Malik had been in Pegasus's residence once years prior. It was just after they had moved to London. He remembered feeling irritated at the time, frustrated by all the events leading up to this moment in his life. While his siblings had discussed the opportunities before them, Malik had no desire to become a spectacle to be paraded around by these damn Brits.
No man better encapsulated this belief than Maximillion Pegasus.
Pegasus was the lead archaeologist on the project and their boss. He was considered something of an oddity to the public, with his peculiar antics and sense of humor bewildering most. Though native to London, most described him as a foreigner in his own land, obsessed with everything Egyptian and marveling at all of its history and relics.
This had initially given Malik hope upon meeting him. But it became clear to him very quickly that he was nothing more than another greedy investor. Over the years, Malik learned to detach his feelings from the matter, aware that there was little he could do about the situation. Better to make the most of their situation, like his siblings pointed out.
Still, Pegasus had always rubbed him the wrong way. He was decent enough to work for so long as he never got too deep into the matter. Pegasus could be unbearably nosey and loved to pry his way into research projects that he really had no business in. He made for a better patron and sponsor than researcher.
Perhaps that was why Malik was eager to let Isis deal with him whenever possible. Whenever Pegasus demanded an update or wished to discuss something in their field with the three siblings, Isis always agreed to take the bullet for them, so to speak. She always kept a level head about her (unlike Malik who too quickly let his irritation show), but she didn't let herself be pushed around (unlike Rishid, who was too polite for his own good sometimes).
Malik had been willing to accept this arrangement. He never considered that this had placed his sister in terrible danger.
So Malik led Ryou up the stairs to Pegasus's mansion. They had tried the university, searching the entire department and making multiple trips to his office. After several (expensive) calls to his estate, they got a curt message letting them know that Pegasus was away on a business trip and wouldn't be back for another three days. Those three days ate away at Malik, both men wondering if they had caught on too late.
Malik couldn't sleep. He felt guilty that he scolded Ryou for not getting any sleep when when his own anxiety overwhelmed him. He insisted on staying over to help with the case, even though there wasn't much he could do. Ryou seemed to know this, but still allowed him to come over. Malik needed to be near Ryou – the detective's presence comforted him. There was something about Ryou that drew him closer.
Malik was taking a nap when they had gotten word from Rishid that Pegasus had just returned from his trip. The two men wasted no time, Malik practically storming his way across London to confront his boss. He had to remain calm and keep a level head. The evidence seemed to point in one direction, but if they were going to fill in the gaps, they would need to approach with care.
The last thing they needed was Pegasus attempting to escape the country. Any chance of finding his sister would then be lost.
Malik rang the doorbell, his lavender eyes glaring at the door. He felt Ryou's shoulder brush his as the two men stood facing forward. He could feel Ryou's gaze on him.
"So… shall I lead the questioning or…?"
Malik narrowed his eyes, clearing his mind. "I'll do it. I have a rapport with him so it should be easier for me to get some of our answers."
Ryou gave a brief nod, their conversation cut short as the door swung open. A quick word with the maid and the two men were led into the salon. It was a stark contrast to Ryou's small flat. Lavish in silk and beautiful decorations gleamed and sparkled, even in the dim light; Pegasus lived in a luxury only earned through riches not belonging to him.
Malik sat on the couch, his legs crossed as he calmly waited for Pegasus. Ryou did no such thing, taking his time to walk around and study each item in the room. It was as if they were both working in tandem – Ryou would gather information from their surroundings while Malik would keep his eye on the prize.
As if on cue, Pegasus came waltzing in, his silver hair hanging loose. He wore his favorite burgundy suit, a large smile on his face. "Malik! I wasn't expecting to see you drop by! How have you been?"
Malik offered a polite smile. He knew he would get further by thinking like Isis – polite, yet candid. Charming yet immovable. "I'm well. How was your trip?"
"Simply marvelous – if you haven't been to Crawley, then you absolutely must! Get that older brother of yours to take you!" Pegasus smiled, no hint of hesitation in his voice. The fact that he glossed over his missing sister so easily did not sit well with Malik.
Pegasus didn't waste a moment, turning towards Ryou who waited patiently to the side. "And you! We've met before. You're that detective lady I ran into at the university. Ryou, was it?"
Malik was so disappointed that he couldn't see Ryou from his periphery. He could only imagine the rage the detective felt. Sure, Malik had made the same mistake upon meeting Ryou (as many others probably had), but that didn't mean he didn't want to see Ryou's reaction.
The curtness in his voice was all the indication he needed to know that misgendering the detective did not go unmissed. "Detective Ryou, yes. Thank you for having us over. Do you have a wash room I may use?"
Pegasus nodded, indicating where to find the room. Malik flicked his eyes over to Ryou, whose expression was stern, but his eyes remained focused as ever. As much as Malik suspected the restroom visit was more for Ryou to compose himself, he suspected the detective would take advantage of being out of Pegasus's eyesight to snoop for information.
That meant it was up to Malik to gather what information he could. A sudden sense of pressure and weight hung on him as he found himself carrying the investigation on.
Malik watched Pegasus walk over to a small cage in the corner of the room. He took what looked like a small bunny into his arms before moving to seat himself in an armchair. Malik had no idea what to make of this, but then again, this was Pegasus – his odd behaviors were well-known among the upper echelons of this city.
"You said you had some questions for me regarding the disappearance of Isis?"
Malik nodded, raising a hand to examine the bed of his nails. He didn't bother to bring over pen and paper. Ryou was one for scribbling down notes and drawing the pictures – Malik knew such ramblings would only confuse him. It would be easier for him to chase tangents if he let his mind explore.
"You met with Isis right before she was kidnapped, yes? The night of the 22nd?"
Pegasus pouted, as if trying to recall. "I think so. That's so long ago, it's hard for me to remember all that's happened."
Malik resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wanted to tell Pegasus that this a week and a half ago, but it was difficult enough to reason with his boss. "You requested her presence to evaluate a rare artifact you had just imported. A vase, I believe."
Pegasus's face lit up at that, a boyish grin on his face. "Oh yes! It was such a peculiar vase – it was green and blue with a face drawn onto it. Apparently keeping such a jar would bring good fortune and prosperity onto one's household."
Malik nodded, less interested in some old pot and more interested in what happened that night. "Right – well, that night, Isis was over late working with you. Can you tell me what happened?"
Pegasus cooed at the rabbit in his lap, who seemed content to sleep while the two men talked. "Well… we were up late discussing the vase and about other work projects she was in charge. I didn't want her to overextend if I could step in and take the lead. We lost track of time and she ended up leaving a little after midnight."
Malik raised an eyebrow, knowing there was more. "Did you call a cab for her?"
Pegasus tilted his head, brushing his silvery hair away from his face. "Well, no… That didn't cross my mind."
"But it was midnight and she would have had to walk all the way across town."
"I was tired. I probably wasn't being my most considerate self."
"Then why invite her over to your estate so late in the night? Your meeting was scheduled at 7 in the evening and would have taken hours. If you knew that, why did you not make arrangements for transportation?" Malik stopped pacing, studying a German clock that sat atop the bureau. He could see Pegasus's reflection in the glass, Malik's eyes narrowing.
Pegasus paused, a frown on his face. "You make it sound as if it's my fault that your sister disappeared."
Malik pursed his lips, thinking about how to proceed. He needed answers, but also knew upsetting his boss wouldn't aid their cause. Malik considered his next words carefully, speaking slowly and deliberately. "I didn't say that. But you are the last person to have seen her before she vanished. If she left at all."
Pegasus gave a light laugh, shrugging. "I never knew you were one for conspiracy theories."
Malik refused to be deterred. "Did you prevent my sister from leaving?"
Pegasus jerked his head up, a startled look on his face. "I beg your pardon?"
His reaction was jarringly different from his previous dismissals. Malik's heart raced, Malik realizing that Pegasus had taken the bait. However, the implications of this made Malik wary. "Did you keep my sister from leaving?"
"I told you that she left just before midnight. Why do you keep asking these questions?"
"That's not what I asked! I asked if you tried to keep her from leaving!"
Pegasus licked his lips, narrowing his eyes. "I am your employer. I will not be spoken to in this mann-"
"So it's true." Malik pushed, cutting Pegasus off. A sinking feeling settling into his stomach. "You tried to force her to stay. You disgusting-"
Pegasus's embarrassment was overshadowed by his anger. Pegasus stood up, rabbit still sleeping in his arms. "You will not make such accusations towards your boss! You will hold your tongue if you value yours and your brother's jobs!"
Malik didn't care about the risk, even though he should. A fleeting thought stuck in his mind, Malik standing up to avoid being looked down upon. "Is that what you threatened Isis with? With our careers and livelihood if she didn't spread her legs for you?"
Pegasus's face flooded with red, the man nearly seething at the accusation. Before he could lash out, Malik certain he had lost his job, a calm voice interrupted them. "Malik, the Eye of Wdjat is the same symbol on your sister's necklace, yes?"
Malik snapped his head over towards the door, where Ryou leaned against the doorframe. His expression was cool and calculated, his dark eyes carefully watching Pegasus like a guardian at its post. Malik reached into his pocket, pulling out the broken golden chain with an Eye centered on it. The Eye of Wdjat. "Yes, it looks like this."
"It's not a common symbol to find, correct?"
"I would say so. It's pretty rare. Why?"
"I'm no archaeologist, but doesn't this medallion have the Eye of Wdjat on it."
Malik blinked, watching as Ryou pulled a golden token from his pocket, a familiar symbol emblazoned at the center. He flicked back in forth, the Eye identical on both the necklace and medallion. There was no doubt what that symbol was. It matched the description Serenity provided.
Pegasus put his rabbit down, a dangerous look in his eyes. "You were rummaging through my stuff!"
Ryou's expression didn't change, his eyes shifting over towards the silver-haired man. "I got lost on the way to the wash room. My mistake."
Ryou sounded completely unapologetic for his behavior, goading Pegasus into making a mistake. Pegasus inhaled a shaky breath, his temper barely in check. He snatched the medallion out of Ryou's hand, daring the detective to try and take it back. Malik felt as if his chest were heavy and made of stone, unable to feel his heartbeat or anything around him. Everything hung like death around them, Pegasus ignoring their penetrating gaze.
Malik took a step forward, licking his lips. Before he could ask the dreaded question, Pegasus's voice came out like a hiss, venom dripping in his words; "Get out of my mansion. Another word and I'll make sure you and Rishid sleep on the streets for the rest of your lives."
Anger flared up in Malik at the threat. He gritted his teeth, a retort ready when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. He snapped his head back, Ryou gazing calmly at their suspect. Ryou nodded, a soft yet determined gleam in his eyes.
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Pegasus. By your leave."
Malik sat in a leather chair next to Ryou. His eyes kept flicking back and forth between him and the commissioner who sat at his desk. Kaiba didn't say anything, his hands folded together and lips pressed into a thin line. Malik knew that Ryou hadn't been eager to rush back to his boss after their last confrontation, but it was necessary given recent events.
There was no question in either of their minds of Pegasus's guilt, but matters were more complicated. They lacked any concrete evidence to convict him and unless they had enough to build a case, arresting him would only result in him being detained for a period of time. This led Ryou to come up with an idea, but he needed the police cooperation on the matter.
So Malik and Ryou had walked their way back, tails between their legs, waiting patiently outside of Kaiba's door. Despite Malik urging Ryou to try picking this lock, Ryou insisted that it would only be to their benefit to not piss off his boss. And while Malik knew this was wise – old habits died hard, he supposed.
Ryou relayed all they had gathered on the case, whether to reassure Kaiba that progress was being made or to eventually convince him of their plan, Malik wasn't sure. Kaiba sat silently, soaking in all the information as Ryou discussed their confrontation with Pegasus. The heavy silence afterwards that followed was more uncomfortable than anything Kaiba could have screamed at them in anger.
"… You realize that your stunt will put him on guard?" Kaiba asked, his face astonishingly neutral.
Ryou nodded. "It was needed. By Pegasus's admission, he had attempted to bed Isis the night that she was kidnapped. Multiple relics showing the Eye of Wdjat were found, just as Serenity described. And since he attempted to blackmail her as he did Malik…"
Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "He would have had a motive for silencing her."
Ryou stood up, his hand twitching nervously. "May I?"
Kaiba just watched Ryou, not saying anything. Ryou took this as a notion that he may as well continue with his proposition. He pulled out a map, detailing several specific streets and locations in Whitechapel. "Yugi's research allowed us to pinpoint something useful."
Malik stood up, drawing closer to study the map alongside Ryou. He noticed how Kaiba, though his face was a perfect mask, sat closer, intrigued as well. "Of the eight murder locations, three were committed in the homes of the victims. The other five were done in flats rented out from recently deceased folks."
"Were all of these names made public?" Kaiba asked, without missing a beat.
Ryou nodded. "Every single one. It wouldn't have been hard for the killer to keep an eye out. Pegasus could then rent a vacant property in White Chapel using these pseudonyms. That's not all though."
Ryou took a pen, dabbing it in ink briefly as he drew a careful circle that included all of the apartments. Malik raised an eyebrow, a smile growing on his face. "I didn't even notice that."
Ryou gave him a small grin, his excitement leaking through. "Neither did I until we spoke to Serenity."
"You spoke to Serenity?" The question came quick, eager and curious from Kaiba's lips. A lightness to his voice stood in jarring contrast to his usual grave and dour tone.
Malik cocked his head, confused by this reaction. "Yes? We asked her some questions for the case."
Kaiba seemed to realize his uncharacteristic remark, pressing his lips into a thin line. Malik didn't understand what was going on, but he caught the smile teasing the corners of Ryou's lips. Perhaps the detective had already solved this mystery and would enlighten Malik later on the matter.
"What am I looking at?" Kaiba asked brusquely, trying to save face.
Malik resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He suspected that Kaiba wasn't really angry but just using his authority to make Ryou move on with his case. Ryou drew the pen on six different streets, using the ink to blacken them thoroughly. "It just so happens that seven of our victims were last seen within this seven-block circumference."
Kaiba swore softly, the words escaping his lips before he could think to filter himself. He stood up, studying each location as if to verify the truth for himself. Malik felt his heart race as Ryou drew each street to a murder location, names scribbled in. There was one name that had a question mark next to it, as the murder site was never found and hopefully never would be.
Malik stared at Isis as if doing so would keep her alive.
"Does he-"
"As far as I'm aware, he hasn't realized that we have caught on. I know we don't have the evidence to convict him. That's why I wanted to postulate an idea to you," Ryou explained, his eyes watching his boss carefully.
"And that idea would be?"
"I want to set up a trap for the killer."
Kaiba lifted his head, tilting as he considered the possibility. This was the most lenient and relaxed that Malik had seen him. In fact, Kaiba looked almost gleeful at the opportunity to put the killer behind bars. "I'm listening."
Ryou licked his lips, his nervousness causing him to speak faster; "We'll use his own knowledge of his behavior to our advantage. His murders occur within the first week of the month, shortly after he's rented the flat. That means he'll be setting up his next murder site soon."
Malik frowned at this. "But Ryou, Yugi mentioned that the killer never meets the proprietors in person – he pays via mail order."
Ryou shook his head. "That's not what we're looking for. We just need to look for a flat rented out to an individual who has already died."
Kaiba nodded. "Because even if he's not there now, he will try to bring back a victim there."
"Precisely. We can set up bait. We'll decide his next target by placing one of our own agents masquerading as a prostitute roaming this specific area. But we can't just let anyone get taken by him. We need someone trained by the police and is aware of the plot to cooperate with us."
Kaiba lips turned into a frown, a suspicious note in his voice. "If you intend to hire a prostitute to work for us-"
Ryou chuckled at that, shaking his head. "No, I don't want to involve any innocents in our trap. I was thinking of those officers you have working undercover down in Whitechapel."
Kaiba snorted, rolling his eyes. He crossed his arms as he stood back. "Detective, even you must be aware that that was a last-ditch effort to ease the public's mind. Those men haven't been able to trick anyone into thinking they are female sex workers – they've only increased my paperwork regarding buggery cases."
Ryou took a deep breath, a hand raising to fiddle with his long hair. His flicked away, a sense of bashfulness flooded him. "I know all too well about that. That's because they don't look feminine in the slightest. You need someone who does."
The silence that followed froze in Malik's chest. He thought about how Pegasus mistook Ryou for female earlier. How Malik had done the same before and how many others had done the same time and time again in Ryou's life. Kaiba seemed to realize this, his lips twitching as if he wanted to smile.
"You're volunteering yourself?"
Ryou let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes. "Don't make me say it." He grumbled, a rose color flushing his face.
Kaiba just smirked, leaning over the desk. "But that's what you're implying. You basically admitted that you look like a woman."
Ryou finally broke his peace, scowling past his burning features. "I'm admitting that other people think that about me, damnit! Stop making thing difficult for me!"
Kaiba just chuckled, an amused smirk on his face. Malik's heart raced at the confrontation, only to realize that that was what Kaiba had wanted. He had just been trying to get a rise out of Ryou and he succeeded. Ryou seemed to realize this, backing down and rubbing at his arm.
Kaiba covered his mouth as he finished laughing, his expression falling as he considered what Ryou offered. He narrowed his eyes. "What's the catch?"
Ryou sighed, the blush starting to fade from his face. "Like I said – we need a perimeter. Not just in Whitechapel around these few blocks, but around Pegasus's estate. The idea is that I'll act as bait. This will be a last stand. If something goes wrong, Pegasus will likely try escaping back to his estate to create some sort of alibi for the time of the kidnapping."
Kaiba nodded briefly, pulling the map closer as he studied some of the buildings. "So we'll cut him off here. No mistakes. No hesitation."
Ryou nodded, though Malik had his own reservations. Teasing aside, he was aware of the ridiculously dangerous risk they were taking. If things fell through, Ryou would likely end up dead. Ryou had mentioned that he would risk life and limb to catch this killer, but he was also shrewd and careful. Malik had faith that their plan would work.
But the thought of it failing made it hard to breathe. The thought of Ryou getting hurt physically hurt Malik. This was their best shot at catching the killer, but it wasn't worth losing Ryou over. This sudden wash of fear and anxiety overwhelmed Malik, now taken back by the strength of his own feelings and not understanding why these emotions afflicted him so.
Kaiba seemed to at least realize that this was a risky maneuver they were trying to pull off. He stood up straight, fixing his coat as he studied the detective. Ryou kept his eyes averted, hand twirling at the loose strand of hair. Malik felt the stupid urge to touch his hair himself, but refrained from doing so.
Kaiba sighed, his voice softer than usual; "You're certain about this?"
Ryou flicked his eyes over. The silence was long, but there was no question in his voice. "Without a doubt."
Kaiba gave a slow nod, a smile creeping onto his face. Malik felt his heart race at it all came crashing down on him. This was it. He smirked, resting a hand on Ryou's arm. The white-haired man turned to face him, a grin growing on his face.
"Let's go catch us a killer."
