Mission_11: Secret Investigations
"Inspector…?"
Lack-Two looks up from the book he was reading to acknowledge the rather tall figure standing across his table. He then gives her an amused look.
"Oh," he raises a brow, giving her a second round of looking, this time duly noting the figure's rather unusual ensemble.
Then he smiles in acknowledgement, and, to the figure, slight amusement.
"Good morning, Detective," Lack-Two greets.
"Just got out of church?"
Whi-Two rolls her eyes as she assumes a place at the empty seat to his front. Lack-Two chuckles as he puts his book aside and folds his arms over the table to regard his subordinate.
"You look charming," he commends.
"Like a sweet little elementary school girl on her way to her first piano recital."
"And you look like that shady old man hanging by the corner planning on kidnapping said schoolgirl on her way to her first recital," the girl cheeked, putting up a blank smile.
At that, Lack-Two snorts.
"Well that went dark really quick," he clicks his tongue, backing up a bit.
"So, what brings you here?"
"I should be asking you the same thing," Whi-Two talks back, finally mirroring her inspector's stance－a small habit she's picked up from months of dealing with her slight sociopath of a boss.
"Never really pegged you as the coffeehouse-going type－they never really seemed like your thing. Seems too…" She makes a point to look around, trying to find that one word that would sum up the crowd that surrounded the two of them.
"...Basic."
"And I suppose this is something up your alley?"
"It could," Whi-Two shrugs.
"I mean, I still do have a life outside of you."
Lack-Two raises a brow at her playfully, though Whi-Two could sense a hint of suspicion in the way he looked at her, making her nervous.
"Really," Lack-Two begins, straightening himself a bit as he rests his face on one palm.
"Because I have been frequenting this little shop for a good amount of my Sundays since I started living here, and never have I seen you and your ridiculously large hair buns around this neighborhood."
His expression changes a tiny bit, small enough for anyone to dismiss.
But Whi-Two wasn't just anyone.
"So, why are you here?"
Whi-Two watches him for a moment, and after a small sigh of resignation, she straightens herself and opens her mouth to speak. But before she could, a small tray of pastry suddenly landing between them cut her off.
"Here's the biscuit and coffee you ordered, Nate," a young waiter announces enthusiastically, making Whi-Two slightly jump. The young girl backs a bit, her wide eyes now focused on the boy, who shares the same look as he notices her.
"Oh," he smiles sheepishly, straightening himself up.
"I didn't know you were expecting company, Sir. This is certainly a first in a while." Then, without taking his eyes off of Whi-Two, he leans a bit to Lack-Two.
"Finally dating the cute detective? Respect, Sir..." he whispers approvingly.
"Be cool, Jake," Lack-Two whispers back.
"Sorry, Sir."
Then the waiter acknowledges Whi-Two.
"Can I get the lady anything?"
"Oh, um," Whi-Two smiles sheepishly, holding out her hands in gentle refusal.
"No thank you. I won't be staying for long."
At that, the waiter blinks.
"Oh," he mutters, stealing a glance at Lack-Two, whose eyes were focused forward all throughout the exchange.
"Well, I'll be around if you need anything then."
Whi-Two nods at him gratefully.
"Thank you, Jake," Lack-Two addresses him, finally lifting his eyes off of Whi-Two to acknowledge the waiter as he walks away. But it was only a quick aversion. As soon as Jake was gone, his eyes return to Whi-Two again.
"You just got here," he points out, giving her yet again the playful look which the girl swears is laced with suspicion.
"Why are you leaving so soon?"
"I'm just here to wait for someone."
"And who might this someone be?" Lack-Two asks, taking his coffee mug and lifting it gently to his lips.
Whi-Two shuffles a bit on her seat, making Lack-Two raise his eyebrow in wonder.
Then the young detective sighs.
"I…" she shrugs.
"I'm actually here on a date."
Lack-Two almost spits his drink.
"A date," He repeats, gently but quickly dropping his cup as he wipes his lips with his other hand. He was notably trying hard to contain his laughter.
Whi-Two blushes a bit.
"Stop acting like it's not possible. This is already weird for me…"
"That I can imagine," Lack-Two chuckles, reaching for a napkin.
Whi-Two looks at him indignantly, making it harder for the latter to contain himself.
"So who's the lucky fellow, if I may ask?"
"In hope to protect what remaining dignity I still have left here, I refuse to disclose that information," Whi-Two huffs.
"Fair enough," Lack-Two sighs, lifting the cup again. But before it could reach his lips, another distraction comes forth, in the form of Whi-Two's phone buzzing. The girl immediately grabs it before Lack-Two could get a good look.
"Secretive now, aren't we, Detective?" the young inspector points playfully. Though, still, in Whi-Two's point of view, a hint of suspicion.
"Can't be too careful," Whi-Two snaps, not lifting her eyes off her phone.
"I mean, it is you we're talking about…"
"Which leads me to my wondering of why you're being so elusive about these things. I mean…"
He places the cup down once more and gives her a look.
"We are friends, aren't we?"
It was then that Whi-Two's expression changed－slightly, but not subtle enough that Lack-Two would miss it, being who he was. And he was sure Whi-Two knew that.
She knew he would notice how her eyes changed to something else he'd never seen before.
Something close to mistrust.
Yet still, she attempts to hide it away with a show of playfully rolling her eyes. Then she returns her gaze to her phone.
"I should go," she announces, gathering her things.
"It was nice seeing you out here, Sir. Really brings out a new perspective about you."
Lack-Two gives her a wry smile.
"As with you, Detective," he nods, eyes slowly focusing on her phone.
"You and your little secret affair have fun now."
"And despite you calling it that, I'll try."
And with that, Whi-Two was off. Lack-Two waits a few seconds before lifting his eyes up to follow her as she makes her way to the door. The window next to it had its blinds rolled down so he couldn't see exactly where she went, but he could still make her out of the faint silhouettes that passed by it. He followed the silhouette as it walked across the window's perimeter, all the way to yet another silhouette.
A familiar silhouette.
Jake approaches him from behind, his eyes focused on the same direction the young inspector was looking at.
"Isn't that the friend you mentioned from before who's back in town for some kind of work?" he asks, a bit loudly, not noticing the look of annoyance brewing in the young inspector's eyes as he returns to his coffee.
"I didn't know he was involved with your detective."
Lack-Two laces a finger around the cup's handle as he takes a long, deep, and somewhat airy breath.
"Believe me, Jake," he says in a dark voice, tightening his hold on the handle.
"That makes two of us."
Before Jake could say anything, he hears a snap, making him look back in time to see yet another cup now missing the handle, and Lack-Two's finger wrapped around the aforementioned severed handle, as the cups before.
-...-
"That was close…" Whi-Two sighs to herself in relief. Then she gives the man beside her guzzling down a spring roll a disgusted look.
"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
Hugh gives her an innocent look amidst his now vegetable-filled cheeks.
"What?"
"You could've told me sooner that Inspector frequents that coffee shop you asked me to go to!"
Hugh only gives her the same innocent look, then, with a slight hesitation, he steals a chew. Whi-Two groans in frustration.
"Well, you didn't ask," he reasons out.
"Besides, how was I supposed to know he'd be there this particular morning? I barely keep tabs on the guy and neither does he on me. That's how this friendship works."
Whi-Two watches him as he takes another bite, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"I'm sorry," she moans, covering her face with her hand. "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you like that. It's just that all this is really stressing me out, especially the part where I have to hide everything from the inspector…"
"Nah, kid, no harm done," Hugh reassures her. "I have high respect for people who know when and how to call bullshit out from people, regardless of the disparity in level." He snorts as he starts crumpling the food wrapper.
"More and more I'm getting a sense of how you last as that bastard's subordinate, let alone as his mentee... You're pretty badass yourself."
Whi-Two gives him a look.
"Thank you?"
"Besides," Hugh goes on, his stride now more lax the farther they've gotten from the shop.
"I'm surprised lying to your inspector still stresses you out, considering this isn't the first time you've done it."
Whi-Two gives him a confused look, and Hugh gestures to his right shoulder. The girl sighs with recognition.
"That's an entirely different story…"
"And I would die to hear about it some other time, but right now, I want to know something else…"
Hugh quickened his pace to walk ahead of Whi-Two and towards her path, stopping her in her tracks.
"Why the sudden decision to call me up? Didn't you, like, make some sort of promise to your inspector to leave the case behind? What? Got too tired playing the good detective act and decided to be a rebel?"
"What? No…" Whi-Two shakes her head in disbelief, walking past him.
"If anything, I'm trying to be a good detective..."
Hugh turns to look at her. He watches her for a bit before sighing and then sprinting to keep up with her.
"And you think leaving your own superior out of this is being 'good' because…?"
Whi-Two sighs.
"I'm…" she begins, biting her lips. "I'm in a very confusing time right now, Hugh. And sadly, Lack-Two's not helping. If anything, he's actually making it worse."
Hugh raises a brow to her, but other than that, he says nothing, prodding the girl to continue.
"I thought about what you said... About how the department is so adamant on closing the case despite loose ends. How they won't take my word for it, and just... let everything slide. Without so much as a fight."
"And the fact that Lack-Two keeps asking you to stand down isn't sitting well either, huh?" Hugh suggests.
Whi-Two snorts bitterly at the thought.
"For a moment, I thought it was just because he was worried about me. But now I just... " She sighs, finally releasing her then clenched fist, leaving small pangs of pain in the form of moon imprints in her palm.
"I just can't trust anyone right now. Not even Lack-Two. Most especially Lack-Two."
"And yet you come to me…" Hugh points out, giving her a knowing look, to which the girl responds with a slightly distressed expression.
Then she gives an impish smile.
"I can't do this alone, Hugh. Neither of us can. I'm going to have to trust you."
At that, Hugh grins.
"So you and I feel the same way, then," He starts chuckling to himself as he looks ahead.
"This should be fun."
Whi-Two gives him another look before letting out another remorseful sigh.
"At least one of us is having fun," she mutters.
-...-
"Ah, Inspector! Come, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to."
Lack-Two lifts his eyes momentarily from the case file he was reading to regard the woman in formal wear, and the rather chagrined officer in uniform standing next to her.
His eyebrow raises at the man's rather forlorn look.
"Inspector, meet Lieutenant Stephen Looker," the woman was saying with enthusiasm, gesturing at the man, who immediately straightens himself at the sound of his name.
"He will be leading the CSI-U temporarily while the board decides on Inspector Lai's replacement. Lieutenant Looker, this is…"
"I-Inspector Nate Alart of the SRT, of course!" the man stammers, his posture growing even stiffer.
"Who doesn't know of the famous protege of Superintendent Aldin Richards himself?" He reaches his hand out to the now displeased looking inspector.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sir. I look forward to working with you in the near future."
Lack-Two only blinks at him, his expression blank save for the brief movement in his pupils as he eyed the lieutenant from head to toe in one sweep.
The man looks to his side nervously, his hand gradually shrinking away.
"Well, you certainly are as friendly as they say," he mutters through his frozen smile.
The woman smiles at Looker apologetically.
"Oh, you simply must forgive Inspector Alart. He... Was a dear old friend to the late CSI-U lead."
"A-Ah, I see!" Looker mouths, suddenly looking agitated again, earning him yet another eyebrow raise from the now growing impatient inspector.
"Of course I understand that. Grief is... a terrible state all of us unfortunately have to go through. I truly am sorry for your loss."
Again, Lack-Two only blinks. Looker was notably beginning to sweat.
"I-I'm sorry, Inspector. I didn't mean to…"
"...No, I agree with you," Lack-Two suddenly quips, finally fashioning a less hostile and a bit more welcoming stance.
"Grief is a terrible thing each one of us has to face…"
He then tilts his head a bit, giving him a better view of what was behind the woman and Lieutenant Looker－that is, his young detective's desk, where a familiar set of outrageously styled hair was seated in.
"...And speak of the devil himself, there goes mine right now."
-...-
"Man, these are amazing! You make these?"
Hugh sticks his hand once more into the jar cradled in his other arm and pulls out another cookie and stuffs it to his mouth.
"I have been to snooty first-world countries' so-called 'pastry capitals', and I have never tasted anything that could compare to this. Are you sure you should be a detective?"
Whi-Two shrinks a bit at the sound of Hugh's voice as it booms across the room. Luckily, most of her colleagues who neighboured her desk knew how to mind their own business, or are at least good enough at pretending to do so.
She looks back at Hugh.
"I appreciate the compliments on my baking skills, Sir, but can I help you with something?" Then in a hushed voice, she added: "I don't think it's good for us to be seen together in the office. People might suspect things."
"Then let them suspect things," Hugh replies, eyes still focused on his treats.
"Here's the thing about human suspicion, Detective. The more in-your-face a situation is, the less human suspicion it earns. If it's out in the open, there's nothing to be curious about. But if you start acting all weird about it, or flat-out act like there's nothing there… That's when people get suspicious."
He pops another piece to his mouth and smiles.
"Believe me, you have nothing to worry about."
Whi-Two notices a familiar stride from the corner of her eyes, making her turn around, and slightly wince.
"I beg to differ."
Hugh gives her a confused look, which is immediately replaced by enthusiasm upon following the girl's gaze.
"Maureen!" he greets the approaching inspector, ignoring the look of disapproval in the latter's face.
"And how's my favorite butthead doing?"
"Loud and disturbing, and also with chocolate crumbs all over his mouth," Lack-Two sasses, crossing his arms at Hugh.
"So you know: pretty much the same."
"And good morning to you too, Jackass," Hugh grins.
Lack-Two sighs in exasperation.
"What are you doing here, Hugh?"
"Surprise inspection," Hugh replies, still retaining his grin.
"And I'm starting out with what the division deems to be one of their best detectives."
He makes it a point to gesture to Whi-Two, who was already trying to cover her face with a folder in hope that passerby officers wouldn't recognize her. Lack-Two only gives her a short glance before returning to Hugh.
"And may I know your verdict on the snacks you're stealing from the detective?"
"I am actually glad you asked!" Hugh enthused, taking the jar and offering it to Lack-Two's direction.
"Your detective's got real talent. You should try these; they're exquisite!"
Lack-Two eyes the jar for a moment before returning his gaze to him.
"I've had them. I don't care for it."
Whi-Two drops her folder and looks at her inspector incredulously. Hugh notices it, and lets out a chuckle.
Lack-Two sighs again as he goes back to his case file.
"But if you like them so much, I have an untouched jar in my apartment," he mutters.
"It's yours if you scram."
Hugh only grins back, unfazed.
"And who am I to reject that generous offer?" he mumbles, sliding off of Whi-Two's table and dusting himself off.
He was about to walk away when he realized he was still holding on to the jar. He pauses, turns to Whi-Two and gestures to it with a soft "can I?". Whi-Two held out her hand in assent.
"Why thank you kindly, Detective," Hugh smiles. Then he turns back to Lack-Two and gives a smug grin as he walks by him, which Lack-Two follows with a slightly annoyed gaze.
The young inspector tails the UNPol officer with his glance for a few seconds, and only then when he breaks his gaze does Hugh turn around again and call his name.
"By the way, in the interest of my role as one of the UNPol delegates for this year's evaluations, I would like to formally inform you, the highest-ranking officer currently present in office, that the official evaluations period will commence next week. My superior officer will be arriving here this time next Monday to meet with the Department's Superintendent and the rest of the board. That is all."
And with that, he turns and leaves. Lack-Two watches him in slight disbelief.
"You could've led with that," he called after him. Then, with an exasperated groan, he adds:
"Useless prick."
"'Superior officer'?" Whi-Two suddenly quips, finally letting herself rise from her small cave of shame to look at her inspector.
"There's going to be more than one of them?"
"Yes, because apparently, that new friend of yours is too incapable to do things by himself that he needs babysitting," Lack-Two mutters under his breath, returning to his file as he walks to Whi-Two's desk.
"But that's not something you'd have to worry about for now. Lucky for you..."
Whi-Two watches as Lack-Two perches himself onto her table.
"Okay, so let's get to work shall we?"
The girl only stares at him, to which Lack-Two responds with a rise of his eyebrow.
"What?"
"What are you doing?" Whi-Two grimaces at him.
"I'm about to discuss a mission with my subordinate... What are you doing?"
At that, Whi-Two blinks. Confused.
"Wait, a mission?" she repeats, leaning a bit to make sure she's heard clearly.
"That's new. I mean, what with all these paperwork, I thought you've subtly benched me indefinitely…"
"Well, now I'm un-benching you. Is there a problem with that?"
Whi-Two looks at him with uncertainty.
"No…?"
"Good," Lack-Two smiles, closing the case file and dropping it in front of her.
"Because I wouldn't care less if you did."
Instead of retorting with another clapback, Whi-Two only snorts and rolls her eyes as she picks up the file and starts scanning through it.
Then her expression changes.
"Wait... The founding day mission?" She looks up to him.
"With all due respect, Sir, this is a beginner-level case. Are you sure you don't want to give it to someone more... I don't know, appropriate for the role?"
"And am I not looking at her right now?" Lack-Two asks.
Whi-Two lets out a long deep breath as she looks down on the case file again.
"Looks like someone's going to start doing his own paperwork from now on," she mutters under her breath.
"Louder, Detective. I can't seem to quite hear you."
"I said, 'It says here that the job requires two people to go undercover'," she points out, looking back at him, now with a pseudo-attentive expression.
"Who will I be working with?"
"Who else do you think? I'm the one discussing the file with you."
At that, Whi-Two snorts.
"You're working this low-level case with me?"
Lack-Two shrugs.
"Well, I wouldn't call it 'working' as much as, maybe, babysitting."
Whi-Two stares him down as she slowly puts the case file down, trying to read through his ever unreadable expression.
"Inspector, why are you doing this? You know full well I don't need this kind of monitoring, especially from my team's highest-ranking agent."
"Glad to know you're finally learning to acknowledge ranking, Detective."
The uncertainty in Whi-Two's face accentuates.
"Did... I do something to you that's making you extra bitchy today, Sir?"
And only then did Lack-Two's expression change. He groans and rolls his eyes in exasperation.
It was only then did Whi-Two notice the dark circles under his eyes.
"Look," he begins. "I know you think I'm enjoying this little power-tripping of mine, and let me ease your mind by saying: yes, I actually am. But, as much as I want to say it's all that, it's not."
He takes a deep breath, stealing a short glance at her stacks of case files.
"I looked through your files and found that among all of the cases you've solved, though record-breaking in numbers, only about a handful are for the SUU, which doesn't really play along with the balance we're trying to maintain here as double agents."
"Since when did you start caring about 'balance'?"
Lack-Two looks at her directly in the eye.
"Since it started feeling like there isn't any anymore."
Whi-Two feels herself shrivel up a bit in slight fear. In the long time that she's worked directly under Lack-Two, there was still something about his stare that scared her to the bone. And she's been through a lot in the past three months alone.
She swallows the growing lump in her throat before talking.
"Why does it feel like... you're trying to keep a closer eye on me?" she asks.
"Why, Whi-Two?" Lack-Two asks back. "Do I need to keep a closer eye on you?"
Again, Whi-Two feels herself shrivel up some more. But she still tries to retain her ground, not letting Lack-Two melt her down.
"...No."
"Good," Lack-Two blinks, backing away.
"I'll take your word for it then."
And with that, he slides off of her table and starts walking away.
"Make sure to read that file from cover to cover, and if you have any questions…"
He suddenly stops, and turns to her.
"Please," he says. "Hesitate to ask."
-...-
"Hugh…?"
The young UNPol officer lifts his eyes momentarily from the computer screen to address the dumbfounded detective who was eyeing him down with horror-stricken eyes. To which he responds with a good-natured smile.
"Good evening, Detective," he greets with a nod before returning to his initial chore of scanning through the rapidly changing images on the screen.
"Fancy seeing you here at this time of the day. Shouldn't you be heading home by now?"
Whi-Two watches him with uncertainty before discreetly checking her backside to see if there was anyone to act as witness. Then, after making sure there was no one, she steps in and silently closes the door behind her.
"I-I was until I saw the Superintendent's office open and…" She then shakes her head as she almost stomps near him.
"Actually, I should be asking you questions here. Why are you in the Superintendent's office…" She eyes the screen in front of him.
"...Looking through our digital archives using his account… Hugh, this is borderline illegal!"
The young man only shrugs.
"Borderline…" he mutters, eyes still glued to the screen. "But not quite so."
The girl could only grimace.
"Why are you here?"
"Because your jerkface of an inspector won't allow me in his office anymore."
At that, Whi-Two blinks.
"What…?" she mumbles.
"D-Does Lack-Two know you went into his office that time?"
"Well, of course he does. I told him."
"T-Then, does he know about…?"
And it was only then that Hugh returned his gaze to her, a knowing look on his face.
"Were we both banned from his office?" Then he chuckles as he moves his eyes again back to the monitor.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Detective Rosa, but you're quite the worrier. And quite needlessly at that."
"Sir, I…"
"You said you trust me, right?" Hugh goes on, the cheerful tone still apparent as he talks.
"Well, I hope you trust me enough to realize that I know what I'm doing. And that I know Nate enough to keep him where I want him and keep him guessing."
Then he pauses to give the uncertain girl a wink.
"I could teach you a few things if you like."
"Wha…"
"Besides," Hugh continues, looking back at the screen. "I'm almost done here anyway. And if you're worried that some other officers have seen me walk in here, let the records know that this is my father's office to begin with."
Whi-Two watches him for a minute before finally loosening her posture with a sigh, assuming a seat across him.
"Why me?" she groans to herself. Then she eyes the screen again, and found that Hugh was reading through even more case files. And at a faster rate too. The young detective squinted a bit to make out the words that she could, and the first thing she finds surprises her.
Submitted by Insp. Lailani Oudir, CSI-U
"Wait, are those…?"
"Something didn't seem to add up when we last talked," Hugh explains, following Whi-Two's gaze momentarily. "The day Lai died wasn't the first time you've seen this so-called rogue ex-police officer Yuri, right?"
"Well, yes," Whi-Two responds to the affirmative. "The first time was when he ambushed the inspector and I during the investigation of a summary execution. Back in Driftveil."
"So it was during a case assigned to the CSI-U," Hugh hums, still reading, his fingers tapping the keys away rapidly but in a steady rhythm.
"Which means there should be at least one report regarding the incident. Yet, somehow, I can't seem to find any… And this is already the masterlist of all cases in the past two years."
He gives Whi-Two a look.
"Why do you think that is?"
The young detective notably flinches as she looks down. Hugh raises a brow at her.
"Oh, that's…" she begins, absentmindedly lifting her left hand to her right shoulder.
"That's because I asked Inspector Lai to not tell Inspector Lack-Two about what happened. For personal reasons…"
"Be that as it may, there should have at least been a report regarding the summary execution case itself, but even that doesn't seem to exist anywhere here," Hugh points out, clicking around. "Not even medical reports from the coroner's office regarding the victim. And this database is supposed to be updated for the annual evaluations."
"Nothing at all?" Whi-Two blinks, suddenly feeling a sense of suspicion. She springs up and slightly shoves Hugh to the side as she begins her attempt to search through the files, using details she remembers so crisply as keywords.
But even with her efforts, nothing substantial seemed to come up.
That was strange. She was positive she submitted a report to Lai as soon as she's recovered enough during that time.
Whi-Two could feel a dreadful sense of deja vu.
"I don't get it…" Whi-Two mutters. "I could've sworn that all paperworks for this case was properly dealt with. Even the medical reports. I remember being the one to retrieve those personally and give them to the late inspector. Why…"
She gives Hugh a look of concern.
"Do you think someone might have deleted it from the database?"
Hugh clenches his jaw a bit before letting out a sigh.
"Well, there's that possibility," he claims, leaning forward again to pull the keyboard towards him.
"But then again, this is the database for all the digitized case files, which ideally, should've been everything, but let's face it, not all inspectors are as diligent about these things as your inspector."
Whi-Two makes a subtle face at the statement.
Hugh was right about the diligence part, but it was certainly not Lack-Two's that was to receive a compliment.
"Which means it's still possible that Lai was not able to type in everything before she…" Hugh trails off, clenching his jaw again. Whi-Two watches him with worry. Hugh notices this, and immediately shakes the look of misery away with a cough.
"But all the hard copies of the reports have been stashed away in archives, and there's no way I can get in there. Unfortunately this is how far my privileges can go." He sighs as he rests his face on his outstretched palm in contemplation. Then he gives Whi-Two a look.
"O-Oh, not me either, Sir," she claims, holding her hand up in gentle refusal. "I've actually just been pulled out of deskwork. Just this morning, actually."
"Wait, you're finally back in the field?" Hugh smiles, dropping his hand down in enthusiasm.
"Hey, good for you, kid! Alart finally realized he's making you rot and decided to pull you out of his vault of precious belongings, huh?"
"I'm not sure that's the case," Whi-Two sighs. "I have a gut feeling that he's doing this to keep a closer eye on me."
"Why?" Hugh asks. "Is Nate onto us?"
"Looks like it," Whi-Two sighs. "Or onto me, at least. He's been sticking around me more so than usual, and I always notice this weird, angry look in his eyes whenever he sees us together. It's almost like…"
To the girl's surprise, Hugh suddenly laughs out loud.
"What's so funny?" Whi-Two asks. Darkly.
"You," Hugh replies in between heaps of laughter. "Nate. The whole situation really."
The girl grimaces
"With all due respect, Sir. This isn't a laughing matter at all. If the inspector gets to the bottom of this, who knows what he can do to our respective careers. He might…"
"I am going to stop you right there, kid." Hugh holds up his hand as he wipes a tear away with his other.
"Believe me, I know Nate. Like, know him-know him. And I will tell you right now, that is not how he acts when he's suspicious about something."
"T-Then what do you think is it?"
Hugh shrugs with a smug smile.
"That's something you're going to have to figure out yourself."
-...-
"You're late."
Whi-Two slows down from her sprinting as soon as she reaches a respectable distance from her then obviously annoyed inspector. Lack-Two was about to open his mouth to speak but Whi-Two raises her hand to him as if to ask him to wait as she tries to catch her breath.
Oddly enough, Lack-Two does comply.
"This better be good," he growls, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Oh it is," Whi-Two responds finally after taking one long deep breath. "Gigantic floats were blocking up the avenue, causing the traffic to go to a complete standstill. I had to leave my cab in the middle of the road and run through this growing crowd just to get to you."
"And yet somehow, you managed to arrive three minutes beyond our agreed-upon time," Lack-Two snaps back.
"Come on, aren't you the least bit touched by what I just did for you?"
"Please, Detective, I've seen girls go through much worse than that and still be able to arrive at least fifteen minutes early."
"Well, unlike those girls, Inspector, I'm not trying to sleep with you."
"Honestly, I still find that hard to believe," Lack-Two sighs, finally letting his arms drop.
"But since this is essentially a work-related environment, I'll take your word for it."
He fishes out his phone and starts typing as he walks.
"Let's go."
The two start coursing through the now crowded streets of Nimbasa. Whi-Two watches as the usually fast-paced city turns into a standstill, and the once busy roads almost always filled with cars and dark smoke were now brimming with carts, balloons, and smiling people.
It was almost as if that little park where she and Lack-Two frequent expanded itself and took over the entire city.
"Wow," Whi-Two breathes, taking it all in. "Nimbasa really takes its Foundation Day really seriously. I've never seen the people here look so… Well, people-like."
"Is this your first time going out during Foundation Day, Detective?"
"Well, we still celebrate founding day back in Striaton and Aspertia, but normally we just decorate the city center with flowers, raise the flag, and that's it. But Nimbasa though…"
Whi-Two ducks as a man walks by them holding the largest batch of balloons the girl has ever seen. Lack-Two immediately pulls her closer to him.
The man looks back and bows in apology before walking away.
"You guys really take things to another level, huh?" Whi-Two points out, waving slightly at the man.
"I'm surprised," Lack-Two says, lifting his eyes momentarily from his screen to look at his detective.
"Nimbasa's Foundation Day Celebration is supposedly famous around neighboring cities, which explains the sudden rise in the number of people on the streets. It's almost a tourist attraction in itself."
"What's so special about it?"
"You've seen Nimbasa on a normal day. It's not exactly a place where people can just stop and smell the flowers, as you will. It's the region's capital, with a lot of moving parts, and sadly, the citizens are forced to play along with that. So when the city finds an excuse to just stop…"
"The people will take that opportunity to the best of their abilities…" Whi-Two continues, almost to herself.
She's then reminded of the reason why they were there in the first place.
"And some take that opportunity a bit farther than others..."
"Right," Lack-Two presses his lips into a thin line as he looks back on his phone.
"The government tries to make the day as stress-free as possible, so they especially request the UPD not to deploy that many uniformed officers. It's a bit of a crazy request, but I guess it makes sense. I mean, the last thing you want is to remind your people of the state your country is in by parading uniformed officers with heavy arms to their faces, even if it's for just one day."
Lack-Two scrolls a bit more before sighing and putting away his device.
"It's a good thing Nimbasa doesn't only have armed and uniformed officers in their rankings."
He turns to Whi-Two for a few reminders but is taken aback upon seeing his detective with a comically gigantic pretzel in her hands.
The young inspector eyes the pastry with an unreadable expression.
Whi-Two's look of satisfaction is replaced by insecurity.
"It was a dollar a piece," she reasons out.
Lack-Two does not speak, and instead transferred his gaze to her.
Whi-Two shifted a bit uncomfortably and did the first thing that came to her mind.
She gestures the pretzel slightly towards him.
"Want a bite?"
Lack-Two eyes her a few seconds more before sighing.
"Yeah, actually I do."
-...-
Whi-Two watches Lack-Two watching the parade of floats as it passes along them and the sea of Nimbasa Founding day goers, an unreadable look in her eyes. Lack-Two lets out a sigh before finally peeling his eyes off the parade to confront his detective.
"Yes, Detective…" he says in a monotonous voice. Whi-Two retains her expression.
"This is it, right?" she asks, not letting her eyes off of her inspector's uninterested look.
"The entire mission, I mean. We just sit on this bench along with the rest of the parade watchers until the whole thing is over?"
"Well, we still have the option to walk around or maybe climb to a higher vantage point, but I figured this bench is as good as any place to watch the floats."
He lifts his drink to his lips as he returns his gaze to the road.
"But yes, more or less, this is the mission. Do we have any problems with that?"
It was finally then did Whi-Two relieve Lack-Two of her heavy glare and join him in looking at the floats. Then, she lets out a resigned sigh.
"What's the matter, Detective? Bored?"
"For lack of a better word," Whi-Two replies, looking to her side.
"I still don't understand why you chose me and yourself for a basic mission such as this…"
"You're still on that?" Lack-Two groans, giving her a look.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Whi-Two snaps back. "We're already two hours into this mission, and still no sudden explanations from you. Isn't this about the time you get mad and falsely accuse me of not reading the files then you go on this needlessly long tirade that's surprisingly helpful?"
Lack-Two looks at her with uncertainty. "You… want me to go on a tirade?"
"If it means I get to understand all of this," the girl sighs.
"You claimed you've read the file from cover to cover before coming here. What more is there to understand?"
Whi-Two does not respond. Lack-Two sighs.
"Do you want to know why I chose you to be my partner for this mission?" he mouths, a bit softer than Whi-Two was used to.
It almost made her think that he didn't want her to hear.
But she did.
"Not really, but now that you've put it out there…"
Lack-Two sighs, crushing his now empty can in his hand.
"It had always been a mystery for the UPD how various illegal contraband were somehow able to slip through the region's defenses, even after lockdown. They even went as far as making the shipment processes even more confusing and a hassle by involving themselves in the process, and yet somehow, things still seem to slip through."
The young inspector flicks his wrist slightly to throw the can to a nearby bin. Whi-Two watches as the small tin lands smoothly through the almost equally small bin's opening.
"The SUU has been building a case for this for months and still, despite our best efforts, we still come out with the same—and sometimes, even less—information regarding the smuggling. They're just that evasive. And the fact that we only get one chance a year to actually observe the occasion? It makes it even harder."
Whi-Two still does not respond, and instead watches him. Lack-Two seemed lost in a trance.
"Every year, we think we're that close to proving all speculations spawned from months worth of rigorous research, only to come back with barely anything. And I, ever since I stepped into office, wanted to speed things up."
He then looks at her.
"Which is why I brought in my best detective with me."
The young detective blinks at him, slightly dumbfounded.
"You're kidding me, right?"
Lack-Two only continues to watch her.
"But just yesterday, you were…"
Then her phone makes a buzz.
Lack-Two notes how his young subordinate almost jumps in order to cover up her phone before trying to discreetly read it. He then sighs in annoyance, leaning back against the backrest.
Whi-Two takes a peek at her inspector, and feels her throat constrict. It was already a chore in itself trying to hide her own agenda from the watchful eye of her inspector, the least she could do was to be less obvious.
She takes another short peek at the message before straightening herself up to address her inspector.
"That was my… colleagues from CSI-U," she almost mumbles. Lack-Two only gives her a look.
She tries to clear her throat to speak more clearly.
"Apparently, our new superior is taking them out for lunch for a little 'bonding time'." She presses a few buttons before showing the screen to her inspector, leaving Lack-Two with a picture of some uniformed officers and Lieutenant Looker holding up their cones of ice cream by his face.
He only lets out a soft growl.
"Pretty nice of him, huh?" Whi-Two smiles, pulling her phone back to get a look at the photo herself.
"It's a shame I haven't met our new CSI-U inspector yet."
"And you won't, because you don't have one," Lack-Two snaps, straightening himself.
"Then what about…"
"Who?" Lack-Two asks monotonously. "Lieutenant Hooker over there? Please. He's a lieutenant, and you're barely going to get anything from that, believe me. Rather you play with the big kids for a while than spend time with a part-time substitute."
"Well, aren't you a welcoming ball of positive energy," Whi-Two sasses, rolling her eyes.
"Why, thank you. I try my best."
"You're a fart head."
"And you insult me like my eight-year-old niece."
-...-
"Hey, it's me."
Whi-Two covers her phone's screen for a bit to look for her inspector who just excused himself to take a phone call. He was nowhere to be found, and she took it as enough reasoning to conclude that he would not be able to overhear the conversation.
Then she returns her ear to her phone in time to hear the ending of Hugh's short tirade.
"...and my car is now essentially parked in the middle of the road until this longass parade of giant-ass creatures from fairy land ends." Then he lets out an exasperated groan.
"God, I hate Foundation Day."
"Hugh, focus," Whi-Two presses, still looking around. Then, in a hushed voice, she asks: "Did you really see Yuri in the vicinity?"
"Quick disclaimer," Hugh retorts. "I saw someone who fits the description you gave me of Yuri, almost to a fault. Besides, didn't I send that message to you almost ten minutes ago?"
"Yeah, I know, sorry. I'm with the inspector right now, and I didn't want him to suspect anything."
"And I'm assuming you calling now while you're on duty won't make your boss wonder not even a tiny little bit?"
"He left for a bit to take a call. Which means I only have a few minutes before he comes back and I have to end this call abruptly. Now, tell me where you saw Yuri."
"Almost-But-Not-Quite-Yuri-Yet," Hugh corrects her. "And not saw… Seeing."
"What?"
"He's a few people away from me, but so far, he hasn't left my sight. And I don't think he's noticed me either. I'm not sure where exactly am I following him into, but I can tell you right now, I don't think I can stay in pursuit alone. I might be led into a trap or something."
"Okay, I'll go help you. Where's your nearest landmark?"
"Aw, I appreciate the heroic offer, kid, but won't Nate hate your guts if you left your post? Even I wouldn't want to be in the business end of that hissy fit."
Whi-Two winces a bit, but sighs it all out.
"It's fine. This is more important."
There was a pause from the other line as Hugh clicks his tongue, but he nonetheless sighs.
"Alright, kid, but don't say I didn't warn you." Another pause.
"So far, he's been walking in a straight line. We're a few blocks away from city hall, and I think we're headed to the intersection on24th and 3rd."
"24th and 3rd," Whi-Two mumbles, looking around for a street sign.
"That's where I am right now!"
And true enough, she turned to the direction of the city hall and found a familiar looking figure whose face is covered in a mask and a cap. She gives him a long look as the figure begins to approach where she stood, reaching to her purse for her gun. As she was about to stand up and apprehend him, the man took notice of her. The two lock eyes for half a second, before Whi-Two makes the first move.
"Yuri…" she mumbles, but before she could take a step in his direction, the man turns on his heel and starts running to the opposite direction. Hugh, who was tearing through the crowds from behind him, tried to catch the man, but was pushed to the side.
"Hey!" he cried after him. He immediately pushes himself up and starts after him, but not after giving Whi-Two a short gaze that meant for her to follow him. Whi-Two nods as Hugh turns on his heel and starts for the direction the figure went for.
Without thinking, the girl immediately gathers her things, and starts for another direction－a nearby alley, where there were significantly less people. But she wasn't able to go far before she felt someone grab her by the hand and yank her back.
"Detective, what the hell?!" Lack-Two's voice boomed with anger, but his eyes looked more concerned than annoyed, and though it's thrown Whi-Two off for a bit, it was not enough for her not to fight her inspector's hold as she squirms to free herself.
"Lack-Two, I need you to let go!" she cries.
"Why? Where are you going, Detective?" Lack-Two barks back. "In case you've forgotten, you're still on duty!"
"I know, but this is more important than that! Now, please let me go!"
"What could be more important than your own job?! Whi-Two!"
"Sir, if you could just let me go. I promise you I'll explain everything as soon as I can… Please!"
"Whi-Two, no! No more of this nonsense! As your superior officer, I command you to stay and your post, and that's final!"
It was then that Whi-Two finally stops her squirming, and looks Lack-Two dead in the eye, her eyes glaring into his.
"You know what?" she growls, taking advantage of Lack-Two's dumbfounded expression to pull her hand free from her inspector's grasp.
"I can't trust you with this."
And before Lack-Two could say anything else, Whi-Two quickly turns on her heel and starts running, leaving the young inspector dead on his tracks, still dumbfounded, not able to do anything else but call out to her.
"What?!"
-...-
"Stop! UPD!"
Whi-Two finally catches up on Yuri from the opposite direction. The man catches sight of her, takes one of the nearby food carts, and pushes it to her direction. Whi-Two barely avoids the cart, and tries to stop it from the side with her bare hands before it could hit some passersby.
"Rosa!" she hears a voice cry from the crowd. "Quick! He went for the alley!"
Without so much as a short breath, she quickly sprints for the said alley, ignoring the looks of shock and terror coming from the civilians that have now begun to circle around her and the small commotion she's started. She fishes into her purse and brings out her small gun, disregarding the small yelps that came from a small group of children just to her left.
Whi-Two paid the dumbfounded crowd no heed, and proceeded to the matter at hand.
She found that she couldn't focus on anything else.
The alley she was led to was surprisingly dark and empty, a complete opposite she was basking under not too long ago. She gradually transitions her run into a sprint and soon into small, careful steps. Having learned from her previous encounters with Yuri, she knew she could never be too cautious. Especially now that she's all alone once again.
Whi-Two raises the gun closer to her chest as she inspects the long corridor, her senses on high alert for any sign of movement, no matter how small. Nothing should get past her, and rightly so.
She vows never to let him get past her again.
Plup.
Whi-Two immediately turns to her left and cocks her gun. She tries to slowly approach the source of the noise, her finger ready to pull the trigger.
Plup.
Whi-Two's body immediately twists to the other direction, retaining the same stance
"UPD! Freeze!" she cries, her voice noticeably cracking. The girl was appalled. It was not how she'd imagined her voice would come out.
Was she…?
She swallows hard before taking a deep breath.
"There's no point in running, Yuri," she tries again, her voice low and her words deliberate. But she swears she could still hear the quiver.
"You've nowhere to go. Surrender now, or we do this the hard way."
Plup.
Again, Whi-Two twists her body to the other direction, pointing her gun to where she thinks the sounds were coming from. And, as was before, there was nothing.
Whi-Two was pointing her gun at nothing.
Still, the girl insists on retaining her stance as she tries to scan the area once more, taking a few more small steps forward. She felt her lower lip tremble as she moved, forcing her to bite it. But still, it continued to shake under the force of her teeth. And the more Whi-Two took note of that, the more she realized that the rest of her body was beginning to tremble as well.
Soon, her whole body began to feel jittery and fragile. Her hands and the back of her neck started to feel unbearably cold, and she could hear a soft wheeze as she breathed through her nose. The more steps she takes, the louder her heartbeat becomes, and the heavier her breath begins to be.
Whi-Two couldn't understand it. It was almost as if she couldn't control herself.
Plup. Plup. Plup.
The young detective tries to move herself to the direction of the noise, but found that she couldn't. She couldn't feel her legs, or her arms, or the finger that rested stiffly on the trigger.
"What… What's happening…?"
Plup. Plup. Plup.
Whi-Two could still hear the noise, but couldn't bring herself to find its source. All she could do was stand there and look directly forward, towards the dark and empty hallway that welcomed her in. She couldn't make it out, but it felt like there was something there that called her, making her want to move towards it.
But the young detective couldn't, and the more she tried, the more painful it became.
Plup. Plup.
Has Yuri done something to her somehow? Was he able to sneak up to her while she wasn't looking?
Plup. Plup.
Will Yuri kill her too? The way he killed Lai so easily?
Plup. Plup.
What about the rest of the bystanders? Hugh? Will he kill them too?
Plup. Plup. Plup.
Will he kill them too in front of her eyes? Will he kill them while she watches on helpless, unable to do anything?
Plup. Plup.
Just like what he did to Lai…
Plup. Plup.
Just like Lai…
Plup. Plup.
What about Lack-Two...?
Plup. Plup.
Just like Lai…
Plup. Plup.
Will he kill Lack-Two too?
Plup.
"NO!" Whi-Two screeches, finally able to force herself to turn to her heel and cock her gun to the source of the noise coming from behind her. Only then did she realize that she was crying, and that her tears have rendered her vision almost useless. She could not recognize the figure in front of her and the stance the figure took, so she opted to retain her form.
"Who's there?!" she croaks, her voice almost buried away by her excessive panting.
"Someone who would kill to know what the hell is going on with you, Detective," the figure replies.
Whi-Two blinks back the tears and tries to get a good look of the figure's face, and as soon as she recognizes the face, she begins to bawl. She lowers her arms and lets her knees buckle, making her sink to her knees, sobbing.
Lack-Two watches her with an indecipherable expression.
"I knew it was a bad idea to let you back in the field…"
"Hey, kid! I saw him turn in this direction! Did you catch him?!"
Hugh sprints into the alley panting, and froze in his tracks upon seeing the young detective crying helplessly on the ground, and Lack-Two standing before her, body stiff as a corpse. He watches as the latter responds to the sound of his footsteps, and slowly, Lack-Two turns to him, a dreadful glare in his already weary eyes.
The young UNPol sighs.
"Ah, fuck."
-...-
"...I mean, what in hell were you thinking?! Leaving your post during an assignment just so you could run around the streets chasing some… random dude in a black hat… Do you have any idea what kind of offense in conduct that is?! Whi-Two, you could be suspended!"
Lack-Two paces across his living room, rubbing his face in frustration. Hugh, who was seated on his couch, watched him as he moved back and forth for a few moments before clearing his throat.
"...Look, man. I don't think it has to come to that. The kid was just helping me out with…"
"Oh, I'll be dealing with you later," Lack-Two snaps back at him. "You have broken just as many rules as this girl did, and I don't think your superior would be very happy to hear about them when I go meet him next week. So I suggest you keep that damn mouth shut before I think even lower of you, and make damn sure you kiss that shiny coffee card of yours goodbye."
And with that, Hugh shuts his mouth immediately.
Lack-Two returns his attention to Whi-Two, who was still as dangerously silent as she was when they first entered his apartment. In the entirety of his tirade, the young detective only kept mum, her eyes intently watching her feet, her hands clutching tightly onto her purse and her gun rested on her lap, which was certainly new for all of them.
Whi-Two always seemed to have something to say, and Lack-Two was making sure no one leaves his apartment until she does.
"Detective, I am incredibly disappointed in you," he announces, his voice now slightly softer than a while ago, but still, the dangerous tone was evident.
"Not only did you break the protocol of not disobeying your superior officer's direct orders, you've also done this city and the SUU a favor by causing a commotion on the day when it's needed the least. Do you even have the shroudest of an idea how counterproductive your actions were with the intention of this assignment?! People were terrified. And not only that, the chances of the UPD actually completing this case have been reduced to nothing. You've wasted the department's time, the unit's time, and most importantly, you've wasted my time. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Silence. The three could hear nothing else but their own breathings and the faint noise of traffic coming from Lack-Two's window. Hugh could feel the tension slowly weighing in on them as minutes went by, yet somehow, still no one talked.
He was about to open his mouth again and risk being yelled out when a mumbling sound came from next to him. The two men immediately landed their gazes on the still detective, but she made no movement.
Lack-Two sighs in annoyance.
"Speak louder, Detective," he prods.
Whi-Two takes a long, deep breath.
"I was trying to catch a criminal," she mouths in a strained voice, her nails digging into the leather that made up her purse.
"On what grounds, Detective?!" Lack-Two bursts out again. "Yours?! Whi-Two, you can't just appoint someone as a candidate for arrest just because you 'remember' him from a scene of a crime. There are processes in place for such things. It's in your fucking manual for crying out loud!"
"The perpetrator tried to run, Sir."
"Because you were bearing a gun, Detective. Which was also against protocol, as stated clearly in your file."
"I didn't draw a gun at him, Sir," Whi-Two sasses back, finally raising her swollen eyes at him.
"He ran away the moment he saw me. Is that not an invitation for suspicion?"
"If running away was an invitation for suspicion, let it be known that at least five civilians who heard the sound of your gun being cocked are also possible suspects. Do you mind telling me how you'll justify that to the brass when they ask?"
Whi-Two does not speak, but she retains eye contact as her inspector stares her down.
Lack-Two scowls.
"Thought so," he whispers. Then he straightens himself and starts for a nearby chair, letting himself sink to it in exhaustion, his hand rubbing on his temples, visibly in annoyance.
"Do us both a favor, Detective. Use that brain of yours, at least once in your life. I won't always be here to bail you out when you don't, and frankly…"
He lowers his hand to look Whi-Two in the eye.
"I'm getting tired of doing so."
Whi-Two frowns as she slowly looks down. Hugh watches on with concern.
Lack-Two sighs again as he looks away, resting his now weary head onto his hand.
"Go home, Detective," he orders softly, eyes focused on nothing in particular, brows still furrowed slightly in agitation.
"I don't want to see your face for the rest of this day. And when I do see you tomorrow, make sure you're in a less emotional and a more logical state. I will not accept you in any other way."
And with a grunt, Lack-Two lifts himself up from his chair and walks across the room to where his bar was waiting, just behind where Hugh and Whi-Two were sitting. None of them turned to follow the young inspector's movement, but listened in to the faint sounds of a cabinet door squeaking, and glasses clinking.
They were again silent for a few moments until Whi-Two drew one final deep breath, collected her things, and started for the door. Hugh immediately rose after her and tailed her to the door, but stopped when he heard Lack-Two speak again.
"Did I ask you to leave, Dickhead?" he asks, his back still at them. He watches the liquor splash around his glass before taking a short sip.
"I still have a bone to pick with you. And in the interest of saving whatever dignity you think you have left, I'd prefer not having the Detective as an audience."
The two share a look for a second. Then Whi-Two sighs, nods good-naturedly at Hugh, and solemnly walks towards the door without so much as a word. She closes the door behind her, and as soon as he hears the door shut, Hugh breathes away the tension and tries to change the mood.
He turns to walk over to Lack-Two, attempting to summon that casual aura he always tries to emit in hope of lowering the Inspector's guard.
"You know, you really didn't have to go all Andre Braugher on the poor kid if all you really wanted was to have me to yourself. Though, I guess it can't be helped given that..."
And before he could say anything else, he feels Lack-Two's fist sink against his gut at full speed.
The young UNPol groans as he doubles over in pain.
"Okay, I think I deserve that," he croaks.
"Didn't I ask you to stay away from Whi-Two?" Lack-Two snaps darkly, looking down on Hugh as the latter wheezes to catch his breath.
"What? UNPol dumbed you down so much, comprehension is a new thing with you?"
Hugh winces as he slowly straightens himself.
"You have got to be kidding me," he mutters. "This again?"
His hand flies to his abdomen, trying to gently rub the pain away until he was finally at Lack-Two's eye level.
"Nate. Whi-Two and I are just hanging out. There's nothing for you to be jealous about…"
Lack-Two only gives him a deadly stare before groaning as he rolls his eyes and turns back to his drink.
"You know full well that's not what I meant, Hugh."
He takes a deep breath before reaching forward to reach for another glass. He fills it up halfway, and then slams it to his side.
Hugh watches it carefully before slowly walking to Lack-Two's side to take it.
"Frankly, if this were a different scenario, I wouldn't give a rat's ass if you two get married, let alone date. But I know you. And I know Whi-Two, and I know that this is not what you think I think it is…"
Hugh does not speak, nor does he take a moment to give Lack-Two so much as a glance. Instead, he focuses on the drink in his hand, giving it a short sniff before lowering it back gently to the table.
"I prefer whiskey, if you don't mind," he announces, already picking through the cabinet and examining the bottles.
Lack-Two continues to focus on his glass.
"I know you mean well, Hugh, and that you're just trying to help because that's what you do, but Whi-Two can lose her job if you don't stay in your lane. If you really do want to help her, you'd rid her of that risk."
Hugh scoffs, twisting the bottle cap of one of Lack-Two's more expensive selections.
"Look at you," he snickers, watching as the bronze-colored liquid poured into his new empty glass.
"Acting like you're the most caring and thoughtful little mentor looking out for his sweet little mentee…" A snort.
"You make me laugh, Nathaniel."
"Hugh, if you could just listen to me－"
"No. You listen to me," Hugh suddenly barks, slamming the bottle at the glass table. The rest of Lack-Two's glassware slightly jumps at the recoil.
"If you knew that girl like how you claim you do, then you would have at least acknowledged the fact that even with me out of the picture, she will still go out and try to solve this case." He lifts the glass to his lips and takes a short sip.
"And, you know what, Alart? That's a good thing! You know why?! Because even if Detective Whi-Two met Lai the latest, she cares about her more than her own so-called 'best friend' who'd rather hide the truth because he fears for his own. Stupid. And selfish. Ass."
Lack-Two suddenly grabs Hugh's collar in one fluid motion, his other hand already wrapped into a fist.
"You know that's not the case," he hisses. He glares menacingly at the UNPol, but the latter was unfazed.
He simply lifts the glass up to his lips the second time, and takes his second sip.
"Really?" Hugh sighs with a hint of mockery. He lowers the glass gently onto the table and uses his other hand to easily pullLack-Two's grasp away.
"I don't think anyone would have guessed."
Hugh gives Lack-Two one last look before he stuffs his hands in both his pockets and starts for the door.
"Shouldn't you be worried about putting your job in jeopardy as well?"
"Nope," Hugh quips matter-of-factly, pulling at the door and stepping out.
"Because unlike you, I set my priorities straight."
And with that, Hugh disappears, slamming the door behind him.
-...-
Whi-Two walked into the station's bullpen and was immediately stopped by a slurred, hollering sound
"Hey there gorgeous, where are you going?"
She turns and sees a man sitting by one of the benches near their holding cell, visibly drunk. He was giving her a perverted smile and kept gesturing with his eyebrows.
Whi-Two cringes as she turns around to try and continue on with the file she was reading, hoping that ignoring the man would make him go away.
The young detective had already had a rough morning trying to force herself out of bed after a night of barely no sleep. And the worst is still ahead of her, given as she hasn't faced Lack-Two yet since their debacle from the day prior.
The last thing she needed was to get in trouble for police brutality. Or shooting an unarmed civilian in a station full of other policemen.
Although, she admits the thought somehow enticed her.
"...Wow, you grow them lean out here. Now I know why they call you Unova's finest…"
Whi-Two rolls her eyes and shakes her head, trying to hasten her steps all the way to her desk, which, unfortunately, was placed almost across the man, giving them both an uncannily direct view of each other.
"Aww, playing hard to get only makes you cuter! Show me that smile!"
Whi-Two only lowers her head as she takes her seat and starts leafing through her files, trying to drown the man away with work, though failing to do so.
The man almost purrs, leaning forward over the table that separated him and the hallway next to Whi-Two's desk.
"Come on, baby, I don't bite…"
A hand suddenly slams onto the table, loud enough for the whole of the room to hear. Everyone freezes with what they're doing and watches as the man almost sinks in his chair after pulling his cuffed hands away before he could've gotten hit.
Lack-Two glares at the drunken man as he slowly leans forward and nears his face at him.
"Well, I do," he softly growls.
"Try and make another crack like that to one of my detectives and I swear I won't miss the second time."
The man looks at him with wide scared eyes, but he nonetheless nods.
Lack-Two sighs as he straightens himself up, and then closes his eyes.
"I will count to three," he declares. And immediately, the entire room frantically returns to their original businesses. One uniformed officer even runs towards the drunk man and pulls him away.
Another sigh, and Lack-Two starts for Whi-Two's desk. The latter watches warily as her inspector approaches her and picks up the stack of papers by her side. He barely makes eye contact with her as he scans through them, and so Whi-Two decided to do the same.
She lowers her gaze slowly, but still, she tries to address him.
"Good morning, Sir."
Lack-Two does not lift his eyes from the file at the slightest.
"Likewise, Detective," he replies dryly.
Whi-Two sighs as she desperately tries to land her eyes somewhere－anywhere that wasn't Lack-Two－and finds them landing on his bag hanging by his shoulder.
Lack-Two had just gotten here, and though it was already alarming that he'd decided to go straight to her first rather than his own office, the fact that she was here before he was that's set the cake for her.
And she thought she was late.
"Can I help you, Inspector?" she asks, trying to look up at him again.
"Not necessarily," was Lack-Two's quick reply. He gives the last page of the file one last scan before he closes it and places it under his arm. Then he starts for the other folders in Whi-Two's desk.
"I'm just here to collect these."
"But I'm not done with them yet," Whi-Two argues, watching as Lack-Two opens up another file.
Lack-Two only raises a brow as he continues browsing.
"Figures," he mutters. "I'll just have another officer look into these and finish them for me."
Whi-Two looks at him incredulously.
"Then what will I do?"
"You," Lack-Two begins, closing the folder shut. "Will be reassigned today."
"What? Where?"
"Inventory," Lack-Two answers simply.
Whi-Two makes a face.
"Inventory?!" she cries with disdain. It was bad enough that Lack-Two had indefinitely benched her from field work by making her do all his paperwork. Who knew Lack-Two could bring her into something even lower.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
It was then that Lack-Two finally looked at Whi-Two in the eye, and only then did she notice the dangerous expression in his eyes. It was enough for the girl to bite away whatever she was to say next.
"Will we have any problems with that, Detective?"
The girl keeps mum as she looks down. But she nonetheless shakes his head.
"Good," Lack-Two sighs, giving her one last look before he starts for his office.
"Back to work, Detective."
-Mission_11 Status: Archived-
"It goes without saying that all cases handled by the UPD must be strictly recorded and thoroughly documented as these serve as part of the departments' statement of accounts, which are an integral part of the annual evaluations with UNPol. It is advised that all accounts be digitized immediately after a case has been closed in order to store them in our database, but physical files are kept in the records room as part of inventory." －Excerpt from the UPD Trooper's Manual, Chapter 10: Closing Cases
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Like this story so far? Would appreciate you buying me (ko-fi magnipisika16) coffee :D Or you could just follow me there ;D Will be uploading some exclusive stuff like sneak peaks and even deleted scenes! See you!
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Uhm… at least I wasn't gone for a year? Currently in community quarantine right now, but hey, silver-lining: I got myself some time to resolve that bad case of the writer's block QwQ Hope this one was worth the wait.
And now for our question of the chapter: "When will Lack-Two and Whi-Two call each other by their real names?"
Answer: TBH I'm not sure LOL. Honestly, when I started writing this, I made sure they'd be the weirdos who call each other by their codenames, even outside of work, since it's kind of evolved into their pet names for each other. In case you've noticed in the story so far, no one else calls them by their code names except for them (of course, not including the professional contexts where they had to be called as such by colleagues and peers). So yeah, I thought it was cute LOL.
Anyway, that's it for this one T^T I can't really promise that the next chapter will come quickly since good Lord, this has become harder and harder to write for me, considering the serious tone it's beginning to adopt. But know that I'll never give up on this one. And I hope you guys don't too :)
Keep safe everyone! And I hope this story can give you a bit of comfort in these trying times T^T Power hug!