.."
Enishi drank some of his beer. "She made a choice. She hasn't to worry anymore."
"If I were you, I'd just kick the ass of this wimp and.." Sano shut up at his colleague's killing look.
"Talk about the devil.." murmured Tsunan.
A red-haired man entered the bar, getting down the stairs carefully with his hands full of grocery bags. Kaoru ran out of the kitchen. "Kenshin! It took you some time!"
He missed a step. "Oroooooo!"
"Kenshin are you okay?"
She helped him back on his feet. He was barely taller than she was.
"I'm sorry, there was that old lady who wasn't feeling well when I came out of the supermarket, I couldn't leave her like this, so I took her to her home and..."
The girl's expression had softened. "Kenshin... it's always the same: old ladies, lost children...You're just too nice, people take advantage of that."
They couldn't hear the rest of the conversation as the couple was walking to the kitchen, but the blushing of Kaoru and the soft smile of Himura were enough.
"Oh, please..this is pathetic," groaned Tsunan.
Tae smacked him on the head. "This is love. This is cute. Take notes."
Closing his laptop, Saitoh stretched his legs. These damn chairs were really made for dwarfs. He had completed his report. He pondered for a moment the idea of going for that drink, but he didn't feel like seeing anybody. It was too late to go back to the hospital and visit Okita anyway. Maybe he'd go to the gym for a boxing session..He knew whose face he could imagine instead of the sandbag.
The phone rang as he stood up.
To be continued.
Author's notes:
Yep, the lamest cliffhanger.
Sorry I waited so long to update and only for this kind of chapter, but I needed to write more and be sure that I won't contradict myself later and that some details that I could have explained here won't come out of the blue. This fic needed some more exposition. The tone in this chapter is still light but it's not reflecting the general tone of the story.
There's a lot of characters, I hope the fact that all of them are taken from the manga will make easier to picture them (selfishly, I had fun trying to find them an occupation in that A/U).Enishi has an important part, yet it will be developed some chapters away (the main characters being my dearest Saitoh/Tokio). First time I write about him.hope he won't be too OOC.I see him as a smart but unbalanced man, who can have some humor (usually used to bother people), and has a very soft spot towards women (a need to protect them). It's the way I figured him out after reading the manga.
The little part of interaction between K/K is there to stress that there will be no WAFF here. Tsunan's opinion is mine (although I enjoy and write WAFF, there is no place for it in that particular fic).!
See you, thanks for reading! (and no flames please!)
Kamorgana