"It's simple. I don't think Vincent hired Orihara-kun just to help him find a potential replacement... I also think he hired him because he is a potential replacement."

Wait, what?

Blinking, Izaya frowns as he tries to make sense of what his friend has just announced. It sounds as if Shinra is implying that he himself has some sort of psychic power - which, of course, is utter bullshit. Before he can voice his thoughts, however, Shizuo beats him to it.

"Are you actually trying to fucking say that that goddamn pest can do the same shit the kid can do? You must be off your goddamn rocker!"

"I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate that I'm about to say this, but... I agree with Shizu-chan. If I were psychic, I think I would know about it by now - besides, I'm twenty-three. Not one of the names on the list Vincent gave me belonged to anyone over the age of sixteen."

[That's a fair point...]

"Correlation does not equal causation." Shinra responds, adjusting his glasses. "For example... what if it's not age that decides whether or not someone is a good candidate, but neuroplasticity?"

"Nuu-rou-what-what?" Shizuo attempts to echo, furrowing his brow.

"You forgot to use layman's terms, Shinra - his lizard brain can't comprehend anything else."

"I don't know who the hell leimin is, but I know an insult when I fucking hear one."

"AHEM." Shinra clears his throat again, even louder this time. Shooting each other a challenging glare, Shizuo and Izaya return their attention to their friend. "Neuroplasticity, Shizuo-kun, is the brain's ability to change itself. Many believe that this ability stops after a child reaches a certain age, but science suggests that the brain continues to change even into adulthood."

"I'm not even going to pretend I understood any of that." Shizuo responds.

"No surprise there." Izaya mutters under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Guys, please. Five minutes, that's all I ask." Shinra is starting to get exasperated.

"Sorry..." Shizuo mumbles.

"It's fine, I'm surprised you've managed to last this long."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, huh?"

"In any case! I suspect that children generally make better test subjects than the average adult, as they are more open-minded and are therefore less likely to outright reject the possibility that they have some sort of latent psychic ability. However, as we all know, Orihara-kun is far from average."

"I can't tell if that's supposed to be a compliment or an insult." Izaya remarks.

"Neither, I'm simply stating a fact. Unlike most people in their twenties, you've had first-hand experience with the preternatural."

"True, but Vincent doesn't know that."

"Maybe not, but you've always given off an aura of mystery. It's actually one of the reasons I introduced myself in middle school... I could tell right away that there was something special about you, and I wouldn't be surprised if Vincent felt the same way. That's why I wanted to know if he'd asked you any personal questions; if they're similar to what he wanted you to find out about the children on the list, it might be for similar reasons, as well."

[That makes sense. Do you think that's why the girl was willing to talk to him and not us?]

"Wait, the girl fucking talked to him?" Shizuo asks, incredulous.

"Yes, albeit telepathically. If Orihara-kun is psychic, he might be the only one she's able to communicate with."

Shizuo glances at the girl before turning to look at Izaya. He'd never say it out loud, but Shinra isn't the only one who's felt like there's something special about him; ever since high school, Shizuo's been drawn to the smaller man like a moth to a flame. "So if he's like the kid, that means this Vincent guy is gonna come after him, too, huh?"

"Most likely, which reminds me - Orihara-kun, you said earlier that you couldn't have called ahead because you don't have a phone on you. Is that because you suspect that you're being watched?"

Izaya sighs. "Do you remember when you asked if I was hiding from someone?"

"I do. I believe your response was 'that's one way to put it.' Are you willing to expound upon that, now?"

Sighing again, Izaya nods reluctantly. "I don't know who, how, or why, but someone is - let's say - 'messing' with me."

[Messing with you how?]

"I'd prefer not to go into too much detail, but I will at least say that he knows far more about me than I do about him."

"You must hate that." Shinra remarks. "Do you think it could be the same person that somehow managed to make it through that incredibly obnoxious video game you made in high school?"

"I wondered the same thing myself, but it isn't his modus operandi."

"Hmm..." Shinra strokes his chin.

[Do you think it might be Vincent?] Celty asks.

"It's highly unlikely." Izaya responds. "He doesn't seem like the type willing to get his hands dirty, and he hadn't even had his phone in his hand when I received an anonymous text message during our last meeting."

"Have you received a lot of anonymous text messages?" Shinra inquires, curious.

"Yes."

"What did they say?"

"I would prefer not to answer that question."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" Shizuo demands, his eyes narrowing. "Seems a little suspicious, if you ask me."

"Then I guess it's good thing nobody did ask you, isn't it~?" Izaya retorts, a sardonic smile on his lips.

Shizuo opens his mouth to say something back, but he's distracted by the sound of his phone ringing. He glares at Izaya before taking it out of his pocket, flipping it open so he can answer it. "Hello?"

"Is this Shizuo Heiwajima?" The voice sounds warped, like the person on the other end is using something to disguise their voice. It gives him the creeps.

"Who wants to know?"

There's a chuckle. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"I'd like to see you try, asshole." He really isn't in the mood for this.

"Too bad you wouldn't even see me at all. You'd be dead before you even knew I was there."

"Oh, yeah? How about you come say that to my face, huh?"

"No thanks, I'll pass." The person chuckles again. "I'm not calling to pick a fight."

"Then what the hell are you calling for?"

"I need you to give Izaya-kun a message for me."

"What the fuck? Why the fuck would I do that?"

"Tell him I said 'you can run, but you can't hide.' Think you can do that for me?"

"Why should I? Who the fuck is this?" Shizuo demands - but instead of an answer, there's a 'click', and the line goes dead.

What the hell?

[Who was that?]

"No fucking idea." Shizuo's frown deepens. "But they wanted me to give the flea a message."

"A message? To Orihara-kun?" Shinra glances at Izaya, who looks noticeably paler than he had a few seconds ago. "What kind of message?"

"They wanted me to tell him that he can run, but he can't hide. What the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway? How the fuck did they get my number?"

"Fuck." Izaya breathes. He's starting to feel like he's trapped in some sort of waking nightmare, and he doesn't know whether he wants to cry or scream; so he does neither, instead bursting out into frenzied giggles that cause his entire body to shake violently. "Fuck!" There's a loud 'POP!' when the ceiling light suddenly blows out, startling Izaya enough to immediately snap him out of his fear-induced mania. "That was - "

"Not a coincidence, Orihara-kun." Shinra cuts him off, knowing him well enough to guess what his friend is about to say. "You can deny it all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that you're not like most human beings. I believe we should move forward under the assumption that you have an unspecified amount of inactive psychic potential."

[Doesn't that mean he's in just as much danger as the girl is?] Celty asks. [How are we going to keep him safe?]

"Perhaps we could ask Simon to keep an eye on him?" Shinra suggests.

"No, nuh-uh. We're not involving anyone else in this." Shizuo protests.

"I suppose he could stay here, then... what do you think, Celty?"

[Wouldn't that make you a target? What if Vincent sends someone to kill you, and I'm not here to stop it?]

"Ahhh, my heart sings with love at the mere thought that my darling Celty - ow ow ow ow ow!" Annoyed and slightly embarrassed, the Dullahan had used one of her shadowy tendrils to pinch her lover's nose; when she lets go, Shinra sighs over-dramatically and rubs his nostrils. "Oh, how love hurts!"

"She has a point, Shinra. Helping the flea would put you in danger." Shizuo says, crossing his arms.

"So what do you suggest, Shizuo-kun? Are you going to keep an eye on him?" Shinra inquires, his eyebrows raised.

'You're joking, right?' Shizuo wants to ask, the idea of having to spend a single second more with that evil little parasite not one he's particularly fond of... but when he looks down to find the little girl staring up at him with a hopeful, almost pleading expression on her face, what he actually says takes even him by surprise. "Well, someone has to, right? Might as well be me."

If Izaya wasn't in shock before, he definitely is now.