Fukuzawa offered her the letter which was obviously opened beforehand. Saskia skimped the whole letter considering how many words were in it. But she did notice the keywords. 'Armed Detective Agency', 'to meet', 'the hunted ability user' and her own name.
"Who did you tell?" she asked, seething with rage. She was no longer obligated to hold on to their agreement if it got out that she was gifted.
"No one told anyone," Dazai interfered.
"Whoever this person is, they called me a member of this agency," Blok protested.
"It's not that hard considering you've been coming to the office a few times already. They must assume it more than they know it."
"You won't go all alone," Fukuzawa assured. "Your ability is not for combat and whoever our mailer is."
"I am in no way equipped for whatever is going to be happening there," she resisted. The idea seemed ridiculous to her. There's also the fact that whoever wrote the letter knew her name. Someone outside knew her name. This is a mess.
"I don't think you will have options," Dazai chimed in again. "They are calling you to come. I don't think you will be given many options."
"Dazai, Atsushi, and Kunikida will be nearby," the president assured her. Saskia looked at Dazai who grinned and waved at her. Yeah, she wouldn't trust him with a microwave, forget about trusting her life into his hands.
"Can I exchange Dazai for someone else?" she asked without a hint of humor.
"I'm afraid not."
"Detective Blok," she said, offering her ID. Matsukata simply offered his ID without saying a word. Saskia put a hand to her mouth as she watched the coroners put the body in the bag. The poor girl suffered a lot even after death.
"I thought you'd be used to death," Matsukata commented, taking a look around the scene once more. Detective Blok snickered.
"I don't know if I want to be used to death if I'm honest."
Death didn't shake her to the core. But she could not say she was used to witnessing it. Being close to death so much sometimes it made her wish to be used to it. To not be moved by the victim's bodies, the injustice and the violence people are capable of. It's a part of the job after all. And yet, she never grew too comfortable with witnessing death. And what will happen if or when she becomes too familiar with it?
"Are you used to it?" the woman asked in return.
"Yes."
It was an awfully honest answer. She looked at him when he didn't look back at her. A man used to death. Matsukata Satoru, a man in his late 20s, a homicide detective, recently discharged from a hospital after being stabbed. The way Saskia could only ever describe him as average. Average height, average build. He wasn't a bad detective, no, but he was, not surprisingly, average. Blok found Ueda to be a better detective from every point: skill, knowledge, ability to make the right conclusions as well as thinking outside of the box. Satoru spelled with the character for daybreak. Black hair, brown eyes. He had a beauty mark on his right cheek, just aside from his nose. And that's the most notable thing about him in her opinion. An average man too familiar with death.
"Interesting, coming from you," he suddenly spoke again, turning around to face her. "Death is inevitable. And sometimes necessary, don't you think?"
Saskia scoffed at him. She knew what he was implying. That wasn't a secret at the station.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Let's finish this up," Blok said coldly, touching her temple. "The murder is personal. Let's search for any recent lovers."
"Hey," said Matsukata, approaching her table. Saskia lifted her gaze from the peace of paper. It seemed that this document will be itched into her memory for a good while after.
"I'm sorry," he said. The woman hummed in agreement. He was sincere after all. And while what he was implying was insulting, sincerity was enough for her to let it go.
"It's fine," she nodded, "I too overreacted."
"I shouldn't have. Everyone had their own relationships with death. Just because you —"
"You should have stopped there, Matsukata," she coldly interrupted.
"R-right. You know, I'm just gonna be honest with you for a few moments."
Blok tensed. How often do people say something like this and offer anything positive right after? But Matsukata looked very determined to finish whatever he was about to say. She just saw it as an opportunity to get out of a partnership she didn't want to be a part of anyway. Him running his mouth opens an opportunity for "unreconciled differences" and all that good stuff that puts two people working together forever apart.
"I asked to be partnered up with you," he confessed. "And I looked at your file."
"In that order?" Saskia raised a brow.
"I'm just interested in you, I guess."
He was honest but it didn't help to ease her tension. Many people have been interested in her recently and for all the wrong reasons. She didn't want anyone else to be interested in her. She nodded with every word she took in. Matsukata Satoru wasn't a nuisance. It's unreasonable to put down a person within days. But so far what she knew about Satoru is that he was acting so out of there, ambiguous, unsure and careful. Saskia couldn't quite tell if she enjoyed it or hated it even more than being with Dazai. They were both so... inconclusive.
"Yeah, okay," was all she could offer as an answer. Satoru smiled at her and thanked her. He was about to leave her be when he suddenly stopped. "Are you sure you aren't psychic or something?" Matsukata asked, turning around to offer her a smile once again. He was trying to elicit a reaction from her. A friendly reaction, of course. Saskia sighed, giving in to whatever the man wanted.
"No, I'm just more observant than some," she answered, waving him off.
"Well, if you say so, then I believe you," he shrugged. Saskia closer her eyes. Familiar pain resided in her skull again.
Saskia met with ADA members at the spot. Dazai Osamu, Kunikida Doppo and Nakajima Atsushi. Strangely, she felt somewhat comforted by their presence. In case something goes wrong, they are her defense, her help. Saskia looked at the three men again. All three of them were present through that bonding experience. Dazai's idea. Dazai…
"Hey," she asked Kunkida, "I forgot to ask, when did the letter arrive?"
"Dazai gave it to us first thing in the morning the very next day you've come to the office."
Her eyes darted toward the man mentioned. Dazai was grinning innocently, waving at her once and placing his hands in the pockets of his coat. Both Kunikida and Atsushi seemed a bit confused for a moment, watching the strange interaction, how Saskia's eyes hardened. But a few seconds later, Kunikida picked up. It's been three days since that bonding time. If Dazai was the first one to discover it and open, he knew exactly how much time he had to prepare. And prepare he did.
"Tell me when it's my cue, Kunikida," Blok said, turning her face away from them all. Apparently, not all people understand the subtle cues. Or simply refuse to understand them. Saskia felt two hands landing on her shoulders. And then Dazai decided that she was a boxer getting ready for an important fight and he was there to cheer her.
"You scared, Saskia-chan?" he enthusiastically asked.
"Get your hands off of me or I will kill you," she snapped. This man lacks many things, but it certainly isn't audacity.
"Promise?" he asked. The hope was shining thought his dark eyes. Saskia considered it a sick kink or something. The idea of being killed gave him much strange elation.
"It's time," Kunikida said, looking at his watch. Saskia walked away from them, covering herself in her jacket more and more as if it could protect her from whatever was about to unfold.
It was a perfect spot for a meeting. Deserted area, no witnesses and a somewhat lovely view, if you forget there's a dumpster not far from here. The only reason the air is breathable is that the wind is favourable. Someone was coming closer to her. She turned around.
"You?" Saskia asked, surprised to see a familiar face.
"You," the man smirked, tilting his head up. From below his hat were two piercing, mocking blue eyes she didn't notice on their first meeting. It is certainly the same man she met that night with Dazai. The mafioso by the name Chuuya.
"So, you are the newest member of the circus, huh?" he asked, measuring her with his gaze. He crossed his arms, getting into a stance. He clearly meant to convey a message that he wasn't one bit impressed by her. He was the superior one here.
"I'm —"
She stopped herself from telling the truth. If the mafia thinks she's with ADA, they won't go after her. She wouldn't be worth the trouble. And at this point, she can't deny her connection to the detective agency.
"I'm on probation, sort of thing," Blok answered. "Chuuya."
"Ah, so you know my name and I don't get yours?" the man smirked.
"Exactly."
"As you wish," he shrugged nonchalantly, "detective Blok."
She looked at him. All she could do was to stare at him. His short stature didn't undermine him even a little bit. And those mocking eyes watching her reaction to his words. He knew who she was. Shivers down her spine. Of course, he knew. He'd seen her face. He'd seen her with Dazai. And she wasn't sure which one was more important to him.
"Don't worry, I won't harm you,"Chuuya assured. "Or tell on you. For now."
Blok didn't respond. An honest mafioso, really? My partners even aren't this honest with me.
"Are you just going to believe me?" he asked, confused. She raised a brow, surprised by his reaction. This mafia man knew plenty about her. Her name would already give plenty of information. But the thing mafia would be most interest in — her ability — was unknown to him. Dazai didn't tell. And on his own even a mafia leader would have a hard time figuring it out. Saskia smiled. She had an upper hand for now. What comes after... she'll think of something. Worst come to worst, Yokohama didn't hold much significance to her.
"Does it matter if I believe you?" the woman asked, tilting her head playfully. Her hands went into the pockets of the jacket. Two deliberate steps back. Chuuya stepped forward, smirking.
"So, what can you do?" he asked.
"Hmmm?"
"What is your ability?"
"What is this? A children's play of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours'?"
"Why couldn't it be?"
"I thought we belong to two powerful organizations that are temporally seized fire in order to achieve a mutual goal and not two kids from different playgrounds."
"The second analogy would be more correct," spoke a male voice. Blok and Nakahara turned around to look at the man who approached them. A tall man of slim build, dressed in black and white, carrying a simple clear umbrella. Striking blonde hair. And the color is so pale, it's nearly translucent. Short, neatly styled with two strands framing the square-shaped face. The pale blue eyes that watched them intensely. The aura around him was so impenetrable and cold. Saskia stepped closer to the mafioso because the white-haired man was radiating a whole other level of danger.
"You may call me Tyutchev. I know the man you are all looking for, and I'm here to offer you a deal," the white-haired man spoke.
"I'm listening," Chuuya huffed with impatience.
"I know he had crossed Port Mafia and if you are in any way a respectable organization, the punishment for such transgression is death. As for the Armed Detective Agency, as the law dictates, you would have to turn him in to the authorities, which would put him either in prison or, most likely, under the death penalty for the crimes in Japan alone. However, Port Mafia is not the only organization this man had betrayed, he betrayed us after years of service, therefore, we are entitled to him."
"What you're are saying is that you want him for yourself?"
"Essentially. If either of your organization were to find him first, you'd simply have to give him to us. It is your city, after all."
"And why—"
"And who—"
Saskia and Chuuya looked at each other, annoyed by the interruption. Without thinking twice, Saskia stepped in front of the short man.
"And who is 'us'?"
"We are called The Contemporary if that's what you are asking. We don't operate in Japan and have no interest in doing so, if that's what you are worried about. Ah, I'm sorry," the man shook his head lightly, "I left out important information regarding the deviant we are all searching for."
"What is it?" Nakahara stepped from behind her, irritation clear on his face.
"Well, now that I have leverage, I must say," Tyutchev smiled, "it would be waste of an advantage to simply give it to you."
"You —"
Blok harshly interrupted Chuuya by putting her hand before his mouth.
"You had him as a member of your organization, you have information on him and yet you can't find him?"
"Well," the man hummed thoughtfully. This was the only time his expression wasn't of that irate calmness but of pure, unsolicited mockery. "We have an idea of what he is planning on doing, however, because we have known each other for so long, we know what the other would do. It would be an endless game of hide-and-seek. As you already guessed, he's especially good at hiding."
"You want us to find him and hand him over to you on a silver platter."
"You can keep the silver platter if you wish."
"Alright," Saskia spoke without any confidence whatsoever. Should she agree? She is not a member of the Armed Detective Agency, why would they trust her to speak on their behalf? What she knows about the way they operate is from newspapers and whatever little information given to her by Kunikida, Atsushi, Fukuzawa and Dazai.
"It's not a negotiation," Blok spoke again, harshly now. Dazai was right. Of course, Dazai would be right. Bastards often are. A foreign organization looking for a man who betrayed them. What is there to stop them from burning the city to the ground to find him? Port Mafia and ADA. And that would result in casualties. Isn't that what happened with that vessel and Atsushi?
"Correct. If you don't agree to what I'm offering, we will not stop searching and will do anything to capture him. Murder, an act of terrorism, everything is on the table."
"We can kill you instead," Chuuya smirked.
"You can try killing me, sure, and on the off chance that you succeed, there's just one problem," Tyutchev dragged out a dreadful pause before speaking again. "I am far from being the only member of my organization. And we aren't here all together to be easy prey. Like the hydra: the more heads you cut off, the more will grow in its stead. Do you really wish to bring such warfare to this beautiful city?"
His wording left Saskia disturbed. There were too few things he had spoken so directly. But this was left very unambiguous.
"Then we have no option but agree," hissed Chuuya. "Let say we find him and hand him over, what's then?"
"We leave, of course, it's rather humid in this city for my taste," Tyutchev spoke in his usual calm manner. "Alright, then. The man you are looking for is Tolstoy Leo. You do know of his ability, of course. That's what makes him such a nuisance," he sighed. "And while he assumed the perfect copy of his victims, there are certain limitations. The way we talk, the way we walk, it's all nurture and not nature. To assume the identity of his victim perfectly he must observe them a good while first. He will be looking for The Book, most likely, holding an old grudge against us and having lost some loved ones, an easy way to fix his mistakes."
"And you don't want it? The Book?" Nakahara asked.
"What a nonsensical idea, truly, for the weak and cowardly. We believe that changes can only be done by the people themselves. And those changes we are successfully creating."
"So, what does it give us?" Saskia asked. "Your story is interesting and all but isn't useful."
"How unobservant of you," the man scolded lightly. "If he wants The Book, he needs to be more than an outsider to obtain it. A position of power would be nice, a few powerful alliances too."
"You know what people he'd be trying to contact?"
Tyutchev smiled again. It wasn't mocking, it was cruel.
"I do believe he would try to connect with at least one person. Alone he could never even hope to achieve anything."
"Name?"
"That I do not know."
"Lie," Saskia protested.
"It is, but it doesn't change the fact that I won't tell you." The smile on the white-haired man's face never wavered.
"You just lied to us," Chuuya hissed.
"No one here is asking for trust, just cooperation. I don't trust you at all, this is just a business arrangement."
Blok spared mafioso a glance. Those mocking blue eyes weren't laughing or measuring her, they were studying her.
"A pleasure having business with you," Tyutchev bowed his head. He started making his way back, just as he came here, his steps were silent on the asphalt.
"Wanna exchange numbers or something?" Saskia asked. But the white-haired man didn't turn around to answer her.
"You are new at this, I see," Chuuya smirked, "let's go."
"If this is your new hire," Chuuya spoke, "I am not impressed," he pointed at the woman behind him. Saskia rolled her eyes. Kunikida fixed his glasses. Dazai opened his big mouth.
"Why would they send you?" he sounded offended. "You are the worst person for negotiations!"
"What did you say, bastard?!" Nakahara stepped closer, threatening Dazai with his fist. Saskia watched everyone's reactions. Specifically, she was looking for one specific reaction. Surprise, confusion, something that would suggest the strange familiarity between the two men from opposing sides. But there was none.
"I can say the same about you," Blok threw back in Chuuya's face. "You almost ruined everything back there with your temper."
Nakahara turned around only to give her a warning look.
"She's right," Osamu picked up, seeming to enjoy teasing the shorter man.
"How would you know, ragtag?"
"Oh, because of this!" Dazai pointed at his ear. "We heard everything."
Saskia reached out to check the insides of the collar of her jacket. Soon, her finger found a round microphone attached to it. That moment Dazai put his fingers on her he also dared to tap her.
"I see you trust me," the woman let her bitterness be obvious to everyone here. But that didn't stop Dazai and Chuuya from expressing their greatest passion for each other.
"Don't misunderstand," Kunikida spoke up first, "it was for your protection as well as surveillance. Also, we should have left 2 minutes ago," his voice started to break, "BUT SOMEONE JUST CAN'T KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT!"
"Good point," Saskia said, stepping forward, past the short mafioso. Kunikida gripped Dazai by the left arm, she — by the right. Together they were able to effortlessly drag his away from Chuuya. Atsushi tagged along, sparing just one more glance to the mafioso he knew was Dazai's partner in the past. It didn't matter how much distance was put between the two, Kunikida and Blok didn't let go of him. But Dazai himself didn't seem bothered too much by it, chatting away with Atsushi, while being escorted.
"I guess it saves me the time to explain everything," Saskia mumbled. The only person who would pay attention to her voice would be Kunikida since Dazai and Atsushi were consumed by their own conversation.
"That, too," Doppo confirmed with a nod.
"So, did I make the right decision for you, guys?"
"There were no right decisions. You could have walked away, provoking a fight. Or you could have rejected the offer, leaving is in pretty much the same position we are now. And once we caught him, they would come asking for him anyway, where we would have to choose again."
"So, it was useless?" she scoffed, insulted. She was putting herself at risk there. It was only luck that the person who came out there wasn't looking for a fight and Chuuya already knew who she was.
"No," Dazai chimed in as if he was a part of the conversation all along, "we know who we are facing now. And," he turned his head around, smiling, "Saskia-chan wouldn't provoke violence!"
Saskia decided not to comment on that last statement. Not the way he addressed her — the way he seemed to address her with other people around — nor the statement itself. A change of subject is in order.
"Can anyone explain the situation with Port Mafia to me?" she asked everyone but Dazai.
"What do you mean?" Kunikida asked.
"I think she means Dazai-san," Atsushi picked up. Saskia abruptly stopped, letting go of Dazai. The loss of support made him lose his balance for a moment if not for Kunikida. Saskia even stepped aside from Dazai, putting more distance between them.
"I'm listening, Atsushi," she pushed. Osamu and Nakajima looked at each other. A few moments of non-verbal conversation they were having, Dazai smiled and gestured the universal 'go ahead'. The young boy nodded, collecting his thoughts.
"Dazai-san was a mafia member."
She couldn't recall a time she was afraid of the absence of pain in her head. Her gaze shifted from Atsushi to Dazai. The latter dared to have a small smile on his face. He shrugged.
"To be precise, Atsushi," the man added, "I was the youngest executive in mafia's history."
Saskia didn't say anything. The revelation paralyzed her. Dazai Osamu was a mafia member, and — if she were to trust his words — one of the executives on this vile organization. Not that he had a reason to lie about that. His profile also included all the other things Saskia observed about him. Manipulation, deception, pressurizing…
"Saskia-san," Atsushi spoke again, "Dazai-san isn't a bad man."
He didn't lie, Saskia knew that much. She looked at the young boy again. What she knew about him was the truth. He was an orphan, he joined the agency with Dazai's help. This kid saved the city from being crushed by a giant flying ship or whatever it really was. He sure would idolize Dazai to a degree. That wouldn't be a lie, not to him. Atsushi's gaze didn't change but neither did her state of absolute shock and distrust.
"I see you have nothing else to say, Dazai," Blok mumbled, swallowing thickly. The man she is tied to is ex-mafia. Dangerous, vile, deceptive, what else does he have on his resume? If she ever thought about going back on her word to the agency was out of the question. What moral principle does Dazai possess to stop from selling her to the public, to the government, to the mafia? One mafioso already knows her face and her status of a potential gifted. Dazai wanted that to happen?
"It's not that I have nothing to say but the fact you won't believe anything I have to say," he answered calmly.
"If you don't trust Dazai, Saskia-san," Atsushi chimed in, "then can you trust me?"
The woman didn't answer. It was more complicated than just a question of trust. Sure, Dazai could sell her off even if she kept her end of the bargain. But that could cause issues with other members of the agency. Would it be worth for him to sell her off if it meant to lose the trust of his colleagues? How far would they go into trusting him? However, there are many ways to go about it without making him the main villain. No, it was a question of trust first. Then it was a question of her morals and her future. If the first falls apart, it all follows the domino effect.
"Aw, I'm flattered, Atsushi-kun," Dazai cooed. Blok looked at him again, noting that smile on his face. It was almost innocent, almost genuine. That's why she couldn't trust it one bit. She averted her gaze from him, lost in her panicking. She should calm down her spiraling mind but didn't know how to. Thoughts of betrayal plagued her more and more with each passing second. Ex-mafia, lair, mastermind, blackmailer...
"I should go," Saskia' voice broke, giving away her state, "there's no need for me to be here anymore. You know everything that happened anyway."
"Wait," Doppo called out. He pulled out his notebook. Ideal. Kunikida tore a page from his notebook and it turned into a gun. He offered it to her, "For your protection. You can't go around shooting a police gun. And take it as a sign of trust."
This, perhaps, the closest she had been to experience magic. An excellent trick to stop her crushing state of mind, distract it from the engulfing negative thoughts. He played her like a child. The woman took what was offered and gasped. It was a real gun: heavy and of cold metal. Kunikida knew her ability and she knew of his. A fair exchange. Her eyes still drifted towards the man who most likely planned this bit as well. Dazai just held a very pacifying smile and when he noticed the hesitation in her eyes, he just nodded.