I'm fine

"We're receiving a video feed from an unknown source." reported Shion as Akane requested for the blonde to play it on the screen.

What they saw- completely blew the living veteran members of Division 1 away. Akane could see the confused faces of her new members, but that wasn't important at the moment. What was on the screen as the masked mastermind spoke was important- calamitous even!

In the background, she could see him- his familiar build hunched over like someone punched him in the gut which precisely looked like what happened. He had a black left eye and purplish bruises on his muscular arms.

Fear and anxiety paralyzed her, turning her shoulders as stiff as stones.

Ginoza didn't blame her, there was no way he could. Anyone would be shocked to see one of their precious people tied to a chair and beaten black and blue. Anyone would be shocked that Kogami was even helpless- the thought of that just sent shivers a couple of people's spines.

Emotions flittered through her pale face like a current. First came the stunned look on her face, then a spike of anger, and lastly determination. She was always the type of person to bounce back after something or in this case someone threw her off.

The masked mastermind ended his video with a foreboding remark...

How long until your steel compose breaks, inspector Akane Tsunemori?

"Inspector Tsunemori." Akane turned to see Ginoza with his father's coat on, and he had that distressed look on his face. She smiled weakly, "I'm fine, Ginoza-san."

Whenever she said she was fine, he knew that wasn't that the case. They both knew it really. By now nothing could shake his former fellow Inspector until the moment she saw the video.

Kogami Shinya.

If there was one person in the world to shake up the tough woman it would be him.

Was he jealous?

Of course not. He had heard from Inspector Tsunemori about his father's observation about the striking duo.

Strangely connected by fate indeed, dad.

Awkwardly Ginoza shifted to his left, "If you need someone to talk to... I'm here Inspector Tsunemori."

He really wasn't good at this comforting thing.

"Thank you, Ginoza-san." The Enforcer once again searched through her brown eyes for anything that contradicted her unheard words.

I'm fine really.

Akane harshly pinched the bridge of her nose in hopes of relieving that balled uptightness throbbing in her head. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes languidly enjoying the silence as the air conditioner chilled the office. Akane exhaled both her held breath and anxiety in one go.

She wasn't expected him to appear before her like that.

She didn't expect to see him in the country again.

She thought that he was far far away from Sybil.

She thought he was free now.

Apparently she thought wrong.

Akane pondered on what to do next.

Kogami a hostage- that's something she never expected.

Then there was Sybil, no doubt they still wanted him dead- but given the circumstances...

Was it naive of her to hope?

To hope for a future with him alive?

That thing was good at being ridiculously calculating.

Then she'll have to bet.

Bet on her chances, like she always did with the baby chicks that were close to the Lethal Eliminator.

After all Sybil did reverse their crime coefficients...

No, she couldn't risk it.

It was his life on the scales after all.

The gears turned in her head before Akane grabbed her jacket and headed out of the office to the acquaintance that Kogami introduced to her when she was a fresh sapling.