Kakashi Pov

He decided that if he hasn't grown accustom to his new quarters after two weeks, he just wouldn't bother. For one the furniture was quite outdated and he had to remedy a rickety desk with a stack of magazines from the precinct lobby. Second, his office was much too cramped and drafty due to the large space beneath the door—conveniently located toward the front of the building. The spot where most of the traffic within the precinct took place. People were constantly shuffling past—bits and pieces of their voices disturbing his studious solitude.

The place was a cacophony of deafening disorder. The blaring phones ringing off the hooks, to the office talk, suspects being led in on leashes—aggressively trying to plead their case, citizens crowding the halls demanding to speak to the head officer about a potential sighting of Menma Namikaze. Or more recently, the lovely crowd gathered in the front lot of the building in a frenzy, looking for someone to blame.

Courtesy of some overachieving news station that decide to dissect the case in a three night special, spareing no detail. It was bound to be exposed and though he tried to get in front of this, there's only so much his rank could cover. It was simply outside of his jurisdiction. The reporters were bombarding them the previous week, camping out in the lot with their recorders pressed to their faces—their cameras a flash, accompanied by rapid clicks. They'd chase down any high-ranking officer, hoping to poke holes in the official statement.

Kakashi always remained tightlipped, urgently fleeing the crowd and closing himself into a cab. Usually he'd try to assure the public that he had their best interest at heart and needed their patience and cooperation. But this case was entirely a different demon, he couldn't just charm those people into believing him especially when he didn't have any concrete leads.

Though he was positive he hadn't left any stone unturn, there seemed to be something, some integral.

Something to do with the Hyuuga girl.

He has brainstormed with Rin over the phone for hours last night and neither of them seem to understand his motive for kidnapping. Though the Yamanaka girl, Sakura's friend was convinced that this Miss Hyuuga may have had some sort of school girl crush.

He's carefully gone through all the files the database could offer on Hyuuga, Hinata.

Parents Hiashi and Hanako.

Mom passes during birth.

Hiashi raises his daughter in Tokyo with the help of his eldest brother Hizashi.

He starts his own farming company and does well for himself.

Hiashi and Hinata move back to Konoha

Hiashi dies of CVD

Hizashi refuses to take in the girl.

The system finds a distant relative on the mothers side.

Toneri Otsutsuki

The medical files suggest multiple issues after the loss.

Uncle puts her in therapy for a short while.

She's in and out of facilities and prescribed an index of depressants and various medications.

Admitted on two occasions to the leaf's psychiatric hospital for [[redacted]]. Longest admittance, 6 months.

Back into the custody of her uncle.

Last her professor, Yuhi, Kurenai reported an instance of possible abuse when student came to class late and passed out from dehydration. Bruises discovered on her left hipbone and left eye.

The home is cleared, Uncle is evaluated and cleared.

There was no follow up on this event.

Her doctor changes her prescription.

Uncle dies.

An unfortunate timeline of events for such a young girl. He and Rin discussed her info amongst themselves.

Rin driven to silence and tears by the end of the lifeline.

"That's so god-awful, I hate this job sometimes. Poor kid couldn't even catch a break. And then to have that terror on top of all that. You have to find her."

Always the bleeding heart with her but he wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes he forgets that every folder contained the life of a real human but Rin never did.

Kakashi couldn't imagine what Menma had in store for this girl, or if he had anything at all.

The uncle had died brutally and though the assault case against the uncle may have been ruled inconclusive, what if he had been abusive to his niece?

Afterall, Kakashi had the displeasure of touring the grounds and there was no doubt that a great deal of unholy horrors had taken place there.

Who killed the uncle?

Menma or Miss Hyuuga.

Possibly self defense in her case.

All three victims deceased the same day, different times.

It doesn't make any sense.

Sasukes death?

What is the purpose there?


"Look at them, like sharks out for blood—" Officer Choy whistles, peeking through the shift blinds in the corner of Kakashi's office, "So, this is the impact of the press huh." And shortly after, "I'm not loving it."

Kakashi despises the poor wooden chair without arm rests. Is he supposed to believe this place didn't have a decent enough budget to at least comfort the backside of hardworking enforcement.

He found the back arch much too low and unsupportive of his frame—every time he leaned back to take a break it'd almost feel like he'd tumble backward.

"KAKASHI!"

The boisterous sound of the chief inspector's voice shook the very foundation of his room.

A lock for the door…imperative.

The intrusions would no longer be tolerated after today.

"Shit!" Choy gasped, immediately fumbling into shape, like a sentinel—the mug of coffee looking displaced as he stood stock still. Kakashi continued scrawling easily into a folder, filling out an affidavit and warrant request. There had been a property he was itching to look into. He'd already be cutting it close getting to the notary public on such short notice.

"KAKASHIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

The door bursts open revealing the form of a man Kakashi did his best to avoid out of sheer irritation—amongst other reasons.

"Inspector?"

He needn't look any further to find the person responsible for this travesty of order.

"No need to get up boy scout." He teases, not spotting Choy and biting into a ripe red apple. The crunch. Obnoxious.

"And you're back from…?" Kakashi prompts, lifting a hand to give him a chance to supply an answer.

The man flashes a megawatt smile, snapping his hard liver spotted fingers—like someone who had just thought up a sufficient lie. "Checking in with you but I'm afraid I'll be departing again in a bit. Got a gig, with some shy tomatoes."

"Is this another one of your euphemisms for something sexually inappropriate?"

The man laughs, his boots heavy against the floor as he approaches Kakashi's desk, another crisp bite of the apple—a slurp.

"Mmh, juicy-wusie. I'm afraid not. I'm turning over a new leaf—sobriety for the long haul, no more bath houses…at least until the people of this city can't identify me in a public space. Press is swarming the building like flies on shit."

Kakashi only grunts, "They'll get bored."

Jiraiya scoffs, "Don't bet on it. They're absolutely horrified and looking for the right answers to put them to sleep at night. I know you've tingled with the best of them, heck, you're the famous LIEUTENANT KAKASHI OF TOKYO! However, the only thing this place is famous for is the diner up the road, and that one happy-ending massage parlor on Nikoto road. They're new but I'll tell ya what the-…."

Kakashi looks up to give his colleague a long stare, "I can't imagine there being a point to this conversation."

The senior chief chomps down on the apple, humming with over indulgence. "There is…hmm…hmm," he gulps, "and that is, this place hasn't seen the action you have and neither have any of my officers so you'll have to excuse everyone for their shortcomings. We're not up to your speed, I get it….mmh.." another nauseating bite, "bwut—mmh, like the parlor on Nikoto road, we won't leave you standing alone."

Officer Choy sputters out a chuckle at the joke, then when the two superiors turn their heads to him—he promptly excuses himself, narrowly missing the trash bin on his sloppy jog out the door.

Jiraiya looks after him, chewing absentmindedly. Kakashi gave him a once over, not too surprised that he was violating the dress code and wearing the usual; cowhide leather jacket, a white shirt, black jeans and a tactical gun belt—likely housing an issued handgun.

It was above his paygrade to question leadership so he only doubled down on the files in front of him.

"I say all this to say, we've got your back. The ball is in your court in regard to how you want us to tackle this media backlash. I didn't quite catch the news story—or even dig into his file but I do know we have to buckle down with the units out on patrol. They should have found something by now, I mean—how weaselly could the kid be?"

Kakashi leans forward, elbows pressed to his desk.

"Kid," He scoffs, "refrain from belittling the severity of this situation. He's reptilian, he's already killed three people and possibly a fourth. He's no kid inspector. Speaking of—both Uchiha, Sasuke and Haruno, Sakura were university students, along with Hyuuga, Hinata. We have to push for the university to impose a curfew, he may not still be there but it's close enough to where those two murders occurred."

At least with the campus somewhat restricted and under surveillance—it's one place he wouldn't double back to. There was no way he'd ever go back there, not without being recognized.

Kakashi remembered questioning a handful of students after those murders.

So many of them in disbelief, grieving or simply frightened. Sakura's friends were visibly shaken and parents had even began pulling them from their programs. Train stations, buses and airport sells were rocketing with the amount of people fleeing the city. And yet, he was still out there—keeping his eyes on the ground and maneuvering around freely.

"I'll look into that on my way to the—the thing I'm doin." The chief inspector claims, his face slightly more hardened—though he bit into his apple once more. "hmmph, I reckon I best take a look at those files on my way out. Still don't have a face for the name."

"That would be pertinent, inspector." Kakashi rasps, finding his throat parched. He has been fiending for some coffee and hasn't had the honor of being acquainted with this precinct's breakroom. Though if it is anything like the building itself it'd likely be a letdown—and he'd just have to find his way to the diner. He gathered himself to his feet, "In the meantime I'll be assembling a task force and combing areas of interest myself. Some of those pedestrian leads may hold some weight."

"Thee lieutenant Hataka Kakashi everyone." The white-haired chief announced proudly. "See, we're in good hands, you have a plan and—besides no bodies have found since the big three."

Kakashi grabs his jacket from the back of the chair, tucking it under his arm. The day has been balmy, he's certain he wouldn't be needing it.