Before Nowaki could increase the pressure of his grip on the nurse's neck, her hand flew to the pocket of her uniform and retrieved a pistol. She pressed it against Nowaki's temple, and he froze.

"If you… value your life… I'd let go… this instant…" she wheezed. Nowaki slowly released her and stepped back, raising his hands in surrender as he stared down the barrel of the gun. The nurse regained her breath, rubbing her neck. She glared at Nowaki and aimed the weapon at his forehead. "Sir, while I understand your sit-chee-ation, I'm gonna to hav'ta report'ya to the higher-ups if you lay yo' fuckin' hands on me again. And'ya wouldn't want me to do that, now would'ya, Dr. Pediatrician-In-Trainin' Kusama Nowaki?"

Nowaki's wild eyes relaxed ever so slightly, and he lowered his hands as the 'nurse' lowered her weapon and irritably smoothed out her jet black hair with her free hand.

"How did you...?" Nowaki trailed off, squinting.

"Hiroshi Emiko," she said shortly in a thick Kansai accent, fishing something out of her pocket. She flashed it at Nowaki, flipping the folded object open and revealing a badge. "Japanese CIA. I been trackin' you since you were attacked at the Musashino Medical College in Novemb'a. The only time we've been in contact was durin' your house raid- when yo' fiancé called me. But I still know every single damn thang there is to know about'ya. If'ya don't behave, I will fuck you up good, boy."

Nowaki blinked, but then scowled as he whirled around and grabbed a scalpel from a nearby table. He raised it in his fist.

"I don't fucking care! Where the hell is Nagasaki? "

"I was the one who tipped'ya off about Nagasaki, so don't treat me like your enemy, 'ya damn fool! Listen, kid," she began, raising her gun again. "You might think you're some fuckin' vigilante or somethin', but messin' around with the law ain't gonna get you nowhere no-how. It's gonna get'ya killed, or worse, get'ya put into the slammer. And trust me, there are plenty 'o sick fucks who would just love to stick their dicks straight up yo' ass, so I suggest you put that fuckin' scalpel down now."

Nowaki pinched his lips together in fury. Reluctantly, he threw the scalpel down with a flourish. Emiko gave him a lopsided grin and lowered her weapon.

"Good boy. Now, you ain't gonna like this, but Nagasaki has already boarded a plane and has left fo' Sweden, so-"

"What?" Nowaki roared. "Hiro-san is in Sweden!"

Emiko blinked.

"Oh, well that's helpful. So that's why Nagasaki went."

Nowaki snarled and threw himself at Emiko, shoving her against the wall and pinning her there by the neck.

"WHY THE FUCK AREN'T YOU CHASING HIM?" he shouted.

"Kusama, let me go!" Emiko barked. Nowaki increased the pressure.

"Send someone after him!"

"Let me go right now!"

"SEND SOMEONE!"

Emiko jammed her pistol against Nowaki's temple once more and twisted.

"I will shoot!"

"SEND SO-"

"I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SHOOT!"

"SEND SOMEON-"

"DO NOT FUCK WITH ME!" Emiko bellowed. She cocked her gun with a resounding click. "I WILL SHOOT! DO NOT FUCK WITH ME!"

Nowaki panted into Emiko's face. They glared at each other before Nowaki growled in defeat and released Emiko. He took a step back and Emiko drew in a shaky breath. She lowered her gun.

"You're fuckin' crazy," Emiko hissed. Nowaki's eyes blackened.

"I'm not crazy. I just care about the safety of my family."

Emiko sighed.

"Well, what I was gonna say was that we brought'ya to us to offer'ya a pro-pee-sition."

"Proposition? What do you mean?" Nowaki asked, squinting.

"Police officials cain't get enough evidence against Nagasaki- even though we done shown them the website. Unless they have a tape provin' Nagasaki of his crimes, they cain't arrest 'im. That's why we're here. We wanna get that slimy bastard off the streets befo' anyone else gets hurt."

"Where do I come in, then?"

"Legally, we cain't send any o' our agents into Sweden to dispose 'o Nagasaki- it'd be like a war threat. Howevah, since yo' fiancé lives in Sweden, you have some entitlement to citizenship. All you have to do is bring Nagasaki to his knees. We'll take care o' the rest."

Nowaki laughed bitterly.

"No. That man hurt my family. The only revenge I want is my own. I want him dead by my hands, not yours."

"Oh, you'll do it. 'Cause we'll have'ta arrest'ya if'ya don't," Emiko said, smiling cynically. "If you kill him, you're lookin' at twenty years of federal prison. And with long distance calls strictly prohibited, you'll miss all of yo' pretty little girl's childhood."

Nowaki went rigid, flashes of Fuyumi's smile appearing in his head. He shuddered, and tears welled up in his eyes. Emiko raised an eyebrow.

"Whoa, Kusama. One moment yo' one crazy mother fuck'ah, then the next you're a full-out pussy?" she asked as Nowaki sank to his knees before her. Nowaki sniffed and wiped his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Fuck… all I wanted was a family. All I wanted was for Hiro-san and I to have a baby and raise a child together. I didn't want all of this."

Emiko was silent as Nowaki wept at her feet.

"I can't… that sick fuck was the first person to have his hands on my baby. He could've… he could've…" Nowaki trailed off. He suddenly looked up, his face contorting. "Oh God, he was the one who gave Fuyumi that pill!"

Nowaki burst into fresh tears, but they were tears of fury. He covered his ears with his hands and clawed at his hair, strangled growls ripping themselves from his throat.

"Why didn't I see it? Why? He…! Nowaki panted, hardly able to breathe. "I'll kill him! I'll fucking kill him!"

"Kusama…" Emiko murmured as Nowaki sobbed. He watched trough his tears as Emiko knelt before him. "We chose you fo' this job 'cause we knew if we didn't, you'd figure it out by yo'self and get yo'self in a fuck load o' trouble. We don't wanna see'ya become a murderer. You're a new father, and you're a soon-to-be husband. We don't want'ya to have regrettable memories. You've got yo'self too much responsibility to have that sort o' karma. It will be hard, we know. But you cain't become a murderer over this sick fuck. He ain't worth it."

Nowaki quieted and listened to Emiko, sniffing slightly.

"If'ya do this fo' us, we'll make sure that the scum rots in jail fo' the rest o' his life. If'ya kill him, he'll have an easy way out, and'ya won't feel any sense of fulfillment. Trust me."

Nowaki didn't look up, but he was forced to as Emiko put a hand on his chin and tilted his head back.

"Yo' family needs'ya."

Nowaki hiccupped and nodded tearfully.

"Okay. Y-Yes… I'll do it," he whispered shakily, squeezing his eyes shut again as Emiko cupped his face in her hands. "I will."

Emiko hugged him briefly, then patted his cheeks.

"Let's go."

Nowaki opened his eyes, furrowing his eyebrows.

"But… how will we catch up to him? He's hours ahead of us."

"Are'ya fuckin' kiddin' me? This ain't no trip to Disneyland. We done got a jet to take us there."