Amai Shi

Chapter 8: The Shattering Mask

Written By AnimayWriteY0

Back at Kinki ward HQ the Division 3 officers are currently gathered together in the interrogation room spectating the interaction between Sasiki and the former silent Division 5 culprit. Sasiki dishes out his usual threatening verbiage to gain intel from the silent guest only to be left with deaf ears. Even with Sanada taking his turn, he too failed to get any response from the former after using his trademark bad cop intimidation performance. This person is definitely a time waster leaving most of the officers watching sighing and rolling their eyes out of frustration. Sanada steps out of the room; he could not make the stubborn mute say even one single word. Though it did confirm for the rest of the group that they know this suspect is clearly keeping quiet and not revealing anything about Division 5's involvement. And why he agreed in attempt to assassinate Ryumo, a teenage boy.

The young red head officer scratches his head knowing that Sanada's interrogation didn't go well too. "Let me guess, he just sat there staring blank to ya?"

Sanada begrudgingly nodded leaving a more annoyed glare looking straight at the window towards the stiff assailant. "There's got to be something we can do to make him spill the beans..." For a moment Sanada thinks, any scenario or events that can lead to what happened back at Sagaoritocho outskirts. Unfortunately, all he can think of is Division 5 being hugely involved to the majority of the botch missing persons cases, he knows he can't report that without clear cut evidence to support his suspicion on them.

Unless he can get the captive to talk. Nothing can be done, that is Captain Juji came in with paperwork he held onto cautiously. The remainder of people who stayed in the interrogation area, mainly the acting officers who contributed the most from their current assignments looked at their commanding chief of what he's going to address related to those sheets of documents.

He looks around to see if his main officers are present, when he's confident that Sasiki, Yakimori, Sanada, Kei, and others are here chief Juji proceeds to tell everyone about their wordless captive who just blankly stares at the window with no reflection. The Chief Captain spread his papers on a nearby table. "As you can see our captive's name is Arai Kuzugari, he used to work for Division 5 as a deputy officer. He was tasked to be a scout to surveillance any form of criminal activity around their area within a 20-mile radius. In fact, after his latest case which he responded to a missing person. He was released by the captain for presumably angering the victim's parents by taunting and disrespecting their point of view of Division 5's way of handling their job. This in turn left their reputation stained thanks to Arai's arrogance."

"So, this in turn was the reason why, most of the people who called their help felt that they were left in the dark from their obscure handy work…In a way this Arai person is the sole reason why Division 5 started to lose a lot of respect towards their own locals around their sector." Sanada stated while sitting near the documents.

"Yes, but that didn't stop them from being the most preferable police bureau, their reputation may have gone down the deep end but because of how crime rates have dropped due to their brash methods of getting their job done. So... they're more in favored by the government." Juji turned his attention to Sanada giving off an uneasy look out of concern for his efforts to coming this far from this dead-end complication.

"Either way, how can we get him to speak? So, we can at least figure out why he chose to participate in a hit on Ryumo?" Sasiki twitches his eye out of disappointment leaving a deep growl staring straight at Arai.

"Hmmm..." Paying no mind on the conversation, Sanada then reflects on what his captain just said.

"S-Sanada San, what are you thinking? Is there something you have on your mind?" Kei tilts her head looking his way while she examines him.

"Kei… do you happen to know a few people Arai arrested back at the time when he was still an official police officer from Division 5?" He sternly glances at Kei for her answer to his question.

"I'll get to that question once I start looking into his track record on some of his recent histories he was tasked with." She worked her way with her laptop and onto the forensic database reviewing Arai's work history when he's still working for Kita Ward District. "There, it looks as though he has managed to imprison a young man who presumably committed domestic assault on his own wife. This happened 2 years ago, there is also a case where he arrested another man for committing sexual assault on a random young lady. Though these arrests are only shown without any form of detail except their prison sentence."

"Wait, so how in the world was he and Division 5 got out of that mess?! Without pointing out some evidence, if this data base showed that these men are being sent to prison without clear evidence, shouldn't it be against the law to punish the person in question unless proven guilty?" Yakimori san stood there scratching his head while leaning on the clear wall from the right side of the room. "And if it turns out to be perjury, then that would really ruin their reputation as a trusted police force."

"You're right Yakimori San.. but it seems as though they were able to get out of that situation without public disdain, I can't think of the reason why?..." Then Sanada realizes something after hearing about Kei's mention of a few men who have been arrested. He then thought of a way to get the quiet Arai to let out some viable clues. "Guys, I wanna try and get Arai to talk again if that's okay?"

The rest of the main officers looked at Sanada with confusion and vexation, he had already failed to get Arai to speak. The stern looking detective is aware of their doubts, but he ensures that this will bring the untroubled wrongdoer to finally crack his shell. The rest of his known comrades decided to give him another chance. Sanada nodded his head to everyone, he entered into the interrogation room preparing his next onslaught of verbal pressure against Arai. As Sanada sat face to face with the emotionless being, he proceeds to let out his best cards, overwhelming psychological mind break on the former Division 5 officer.

"Feeling pretty comfortable sitting here? I wonder how you will last?" His intimidating sharp-eyed glare once again showed like last time displaying his bad cop persona towards Arai. He has his whole upper torso straight up, his hands grabbing the edges of the table, and his blood driven sharpening glare looking directly at the former sending off a chilling feeling which even the other officers from the opposite room shivered at such an ominous drive to scare. "I do hope you understand what happens if you decide to not reveal any information, you'll be sent to prison right?"

"….So? What's your point?" He sat there without even looking straight at Sanada to avoid ever losing his mind to that deathly discouraging glare of his.

"My point is, once you're sent to Kyoto main penitentiary, you'll meet with one of those men who you arrested. The ones you've wronged, the inmates who were in prison before them tend to have a soft spot for those who got screwed over unjustly so they have the courtesy to show them how to bust skulls and break limbs just for the hell of it. Trust me they will be glad to see you there getting ready to tear you apart..." He stood up from the chair and leans forward slamming one his hands hard on the table. "Given the fact you are a cop too, those guys will have no problem breaking you."

"W-whah…."?! N-No…..!" The shocked former man finally panics realizing the current state he's going to be in soon enough. He can't betray Division 5 but he certainly does not want to be dropped off to a blood bath if he goes straight to prison.

This in turn have made Sanada confident realizing that this type of threat is going out as he expected. And so, he relentlessly throws more menacing details of what would happen if Arai did get placed there after his arrest.

"Yes, and you know how personal they can be once they see you there and here's the thing...They won't ever stop. The amount of pain you placed on them and how badly you ruined their honest and clean reputation within the public eye. I'm sure they'll make your life miserable tenfold." He moves forward making a sadistic and cold glare that even the other officers had to look away at how deadly scary Sanada's presence became.

Sanada's threat has taken a huge toll on the former officer mentally, Arai clearly losing his grip due to Sanada's continuous onslaught of verbal assault. The once silent former officer have finally cracked his protective shell and spewed the reason, he and the rest of the other assailants were out doing a lot of bloody work towards their targeted quarry.

"I-I was bribed, to doing what I did!…I was told that I must do this task in order to gain another large sum of money once it was accomplished! T-They even told me if I failed, I'll be hunted down and killed on the spot!….There's no way I can even refuse!…"

"So...you were given an ultimatum, even despite a generous offer after completing your "work". Of course, you failed anyway so I'm betting you'll be left 6 feet under the moment you're out from our watch. Tch…Let me guess Division 5 really doesn't want any of the other Division prefectures figuring out what they were doing underneath their badges correct?" Sanada scoffs and then took a seat to process. For a short minute he then asked Arai one more question.

"Do you think Division 5 is fully responsible for the disappearance of the girls...hold that thought...Kei bring me the folder holding many of the victim's cases." Sanada looked at the speaker from the far-right ceiling corner.

"Oh, um sure..." She enters in and hands Sanada the case folder. "Just don't give him any ideas of this, okay?" She looks on with anxiety but feels relieved after Sanada nods in confirmation. Kei then excuses herself out of the room from the room and proceeds to witness her co-worker put his foot down on this obviously scared man.

Sanada shows Arai the photos of the girls who were taken from their homes, families, and literal life. "So, what do you think? Are you going to actually still keep yourself quiet despite the major threat you were given if you failed or are you going to tell me what really is going on here?...These girls have suffered so much and died horribly to an unknown murderer and you're going to let this continue on? Even if you don't tell me a damn thing there are the consequences from either choice you make." Just then the stern eyed Detective catches a single tear coming from Arai's left eye so for that he toned down his aggressive bad cop persona and talks to him normally. "I can tell you're feeling guilty..."

"I...I don't know what to do! I thought the reason I was asked to do the job was because I heard that Ryumo kid was going to hurt our mistress!..."

Sanada immediately paused and then demand an explanation about that one word. "Wait stop right there, what do you mean mistress?" This newfound clue have left him and the rest of the crew inquisitive. "Why do you think this "mistress" of yours is so meaningful to you, and I do hope when you said "our" you meant the whole Division 5 personnel correct?" Time passes by and Sanada finally decided to end this little chatter, he proceeds to cuff Arai and escort him out of the room.

The rest of the high-ranking officers looked on to their stern eyed comrade as he takes the now somber former out somewhere. Yakimori is the first to stop Sanada questioning what he's going to do now. Sanada directly and bluntly decided to put Arai to prison in the Kyoto Penitentiary Institute thus leaving the somber former into a more confused, angered, and betrayed state as he raves his disdain to Sanada's sudden change of mind.

Kei who then followed Sanada all the way to the doors of their headquarters wanted to know how much time they still have. Sanada simply states that he's also needed to meet with Jazu again to look into his thoughts of this newfound information. Sanada even wanted to have Kei continue her work on looking into any background, work history, and physical evidence that can be essential to finally ending such an unfeasible mystery. Unfortunately, Sanada is met with Yakimori who simply jumped in the police vehicle right before Sanada is about to go. Leaving an annoyed Sanada riding shotgun again as they go straight to Kyoto Prison.

[At Saganoshimizucho Assistant Living, 3:19 P.M.]

Meanwhile at Saganoshimizucho Assistant Living Ryumo has been spending his time at his grandfather's living quarters, his only relative whose still alive. Bed ridden, there isn't much his grandfather can do other than be taken care of by his regular assistant living nurses. The two have an unshakable bond that rivals Sanada and Himiko. Okiyama Ekijo is currently tending to his grandsons' wounds, Ryumo though glad to spend some time with his grandfather he can't help but feel guilty that he had to get out of his bed struggling to patch him up with how crippling he is.

Luckily a passing nurse saw the two and aided Ryumo's patch up, thus saving more aggravation. Once things have settled, Ryumo occupies by cooking his grandfathers most favored food to eat, Korean BBQ marinated pork on rice. After setting up the table full of food both Ryumo and Okiyama then proceeded to place both their hands and pray along with saying the word to show appreciation for the hot meal "Ittekimasu".

After eating a good portion of his bowl Okiyama took a small break thus giving him an opportunity to see how his grandson's doing. He's already aware of his life being tarnished by a certain girl that he shacked up with and knowing that the wounds Ryumo have must have something to do with the same girl. Though he isn't aware that his own grandson was close to being killed by a division 5 officer and two other assailants involved. To Okiyama he thought that Ryumo had gotten himself into a gang fight where he was outnumbered but managed to overpower them. Whatever it maybe he just wanted his grandson to know who to trust. Something in which he taught him to be careful of, now that he had learned his lesson the hard way, he hope that Ryumo would not stray himself from such a heart wrenching experience again.

"Ryumo..." He spoke in an aged fragile tone. "Just know that if you ever do wish to be with a girl you like be sure she is worth it...okay?" The crippling old man slowly rests on his soft pillow after finishing up his bowl of food.

"R-right..." He hesitantly answered as he kindly cleans up the bed table for his grandfather and throwing any used napkins and filthy plastic utensils into the trashcan. Clearly trying to keep his cheeks from blushing knowing he actually ended up hooking up with Himiko Shibumi, Sanada's little sister.

Unfortunately, Okiyama read Ryumo like a book and already figured he's currently dating another girl even despite the conversation they had long ago. Okiyama then smiles in an obvious apprehensive manner as he gives Ryumo a clear signal that hiding his secret is basically pointless. Ryumo noticed his physical expression and facepalmed that his grandfather had figured him so well as the sulking young man just let his grandfather know now.

"Grandfather…yes I know, even though you have given me the advice about trusting, I still managed to date a girl even after what I have to go through with the first..." He couldn't help but hug his own knees in utter disgrace to fall for another girl. But he can't just ditch Himiko, not when they are beginning to warm up to each other. He can already tell Himiko is different, he knows that Himiko is an honest and caring person who wouldn't go out of her way to break anyone's heart and so Ryumo mention Himiko to his grandfather. "Grandfather, I can already tell from your expression that you have figured that I am currently dating another girl..." He looks to his side in defeat.

He pinches his upper nose in disappointment but quickly lets it go. With that, he allows his grandson to carry on the introduction of this new girl he is now dating. "Please Ryumo, who is this girl you took interest in, how did you two get together in the first place?"

Ryumo cursed because once again because of the lesson he just heard from his grandfather a few minutes ago. The whole part where he shouldn't let Himiko ask him to be her boyfriend and told her that he is not fit to be one, she refuses to just let him go. So, he accepted her phone number and even though it was indirect, it became obvious to Ryumo that he and Himiko have become more than just friends the more they interact with each other. This again defeats the purpose of not leaving himself wide open for more emotional distress. So, the spiky haired young man told Okiyama everything about his time with Himiko from their meeting minus his horrible first impression mistaking Himiko for Ai from that day.

"So do you think she's different than the last girl?" Said it in a firm manner and waits his grandson to answer him directly, no long stories, no excuses, and most importantly no lies.

"Yes, I saw it in her eyes. She is a genuine person who cares for anyone close to her." Stated in a hesitant tone.

Fearing his grandfather may disapprove their relationship he would feel completely guilty for Himiko to be left with just only her brother, grandmother, and her friend Miyazu being her only company. Hold on, something caught Ryumo's attention the moment he mentioned Himiko's friend Miyazu. He couldn't put his thoughts away but the feeling he had when he is actually in the presence of Miyazu. Ryumo have that abrupt need to be cautious around her. From their first encounter he was actually slightly shaken up and intimidated by how she reacted towards him, similar to how Ai treated him.

Before he could try to piece things together, he hears his phone ringing. He looked at his grandfather for permission to leave the room to answer the call in another room. His grandfather allows it but also smiles in a more evident facial expression. To this he thanks his grandfather.

And so Ryumo snapped out of his hard-pressed mood and look up his phone to see who is calling after he's not within his grandfather's presence. Once he glances the number his behavior went from timid to delight as it's Himiko calling. So, he immediately answers the call and says his greetings to his girlfriend.

"Hi Himiko" With a more cheerful tone displayed while in the lobby room sitting comfortably on one of the chairs.

"Ryumo! How are you doing? I'm sorry about what transpired to that meeting we had..."

"It's okay, none of this was your fault...none of us were even expecting it." He can tell Himiko is still sad due to how Sanada scolded her, but Ryumo sees this as a learning opportunity for Himiko, and so he eases her mind. "Himiko...my grandfather has once told me to be carefully aware on who I meet. The girl who I thought was the girl of my dreams ironically was the one who torn my heart...you see I learned from my own arrogance believing that all girls are not that bad. Now I have to be mindful on who I talk to and who I feel is actually worth my time. What your brother told you is simply how my grandfather taught me."

She's taking everything what Ryumo is saying and processes her own feelings and now realizes. "R-Ryumo are you saying..." Before she can explain. Ryumo cuts in to bluntly state his point.

"Even though we have different circumstances on how we handle our lives, both of us still hold similar aspects. My grandfather doesn't want me to feel heartbroken while Sanada San doesn't want you to get hurt either." Ryumo paused with a calm mind and ease. Though because of how this conversation is slowly changing into something serious he moves on to another subject in mind. "Oh, by the way, have you gotten any plans for today?"

"Hmmmmm no, I pretty much have nothing to do but I do wonder what you'll be doing?" Himiko twirls her hair forming curly locks feeling a bit curious and anxious whether this is a good idea, but she'll listen in on her boyfriend's response.

"Well, I'll be going to your brothers workplace, they needed me for something. Oh, and don't worry Sanada told me it's just going to be a casual confab." Sensible to not alert Himiko if she's thinking that he's in trouble for something. "But I got time on the evening."

This is the perfect opportunity to ask him this request, so Himiko sets aside her phone take a good clear cough and asks Ryumo if he wants to have a sleep over at the Shibumi household. This in turn took Ryumo completely by surprise as he started to lose his grip on the phone, he tries his best to catch it by flailing his hands to grab hold of the twisting and twirling electronic until he finally caught it. He is quite worried if her grandmother and Sanada would object this invitation. Himiko giggles while laying on her bed stating she'll get them to say yes upon this said request. With that the two couples said their goodbyes and each of them hung up their phones. Ryumo blankly and awkwardly sets his phone slowly down on the table entirely perturbed with his eyes wide open, cheeks flashing red and in a state of what the heck just happened reaction. On the other side Himiko cuddles one of her comfy pillows and burrow her face in sheer excitement to see Ryumo coming over to her home just to hang out and be close to him. All that's left to do is ask her brother and grandmother for permission.

Meanwhile at Kyoto Penitentiary, Sanada and Yakimori have already set Arai to a prison cell with the help of 2 other prison wardens. After shaking off and walking away from the ranting former officer. Sanada request another visit for Jazu Kiwani, one of the front desk associates then ask the two officers to wait so that Jazu will be taken to the meeting room preparing for this visit. For a good amount of time Sanada and Yakimori finally are called upon. Once again walk their way straight to the meeting room, as the two enter it they see Jazu waiting for them seemingly more incline to have company. Once the two officers took a seat. Jazu immediately speak with a more normal tone of voice.

"Hello again Sanada San and Yakimori San." He places both his hands together to add a bit of comfort. "I do hope this meeting is something to do with that guy you two turned in..."

"Yes that, and we also need to know more about your thoughts and claim to the Mu-Onna legend. How are you sure this legend is partly responsible for the numerous disappearances?" Sanada leans back and crosses his arms.

It was obvious judging from the changed mood Jazu is exhibiting, he's going to tell both detectives about his experience to Inami's demise was one that he wishes nor what Sanada and Yakimori were prepared for, will surely horrify them to a core. Jazu told his story re-accounting his traumatic experience from that fateful time in his past.

"It happened that day when me and Inami were just out doing our anniversary until we were lured by what we thought was a young girl who begged us to help her fix her car that was broken down. Having so much care for others I immediately helped her with her run-down car, until after we were out of the crowds view from the alley way about four people have captured both me and Inami and got taken to what looks like one of the cemeteries in Kyoto."

"I was knocked out cold after trying to resist them. I didn't know what was happening until I hear the screams of my Inami!..." Jazu after stating this are now pouring waterfall of tears down his cheeks. "They...they pierced her with 5 different blades in different places of her body and to my shock the girl who tricked us in this hell looked like she's the leader to all this! As she told the bastards to place different blades on my Inami and telling them to do it slowly..." His hands start to shake in fury, his teeth sharpened while his eyes completely shut trying to hold back the pain.

"They made me watch as she looked on helplessly trying to endure all of it!…until the markings started to shine in a dark fiendish red, that's when that monster walked towards my Inami grabbed her by the neck and chant some sort of ritual!…..Everything became bright to the point I had to look away…. There I saw..my Inami standing where that girl was standing!...I-I didn't even know what just happened that is until I saw the girl who stabbed Inami being on the latched cross!...then I realize the Inami who was standing wasn't my Inami! Somehow that girl have managed to take over her body!"

This next part of his story became more graphic for the two officers to stomach but they have to hear it out for Jazu. They must endure this deplorable story and try to get as much insight on this. That is until they heard what Jazu said next have made the final straw for the two detectives.

"No…they weren't done!...What they did was absolutely inexpiable I wanted to kill them for what they had made me watch! That damned bitch used Inami's body as a plaything and had the other men involved sexually assault her to spite me! Make me watch as they touched every part of body! Violating her while that monster enjoyed it in my Inami's body!"

"Enough...Jazu….please that's all..." Sanada looks to his side in utter disgust from this. Having hearing all of that just made his stomach turn in the most horrible way possible. He then looks on to Jazu in sheer empathy, the man had been through too much. "I wish there was something I could have done; I would have stopped that if I had been here much much earlier."

Yakimori firmly placed his hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Dude it's not your fault at all, don't blame yourself when you weren't even here in the first place...Jazu man I'm so sorry for having ya go through that painful memory. We were trying to get as many leads we can possibly can to ensure this won't happen again." He went completely silent and couldn't find the words to answer Yakimori but he nods his head seeing himself off and goes back to his prison cell leaving both Sanada and Yakimori taking in by that traumatic story.

Nothing's been said once they were in the car, however this did have Yakimori calling HQ to bring more officers for a full-scale investigation search at Kyoto's Cemetery near the streets of Sagano Dori Street. Not long after they arrived, as more police cars soon followed behind as Division 3 main officers came such as Sasiki and Kei. Each main officers have their own squad of 3 searching every part of the cemetery, nothing came up until Kei found something out of place urges the others to come her way. Everyone gathered at her place, they saw a wooden cabin hidden in dense trees far behind a huge crypt. Sanada is the first to go in, he scans the surrounding interior of the deserted cabin. Turning to the main room he looked to his right narrowing his eyes at what he sees in front of him. An embalming chamber completely trashed into a wreckage, there was no doubt that this is the chamber used to develop the phony picture used for Ai's case.

The others examine this raw material as evidence while Sanada again skims around the cabin, then something uncomfortable is causing the stern detective to lose his cool. He couldn't figure out this strange sensation he's feeling right now but he obviously losing his footing. Suddenly it intensifies causing him to go onto his knees, trying so hard to stand up he continues to slump over. He visibly starts to sweat and shake from this pain within him. This pain continues to rise as if more gasoline is being added to the already devastating fire that burns within him, it's excruciating. However, he tried his best to keep himself from being noticed by his fellow officers only, so he won't slow them down but unfortunately the next step has cause him to fall down and landing hard on the ground temporarily unconscious. This alerted the others. Kei being closer to Sanada ran to where Sanada fell and notices that she came across what seems to be a secret passageway but her high priority is to help Sanada. She went down and hold Sanada around her arms trying to wake him up.

Sanada slowly reawakens only to see that he's back to the unknown realm he experienced from his dream and inner conflict. He realizes that his pain is not subsiding, instead it is making the empty void into a more menacing view. The watery path is completely drenched in blood, eerie sounds of disembodied calls echoing from the horizon of such a sinister environment.

[STATIC…]

"Detective… Detective… are you okay?" She helps him up with her hand holding him up. As her emotionless glance watches on as Sanada got up.

"A-Ai….It's you, what's going on?….Why do I keep having these things happening only for me… H-How was I able to see you here specifically?" She walks by and reveals herself beside Ai and glances at Sanada blankly. "It's because you have the same pain, we have but only you….you were placed in the situation that cannot be stopped..."

"Inami?!...what exactly do you mean by that?!" Sanada raises his eyebrow with a rightful bemused look. Suddenly that same pain emerges from his head along with his body starting to burn like fire scorching him from the inside.

"Now you see...you are experiencing the struggle similar we had gone through...but only because it's allowing you to have these visions with us. You are running out of time…" Inami ended her explanation

"W-wha?"...Then it hits him. "No!...no no no no! Not this! It's too early for this to happen!" Sanada placed his hand on his chest in sheer agony. This is too sudden, he's still too young to even have this affecting him! As soon as this harmful pain subsided, he saw the girls disappearing. He understands now. It was clear, this sense of feeling is what have him fearing that it will come. The very same disease that had taken his mother is now coming back to claim his life as well. This in turn made Sanada think of so many things that's going to happen with this disease but right now, he realizes he has so much to lose with the limited time he has now.

"I assure you….it can't be helped Detective….but this is how you were able to communicate with us…" He looks on to the third girl and can identify the girl to be Rumi Sukima who went missing at the year of 1935 which is actually close to a century from now. "Rumi! Don't tell me you suffered the same fate?!"

"Yes" her echoed response left the whole dimension spreading the word. "I'm close am I?…." He states this to the girls about what he subtly mentions.

The girls systematically nod leaving Sanada to know that as long as he is on the right track to this, he'll be able to try and solve this while making sure to free the girls from their suffering. Now that he figured out his continuous pain, he then pushes this case and solving it before he's no more. The girls levitate back at the dark corners of this dimension, before they disappear, they wish for Sanada to be careful. After that subconscious meeting Sanada's mind slowly clears up. Sanada woke up only to see himself looking up at Kei where she has Sanada resting on her lap.

"Kei?…" Looks around to see that they're in a car while Sasiki handles the driving. "Guys…d-did you find anything from the cabin?…" Yakimori looked back at his worn-out partner with a thumbs up. "A lot if that answers your question. Plus, you have made Kei worry for ya man..."

Sanada turned to Kei realizing how close she is with him. Kei's worry is enough to have Sanada looking to his side in shame. Someone he really cares for the most have made him guilty. However, Kei then shook her head as she caresses Sanada's injured arm. Sanada then asked what they found from the cabin; Kei informs him straight away.

"We were examining the tunnel to see where it leads up and then we came across a torture chamber. We figured that the victims were taken there, what's more there was a safe that contained what looks like a couple of documents of employment to the victims and their job identification cards to their workplace. Here these are one of said cards. We couldn't figure them out but here." Kei hands Sanada some of the cards that showed the victims ID from their previous workplace which happened to be all similar in profession. "Seamstresses, all of them." Sanada thought.

As soon as he checked the next card, he suddenly notices something familiar to this one as he examines closer. His whole expression changed immediately. His eyes widen totally confused and somewhat in disbelief to what he's seeking. The picture shows that of Inami in a traditional Japanese garment, but its design is strikingly similar to a certain someone wearing the same style, someone who had made his sister come all the way back here in Kyoto. The true red flag are the eyes, Inami's previous id from her café didn't look so slanted. What's more she's wearing a black chocker! The same girl who wore it when he saw her first glance at the train station. Then it clicked.

"I-It just can't!….All this time?!…" Sanada paused reminiscing the way a certain twin pony-tailed red head tried to seduce him in order to stop him from getting to Kei and Ryumo not so long ago.

Meanwhile away from the distance from the Division 3 group, a couple of silhouette figures watches from the distance making sure they're not seen by their search teams. The mysterious scout called a certain person behind the line. "Mistress….Division 3 has gotten too close to your trail...what should we do?"

"Do anything to keep them away from my plan...especially that Sanada punk…I expect you all to keep my identity from being revealed." The high-pitched caller ordered

"Yes Mistress…." With that the spies ended the call. "Hehehe…so it looks like I'm in trouble, damn you Division 3, damn you, Sanada! Now you're all making my chance to take Himiko's body so much more difficult than it already is...isn't that right Miyazu Kanatoshi" She placed her hand on her own chest leaving a maniacal laugh from within her hidden bunker.

To Be Continued.