Urban theory; Chapter 15Evidence boxes

Again was a new week of work beginning. In Rikimaru's case the word 'work' at the moment meant industrial cleaning. And the words 'industrial' and 'cleaning' meant in short; sometimes very shitty job that no-one should be willing to do in such a miniature salary.

But Rikimaru didn't care. Actually the job had it good sides too. Like some days you didn't have to do much and this was that kind of a day. He only had to sweep the little floor of three little storage halls where little heavy armoury like tractors and lifters were kept. Well maybe there was a quite a lot of sand.

Clock was ten in the morning as Rikimaru had almost finished with the first storage. He leaned to the brush and looked over his handy work. It was a shame that he could only see the dark grey tractor bucket in front of his nose. Maybe he should still go around and see that he hadn't forgotten some corner.

He had been working since seven a.m. if he kept his phase it would be five p.m. before he would get his work done. He looked under a tractor and notice he had missed a spot. Honestly the job was great. He didn't have sit in a stuffy office and become all woody. Besides as he dangled ten hours with the brush it certainly was a good exercise. Not that he hadn't had it enough during the weekend, he grinned conceited by his stamina. The storage was clean, he thought to wrap it up and move on.

The second storage building was only ten meters away from the first. Would there be anyone or would he just have to settle for the company of machines? Maybe a dirty handsome little mechanic would be nice appetite during his coffee brake even just to flirt a bit. After giving it some thought, he admitted that he wasn't kidding anyone by the little flirt attempt and stepped in the storage.

It was as soundless as the first one and probably as empty of life humans as well. He continued his work thinking he had time to move the coffee brake for later or rather he didn't have the time. He wanted to get the work done by tomorrow. Not that he had been given a deadline-he had the whole five weekdays to clean the three storages but if he had to continue this job for a one day longer he was sure he would at least try to kill someone, presumably himself. This job sucked, big time. First it had started out as a psychiatric cleaning job experiment and it worked until he had to get up at seven and grab a brush in every morning of his three week work relationship. Talking about relationships, Rikimaru was still thinking about Friday evening when the gang had meat up. Oni had got a long well with his friends, it didn't surprise him but maybe he had hoped for some short of disapproval from them. Ayame had done her bit, thank her for that. Made sense thought as she was the only one who knew that Oni had done a hit n' run with a monster car over his heart. Or just the hit, Rikimaru himself had done the run so Oni wouldn't try to reverse.

The sand was every where, in the corners, over the lifters, in his lungs and hair. It probably was after his eye sight for next. The evening had actually been nice. Maybe they really could be friends. Maybe he wouldn't have to make Oni's live a living hell after all, if he even could. But the thing Oni had blurted out about Rikimaru. Was he really too obsessive when it came to other people? No way, he thought, Oni was just ridiculing him. That self-righteous bastard, quite clever remark but still as smooth as an elephant over a wine class.

Oh for god's sake, what he was doing with his life, Rikimaru thought. He had way too expensive education for the job he was doing. He was alone and all most thirty, trying to live his teen's again. If he kept going on like this, he would end up being a wrinkled and bitter-sad poof, who would never admit that his happy hour was over for life.

What had gone into him? Why was he thinking so gloomy things, like his future? Remember the Plummer that fixed their shower and lectured Rikimaru to take care of his wife and not just a wife but a kid too. Well of course she had been joking or meant Kiku in some weird Ayame-ish way. So Rikimaru didn't say anything to her about it. How could he when he had forgotten the matter completely? And then one beautiful morning that Ayame had half a day free from work, she was feeling a bit ill, like throwing up in the bathroom. It was actually the first morning in a week that they had been up in a same hour. She had said it was nothing and left to work. When Rikimaru got his brain to work and put one and one together he got three.

He had spend the day checking this mathematical fact drifting from panic to anxiety and later, yes, happiness of a future father. Somehow he survived the day in library assistant and got home with out walking under a car because he was too much in thought. As the she finally got home and he had managed to be sure after many moments of daub that she surely was pregnant, he asked it from her directly. Well, to put it in short; she was not.

It was a slight disappointment after already preparing himself for the possibility. It was for the better still, Ayame as a mother and himself as a father that kid would certainly need a shrink. It was for the better, but why did he still feel like something would have been taken from him, like there was a huge hole in his soul that sucked all the energy from him.

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After hours of serious self searching, really not getting anywhere with it, Rikimaru had finished his work. It was half six and he nearly hadn't taken a bite of his lunch. He should get Ayame home and to make him some food, even thought that lethal short of dish she usually managed to cook. He could have called Oni and tell him to make a delicious supper, because that man really knew how to cook, but they weren't as eased with each other that Rikimaru would have felt comfortable doing so.

Rikimaru took his bike that was leaning against the fence and looked behind him where he had came from, to the small hut he had just been given his sign out. He winked to the boy that was doing the paper work in there. The boy winked back and smiled a bit sad for seeing him leave for the last time. Rikimaru hopped on his bike and thought, yep, I'm never wrong about them. As he cycled away he wondered why was he letting a perfectly good quickie slip past him, the possibility of it unnoticed? The timing would have been perfect, last day in work, last hand shake, last a bit longer touch and hook, line, sinker. Now he felt guilty about it. He had flirted shamelessly to that poor youngster all most the whole three weeks and he had just turned his back and left. There should have been a law against doing something like this that he was just doing. But the boy was so tame, too tame for Rikimaru's liking and he had had enough about tame last weekend to last for a few life times.

It was all most six when Rikimaru came to the police station. He walked in and before he noticed he had walked his way to Ayame's work space, noticing it was empty. He was looking at the table filled with papers when Ayame's partner came carrying a box of files over his chest.

"Rikimaru, right?" He asked. Rikimaru couldn't really remember the guy from before but thought that something of him was familiar.

"Yes…?"

"She's down stairs, go trough that door and left, one floor down and onto your right… got it?" He, who ever he was, continued somewhere with the box.

"Yeah, thanks…" Now what was wrong with him, Rikimaru thought? He was like dream trip around the world. He made his way downstairs, only a few cops passed him at his way. He should have thought of something funny or not so funny to play a little crank at her and her colleagues, but mainly to her. Was he getting the cold again or plain old maybe? Maybe he could let himself slip for this once.

He came to a door that was guarded by an old police man behind a class. The man was looking a football match of the security camera. "Hey…" Rikimaru said to get his attention.

"Sorry…" The man started but then was cut of by his smile and small laugh. "Oh… Hello…" He changed the security cameras on again and it showed the shooting range off the next room. "How can I help you?"

Rikimaru couldn't figure out what was so funny. "Um, hello?" Did he really want to know.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"I'm sorry I…"

"Put your hands behind your head…!" The police man imitated himself and Rikimaru recognised the voice. He was one of the Swat's that had interrupted his self-defence class.

"Oh yeah that brings my memory back… officer…"

"She's in there, I'll let you pass…" He said still laughing a bit.

"Sure, thanks…" Rikimaru backed to the door a little bothered.

Ayame was shooting a paper target, hearing protectors over her ears. She took an empty clip off the gun and noticed Rikimaru while at it. "Hi… What are you doing here?" She was suspicious and not whit out reason.

"Nothing much, came to see if you would come home already?" Rikimaru walked next to her and leaned on the wall sloppily.

Ayame put another clip in. "What's the time?"

"Over six."

Ayame couldn't somehow relax. Her experience told her not to, Rikimaru all ways had something planned. She shot another round and reeled the paper target to her. Guess it was all the same if she'd stop work for today. There wasn't a case that needed her constant attention. "Had a rough day?" She asked trying the ice. "You seem somewhat… bland…? And dusty, you're dipping all over the place… "

"Well industrial cleaning isn't actually a nice office job…" He held on to her hips leaning in close behind, while she inspected the paper, not budging just visibly rolling her eyes. "But why, now you put the thought of dipping and throbbing all over in my mind…" There was a change the guard was watching this trough the camera and then again not. Rikimaru had to admit that it was a little unimaginative plan but surely to result.

"My God's Rikimaru… It hasn't even been a year yet…" She stated flatly. "You know that Bob is watching the match, not us?"

"But you never know about Bob, do you?" Rikimaru nuzzled his head over her shoulder while she continued to practise and every shot jerked her shoulders against his chest.

She holds the gun up waking Rikimaru who pretended not to hear her. "You know, I still got one pullet left…Rikimaru…?"

Only momentary he raised his lips from her neck. "What does that stand for…?"

"It means… that I got a gun, and I'm not afraid to use it…"

Now she got his attention as he rose his head up and looked her and then the gun and then again her.

"Ice queen…" He muttered and went back to lean the wall again.

"Thanks Rikimaru, I've all ways wanted to say that…" She grinned putting away the gun. "Don't even pretend to be pouting about it…" She faced him ready to leave as soon as she got off safety classes and the hearing protector. "Besides, I'm seeing someone… and no matter that you are like a brother to me… I think it would still count as cheating, not as a psychiatric family dinner…"

She opened the door, in a manor rushed out so she wouldn't have to continue on the subject.

"Seeing who…?" Rikimaru followed her thought the doorway where she had suddenly stopped and looked in to the guards hut. Half of the police apartment was probably in that small box, looking kind of a caught in red handed as they spotted her outside.

"Traitors…!" She moved on.

As she had stopped paying attention to her colleagues they looked less guilty and made a face to Rikimaru; Lucky you're alive-She nearly cut your throat for trash pashing the forbidden. Rikimaru shook his head and Ayame managed to look behind her just then.

"Wipe that smile off your face…!"

"Yes ma'am…!" He couth her steps quickly. "Seeing who, Ayame? Anyone I know?"

"Rikimaru, you only know men with whom you have already slept with or are planning to at least, no."

"Where did you meet him, have you two gone out, how many times?"

"I'm not playing twenty questions with you. I don't want to talk about it yet…"

"Why not? … Is he ugly…?" Psychopath murderer?... Hannibal Lecter?... or possibly gay?"

"Non of above, it's just a bit delicate thing to be talked about as we are only going to our second date. Um, wait here, I won't be long…"

Ayame showed her id to the doorman and he let her in. The door man and Rikimaru were left in the hall of something. Rikimaru wasn't sure of what as he had been surprised by Ayame's mystery man. The doorman took a second look over Rikimaru. "Hey, aren't you Rikimaru?"

Ten minutes later Ayame came back carrying a brown box in her hand. The box was closed and it hadn't got any writing on it so it was impossible to say what was in it. "Shall we go?"

"Yep… Nice talking to you…" He said to the guard.

"Bye Art…!" She winked already walking towards the garage doors.

"Yeah, you two have a nice evening…"

"What is in that? Hope not anyone's head?"

"Kind of, work stuff…"

"I thought you were less busy this week?"

"I am, come on, get your bike…"

Ayame but her things on the back seat as Rikimaru put the bike in the trunk. She was about to sit on drivers seat.

"…Let me drive…?" Rikimaru finished tying the bike to the trunk.

"Why on earth would I let you drive?" She sat down to her seat and after a second Rikimaru settled for the passenger seat. "God… Jesus… All the things you ask…"

"It just would have been nice to get my bike safely home, that's all…"

They stopped into lights.

"I didn't know that swat's do that short of a job…?" Rikimaru asked remembering Bob again.

"Huh?"

"Guarding shooting range doors?"

Ayame brightened up as she remembered the incident. "They don't, Bob isn't in their team… But he has been like ages ago, year or two maybe. He still has friends there… or maybe they are retired by now…?" She was clad Rikimaru seemed to have forgotten her new companion she mentioned.

"Why did he quit?" Rikimaru asked absently while looking to an Asian restaurant at his side of the street. He was so hungry he could eat a horse. The light turned to green.

"His wife got pregnant and he didn't want his daughter to crow up whit out her dad… Not many of us can do that, give up our job like that. Police work is a calling, no obsession more likely… but what do I know…" She sighted putting on a blinker and turned to a smaller road.

Ayame didn't seem to budge for their conversation but Rikimaru had forgotten his hunger. Talking about daddies and daughters made him sink back to his previous thoughts but their subject got other specific dad and a daughter into Ayame's mind. She had seen Mat at Saturday evening and they had gone to a fine restaurant. Everything went well all most perfect, except a minor incident involving a bag snatcher and psycho Ayame in a little black dress. Why did she all ways let her true side out in the open as she knew how it resulted, she thought. Mat could have handled the situation, probably, as he is such a nice, ex-gang member and strong one not to mention. But no, she just had to be all she could be, which was far from being a lady. She just hoped she had broken a few ribs from the bandit for ruining her night out.

Maybe the situation wasn't that bad though. Mat had actually stayed and saved the crock from her grasp, helped her up and straightened her hair, asked if she was alright and even made a joke about it, not about her in mean a way. Most guys would have just used the opportunity to run. But then again Mat had already been a victim of her home security service. Maybe he knew what to expect. Ayame woke up from her memories and noticed that smile was playing on her lips.

Quickly she wiped it away and secretly looked over Rikimaru to be sure he hadn't noticed. Rikimaru was still looking the road somewhat absently.

So Mat wasn't bothered her being a woman who could take care of her self and yes, sometimes acted before thinking it a second time. But had she gone too far, thinking that it was only their first date and she'd gone and kissed him. Or maybe they were both as guilty with that. Maybe she should have left before Kiku walked in on the garage. At the moment they both agreed there would be a more sensitive way to tell Kiku about them seeing each other than the two leaning over Lamborghini's bonnet.

Luckily it was dark and Kiku wasn't really interested what her dad was doing in there in a middle of the night and left quit quickly. Mat had sat down next to Ayame leaning on to the slight blue car and told her he wanted to see her again and agreed that he would tell Kiku when they would know where this was going.

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