The Detective Prince
Chapter 145
Location Revealed
What he first believed to simply be recorded surveillance of the facility itself, he quickly came to discover that there was far more to it than that. With the single click of the computer mouse the monitors that showcased the halls inside the halls of the Ice Lounge shifted to something completely different. What was now put on display from screen to screen was a different kind of scenery. One look was all it took for him to note what.
"So besides a sharp eye of your business facility, you've got surveillance keeping watch throughout the entire city." Kaito said as he continued to look from one screen to the next.
"Not exactly," Penguin spoke in response. "The live feed that you're seeing now only covers the vicinity surrounding the Ice Lounge, from different sides of the construct of course."
"I can't imagine why you'd need that kind of security for a public club such as the one you've explained," Kaito said. "However I'll give into the possibility there's more to it than just as an added security procedure."
He smiled after learning of his thoughts on the matter.
"Perhaps so." Penguin said not denying the spoken.
"Though I must say, I am curious about one thing," Kaito said as he faced him. "About how far out in range would you say your furthest surveillance camera you've planted in place is from the building?"
He fell stumped at the asked. Why would he possibly want to know such a thing, and more importantly was there some kind of gain to be made from that bit of information. He was sided on whether not to answer the question or not, resulting in a brief pause of uncertainty.
"Why do you ask?" Penguin asked after quarreling with the thought.
"Nothing but a simple interest really."
His response seemed sincere enough, leaving him to answer the asked.
"Just under eight hundred yards from where we stand now," Penguin finally replied. "Is there any other small pointless details you'd like covered, or can we move onto the main mission at hand?"
"I have nothing more to ask," Kaito said looking toward the center monitor. "You may now proceed."
He prepared do just that, planting both hands into the comfort of his one hundred percent cotton jacket pockets before pushing on with the next line of information.
"As you know, your firs mission will be to retrieve a valuable object called the Networks Pivotal Equalizer."
The mention of its name was enough to warrant his full attention.
"As you mentioned before," Kaito said. "However not once have you brought up the current location of where it resides, all that you hinted at is that you believed Mr. Lain was the one in possession of it."
"I'm glad that you coursed that to the discussion, because that's the next thing I wanted to touch upon," Penguin proclaimed as a grin came to his lips. "You want to know where the Networks Pivotal Equalizer is.. follow me."
He was uncertain of where it was their travels would lead to but followed his move back for the security door they had entered in past. Before he knew it they found themselves back in the long hall they had been in previously.
"Where are we going?" Kaito asked.
"You'll know soon enough."
Not soon after speaking this that they came upon an elevator shaft located on the right wall. The man code named Penguin wasted no time in pressing the up switch, letting him know wherever it was they were going was floors above where they stood now. The elevator reached them in small time.
"After you." Penguin said holding out a hand to grant him entry first.
He accepted, only finding himself becoming more and more interested into where it was the two of them were going. There were few numbers that could be pressed, and only two letters that could be. Once in Penguin clicked on the letter 'R' as the two watched the doors close.
"R huh, could that possibly be a representation for roof," Kaito guessed. "Is that where we're going?"
"Right you are." Penguin confirmed.
The thought of it then came to mind as they began to move upward.
"Why are we going to the roof," Kaito thought to himself. "What could possibly be up there that relates to gaining hold of the Networks Pivotal Equalizer?"
That very thought rested on his mind the entire trip up. After a short time of paving the way the top was reached, finding his right hand shielding the tops of his eyes due to the sun light that raced in as a call of greeting.
"We're here." Penguin said being the first to step out.
Kaito traced his steps shortly after, finding his eyes gradually adjusting to the change in visual atmosphere. But above all standing on the outside where the air was at its freshest was welcomed on all levels. The view in which they got of the city that surrounded them was grand. It was as he found himself becoming lost in it all that he was called over.
"Come," Penguin said with the sway of his hand as he marched toward the edge of the roof. "There is something you need to see."
There was weight that came with those words, leaving him to quickly trail his way. They had walked to the left end of the roof, both stopping feet shy of reaching the edge. It was here that Penguin lifted a hand as if to point at something.
"There." Penguin directed.
He immediately gave eye to what had been locked on. It was a large building, one that towered above most that stood around it in the far distance. He couldn't help but wonder what importance it served in relation to their current predicament.
"What is that place," Kaito asked. "And why have you brought me all the way up here just to point it out."
"Because that's where the location where the Networks Pivotal Equalizer has been stocked," Penguin said as the grin from his face dropped. "Wayne Enterprises."
…..
The investigation was now fully underway. The computer monitor was split into three separate sections, all depicting different fatal incidents they believed to be tied to the same killer.
"We have a group of men who were stabbed, another couple who were shot, and a scenario that ended in an explosion to one of the bathrooms at Mount Zomoph," Tim said as he side eyed from one image to the next from his position in the chair. "Something doesn't quite add up."
"Yes, the method in which all were killed," Shinchi said from where he stood right of him. "It makes it tough to narrow down the list for who we should be looking for when their approach changes with each kill."
"No kidding," Tim agreed. "At the rate we're going some kind of poison could very well be their next move to pull, the list goes on."
"Even though we might not have a hint as to a motive there is still something to draw up from these killings."
"Oh yea," Tim said looking up at him. "And what's that?"
"The type of person we're dealing with, think about," Shinichi said putting things into perspective. "Their marksmanship is obviously remarkable, then there's the victims who died due to stab wounds, in each case every cut showed a level of persuasion and control, and last was the incident involving the explosion as shown on the screen."
"So what's the point you wanted to make?"
"Given all that we know about the culprit, don't you find it to be enough to at least draw up a possible line of work," Shinichi inquired. "If any occupation comes to mind I'd go as far to say this guy might have a degree of military experience."
"You know, you might have just tapped the edge of something," Tim said finding some belief in the posed. "Of course then we'd have to narrow that down to a particular field."
"And based from what we currently know that wouldn't be the easiest elimination of position to conduct," Shinichi admitted. "We simply just don't know enough as it stands."
"Either way we better start dishing out some answers, and soon," Tim said as he looked back at the computer monitor. "Lives could be hanging in the balance."
"You don't have to tell me, time is clearly pressing the matter."
His presence came without warning as he approached from behind.
"I have returned," Bruce announced as he cleared the distance between them. "Have you learned anything since my departure?"
"Nothing concrete, but we've certainly branched in another possibility," Tim replied. "How much truth comes out of it is yet to be seen."
"So let's say once we find out who this guy is," Shinichi said looking to put things into perspective. "What will be a plan for apprehending him?"
"Nothing simpler than a direct visit." Bruce replied.
"That's all nice and said, but from what we've been able to gather of this guy don't you think wherever he is staying might be, you know.. rigged in some kind of way," Shinichi said. "He's been extremely cautious with every move he has made up till this point, that alone tells me he'd have some kind of defense set in place in the case anyone learned of his location."
"A possibility I've already factored," Bruce assured."When dealing with a unique individual as we are now, counting on the unexpected is a sure thing."
"Can't disagree."
He found this moment to be an opportunity to speak in regards to another distress that presented itself.
"You were gone for several minutes," Tim noted. "Would I be right in saying you spent some of that time listening to the coverage on what has conspired at the City Hall?"
"Not entirely, but I can say I will be taking a visit up there later to have a personal look at the situation myself," Bruce declared. "After night fall of course, other than that I made a call to set up for a meeting tomorrow morning at Wayne Enterprises."
"Who do you plan on meeting with?"
"A celebrity of sorts, I was told by the front office the interest is business related," Bruce replied. "But that's behind the immediate importance, the mission is what we should solely be focused on."
"We know very little, but still enough to stir up possibility," Shinichi began. "So with that said, how to we build on what we now have?"
"It's simple," Bruce said staring him deep in the eye. "We begin the search."
To Be Continued