Jenkins hurried across the parking lot, clutching a manilla folder in one hand and his briefcase in the other. The guards recognized him well enough at this point and they let him in without making him stop to show his ID. He gave them a grateful salute as he jogged past, already late to the meeting. He panted up to the visiting room and waited while the guards patted him down.
Ash was at their usual table, his head leaning on one hand, drumming his fingers absentmindedly as he watched the Japanese boy he had rescued at the urging of Griff's final message. The kid was oblivious of Ash's gaze as he sat on a bench against the wall, soaking up a small patch of sunlight let in by the jail window, curled around a book.
They both looked up as the guards buzzed Jenkins through.
Jenkins smiled at them in greeting and the Japanese boy timidly returned the smile. Ash just glared at him. Jenkins straightened his tie nervously and sat down at the table.
"Well?" Ash said.
"Damn bureaucracy at its finest," Jenkins huffed. "I haven't even been able to get the State Lawyer on the phone, let alone get an appointment to actually see the man. I've been trying for two days and-"
"Is it the normal guy?" Ash asked.
"Yeah. He's usually very quick to answer my messages," Jenkins said apologetically. "I don't know what's going on with him."
"Try talking to his assistant. Her name is Margaret. She'll be able to get you through."
Jenkins raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure, I'll try."
Ash glanced up at the boy. Ash had told him he wanted to have a chance to talk with Jenkins first, so he had gone back to reading his book after Jenkins sat down. Ash lowered his voice slightly, not enough to be suspicious but enough that he wouldn't be easily overheard.
"What were you able to find out about him?"
Jenkins sighed, "Not much."
He slid a thin folder across the table to Ash. Inside was a sheet of paper the prison had printed out detailing the events of the arrest, including a mugshot, a physical description, fingerprints, and a brief statement of the boy's injuries. Behind that was an old newspaper with a photograph paperclipped to the top. The picture was of a young, Japanese boy grinning into the camera with wide, bright eyes, holding onto the hand of a woman who smiled at her son's excitement.
"Where's the rest?" Ash asked.
Jenkins shook his head. "That's all I could find. Your mystery kid doesn't exist. Not in any legal or criminal records." Jenkins shrugged and pointed at the photograph. "The closest match I could find was to that of an eleven-year-old kid who got his fingerprints taken at the International Airport eight years ago."
Ash looked at the newspaper. It was folded to the third page which featured an article about a family that had been killed in a car accident. At the bottom of the article was a photograph of the boy, printed in grainy black and white, placed there to elicit pity at the horrible tragedy that had taken such a young life and encourage readers to turn the page and see all the sales that were happening at the local grocer's. Beneath the photograph were printed the words "Eiji Okumura, age 11."
Ash looked up at the young man sitting in the window. He was the right nationality, the right age, but he didn't bear much resemblance to the round-faced, smiling kid in the photograph.
Jenkins continued, "It's not our kid. The family got into a head-on collision with a drunk driver two days after this picture was taken. They were all killed instantly."
"Hey, Eiji," Ash said.
Eiji looked up instinctively at the sound of his name. He faltered as he realized his mistake.
Ash turned to Jenkins. "Not all of them."
Ash slid the folder across the table to Eiji as he approached. "Is this you?"
Eiji stared at the photograph and newspaper article. "Where did you get this?"
"Is it you?" Ash repeated. Eiji nodded hesitantly.
Jenkins was dumbfounded. "But- that's not possible. There were biopsies by the city coroner and a full report by the chief of police!"
"You're right," Ash said. "It's not possible." He looked up at Jenkins. "You're going to burn this folder and any other evidence you come across. Eiji Okumura, whoever he was, is dead. He doesn't exist." Ash held out his hand for the file. Eiji hesitated but handed it back.
"What, why?" Jenkins asked.
Ash looked at him darkly. "Because whoever killed Eiji Okumura and his family has the chief of police and the city coroner in their pocket. That's a dangerous combination I'd rather not get on the wrong side of."
Jenkins gaped, realizing the gravity of the situation. "I'll destroy it right away," he agreed urgently.
"Along with every other piece of evidence you come across. Understand?"
Jenkins nodded and hurried away to dispose of the folder. He waited impatiently as the guards patted him down again at the exit. "It's not like I have prison hooch up my ass!" he seethed, which only prompted a more thorough search.
The photograph of the woman was still in Eiji's hand. Ash and Eiji's eyes met.
"All of it has to be destroyed. Every piece, Eiji."
Ash held out his hand. Eiji stared down at the photograph, the woman's kind eyes smiling up at him.
Ash stood and pulled the photograph from his hand. Eiji blinked in anger. Then he blinked to fight back tears. He turned away quickly and walked to the doors leading back to prison.