Check 7 - The love of family is much more important than wealth

Hiro couldn't help but jump a bit as Daisuke loudly thumped the steering wheel. It was probably the most expressive thing the man had done since they'd arrived. Echoes of that fateful night still danced behind the teen's eyes, the thud sounding louder in his mind than it probably was in reality.

For his part, the events had happened so fast, so unexpectedly, that Hiro's mind was having trouble processing it. He somehow felt he should have sensed things before they had happened, but he'd been so lost in a memory it had taken his aunt's voice to pull him back to the present. He had to stop doing that.

"Master Daisuke, are you okay?" Suzue asked. Once more, she was sitting in the back with Hiro, though she was currently leaning towards the driver's seat, body tense. If Hiro had to guess, she'd quite possibly never seen him like this before.

As for Cass, she was slumped back against the bucket seat she was in, possibly trying to pull herself together after recent events. He couldn't blame her for that if it were the case. Some stranger had fired a dart at her, or maybe Daisuke. And it had only been Daisuke's quick reflexes that had kept either one of them from getting hit.

Part of him wanted to back to the scene and have Baymax scan every millimeter for potential clues. Chances were good there was something that would be overlooked. But then he had to remind himself that Daisuke was a police inspector, with a team of fellow officers he could call on. Not to mention potentially have a private army he could summon at a moment's notice. Probably. Though, based off what he'd seen, it was likely an army of drones.

Baymax swiveled to look towards the teen. Hiro didn't have to look to feel the vinyl moving to face him. It was understandable. He hadn't been this jumpy for a while, but the day had definitely done a number on him, on them all.

Daisuke didn't answer Suzue's question, Hiro noted, ignoring Baymax. Instead, he exited the car, slamming the door hard enough to make even Aunt Cass jump. He moved a few paces away from the vehicle, possibly giving himself a semblance of space before pressing at his stud earring and firing off a rapid string of dialogue at HEUSC that wasn't audible, or lip-readable from anyone in the car.

"Daisuke's vitals indicate he is distressed," Baymax observed.

The eye roll was probably not necessary, but the stress was obvious, Hiro thought as he gave his expression full sway. "Ya think?"

Not waiting to see what the ladies in the car would, Hiro chose to exit from his side of the vehicle. He recognized the set to the older man's shoulders all too well. But before Baymax could join him, he shut the car door, leaving his faithful companion with his aunt and Suzue.

If this had been Fred's vacation house out on the east side of the United States, his footsteps would have crunched on gravel, alerting the man he approached. Instead, his footsteps were silent on the pavement of the driveway. In fact, he thought he saw Daisuke jump just a little as he reached out to touch him on the back.

For a moment, it looked like Daisuke would stride purposefully away, ignoring the teen, but then thought better of it. "What?" he said in a gruff voice. Clearly he hadn't expected to be interrupted.

Everything in Hiro screamed he needed to tread carefully with this one. Under the right circumstances, Daisuke could be more than a loose cannon. It was obvious what his emotional state was at that moment and it was probably best to not push things. "Thanks," he said, not voicing any of his other thoughts.

Daisuke looked down, having to turn partially to look at the top of Hiro's head. The mop of hair made it impossible to tell what kind of expression he might have from that angle, especially since Hiro had chosen to turn his face towards the ground. "For what? I've done nothing to warrant your thanks."

"Not true," Hiro countered. "I should have been the one pushing my aunt to safety but I was too caught up in the past to react. So thank you. Your quick reflexes and thinking kept two people from getting hurt." Under his fingertips, Hiro could feel Daisuke's back muscles relaxing just a bit. It was subtle, but he was more attuned to the moment they were in than he'd been earlier so it was easy.

A faint huff of breath escaped Daisuke's lips. "Two?"

Hiro resisted the urge to chuckle humorlessly, lest it be taken the wrong way. "Well, yeah," he countered. "You were also in the path of that dart. It could have been aimed at either of you. I'm just as glad you're okay. You're family too."

Almost as if it were a sub-conscious move on his part, Daisuke's hand moved to pat Hiro on the head. He quickly removed his hand when he realized what he was doing. "I appreciate that."

No more words appeared to be necessary, nor would they likely be welcomed at that point, Hiro felt. It helped that the car doors opened behind them both as Cass and Suzue exited the vehicle, Baymax behind them.

"I should go get changed," Daisuke said when the others had gotten close enough to hear him without his having to raise his voice. "Excuse me."

Suzue looked conflicted for a moment before determination set into her expression. "I'm going to get changed too," she announced as she followed the older Kambe towards the entrance.

For her part, Cass stopped next to Hiro. "What was that all about?" She couldn't help but watch the two enter the mansion, one after the other.

Hiro shrugged. "I figured Daisuke needed someone to tell him he did good."

Despite the stains on her clothes, Cass pulled Hiro into a side hug, nuzzling his hair with her chin for a moment before letting him go. "I'm sure he needed that," she agreed. "Come on. I think I want to get out of these clothes. And I'm sure you wouldn't mind changing, too."

The tender smile was more than audible and Hiro couldn't help but push a step ahead of her to turn around and offer her a full on hug, regardless of whether or not it would dirty his shirt or not. "I love you, Aunt Cass," he stated before breaking away and heading towards the doors.

Behind them, Baymax waddled slowly, his vinyl legs rubbing a bit against the pavement with a faint squeak.

…..

Ryo Hoshino frowned as he waited for the front gates to the Kambe grounds to open. He hadn't expected to get a call to report to the mansion in an official capacity. The last time he'd had any official police business involving the family, outside of the usual work stuff, was when they'd arrested the real murderer of Sayuri Kambe. It felt more than a little odd.

The gates finally opened and he drove through the opening, more than a little curious. He'd been told to come incognito. In fact, all supporting officers had been told to do the same, though they were asked to use the other entrances so as not to draw too much attention. That and they were headed to the back of the property where the older villa sat instead of where the newer, gaudier one was.

Hoshino drove carefully down the long drive. It wasn't that it was necessary so as not to get lost. The road was pretty straightforward. He just didn't want to miss anything. After all, the call had indicated a potential intruder and he wanted to carefully scrutinize the vegetation on his way. He was sure his fellow officers were doing the same, despite suggestions that the perpetrator had gotten away.

Ahead, the massive monstrosity that was the mansion of the Kambe family appeared. Its random angles reminded him more of something a child might have thrown together with blocks, but he supposed it had aesthetic merit. It wasn't something he'd choose to live in, though he correctly guessed it probably had not been built with Daisuke's input.

There was a black car already parked under the large awning leading up to the front door when he got there so he pulled around to the other side, in the wide area in front of it. It meant a bit more of a walk for him but he didn't want to park behind whoever owned the other vehicle.

A butler opened the main entrance moments before he got there, one different than the one he'd expected. It made sense. The other butler had been arrested as part of the murder conspiracy some odd months ago. He'd never seen this man before and mentally told himself to get some information on the man, just to be safe. It never hurt to make sure all parties involved were on the up and up. It was his duty.

"This way," the butler indicated, leading Hoshino towards a large sitting room off the even larger main foyer. At least it seemed large to him. Just how big was this place? Considering the outward appearance, it probably was bigger on the inside than the outside. And, with that in mind, the inspector chose to ignore any other details about the house. It might threaten to overwhelm him.

Inside, two people sat on a sofa behind a coffee table. Technically, he supposed it was more of a love seat, meant only for two occupants, but it was a bit on the larger side. Two more such sofas faced each other on either side, placing the round coffee table in the middle of a sort of horse show formation. The whole ensemble was a bit lower than the main floor, nestled in a carpeted depression in the middle of the room. Various collectibles and cabinets lined the geometrically decorated walls, with a fireplace off to one side.

The two people sitting on the far couch were unfamiliar to him, one looking more like a young teen than anything. The woman sitting next to him was definitely related though. While he approached the setting, Suzue Kambe entered from a doorway on the far side of the room and took a seat on the left couch. It took Hoshino a second to realize the white balloon thing behind the first sofa wasn't a sculpture, but something capable of animation, mostly like some kind of robot.

Looking around, the man of the house was not present and the detective couldn't help but wonder at that. Wasn't he the one who'd had them called? Perhaps it was only a matter of him joining them after making sure the other cops were headed to the correct location. So, instead of waiting for his host, he approached those already sitting. "I'm Inspector Hoshino," he introduced, holding out his credentials, "from the first division."

For a group supposedly having a memorial service, those in attendance certainly didn't look the part. The teen wore a red t-shirt with some design on it, along with cargo shorts. The woman next to him looked more the part of the mourner with a black shirt and Capri jeans. Suzue wore the usual tan shorts with matching buttoned shirt that made him think she was on her way to a safari.

Something niggled at the back of his brain, until he realized what it was. Where was Haru Katou? He'd heard his former partner would be at the Kambe estate for the memorial, but he was decidedly absent. He glanced around the room, in case he'd missed his friend, to no avail. Perhaps he'd gone home early.

Before any further comments could be offered, like introductions on the others' part, Daisuke entered the room, adjusting his cuff links. He wore the usual button down shirt with a waistcoat and dark slacks and tie. Again, not looking like someone who was in mourning. His hair was slicked back and still damp, presumably from a shower. "Thank you for coming" he said from the get go. "I apologize for not being here to meet you."

Since it was obvious the man had taken the time to clean himself up, Hoshino felt a little odd at the apology. That and it wasn't exactly the norm for the man who constantly made Katou's life hell. At least that's what he'd kind of observed. Maybe it was more like an attempt at a sibling-like relationship, and, since Daisuke was an only child, he failed miserably at it.

"It's fine," Hoshino replied. "I just got here myself." He pulled out his notebook, pencil at the ready to take any notes when Daisuke took a seat next to Suzue, indicating he should sit on the sofa across from him.

At a nudge from Suzue, Daisuke cleared his throat before indicating the two on the middle couch. "This is my aunt and cousin on my mother's side," he introduced, "Cass and Hiro Hamada from San Fransokyo."

Well, that made sense, Hoshino supposed, but he'd still need to look into them to be safe. He made note of their names in his notebook. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, if you could give me the details of what happened."

Between Daisuke and Suzue, Hoshino's notes soon filled several pages as he took their statements. Once they were done with their version of events, he turned to Cass and Hiro. "Do you have anything to add?"

The teen squirmed a bit, looking uncomfortable. "I didn't see much," he admitted. "I was talking to Daisuke when Aunt Cass called out suddenly. The next thing I knew, he'd jumped over the table and pushed her to the ground. I didn't realize why at first, until Daisuke looked for the dart. After that, I went to make sure my aunt was okay."

Cass gave the teen's knee a brief pat before folding her hands in her lap. As the one who'd seen the shooter first, and possibly the only one who actually had, her statement demanded more attention and Hoshino was prepared to give it. "Suzue and I were talking about different types of places to eat in the area when I thought I saw something outside. I looked up in time to see a dark figure pull out what looked like some kind of cylinder. I called out, not sure who it was. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, Daisuke pressing me down as a rush of air flew overhead."

She gave a few more details about what happened after the fact, including their return to the mansion before going to get cleaned up. That explained their less than typical memorial clothes. And, all things considered, everyone's statements matched up. But it couldn't be just that simple. There were too many unanswered questions for his liking.

"Is there anything else you think might be important?" the inspector asked the room at large. He noticed Daisuke and Suzue exchange glances.

Daisuke slid forward a bit, hand out as if making an offering. "I have security footage from inside the room in question, as well as the immediate area outside. I'll have my butler provide you with a copy of it."

Hoshino nodded. "You have my thanks." He stood to go, feeling that this interview was over, but was surprised when Cass cleared her throat. He turned to her, head tilted slightly to one side.

Cass looked uncomfortable as everyone in the room looked her way but pressed on anyway. "I don't know if it's related, but I felt like someone was watching us at the graveside." She gave her nephew a chagrined look, her shoulders shrugging a bit. "I didn't think much of it at the time. I figured it might be some paparazzi sneaking in to snap a few pictures. But it made me feel very uncomfortable. It was almost like they were focusing on me. But when I tried to see if I could get a better view, the person left."

The Kambe leader gave Cass a calculated look that held a hint of surprise, Hoshino thought. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

Cass seemed to shrink a little, looking meek and small. "We used to deal with the paparazzi a lot back when Hiro graduated high school. I didn't want to believe it was anything different, but now I'm not so sure."

"That could change things," Daisuke said under his breath and Hoshino had to agree. He had yet to visit the scene, but the fact that Kambe had felt it necessary to knock his aunt out of the line of fire spoke volumes.

Hoshino went over to shake hands with Daisuke. "Thank you for your time," he said as their hands briefly made contact. "I'm sure it goes without saying that you should leave the investigation to the first division."

"Of course."

The detective shook the hands of the others in the room, out of respect, and made his exit. Apparently Cass Hamada's final contribution had come as a surprise for all in the room. He'd have to look into it as well, sending a few officers to examine the area in question. The fact that whoever this person, or persons, were had managed to get on the property of one of the most secure places in the area spoke volumes about what they were capable of. They would need to work quickly if they wanted to get to the bottom of this.

...

Hiro let out a sigh of relief when the detective left the room, the butler closing the door behind them, presumably making sure the man made his way out of the mansion without getting lost. "No matter how many times I do that, I hate it every time," he commented to no one in particular. He stood and stretched before turning to his aunt.

Before Hiro could ask about Cass's final comments, Daisuke beat him to the punch. "I don't recall anyone there outside of those invited," he mused, taking off his watch and setting it on the coffee table. "HEUSC, can you pull up the footage?"

An image projected onto the air above the glass surface of the table. It was immediately recognizable as the venue from early that morning. The view, unfortunately, was not panoramic, but still covered a wide angle. "Pause." Daisuke pointed to a section of the visible video. "Enhance."

The section in question blew up, filling the virtual screen. It showed the area of trees in question, dark in shadow, probably mostly due to the sun's angle. But, if one were to focus in a bit, a darker shadow became obvious. Unfortunately, no clear details were possible. It was almost as though some kind of camouflage net was in use.

"I didn't get a good look," Cass stated as she watched the image move around a bit while her older nephew manipulated it. "But I'll never forget that cold feeling of being watched. It actually reminded me of something else." She looked thoughtful. "Though I'm having a hard time remembering what."

Daisuke sat back; hand to chin as he contemplated. "Add this to more recent events and it almost looks like someone is targeting you." He gave Cass a pointed look. "Any idea why?"

The expression in his eyes was enough to make Cass a little defensive. "None whatsoever. We don't really know anyone in Japan besides you and Suzue. And I can't imagine anyone from back home following us here."

Her answer was perhaps a bit too quick, Daisuke thought, eyes still narrowed. She might be telling the truth, or she might be fudging it a bit. It was possible she wasn't even sure why, or wasn't even doing so consciously. He'd have to look into it later. Maybe Hiro could shed some light on that.

Speaking of the teen, Daisuke turned his attention to the youth. "I didn't realize you had been such a subject of interest," he admitted.

Hiro gave a funny little laugh. "It was annoying, to be sure. I guess "teen genius graduates high school at thirteen" made a good headline. Thankfully it didn't last long. And Aunt Cass was more than willing to go to bat for me on that one. I did have to keep a pretty low profile for a while though."

"Hmm." Daisuke did seem to recall a few news articles in the mix of HEUSC's initial reports prior to inviting the Hamadas over. He supposed he was so used to the scrutiny himself he hadn't really thought about it much. But, from a small family, one not necessarily previously in the limelight, he supposed it could be considered intrusive, to say the least. "HEUSC, look into the identities of anyone who may have kept any kind of surveillance records on the Hamadas, paparazzi or otherwise."

"Consider it done."

Daisuke noticed Hiro squirm a bit at that command and couldn't help but wonder about that. He'd seemed more than a little jittery ever since Cass had mentioned feeling like someone was watching her. Or all of them. It was still possible whoever it was had just focused more attention on her for long enough to make it felt, especially if Cass had any training in situational awareness. Situational awareness was a must for any investigator. He supposed it could hold true for any caregiver as well.

He watched the teen as he began pacing around the room. It was obvious his thoughts were going a million miles a minute, just as Daisuke's were. The question was what was going on in his head. He needed to remind himself to not take the teen lightly. He'd already shown a disposition towards details. He just wished he knew what thoughts swirled around in his mind.

You're family, too.

Daisuke felt himself pull back abruptly without actually moving.

I'm just glad you're okay.

His eyes widened. He'd not thought too much on the brief conversation prior to that moment. He'd thought the kid was just trying to make him feel better, but what if he'd actually meant it? He shook his head. Where was this coming from? It wasn't part of the investigation. But those words left his heart feeling somehow warmer, like someone had shown a light through a crack in the carefully crafted wall he'd built around himself.

Katou had managed to break through on his own terms through persistence and determination, a constant believe that there was more to Daisuke then he'd shown. Well, that was after he'd finally accepted Daisuke as more than the a-hole he'd probably come across as in his first few weeks on the force. But here was another complete stranger, who, in only two days, had told him he accepted him as something more than just a stranger, more than just a means to an end.

He took a deep breath. Technically, he could say Suzue and the others he'd grown up with had accepted him, and he them, to varying degrees. But this was somehow different. He just wasn't entirely sure how yet.

"Master Daisuke?" Suzue had moved into his line of sight, leaning in. "Is something wrong?"

Daisuke straightened. "No. I was just lost in thought." He picked up his watch, returning it to his wrist. The projection had disappeared already. Chances were good HEUSC was already evaluating, researching, tabulating, and whatever else it was he did with the new information at hand. But he still needed to look at everything from the villa for himself. In person.

While it did indeed look like there might be a specific target, he wanted to verify that before he went too far. All the same, it was better to be safe than sorry. "I request neither of you two leave the mansion for now," he said, looking directly at Hiro and Cass. "Until we can verify the target, I don't want to put you in harm's way.

"Suzue, make sure to deploy all security drones on rotation," he continued, now looking at the woman in question. "No one is allowed on the grounds without clearance. Any police officers' identities are to be verified immediately. As of this moment, we are on lockdown."

He put one hand to his ear, standing with authority. "HEUSC, get Katou back here as soon as possible. I don't care what Hoshino says. We're getting to the bottom of this with or without them."

"Understood, sir. Balance unlimited."