Sakura walked to the laundry mat, she did this every night ever since she moved to L.A when she was a little girl with her dad. Now she's a woman, she shook her head at the sound of footsteps, "Easy, Sakura… It's just another person. L.A is a big city. Lots of people, chill, besides, you're broke… The robber would probably give you money instead." She let out a long drawn out sigh as she reached her destination unharmed. "See freaking out for no reason!"
She waited for her clothes to come out of the dryer while reading her book, she scoffed, "Books that could cause deaths by a heart attack. That's a little far off." She pulled her laundry from the dryer and walked out of the mat. She sighed as the street light flickered and burned out, "Relax, it's two blocks, why am I so jumpy? Does the thought of working with him tomorrow stress me out that much?" She furrowed her brew her bangs out of her face.
She walked down the street with a confident stride, and partially skittish. As she breathed a sigh of relief, with her apartment in view, she was yanked into an alley and held at knife point, "Give me your wallet!"
She held her hands up and dropped her laundry bag. "Okay, it's okay, you can have it." She shakily pulled her wallet out and handed it to the man quickly.
He grabbed the wallet and loose cash and took off down the alley, Sakura breathed a sigh but tensed immediately at the sound of the man scream. He took off past her screaming something about devils. She backed herself against the building, 'Shit! I don't have my gun!' Quiet footsteps could be heard drawing closer to her. She took a shaky breath in and closed her eyes tightly. She felt a nudge, square in the center of her chest, 'Oh! God! Have I been stabbed?! If I open my eyes will I see my own demise?!' She heard a throat clear itself, she peeked one eye open to see a taller man with dark hair, his eyes seemed to hold an unnatural glow to them, 'Red? His eyes are red? The guy freaked out about an eye color?' She glanced down at his hand that held out her wallet. "Oh!"
His voice was low and deep, "You should probably hang on to that a little better." She took her wallet from him and watched him walk away. "Shouldn't victimize yourself. Don't make yourself a target. That's how lambs are slaughtered." His voice seemed to echo through the empty streets.
Sakura sighed and tucked her wallet away, "Lucky day, I suppose." She hurried to her apartment before any other strange occurrences happened. She shut and locked her apartment door taking a deep breath. She dropped her laundry bag on her bed and started folding clothes while watching television and talking on the phone, "I know, I'm sorry, I thought for sure he'd at least approve you. Yeah... I don't know about working with him alone... The idea of working with a former serial killer to find another one just gives me a Hannibal feeling about it, kind of gives me the heeby geebies." She sighed as she finished folding her laundry and started putting it away. "Look, I have to go to bed, and at least try to sleep, if I can I'll bring it up with him tomorrow, 'kay?" She hung up her phone and tossed it on her bed and started putting her clothes away.
Sakura looked at the address that was scribbled down on her notepad, "Here?" She looked up at the shady looking hotel building, "Guess I need to consider who I'm meeting here…" She cautiously approached the building.
She walked in through the door and walked up the stairs to the room in the address, 1B. She rolled her eyes at the irony, 'Egomaniac.' She timidly knocked and her a synthetic voice called to her to come in. "Well, this has to be the spot." She walked into see a nearly empty hotel room with a large command center of computers. "Uh, Hello?" She leaned around the corner and peered into the kitchenette. "No one is here."
The synthetic whispers were intimidating enough, but the lack of emotion they held sent chills to her bones, "Sakura. Sit." The main computer screen flickered with static and displayed a gothic letter, B.
She looked around the room uncomfortably, "So. Do I ever actually get to meet the infamous B?"
The voice responded with a deadpanned manner, "In due time. Please. Disarm yourself. You won't need your weapon while in my presence. You'll have to understand my skepticism of others. I'm in a position to lose much. And, given you know my past, I don't need a frightened, trigger happy agent ending me before I can finish this case. Please, place your weapon in the closet and approach the computer, place your thumb on the scanner, so you will have access to my files."
Sakura unstrapped herself from her prized weapon and set it in the closet, sliding the door shut. She shifted a suspicious glance around and approached the computer. She she touched the scanner it read her fingerprint and made a loud chirping sound she watched a screen that poured through fingerprint indentities in seconds what her computers at work took to do in hours, the computer chimed and flashed her identity on the screen as well as a detailed background check on her. The door opened from behind her, the one linking the next door room and Beyond leaned in the doorway twirling the key around his finger, "Thank you. I had to confirm your identity as well."
Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, 'Paranoid much? Hey… Wait…' "You!" She pointed accusingly at him.
He arched an eyebrow, "Me." He stated.
"It was you! Last night!"
He raised his other eyebrow and eyed her a little more closely and snapped his fingers, "Right. Laundry chick, couldn't keep her wallet to herself." He sat at the computer. "I meant what I said."
She glared at him but studied his features, 'He's younger than I thought… Like really young. How old was he when they arrested him?' He cleared his throat while staring at her with a quizzical expression. "Ah! Um, sorry, I was just thinking about how young you look!"
He narrowed his eyes at her, "My age doesn't matter. I assure you, I'm much older than I look. Please pay attention.
She sighed, "Why were you around my apartment last night? You weren't creeping in on me right?"
Beyond sighed, "The F.B.I is slow. I was visiting the most recent crime scene, and since I rejected all of your possible candidates, I figured I needed to get started early."
Sakura gasped and started going through her file, "What do you mean?! There wasn't one around my home!" 'Damnit, he headed me off on me bringing up the others.'
Beyond pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, "Is this going to be a trend? Are you going to second guess everything I say? If so, why did you call for help, if your just going to keep opening your mouth needlessly. I personally, am embarrassed for you." Her cheeks lit up bright red and she sat on the bed and huffed. He continued to type on his computer, "Much better. As I said, I was visiting the most recent crime scene. I've come to several conclusions." He continued to type at lightning speed while talking unfazed by anything around him. "It was a crime of passion, but it was impersonal."
Sakura blinked, "Can you explain how that makes any sense?"
Her cellphone chimed and he sent her a deathly glare, "Turn that awful piece of shit off." She jumped slightly at his emotions and she quickly turned her phone off.
Beyond nodded and sighed and spun in his chair to look at her, "The F.B.I certainly picks the dumbest minds. I'm saying it was orchestrated. The person who ordered it, had personal gain, but the assailants held no foul feelings. However, the brutality of the murder is too… Hmm…" He turned around and continued to type, "Basically… We're looking for a Bonnie and Clyde. Or a wanna be Manson family." He stopped and chuckled, "Or both. We're probably looking for a similar group hierarchy of the Manson family though…" He continued to mutter under his breath as he concentrated intensely.
Sakura blinked several times and shook her head, "Uh. What?"
Beyond sighed, "I talk in circles, it's how my mind works. Get used to it. We're looking for a group of inexperienced killers, they're sloppy, I'm going to guess they didn't know the victim, but due to the nature of the execution they hold high revere for their leader or master." He turned to her and gave her a frighteningly pleasant smile, "Are you with me so far? Or, will I need to explain the bigger words I used?"
She glared at him and folded her arms and crossed her legs, "I'm not an idiot."
He pursed his lips holding back a snicker, "Well. I'm not convinced of that. You are after all Naomi's protégé… And, if you read the file, and she didn't lie to you, I solved my own murder. So, think of yourself as my successor, not hers, she was only known for my case. A case of which was solved for her. She just had to play her role as the telephone to L, follow the bread crumbs and listen to my theories." His stare was intense. He spun around in his chair and placed a call.
The computer system rang loudly and a woman answered, "B."
He nodded, "S. I have made contact with the investigative team, as well as already covered the most recent crime scene you've sent to me."
The voice gave a lighthearted laugh, "Determined to beat him?"
He smirked at the computer, "Not just L… All of them."
The female voice chuckled lightly before continuing, "You waste no time. You're the first to contact me. Have you complied your data?"
"Affirmative. I'm sending you the data now for archival." Sakura could see a green line pass over all the monitors.
"Got it. Really? You think it's a cult-like killing?"
"Indeed. I just need to figure out why and who. Although, after comparing all the victims they all seem to be big time supporters of the rights of humanity, supporters of all religions and avenues of life. Local celebrities, louder voices of the crowd so to speak. Perhaps we're looking for a extremist, however. My investigator is waiting."
"Understood. S, out." The line went dead and he turned around and smiled, "Shall we take to the streets then?"
Sakura nodded and glanced at his hand that branded a white gold wedding band, "You're married?"
Beyond shot hot her a stern glare, tucking his hand behind his back, "My personal life is of no matter to you. The only thing you need to focus on is this case. I don't intend on becoming best friends forever, I just want to solve this case and go home."
Sakura nodded quickly and looked to the floor, "I'm sorry. I just thought... I didn't mean to pry... I just thought it would ease my nerves if I got to know you a little better."
Beyond gave her an irritated stare but he seemed to lose a little intensity as she spoke, "I'm sorry. I'm not comfortable speaking about my personal life... Let's solve this, so we can go back to our lives." He held the door open for her, she left the room hanging her head in defeat. He shifted an uneasy glance around the hallways and closed the door, locking it behind them.
