Undercover in Love

by magnipisika16

For her first undercover mission as Officer Whi-Two, Rosa finds herself in a tricky situation of infiltrating a strip club already being ambushed by another police department, and an even trickier situation of attempting to arrest her soon-to-be mentor, Inspector Nate, codename Lack-Two.

10. Mission10

Mission_10: Case Closed

Lack-Two takes a deep breath before grabbing the door latch. And as soon as he feels like he was able to take in enough of the life-giving breeze of the outside to get him by, he turns on the latch and pushes the door open, to where the foul-smelling stench of dead bodies welcomed him in its cold, slivering embrace.

Of all the UPD facilities in Nimbasa, Lack-Two disliked the morgue the most. It always reeked of death, and despite having one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, there was nothing he hated more than death.

Death was cruel.

"Inspector Lack-Two," one of the uniformed personnel lifts her head from one of the sheeted bodies in acknowledgement of the rather well-dressed inspector stepping into their office.

"What a surprise. To what do I owe the honor, Mr. Perfect?"

Lack-Two eyes the woman, his solemn expression unwavered.

"You called me here, Hilda," he points out, walking past her in that uninterested way he's always shown.

"Sent me a message at four in the morning telling me to urgently come here. And knowing you knowing me and how I despise the thought of even stepping a meter away from your office, I can just imagine how urgent the matter is."

Dr. Hilda Ladinski gives a half-baked smile to his previous direction.

"It's very nice to see you again, too, Inspector," she mouths through gritted teeth.

Lack-Two removes his sunglasses as he looked around.

"Just tell me who is it, so that we can both be our way," he orders impatiently, putting the glasses behind.

It was at that moment that Hilda turns to face him, and upon seeing her face match the solemnity of his, the exasperated expression suddenly escapes the young inspector's system.

Just as he had feared.

Hilda adjusts her glasses and clears her throat before approaching him. Slowly.

The image of it somehow made Lack-Two uneasy.

"Actually, that is the reason why I had you come here. We need you to identify the deceased."

She then walks past him to a nearby pile of sheets. She then pauses and gives it a long look before returning her gaze to Lack-Two.

Then she gestures to the pile.

"Whenever you're ready, Inspector."

Lack-Two watches Hilda's expression carefully. Then he starts taking slow steps to where Hilda stood－to where the pile of sheets stood and, with a long, deep breath, he reaches for the edge, and pulls.

The young inspector takes a sharp intake of breath

"Lai…" was all he could get himself to say for that was how far his steady voice can last.

Hilda joins him by his side.

"We have not informed her family yet," she announces in a now more solemn voice. "We have not informed anyone at all. Superintendent's orders are that no information is leaked until further instructions are given."

Lack-Two does not speak.

"Before anything else, he requires that he speaks to you first." Hilda takes a step forward and starts draping the sheets back over the deceased officer.

"I've been given orders to inform you that you are to report to the Superintendent's office as soon as you're able to ID the victim. So I think you should go."

She then gives him a look.

"...Alone."

Lack-Two closes his eyes before nodding. Then he turns in that succinct way that he's mastered all his life－that of a loyal warrior simply following commands－and starts walking away.

But Hilda stops him.

"One more thing, Lack-Two…"

Said officer stops, but does not turn.

Somehow, he knew what she was going to say. He didn't need to be a world-class detective to insinuate.

"Inspector," Hilda begins.

"Your Detective Whi-Two is a witness."

-...-

Superintendent Aldin Richards looks through the reports submitted by officers, as well as the written statement provided by the pilot arrested in the scene of the crime, and he sighs heavily.

Lack-Two could only stand in front of the older man's desk, his posture less proud and more aggrieved than usual.

"I don't know what to say, my boy," the superintendent smiles bitterly as he looks up at the forlorn boy. "It's…"

Aldin shakes his head in remorse.

"All this is... tragic. I never imagined it would get this far. For any reason."

Lack-Two slightly shifts where he stood.

"Inspector Lailani Oudir was a remarkable detective. Hardworking, precise, and with the instincts no sharper than any other officer I have ever worked with... And that bright personality... She never fails to bring joy into our precinct."

Lack-Two swallows hard.

"It is truly a terrible loss, Sir," was all he could say.

Aldin nods as he picks up another set of files.

"But not a loss in vain." He opens the folder.

"Thanks to Inspector Oudir we were able to identify one of the biggest hideouts for that hideous organ market that's been going on for years. And she and her team may have broken a few rules here and there, but I'm certain the board will be willing to look over those... minor details."

Lack-Two sighs. Aldin gives him a kind but sad look.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Lack-Two. I know how dear she was as a colleague and friend."

"She died in the line of duty, Sir," Lack-Two speaks in that formal, almost robotic voice. "I am in grief, but I am also with pride. It is the highest honor for any UPD officer."

Aldin just smiles, then he looks back down to his files.

"I wasn't able to say this the moment you arrived since I, too, was in shock, but... Thank you for coming in, Inspector. This won't be long, and as soon as it is finished, you may take the day off to recover. I'm sure your team can handle themselves enough to survive a day without you."

Lack-Two nods. "Of course, Sir."

"We just need to clean things up before matters get out of hand. We are in crucial times, after all." He gives Lack-Two a meaningful look, which Lack-Two of course understood.

It was still evals seasons, after all.

"So, let's begin with the basics," Aldin starts, folding his arms over his desk as soon as he's set all his files aside.

"We have ID'd the body thanks to you, and before the morning ends, I am guaranteed by Dr. Ladinski and her team that all paperwork necessary to release the inspector's remains will be here at my desk. We then inform with regret to the Oudir family the tragic news that came upon their daughter, and give them the jurisdiction over said remains. And we will remain in confidence with them and conduct a rightful funeral fit for Inspector Oudir's heroism. And after a respectable amount of time, we will organize a small press conference to give the press the information that we have in order to prevent any uprising from the community. As soon as the press conference is over, I expect that all paper works have been dealt with accordingly and properly and filed away, and this case shall never be opened again."

The weathered old man straightens himself in his desk as he takes a long, deep breath.

"What do you think, Inspector?"

"Sounds about right, Sir," Lack-Two replies.

The older officer watches the younger with a thoughtful look.

"You're a strong young man, Lack-Two. And if there's anything at all that I can do for you in this time of grief, please do not hesitate to let me know, alright?"

Lack-Two could only bite his lips.

"Thank you. Sir. I very much appreciate that."

Aldin nods at him. "Well, if there's nothing else, Inspector, you're－"

There was suddenly ruckus quickly becoming apparent, and it was coming from Aldin's door. In a matter of seconds, Whi-Two barges in with Aldin's panic-stricken assistant trailing behind her.

"Superintendent I apologize for barging in but I badly need to talk to you!"

"Detective, no!" the assistant calls after her. Then he notices both Lack-Two and Aldin watching them.

"S-Sirs... I-I apologize for Detective Whi-Two. I told her that you were in a meeting, but she insisted that…"

"It's fine, Mitch."

Whi-Two and Mitch the assistant stares at Aldin in shock.

"I appreciate your efforts to look out for Detective Whi-Two, but if she insists that she has business with me, then it must be important."

Mitch, despite the apparent hesitation in his eyes, simply nods and starts backing away, out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Aldin then gestures for Whi-Two to come closer. Whi-Two does so, and only then did she notice Lack-Two standing there, watching her.

"When did you get here?!" she whispers to him. But then she shakes her head to dismiss the wonder.

"Nevermind that. You're everywhere."

She then faces Aldin.

"Superintendent," she salutes.

"Detective…" Aldin greets back. "I see they gave you a clear back at the hospital, although judging by yesterday's clothes that you're still wearing, I assume it was not very long ago."

"Sir, I cannot be detained in that room any longer. I'm the only one who knows exactly what happened to Inspector Lai. I was the only one there. Inspector Lai was murdered before my very eyes. And her assailant was a former UPD officer who goes by the name Yuri. And he got away. He's out there, and we need to put him down to bring justice to Inspector Lai's name or God knows who he'll target next. He hates the UPD, most importantly Nimbasa. Superintendent, I…" Whi-Two trails off, suddenly feeling her throat constrict at the sudden release of words.

Aldin watches her with worry.

"B-Breathe, Detective…" he instructs her.

Whi-Two nods and does as she was told. The other two officers share a look.

"Look, Detective," Aldin continues. "I understand your situation. Having a colleague, much less your inspector, perish during an assignment together must have been traumatic for you."

Whi-Two raises her gaze to the superintendent.

"If you will allow us, the department is more than willing to assign you one of Nimbasa's best specialists to help you get through this trauma."

"Wait, what? No. I…"

Aldin raises his hand at her.

"Detective, if you please."

Whi-Two backs down a bit. Suddenly, Superintendent Aldin's tone has changed.

"This meeting is between Inspector Lack-Two and me."

"But…"

"Just Inspector Lack-Two and me... If you don't mind."

"Sir, I…"

It was then that Lack-Two finally interjects.

"Do as he says, Whi-Two," he orders in a dark voice, his eyes still focused forward.

"But, Lack-Two…"

"Have you forgotten what you were taught in the academy, Detective?" He faces her finally, a dangerous look in his eyes.

A look Whi-Two has not seen in a while since they first met.

"Your superior's word is law." He mouths the words slowly and carefully, letting each syllable come out more dangerous than its predecessor. Whi-Two could only look at him in slight fear.

Aldin frowns and looks away.

Whi-Two looks back and forth between her two superiors, feeling an immense amount of dread. But judging by both their expressions, she's realized that she's outnumbered. With a resigned sigh, she stands straight and gives a stiff salute.

"I understand. Sir," she recites in a monotonous voice. "I apologise for my actions, Sir. I shouldn't have overstepped my boundaries. Sir."

She gives Lack-Two a look, but the latter had already returned his gaze forward.

Aldin clears his throat in hope of easing the tension.

"Please continue working hard, Second-grade Detective."

Whi-Two's eyes were now devoid of emotion.

"Sir. Yes. Sir."

Then she turns on her heel, and starts marching out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, Superintendent Aldin returns his attention back to Lack-Two.

"...Detective seems very agitated about what happened," he points out sadly. Then he gives Lack-Two a serious look.

"I want you to keep an eye out on her, Inspector. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Would you know who else can be pegged as a witness?"

Lack-Two breathes.

"...No one, sir. That I believe."

"Very well," Aldin sighs. Then he looks up at Lack-Two.

"You're aware of the protocol, correct?"

It was then that Lack-Two's expression breaks. Aldin notices.

"We've already identified a cause. Her family will not be seeking anything further than that. It's not worth setting a team to go after a crime that no one else has reported. We simply have no time."

"Except that despite that, Detective Whi-Two still seems to stand by what she claims she's seen," Lack-Two points out.

"Detective Whi-Two," Aldin repeats. "Who was all alone and simply has no means of proving anything."

"Sir, with all due respect, Whi-Two has amazing detecting skills…"

"...Which I don't doubt," Aldin returns with a rueful smile. "She is your 'Reliable Rookie' after all."

Lack-Two only looks at him.

"But suppose we allow a team to be deployed over this case, and we release Whi-Two's statement as an official statement of the UPD…"

Aldin looks down, to all the files that were neatly organized around his office.

"We can spark another witch hunt that could put all our efforts into vain and pulls us back to square one." He then returns his gaze to Lack-Two.

"And we're already just a few steps away from recovering from this lockdown that Unova has suffered under for the longest time."

Lack-Two does not speak. Aldin frowns.

"Do you want that, Inspector? For all our efforts to go in vain?"

The young inspector takes a minute or two before he says anything in response.

"No, Sir."

"I figured," Aldin sighs, folding his hands under his chin.

"We'll leave this case for now, and let the people know what they already know. Let's not put confusion into this mess anymore."

"Yes, Sir."

He gives Lack-Two another look.

"I'm counting on you, Inspector."

"Yes, Sir."

"I understand that this may become a drawback for you, considering you have just lost a dear friend, and now things don't seem so good between you and your cherished subordinate, but I hope they don't blind you into doing unnecessary things. Can I hope for the best, Inspector?"

"Yes, Sir."

At that, Aldin smiles.

"You'd make a great Superintendent one day, Lack-Two. Not that I think it would matter…"

Lack-Two could feel his throat constricting again, and he proceeds to close his eyes. Aldin chooses not to notice that.

"Well then," he says, clearing his throat.

"That's all we have for now. Thank you for your time. You're dismissed."

Lack-Two nods, performs his salute, and proceeds to the door.

-...-

Whi-Two straightens herself as she hears the door click, but feels her heart sink as she finds that it was only Lack-Two who's emerged, his face devoid of any decipherable emotions.

Nevertheless, she tries to greet him.

"Lack-Two…" she calls, trodding towards him.

"What happened? What did Superintendent say?"

The young inspector pauses from his tracks, but only watches at her.

"Well?!" she prods, her voice growing aggressive again.

"Don't ever do that again, Detective. That was humiliating. Even for your standards."

"What?" The girl makes a face. "What are you talking about?"

"Barging into a private meeting. Speaking when not asked to. Cutting off your superintendent... The list goes on."

"I was trying to report on what happened to Inspector Lai. What's so wrong about that?"

"Inspector Lai perished from fending off the syndicates that guarded one of the major slaughterhouses and helped put down one of the biggest illegal human trafficking legs in this region. She died saving lives. There is nothing to report that has not been reported."

Whi-Two shakes her head.

"You don't believe that."

"Alas, Whi-Two, I do. It's my job as an inspector to adhere to the truth."

"What truth?! Inspector Lai was murdered. I saw it with my own eyes!

Lack-Two looks down on her.

"Oh, did you? With your own eyes? Really?"

At that, Whi-Two feels herself shrink.

"W-Well, no. But I…"

"Thought so."

"I-I can still prove it. I have enough evidence to at least elicit an even more thorough investigation if the department lets me."

"I will not allow it."

"But, Lack-Two I－"

"You heard me loud and clear, Detective. Disregard whatever it is that you claim you saw and never speak of it again."

"And why?!"

"I am not obliged to answer that question."

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous."

"That doesn't change the fact that you have no right to question my orders. No matter what happens, you're still my subordinate and you listen to me."

"But…"

"No 'but's', Detective. I am your superior officer so you do as I say."

"...God, why do you choose now to act high and mighty again?!"

"Because with respect to where you are, I certainly am." He then nears his face to her, and forces her to watch his lips as he slowly mouths the next words.

"Detective."

"Don't put ranks into this, Lack-Two," she replies darkly.

"No. I will put ranks into this, Whi-Two. Because that's what ranks are for. To know whose superior is who. And in case you have forgotten, Detective, I still am your superior."

He straightens himself up.

"And it's basic protocol that you follow your superior's orders."

Whi-Two does not reply.

"Am I clear, Detective?" Lack-Two presses.

"I'm supposed to be your best detective," Whi-Two claims glumly. "Even you can't not admit to that."

"Whi-Two…"

"And you're supposed to be my mentor. You're supposed to back me up. Or, if not, at least give me a chance to speak out and consider my thoughts."

"Whi-Two…"

She looks up at him.

"When did you… stop believing in me?"

Lack-Two sighs, looking away.

"Believing you and believing in you are not the same thing," he whispers. "They're different."

"Yet somehow, you're not doing both."

Lack-Two closes his eyes. The constricting feeling in his throat grows stronger.

"This isn't a matter to be discussed in both our situations. You're still injured. You're still traumatized. If you don't want to seek any medical help for either your physical or mental concerns, then fine. At least bring yourself to take the day off. I doubt you're in proper shape to face this day here in the precinct."

Whi-Two was silent.

"Go home, Whi-Two. That's an order."

Lack-Two shift a bit uncomfortably. Whi-Two was too silent.

"Did I make myself clear, Detective?" he prods, stepping closer.

"...No."

Whi-Two shakes her head.

"You didn't. You never did. And you know what?"

She takes her hand and combs it through her hair in frustration. The move lifts her bangs up slightly, revealing the tears beginning to swell in her eyes.

"I doubt you ever will be."

At that, Lack-Two frowns. He feels his arm twitch, wanting to raise itself and hover over the now weeping Whi-Two. Like how he's learned to deal with the situation in the long time that they have been together.

He considered them friends, after all.

But professional protocol dictates no personal connection in any way, most especially physically.

"Well, then," he sighs, his voice beginning to crack.

"If that is all, then you're dismissed."

-...-

As was promised by Superintendent Aldin, Lailani's funeral did come out as that fit for a war hero. The church was filled by high-ranking UPD officers and government officials from all over the region, and Whi-Two was already able to name about twenty people she had only seen in the news before from where she stood.

But somehow, the people she's expected to see the most are nowhere to be found.

Superintendent Aldin made a short appearance around the start of the ceremony, to give the obligatory eulogy he is compelled to give every time an officer of the UPD dies in the line of duty. But shortly after that, he disappeared. A significant number of people from their headquarters were also not present, save for a few close friends. Only half of the CSI-U showed up.

Whi-Two's heart sinks.

One of the grandest funerals she's ever been in, and barely anyone from the deceased's closest acquaintances attended.

"Ah, you must be Rosa," an older woman greets her as she steps down the altar after paying her final respects to her inspector. Before Whi-Two could say anything, the woman had already enclosed the girl in her tight embrace.

"It is so nice to finally meet you in person. Our Lailani had so many stories about you!" She momentarily lets her go and starts pinching her cheeks.

"Oh, you are just as adorable as I imagined. Look at you…"

"T-Thank you," Whi-Two whispers, gently prying herself away.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, Mrs. Oudir."

The woman gives her a rueful smile. Whi-Two notes how she and her late inspector had the same eyes.

"Thank you, dear, that means the world," Mrs. Oudir nods. "It has been quite the difficult journey for my husband and me to accept that our one and only child who we cherish the most is now gone, but…" She closes her eyes and sighs.

"Knowing that Lai offered her life for the safety of our community… Up until the very end. I could never have been more proud." She takes Whi-Two's hands in hers.

"I'm sure your parents feel the same, having such a talented young woman dedicate herself to such rewarding work."

Whi-Two feels her stomach flip.

She could just imagine how her mother would have fared had she been in Lai's place, which, as she thinks back now, was not that far from being possible.

The fact that she couldn't do anything to give Lai the justice she deserves still eats her to the very core every single day.

"Mrs. Oudir," she whispers, releasing her hands from the woman's hold so that she can enclose hers. She squeezes them gently.

"Your daughter was an amazing inspector. It was an honor working under her leadership, and if I could just bring back time, I would do anything that is in my power to bring her back safe and sound." She bites her lips as she tries to smile.

"I'm so sorry." It was then that her voice broke, and she began weeping.

Lai's mother does not speak. Instead she releases one of her hands, and raises it so that she can touch Whi-Two's cheek, rubbing her tears away with her thumb.

"It was never your fault dear," she coos in that tender voice she remembered Lai to have. Whi-Two could cry some more.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Soon, the ceremony drew to a close, and as they lowered Lai's coffin to the ground as some uniformed officers performed the twenty-one gun salute, a thought suddenly flashes through Whi-Two's mind: in the entire ceremony, Whi-Two did not see Lack-Two even once.

Things have been difficult between them since their fallout more than a week ago. And the fact that they worked in the same precinct, much less the same team, made it all even harder.

It certainly didn't help that Lack-Two seemed to make sure they never saw each other at all.

She hoped that that morning was the time that they finally see each and other and talk. One thing she's learned the hard way is that she can never address Lack-Two as a friend inside their office. And given their tension, she knew that none of them will ever let their pride drop so low to approach the other outside office hours.

But she also knew that Lack-Two is not terrible enough to miss his closest friend's funeral, and Whi-Two decided that she can set aside enough of her pride to approach him there.

However, seeing the stunning absence of Lack-Two the entire time they were there made her think twice of the things she thought she knew.

Until she notices the familiar set of brown hair about ten feet from where the burial was happening. Whi-Two had to blink twice and then thrice to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

She wasn't.

Lack-Two just stood there, watching. Hair slightly unkempt and eyes covered in dark sunglasses. Lack-Two has been wearing it a lot in the office lately, and no one, out of respect and, moreover, of fear, ever decided to question him of it.

But Whi-Two somehow knew what they were for.

She notices Lack-Two's head shift a bit, as if looking to her direction. Although she knew the improbability of him noticing her in that rather large crowd, Whi-Two still immediately looks away and tries to cover her face with a fan. She waits for a few seconds before raising her head again to look back at him, and unsurprisingly enough, Lack-Two was gone.

Whi-Two immediately begins gathering her stuff, and after politely bidding farewell to the very few guests she actually knew, she begins trodding through the grass fields to where she thinks Lack-Two may have gone to.

-...-

Whi-Two does not travel far before she chances upon her inspector by the parking lot, sitting alone on the sidewalk. She looks around for a moment before approaching him.

Carefully.

"Lack-Two?"

The sudden smell of smoke freezes her on her tracks, and her hand immediately flies up to her face. Lack-Two raises his head up to face her, a stick of cigarette between his lips, half-finished.

Whi-Two eyes it with disdain.

"I didn't know you smoke," she points out, almost darkly. Lack-Two replies with a nonchalant shrug, looking away to puff a mouthful of smoke. He follows the slow and almost deliberate rise of the grayish cloud with his eyes, watching it as it forms a few dismissive shapes before fading away. He then heaves a sigh as he returns the cigarette back to his lips.

Whi-Two assumes a spot next to him. She gives him a short glance, taking in the image of the young inspector's hunched figure. It was an image she's never seen before, and definitely an image she's never wanted to see in all her life.

Lack-Two, despite how young he was, commanded so much respect, and she knew a big part of it was because of the way he has presented himself－posture perfect and head held up high.

Seeing him this way: curled over with his head down as if in some sort of remorseful prayer－it made Whi-Two feel like she was sitting next to a stranger.

And perhaps, he was slowly becoming one.

Whi-Two looks down sadly onto the gravel road.

"I haven't seen you in a while," she begins, trying but failing to assume a cheerful, casual tone. Her voice cracked midway, and she almost screams at herself in frustration. Lack-Two, however, didn't seem to mind.

He didn't even seem to care.

"Been busy," was his short, plain response. Whi-Two watches her feet awkwardly tap her nervousness away.

"Oh," she mouths, before pursing her lips into a thin line to stop herself from lashing out. Lack-Two was making it impossible to start a conversation, and Whi-Two can understand why. But it would absolutely kill her if she doesn't try to connect with him now. It had been days since they last talked－and that encounter was everything but pretty－and Whi-Two was not the kind to last any conflict long enough without resolution. They were both shaken up, and the last thing they both needed was this: acting like the other doesn't exist, especially now that they needed each other more than anything.

Whi-Two allows herself another look of her inspector. He still hasn't bothered giving her at least a second of a stare. Her heart sinks a bit, but she forces herself to shake it off.

Lack-Two had always been trying to meet her halfway if not all the way despite his undesirable attitude, that much Whi-Two knew. So she decided that it was high-time she tries to be the bigger person. Even though it was thoroughly killing her to even try and come up with a topic of conversation. Lack-Two certainly wasn't making it easy.

She tries again.

"How have you been?"

"Fair," came his half-hearted response, concluded by another puff of smoke. Whi-Two follows that smoke with sad eyes.

"Great," she softly squeaks, looking down again. She fidgets with her hands, nudging at each finger to see if they'd feel any sensation. But they were so stiff and sweaty, they almost felt like they weren't hers.

Lack-Two barely nudges.

Whi-Two winces.

"I'm sorry."

The cigarette freezes halfway towards Lack-Two's mouth. Whi-Two grips on her finger tightly as she watches him slowly turn his head towards her. Their faces were so close that Whi-Two could make out his eyes beneath the thick, dark glasses.

She feels her face burn as she feels Lack-Two's stare bear unto her. But she fights it, and tries to gather up the remaining courage to continue.

"I realized I've been insensitive," she mumbles. "I mean… I know. What happened is baffling everyone, and even if you don't admit it, I know that you want answers just as much as I do. But…" She moaned in frustration, mad at herself for suddenly losing the ability to speak altogether.

She was better than this. And this was her inspector, of all people—the person she's worked all year to be able to just talk to with no difficulties.

How did it suddenly end up in this?

Whi-Two exhales loudly, spitting out the remaining tension accumulating inside her shoulders. Then she looks down again.

"I shouldn't have done that," she tries again, speaking a little firmly this time. "You were obviously going through so much at that time, and all I did was make it worse. I mean, I still stand by what I said: I saw what I saw." She suddenly looks up at Lack-Two, expecting that he was looking at her now with a disapproving scowl. But all he gave her was the same indifferent look he'd given her when she first sat next to him.

"But, yeah…" she continues, her voice growing softer. "I at least should've stayed by your side. It was selfish of me. You've been nothing but understanding of me, but I couldn't even give you the least bit of care. It must've been hard for you…" She trails off, heaving a deep, depressed sigh.

"I lost an inspector. You lost a friend."

To her surprise, Lack-Two suddenly grabs her shoulder and makes her face him. Whi-Two was about to protest—their faces were but inches closer—when Lack-Two suddenly opens his mouth, and puffs out smoke into Whi-Two's face.

The young detective screams in annoyance.

"Lack-Two!" she cries, fanning the smoke away with both her hands.

"That's bad for my health!"

Instead of replying, Lack-Two only watches her. Then, after a few moments of pondering he suddenly sighed, throwing the small stub of cigarette away. Then he fishes another one from his back pocket, and lights it.

"You know, I notice you slip every now and then, but I only got to actually think about it now, and it makes me wonder…" A huff, and then a puff. Then he faces her.

"Whi-Two, since when did you stop referring to me as 'Sir' or 'Inspector'?"

The question was plain and honest, and above all else, innocent. But still, Whi-Two was astonished. She could feel her throat constrict.

"I…" Her voice came out incredibly hoarse. Then she looks down in remorse.

"S-Sorry…" Then, with a disdainful taste in her mouth, she adds: "...Sir."

"Don't be," Lack-Two exhales. "Like I always say: being hard on yourself never benefited anyone. Remember that you're still learning, and growing, and trying. You're still a mentee, after all. If there is something lacking, then it's not you, but your mentor who is to be blamed."

He huffs again, before looking at her, a small, weak smile on his face.

"...It's not your fault I have to become a better teacher."

Whi-Two watches him for a moment, an uncomfortable expression brewing in her eyes.

"What on earth are you saying?" she asks. Then, with a slight hope that she was right, she adds:

"...Are you drunk?"

Lack-Two takes one last puff from his second cigarette (at least Whi-Two hoped it was just his second) before throwing it away as well.

"No," he exhales, finally pushing himself up. "But I wish to your god I was."

He starts walking away, leaving Whi-Two to watch him with the same uncomfortable expression. She hesitates, albeit for such a short moment, but the lag was enough for Lack-Two to at least reach his car despite his slow, tepid movements.

The young inspector wordlessly peels off his blazer, opens the car door by the passenger's side, and throws it inside.

As he slammed the door shut, he feels two arms suddenly snake around his waist, making him freeze in place.

Whi-Two gently but firmly presses her face against his shoulder, in case he tries and squirms free. Lack-Two does not, and for a moment, the brunette was relieved, until he starts picking on her fingers that were interlocked against his stomach.

He was trying to free himself, without so much as an indignant response to her direction. Every finger he pulls away, her heart would break little by little.

"Don't," Whi-Two softly begs, pressing her head a little harder. To her surprise, Lack-Two actually does. He leaves her hands where they were, letting them slowly interlock back to their initial position. Whi-Two takes that moment to take in how his body felt against her hold: stiff, resilient, unresponsive.

It was like hugging a corpse. She of all people knew how that was like.

"You know," she began, her voice soft and her grasp slightly loosening when she knew that he wasn't going to fight his way out of her embrace.

"Back when my dad was alive, and he and my mom would fight, he'd always walk away with his head held high, as if to show everyone, including himself, that he was unaffected. That he was strong. But I could see that small quiver in his lower lip, and I would know…"

Her voice breaks all of a sudden, and before she could stop herself, tears were already flowing through her tightly shut eyes. Lack-Two was still unresponsive.

"So what I'd do is… I'd hug him. Like this." She hugs tighter. He reacts a bit, but it was too short for comfort.

"Then, I'd tell him that it's okay. And if the pain is too much to bear, I'll cry with him. I'd do anything to make the pain go away. Anything at all."

She hiccups, burying her face against shoulder again.

"Because when I'm the one who's sad… or hurt… or in pain… He'd do just the same. He'd hug me, and tell me that everything is going to be okay… And even though I don't believe it, if he says it, then…"

She pulls one hand away from him to cover her mouth, a habit she does whenever she cries, to make sure no one hears her. Lack-Two takes that moment to free himself. Whi-Two softly gasped in surprise, and she was about to throw a fit when Lack-Two suddenly faced her and pulls her in gently. It was a small gesture, and he didn't exert enough force to leave Whi-Two falling towards him, but the girl takes it nonetheless as a welcome, and throws herself to him. He still gave little to no response, but Whi-Two forgives it.

The mere fact that he's faced her was more than enough.

"It's okay," she whispers. "If the pain is too much to bear, I'll cry with you. I'd do anything to make the pain go away."

She presses her head against his shoulder as she tightens her hold.

"Anything at all."

-...-

Lack-Two wakes up and groggily raises his head from the car's window, enough for him to notice that it was moving. He looks around shortly, and sees a familiar set of brown hair sitting quietly next to him in the driver's seat.

"Whi-Two…?" he murmurs, straightening himself a bit as he looked out again.

"How long was I out?"

The girl keeps her eyes on the road.

"About thirty minutes," she tells him.

"It's not much, but I'll take it as a win. Something tells me this is the longest you've let yourself rest your head somewhere."

She lets an impish smile and she gives him a short glance from the rear-view mirror.

"I'm just glad you did."

Lack-Two only hums back as a response, pushing his head back groggily. Optimistic as Whi-Two was, he couldn't help but feel that those few minutes did him more harm than good.

But then again, that fact only proved to him even more that he was at his limit. And once again, he's brought himself to it by his own volition.

A few steps more into that direction and Lack-Two would've had destroyed himself into something he can never retrieve.

And he winces at the thought.

The last thing the situation would have called for was for him to break completely.

"You alright?" Whi-Two asks, who was now completely looking at him with eyes full of worry. Lack-Two groans at the sight of what felt like his subordinate's pity. Instead of responding, he reaches for her cheek and gently pushes it to make her face forward.

"Eyes on the road, Detective. You'll get us both killed."

Whi-Two rolls her eyes as she shakes her face away.

"Someone's still cranky after his nap," she mutters with a small giggle.

"You'd be too if you're trying to stay awake next to a road hazard on wheels," Lack-Two sasses back. "I'm surprised they granted a license to someone like you."

Then he gives her a look.

"You do have a license right?"

"Nope."

At that, Lack-Two's head immediately shot up from just finding a comfortable resting position by his backrest and he straightens himself up while taking a sharp intake of breath.

Whi-Two laughs out loud.

"I'm kidding!" she cries, jabbing him lightly with her elbow. Then her face becomes slightly serious.

"Come on, get some rest. We still have quite a long way before we get to Nimbasa. At least give yourself this much."

She gives him a short look.

"It's been... a tiresome week, to say the least."

Lack-Two gives her a look of suspicion, but nevertheless, he lets himself sink silently back to his original position. Then, slowly, he lets his eyes lift themselves from where Whi-Two was sitting and back to the window, letting the fast-changing scenery lull him gently back to sleep.

"...I mean, learner's permits are considered driver's licenses nowadays, right?"

The young inspector snappily throws his body back to its usual upright position.

"Stop the car."

-...-

Whi-Two watches her coffee cup's lid awkwardly before returning her gaze once more at her weary-eyed inspector, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on an even larger coffee cup which barely left his lips. He had been staring at the road unblinkingly for quite a long while now that Whi-Two worried his eyes might dry out.

Lack-Two feels the weight of his mentee's gaze and acknowledges it with a snort.

"What?"

The young detective immediately pulls away.

"N-Nothing…" she mumbles, getting back to her coffee lid. "It's just that… This is the most I've seen you in days, and, well…" She shrugs.

"I hate to admit it but I kind of missed this."

Lack-Two retains his gaze to the road.

"Much as I appreciate the surprising sincerity in your voice, I hate to be the one to point out that never had we had coffee while I drove us across cities with barely any sleep before. And apologies but I don't think I'd want this to be a tradition to be shared with anyone."

Whi-Two only watches him, long enough to see him steal a look to her direction. There was an undoubted look of thoughtfulness in his eyes as he did.

"I missed this too, kid."

Whi-Two presses her lips into a thin smile.

"...And do you miss her?"

Lack-Two does not respond. The weary look returned quickly and evidently in his eyes.

Whi-Two winces.

"Too soo－"

"Yes," Lack-Two was quick to answer, not letting her finish. Then he takes a deep breath.

"But I appreciate it," he continues, the stern tone in his voice slightly disappearing.

"I know you're just trying to help. And I think it's sweet, but also unnecessary. If I were you, I'd worry more about myself and the possible trauma I've gotten from these past few incidents instead of trying to look out for others and their well-being."

Whi-Two looks down sadly, clutching onto her cup.

"But to answer your question: yes, I do." Lack-Two pauses a bit as he places his now empty cup by his side.

"Terribly."

"Inspector…"

"Enough about me though," he interjects again.

"How have you been? I'm quite surprised you've been pulling yourself together quite well this week. Considering what went on just last week."

The car stops for a checkpoint, and Lack-Two takes that moment to watch Whi-Two carefully.

"Perhaps even too well."

Whi-Two looks at him with her big innocent eyes, to which Lack-Two reacts the best way he knew how: nonchalantly. The officer checking their car knocks on their window and gives Lack-Two an approving signal. The young inspector returns with a curt nod.

Then the two speed away again.

"Although, I did notice that the practice bullets supply in the shooting range back at the station have been replenished about twice just this week. And there's been a report that a certain name have been frequenting the logs around that time. Financial reports are actually sitting on my desk right now as we speak. Guess our admins are trying to give me some subtle reprimanding in behalf of a certain somebody."

Lack-Two gives Whi-Two a knowing look as she looks away, slightly embarrassed. The slight blush in Whi-Two's cheeks made Lack-Two chuckle.

"Guess we all have different coping mechanisms, huh?" he mutters.

"Although I hear most girls your age turn to social media."

"Oh, stop acting like you're a decade older than me."

"I might as well be. Just don't have the face for it."

"Then should I be calling you 'uncle' now?"

"If you're into that..."

"You're gross!"

Lack-Two only chuckles as he rubs his arm after Whi-Two hits it with her elbow.

Then his smile drops.

"Look," he begins, his voice suddenly getting serious.

"I know I haven't been that... there for you. Frankly, I admit, I didn't know how to. Having victims die in your watch－that's hard. But losing a colleague... Someone who's been there, experiencing everything with you, walking in the same shoes as you－that's impossible. I don't think anyone can recover completely from that. And that's coming from me who just heard the news after all was said and done. I can only imagine what you're going through."

They reach another checkpoint, and Lack-Two takes that moment to completely address the girl beside him. He looked at her with an expression Whi-Two had only seen once before. Back during the time when he was comforting her after she just witnessed a man she was trying to save fall into his death.

She somehow knew what that look meant.

"Whi-Two," he begins, and Whi-Two feels her throat constrict. Lack-Two barely called her by her callsign, or any name for that matter. And now he just did as he looked straight to her eyes.

Somehow, that did not spell so great for her.

"Can I... Ask something incredibly selfish of you?"

Whi-Two swallows hard, hoping to ease the constricting feeling. It doesn't.

Still, she nods.

Lack-Two takes a deep breath.

"Please... Don't get yourself involved in this anymore."

"B-But Lack-Two, I…"

"No, Whi-Two, hear me out," he sighs, closing his eyes as if to stop himself from lashing. He grips the wheel tightly as he lets out another, forcibly long breath.

"I'm not asking you this as your inspector. I'm asking you this as a friend."

At that, Whi-Two was stunned. Lack-Two refuses to look her in the eyes.

"Let's say what you said is true: That Lai was murdered. Whatever it is that came for her can come for you too. And since Aldin closed this case, I don't think they'd give you the resources you can use to at least protect yourself. And as much as a great policeman everybody thinks you are, I don't think you can fend off these people on your own, even if just to survive."

"But…" Whi-Two stammers. Then a thought occurs to her.

"Wait, so you do believe me?!"

"I'm speaking theoretically here, Whi-Two," Lack-Two sighs, slightly loosening his grip from the steering wheel.

"But whether or not I am, one thing's for certain: I don't want you dead, theoretically or not."

He gives her a short look before looking down. There was knocking on their window, the man in uniform trying but failing to get Lack-Two's attention to give him the signal.

The young inspector's gaze remains nowhere. He lets out a snort and a small, bitter smile.

"When they made me identify Lai's body back at the morgue, I couldn't help but think, 'what if I pulled those sheets away and saw you instead?' And it was already horrible enough that it was Lai, to begin with…"

Lack-Two looks down sadly and sighs as he starts his engine.

"I don't know what I would've done if it was you."

-...-

Lack-Two eyes Nimbasa station from the ground up, a slightly uncertain look in his eyes.

"And you asked me to drop you at the station on a Sunday afternoon because…?"

Whi-Two was emerging from the passenger seat, struggling to get both her coat and her bag out.

"One of the fellow detectives from CSI-U was my ride to the funeral," she explains, walking to where Lack-Two stood. "We agreed to meet around here, so I decided to leave my change of clothes by my desk so I wouldn't have to bring all of them all the way there."

"And you need another set of clothes why?"

Whi-Two gestures at her entire ensemble with disdain.

"If you think I am going to face this city's commute in this God forbiddingly short and sorry excuse of a skirt, you're crazy," she sasses. "Believe me, the last thing you want to hear is one of your very own detectives shooting some random Nimbasa pervert in the subway."

Lack-Two nodded absentmindedly, paying special attention to the aforementioned skirt with a raised brow. Whi-Two rolls her eyes.

"Please don't let yourself be that random Nimbasa pervert."

Lack-Two innocently raises his hands in denial.

"Hey, I'm sleep-deprived, remember?" Then he crosses his arms over his chest as he chuckles.

"You sure you don't want me to drive you home?"

"I could take a while, Sir," Whi-Two explains sadly. "I still have some case files lying around that I'd need to re-organize for tomorrow me, and I don't want you to wait up. I don't think your caffeine rush would last that long." Then she starts shifting a bit playfully.

"Unless you want me to drive, and…"

"Point taken, kid," Lack-Two snaps. Then he gives another look at the station.

"But if you really do insist on working the extra hours to organize some files, there is a significantly small amount of paperwork that needs attention by my desk too."

Whi-Two snorts at her inspector.

"Fine, I'll do your paperwork too." Then she points a finger at him.

"But you owe me."

"The finest parfaits this rich land can offer will be yours, m'lady. Just say the word."

Whi-Two looks pleased. Then she starts for the stairs leading to the building, but turns around to face Lack-Two once more.

"Take care driving alright?" she tells him. "And, please. Get some rest." Then she thinks a bit.

"Hopefully not at the same time."

At that, Lack-Two chuckles.

"I will, kid."

Then his smile drops slightly as he looks down. Whi-Two follows his gaze a bit, but he immediately looks up to her, clearing his throat.

"Hey," he said, a bit softly.

"Think about what I said. Alright?"

Whi-Two looks at him for a bit, then she sighs, looks down, and nods curtly. Lack-Two smiles ruefully as he rests his palm on her shoulder.

"Don't shoot anyone today, Detective."

And with that, Lack-Two pulls his hand away and walks to his car. Whi-Two watches him for a bit, seemingly confused.

"Wait," she called out. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

At that, Lack-Two freezes midway through opening his car door. He rolls his eyes, turns to her for a bit, and with a groan, he sprints towards her, and as soon as he got closer, he planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

Then he starts for his car again.

Whi-Two looked dumbfounded, raising both her hands in confusion.

"What…? No! I meant the keys to your office, you jerk!"

And before she could finish the last two words, a set of keys were chucked to her direction, easily landing on one of her raised hands.

-...-

Whi-Two was about to unlock the door to Lack-Two's office when she realizes that it was already open to begin with. The young detective's eyebrow rises in suspicion.

It was the least likely that Lack-Two has left the door to his own office unlocked, regardless of how sleep deprived he may claim he was. Whi-Two's inspector is one of the most careful ones—he'd never take chances with anyone having access to his most secluded territory in the office. (And even though Lack-Two had easily given her the keys to it, the thought that they might also be fake still burned in the back of her head.)

Whi-Two looks around at the very few officers who were unfortunate enough to actually be assigned to work on Sundays, and somehow no one seemed to be showing any form of alarm or hostility, meaning they either didn't notice that someone may have potentially broken into Lack-Two's office, or that they did, but found no need to question it.

These are the Sunday people after all, Whi-Two thinks to herself—the lucky bastards who may have never seen the light of day where Lack-Two was actually around and therefore may only know him by name and his wrath through lore.

People who are not Lack-Two entering his office may just seem like normal to them.

Lucky, Whi-Two thinks glumly.

Then her attention is sent back to the door. She thought she heard some scuttling from inside, bringing her defenses up to another level.

Forget the Sunday people—they'll never see Lack-Two when he throws a potential fit when he finds out someone else has been playing around in his office, but she will. And a Monday with Lack-Two in rage mode is a Monday Whi-Two does not want to be in, given the week she's had.

After taking a precautionary scan of the perimeter, Whi-Two carefully turns on the knob, and with a deep breath, she pushes the door away and finds herself face to face with a familiar set of wild, unruly hair.

Hugh looks up from the folder he was holding to face Whi-Two. Then he smiles.

"Well, well, well," he greets, placing the folder down. "What brings you here this fine Sunday afternoon? Funeral over?"

Whi-Two looks at him warily, but she nonetheless nods.

"How'd it go?"

"It went…" Whi-Two trails off, suddenly noticing the full black and white ensemble that Hugh donned. It was the kind she's seen almost all the men wear from the funeral earlier on.

"...Well…"

Hugh follows Whi-Two's gaze to what he was wearing, and lets out a good-natured chuckle.

"Oh what? This?" he gestures at his blazer.

"Funny story: I was supposed to go but decided eventually against it at the last minute due to shame and fear of facing Lai's parents and then one thing went to another and now I'm here snooping around reports regarding her death in Nate's office."

Whi-Two watches him uneasily, but her expression immediately breaks when realization dawns upon her.

"Oh my God, you're the friend Lack-Two was talking about…"

"What?"

"N-Nothing…" Her eyes fall on the folder in Hugh's hand. It was a case file, and judging by the date inscribed on the cover, Whi-Two had a hunch on what the file was about.

"Why are you…?"

Hugh smiles ruefully as he returns to the folder.

"I heard about what my dad is intent on telling the press about what happened, and suffice to say I'm not convinced," he explains, flipping through the pages.

"So I decided to do some reading myself. Good thing the people here are required to give their reports to your jackass of a boss before they go to my dad."

Whi-Two feels her heart sink a bit. She just realized that those were the same files Lack-Two asked her to organize.

The same inspector who asked her to leave herself out of the case actually just asked her to sift through files that concerned it.

She couldn't help but feel confused.

Hugh opens the case file again and after looking through the pages, he comes across something, and faces it to Whi-Two.

It was an image of a bloodied bullet.

"Can you tell me what this is?"

"A jacketed hollow point 9 millimeter Luger bullet," Whi-Two recites monotonously.

Hugh blinks at her, slightly dumbfounded.

"...Wow, that's impressive," he mouths. "I was actually expecting just 'a UPD gun bullet', but wow." He turns the image back to face him.

"But yeah. It's... That. And given your apparent broad knowledge about bullets I think you know fairly well why this is a special kind."

Whi-Two looks at him confused for a bit, but realization slowly dawns on her.

"...It's a kind of bullet issued exclusively to UPD," she finds herself muttering.

"Right," Hugh sighs, taking in the same tone as the now dumbfounded detective.

"Now tell me, how would an asset supposedly issued exclusively to the UPD exist in a crime scene, and better yet, found within the body of one of its high-ranking officers during what is, as described here, 'a scuffle between one of the minds behind the inhumane slaughtering of Unovan children'?"

Hugh suddenly snorts.

"Wow the UPD sure are frustrated poets huh?"

Whi-Two only blinks at him, feeling somewhat uneasy.

She didn't like what Hugh seemed to be suggesting to her. And she didn't like how it's making all the questions she's buried away for the sake of her own sanity resurface and eat her whole once more.

Hugh looks at her expectantly.

"I would think…" Whi-Two begins, her voice suddenly growing hoarse.

"...that maybe the syndicates may have gotten one of the officers' guns to shoot Inspector Lai with?"

"It's said here that Lai and another officer were the only ones who were in pursuit of the syndicate attempting to escape the scene. The bullet was cross-referenced with the bullets issued to the two officers, and sadly, no match." Hugh eyes her with an expression Whi-Two had only seen from one other person before.

Lack-Two. Whenever he knew he was already right but would insist on exposing whoever it was he was talking to.

She wondered if he's learned it from Hugh or vice versa.

"Although," Hugh begins. "I don't know why I have to give that to you."

He closes the file and picks up another. Whi-Two recognized it from the label in front alone.

It was the report she wrote which Aldin refused to take.

Hugh opens it up and starts scanning through it.

"The aforementioned officer accompanying Lai during her last hours said so herself: 'the assailant had his own gun which I am positive he used to murder the inspector'." Hugh returns her gaze to the forlorn girl.

"So the UPD-issued bullet came from a gun—which I'm willing to bet was UPD-issued as well, by the way—that originally belonged to the assailant. Who I'm pretty sure is not a current UPD officer. Which begs the question…"

He closes the file shut while giving Whi-Two a look.

"Why on Earth would UPD-exclusive weaponry fall in the hands of a syndicate?"

The young detective feels herself fidget where she stood, trying to keep her emotions at bay. For the entirety of that week she's been exposed to borderline condescending looks of pity and doubt from her fellow officers that she's learned to somehow bury all her intel away, if to just remain herself calm. But now that she was face to face with someone who was actually prying said intel from her, she's found herself frozen and confused.

"Uhm…" she begins, shifting her eyes around, unable to meet the UNPol Officer's eyes.

"There have been ongoing investigations about possible weapons smuggling in the region," she starts, thinking to herself why she was suddenly volunteering information she's only gathered from hearsay.

Maybe she was trying to convince herself of something? Whi-Two was unsure.

"I've heard about those investigations," Hugh nods thoughtfully. But the serious look on his face never wavers.

"Although I've also heard that the smuggling can't be proven to this day because there are no records of syndicate involvement in the UPD and no records either of losses in arms inventory. And if there's anything the UPD is known for, it's your rigid attention to details. Sometimes, almost to a fault."

He looks at her expectantly.

Whi-Two returns with the same confused expression.

"I'm…" she begins, looking down.

"I'm not sure where you're trying to go with this…"

"You know what I think?" Hugh asks, sliding down from Lack-Two's table where he sat. He goes near her and bends a bit to catch her lowered gaze.

"I think you do."

Whi-Two's confusion turns into uneasiness. But still, she does not speak.

Hugh, however, is unperturbed.

"So to summarize," Hugh continues, walking back to the table to restack the files.

"You have a syndicate that is in possession of confirmed UPD weaponry despite having no records of missing arms in any of the department's detail-oriented divisions, and to make things much more suspicious…" He drops the stack he had just organized to the table, making the deafeningly silent room reverberate in shock.

"The department's very own superintendent is deciding to turn a blind eye on all these facts and lets all these…" He gestures to the pile.

"...Rot and decay in his protegè's archives."

He turns to Whi-Two and crosses his arms over his chest as he again looks at her with expectation.

Whi-Two finally garners up the courage to meet the UNPol officer's gaze.

"Sir," she begins, her voice trembling.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to involve myself in this case any further. Superior's orders."

At that, the tension in Hugh's shoulder slowly eases, and is replaced by what seemed like disappointment.

"I know," he sighs. "And technically speaking, neither am I. And honestly that just sucks." And on the last word, Hugh hits the table with his fist at full force, making Lack-Two's belongings shake. Including Whi-Two.

"This much we can already figure out from reading the case files alone, what more if we actually exerted efforts to get to the bottom of this?"

Whi-Two watches as the young agent sinks a bit towards the table and covers his face with his hand. She could note actual grief in his eyes.

"Then maybe Lai's death wouldn't be in vain…"

"Hugh…"

Said UNPol agent chuckled bitterly to himself.

"You know I never got to see her since I got back. And now, I'm afraid I will never do. I thought maybe if I was able to do something about her case, then maybe…"

Hugh trails off as he takes a deep breath, and lets it out in one big bang. Then he shakes his shoulders and slides himself back to his initial position of sitting on Lack-Two's table.

"Sorry," he then sighs. "I was kinda reaching my tipping point back there and if I didn't do that I might have cried in front of you. And believe me, we both don't want that."

He returns to the case files and picks up the one situated from the top. He looks at it intently.

"So what did you say you were here for again, kid?"

And at that moment, Whi-Two was caught off guard, as if she was just snapped out of a trance, though not belonging to her.

The girl struggles for words to say.

"I was… Supposed to file those cases away…" Then she hesitates, but ends up still adding, with a bitter taste in her mouth.

"...As per Inspector Lack-Two's orders."

She half expected Hugh to lash out at the sound of Lack-Two actually looking like he was aiding in the burying of Lai's case. But Hugh just simply snorts.

"Having his subordinates do his dirty paper works; classic Nate."

He then slides from the table again and gives the file one last look before he closes it shut. Then he turns to Whi-Two.

"Well I guess I should leave you to it then. I'm not even supposed to be here in the first place. Besides, my dad will kill me if he finds out I'm using his keys to snoop around his inspectors' belongings."

He walks a bit towards Whi-Two before handing the case file to her.

"Good luck, Detective."

Whi-Two accepts the file graciously and watches as Hugh walks by her towards the door. She turns in time to watch him shut the door behind him.

And just like that, Whi-Two was alone again.

The young detective takes an incredibly deep breath as she tries to breathe away the tension from her shoulders, and hopefully, the rather "needless" thoughts that are beginning to plague her mind as well.

Hugh had remarkable points, she admits, but even with what he's offered to the table, Whi-Two is still left at her initial position when this whole case began: without any form of hard evidence that can actually elicit an arrest, or at the very least, a search warrant. And Lack-Two made it clear to her that the department will less likely back her up should she want to push through. And Whi-Two couldn't do it alone.

But what if I wasn't alone…?

The young detective immediately shakes the thought away before it can fully form.

No.

She can't put herself, or even others, in that much danger.

Besides, she promised Lack-Two.

But suppose Lack-Two was trying to hide things too…?

Again, Whi-Two shakes the thought before it could even form, lest she'd find herself spiraling once more. It was the last thing she needed right now. The recovery from the previous week was already gruesome enough. She need not repeat that.

Whi-Two hears the sound of a folder snapping, and she realizes that she was hugging the case file so tight it was almost folded in half. She immediately attempts to straighten it back to the best that she cans, and as she unfurls the document she realized that it was her case file all along—the same one she's toiled over for one entire day with no sleep just so she makes sure that everything was as accurate as possible.

The same file she now has to put away.

Whi-Two sighs as she opens the file to look through what she wrote again, and as soon as she did, a small white card falls down.

The girl bends over to pick it up.

"Hugh Richards. UNPol Officer.", it read. And right below the name and title was a phone number.

Hugh's phone number.

Whi-Two watches the card in slight fear.

But what if I wasn't alone…?

Suppose Lack-Two was trying to hide things too…?

Could there be a way to prove that Lai was actually murdered?

Can I finally find Yuri and make him pay for what he did?

Whi-Two begins feeling her throat constrict. The small card felt heavy in her then sweating fingers.

What if I wasn't alone…?

And just like that, Whi-Two begins to spiral.

-...-

Lack-Two watches on his phone as Hugh slips in what seems like his business card into Whi-Two's file before handing it to her, and he lets out a disapproving groan.

Just as he suspected, Hugh really was snooping around in his office when he wasn't around, and now he fears that sending Whi-Two there in hope of scaring him off just resulted to something worse.

The camera installed in his office does not capture audio, leaving him with little to no idea what their conversation was about, but somehow context clues had already given him the idea that this might all end badly if he doesn't act accordingly.

With another groan, he reaches for his phone to turn the video off and returns his attention to the road.

He was nearing home. And just in time.

His head was beginning to throb intolerably, and the thousands of possibilities of what may happen next plaguing his mind were not helping.

Lack-Two needed aspirin, a few hours of sleep, and for the people around him to just stop acting against what he expects them to.

"Note to self," he mutters to his watch again. "Keep an even closes eye on Whi-Two. And when you see Hugh…"

He exhales glumly.

"Make sure to never let that motherfucker live to see the light of day again."

-Mission_10 Status: Undefined-

"The UPD Coroner's Headquarters, commonly referred to as 'The Nimbasa Morgue', located south of UPD Nimbasa's headquarters is the largest and most modern mortuary the Unova region has to offer. Currently it is governed by Head Medical Examiner Hilda Ladinski, Ph.D. Aside from deaths brought about by high-profile cases, the Nimbasa Morgue also holds governance over the deaths of UPD officers. The releasing of bodies can only be done once approval has been released by Dr. Ladinski herself." -Excerpt from the UPD Trooper's Manual, Chapter 16: The Nimbasa Morgue

In the interest of my wonderful readers: yes, I do read through every review you guys sent me, and frankly, you guys constitute most of my motivation to continue bringing out hopefully good chapters on a quicker basis. And though as much as I want to reply to everything, I simply have no time, or any capabilities, since most of you guys review as 'Guest', and there is no reply option for that.

So instead, I shall try to answer every chapter one of the most recurring questions you guys send that may not have been answered by this recent chapter. And for this particular section, I'll be answering the question, "Will we get to see Curtis again?"

Short answer is no, I'm afraid. I just honestly thought he was a funny homage to the games and frankly, writing about Lack-Two teasing Whi-Two about her love life was one of the most fun parts of creating Chapter 9. But then again, I do write the specific moments of this story as I go, so who knows?

Anyway, thanks for your time and hope you stick by for the next chapter! See ya'll!