Disclaimer: I do not own Psycho-Pass nor its characters. They rightfully belong to their creators!
Warning: This chapter has gory scenes-don't like it? Then don't read it. You have been warned!
Inside a dark room, the spine-tingling crack seemed louder than the downpour that came from the emergency sprinklers. The man screamed as he ineptly bumped into the glass tables. Crimson rivers surged from his crooked nose and his split lips. Sobbing hoarsely, he tried to crawl away from someone who loomed over him. He brought up his sanguinary palms; his fingers were no more but only ugly stubs. Bits of sclera hung outside of his left socket.
"Please! I will do whatever you want." He moaned in pain, asphyxiated by mucus and blood that clogged up his throat. "I'll pay you to whatever the amount you want!"
"Oh, you're very funny! Money isn't going to stop me from completing my job."
"I have a family, a wife and two children! You wouldn't kill me, would you?"
Honey brown ringlets adhered to the woman's tanned skin. Torrents of water snaked across her contours. There was a maniacal facade in her green eyes. The puckered scar stretched across her facial features as her lips pulled over her lipstick-stained, white teeth.
"Don't worry. You'll get to see them soon enough," she purred.
Before the man could react, Kumiko's cleat collided with his face. There was another grisly crack; his head trundled backwards along with his falling body. Much to his misfortune, the man was still alive, but just barely. Broken teeth were clattered across the wood-laden floor, and he frothed at his mouth, struggling to breathe
A man's exact words flitted across her mind. Kill him for once and all. We have no use for him anymore.
Kumiko's eyes shone brightly at the articulated whisper that was repeated again and again in her mind like a broken record. It nearly made her melt in delight. She inclined her head to view the whimpering victim that lay before her, her damp hair framing her feral-looking visage.
"Bye-bye!" She said in a singsong tune and wriggled her fingers, her teeth gnashed together in a smile.
A fit of cackles exploded from her lithe body as she then continuously stomped on his head. Soon, it was over. Kumiko wheezed as she stood over the mangled corpse and collapsed onto her knees. She stared at the unmoving body and unzipped her leather blazer, her shaky hands bringing out a small jar and a knife that were both carried inside the pockets. The white of her eyes could be seen; the corners of her lips stretched out as far as they could.
Ripping the shirt blemished with red spots, she gazed at the glistening, bloodied skin and pressed a scalpel's blade against the flesh. More blood swelled to the broken surface as she cut deeper and deeper…
Rain continued to pound against the walls. It sounded as if many imps marched on the roof and drummed their pygmy drums. A window unveiled a majestic, and the fog disembarked across the towering skylines. Arrays of radiant lights managed to percolate through the dense, grey haze. The morning was somber with its gelid weather.
A mass of bulky blankets was left cold on the bed. A holographic screen was displayed in the occupied kitchen; a newswoman was speaking in a clear volume. Wet footprints remained on the floor, and the swish of a toothbrush and a jellyfish-like friend were what accompanied Akane. Ivory spumes built at the corners of her pink lips.
"This morning, at three a.m., a body was found dead in a club. Three other bodies were found as well."
"What?" Akane spat out the toothpaste as she looked up to the reflected hologram.
"The details about the death have not been released yet. A full-scale investigation is to be launched. Please tune in tonight for any further information."
"Oh, no! Such terrible news!" Her saucer-shaped companion squeaked as it floated about in the air.
Akane stared in wonder. Water gurgled as it seeped through the toothpaste-encumbered drain. Briskly, she rinsed out her mouth and the sink and shut off the water. The floor creaked lightly at her rapid, descending foots. She slung her wet towel onto the nape of a nearby chair then ran her fingers through her brown hair, smoothing out crinkles that stuck out. The Inspector lifted her wrist to pick out her work uniform.
She had decided to wear the navy blue hoodie with the MWPSB insignia embroidered neatly onto its sleeves and back. Akane wore a skirt in matching color that only fell to her thighs. The perturbed Inspector won the wrestle with her stray strands as she admired herself in the mirror briefly.
Soon after the newswoman was switched off to another person, the device that was secured around Akane's wrist rang. The transparent interface showed Gino's Caller ID. She answered with an indefatigable hello.
"Inspector. Tsunemori, please come to the workplace immediately." He spoke on the other end of the line.
"Understood! I will be heading over there soon!" She was already leaving her home as she slid on her shoes and pulled a bag up to her shoulder. Then the receiver hung up with a click.
"Four has been pronounced dead this morning. All of them classified as homicides. We have identified the bodies as Takeshi Renji, Aya Renji, and both of their children," Ginoza strolled past the Enforcers and the short Inspector. "Shortly after the time of their death, there was a recorded call made to this department. Play it, Karanomori."
"Got it," the blonde, smiling femme swiveled in her chair, pressing a button.
Everyone viewed the visual polygraph of the recording. The green line fluctuated along with the hitches in the person's voice. It was electronically masked, unable to detect whether the person was a female or male.
"I am so sorry to tell you that Takeshi is dead." The voice was wheezy, "And so is his family." After that sentence, the caller giggled and hung up.
Akane shivered at the wicked guffaws.
"We were unable to trace the call. However, we have some footage of the possible suspect." Ginoza looked at everyone as he adjusted his black spectacles, "The only issue is… the suspect was in disguise. There were no witnesses at both scenes."
"In further explanations, this person is like a ghost in the system." Shion concluded and clucked her tongue as she turned around in her chair. "I've ran searches through the data engines, and unfortunately, there were no results matching the potential suspect. We have a tough case this time."
"What about the bodies?" Kougami was standing and leaning against the table.
"Takeshi's body was discovered in one of his clubs. As for his family, they were found at home, dead." Ginoza replied. "Unit Two has removed them. I will have Karanomori send you information on the bodies."
"What a heartless person," Masaoka hummed as he rubbed his stubbly chin. "This was really unexpected, wasn't it? Don't they say that Takeshi Renji is highly respected for building the best clubs around here? Rather strange that he's dead and his family as well."
Ginoza's lips twitched, "There is also one more thing." He had paused, hesitant for a moment. "The bodies had been surgically performed on and stuffed with dead scorpions and rhinoceros beetles."
The hair back of Akane's neck raised and she took a sharp intake of air, her brown eyes widening. In the course of her entire job, she may have gone through horrible things or validated many awful crimes, but she had never heard anything so gruesome in her whole life. Her face blanched upon the fact being brought to light. Sadness soon replaced her astonishment; dread was the weight that was dropped into the pit of her stomach.
"Like Shion said, this is going to be a difficult case."
"Are there any way we could inspect these bodies?" Kougami had showed no emotion throughout the discussion, "It would be helpful if that were possible."
"Yes, the victims are still at the locations where they were initially killed. We have been given permission to investigate these areas. The case has been handed down to us; no one in the other units has disturbed the two locations."
Kougami looked over to the Inspector who was close by, searching for confirmation whether Akane was going to team up with him. Akane met his briny gaze, and she swallowed with difficulty. Without making a murmur, she gave consent as she slowly nodded.
This was not going to easy.