Disclaimer: I do not own PMK or RK.
Cameo by the Oniwanbanshu....
Case 009: Soba Sting
Saizou did not return to the HQ as Okita had hoped. The owner of the rare Kyushu dwarf pig was frantic with worry. Both captain and rookie were now combing the streets on foot to find the foul-tempered bundle of lard. "Saizou!" Okita yelled. It was lunchtime and Okita let Tetsu take a lunch break while he continued searching for the pig.
Tetsu nipped into the nearby soba chain restaurant as he had a voucher for a free soba meal from Tatsu-nii. Not that he liked the stuff… he had lost his lunch money on the madcap chase and didn't want to borrow from Okita. The soba was tasteless. No wonder this restaurant had no lunchtime crowd. Only a few of the seats were taken.
Not a very savory crowd too. Two street punks were engaged in an animated discussion at a table. One was tall and blond and the other was more slender with dark spiky hair. There were four unsavory looking characters reading newspapers, more likely planning a bank heist. A young man sat hugging his high school date at the bar, next to a man who looked strangely familiar.
He recognized the man sitting across the restaurant at the bar. It was Saitou. The man had an air of alertness about him under his sleepy, half-doped expression. He was waiting for something, or someone. He was not wearing his uniform. Tetsu decided to join him.
"Saitou-san! I'm the rookie doing my career week with you, Captain!" He gave the captain a smart salute. Saitou popped a vein at the boy's greeting. Several things happened at once before one can say Kyoto Shinsengumi.
The blond jumped up and ran. Tetsu realized he has just made a terrible mistake. Saitou was in the midst of an undercover operation. The young man at the bar tried to tackle the blond. Saitou yanked Tetsu behind the bar. "What were you doing?" he hissed. Mr. Calm Zen master was actually angry.
"Aoshi!" His pig-tailed date screamed as the blond drew a gun and started firing into the restaurant. Her blouse was stained red even as she ducked for safety. She reached under her school skirt, drew a police-issue and returned fire. She shot the gun out of the offender's hand.
That little miss is a crack shot, Tetsu thought with admiration. Who are these people? He hasn't seen them before…
The others wrestled the blond man to the floor. Tetsu realized that the spiky-haired crook had escaped. Then he saw him disappearing into the alley. "Stop!" Tetsu super cop to the rescue! He ran out before anyone can stop him and tackled the man…
Saitou's plainclothes men dashed out from where they had hidden earlier and assisted Tetsu in subduing the crook. The guy strangely resembles Ayu-nee. Saitou sighed.
Debriefing at Kyoto Shinsengumi HQ.
"I'm alright…" Oniwabanshu agent Misao had her arm in a sling. She was a grownup despite looking like a middle school student. She was secretly pleased by her partner's concern. Shinomori Aoshi, Oniwabanshu chief, was fuming under his expressionless exterior, with good reason too.
They have been working with the Shinsengumi's support to flush out drug kingpin, Kanryuu. With Aoshi and Saitou cooperating, they had expected to wipe up the drug ring in two more weeks. Yamazaki Susumu, Ayu-nee's brother, was the undercover agent sent to infiltrate the organization. He had arranged to meet with Kanryuu at the soba place.
Saitou and Aoshi had their men ready to make the arrest. Kanryuu did not show thanks to Tetsu's interference. The blond they arrested was only a small fry. Now they needed to put the operation on cold storage until they can get Susumu or another agent into the ring.
The chances of Susumu regaining the drug dealer's trust were slim. The cautious kingpin might decide to kill him to be on the safe side. Saitou wondered if they could use the crooked cop plan he had suggested. Of course, Saitou will be the crooked cop…
Maybe they should get Aoshi to arrange for a contract on Kanryuu. There were rumors that the Oniwabanshu had that privilege from the Bakufu government…
"Baka." Both Saitou and Aoshi spat out as Tetsu entered the room. Yamazaki Susumu glared at him from across the room. Misao strolled up to him and slapped hard him with her good hand. "Sorry…" Tetsu apologized.
"Tetsu, you just blew our joint ops with the Oniwabanshu," Okita explained sheepishly as they walked towards the garage. "Only Saitou and Kondo knew of it. Susumu didn't even tell his sis, and she was in the Oniwabanshu before she transferred here."
"Ayu-nee was in the Oniwabanshu!?" Ayu-nee came around the corner at this moment. "Tetsu, spread it about and I'll put chili in your coffee," she said sweetly as she pinched his lips together. Tetsu nodded in pain. She glided off.
"Saizou?" Tetsu asked. Okita smiled. He found the pig, right? Tetsu wondered. There was no pig in the garage. Only the really bust-up patrol car and scattered tools littered the place. "Ta-da!" Okita opened the boot of his still being-repaired patrol car. "Buhi!" The piggy nuzzled his master in delight.
"Toshi's coming back tomorrow as he's cleared of all charges. He found Saizou and hid my piggy before Itou-san saw him. He just returned him to me when I called at his place with the good news. Good old Toshi," Okita kissed the pig on its head.
Is Toshi that scary man he saw on his first day with Okita in the tub? Tetsu timidly asked. His worst fears were confirmed by a musical "Hai!" from his partner.
Kami, why is Toshi or whoever cleared? He looks about as psycho as Yoshida…
Day 4
Went on bike patrol. Okita nearly killed me chasing a hell-rider. Messed up Saitou's joint op with the Oniwabanshu. Think they are mad at me. Do they really have a license to kill like the boys at school say? That undercover guy threatened me in the washroom…
Tetsu let out a frightened squeak when Tatsu-nii opened the door of the station broom closet."Tetsu?"
Author's notes:
Ri-chan: don't worry abt Suzu too much... he'll live in this ficcie.
The broom closet again. Susumu's real mad at Tetsu for messing up their ops. So's Saitou... lucky for Tetsu, it's PMK Saitou & not the RK version... The RK Saitou will kill him.
Tetsu's comparison between Yoshida & Hijitaka's inspired by the part in the anime where the 2 pages start talking about their masters.
Next up, dinner at Okita's... Thank you for the reviews.