A/N I can't count to 2 it seems lol. I sorta forgot I had uploaded it on the 1st which fell on a Tuesday and not the weekend, so I was unsure when the biweekly count started XD. And by this week I thought, I'm pretty sure I'm late with the chapter release. I also had two power outages which sucked and its been hot as hell where I'm at, (nasty heat wave) but I hope you all enjoy it.

Feel free to review :)

Chapter 50

Present Day 1885

It was nearing the next hour as a large crowd gathered into the Town Hall building. Many were excited to see their favorite candidate in person and to hear his speeches for the future. The people believed he was an honest man only looking out for the well-being of their city. Murmuring was heard in the auditorium where they waited, packed from top to bottom.

The balcony was stuffy and cramped, filled with the overflow of people that couldn't find normal seating. In the thick of it stood a group of unordinary people. Head low, collar raised, a hat upon his head shadowing his facial features.

"This is as close as we're going to get," the young Nijima commented.

"I still can't believe we stole those hates,"

"Permanently borrowed Detective, not steal," The Phantom Thief's leader insisted under his breath. They hitched the horses just outside the city before walking through.

They were not taking the sewer route at all as it would be faster to blend in with the incoming crowd Guards were station closer to the Government building, making walking in without disguise a lot harder.

Two gentlemen would be without their hats tonight as Ren kindly procures them without their knowledge. Ren took the medium dark brown hat that fitted nicely, tipping it low to keep his face covered. He passed the second to Akechi who reluctantly took it. Both their faces were recognizable everywhere here they needed something to shake off a second glance.

"Now we wait for the main show," the elder Amamiya could feel his heart beat loudly, differently from how it was a few weeks ago. He hadn't been in the same area as since 5 years ago. Anxious, anger, he needed to remain composed

"Ladies and Gentleman, please take your seats, we'll begin soon," the moderator shouted out. People began to hush taking their seats as instructed. A moment goes by before thunderous applause broke out through the building.

Masayoshi Shido walked on stage, a smug look graced his face. The top of his head was smooth and clean as a newborn. The hair on his chin was finely trimmed to his liken. All aspects of his face were clear as day.

"That's him…." Ren spoke.

"Shido IS Samuel?" the blonde gunslinger added after, trying to keep his voice low as possible.

"Positive." It was like the two faces were overlapping in his mind. The angry red face stranger bleeding on top of the calm, collective politician who had people eating out the palm of his hand. He walked up to the podium waiting for the noise to simmer.

"Thank you everyone for the welcoming applause. It has been a long tedious road but we are almost to the finish line. A line that will bring prosperity and safety to all in this country," the audience erupted in aloud cheer before quieting down once again. "As I mention in the beginning of this campaign, I promise you I would be the man that would clean up the mess these outlaws have made and stop their mockery of our dutiful laws. With me, you no longer have to deal with this menace of society. We will rebuild! I also would like to give thanks to the brave officers of SIU, many criminals have been arrested or hanged out in the streets. This organization has worked tirelessly to make sure, you, my fellow citizens go to bed without worry. I have given them my full support and worked with SIU during my campaigns and will continue to do assist even after the great Captain's passing."

Ren could tell there was an uptick at the corner of Shido's mouth. The amount of horseshit that came out must've amuse him as if there was an inside joke only he was getting.

"If elected as your leader, we shall usher in a new age that shall rival the rest of the world. I will make sure any threats tremble in their boots. Even any copycats. As of today, a great evil is no more. Others were afraid to confront the notorious Phantom Thief leader. A murderer, a thief, a stain on this nation that was allowed to run free."

"Sure he's not talking about himself?"

"But even he has fallen and I will make sure to hunt down and eliminate all the remaining members to make sure they never rise again. Stick with me and I will steer this country to a glorious future as your Captain."

Loud eruption surrounded the thieves who feel they were the only ones not clapping.

"SHIDO! SHIDO! SHIDO! SHIDO!"

The moderator allowed the crowd to cheer for a few more minutes before he started the question segments. Both Shido and they sat in their respective seats while the crowd was silent.

"Mr. Shido, thank you for that wonderful speech. It's quite amazing to see so much passion from a caring politician for once. You're so far ahead in the lead polls, were you ever concern about facing any close competitors. People believe Mr. Okumura had the best chances before his untimely death?"

"II was very sadden to learn of Mr. Okumura's death, he was a great business man and father. I'm sure his knowledge would've been beneficial towards this country's economy."

"You weren't thinking that when you had him murder," Akechi muttered.

"However," Shido pauses, "It is rumour he may have been in some shady dealings, trying to pass the blame onto others. Truly shameful he got mixed up in all that."

"This fake sympathy is pathetic," Makoto criticizes.

"Its how he makes himself appealable to the crowd. They think he's their savior because he can't do no wrong," Akechi added again.

"We need to find a way to get people to see. If he wins things will become chaotic." Ren was understanding how he got people under his thumb, doing his bidding. Shido gave off an air of confidence, smugness, made people think he was an everyday man. Just like them.

"Second question Sir, you brought up the Phantom Thieves and their leader. Thre have been conflicting reports that past few months claiming they helped people not harmed?"

"You must gain the trust of your victims before stabbing them in the back. The Phantom Thieves niceties were a ruse. They are hardened criminals only after your precious desires. And what's more, they dragged the former star of SIU Goro Akechi with them. He too must atone for his crimes."

Akechi lowered his head clenching his fist on the balcony railing in frustration.

"When elected I will make sure he too along with the rest of the gang face the hangman noose."

"I see," the moderator nodded. They went into more technical questions about the state of the economy, the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening laws against gunslingers overall further out that disregarded rules.

"We've seen enough, lets go," Ren ordered. Moving subtly, they exited the town hall just as they came in, unbothered.

It was dark outside, the moon high in the sky. The group of five walks back to their horses dodging any and all contact with law enforcement. Halfway out they breathe a sigh of relief, no signs of being trailed.

"So….that was something," Ryuji said breaking the ice.

"I don't think he we learn anything new that we didn't already know" the elder Nijima said. Makoto had hoped this Shido would slip up and incriminate himself. But his choice of wording were careful, "We're also no where close to find this lion's crest location.

"Shido must've been running his plan for years if his associates were so spread out. We're trying to find a needle in a haystack."

"No," Ren disputed the former Detective, "I think we're going about this all wrong, over thinking it. Shido is someone that keeps things tight and orderly, the moment someone becomes a problem they're gone."

"Like Okumura."

"Exactly, but he has an image he needs to present to the public different from his shady dealings. We are assuming this location is locked away or underground but what if its hiding in plain sight all along?"

"You think you got something Ren?" Makoto wondered.

Ren was thinking, something Shido said popped an idea in his head, "We know Okumura had the rails, Kaneshiro own the roads to transport what they needed. He mentions he wanted to steer this country as its Captain."

"As in Sea Captain?"

"Akechi are there any ports in the city?"

"There's a marina on the east side, past the coal factory."

"Can large ships dock there?"

"You think these meetings are on a boat with his shady guest? It could work, he has to hold fundraising and meet and greet to swoon people to his side legally. But it wouldn't be hard during a party to step away from a dice table to speak to some honor 'guest'.If he owns the boat he can control who comes and leaves before setting out on the water for a few hours."

"Question is how do we know which ship is his?"

"Boats have names carved on the side or back. We would have to inspect each one, it might say lion's crest."

"That would be our ticket in, lets come back here two nights from now to check the ships see what we can find," the elder brother suggested.

The gang had settle into Maruki's place when they got back, it wasn't as luxurious as the Yoshizawa estate but it will do. Ren stayed up in the lobby of the building wanting to keep watch on everything. He was hungry and missed supper that night, he didn't even have jerky left as a substitute.

His hunger subsided as he focuses on the quietness of the building. The creaky floors made no noise, the summer night chirps he's used to are gone.

"Burning the midnight oil are we?"

walked into the room, 2 books in his hand and a cup of warm liquid in the other.

"Not feeling tired at the moment, thought I take a moment to myself."

"It is always good to take a moment to collect oneself from a busy day. The last thing you want is to be overwhelmed, stressed," Maruki said offering advice.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind."

"Excellent, well if you don't mind me, I'll be burning some oil myself tonight." He indicated to his books and coffee mug. The books were leather-bound journals, thick in the spine.

"Not a fan of light reading Dr.?"

"Just going over my research notes, keeps my mind fresh. You enjoy any literature yourself?"

I've read a few books here and there. Childhood stories about adventures, "Ren admitted.

"I see," Dr Maruki takes a seat on the other cushion chair, "Those are always fun to browse through. The days to be a child, so blissful at the world they'll grow into."

"The world can be dark and cruel but I've learn to find happy moments in it."

"That's an interesting outlook on life Mr. Akira…..or should I say Mr. Ren?"

Ren's hands clench the arm rest keeping his breathing even.

"Please relax, I'm not turning you in nor Detective Akechi. Imagine my shock two of the most wanted men the past month save my life. One supposedly dead. I'm a bit baffle you thought a simple name change would work when your faces are everywhere on posters. But I'm a man who won't turn down those in need. Please feel free to continue to use this building as you see fit."

"Thank you Dr. But if you knew who we are, why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I was merely curious about what you were doing. There's a lot of hot air in the press about you all. One would think you all were cutthroat take no prisoners the way it was written. But your group had women and children in it, and they didn't look like hostages either," Maruki confessed.

"Its a long story."

"Why don't you give me the short version?"

And so Ren did, quickly explaining his encounter with Shido, briefly mentioning meeting up with his comrades while omitting some key details. Just in case Maruki wasn't 100% truthful about not turning him in.

"Hmm that does seem rough, and you don't regret anything at all that's happen?'

"If I start second-guessing my prior actions I'll forever keep second-guessing my future decisions. And that could get those I care about killed."

"Understandable."

The elder Amamiya was feeling calmer the more he talked to Dr. Maruki, "Is this what you did with your patients here, talk to them about their troubles?"

"Yes, I hadn't plan on having a session with you but how do you feel now that you talk some things out."

"Calmer, "Ren confessed.

"Good, good. Well, feel free to reach out if you want any more conversations. Though fair warning I've been known to ramble. I never been in the mind of an outlaw, even one so sincere as you are," the doctor chuckled. "Well then, good night," Maruki says as he gets up from his chair carrying a now empty mug and his two thick books.

"Night." Ren was starting to feel drowsy not realizing how much time has passed to the late hours. It would be best to sleep in a warm bed after all.

Morning arrived to the cold winter weather, the plush feeling of a mattress, not a sleeping bag was a step up for many of the thieves lately. Everyone was privy to their own room since it was one bed per room.

The former Detective Goro Akechi was the first to rise amongst them. He has always been a morning person, never wanting to waste a day's work. The sun wasn't out at this hour as the sky was pitch black with a hit of blue.

"Good morning Detective," Akechi heard behind him. It was non-other than the Okumura heiress greeting him. The two hardly spoken much than pleasantries after her father's death.

"Miss Haru," he greeted back. "How are you feeling?"

"Things have been manageable. Its been quite hectic but I'm okay. Morgana believes my aim is better than where I started."

"Doesn't matter how good your aim is, what matters if can you take another life to save yourself and others?"

"I…..am unsure."

"Then don't think too hard about it Miss Haru. Besides, I doubt Ren would put you on the front line if he felt you were unsure. The rest of us can handle things."

"But what if one of you goes down?" she questioned.

"Its a risk we all take. I've learn to make my peace years ago."

"What will your parents do after your death?"

"I don't have any, at least no living relatives left. My mother died when I was a child."

".…and your Father?"

"Don't know….but I have suspicions, did some digging around but nothing solid."

"I'm sorry," Haru offers.

"There's no need to be sorry, you did nothing wrong. These are my own problems."

"I was apologizing for how I've been treating you recently. You've been kind in your own way to me."

"Everyone mourns differently," Akechi said as sincerely as possible. The Okumura heiress was making major adjustments to her lifestyle, drag into a world of crime, he had nothing but sympathy. But he doubts she'll ever want it.

"I believe Boss should be up by now, maybe we can grab some coffee?"

"Coffee does sound nice during weather like this. It never got this cold back at home before," she said to the former Detective.

Others were slowly waking up as well as the sun was bright for once the past week. The cloud coverings dispatched to heat up the air just so slightly. Makoto was woken by knocks on her door, a specific pattern of knocking she knew to be her elder sister.

"Come in," Makoto announced.

"Morning Makoto, did I wake you?"

"No, I get up around this time anyway."

"I see, by the way" she leaves off, "I wanted to talk about what last night was about, with Shido and all."

Makoto sits up higher in bed rubbing the sleep out, "He gave a speech to the townsfolks but Ren is more concern about finding Shido's hideout. We think it might be by the pier like a ship."

"How you come to that conclusion?"

"Its an honest guess at this point Sis but we plan to check soon."

Sae sighed, Makoto notice she's done this many times since joining them. Even though reluctantly Sae gave Makoto her blessing to continue with the Phantom Thieves, she hated knowing she was willingly going into danger.

"Will this searching be highly dangerous?"

"All we can do is be careful as possible and not get caught by guards if that's your concern Sis. We all have each others backs."

She takes a seat right next to her on the bed. Sae eyes the gun holster placed on the nightstand, she would recognize it instantly as it belongs to their late Father. But now its in Makoto's hands. Sae believed she would be the one to carry their father's torch, but maybe it was Makoto all along. The younger Nijima not losing her way as Sae did.

"Makoto, I want you to be be careful of your surrounds, understand?"

"I know, I'm surprised you aren't arguing with me like before trying to convince me to not go."

Sae gets up brushing off the imaginary dirt her spare clothes had, "Perhaps I'm learning to put more trust in you like father would have. You all need it going against a giant."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence Sis…and thank you." In a rare moment between the two, Makoto got up to hug her older sister. She knew how stressful Sae had been feeling with the ambush, and them poking the bear called Masayoshi Shido. But finally knowing she had her sisters support with Ren's cause was a start in the right direction.

They waited a day to cool down from the Town hall before trekking back into the city. Ren decided to switch the teams again to avoid people recognizing them. Leaving Ryuji and Ann behind, the elder Amamiya elected to take Yusuke and Morgana with him, along with Makoto once more. Akechi elected to stay behind as his face was still too recognizable and alive. Instead Mishima was taking Akechi's place, bringing the team to 5.

"Okay, we'll be hitting the docs at night, they'll be patrols walking around so stick to the shadows when one is close. We'll be looking for a ship that should have a lion crest sigil or name carving."

"And probably something big to match his big ego," Mishima added.

"When you want to wine and dine your way to the top, no expense is to much. Good call Mishima."

During the winter, it became night closer to 5 or 6 pm but people still wander in large numbers buying the last bit of business. The trip was a little further as they needed to ride around the city limits and not through, the latter causing a further prolong trip through the streets. The smell of water and fish enter the elder brother's nose. Cargo crates took up most of the port with market shops selling the latest fish and meats. The harbor Ren meets Yusuke and Shinya paled in comparison to this one.

As usual, they hitch their horses further away to walk to their destination. It was well after 8 PM when they decided to split up, Mishima being the watchman, Yusuke and Morgana checking the harbor to the right as Ren and Makoto would check the left side.

Most of the shipped docked were personal size cargo ships one deck maybe two, nothing elaborate that screamed money. Ren whispered to Makoto to halt as they waited for a patrol to pass by. Ducking behind some cargo crates the footsteps faded away after a few moments of pacing.

"It's clear, lets keep looking." They check the outer walls for clues, any form of decorative design.

"This isn't it," Makoto whispered back to him after checking the 5th fancy-looking ship in the pier. "Lets check the 3rd one to the right."

"No wait…." Ren pauses. He was looking at one craft at the very end dwarfing the rest of the fleet. From his spot on the dock, it was at least 3 deck sizes tall and the width of a field. "What say you that our ticket?"

"You mean the one cover in guards with lanterns wherever you step."

"If its something important, its worth guarding," Ren says. Makoto couldn't help but sense the double meaning behind his words.

The two thieves weaved through the drops of crates left behind for counting the following morning. The night help keep them in the dark as advance further and further.

On the other side of the port, Yusuke and Morgana were having no such luck. A quick check of ships brought up nothing but interest. At least nothing of interest to Morgana all the while Yusuke silently fawned over the aesthetic.

"Focus Yusuke, its work time."

"No need to reprimand me, I can work and admire beauty at the same time."

"Less beauty more worky." The boats on their end checked out to be mere fishing boats. Nothing elaborate at all.

The next ship they were inspecting was a problem as it was occupied. One man was obviously sleeping on the deck and another loitered around smoking. Fishing nets hung at the top with empty crates and beer bottles are strewn about.

"Let's move quietly so they don't notice us," Morgana whispered to the artist. Avoiding their detection, the young Amamiya's clumsiness came into play. Tripping on one of the ropes, his momentum caused him to crash onto a pile of crates that splashed into water loudly.

The noise alerted the two boatmen, "The HELL! Who are you! GET OFF MY BOAT!"

"RUN!" Morgana shouted stumbling back up. He was frustrated with himself for making a careless move.

The commotion was loud enough to get the patrols attention that trickle down to patrols on Ren and Makoto's side.

"Something's wrong, I think Yusuke and Mona been spotted."

"We need to hide further away for now too many guards are going to find us as well, a warehouse or something, and wait it out." Whistling broke through the chilly night, he hopes the others were able to get away in time. If the coast didn't clear by daybreak they would meet back at Maruki's, abandoning the mission.

Ren and Makoto ran through the alleyways away from the guards, "Up here." Climbing a short ladder, they made it onto the rooftop of a small building.

"Think you can jump this distance?" She nods and follows closely behind as he jumps roof to roof, tumbling on a warehouse. One of the windows a jar, he checks to make sure no other person was in for a surprise before motioning Makoto in.

"Through here," Ren orders.

She followed him into the window that opened to a small abandon office, it was a chaotic mess. "Looks like someone left here in a hurry and didn't brother picking up the trash."

"Hope it stays that way. We'll wait it our here, there was too much heat to get anywhere close to the ship to inspect it. Morgana and Yusuke are tough and cunning, they will find their own shelter and wait. Thought them being caught was an inopportune moment."

The elder brother took a seat on the ground facing the door as a precaution, "I wish my watch worked again, I hate not tracking time."

"I can hear them still whistling, we should move once it stops if that helps with your tracking," Makoto said trying to help.

Ren sighs as he feels Makoto sit next to him, head on his shoulder. "So now we wait."

"Now we wait….."

A/N End of part 1. We still got more to go in the Shido arc but these were purposely split into two. I remember when I first wrote the chapter, it was difficult to translate what happens in the game to here as they are continuously guessing random stuff. Some of which wouldn't exist yet in this AU. This group of thieves are much more cautious, even though photography was still early, they have to make sure no one knows who they are especially ina city that's like kinda a generic late 19th century booming east coast town. Where the law enforcement are 50-1 odds against them. I also wanted to flush out some more character development as well as they all progress through each arc.

Hope you all enjoy, feel free to review, stay safe : )