Chapter 2: Companions

...

Shinobu was as fast as the lightning she commanded when dealing with those that needed to be let in on the situation. Heizou confessed everything to her, since she was the one who would be searching the streets for any trace of both Kazuha's wearabout, the people responsible, and anyone related to the man currently held in jail.

It took her less time than it did him to decide on his actions and walk to her place to have arrangements made and drift into the shadows herself, leaving him with nothing but a wish for all their good fortunes and a seat at their table if he wished for a reprieve from all the stress he was under.

Heizou disliked taking it, was agitated for the few minutes he took for himself to get a drink of water and calmly breath. That didn't change the fact that he knew he needed his mind focused so his body could act.

Next was Beidou.

The pirate captain was far harder to locate than he wanted and his heart was racing as he swore under his breath, rushing from the docks back through the streets of Inazuma city and hoping to find where she'd gotten to.

It would have been a wiser thing to ask when they had parted, but he was sure neither had thought that far ahead.

Heizou ran into four members of her crew that he sent looking for her with word from him before one returned to him almost an hour later, the woman he was frantically looking for in tow.

The man's face was white and he was confused as Heizou thanked him quickly, asking him to give them some privacy. The urgency he had stirred them hadn't left and the man didn't leave, instead turning to the captain.

"You heard the man. I'll speak to you all later. In fact, if you see anyone, tell them to start gathering in the main quarters of the Alcor."

"Of course. Right away."

Heizou would have made some pithy comment about how quickly his tone changed when she spoke to him instead if the situation weren't so dire.

"I haven't found Kazuha, but I have leads." Heizou had no reason to keep any further information from Beidou than he did from Shinobu. They were people he'd need to gather information for him. The only thing he feared was anyone overhearing him. The worst part in all of this was Kazuha had come from the ship and traveled through the city, from her explanation. That left few that could have coerced him from that path and fewer still that could have gotten the better of the samurai. Those on the crew were all under suspicion, as far as Heizou was concerned - except for her. If Beidou had wanted either he or Kazuha under her control, there were easier ways, and far less public.

The Captain looked like she was ready to strike someone with how venomous the look she gave him was. Heizou wasn't sure the anger wasn't aimed his way with the eye contact and how her fist tightened at her side.

"I don't like the fact that I have to rely on the government of this damned country to help one of my own. Do you understand that?"

Heizou nodded, taking in and letting out a breath. "Of course. I don't much like the idea either, but I don't want him harmed more than I'm sure he has been. It's Kazuha, he put up a fight, I'm certain of that. I have to hope he won't have done anything to get himself killed, but I know they won't reveal if he has. Until we comply and do things as we've been asked, the control is as fragile as heated glass in a stream."

"You." Beidou shoved him. Heizou caught himself easily. She'd only used one hand. "There is no 'we' in this. There were only demands made to you. I'll follow you and do as I see best, but I want the same respect shown to me. I don't trust those that serve the archon, let alone any above them. You I know. You I trust. Don't make me regret this decision."

"Of course not." Heizou was unsure about leading this investigation. He was too close to the victim and, by technicality, was one himself. Madame Kujou should relieve him of responsibility once he made her aware of the situation. This was far above his ability to both command those that would need orders as well as his objectivity. "I don't think I can allow another to investigate this matter. I'm hoping it doesn't come to giving into their demands because that's something we can't do, so it's better if it's me."

Beidou nodded. "Good. We both understand that. Kazuha wouldn't want it for one. For another, if they're willing to kill someone for the release of a killer, it doesn't matter if the Commission here agrees. They'll kill him anyway. Probably."

Heizou nodded. "He's likely seen the faces of several involved." Kazuha wouldn't have gone without a fight and they would have used a proxy if they hadn't shown themselves, who would have to be killed in his stead if they didn't. That would have left a body, another missing person, a-...

Heizou frowned, thinking about that other report that had been on his desk. It was unlikely it was related, but it was something to consider.

"Find those you trust. Look into the matter for me. Meet me back at the office if you either find information or within twenty-four hours." That should be enough time for himself and the others to gather what they could.

"I don't like the meeting place but I suppose there's not much choice. The ship won't work and there's no other location large enough." Beidou sighed before walking off. "Take care. If they sent you that warning it might not necessarily guarantee that you're safe. They may take the opportunity to have you followed or captured as well, assuming you may try something behind the backs of those you work for or double cross them, and then we'll be rescuing two people - or retrieving corpses."

"Understood."

…

The shouting was heard outside of the office that Sara and he were in.

Though he had requested a private audience with her to discuss the case, the walls weren't sound proof and there were other Doushin within the building that hadn't been sent to investigate either Kazuha's disappearance or work regular patrols.

"I can't believe you kept this information from me when you had it in your hands and we could have been investigating this an hour ago!" Slamming her hand on the desk, Sara glared at him, not keeping her distance like Beidou did and reaching out to grab him by the front of his shirt. "What were you thinking?!"

"I had to prepare a few things." Sara was the last one who had to be told. "And, honestly… I was debating the ethics of involving the Commission. I am aware of the demand and that it was given to me, but going through with the request…"

"Don't you think I'm aware of that?" Sara was strong but he didn't weigh nothing. Her hand shook in anger and with the strain of trying to hold him in the air towards her. "That's a discussion and decision to be made with me present and possibly the other Commission heads, not you alone. Do you understand the gravity of this case and why it should not be in your hands alone?"

"I do." Heizou didn't mean for his breath to catch, but it did. "I let my feelings get in the way, I admit. It took me a few minutes to get myself together and formulate a plan to counteract the request. I have others currently investigating any who could be involved as well as searching for their accomplices if possible. Please, I didn't overlook the facts. I brought the information to you in the end, though I admit to the fault of doing so a little later than I should have."

Sara's golden eyes so full of rage were quelled slightly by his admittance, the fire burning down to a steady flame as she slowly released him. Heizou took a moment to fix his clothing and get his emotions back in check.

"You have a rather talented investigation network from what I've seen of your work. You've never filled out your informants' names on your documentation. Are you doing the same now, claiming them as unnamed associates that don't wish to be named?"

Heizou nodded. "A few of them. Others are going to be members of the Crux Fleet, led by Captain Beidou. I don't know if they'll wish to be named or not or if she'll care about her own name on any of the releases, but that doesn't matter much right now. What does matter is they may show up and I don't want them thrown out of here. They're working with me."

"With you?" Sara's eyes narrowed. "This isn't your case."

"It is." Damn it all if Heizou didn't know he was hurting, if he didn't think that he wouldn't be somewhere drinking his pain and worries away if he didn't have to use his mind to find his dearest friend. Kazuha meant the world to him and this… this was going to be difficult. "They're going to contact me and I'm going to have to be involved. Those that are investigating are doing so under my order and declaring animosity within my grounds, so there isn't much to be done."

Holding out his hand, Heizou kept his gaze steady. "I could use a partner."

Sara shook her head in disgust a moment, backing up as if he'd bitten her instead of asked her to work with him.

It wasn't an uncommon reaction but it still bothered him. Heizou didn't let it show as he stood there and waited.

After less than a minute she gave in, grabbing onto his hand and shaking it. "Very well. I don't have to allow this but it makes things easier. You're a good man, Shikanoin, and I trust you'll relay what information you find to me and work with me through this. I'll need to contact a few others, see what they wish to have done. This is above even me to have a say in, I hope you realize."

"Give me time." Heizou wanted to work with her first, try his way first. "Contact them, let them know, yes. But please, give me time to try and find those responsible and get him back without having to give in. I know there's a good chance that the other Commissions won't allow it even after asking–..." Wait.

The criminals had to be aware of this. The kidnapped someone of renown. Kazuha wasn't someone unknown to Inazuma. He was of a well-off family, who had helped save the people, who had acted in the revolution that had changed the whole country. If there had been a monument for war heroes, though Heizou was sure he would have declined such an honor, he was sure that Kazuha would have been one of the many named.

So killing him would have a lot of people after them. There was no chance they could get away with it without some kind of retaliation.

The other issue was they couldn't expect those in power to give into their demands. They were outrageous to say the least. Letting a murderer go, even for Kazuha, wasn't something they could do without 'bearing their throats' to these people. That gave them the opportunity to kidnap anyone and repeat their actions.

Or cause others like them to do the same.

Suddenly sitting and leaning against Sara's desk, he heard her startle as Heizou pressed a hand to his chin and thought. He always thought better sitting down and he didn't want to bother finding a chair while he was lost in thought.

They… they honestly expected him to be able to accomplish this, as the letter asked.

That had to be the case. But wait - then Kazuha hadn't seen their faces and would be freed? No, that was unlikely. The only thing he could think was that they didn't care that he had seen them. If they were that unafraid, this group was either large, very dangerous, or thought highly of themselves.

"So… I do as they say…" Heizou peeked up at her through his bangs. "Speak with them but don't let them be obvious about any actions they take. Let them speak with me if they wish to. I'll be the one acting. We'll work this out like a play. They want me to be the one turning against my morals, it would seem. I shall not. If it's agreed upon in the end that we free the man, I'll do it under the guise that it is only me that has done so, so that they don't question the Commission. That way, other's cannot exploit these actions."

Sara thought about his words for a moment, letting them sink in.

"I understand that line of thinking, but would anyone buy such a ruse?"

"Anyone that knows me would. I'm rather independent, and if they don't, they can look into my character deeper and see that the actions match up with ones I'd carry out anyway. I had considered, if only for a moment, not revealing the letter's contents to you."

Sara walked over to him and lightly smacked him on the side of the head. Well… it was light for her. "Treason doesn't become you."

"No, it doesn't. Besides, I like the company I keep as it stands." Heizou got up, nodding and wandering out of the room and over to his desk.

Laying out the letter that had now seen many hands, he grabbed what was stuffed in the envelope - Kazuha's hair.

Lightly placing it against the side of his cheek, as if it brought him closer to the person who it had come from, he opened the pouch he always kept at his side. Inside was nothing special. Just a green stone.

The white strands and ribbon fell beside it, keeping it company, hoping to not become another keepsake.

"Alright." Heizou picked up the first missing person's case he had set aside, fresh eyes going over the details of the young woman. "Time to prove I'm as great a detective as I think I am."

…

With a hand pressed firmly into his head, Heizou took stock of those around him.

The hour passed. Captain Beidou and only one of her men stood in his office, as did Madame Kujou and, surprisingly, Shinobu herself, who was alone and had reported to him through writing instead of verbal.

The pirates had no information to offer, Shinobu and her people only testimony of Kazuha's existence, and Sara had announced the clan heads were meeting tomorrow to have a formal discussion about this – which was to include the both of them.

"Damn it, did Kazuha truly vanish so quietly that only the wind was his witness?" Who were these people? His eyes went to Beidou. The fact that only a few on the very outskirts of the city had spotted the samurai was starting to nag at his mind. "I may have to ask, though you won't like it…"

"I don't like it." Beidou's tone forced him to stop. She tipped her head. "If you're implicating one of us, I'll tell you now, there's better ways anyone on my ship could have taken advantage of the two of you, if one of us wanted to." Her head tipped to the man at her side. "Many of us are as good as family, and I've only taken on one new crew member in the last few months, and she's not the problem. If we wanted, Kazuha wouldn't have been seen by anyone."

The man, larger than Heizou could hope to be even if he tried, folded his arms and nodded. "I'm with the Captain. If one of our hands were forced for some reason, I can possibly see it. I don't want to but I can. Still, going into the city would make it more dangerous than not, and he was seen there."

That was true. Alright. Heizou would take that information into consideration.

"We have no new information, is that correct?" Sara took over when Heizou quieted.

Those around didn't answer her. It was answer enough.

"We'll wait until tomorrow then–"

"Dragging this out is only going to get Kazuha in more danger if he's not already dead." Beidou and Sara, as far as Heizou was aware, had never spoken. They turned to each other now at the Captain's strong words. They'd been on opposing sides in the past. "I'm aware of the fact that we need to go through a process if we want the criminal they demanded out of his bird cage, but that's only if that's the route we're taking. If it's not, then there's no need to wait. So let's decide that now."

"It's only been an hour." Heizou let his fingers slide over the letter. "We could uncover more information. Twenty-four hours was the limit I was expressing before, if you're all fine with this. It will no doubt trouble a few to wait and I can't guarantee any of us will come up with anything further. This was a preliminary sweep with the hopes we'd find something quickly and it failed."

Beidou let out a heavy breath. "Another day, huh? Out of three already?"

Heizou nodded.

She thought about it before nodding. "Alright. We'll try and find any information on this Kabo guy, try and see if anyone saw where Kazuha went as well, now that you have someone who knows his last location. I'll be back tomorrow."

Captain Beidou left with those words, the others remaining.

"I'm not sure what more I can find." Shinobu turned to him. "I'll try but I exhausted most of my leads."

"It's alright. Whatever you manage will be an effort well put forth." She'd been doing amazing so far, and was the reason he at least knew Kazuha made it past the docks and into the city. "If you don't want to return tomorrow, there's no need."

Shinobu nodded before she too left, far more silently than Beidou had.

"That's the woman who comes in to bail out Arataki."

"Anonymity, Madame Kujou." Heizou flipped the paperwork around before tapping it. "I've also come to a conclusion that isn't pleasant. This young woman and another young man both disappeared last week and a little over half a week before that." He slid the papers over towards her. "There's no connection between them. No past criminal records were found and they're both in their teen years."

Sara took them and looked them over. "Two teens have been missing and no one has told me?"

"Exactly." Heizou found that strange too, now that he had time to think about it. And these requests weren't old. "They asked me for help, and only recently. So the question is, why now and why were they given to me?"

Sara let out a short breath. "More hostages?"

"Likely." There was the possibility they were part of whatever gang this was but that possibility was very low and he'd gone into their background and looked a little into their characters in that hour the others had been searching. "More than likely, though there's an equally high chance that they were using these kidnappings as a test."

Sara frowned. "A test?"

"To see how successful they'd be at making someone vanish without a trace." Heizou pawed Kazuha's wrinkled ransom letters, his heart aching at pain he could only imagine the other going through. "I don't think these people normally make a living out of kidnapping others, I haven't heard of any recent cases. It would make sense. Equally, these two missing people don't have to still be alive. Their families just had to be kept silent until Kazuha's letter made it to me. They only demanded the man for his release."

That was another ache that he didn't want to admit to. There were two people whose families were begging him for his help, and he was almost certain that he was far too late to be of any assistance to them – all because someone wanted to get to him.

"It's only a guess, correct?" Sara placed the letters back down. "This is why I wanted this case in my hands. You think too much sometimes, did you know that?"

Heizou had to laugh. It was the first since this whole situation had started and it hurt his throat as the noise ripped through him unexpectedly.

"I believe that's what I'm supposed to do as a detective."

"There's thinking about what needs to be done and then thinking about things that are better left to be worried about by those responsible. Don't think I haven't been aware of some of your actions outside of work hours. Go home. I mean it this time." Sara took the letter from him forcefully as he grabbed for it, along with the others that were on his desk. "You've done enough for the day."

The work day wasn't over and he'd scarcely done anything.

"I've sent you home once already. Don't make me have to fire you."

The serious tone in her voice was enough to get him standing. They were friends, but they were work colleagues as well and they were more the latter than the former. She'd enforce that threat if he kept pushing her.

Besides… she might have a point. He needed rest.

"I'll be out in the morning, so it's unlikely I'll do more than stop in to see if I've had anything delivered. Please don't take anything that's meant for me." Though tired, his own words were no less a threat of their own. Heizou knew they'd be fighting one another for leadership and possibly evidence.

"I may glance at it, if it's an emergency, but I won't take it. You have my word."

With nothing to do, suddenly he was a lot more tired than he had been. Nodding to her one last time, he took a few less than graceful steps around his desk before heading back to his house.

…

…

"Kaedehara."

Kazuha was torn from his half woven sleep as pain lulled him into a weary consciousness, his arms numb and his body aching from the strain of trying to hold his weight while being hung from a rafter.

Someone struck him. That wasn't a first either. He could still smell and taste his blood in his nose and on his lips as he gasped for breath.

"Come on, open your eyes."

Struggling to take in a good breath and coughing the dryness out of his lungs, Kazuha blinked equally dry eyes open as they repeatedly tried to close. It didn't matter if he was obedient to their orders or not. Violence was second nature to those that held him and he'd learned that quickly. It was less painful to listen to, but that didn't make it pleasant, and it didn't erase their actions.

"Either they're taking their sweet ass time listening to us, or that smart ass detective doesn't care about your well-being as much as we thought." Someone yanked him up by the hair. Kazuha didn't have enough strength to frown at the words. Heizou was involved? A cold blade was placed against his cheek. "I'm debating what incentive to give."

"Boss. I have an idea."

Kazuha didn't want to know what it was, but he wasn't going to bow to them either. As much as he was in pain and passing out, he did his best to try and remain on his feet and keep as much eye contact with them as he could.

The man he'd seen a few times who fed him came over, asking for the blade and being given it. Kazuha winced when it was drawn against the side of his arm where he was hanging, the blood falling down in rivulets. The cut wasn't deep and a cloth was placed on his wound. It looked like a handkerchief of some sort.

Then the man walked off and retrieved something from a box where most of the group was sitting. It was hard to tell what it was if not for the eerie, calming glow that the object gave off. It was his Vision that had been taken.

"We send them this." He wrapped the god-given gift in the blooded cloth. "I've heard stories about what happens to those who've had these taken from them. I've yet to see Kaedehara here start breaking down so I wonder if we haven't really taken it yet. Let's see what happens."

Kazuha's heart sped up. It had been close enough that the loss of his Vision had been no great issue but if it was gone…

"Oh, look who's finally starting to get scared." The man in charge grinned. "I think that will work just fine."

…

…

Three or so hours of running around after first finding the letter, six or seven more hours of failing to do more than repeatedly fidget with things around his house until it was more mess than it was clean, and two and a half restless, half-conscious hours of sleep until someone was knocking at his door.

It was late, the city was quiet. The only place that had any lights that weren't the ones burning holes into his vision were the ones in the office. The electric glow that hummed through them was anything but calming. There was more than one reason he never got any decent work done at the station.

Sara passed him an already opened envelope. "Here. Before you ask, a child delivered it. I've already had him questioned. He's with one of ours and terrified. A few mora coins and the promise that he wouldn't be told on for sneaking out late at night was all it took to get him to listen and not look twice at the person who handed it to him. All we know for certain was it was a male."

Heizou took in a breath which he let out before reaching and opening the envelope, which was more of a folder this time. It was too large and too thick to only contain a letter, though his fingers brushed a piece of paper as they gently pried out something heavier, wrapped in a cloth.

Blood wasn't new to him, the coppery smell obvious once the envelope was close enough. Slowly, he lowered it and placed it on desk. There was a thick sound that thudded against the wood. "Have you looked?"

"No. I only read the letter." Sara's eyes went to the object as if it offended her. "I have a good guess though."

Heizou frowned. Oh?

"You didn't look inside before removing it." She nodded at the paper, which was coated in a thin layer of blood that hadn't dried before the objects were placed inside together. "Read first and then I'll show you."

The letter was shorter this time, the writing much more curt.

We have given you ample time to follow our notice, great detective. Our patience isn't the only thing running out.

That was all there was. Heizou turned it over to be sure there wasn't anything he missed.

Then the lights went out and he had to blink the false daylight out of his vision a few times before he was able to see enough from what was streaming in through the windows… though that wasn't the only light.

There was something on his desk where he had placed the item from the envelope that was letting off a soft, off-blue glow. One he knew well. One he saw every night. He swallowed, the lights coming back on and blinding him.

"It's a Vision."

Sara didn't have to tell him that as Heizou unwrapped the cloth, staring at the anemo Vision, the design work around it showed that its holder hailed from Inazuma. There were few Vision holders left in the country, after the Vision Hunt Decree.

"At least we know he's still alive." Sara walked over and picked up the cloth.

"Yes…" Heizou whispered under his breath, picking up the Vision and holding it close. "But how many had wished they weren't after losing this?" Like him, he knew Kazuha had gotten his Vision young.

How broken would that make him? How much of his Vision was wrapped up in his personality? Heizou couldn't be sure. He was afraid to even guess.

Visions were based on a person's drive, their ambitions. Kazuha's… – Heizou had to breath again, thinking – Kazuha's had to be around his own personal freedom. That would make sense. It was how he acted, spoke, lived his life.

Without that…

Heizou choked a few times before his breath steadied and he was thinking. No, he wasn't thinking anymore. He'd wait for the responses from those that were searching but tomorrow, if they failed to produce results, he wouldn't be relying on the Commission offices to have final say.

The look in his eye and the stance Sara took up when she saw it as she reached for her bow spoke volumes.

"Heizou, you can't turn against us."

Couldn't he?