"So...what exactly do you need to talk to Okiya about?"
(Sighs) "Something that you're not going to be very happy about probably, we've not only removed you from your classes at the college you're supposed to be attending but...well we've made it so that you can't get a job to support yourself either"
"But I..."
"Listen, and listen well Okiya Subaru we know that you're getting funds from the FBI as that's your real job even if most of the world doesn't know about that, we're also going to be giving you consulting fees whenever we use your skills as a sniper, we've done these things for your own safety"
"What do you mean?"
"Furuya gave us a special order shortly after you came into being, that order was to protect Okiya Subaru's identity at all costs if anything were to happen to him, they included doing everything in our power to keep you alive and we fear that the Organization is catching onto you after what happened with Furuya speaking of which we haven't heard back yet regarding the mission to rescue this Kir person who's supposed to actually be part of the CIA"
"That's because James hasn't told me anything yet and I've texted him at least twice a day since I passed on the message regarding the danger Kir is in"
"Whoa there Okiya, you're getting into Akai territory here"
"It's fine inside the house, it's when I'm outside that...hang on there's a text"
He opens the text and is shocked because it was an event that was happening at least three weeks earlier than the last time
*Timothy Hunter in Japan, letting you know as asked a while back* (thinks) "What, it can't be...he's too early to be here, what changed?, what did we do to change things this much?" (replies) *has there been any shootings?* *not yet but will be on look out for him* *understood*
Suddenly he hears Kazami speaking
"Okiya...Okiya!"
"Sorry Kazami, but I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this short I just received a message about something important and yet something I can't really do anything about but prepare for the final move I need to make"
"Oh?"
"Yes, FBI business I'm afraid, as for what I was about to say it's when I'm outside that being Okiya is critical, now then if you'll excuse me..."
"Of course, let your boss know the PSB is ready to help at the call from him or you"
"I will"
And so text sent all he could do now was wait for things to play out, hoping that even with the sudden earlier start that they would play out pretty much the same as last time but he was grateful that at least this time the group could do their job more openly then last time, which also led him to think that might have been one of the ripples that had changed things, and then he dismissed it partially since it wasn't known outside of Japan and the Bureau that the FBI could act openly in regards to the Black Organization case and any other case that involved American citizens. He found out later the next day that Timothy Hunter had gone to ground and as such they were waiting for him to make the next move, and ultimately things happened on pretty much the same time scale as the original timeline, the only two differences were that the FBI found out about Hunter's condition earlier than last time and Jodie and Camel were allowed inside the rented tower earlier than last time as well, but otherwise things were pretty much the same as the original timeline though this time around Jodie didn't have to hide her gun use since she was legally allowed to do so whenever American citizens or Black Organization members were involved and Timothy Hunter was an American citizen. Once the shooting was over with Akai picked up Kudo knowing that the skateboard was broken and that he was injured slightly
"Hey Akai...what about Sera?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you want your sister to know..."
"No, even though there's most likely not going to be anyone checking her anymore it's still too dangerous for her to know the truth yet, besides James told me that Vermouth most likely has used the Scar Akai disguise a few times without him knowing initially"
"I thought..."
"Same here but I guess we were wrong"
"But still Sera..."
"Kudo...I want my family to know I'm alive this time around since Bourbon was on our side, I have had to stop myself so many times from texting or calling them, from sending my brother a letter disguised as fan mail or a beginner Shogi player asking for tips, but even in this timeline it's just simply too dangerous for them to know yet"
"Fine, by the way what about Kir?"
"I don't know James hasn't said anything about that operation to me, but I've let him know the PSB are on standby to help with that operation"
"Let me know too?"
"Of course"
The next day he finally received a text from Kir that if they were going to move it had to be soon in regards to getting her out because Gin was getting more and more paranoid about spies in their midst and when Akai told James that James finally told him that the plan was for that very day, but that Akai was to stay out of it as a precaution and that they had other snipers on standby instead, James also mentioned that Kazami and a few other PSB agents were going to be close by as well since James had decided to take the PSB up on their offer after all. The rest of the day had Akai simply waiting anxiously for any news about the mission to get Kir out from under the claws of the Black Organization as safely as possible, hopefully with her death faked. A little after nine that evening Akai finally received a text message
*Hondo Hidemi safe, all agents also safe with most serious injury being a punctured lung that was treated successfully, agent will be sent back to US for rest and recovery once medically cleared, Jodie and Camel among those with the most minor injuries, PSB agents not needed or harmed*
Akai gives out a sigh of relief and then forwards the message to Kudo knowing that he was as worried as Akai had been about the operation
"Well, now that I no longer have that worry I think I'll go to Furuya's grave since I'm almost positive Kir will want to see it for herself before she leaves, even if it's in disguise like I will be"
And so Akai puts on his Haruto Itsuki disguise, primarily because after visiting Furuya's grave he would be going to PSB headquarters to do some training with them so that they truly understood his abilities as a sniper seeing as how he had yet to do an actual mission with them what with the identity having only been established three weeks ago and the PSB had been too busy with other work to schedule any training before then. An hour later and just as he predicted Hondo Hidemi was at Furuya's grave
"I heard about his death but couldn't risk going to his funeral, I was told about your disguise and who Bourbon truly was by the PSB by the way"
"I see...there was nothing you could have done without risking yourself"
"I know, but now that I am no longer in the Organization what will you guys do about..."
"About taking them down and figuring out their movements? I guess all we can do now is wait for them to make the next move and slowly but surely figure out a way to counteract them before they do something devestating if at all possible"
"Except you know as well as I do that..."
"Yeah I know"
"Well I have to get going, I still have debriefings to do and then..."
"Then you need to make a decision"
"Yeah, I just wanted to..."
"Say goodbye to him first?"
"Yeah"
"I understand...there's one more grave to visit first though then, even though you never met them, come on"
And so Akai led Hondo Hidemi to Scotch's grave
"Who was he?"
"His code name was Scotch, I was the last person to see him alive...he...he took my gun away from me and killed himself with it destroying his phone as well so as to protect everyone, he didn't need to kill himself since I had revealed who I truly was to him, unfortunately Bourbon came rushing up the stairs and I thought...well I thought it was someone other than Bourbon and thus let myself get distracted long enough for Scotch to pull the trigger"
"Wait...you knew Bourbon was a PSB agent...how?"
"That's the secret Bourbon and I will take to our graves but we knew about each other"
"I see...did Bourbon...did Furuya blame you for Scotch's death?"
"Hm...I'll leave that up to your imagination, now then it's best you get out of Japan and I have training to get to"
"Yes, I leave later tonight to reunite with Eisuke"
"Yes, that's for the best" (thinks) "I'm glad that this time you weren't seriously hurt while getting out from underneath the Organization unlike originally when there were times we wondered if you would make it"
"What are you going to do though? I know that the Organization believes you're dead but..."
"I have things I still have to do here, don't worry those in the know are doing everything we can to keep me as safe as possible, to keep the Organization from finding out that Okiya Subaru and Akai Shuichi are one and the same person"
"Understood, hope to see you around Akai Shuichi"
"I know, now then leave here and take care of your brother, I'll make the necessary arrangements for you to know if anything happens to me" (thinks) "either the FBI or KID is going to be paying her a visit in that situation, with KID it's a long held promise with each other while with the FBI it will be simple curtisy, though I still wish...well I can't change the past, all I and the others who remember the future can do now is finish things with the Organization as quickly as possible"
Fifteen minutes later and he's at PSB headquarters and though he doesn't show it is shocked that the FBI was also there
"Ah Haruto, these are FBI agents who sometimes work alongside the PSB on specific missions, they were simply here to finish a debriefing session, we'll be able to do our own PSB specfic training no problem"
"I see, should I go inside and get set up for the training?"
"Yes, oh James I actually think you and Haruto should talk briefly just in case we ever have to work together and he's involved, just so that you know his particular skill set"
"Understood"
"Oh by the way, I got that new phone you guys have been insisting I get"
"When did you get it?"
"About twenty minutes ago"
"I see...thank you for informing us, let us know the number then and we'll put that into our contact information for you"
"I also have my other phone that we've been using as contact just in case you wanted to tranfer any data from the old phone to the new one"
"Yes, that's probably the best thing to do"
And so Kazami escorts Jodie and Camel out to the car while Akai and James walk back into PSB headquarters (James was currently unaware of Akai's third identity)