Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on January 24, 2006.

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-June 8th-

Entry at 5:59PM

It's quite amazing how quickly clues can be uncovered when you have two detective agencies, a computer full of text-data recovered by a hostage of Naraku's and the police all on your side. By the time Sango's father had gotten home and she and Miroku had returned to the hospital, we'd not only recovered Onigumo's hospital records, but we'd been able to trace him and his latest activities.

After saying our goodbyes to Shippou, and thanking him for his assistance, we returned to our offices to begin the task of sorting our clues into something we could use.

Looking down at some of the paperwork about the warehouse, I thought back on the call I'd gotten about an hour earlier from Bankotsu.

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The phone was ringing, so I'd paused to pick it up and I was instantly questioned by the gang leader's voice.

"Kagome?"

"Ah, Bankotsu? What's going on?"

"Well, we're having to wait. The police are all over the damned place, and if we got caught poking around I'm sure they'd arrest us. I brought Suikotsu and Kikyou with me in case of an emergency though."

I nodded, "Having the nurse with you in case Jakotsu needs immediate treatment, correct?"

"Yah," He said with a sigh, "I hope that's not the case, but I figure it's better to play it safe."

"So where are you now?"

"Musou met up with us and we went to get something to eat."

Knowing it was a touchy subject, but still needing to follow up on the lead, I questioned, "Any word on Renkotsu's location?"

The line went quiet before a bitter "No," was shot back at me.

"Okay, we'll look out for him as well. Call me if you find out anything, all right?"

"Right," He replied before hanging up.

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My mind was mussing over the conversation again, wondering if I should be suspicious of Bankotsu's despondency or if that was merely due to the fact I'd brought up Renkotsu.

That's when I'd remembered something.

The reason he was in the hospital with his arm was due to a message Renkotsu had left on his phone. Suikotsu said it was too harsh to repeat, so what was it?

"Kagome? Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice snapped me from my thoughts and back to the situation at hand.

I was in the process of going through the paperwork when my mind had gone back to the situation with Bankotsu. Looking to the headline of the old paper in my hand, I had a sickening feeling I knew why.

"Body found in the harbor outside of the Shouki district. Another murder being attributed to Naraku."

"Kagome?"

Finally pulling myself from my thoughts, I glanced over to my partner, "Sorry Inuyasha. I was just thinking about something."

"What?" Kagura questioned.

"Bankotsu still doesn't know where Renkotsu is at. The last we heard of him was a message that was left on Bankotsu's answering machine. As to what it said, I'm not sure, but I do know that it was the cause of him punching the mirror."

"Do you think there was a clue in that, Kagome?" Miroku asked.

"Possibly, yes. Or something that Bankotsu doesn't want us to interfere in."

"A duel then?" Sango proposed as an answer.

"I'm not certain. But it is a possibility that Renkotsu has challenged or threatened Bankotsu with something."

"An interrogation of him later is in order. For now, the situation at hand needs to be attended to," Sesshoumaru intervened.

Frowning, yet knowing that he was indeed correct, I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and continued sorting through the papers.

Coming across one of them, I handed it over to Kagura.

"Here's the information on Onigumo's latest contact- Rasetsu. He might be trying to use him to move in now that we've taken Naraku out of the picture."

"You think Onigumo's gonna make a move to get into that warehouse before the police uncover anything else?"

I nodded, "Right now, even the stolen goods they've found are still there to act as evidence. Onigumo only has tonight if he wants to recover anything there, and given the troubles he's gone through up until now, I'd say he's going to break in tonight."

"So we need to deal with him and his subordinate," Sesshoumaru spoke up from where he leaned quietly against the wall.

I looked around to the group of detectives, "We know where Onigumo himself is at. Given the injuries he received, he's permanently bed-ridden so he has to use others to do his work."

"We already have a search warrant for his home," Sango spoke up.

"That was fast," I replied, taking it from her.

"Mr. Takeda insisted he get it done for me right away," She replied rolling her eyes.

Shaking my head, I held back a laugh, "At least his infatuation with you came in handy this time, Sango."

"I suppose," The long-haired woman said crossing her arms.

"So what the hell are we going to do? Sitting around like this isn't helping!" Inuyasha protested, impatiently tapping his foot.

"Move before he does," Sesshoumaru stated simply.

All eyes turned to him.

"What is that supposed to mean? Huh?" Inuyasha snapped, "It's not like we can steal the goods from the police."

"But we can hinder those that wish to do so," His brother replied.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagura questioned, apparently seeing something in the elder man's features that I didn't.

"There are five of us."

"Um, there's six," I corrected.

"I was counting Inuyasha with you since he's not worth anything otherwise," Came the blunt reply.

"Hey!"

"As I was stating. All of us," He leveled a glare at Inuyasha, "Shall split up and attend to each possible situation separately," Pausing to assure he had full attention, Sesshoumaru continued, "Kagura and I will handle Onigumo."

"Wait a second! Why do you get to take down the main guy and hog all the glory?" Inuyasha protested, standing.

"Your agency already has ties to one of the issues at the warehouse."

"Jakotsu," I said quietly, and Inuyasha sat down with a 'hmph.'

"Two of you can attend to finishing that part of your case. The others can ensure Rasetsu doesn't try anything."

"Sesshoumaru, are you sure that we'll be all right?" Kagura asked skeptically.

"I wouldn't lay plans that I felt were faulty," He stated in reply.

"But with your arm…"

"I can fire a gun perfectly fine with my right hand, Kagura," Sesshoumaru said, quickly glancing at his empty left sleeve.

She gave a fleeting smile, like she expected such an answer. I meanwhile turned to my white-haired partner.

"Inuyasha, start gathering up things. I'll call up Bankotsu and let him know we're on our way down there."

"Keh," Was his only response as he stood and went to pack up our guns and some other supplies.

"Miroku, Sango- you think you can hold off Rasetsu if he shows and we aren't there?"

Sango nodded firmly, "I'm sure we can handle them if someone isn't distracted."

"What?" Miroku feigned innocence, holding his hands up in front of him.

"Make sure to watch for intruders more than watching me, pervert," She retorted, swatting away his hand headed for her backside.

Shaking my head at their usual antics, I dialed the number for Bankotsu's cell phone and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Bankotsu, we're headed down that way now. Where can we meet up with you?"

There was a pause, then a quiet, "Meet up with us?"

"This is Kagome, Inuyasha and I are headed down to the warehouse. We have search warrants and all that paperwork, so the police can let us in."

"Yeah, you can get in," He said sharply, and I noted the bitter tone still there.

"…What's wrong, Bankotsu?"

"The sun will set soon. I can't get into the warehouse as long as police officers are anywhere around because I'm a gang member and they'll figure I'm there to steal something. Time is running out for Jakotsu!"

Noting the panic in his voice and thinking back on earlier, I calmly stated, "This has to do with what Renkotsu's message said to you the other night, correct?"

Silence, until finally I heard a few voices. Apparently Bankotsu had sat the phone down.

"Just fuck it all!" I heard him curse, followed by the sound of his fist impacting on a nearby wall.

"What's wrong, Bankotsu?" Suikotsu's voice was picked up.

"She knows okay? Now the damned detectives are going to want to meddle in this as well."

"I'm sure you can trust Miss Kagome not to…"

"I don't trust anyone but Jakotsu, okay?"

I bit my lip as the conversation between the two continued; silently wishing I could do something to help quell Bankotsu's frustration and anger.

"Miss Kagome?" Suikotsu spoke, having picked up the waylaid cell phone.

"Ah Suikotsu, I'm sorry to have upset him. I just want to help."

"I know. He's just very worried. We need to get in there before something happens."

"What if I can get the cops away long enough for you four to get in?" I offered.

"You can do that, Miss Kagome?"

"We think that someone is going to come tonight and try and steal the stolen goods there. I was already having Miroku and Sango look out, but if the police are still there, I'm sure I can convince them to do that while we get inside."

He muffled the speaker partially as he spoke off to Bankotsu, "She said she'll get us in. Don't worry; they'll let us four in while they keep the police away. It'll all be okay."

"Fine, but don't let the police or the detectives follow us. Jakotsu's in danger otherwise," I heard the barely audible reply.

Renkotsu's up to something. He wants Bankotsu to go in their alone, or at least- only with a few others.

"Fine, it's a deal then," Bankotsu said sharply as he took the phone from Suikotsu. "But on one condition."

"Yes?"

"You can't follow us down there."

I paused, biting back the urge to offer help or protest this plan, "Understood Bankotsu. But if I hear gunshots or anything suspicious, it's my duty to investigate, okay?"

"Okay."

"We'll meet you off to one of the side streets nearby, is that all right?"

His voice lightening a bit, he replied, "Yah. Sorry about all this, but I just can't risk Jakotsu's life."

I'd do the same for Inuyasha, wouldn't I? I shook my head of the thought, and stammered out a reply, "Just be careful. And don't hesitate to call us for help if it gets serious."

"All right, Kagome."

"We'll be down there soon. See ya then."

"Bye."

Hanging up the phone, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

What is going on? It's definitely Renkotsu's doing, but what is he doing?

"Kagome?" I heard Inuyasha's voice question from beside me, "Here."

I blinked as I took my gun from his and holstered it to my side.

"You ready?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"We shall keep contact via cell phone the entire time. Report any movements. Relay any information," Sesshoumaru stated as he walked to the door.

Looking about to all of the others, I took a deep breath and snagged up my coat.

The mystery will be solved tonight.

I thought to myself as I followed Inuyasha out the door.

Just please, let everyone live through this.
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Preview for Chapter 26:

Everything will slowly be set into motion. Plans will come into play. Plans will fail. This is the time that all our detectives will prove their worth. Prove that they want to live through this case.