Nagasaki, Japan, 1987
Police Rookie Yuji Nakamura had been assigned a new partner to infiltrate a nightclub that was rumoured to be hiding a small scale crime boss named the Iron Lion inside.
"This is the Night Raider, he's one of our best detectives, you should have an easy time of it, rookie," said the chief of the station who pointed to the Night Raider who wore a black leather jacket, a cream hat with black visor sunglasses and had an cigarette in his mouth.
"Our mission is to sneak undercover at the club, any mistakes and I will pursue them alone, understand," said Night Raider bluntly
"Yes, sir," said Yuji
"Very well, let's get a move on, you will pursue my motorcycle with a undercover car, don't bring any attention to yourself," said Night Raider to which Yuji nodded.
The Night Raider got onto his motorcycle and raced ahead as Yuji followed him to a nightclub that was called 'City Dancer'.
"Here's the place, follow my lead," said Night Raider as he and Yuji causally walk into the night club.
After investigating the club for a bit, the Night Raider who Yuji had followed went out in the back.
"Stay by my side and provide cover when needed to," said Night Raider sternly as he had already begun to raise suspicion.
As they walked, two bodyguards approached them and said "Hey, this is for staff only, leave now,"
The Night Raider beat the two guards up with ease, he then picked up one of the badly beaten guards and said "Where's the Iron Lion,"
"Why should I tell scum like you that," said the guard
"I'll eliminate you if you don't tell me," said Night Raider holding a scoped pistol.
"Fine, he's in the balcony floor of the club," said the guard.
"Very well, Yuji you watch my back," said Night Raider as he pulled out a neon purple baton before bursting open the door and rushing. into the balcony area where he was able to fight against 10 of Iron Lions henchmen without much of a scratch as he was able to dodge gunfire with the help of his bulletproof jacket as well as his lightning fast fighting and dodging skills.
"Iron Lion, you're empire is over, give up your delinquency or face the consequences," said Night Raider
"I know who you are and your reputation, you've defeated more crime lords and barons than a person can count, but I know you're just Toshio Utsumi under a new alias to avoid the shame of finding out your previous lover was part of the infamous Cats Eye..." said Iron Lion before a gunshot could be heard faster than in an western.
"Don't mention those two names again, Yuji arrest the survivors, we'll interview them later," said Night Raider coldly as he left the scene faster than he arrived.
Yuji obliged before returning the station alongside other cops where he immediately went to see the Chief of the Station
"I'm not being funny, but that Night Raider went in gun-ho and killed the Iron Lion who was the target rather than using a more tactical approach," said Yuji angrily
"He's one of the most ruthless detectives in all of Japan, whenever a case is seemingly too difficult, he's hired to kick the door down and remove these crime lords and barons from the streets with force, a force in the city has requested he transfer there which I accepted," said Station Chief
"But speaking to other officer that served him, the Night Raider doesn't consider any opinions besides his own and has been accused of scaring staff into obeying his every command," said Yuji
"But his case rate is 100%," said Station Chief
"But many of his colleagues are sick and tired of dealing with his coldness and bluntness, he doesn't seem to want to socialise with any one when not at the job," said Yuji
"You know why he is like that," said Station Chief
"I've heard he got angry when the name Cats Eye was mentioned to the point he shot Iron Lion without remorse," said Yuji
"4 years ago, Cats Eye was a trio of very successful art thieves who stole many extremely valuable pieces and they wrecked havoc in the area," said Station Chief
"I've read up from some old police files they were the 3 of the most wanted thieves in all of Japan at the time," said Yuji
"They were and Toshio whom is now referred to as the Night Raider was the main detective behind the Cats Eye case," said Station Chief
"Oh, so what happened then," said Yuji
"Well," said Station Chief
Night Raiders Origin
The days that Toshio kept failing and failing to catch Cats Eye were eventually going to end as Chief who was getting more and more stressed by the day ended up suffering an heart attack due to the stress that Toshio's incompetence was causing. The new Chief that replaced him immediately as he wanted Toshio gone and Toshio was moved to a different station in Hokkaido.
Toshio was upset that he would miss Hitomi who was his fiancé and long time girlfriend, but he was reassigned and flown over to his new role in the same day so he never had the chance to say goodbye to her and now he was miles away and was now far busier than he previously was .
However as he was on patrol a few days later, a news report completely changed Toshio's life forever.
"Good Afternoon this is the National News, we are to report the arrest of the Cats Eye group that have caused havoc to various art galleries and museums, the members were a trio of sisters known as Riu, Hitomi and Ai Kisugi,"
After receiving the news, Toshio stopped his car for hours and had apparently burst into tears according to the partner that was on patrol with him that day.
Those days following Cats Eye's arrest saw Toshio change mentally as all of the dots that he couldn't connect beforehand were now beginning to connect and he began to realise that Hitomi was the main Cats Eye the whole time and that he just couldn't see it. He felt that he had been blinded by love and disbelief which he believed was is the sole reason he never was able to catch Cats Eye.
He would work in the day and would go home to watch the National News where more revelations came out about some of Cats Eye's crimes as well as how they were caught and the potential sentences they could receive which horrified Toshio when one powerful art collecter who was also a politician suggested the death penalty for Hitomi and Riu.
The trial started and Toshio would listen to any updates on the radio even if he was on patrol, his worries that he would be indicted in the case was quashed when Mitsuko defended Toshio in court stating that Cats Eye had manipulated him and Toshio was quite gullible due to being blinded by love which the judge took into account. However Toshio then learned that Ai had testified against Hitomi and Riu in order to receive a reduced sentence and confessed everything that Cats Eye had done and their motives of trying to look for their missing father through stealing art works and jewels despite the fact that some of those works were for public viewership and that Hitomi was the main thief, whilst Riu was the backup and Ai was the getaway.
The verdict came on the 28th March 1985 with Hitomi found guilty of burglary, theft, trespassing and other smaller scale crimes, Ai had already plead guilty of being an accomplice to a crime and Riu was found guilty for theft, conspiracy, leading Cats Eye and other crimes.
The sentencing was two days later, Toshio had been given the day off as the department he worked for felt that it he would be distracted if he worked that day.
Toshio had both the TV and Radio on all day as he sat on his sofa all day as he awaited the news on Hitomi's sentence and then at 4:05pm, he learned of the verdict.
"We've just received news that has just come in with regards to the Cats Eye sentencing, Hitomi Kisugi has been sentenced to 20 years in an maximum security prison, Riu Kisugi has been sentenced to 30 years in a maximum security prison and Ai Kisugi has to serve a 5 month suspended sentence along with a year long community order,"
The news hit Toshio like a ton of bricks, he and Hitomi had been a couple for many years dating back to their high school years and were actually planning on marrying before she was arrested and now with the verdict that had been handed down, he would most likely never see her again and that broke his heart.
Toshio changed afterwards, he became very hyper focused on his job to the point where he practically lived it and spent most of hours of his day hunting criminals or solving cases, on the odd free time he had was spent either watching baseball or rugby games or at a pachinko or video poker machine. He also changed the way he dressed as he always wore a black leather overcoat with a cream hat as well as dressing more smartly and would drive his trusty black Ferrari Testarossa or motorcycle which was usually too fast for anyone to chase off.
Colleagues could tell he was coming near them as a trail of smoke would appear before he would as he would have a cigarette in his mouth most of the time, he usually spoke with a blunt and deadpanned tone which would scare some of the newer officers until more experienced officers would tell them on what happened to him.
He solved many famous cases including the arrest of Sadatsugu Nagaishi which he then learned of his involvement in the Cats Eye which angered the Night Raider to the point where Nagaishi was never seen or heard from again.
However after a while, he would receive a transfer to his old station in the city which he accepted as he felt that he had dishonoured them by unknowingly assisting Cats Eye and he felt that he needed to make amends.
The Night Raider entered the department building which had been renovated since he last went in a few years ago, that chief that had transferred Toshio was long gone and Mitsuko Asatani was now the new station chief and learning of the Night Raiders true identity and the fact he was one of the best cops in Japan, she wanted him back at the station.
"Evening Toshio, I bet it feels strange to be back here after all these years," said Mitsuko
"The name Toshio Utsumi no longer exists, I am the Night Raider and will only be mentioned as such," said Night Raider
"I've heard ever since the sentencing of your ex-girlfriend Hitomi, you have taken on the Night Raider alias," said Mitsuko
"You might say that," said Night Raider
"Move on, heartbreak hurts sometimes, but it's healthy to let go and move on with your life," said Mitsuko
"I don't think I can, plus the numbers have shown I have been extremely affective since the day," said Night Raider
"Have you even visited Hitomi since she was sentenced," said Mitsuko
"I haven't got the heart to do it, I still feel betrayed by the fact that she used me to help with her crimes," said Night Raider
"You were just an lovestruck idiot then, now you're one of the best detectives in Japan, lighten up, I have a case for you to solve," said Mitsuko
"What's the case," said Night Raider
"We've heard that an art syndicate known as the Cranaff Syndicate has been stealing and selling art pieces left right and centre, lately they are targeting a piece at the Public Art Museum near here, you know how to stop them," said Mitsuko
"They'll be dealt with, what resources will I have to my disposal," said Night Raider
"You'll have a partner to work with, but be careful out there, we don't know how dangerous this foe is," said Mitsuko
"These thugs shouldn't be a problem for the Night Raider," said Night Raider