A/N: Hey everyone, :D Here's chapter 2...
Lol, the document manager wouldn't let me upload me anything for hours (*scowls*). Finally, I had to resort to going into one of the existing documents, wiping it out completely, and pasting this chapter in. Lol, but at least it worked.
Thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed last chapter! :D I would also like to thank my far-too modest beta: WouldBeSenpai, :D
Oh, and for people who've read FANG, xEvilAngel56X has drawn two incredibly cute pictures for it (*fan girl squeal*). :D So I'd really like to say thank you to her as well! You can get to the pictures by linking through her profile and onto her deviantart page. :D (.net/u/1655955/xEvilAngel56x)
Thanks for reading, I hope you like it!!! Please review! :D
Chapter #2: Getting up to Speed
Natsuki glanced around the small office. It was nowhere near as large as the director's at Fuuka. Her gaze quickly fell on a blond-haired man, who stood up quickly in acknowledgement.
"Agent Kruger," the handsome man nodded. He pushed his chair back; the wheels squeaking noisily on the worn carpet. "Director Sergey Wong," he introduced himself. He walked over to Natsuki, holding out his hand. "Welcome to Garderobe."
Natsuki shook his hand, surprised by the kind gesture. "Arigato, sir," she replied.
The director walked back around the desk and took a seat. He gestured to the chair on Natsuki's side, and she sat down as well.
Reflexively, Natsuki carefully studied the room. She took in the arrangement of files on the director's desk, as well as the small plant to the side that was in serious need of watering. Her gaze fell on a small framed picture on the wall to her left. There was a small, blue-haired girl in the picture. Beside her was a younger version of the director. Natsuki turned back to him after a moment, her eyes shifting down quickly to his left hand. There was no ring or tan line, which suggested that he wasn't married. That didn't rule out the girl being his daughter, but it did seem unlikely. Maybe she's his niece?
The director cleared his throat, an obvious attempt to command Natsuki's attention. Natsuki met his eyes calmly, waiting for him to begin.
"I've read your file quite thoroughly," the director began, "and I have to say I'm quite pleased you've been assigned to work with us."
Natsuki raised her eyebrows slightly. "Well that's certainly a change," she thought to herself.
"You're performance records are second only to an agent of our own," Sergey informed her. He paused, a small smile on his face. "Then again, Agent Viola certainly seems to be an exceptional case."
Natsuki shifted slightly in her chair-- a reaction to the familiar name. "Great," Natsuki told herself sarcastically. "So she is better than I am." Her stomach knotted as she recalled the woman's seemingly flawless face. "Well," Natsuki promised herself, "that's not going to be the case for long." Natsuki was, after all, an Elite agent now. With the extra case load, she'd have more time to improve.
"I realize Fuuka has quite a few more agents at their disposal than Garderobe, so things may be done a little differently here. I will be responsible for handing out your assignments, Agent Kruger. You will report directly to me," the director informed her. He clasped his hands together on his lap, his posture relaxed. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Natsuki nodded. A little differently? She barely even knew her old director's name. The idea of getting her cases from someone so high up made Natsuki a little uneasy.
"As I'm sure you're aware, you will begin work immediately on the Foreign Affairs case. Garderobe's three other Elite agents will be working along side you."
Natsuki nodded, already painfully aware that she was working with Shizuru.
"Unfortunately, I don't have time to go into details about the case," the director continued, "I'm sure your fellow agents will debrief you quite thoroughly."
"I understand, sir," Natsuki replied. She stayed sitting, unsure if she was being dismissed. She decided she wasn't when the director flipped open a folder in front of him.
"Your medical file looks...impressive," Sergey continued, his eyes scanning the open file in from of him.
Natsuki raised her eyebrows slightly, a small smirk forming on her face when she saw the director read the results of her reflex measurement tests.
The director's eyes widened slightly before he glanced up. "You were cleared for active duty no more than a month ago, so you won't be required to undergo another exam for five months."
Natsuki hid a smile, trying not to let the relief show on her face. The medical exams that agents had to go through weren't exactly considered a perk of the job. They were definitely called full-body exams for a reason.
The director closed the file after a moment. "I recommend having someone show you around on one of your breaks. Feel free to use our gym or shooting range, but make sure you sign out all weapons and return them before you leave."
Natsuki couldn't help but smile when the words left his mouth. From the size of the building, she'd assumed it was another luxury Garderobe wouldn't have. I'll have to make sure to try it out.
The director glanced down at his watch before looking back up. "I'm afraid that's all we have time to discus Agent Kruger. If you have any questions I'm sure your case partners will be happy to answer them for you." Sergey stood up and started to walk around the desk.
Natsuki got up quickly, walking over to the door. She was a little startled when the director held it open for her.
"Arigato, sir," she said evenly, stepping through.
The director nodded, a small smile on his face. "I believe Agent Viola said she would be in briefing room C. It's on the second floor, room 28," he told Natsuki. "Good luck, Agent Kruger."
"Arigato," Natsuki repeated. She turned, walking over to the stair entrance. There was a faint click from behind her as the door closed. Natsuki paused, turning back to the door for a moment. The director was a lot different from what she'd expected. "I like him," Natsuki decided after a moment.
"Lost Agent Kruger?" a taunting voice called out.
Natsuki quickly turned towards the red-haired woman walking over to her. She hadn't heard her walk up.
"Who are you?" Natsuki asked, crossing her arms. She didn't like the tone in the other woman's voice. If this woman knew her name, surely she knew her ranking as Elite too. No one lower ranked would talk to an Elite agent like that. Natsuki waited for the shorter woman to reach her, shifting her weight so she stood up a little straighter.
The red-haired woman studied her stance, smirking slightly to herself. "Agent Nao Zhang, we're on the same case."
"Lovely," Natsuki muttered sarcastically. She raised her eyebrows when Nao's smirk widened.
Nao nodded approvingly. Natsuki certainly seemed to be an interesting addition to the team. "I see you live up to your reputation." Nao held up the folder she was holding, waving it in the air. She'd just finished reading the reports about Natsuki's ill-temper.
"I see you're working hard to make one of your own," Natsuki countered, allowing a small smirk to play across her face. How did she get my file?
"Ouch," Nao smirked, "nice to meet you too."
The corners of Natsuki's mouth turned up in a small smile. She wordlessly walked over to the stair entrance, opened the door, and started down. She didn't wait for Nao to catch up.
When she got to the second level, she opened the doors and turned to the right. She was fairly sure it was the right way judging from the third floor room numbers.
"Wrong way Kruger-san," Nao called out behind her, a sly smile on her face.
Natsuki hesitated, turning her head slightly to the side. She looked down the way she'd been walking, her eyes resting quickly on room 28. "Is that any way to treat your new case partner?" Natsuki asked, smirking.
Nao grinned, following behind her. She shrugged after a moment. It was worth a shot.
Natsuki paused at the door; the realization that Shizuru was on the other side sinking in. She knew that she would have to do her best to remain calm. Shizuru was no doubt skilled in reading body language. If her attraction was too obvious she would realize that Natsuki was gay. Attraction to a fellow agent was usually permitted, but attraction to another woman was an entirely different story.
Her eyes drifted over to the women's washroom a few doors down. It would probably be a good idea to collect herself before going in. Nao paused beside her, giving her a questioning look. Natsuki glanced back to the briefing room before taking her hand slowly off of the handle.
"I'll be there in a moment," Natsuki told her, the tone in her voice leaving no room for questions. She turned and walked over to the washroom, careful to keep up her confident appearance. She stepped inside; a quick scan of the bathroom confirmed that it was empty.
Natsuki let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She glanced up at the mirror, locking eyes with the green ones in front of her. Natsuki straightened her jacket before walking over to the sink. She turned the tap handle until a thin stream of water ran down, grabbing a paper towel from the dispenser to her left. She wet it slightly, wiping down her face.
"This is it then," Natsuki told herself. She wiped her face dry before walking back over to the door. She paused by the doorway, thinking to herself. This was her first case at Garderobe. She'd been specifically requested to help solve this case. The director would—no doubt—expect results.
The sound of laughter snapped her out of her train of thought. Natsuki leaned against the wall, the sound of the footsteps outside telling her there was a man and woman walking past the door.
"Hey, I'm just glad Idon't have to work with her," the man laughed. "Have fun."
The woman scoffed loud enough for Natsuki to hear. Her footsteps got closer. "Why do you care? Last time I checked Teijo, you were definitely not a woman."
"True," the man replied, his deep voice filled with amusement. "That still doesn't mean I want to work with a lesbian."
Natsuki's fists clenched, her breath catching. Her heart raced involuntarily as her cheeks flushed in a mixture of shock and anger.
"You think I do?" the woman asked angrily. "I never signed up to work with a hentai."
Natsuki stood, unable to breathe as the two people passed the bathroom door. Her hand curled around the door handle, her knuckles white from the pressure she was applying. Were they talking about her? "W..Who else would they be talking about?!" Natsuki asked herself furiously. She ripped open the door, eyes filled with rage. How the hell did they find out!?
Natsuki slammed the door behind her, pausing when she saw the woman and man turn the corner. They disappeared from view quickly. Natsuki struggled to stop herself from going after them. "It... it's not worth it," Natsuki told herself. "You can't afford to get into another fight." She inhaled slowly, her mouth clamped shut in a tight, thin line.
"How did they find out?" Natsuki asked herself once more. She ran a hand through her long hair, brushing it back from her face. No... there was no way they could have possibly known. Was there? Natsuki mentally retraced her steps, pausing when her mind drifted back to Shizuru. She dismissed the thought after a moment. There was no way she had been that obvious. She took another deep breath, forcing her muscles to relax. Just calm down Natsuki. There's no way they could be talking about you.
Natsuki knew it really shouldn't matter who they were talking about. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel relieved. If word got out that she was a homosexual, it would be her that the other agents would be calling a 'hentai' next time.
A door down the hallway started to open. Natsuki quickly walked over to room 28, opening the door before she could change her mind.
She stepped quickly into the room, pausing as the door closed behind her. She started to look around, ready to memorize the details with extreme precision. Instead, Natsuki found herself staring at the brown-haired woman seated across the table from her. She was bent over a folder with an intrigued look on her face.
Shizuru looked up, closing the folder when she saw Natsuki standing in the doorway. She studied the younger woman's face, almost as if sensing something was wrong. Is she alright?
"Agent Viola," Natsuki nodded, swallowing hard.
"Agent Kruger," Shizuru nodded back, a smile working it's way onto her flawless face, "I'm glad you could join us." Shizuru's focus shifted from the younger woman's face to her slightly-stiff posture. "Perhaps she's simply nervous," Shizuru rationalized.
"...Finally," Nao added, a small smirk on her face.
Natsuki looked away quickly, startled to realize Nao and a man she didn't recognize were in the room too. Natsuki eyed the only empty chair wearily. It was right next to Shizuru.
"Please, sit down," Shizuru offered, her red eyes glancing at the chair to her right.
Natsuki walked over wordlessly. She slid the chair back, careful to pull it farther to the right as she did. A little extra distance between her and Shizuru wasn't going to hurt. She could feel Shizuru watching her as she sat. The very thought made her heart race faster.
Shizuru noticed the younger woman move the chair farther away, despite the other agent's attempt at subtly. Rationally, Shizuru knew the movement probably meant nothing. Irrationally, however, she couldn't help but feel offended. Is she still upset with me?
Natsuki pulled her chair close to the table, looking up when there was sudden movement from the end across from her.
"Agent Masashi Takeda," the black-haired man introduced himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kruger-san." He stood up, straightening his suit jacket before reaching a hand across the table.
Nao stretched sleepily before grabbing the file from Shizuru. She flipped open the folder, wanting a better look at it before they got down to business.
Natsuki shook Takeda's hand, a little startled by the force he used. He stared down at her, still holding firmly onto her hand.
Shizuru watched wordlessly, her stomach clenching with anger. Takeda looked at the younger woman with nothing but desire. He made no attempt to hide the hungry look in his eyes. Shizuru remained silent, forcing herself to stare down at the table. "You've only just met her. You have no right to get so possessive," Shizuru scolded herself. "Na... Agent Kruger is first and foremost your co-worker, and you are both here to solve a case."
"This is the part where you let go," Natsuki thought to herself as she raised her eyebrows. Her attention shifted from their joined hands to meet the man's face. W..what is he staring... Natsuki's eyes widened slightly when she followed his gaze to the low-cut neck of her jacket.
Furiously, Natsuki's thumb found the inside of his wrist, applying just enough pressure to the right spot to get the desired response. Natsuki looked up, her green eyes subtly threating. Takeda's eyes met hers, a look of mild shock on his face when he quickly released his grip.
"H..Have we met before?" he asked, his face flushing slightly.
"I really don't think so," Natsuki replied. What... does my chest look familiar? Hentai.
"Are you sure you've never been here before?" he pushed, a look on his face like he was struggling to remember something. "You just... you seem familiar to me."
"I can assure you, she has not," Shizuru cut in calmly. She turned to Natsuki, meeting the navy-haired woman's eyes with her own. "I would have trouble forgetting a face like hers."
Natsuki blinked, startled by the comment. Did... did she really just say that? Her cheeks flushed quickly as her mind processed what Shizuru had just said. Does that mean...
Shizuru studied the look of shock on the younger woman's face. Perhaps that was too forward. "I'm very well trained in identification," she added quickly, addressing Natsuki. "Forgetting a face is a rare occurrence."
"O..oh," Natsuki stuttered. She inhaled slowly, her disappointment sinking in. "Baka," she scolded herself. "What else would she have meant?"
The sound of quiet snickering broke up the tense atmosphere. Natsuki turned, a glare already displayed on her face, in the direction of the laughter.
Nao looked up from the folder, laughing uncontrollably. The look on Natsuki's face only made her laugh harder.
Shizuru turned to look at the red-haired woman, regarding her with a questioning look.
Nao wordlessly handed Shizuru the file, pointing to a specific area of the page.
Shizuru turned the file, eyes scanning the section Nao had highlighted. She glanced briefly at the results to Natsuki's last endurance test, before moving onto the comments from the medical practitioner just underneath. Agent Kruger demonstrates incredible endurance, her results averaging above the hundredth percentile.
Her eyes widened slightly before she glanced back up. "Ara, how impressive."
"Agent Kruger's got some serious stamina," Nao grinned slightly. "It's actually written underneath she can go for hours on end."
Takeda choked, quickly clearing his throat to cover it up.
Shizuru raised one of her eyebrows suggestively, her face heating up slightly at the thought. She turned to Natsuki, her red eyes sparkling with joy when she saw the look on the other woman's face.
Natsuki's mouth fell open, the shock throwing what little composure she had left out the window. Her face flushed uncontrollably. "It says I can run, Agent Zhang. Run for hours on end," she snapped, ripping the folder away from Shizuru.
"Of course," Shizuru replied like it was obvious. She locked eyes with Natsuki. The look on her face was serious, but her eyes shone with unconcealed amusement.
Natsuki's face warmed up even more. Angrily, she lifted up the folder in her hand, her eyes never leaving Shizuru's. "For the record, this is my file. I'd appreciate it if you didn't go investigating me like I was a highly-ranked suspect."
Nao leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smirk on her face.
Shizuru stared at Natsuki, startled by the unrestrained look of anger directed towards her. For a moment her neutral expression wavered, shocking Shizuru as much as Natsuki. The brown-haired woman cleared her throat softly, turning back to the table. When she spoke again her voice was as smooth as silk: "Perhaps we should begin getting you up to speed, Agent Kruger." She paused for a moment. "Masashi-san?"
Takeda stood up, walking to the front of the room. He opened his folder, taking out a large picture and clipping it onto the back-lit wall.
Shizuru and Nao picked up identical folders from the center of the table. Shizuru reached out to hand Natsuki hers, but the look Natsuki gave her made her pull back. Natsuki stood up slightly, grabbing the folder for herself.
She flipped it open, taking out an identical picture. Natsuki immediately recognized him. His face had been plastered all over every news report since Wednesday.
"This is Arai Hirohito, age 48," Takeda began. "He was elected Minister of Foreign Affairs at the start of this year by Garderobe's council. His term focused mainly on political relationships with Garderobe's closest neighbors, Aries and Artai." He took another picture out from his folder. "While his position required him to frequently travel, most of his time was spent in Garderobe's Foreign Affairs Office." Takeda clipped the picture of the large building onto the wall.
Natsuki glanced up at the picture. The building was familiar to her as well.
"Arai's term was cut short on Tuesday night. Reports of gunfire were called in by people from the surrounding buildings. When police investigated, they found Arai dead in his office," Takeda told Natsuki. He took out another picture, wincing slightly as he clipped it to the board. "Police questioned the callers, but no one claims to have seen anything."
Natsuki raised her eyebrows slightly. It was one of the close-up photos of Arai's body. She studied the entry wound where the bullet had penetrated his skull. The man's upper body was draped over his desk, suggesting he had been sitting at the time of his death. I certainly didn't see that one on the news.
Shizuru turned, studying the younger woman's face. She didn't seem nearly as affected by the picture as Takeda was.
Natsuki flipped through her folder, pausing when she couldn't find what she was looking for. "The police had their ballistics department work on it?" Natsuki cut in.
"Yes, they did," Nao replied, yawning. She slid a small booklet across the table.
Natsuki picked it up, well aware that the other three agents were watching her as she scanned the page. "The gun was discarded at the scene?" Natsuki asked. "That's unusual." She turned to Shizuru, a doubtful look on her face. "And you're sure it was the right one?"
Shizuru perceived her stare as an unvoiced challenge. She smiled slightly. She should have known Natsuki's first move would be to double-check everything.
"The ballistics report assures us that the gun that was found is the one that was fired," Shizuru replied.
Natsuki glanced down at her sheet once more. "A Desert Eagle?" she clarified. "An Israeli-American weapon." Natsuki had seen them before, but she'd never fired one. As far as she knew, they were designed almost solely for hunting.
"That is correct," Shizuru nodded. "The manufacturer's label was found on the weapon."
Takeda, sensing he was no longer needed, sat back down again. Nao scooted her chair in to let him pass.
"And you requested a list of all buyers in the past five years?" Natsuki asked, once again directing the question toward Shizuru.
"Of course," Shizuru answered, leaning forward on the desk.
"There were over five thousand sold," Nao cut in, smirking. "You can go through them personally if you want, Agent Kruger."
Natsuki ignored the comment. "How many of the buyers live in Japan? It's so hard to get a license, there shouldn't be that many."
"One hundred and seventeen," Shizuru replied, not missing a beat.
Natsuki opened her mouth to speak, but Shizuru cut her off.
"Allow me," Shizuru offered, knowing where Natsuki was headed. Natsuki paused, a little annoyed. Shizuru crossed her legs carefully, smoothing out her skirt. Natsuki's eyes followed the movement, trailing slowly up the older woman's smooth legs.
"We assigned one of our level-three agents to run a search on the results," Shizuru began. "Out of the one hundred and seventeen buyers, none of them currently live in Garderobe or the surrounding area. I ordered the search extended to the last ten years, but it yielded the same results. I also had background searches run on all buyers living in Japan, but our agents can't tie any of them to the Foreign Affairs Minister."
Natsuki raised her eyebrows, annoyed that she couldn't think of anything else to ask. "So it was probably brought over illegally," Natsuki said finally. She sighed after a moment. "Great."
"Does my information satisfy you, Agent Kruger?" Shizuru asked, a small smile playing across her face.
"For now," Natsuki replied, leaning back in her chair.
"Are you quite sure?" Shizuru asked playfully.
"For now," Natsuki repeated firmly, not bothering to mask the annoyance in her voice. She blushed faintly when Shizuru's smile widened.
"I'm glad," Shizuru replied. She studied the way Natsuki's cheeks tinted lightly, her heart racing faster. She felt an odd sense of pride over the fact that she'd been the cause.
Nao's eyes widened slightly. She exchanged a look with Takeda. "Well aren't we all destined to be the best of friends?" she muttered sarcastically.
Takeda cleared his throat, leaning in toward Natsuki. "The employee log book shows that Arai was the last one in the office. Everyone else signed out hours before the approximated time of death."
Natsuki opened her mouth to ask for clarification.
"Eight o'clock at night," Shizuru answered smoothly before she had time to ask, "give or take a half hour."
Natsuki closed her mouth slowly, turning to face the brown-haired woman. She crossed her arms for effect. What the hell? Am I not allowed to talk?
Shizuru was unable to suppress a smile when she saw the result. She really is just too adorable for words.
"Video cameras in the office were fully functional, but the system itself is extremely outdated," Nao chipped in. "Whatever was recorded was stolen from the security office. The lock was blown right off the door, and—naturally—the tapes remain unaccounted for."
Natsuki managed to stop herself from groaning. "The system doesn't back up recent files onto a temporary server?"
"Where's the fun in that?" Nao grinned, shaking her head.
Natsuki sighed. That certainly made their job a lot harder. "I hope they're installing a new system," she said sarcastically after a moment. "Any cameras in the surrounding area?"
"There was a gas station a few buildings away," Shizuru replied. "The tapes arrived today, but I doubt the camera angles will prove to be of much use."
"And I'm guessing there were no prints?" Natsuki clarified. "On the gun and in the room."
Shizuru shook her head. "Only employees' prints in the room and on the door. The gun itself was remarkably clean."
"Wouldn't the security guard be responsible for locking up?" Natsuki asked. "Why wasn't he there?"
"I had a similar thought," Shizuru smiled. "However, we've been over the police interviews with all the employees. The security guard claims he was given permission to leave. Apparently, it wasn't uncommon for Arai to work late. He usually locked up the main doors himself."
"And we believe this?" Natsuki asked skeptically.
"Other employees have confirmed this," Shizuru laughed, "we have no reason not to. The keys to the main entrance were found among his possessions."
Natsuki opened her mouth to reply, but Shizuru raised her hand as if to stop her.
"There's something else you may find intriguing Kruger-san," she said quickly. "You may have heard about the trade agreement Garderobe was forming with Aries. Masashi-san has been working on the details." Shizuru turned to Takeda expectantly.
Takeda nodded, looking a little surprised to be called on. "Arai was pushing to sign a trade agreement with Aries for the importation of Aries and Garderobe merchandise. Apparently, he saw it as a big step towards economic integration for Garderobe. Two weeks ago, Arai attended a summit meeting to propose his ideas. It got quite a bit of news coverage, but not everyone was as happy about it as he was."
Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"
"Arai received a series of threatening letters after the summit meeting," Takeda replied, a small smile on his face.
Shizuru sighed in mild annoyance to herself. Clearly the black-haired man planned to impress Natsuki with his 'thorough' understanding of Garderobe's trade agreements.
"That does sound interesting," Natsuki replied, a smile forming on her face. Now we're getting somewhere.
Shizuru raised an eyebrow. Was Natsuki impressed? She felt a vaguely familiar feeling wash over her. She hadn't felt it in so long that it was almost foreign to her. "Jealousy?" Shizuru asked herself. "Isn't it a bit soon for that?" Nevertheless, the sensation was quite undeniable. Shizuru studied the younger woman beside her, the feeling growing quite uncontrollably. She forced herself to look away, her focus shifting to the picture clipped on the wall. This really is the last thing I should be thinking about right now.
"Why did they get so upset?" Natsuki asked Takeda.
Shizuru studied the way the navy-haired woman was leaning in toward him. It was most-likely an indication of interest. But was she interested in his answer or the handsome agent himself?
Takeda leaned in, mimicking Natsuki's posture. "A trade agreement would be beneficial to large companies in both Garderobe and Aries. Lower taxes on merchandise means it costs less to get their products out onto shelves. And with two main locations of venue, they're almost guaranteed an increase in sales." He paused for a moment, as if to create suspense.
Natsuki locked eyes with him, waiting for him to continue.
Shizuru watched Takeda's face flush lightly. She couldn't help but feel angry. Takeda was quite popular with women in general, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Natsuki did find him attractive. His strong build and handsome features gave him quite a lead on other men. In fact, she could have sworn she'd heard from Chie that he was seeing one of her co-workers. So why was he persistently trying to get Natsuki's attention?
"So large companies would find the agreement most beneficial," Takeda continued. "It's the small, independent companies who are left to take the fall. If the company is too small to expand, this agreement doesn't help. In fact, they'd not only have to deal with competition from Garderobe's large corporations, they would have to deal with all the big names from Aries."
Nao grinned, shifting in her chair. "So you see boys and girls, size really does matter."
Natsuki blinked for a moment, turning to Shizuru. Shizuru met her gaze, a small smile creeping onto her face. Natsuki was unable to stop herself from smiling back—if only briefly.
"Thank you for that insight, Agent Zhang," Shizuru replied calmly, her eyes never leaving Natsuki's. "So you see Kruger-san, the case itself is quite complicated."
"What? You think one of the smaller companies decided that they hated him so much that they wanted him dead?" Natsuki asked Shizuru, a disbelieving tone in her voice. "That's a little extreme, don't you think?"
"Not for Garderobe," Nao laughed. "You should see some of the stuff we've had to deal with before. And Aries and Garderobe haven't exactly always been the best of friends."
"So you have no idea where any of the letters came from?" Natsuki asked. "Or when they were received?"
"There were four sent in total," Shizuru replied. "All of them no more than two days before Arai was found dead."
"And this doesn't strike you as odd?" Natsuki asked, giving Shizuru a questioning look. "They ask him to drop the trade agreement, but they don't give him time to?"
"I did notice, Agent Kruger," Shizuru replied calmly. "And yes, it does seem quite peculiar."
"Were you planning on showing me the letters sometime today?" Natsuki asked impatiently, ignoring her reply.
Shizuru paused, taken aback once again by the younger woman's mannerisms. "That depends," she replied evenly. She leaned over, picking up Natsuki's folder. She flipped it open to the page she was looking for before setting it back down. "Were you really planning not to open your folder at all?"
Natsuki blushed, glancing down at the first letter in front of her. Nice one Natsuki. Of course she would make copies.
"W..were these all mailed?" She asked, trying to recover quickly.
"Yes," Shizuru answered. "And no, Agent Kruger, the envelopes were not licked. They were sealed with an adhesive and the senders left no prints."
Natsuki's blush intensified with her glare. "They were all sent from different people?" she asked, her eyes meeting Shizuru's defiantly.
"Different organizations," Shizuru replied. "All of them untraceable."
"What if they're fake?" Natsuki asked, glancing down at the first letter. "Who says these organizations even exist? The envelopes could tell us if they came from different places."
"It seems we think alike Agent Kruger," Shizuru replied, a small smile on her face. "I had the envelopes sent off for chemical analysis this morning." She couldn't help but be impressed. The idea had only occurred to her after working the case for three days.
Natsuki inwardly groaned. Eventually she'd think of something Shizuru hadn't already covered.
"Uh, what?" Nao asked, raising her hand to cut in. It was the first she'd heard of it. "Why exactly did we do this?" She looked from Shizuru to Natsuki, her confusion evident.
Natsuki sighed. "It's extremely improbable all four companies used the same type of glue. If the results show all the glue was the same, chances are the letters were faked by one group of people."
"Exactly," Shizuru replied, a small smile on her face. She turned back to Natsuki, studying the woman intently. "She's very good at her job," Shizuru admitted. "Perhaps better than me."
"How long until we get results?" Natsuki asked. She knew Garderobe had a lot fewer agents than Fuuka. It would probably take longer to get a solid analysis.
"We should have them in a few hours," Shizuru answered. "Helene-san is quite proficient at what she does."
"Why don't we watch the tapes while Kruger-san goes through what we have?" Takeda asked. He turned to Shizuru, as if requesting her approval.
"As you wish," Shizuru nodded. She stood up so she could reach the middle of the large table. She picked up a gray-colored binder before walking over to Natsuki.
"These are my case notes Agent Kruger," Shizuru said softly. She set the binder down, leaning over the navy-haired woman to reach the table in front of her. Her arm brushed against Natsuki's softly, making the younger woman involuntarily tense up.
Natsuki held as still as she could, struggling to breathe when Shizuru put her hand gently on her shoulder.
"You now have everything I know," Shizuru breathed, her words painfully soft. She leaned in, her hand rubbing gently against Natsuki's jacket as she did. Slowly, she lowered her face by Natsuki's ear. "Now, let's see if you can tell us something that I can't."
Natsuki stifled a gasp when Shizuru's warm breath caressed her cheek. She nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to speak. She stared from the binder in front of her to Takeda, her heart racing when she realized he was watching her. "He..he's going to know," her mind yelled warningly. Natsuki couldn't help but think back to the conversation she'd overheard. She rolled her shoulder back quickly, shaking Shizuru's hand off. She scowled slightly, feigning annoyance.
Shizuru winced, pulling her arm back quickly. She couldn't help but feel like she'd just been rejected. Without speaking, she sat back down in her chair.
Takeda stood up, grabbing one of the tapes from the table. He walked over to the television in the corner, rolling it up to the front of the room.
Natsuki felt her face begin to cool down. She swallowed painfully, her mouth suddenly dry. She picked up the binder from off of the table, flipped it open, and began to read.
Nao groaned suddenly, her head rolling back in complete exasperation.
"Is something wrong Zhang-san?" Shizuru asked, her attention shifting from the TV to the red-haired agent.
"We have just watched the same thirty-two people fill up on gas from three different angles," Nao snapped. "In my book, things don't get any more wrong than that."
Natsuki smirked, looking up from the binder. It was her second time rereading everything.
"We're almost finished," Shizuru replied, sounding faintly amused. She focused her attention back to the screen. Takeda paused the image, giving Shizuru time to take down the license plate of one of the cars driving past.
"Oh look," Nao announced, "it's my favorite part." She perked up a little, watching the screen in anticipation.
Natsuki glanced up once more, studying the black and white video. After a moment, her attention was drawn to a man in a long trench coat off to the side of the screen. The man jumped back suddenly, his tank overflowing.
Nao smirked with satisfaction, making Natsuki grin. She watched as the man reached down, trying desperately to get some of the gas off his shoe. Baka.
Shizuru gave a small sigh as Takeda paused the tape once more. It certainly was getting a little tedious.
Natsuki looked back down at the binder, flipping to the end where Shizuru had written down her ideas. She had written everything out so it was incredibly easy to follow. Her train of thought was logical and concise, drawing conclusions Natsuki couldn't help but agree with. "She is good," Natsuki told herself, a pang of jealously hitting her. It wasn't any wonder Shizuru's performance ranking was higher than hers.
Natsuki studied the writing, momentarily ignoring the words entirely. Shizuru's writing was flawless, no doubt the neatest writing Natsuki had ever seen. She lifted her hand up, her fingers lightly tracing over the words on the page. She glanced up after a moment, stealing a glance towards the brown-haired woman.
The TV suddenly went blue as Takeda pressed 'stop'. Natsuki jerked her fingers away from Shizuru's elegant handwriting.
"That's it," he announced, the relief evident in his voice. "How many did we get?"
"Sixty-three different cars," Shizuru replied. "The chances of one of them belonging to an employee are slim at best."
"I have a question, Agent Viola," Natsuki announced, closing the binder quickly.
Shizuru turned to look at her, folding the notepad she was holding closed. "Of course," she replied, giving Natsuki a small nod.
Natsuki hesitated, uncomfortable under the older woman's gaze. "I um... I see you noticed there was no forced entry to the exterior door." She looked down at the closed binder, unable to meet the intensity of Shizuru's gaze. "The alarm didn't go off because it was disabled."
"That is correct," Shizuru nodded. "Do you have something to add?"
Natsuki looked up at Takeda, then over to Nao. "Am I the only one who thinks there's a very good chance that there was an employee involved?"
Shizuru nodded once again. "I believe you may be right Agent Kruger. But we need some other type of proof before we can take the next step."
"What's the next step?" Natsuki asked, eyebrows raised. Had she missed something?
"We need to find enough evidence to suggest that the motive for the murder was personal, or—at the very least—done by someone Arai knew," Shizuru explained. "If we can find something to back up our theory by Wednesday, I'm confident that we can get authorization from the director to proceed with our plan." Shizuru paused, letting what she had said sink in before continuing. "As far as we know, the murder may have something to do with the upcoming trade agreement. The Foreign Affairs Office has no choice but to reopen as soon as possible. The Foreign Affairs Aide, hand picked by Arai, will have to take over his duties. He has no choice but to proceed with the agreement."
"You think he's in danger?" Natsuki asked, her mind going over the seemingly endless possibilities. "We don't even have a definite motive yet. There's no way to prove that."
"Not yet," Shizuru sighed. "Though if you flip to the end of my notes you'll find my concerns outlined."
"What, about the council's next choice for Foreign Affairs Minister?" Natsuki asked, not having to look. "I don't see what that has to do with this."
"No?" Shizuru asked, a small smile on her face. "The Foreign Affairs Aide has no choice but to continue with Arai's plans. He will remain in office for the rest of Arai's term. Unless, of course, something were to happen to him."
"You know, something small—like getting shot in the head," Nao chimed in.
"If he were to be..." Shizuru hesitated, searching for the right word. "...removed from office, Garderobe's council would be forced to elect another Foreign Affairs Minister. The current favorite for the position has spoken out against the planned trade agreement. Without Garderobe's continued consent, the trade agreement will never get passed."
"Oh," Natsuki replied, embarrassed she hadn't made the connection herself.
"If we can find enough evidence to suggest that the murderer has easy access to the Foreign Affairs Aide, we can make a case for planting agents inside," Shizuru explained.
"You want someone to go undercover in the Foreign Affairs Office?" Natsuki asked, glancing around the room. "For how long?"
"Two weeks," Takeda answered. "The trade agreement is signed on the twenty-fourth. If we can keep the Foreign Affairs Aide safe until then, he should be out of direct danger."
"Well, the murderer got in either by using a key or picking the lock," Natsuki stated. "That says that he or she has direct access already."
"True," Shizuru nodded. "However, if I am going to make a strong case to the director I'll need more than that. Director Wong is quite reluctant to make such a strong commitment unless absolutely necessary."
"We could go over employee interviews once again," Takeda offered. "Kruger-san might find something we've missed." He turned to Natsuki, his face flushing slightly. "She seems to have an eye for things like this."
Natsuki locked eyes with him, startled. "Is..is he flirting with me?" she asked herself. She crossed her arms quickly, hoping the change in body language would subtly let him know she really wasn't interested. When he continued to stare, Natsuki let her annoyance show clearly on her face.
Nao grinned, watching the navy-haired woman's reaction with interest.
Shizuru's stomach clenched when she processed what Takeda had just said. Surely Natsuki wouldn't be so easily charmed. "We've been working for hours," Shizuru said quickly, trying to bring Natsuki's attention back to her alone. "Perhaps we should consider getting something to eat."
"Thank God," Nao exclaimed, getting up without hesitation. "Let's get out of here."
"Where?" Natsuki asked, watching Takeda get up as well. She made no move to join them.
"There's a small restaurant around the corner we usually go to," Shizuru replied. She took a slow breath, meeting Natsuki's eyes. She smiled slightly, the look in her eyes inviting. "I would love for you to join us, Kruger-san."
Natsuki froze, her face heating up as she met the older woman's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, though she wasn't sure what to say. She'd been planing on working through her lunch break. There had to be something she was missing. "I.. I think I'll stay behind," Natsuki stuttered. "I um... I just want to go over this a few more times."
Shizuru regarded her curiously. She's so hard working. She couldn't help but admire the younger woman. Shizuru watched as Natsuki picked up the binder once more, beginning to read. The determined look on her face was nothing short of captivating.
"In that case, I'll join you," Shizuru stated after a moment. Maybe without the other agents around, Natsuki would be more open to conversation. "Feel free to go on without us," she told Nao and Takeda. Silently, she prayed they wouldn't feel compelled to stay.
"W..what?!" Natsuki looked up from the binder, a shocked look on her face. "No, you should go too. A..aren't you hungry?" Well that completely backfired! Natsuki gulped, trying to appear perfectly at ease. She was not ready to be alone with Shizuru for long.
"I'm quite alright," Shizuru laughed. "Ookini Agent Kruger."
"Seriously," Natsuki pushed frantically. She refused to let the panic show on her face, but she cursed the way her voice was betraying her. "I..I just wanted to look everything over."
Nao sighed after a moment. This was taking way too long. "Suit yourself," she stated simply. She grabbed Takeda and headed for the door.
"Are you sure?" Takeda asked, the question directed entirely at Natsuki.
"Yeah," Natsuki replied, "I do this all the time." Her stomach growled, but not loudly enough to be audible by anyone other than herself. She gulped, going a little pale. That wasn't going to help her case.
"Alright," Takeda nodded. "Good luck Kruger-san." He allowed Nao to pull him out of the room the rest of the way. The door closed behind them with a menacing thud.
Natsuki hesitated, looking slowly up from the binder. Shizuru smiled slightly when the navy-haired woman looked up at her.
Natsuki swallowed hard, her face faintly flushing. She locked eyes with Shizuru, unable to look away. Shizuru held her gaze for just a little too long. She turned after a moment, walking back to her chair, and sitting down.
"I..I wanted to go through the crime scene photos again," Natsuki said quickly. She was startled when Shizuru got up, moving her chair until it was only a few inches away.
"An excellent idea," Shizuru replied, sitting down. She smiled at Natsuki, picking up the discarded folder. She flipped to the front, holding the first picture out in front of them. "Shall we?"
Natsuki nodded, her mouth going incredibly dry. Shizuru leaned over slightly to give her a better view. Natsuki blushed, her eyes focused on Shizuru's neatly crossed legs instead of the picture in front of her. Quickly, she forced herself to look at the first picture. The Foreign Affairs Minister was lying bent over his desk. There was quite a bit of blood on the table in front of him.
Natsuki squinted, studying the pattern of the blood. It was strange that it was almost all directed to the front of the desk. There was only a little blood on the wall behind him.
"Look at the pattern of the blood," Natsuki muttered, pointing to the desk. "Why is it all extending away from the wall? The only part of the wall that's significantly stained is close to the ground."
"The bullet exited through the lower portion of the back of Arai's head. The force from the impact was quite...substantial," Shizuru replied. "The exit angle forced the blood and cranial tissue down towards the base of the wall."
"Yeah," Natsuki nodded, pointing to the entry mark. "That makes sense. Look at where the bullet entered. Right through the top of his skull, not the forehead or side."
Shizuru nodded, smiling when she saw the look of excitement on the younger agent's face. "What does that tell you Agent Kruger?" she asked. Was Natsuki onto something?
"Even if you're sitting at a desk with someone standing over you, the killer would still have to extend his arm directly above you to shoot you at the same angle," Natsuki replied. "And the report said that the magnitude of the damage indicated the gun was three feet away."
"That's correct," Shizuru replied, the realization hitting her. "Which means the shooter would have had to extend his arm three feet above the victim and pointed the gun straight down to achieve the same angle."
Natsuki grinned, nodding. "But if that were the case, blood would have gone flying in all directions. Look at the top of the back wall. It's almost completely bare."
Shizuru nodded, a similar smile forming on her face. "Which means Arai could not have been sitting up straight when the bullet impacted."
"The only way the blood matches is if his head was bent over," Natsuki finished for her. She leaned over the desk in a similar manner, tilting her head down to look at the desk in demonstration. "The shooter was standing three feet in front of the desk, and Arai was looking down at the time he got shot."
"Interesting observation," Shizuru replied, impressed. "But what does that signify?"
"If someone burst into your office with a gun, what would your first reaction be to do?" Natsuki asked. She turned towards Shizuru, eagerly awaiting her answer.
Shizuru smiled, leaning in slightly. "Ara, what a question."
"Seriously," Natsuki smiled, "what would you do?"
"I'd wait by the door, pin the man against the wall, and press a similar weapon to the back of his head," Shizuru replied. "And then, of course, I would proceed to arrest him."
Natsuki laughed, unable to stop herself. Shizuru smiled, pleased with the reaction. "Okay. Now answer as if you weren't an Elite level agent," Natsuki clarified. Her grin faded slightly as she studied the brown-haired woman's face.
"I suppose I would be quite shocked," Shizuru replied thoughtfully.
"You'd either panic," Natsuki nodded, "and shove back your chair..." She got up, raising her hands in a mock surrender, shoving her chair back in the process. "...or you'd freeze, unable to move."
"You're probably correct," Shizuru smiled. She lifted a hand up, gently pulling Natsuki's hand down from over her head. She lowered it carefully, her heart racing from the contact. She held on a second longer before letting go.
Natsuki blushed, her hand still tingling as Shizuru released it. "S..so," Natsuki cleared her suddenly-dry throat, "your first instinct is definitely not to stare down at your desk."
"What if the weapon was concealed?" Shizuru asked. "Arai may not have seen the gun at all."
"That's true," Natsuki nodded, "but the sign-in sheets said he was alone in his office. Wouldn't you be surprised if you thought you were alone and someone suddenly burst in? Even if you didn't realize they had a gun."
"Yes I would be," Shizuru nodded. "Unless I didn't think I was alone."
"Exactly," Natsuki grinned. "What if one of Arai's employees was still at the office? He or she waits until everyone leaves, walks into the room, and shoots him when he's not even looking."
"Why would his head be bent down if someone else was in the room?" Shizuru frowned. "That seems a little inconsiderate,"
Natsuki hesitated, thinking it over. It was a little rude. Someone with as much status as him would probably be more tactful. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Unless he was used to them coming in all the time," Natsuki replied. She flipped to one of the crime scene photos. "Look at this," she instructed Shizuru, pointing to a close-up shot of his desk. "See the paper on it, the writing just cuts off. What if he was comfortable enough with the murderer to continue writing, even when he or she was in the same room as him? His head would have been bent down, and he would have been staring at the paper."
Shizuru's smile widened. "That's an excellent point. And Arai was working late, was he not? If a non-employee entered his office, he would no doubt have been surprised. However, this suggests he was accustomed to his or her presence in his office."
"Works for me," Natsuki grinned. She turned back to face Shizuru, their eyes meeting once more.
Shizuru smiled softly, lifting her hand to brush a stray hair out of Natsuki's eyes. "Excellent observations Agent Kruger."
Natsuki blushed, painfully aware of how close she was sitting. "Do you think that's enough to get us inside?" she asked, not even considering why she had just allowed Shizuru to touch her so intimately.
"I don't know," Shizuru replied. "There is always the remote possibility that someone ordered Arai to look down at his desk."
"You're saying someone could have paid an assassin to have Arai killed?" Natsuki clarified. "And who ever this person is, he's setting it up to look personal."
"It's possible," Shizuru replied with a sigh. "You know we really can't rule anything out."
"What if we could?" Natsuki asked, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "If I could get us proof this murder wasn't done by a professional, would it be enough?"
"It would certainly be a start," Shizuru replied, smiling. Did Natsuki see something she'd missed?
"Can you take me to your evidence room?" Natsuki asked, a little embarrassed she had to ask for help. "I need to see the murder weapon."
Shizuru nodded, a little taken aback by the request. "Right this way Agent Kruger," she said finally, walking over to the door and holding it open. She led Natsuki down the hall, pausing in front of the double doors at the end.
Natsuki walked in, glancing around the large room. It was lined with shelves full of evidence boxes from cases. Shizuru followed behind her, walking over to the large desk in the corner of the room. Natsuki turned, looking at the two women seated by the desk.
"It's not broken," the first woman protested. She brushed her short, dark-brown hair out of her eyes. She squinted as she examined the red-headed woman's wrist closely. "I'm telling you, it's not even fractured."
"It feels like it's broken," the red-haired woman pouted playfully. "You don't have to be so mean about it Yohko-chan."
"Ara, did something happen Sugiura-san?" Shizuru asked, a small frown on her face.
"It's only a sprain," the brown-haired woman cut in. She ignored the look the red-haired woman gave her, rolling her eyes slightly in exasperation.
The red-haired woman scowled before peeking around Shizuru to get a good look at Natsuki. "Ah, Kruger-san," she announced, getting up from her chair. "I've heard a lot about you." She grinned, walking over to Natsuki and holding out her hand. "Midori Sugiura, third-class agent."
"Hi," Natsuki replied wearily. She presumed that meant she didn't need to introduce herself. She quickly shook the hand that wasn't 'broken'.
Shizuru turned back to Yohko. "Are you almost done with the adhesive results Helene-san?"
The brown-haired woman smiled, handing over a folder. "I was just about to deliver them when I got an urgent page." She turned to Midori, eyebrows raised. Midori grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "The chemical analysis shows all four letters were sealed with the same substance."
"Are you quite sure?" Shizuru replied. She turned to Natsuki, mirroring the smile on her face.
"I ran it two times," Yohko nodded. She handed over the file and started to walk out the door. She paused, turning to Natsuki and Midori. "It's nice to meet you Agent Kruger. I'm Yohko Helene, fourth class. I run the infirmary and perform most of the tests on evidence here."
"Evidence that I courageously guard with my life," Midori nodded proudly. She marched back over to her desk, hopping up onto the ledge.
"Sugiura-san is also responsible for signing out weapons," Shizuru added with a small smile. Midori nodded once again, swinging her legs back and forth over the edge.
"Good luck Agent Viola," Yohko called out. She smiled at Natsuki before walking out of the room and into the hallway.
"So what can I do for you?" Midori asked, hopping off her desk. "You have the Foreign Affairs case right?"
Shizuru nodded. "Agent Kruger would like to see the murder weapon."
"Sure thing," Midori nodded. She walked around to the back of her desk and opened a drawer. When she pulled her hand out, she was holding a large set of keys. Natsuki watched as she walked over to shelf, unlocking a medium-sized box. She reached in, taking out a large plastic bag. Wordlessly, she handed it over to Natsuki.
Natsuki grinned, feeling the weight of the gun. "So this has been fully processed, right?" she asked. "We've gotten everything we can from it?"
"Yep," Midori nodded. "It's all yours. No need to use gloves."
Natsuki nodded her thanks before turning to Shizuru. "Can you show me where the shooting range is?"
Shizuru hesitated for a moment. "Ara, I suppose." Was Natsuki planning on actually using the murder weapon? She led her out of the room and down the hallway.
"Agent Viola," a man smiled as she walked past. "How's the case?"
Shizuru paused, smiling slightly. "I think it's going quite well, ookini for asking."
Natsuki stopped beside her, studying the tall man. She supposed his kind smile made him quite handsome. Then again, she probably wasn't the best judge.
The man grinned, nodding his head a little too emphatically. Natsuki scowled to herself. He was definitely hitting on her. She turned to Shizuru, startled to see her smiling back. Did Shizuru think he was handsome? Natsuki glared at the man slightly, though he didn't seem to notice she was there.
Shizuru turned, her hand resting gently on Natsuki's back. "Shall we?" she asked, pushing gently forward. Natsuki nodded, picking up the pace. They climbed down the flight of stairs and walked down the first floor hallway.
"The gym is just through there," Shizuru informed Natsuki, pointing to a door as they passed.
Natsuki nodded, memorizing it's location. She followed Shizuru through another door and into a small room. Natsuki grinned, walking over and grabbing a set of the noise-canceling earmuffs. She handed a pair to Shizuru, who put them on wordlessly. Natsuki picked up a set of safety glasses and slid them on underneath. Shizuru did the same, a questioning look on her face.
Natsuki quickly opened the door on the other side and stepped through. She glanced around the small shooting range. There were four stalls lined up, but only one of them was occupied.
The sound of the woman's shooting barely made it through the earmuffs. Natsuki watched her from a distance, waiting for her to empty the clip before walking up to a stall. The woman took off her earmuffs, letting her short, teal hair fall down freely. She turned, sensing someone was there.
"Sh..Shizuru," she stuttered, ignoring Natsuki completely.
Natsuki looked from the woman to Shizuru, startled to hear the woman call her by her first name. "They must be good friends," she decided. She couldn't help but feel jealous of the teal-haired woman. Still, something about Shizuru's posture suggested otherwise.
Shizuru paused by the doorway, hesitant to walk in. "Marguerite-san." She slid her earmuffs off; Natsuki did the same.
The teal-haired woman's expression changed suddenly, her eyes accusing. She walked over to Shizuru quickly. "Where were you Shizuru? Didn't Hallard-san tell you I've been trying to find you? I thought you would check in with me before you got started."
"I'm afraid I'm quite busy right now," Shizuru said firmly. "Whatever you wish to talk about will have to wait." She walked over to Natsuki, her back turned on the teal-haired woman.
Natsuki saw the look of annoyance on Shizuru's face. It was surprisingly strong for someone so skilled at hiding her emotions. Natsuki turned back to the other woman, finding a similar look displayed on her face. Maybe they're not friends after all?
The teal-haired woman walked out after a moment, not looking the least bit pleased. Shizuru didn't look too happy either.
"What was that about?" Natsuki asked Shizuru curiously.
Shizuru smiled, the look of annoyance disappearing completely. "Ara, I wouldn't wish to burden you. Please, proceed with what you were going to show me."
Natsuki raised her eyebrows, sensing she really shouldn't push the issue. She had a feeling it took a lot to annoy Shizuru to the point where she would dare let it show. Natsuki wordlessly put her earmuffs back on and stepped up to the nearest stall. She lifted the gun out of the plastic bag, handing the bag to Shizuru to hold. Releasing the safety, Natsuki raised the primed gun up with both her hands.
Shizuru watched, studying the way Natsuki raised it to eye level. Her eyes drifted down to Natsuki's wide stance, the practiced posture making the younger woman look incredibly impressive.
Natsuki grinned, aiming for the cardboard target's 'heart'. She took a slow breath, pulling the trigger back quickly. The gun lurched back, Natsuki's strong arms absorbing the fierce recoil.
Shizuru winced, the sound still quite startling even with the earmuffs on. Natsuki lowered her arms, studying the target. The bullet hole was no more than two inches away from the dead center of the target.
Shizuru walked up as Natsuki took off her earmuffs. She glanced at the target, a small smile forming on her face. "Impressive," she stated, eyeing the gun in Natsuki's hands.
"Arigato," Natsuki replied, hiding her relief. At least her aim was as accurate as ever. She turned, trying to look cavalier regarding the results.
"Would you mind telling me what we just proved?" Shizuru asked calmly. She hid a smile, studying the nonchalant look on the navy-haired woman's face. She could tell Natsuki was trying to show off without being too obvious.
"See for yourself," Natsuki replied, a small smirk on her face. She handed the gun to Shizuru carefully, raising her eyebrows when the brown-haired woman smiled.
"Gladly," Shizuru replied, walking into the same stall. She turned to Natsuki before raising the gun, a playful smile forming on her face. She studied the target carefully, slowing down her heart rate. After a moment she fired, startled by how strongly the gun forced her arms back.
Natsuki smirked, walking over to examine the results. Her smile faded when she studied the target. Shizuru's shot was an inch closer than hers.
Shizuru hid a smile when she saw Natsuki's smile waver. She almost felt a little guilty. Perhaps I really should have aimed slightly off.
Natsuki gaped at the target for a moment before quickly looking away. "She's incredible," Natsuki realized. She turned back to Shizuru, trying desperately to hide her jealousy. "Did you feel it?" she asked quickly.
"The recoil?" Shizuru asked. She nodded after a moment. "I admit it was quite unexpected."
Natsuki nodded. "And did you hear how loud it was? That gun is one of the loudest I've ever shot. Not exactly a good choice for someone making a hit."
Shizuru smiled, once again impressed with Natsuki's rationalizations. "Very good point Agent Kruger. This gun is far too powerful to make it a wise choice."
"Exactly," Natsuki nodded. "I think whoever bought the gun had no clue what to look for. It looks impressive, sure, but anyone experienced enough with guns to be up for hire would steer clear."
"Suggesting that the murder was most likely performed by someone inexperienced," Shizuru finished for her, a smile creeping onto her face.
"And we have the position Arai was in when he was murdered," Natsuki added. "We know whoever did it was able to get through the front door with no trouble at all. Arai was probably used to having the person in the room, so he didn't see any reason to panic. The letters were all sent by the same individual, suggesting that the murder was planned by one person or group. They were most-likely designed to divert attention away from the office itself."
"You should have been on this case days ago," Shizuru smiled. "I'm fairly sure the director will see things similarly."
Natsuki blushed, startled by the praise. She'd had similar things said to her many times before. Why was it so different when it came from Shizuru?
"Agent Kruger?" Shizuru asked, an innocent look on her face.
"Yes?" Natsuki replied, suddenly suspicious.
"I'd be more than happy to help you work on your aim."
Shizuru couldn't help but laugh at the look on her face. Ara, that worked out better than expected.
Natsuki gaped, watching Shizuru laugh. Her face flushed furiously. "It's a good thing I'm not still holding the gun," she muttered, making Shizuru laugh harder.
"Natsuki?" Shizuru asked softly, her laughter fading. Her heart raced quickly as she waited to see Natsuki's reaction. It was the first time she had used her first name. She hesitated for a moment. "I'm glad you were transferred."
Natsuki's face turned a more brilliant color. Sh..she used my first name? Natsuki opened her mouth to reply, unsure what to say. Her pulse quickened to a dangerous rate, her mind replaying what Shizuru had just said. "B..baka," Natsuki stuttered, as she quickly looked away.
Shizuru smiled, strangely encouraged by the reaction. She watched as Natsuki quickly walked out of the room.
"Natsuki," Shizuru repeated quietly to herself, the name striking her as nothing short of perfect. Her smile faded as she glanced down at the gun in her hand. The sight quickly forced her mind back to the case.
Shizuru walked out the door, meeting Natsuki in the next room. Together, the two women walked back down the hallway.
A/N: Lol, so hopefully I didn't completely mangle inventing evidence. :D I'm not exactly a CSI writer, lol.
Thanks for reading!!! :D Reviews very appreciated!