Morg: Heyo!

Ikuto: Remember when you said there would be movement on this story?

Amu: Good times.

Morg: And there is! I'm creating movement right now!

Ikuto: Sure.

Amu: If you owned us, we'd be dead due to neglect.

Morg: That's not true!

Ikuto: So true.

Amu: I know. It's sad.

~Indebted~

Tsukasa nodded as he checked the Velcro keeping his vest secured around his chest. He watched as the SWAT team leader motioned to the cops he'd selected for their raid to get into position. The warehouse they were about to enter had only a few entrances and exits that they needed to cover. There was no doubt in his mind that his men would be professional and efficient.

Tsukasa gave the signal and stayed back as the SWAT team hammered open the door and entered the warehouse with their guns drawn but down just the way they'd practiced. He could hear yelling but it still only sounded like the cops moving through the warehouse.

Standing there outside, Tsukasa held his breath. He waited for the sound of gunfire and was incredibly glad when it never came. He never wanted any of his men to get hurt in the line of duty.

"Sir," one of the cops said as he came back out. "You're going to want to see this. We're all clear."

Tsukasa put his gun into its holster as he nodded at the young officer. Then he followed him into the warehouse.

The empty warehouse.

"There are signs that someone cleared out of here in a hurry, sir. But we haven't found anyone."

Tsukasa frowned as he looked around the room. There was evidence to gather. He was sure that they might be able to gain a bit of information from what was hastily left behind but nothing near what they'd been hoping for. "Bring in the evidence team. Bag everything. Good work today."

"It wasn't what you were hoping for, was it?"

Tsukasa turned to one of his up-and-coming police officers. "No, Officer Tadase. I was hoping that we'd at least make a couple of arrests. An empty room was not what I wanted, though I am glad that no one got hurt and there's plenty here to go through. We'll do what we always do."

"Sir?"

"Our best," Tsukasa said before he ducked out of the way. He wanted to let his forensics team work. That and he needed to make a phone call.

XXX

Ikuto took a deep breath to study himself once he saw who was calling him. He didn't dare to look at Amu while he lifted his phone and answered the call. He wasn't sure what sort of face he was making. "Hello?"

"Ikuto, do you have a moment?"

"I'm at home in my penthouse, Tsukasa. You're free to speak to me however you can."

"I just left the warehouse."

"And?"

"It was a bust," Tsukasa admitted with a sigh. "Everything had been cleared out. We're still going over it all with a fine-toothed comb, but it wasn't what we were hoping for."

Ikuto frowned as he turned to look out the window. He did his best to cool his temper. "Do you think Saaya gave you bad intel?"

"No," Tsukasa answered. "She was telling me everything she could. I think she thought she really was doing what was right. I think her information was good."

"Then how would you find an empty warehouse?" Ikuto asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. "You shouldn't have found an empty warehouse. You should have found a bunch of thugs to arrest and flip on their bosses."

"I should have," Tsukasa agreed. "But I didn't, which makes me suspicious."

"Suspicious? Of what?"

"I think I might have a mole."

Ikuto drooped as he leaned his hand against the window to look out at the city. "What can I do?"

"Stay safe. Keep Amu safe. I'm on my way back to the station to check on Saaya. If there's a mole then she'll be in danger."

"Let me know if something changes."

"I will."

Ikuto dropped his phone down to his side without turning away from the window.

"Ikuto?"

Sighing, he turned to look at Amu. "Tsukasa said the raid didn't go well. No one was there and it looks like everything was cleared out. They knew he was coming."

Amu wrapped her arms around herself as she leaned back on the couch. "How could that be? I thought Saaya was helping."

"She was," Ikuto said with a shrug. "Tsukasa thinks he has a mole. Someone who works for the organization but also as a cop."

"People really do that? I thought that was just for movies and television."

Ikuto chuckled though it held no amusement. "No, that stuff is real."

Amu nodded as she bit her lip. She hadn't realized how much hope she was putting on the raid going well until it didn't. "What's going to happen now?"

Ikuto sighed as he moved back. He sat on the table in front of the couch so he wouldn't loom over her. "Tsukasa is going to do some checking. He's going to make sure that Saaya is still safe and then he's going to find out who might be leaking information. He's a good cop. I trust him."

"What about us?" Amu asked softly as she fiddled with her fingers. "What does this mean for me?"

"Nothing changes," Ikuto told her. "You'll stay here and work on getting your strength back. When you're ready, Utau and Rima will take you shopping for some things. You can ease your way back into living your normal life."

"No life living at the top of your tower is normal," Amu pointed out. "Going on shopping sprees with your sister isn't normal."

Ikuto shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I know. I know it isn't what you're used to but until that organization gets shut down, you aren't safe to go back to your house."

Amu squirmed for a moment before she nodded. "I don't think I'd feel safe there. Not like I feel here."

Ikuto smiled gently as he met her gaze. She had a hard time looking him in the eyes but he didn't let that bother him. He knew she was feeling embarrassed over everything that had happened to her and all the ways he'd seen her while he was rescuing her. "So we're in agreement?"

"Yeah," Amu said with a sigh as she dropped her gaze once more to her hands. "Stay here and get stronger. I can do that."

"Excellent," Ikuto said before he got to his feet. "Today was pretty disappointing."

"It was."

"Do you need anything before I go?"

Amu looked up at that. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go down to my office," Ikuto told her with another small smile. "I have to do some work today or Kairi will fire me."

"I thought you were the boss?"

"Yeah," Ikuto said as he shook his head. "Most people do."

Amu couldn't help but laugh a bit as she shook her head. "No, I don't need anything. I think I'm just going to take a bottle of water and go curl up for a nap. I haven't done anything today but I'm exhausted."

"You did plenty," Ikuto assured her. "Go get some rest. I'll be back in time for supper if you're up for eating with me."

"Sure," Amu said as she waved him off. "As long as whatever you're having is also something I can have."

Ikuto grimaced but made sure she couldn't see his face when he did so. Amu wasn't happy that she still had to limit what she was eating. She also decided that he should have to suffer with her. "I'll figure something out."

"Then I'll see you later."

Ikuto waved once before he made his way down the hallway.

XXX

Tsukasa frowned as he looked at the empty holding cell. He checked the hinges and found them undisturbed. He rechecked the log but it said that Saaya was supposed to be there still. She wasn't. She was gone.

She was gone and no one had seen her leave.

There was no doubt in his mind. There was a mole in the police force. Someone was working on both sides of the case.

Without a word, Tsukasa grabbed his jacket and stepped out of the station. He got in his car and drove for a while before he felt like he could pull out his phone.

Then he called Ikuto. "Hey, are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm in my office."

"Saaya is missing."

"What? How did that happen?"

"I'm trying to figure it out," Tsukasa sighed as he made another turn. "There wasn't anything on the cameras and the log still shows that she should be there so no one made an official transfer."

"Then your hunch about a mole was correct."

"Yes," Tsukasa agreed. "I didn't want to be right about that."

"What are you going to do? Is there anyone you think you can trust?"

"I can trust you," Tsukasa told him. "I know you still have some connections. Keep an eye out for Saaya to go up for sale. Let me know. Because then I'll know that whoever freed her didn't just take her from the station. They delivered her directly to them."

"And if they did that then you'll know that there's no getting them to flip."

Tsukasa nodded despite the fact that he knew Ikuto couldn't see him. "I need to know whether I can use them or if I just need to remove them."

"I'll let Kairi know. He'll put out feelers. We'll watch just like we did when Amu disappeared. If Saaya gets listed then we'll see it."

Tsukasa heaved another heavy sigh as he made another turn so that he could keep driving in circles while talking to Ikuto. It was the best way, he'd found, to make sure that he wasn't recorded or followed. "Are you going to tell Amu?"

"I will," Ikuto said without hesitation. "I told her when she agreed to stay with me that I wouldn't withhold information from her. I think she deserves to know."

"Don't let her do anything foolish."

"I'll do my best to keep her safe."

"Good," Tsukasa said as he pulled up to a red light. "I should let you go and get to work. I'll keep you updated when I can about what I discover. Please, do the same for me."

"I will," Ikuto promised. "Stay safe."

"You, too."

XXX

It took everything Ikuto had to not swear and chuck his phone across his office after the call disconnected. Instead, he managed to take a couple of deep breaths before he got up. "Kairi! Come in here for a second!"

Kairi stepped through the doorway just in time to watch as Ikuto made it to one side of his office and spun to start pacing the other way. "What happened now?"

"Tsukasa just called me back. Saaya is gone."

"What?"

"There's no evidence of how. She's just gone from the cell. He wants to know if it was a rescue or not."

Kairi nodded as he pushed his glasses back into place on his nose. "So I'll start monitoring the sales. Do you want me to try to get you an invite to the auction if she goes up?"

Ikuto stopped at that. He frowned down at the floor for a second before he looked back up at his second in command. "I'll talk to Amu about that. I'll let it be her choice."

"Do you think she'll say no?"

Ikuto shrugged before he looked over at Kairi. "I doubt it, but she hasn't gotten to make many decisions lately."

"Ah," Kairi agreed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't want to make this one without at least talking to her first. Give her control of the situation where you can."

"Who knows," Ikuto said with another shrug. "Maybe she'll tell me to let Saaya rot."

Kairi shook his head as he turned to leave. "You should head back upstairs soon and tell her."

"I have to figure out what we're having for supper first."

"Good luck," Kairi called over his shoulder before he was gone.

Ikuto sighed as he moved to sit back down in his chair. He just wanted to be done with it. All of it. They'd been working so hard for years to dismantle the entire organization. Every time they thought they were making process they'd suddenly hit a snag.

Of course, he'd thought this time would be different.

Now that it wasn't, he just couldn't feel anything but frustration.

He knew who they were. He knew who was pulling the strings. He just didn't have the proof that the police needed to go after them.

And he swore to his father when it all happened that he wouldn't take matters into his own hands. He wouldn't become someone that they didn't recognize anymore for revenge.

Sitting there in his office, Ikuto couldn't help but regret making that promise.

He could keep so many people safe. He could make it so Amu was safe to go home to her cute, little house. He could make it so that Utau wasn't nervous in crowded places. He could prevent so many other people from getting taken and their lives ruined.

Ikuto sighed again as he rested his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands. But he'd have to do some shady things to make that happen. He'd have to hurt people to get that far.

He would have to become someone he didn't like. Someone his sister wouldn't like. Someone Amu would turn away from.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Ikuto sat up. He cleared away the rest of his work after completing a few more tasks. Then he got up. He got up and made his way to the door. He got up to go upstairs and tell Amu. He got up to keep going.

Because that's all he could do.

.

Morg: So that's that.

Ikuto: Well, that sucks.

Amu: I did not expect that.

Morg: I've still got it!