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Get Achi to call Hitomi's name (at least I think that's the decision in question. (edit: update at bottom of last page)
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Aug 29, 2020 21:50
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 10:53 |
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 Pressure.  Setup.  Pursuit. 428 Tip – Attempted bioterrorism attack posted:Two years ago, the Tokyo Metropolitan Public Safety Commission obtained intel of an imminent bioterrorist attack within the city. Immediately afterward, an unoccupied minivan exploded outside the Metropolitan Police Department, and a device for dispersing a bacterial contagion was discovered at the subway platform at Kasumigaseki Station. Having determined that the city bureaucracy was the target, the Japanese government contacted the terrorist organization responsible in secret, making a deal to put an end to the threat. Already, a large crowd of onlookers was gathering. Shouts rose up as they took in the scene. “What’s going on?” “What happened?” “That car is on fire!” Kano called in to HQ, then quickly slipped around to the back of the burning vehicle. It was a minivan.  Peering at the flaming chassis, he could see that there was someone inside. Oh, no...Could that he Hitomi? Once they had their hands on the antiviral, the criminals would have no further use for Hitomi Osawa. Already, the body had been charred to ash. At this point, it was hardly recognizable as human anymore. 
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Aug 31, 2020 21:00
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 Alright, let's check in with Osawa. Surely he knows something about bioterrorism, or...something.
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Aug 31, 2020 23:26
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Setup.  Pressure.  No music. “Hitomi, wait!” As he ran along Koen-Dori after Miku, Minorikawa heard someone shout out a familiar name. Hitomi...? It was a pretty common name. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought; but he remembered that one of the Miss Midoriyama winners was named Hitomi Osawa. That made him curious. The World Doesn't Change so Easy. A moment later he heard a cell phone ringtone. He immediately recognized it as an Aya Kamiki song. No music. His reporter’s instincts tingled. He stopped to take a look around, and one young woman caught his eye almost immediately.  He couldn’t assume that any pretty girl he saw was Miss Midoriyama. After all, it’d be a little too convenient if he just so happened to run into her now. Still, it didn’t cost him anything to ask, “Are you Hitomi Osawa?” He might as well at least check. But to his own surprise, he hesitated in embarrassment. He’d never been too embarrassed to ask a question before. He didn’t get a chance to contemplate that realization.  A massive fiery blast knocked him from his feet. A deafening roar set his head throbbing. What was that? What’s going on? He lay in a daze on the ground, trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened.  Behind him, there was a minivan, fiercely ablaze. A minivan...an explosion... The first thing to pop into his mind was the attempted bioterrorist attack on Kasumigaseki two years earlier. An unoccupied minivan had exploded outside an MPD station, and afterward, a device meant to scatter a dangerous biological agent had been discovered near the subway. In the end, no one had been harmed, but there were rumors that the government had paid a terrorist organization a hefty sum to keep it that way. Right now, Minorikawa was a stone’s throw from the Shibuya precinct. Could this be a repeat of the Kasumigaseki attack?  The entire area was in an uproar. People were running around in panic. Minorikawa could see several injured people lying on the ground, unmoving. And yet despite the gravity of the situation, numerous onlookers were casually taking photos with their cell phones. Minorikawa got to his feet, then went to try to get everyone away from the scene of the explosion.  “Hey, you guys! Get back! There could be another bomb!” Minorikawa looked around as he pushed back the crowd. He was getting the strong whiff of a scoop. He needed to write his copy ASAP, but he couldn’t just turn his back on this situation now. Two young men were strolling toward the burning vehicle. They had the look of juvenile delinquents. “Whoa, what the heck? Is this for real?” “Ain’t this dangerous? Like for serious?”  The pair tried to find an optimal vantage point. “Hey!” Minorikawa snapped. “Don’t get any closer!” He spread his arms wide to hold them back. The young men came to a halt, but otherwise paid him no heed. “Oh, this is bad. This is for-real bad.” “Think this is a terrorist thing?” “Yo, get out your phone. C’mon.” “But like, you think this is a terrorist thing?” “Dude, shut up. Just hurry up and call Susumu!” The taller of the two, dressed in red, was ordering around his blue-clad companion.  “Huh?” the boy in blue huffed. “Man, do it yourself.”  “Say what now?!” “Bitch, this ain’t no time to get yourself all worked up.” Minorikawa stood there, arms still held wide, getting more and more annoyed at their back-and-forth.  “Yo, just make the call, man.” The young fellow in red scowled; he wasn’t going to back down.  “Huh? Yo, what difference does it make if I do it or you do it?” “It doesn’t make any difference-so it don’t matter if you do it.”  “Yeah, right, it don’t matter. So in that case, you do it.” “Look, I’m tellin’ you to just make the drat call!” “And I’m tellin’ you to just make it your drat self!” Oh, enough of this already! Minorikawa opened his mouth to tell them off-but then the young man in red spoke again.  “Dude-the goods from over at Endo Electronics are gone. You gotta let Susumu know.” The name ‘Endo Electronics’ caught Minorikawa’s attention. “Huh? Yeah, but ain’t that all that Achi dude’s fault, for gettin’ all huffy at us? I mean it was Kiryu who told us to go find the Endo storehouse.” “Yeah, but Susumu don’t like dealing in stolen goods. Says it dirties the S.O.S. name.” Well, what a coincidence. Looked like these two were S.O.S. Members.  “Hey!” Minorikawa called out. “You two!” He finally succeeded in getting their attention. Contemplation.“Where’s this Susumu fellow? I’d like to talk to him.” He had no idea who Susumu was, having only heard the name just now. Still, from the way these two were talking, it seemed clear he held some position of leadership.  “You think I’d tell you if I knew?” the fellow in red snarled. Minorikawa kept his composure. “Listen. You guys know the Tenryu-gumi?” The Tenryu-gumi was a yakuza syndicate that operated in Shibuya. These street kids were sure to be familiar with the name, if nothing else. “I may not look it, but I’m in pretty tight with the Tenryu-gumi. And maybe you two don’t know it, but Susumu’s been showing up at their office a lot lately.” 428 Tip – Tenryu-gumi posted:An up-and-coming yakuza syndicate that turned up on the scene ten years ago. With the seemingly legitimate “Takarada Financing” as its business front, the group offers monetary solutions for people in financial trouble-but those who accept their offers soon find that their troubles only grow and grow. Embroiled in conflict with the Kanto-Shiramine-gumi, who have been long established in Shibuya. “Susumu’s been...dealin’ with the yakuza?” “Whoa, for real? Sweet!” The two punks bought it completely. “What’s S.O.S. using as their hangout these days? I’ve got a little something to discuss with Susumu.” “Hmm? Right now it’s this bar called ‘Inferno.’” Minorikawa made a mental note of the name. “Right. And Inferno is where, exactly?” The two young men suddenly looked distinctly uncomfortable.  “Um, uh-oh. Later!” “Yeah, I got a thing I gotta do, too.” Backing away, they took off through the crowd.  “Hey, wait up! I need to know where Inferno is!” But the pair had already vanished.  Ambulances began arriving at the scene and paramedics rushed out to tend to the wounded. “Excuse me. Would you mind answering a few questions?”  Minorikawa turned to see a man in a suit approach him, flashing his badge. So, a detective with questions for him, huh? “How about you answer a few questions for me? Was this an accident? Or an attack?” “We still don’t know many details.”  “Let me rephrase that for you: This is a major incident!”’ Minorikawa exclaimed. “Huh?” The detective looked pretty flummoxed. “I’ve been around the block a few times, and I know all your police PR lingo. And when you start talking about ‘the details,’ that is one hundred percent indicative of a major incident!” Brushing aside Minorikawa’s remark, the detective tried another question. “Did you happen to notice anything unusual prior to the explosion?” “Unusual?” Minorikawa thought back to the moments before the minivan blew up.  “Now that you mention it, I think I heard a cell phone ringtone.” The detective tilted his head. “A ringtone?” “No, never mind. Forget that. There’s no way the ringtone on someone’s phone would be audible through all of that.” Minorikawa struck the thought from his own mind as he said it. In all likelihood, he’d associated the ringtone and the explosion simply because one had happened right before the other.  “Kano.” A large-statured Caucasian man had called out to the detective. Evidently, the detective’s name was Kano. “Thank you for your cooperation,” he said with a bow. Then he ran over to the foreigner. No music.“Mr. Minorikawa!” Minorikawa turned at a female voice behind him.  He found Miku standing there. She looked like she’d been crying. “Miku. About earlier...I, uh...” He trailed off, searching for an apology. “It’s okay. That doesn’t matter right now.” Miku looked around the scene. Minorikawa followed her gaze. “Something big went down here,” he said. “I know!” she exclaimed. “The explosion...I saw it happen with my own eyes!” “You what?” Miku looked around nervously. “Are you all right?” he asked her. “ You’re not hurt, are you?” “I’m okay. My ears are still ringing a bit, is all.” “Good! So, what did you see at the time of the explosion?” Miku assumed a thoughtful expression. “There was this girl who was running toward the minivan. And then I think I saw this other Middle Eastern girl suddenly make a dive for her, and then the van just exploded...” “Wait, hold on,” Minorikawa said. “So, if I’m getting this right, it sounds like this Middle Eastern girl saved the girl who was running up to the van?” Miku nodded. Just then, Minorikawa’s phone chimed; he’d received an email. It was from Chiaki. Mr. Mino, are you still working on your copy?  He checked his watch. At this point, the four o’clock deadline was barely twenty minutes away. Nonetheless he decided to stay at the bomb scene. He could definitely smell a scoop here-he was sure of it. Even if he couldn’t get his six pages done by four, landing a major scoop should be enough to persuade the loan company.  Minorikawa jotted his phone number down and handed it to Miku. “I’ll make things up to you,” he said. “Give me a call later.” Miku took the scrap of paper, puzzled. “If you’re looking for an aiki-jujutsu dojo, I know a few.” At that, her face lit up.  Minorikawa decided to process the scene for clues. As he wandered around, he caught sight of Detective Kano and his Caucasian colleague heading down an alley. Unrest.Hmm, what’s that I smell? Something pretty drat fishy. If they were slipping away for a private conversation, maybe there was some way he could listen in.  Minorikawa hurried into one of the buildings that bordered the alley. He looked around and found a public bathroom upstairs on the alley side of the building. Hoping beyond hope, he slipped up to the bathroom window.  Voices outside! He held his breath and listened. “Those international criminals you mentioned?” Kano’s words were faint, but he could make them out. Minorikawa did a little fist-pump. “Correct. Roughly eight hours ago, they infected Maria Osawa with the Ua virus. Then, they let her loose somewhere in Shibuya.” “Hold on. By Ua, you mean...” The discussion involved some terms Minorikawa wasn’t familiar with. He focused all of his mental energy on what the two were saying. “This is a killer virus with a one hundred percent mortality rate once it takes hold...” “One hundred percent?” Minorikawa muttered to himself.  The shock caused him to unclench the fist he didn’t realize he’d made. This wasn’t just an interesting conversation. It was monumental. “It has an incubation period of twelve hours. In another four hours, Maria Osawa will go symptomatic. After that, she’ll begin spreading the virus through the city.” “It’s capable of airborne transmission?” “If we don’t administer Kenji Osawa’s antiviral before she develops symptoms...” “Yes...?” “Everyone in Shibuya is going to die.” Minorikawa felt goosebumps rise all over his body. If they were talking about a virus and a Kenji Osawa, they could only mean that Kenji Osawa. He recalled what Osawa had said earlier, about the power balance of the world being at stake. There was no doubt about it. This was a tremendous scoop. “Well then we need to find Maria Osawa and get the antiviral to her as soon as possible!” “Just calm down. There’s more to the story th-” No music.“Aww, it’s startin’ to leak out!” The door swung open loudly, and someone came barging into the bathroom.  “Ah...” It was Yanagishita. Why him again? And why here of all places?  “Oooh, I’m leakin’ here!” Yanagishita was on the verge of hysterics. His voice must have been audible outside. Kano and his companion went to take their discussion elsewhere. And they’d just been getting to the good part.  “You son of a bitch! ” Enraged, Minorikawa grabbed Yanagishita and tossed him to the floor. “I’m leakin’!” “Shut your mouth!” He put all of his strength into an ankle hold and gave it a good twist. “Aaah!” Yanagishita wailed. “Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh!” General Tip – Ankle hold posted:A professional wrestling technique that involves grabbing the opponent by the ankle. Being caught up like this can be extremely painful; it also puts a lot of pressure on the lower body-and if you’re already fighting the urge to urinate, well... Decision.  Minorikawa left the idiot blubbering in the bathroom and hurried out of the building. He hadn’t heard the whole discussion, but he had a scoop on his hands anyway. This would be a tremendous score for Heaven Publishing-enough to let the company rebuild. He was certain of it. And if I’m the one saying it, it’s gotta be true. As he ran along, Minorikawa tried to plan his next steps. First, he had to get back to the editing office. He’d explain the situation to the people from the loan company. Then he’d go find that paperwork for Osawa, and have Chiaki check his copy. And then, after that... Okay, so he still had a lot of things he needed to do. He swatted himself on both cheeks to get himself psyched up. His phone range. It was Chiaki.  “M-Mr. Mino, something terrible has happened!” Chiaki’s voice was a broken yelp. “Whoa, calm down!” “Over on Koen-Dori, this minivan exploded!” “Ah, yeah. I’m well aware. Thanks to that, I’ve got a big scoop that-” Chiaki cut him off. “Just now, I got a call from Mr. Toyama’s daughter, Hana.” This time Minorikawa waited for her to finish; he had a sinking feeling.  Doubt.Minorikawa’s knees buckled. “Tell me you’re joking.” “No! I mean, the van explosion is all over the news, and Hana was in tears on the phone, and-Mr. Mino? Mr. Mino, are you still there?”  Toyama had...killed himself?  Minorikawa felt the energy drain from his body. 
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Sep 3, 2020 23:17
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Jesus. Did not see that coming.
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Sep 3, 2020 23:28
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Ah drat  I guess there’s no way to prevent the suicide?
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Sep 4, 2020 02:25
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Setup.  Contemplation.  No music. 428 Tip – Girl posted:Miku Morita. While walking along, upset at Minorikawa for not introducing her to an aiki-jujutsu dojo, she happened across the aftermath of the minivan explosion. Unable to stand idly by when faced with such a horrific scene, she pitched in as best she could to help the wounded.  Kano recognized her as the girl he’d talked to earlier, during the traffic jam. “Police!” he announced. “Get back. Let me handle this.” The girl was visibly relieved. “Help her,” she said. She pointed to a figure lying on the sidewalk, a short distance from the burning minivan.  It was a Middle Eastern girl; she appeared to be unconscious. “I think she got hurt rescuing another girl, about college-age,” the girl in the hoodie said. A college-aged girl? That might be Hitomi. “What happened to the girl she saved?” Kano asked. The good Samaritan looked around. “Huh? Where’d she go?” The rescuee had disappeared. “This girl here-” the girl in the hoodie gestured toward the fallen girl-“I can’t believe how fast she was.” She spoke with a hint of awe. “The way she moved to get to that other girl-she was on a level way beyond mine.” Kano took another look at the injured girl. Her figure looked rather delicate. It was hard to believe she was capable of great feats of athleticism. He started toward her, but Stanley stepped ahead of him. “Leave this one to me,” he said.  His expression was unusually stern, even for him. “Do you know her?” Kano asked. The American didn’t answer as he checked the girl’s pulse and then her pupils. “Hey, Stanley...” “Don’t you have other things you should be doing?” Stanley snapped. Fine, then. Kano decided to collect some eyewitness accounts.  Patrol cars and ambulances arrived at the scene in a steady stream. Once the vehicle fire was under control, things gradually began to calm down. Several officers worked to cover the area around the burned minivan with a blue tarp. Kano got his questioning underway, starting by flashing his badge at a man near the front of the crowd. Shinya Kano  “Excuse me. Would you mind answering a few questions?” The man puffed himself up. “How about you answer a few questions for me? Was this an accident? Or an attack?” “We still don’t know many details,” Kano admitted. The man shoved his finger in Kano’s face.  “Let me rephrase that for you: ‘This is a major incident!’” “Huh?”  “I’ve been around the block a few times, and I know all your police PR lingo. And when you start talking about ‘the details,’ that is one hundred percent indicative of a major incident!” Well, I sure picked the wrong guy to try and talk to. Stifling his frustration, Kano continued his questioning.  “Did you happen to notice anything unusual prior to the explosion?” “Unusual? Now that you mention it, I think I heard a cell phone ringtone.” “A ringtone?” “No, never mind. Forget that. There’s no way the ringtone on someone’s phone would be audible through all of that.” The man was probably right, but somehow the idea nagged at Kano. He jotted down a note in his pad.  “Kano.” It was Stanley; perfect timing. “Thank you for your cooperation,” Kano told the man. Then he hurried on his way.  Stanley stepped in close enough to whisper. “Who was that guy?” “An eyewitness to the explosion, apparently.” “Did he have any info?” “He said he heard a cell phone ringtone at the time of the explosion. Not sure if that’s significant, though.” Stanley stood silently for a moment, thinking. “What about that girl?” Kano asked. “ Has she woken up?” “No. I’m going to drive her to the hospital.” “Huh? Why do that yourself?” “Just look around,” Stanley said. He cast his eyes out over the scene. There were still many injured people lying on the roadside. It seemed the authorities hadn’t sent enough ambulances. “But isn’t your car back in Maruyamacho?” Kano asked. “Under the circumstances, I think it makes sense for me to go back for it,” Stanley replied coolly. “Besides, I have a few things I’d like to ask her.” Kano was curious. “You do?” he asked. Stanley’s cell rang.  “Yes?” Stanley answered the phone in English. As he listened, his demeanor changed. The blood drained from his face, and his hand began to tremble slightly as it gripped the phone. Kano had never seen him this shaken up. “You got it,” Stanley said at last. He hung up the phone and let out a sigh. “What is it?” Kano asked.  Stanley headed into an alley without responding. Kano hurried after him. Once they were out of earshot of the crowd, Stanley finally spoke. No music. “That call right now was from Gordon, my superior.” He broke off there, and for a long while was silent. He appeared to be struggling with some strong emotion. 
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Sep 5, 2020 21:55
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Stanley's always been firm with us. Let's be firm back. Tell us already.
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Sep 5, 2020 22:40
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 Kano was getting impatient. “What is it? If you’re going to tell me something, then tell me.” “All right,” Stanley said at last. “I can trust you with this.” “Wow. Never thought I’d hear you say you trust me,” Kano teased. But Stanley’s expression remained dead serious. Doubt. “We were contacted on our end by the mastermind of this plot.” “Those international criminals you mentioned?” “Correct. Roughly eight hours ago, they infected Maria Osawa with the Ua virus. Then, they let her loose somewhere in Shibuya.” “Hold on. By Ua, you mean...” Kano thought back to his earlier conversation with Stanley. These criminals were trying to get their hands on a new drug-an antiviral drug developed by Kenji Osawa that had been shown to be effective against the Ua virus. Stanley hesitated before continuing. “This is a killer virus with a one hundred percent mortality rate once it takes hold. Kenji Osawa’s antiviral is our only means of combatting it.” “A mortality rate of one hundred percent?” “It has an incubation period of twelve hours. In another four hours, Maria Osawa will go symptomatic. After that, she’ll begin spreading the virus through the city.”  “It’s capable of airborne transmission?” Stanley nodded. “If we don’t administer Kenji Osawa’s antiviral before she develops symptoms...” “Yes...?” Kano’s voice was trembling, now. 428 Tip – Airborne transmission posted:Following the onset of symptoms, individuals infected with the Ua virus bleed from the lungs, and the virus is readily released into the air via coughing. The Ua virus is highly resilient in the open air, and can survive even after saliva or other fluids have evaporated; simply getting within two meters of a symptomatic patient is said to carry a high risk of infection. Bodily fluids from deceased patients carry an especially high concentration of the virus, and anything contaminated with such fluids must be thoroughly sterilized before it is safe.  Stanley spoke with complete certainty. “Everyone in Shibuya is going to die.” “Well then we need to find Maria Osawa and get the antiviral to her as soon as possible!” Kano said, panicking. Stanley remained cool. “Just calm down. There’s more to the story th-” No music. Stanley was interrupted by a strange sound from the upper floors of a nearby building. Unsure of what it was, the two men hurriedly relocated.  They paused when they came to a vacant lot. The place was deserted-no need to worry about being overheard here. “You said there was more to the story?” Kano prompted. “The antiviral in question is stored in Kenji Osawa’s laboratory. The lab is protected by a sophisticated security system, and apparently the storage area where the drug is kept requires fingerprint authentication from both Osawa and Tanaka.” Tension.“What? But Tanaka’s...” Kano couldn’t help but gasp. Tanaka was currently a fugitive, the prime suspect in the kidnapping case. There was no chance of getting any fingerprint authorization from him at this stage. “Is there any other way to get in?” Kano asked. “The door can also be unlocked via password in place of the fingerprint scanner, but we’d still need to know what Tanaka chose for his password.”  “No...” “In any event,” Stanley said, “it’s essential that we track down and secure Maria. But...” He went on, his voice grave. “Even if we get Maria to safety, the mastermind is now in possession of the Ua virus. If they want to, they can unleash a bioterrorist attack on Shibuya at any time. To put it bluntly, the lives of every man, woman and child in the city are in their hands.” Kano felt a pulse of fear deep enough to give him vertigo.  He slowly tilted his back his head and gazed at the sky, vast and blue as always. There had to be tens of thousands of people in Shibuya right now. Rumi and Shizuo were among them. And they might all be dead within a day. It felt so unreal, Kano’s mind almost couldn’t process it. With an effort of will he shook himself out of his daze. Now was no time to waver. “We have to try,” he said. “In the next four hours, we need to find Maria Osawa, and figure out a way to stop this mastermind and the Ua virus.” The words were as much for himself as they were for his companion. “Let’s do this, Stanley. We might not always see eye-to-eye, but together, I feel like you and I can find a way.” But Stanley averted his gaze. “My job here is simply to apprehend the mastermind.” Kano felt a resurgence of his earlier anger at Stanley-once again, he was putting his duties above human life.  “I’m sorry.” Stanley’s voice was a quiet mutter. “ You should get away from Shibuya as soon as possible, Kano.” Kano hadn’t imagined that the American would ever be worried for him. “I appreciate the warning,” he said. “But I’m seeing this through to the end.”  “This isn’t the sort of thing you can solve with just an effort of willpower.” “Even so, giving up isn’t the Japanese detective way.” Stanley let out a nasal chuckle. “Back to that again, are we?” “Same to you.” Kano managed a tiny chuckle of his own. “Listen,” Stanley went on after a moment. “This is just between you and me. The mastermind behind this kidnapping case is an arms dealer who goes by the name Alphard.” “Alphard?” “The attempted bioterrorist attack on Kasumigaseki, a hotel bombing in Chicago-Alphard had a hand in all of them.” General Tip – Arms dealer posted:Beyond simply selling weapons, illegal arms dealers are also frequently involved in smuggling weapons unlawfully obtained through deals with government or military contacts. In recent years, such enterprises have become increasingly globalized; some dealers form smuggling networks that also deal in money laundering, drug trafficking, and more. “What do you know about this criminal?” Kano asked. Stanley’s expression grew even darker.  “Alphard’s signature is extremely meticulous planning. But I don’t mean ‘meticulous’ in the same way you or I might normally think of it. Their plans are...perfectly imperfect. Do you get what I mean?” Kano shook his head. “Alphard deliberately engineers accidents to make things complicated and unpredictable. It’s difficult to get a good grasp of what’s going on when the situation seems to be falling apart. People tend not to consider that coincidental mishaps might be anything but. In the end, they don’t even realize they were playing right into the mastermind’s hands all along.” Kano could hear the intensity in Stanley’s voice. No music. “I’m afraid that’s all I can say.” Stanley held out his right hand. “See you around, Kano. If we’re still alive.” If we’re still alive... Kano let that sink in for a moment. “Nah. I’ll shake your hand after we finish this case.” With a slight smile, Stanley withdrew his hand.  Then the two bumped fists instead. “All right. We’ll meet again, Kano. I’m sure of it.” “Yeah. See you then.” No sooner had Stanley departed than Kuze’s voice came in over the wireless. Unrest.“Attention all units. As of now, further investigation on the kidnapping case is suspended.” The director’s voice sounded strangely cold. “I repeat: as of now, further investigation on the kidnapping case is suspended.”  “Wait, hold on! Sir?!” Kano shouted. “What is it, Kano?” “Could you let us know why?” “We’ve received information that Maria Osawa has been infected with an unknown virus, and has been released somewhere in Shibuya.” That matched up with what Stanley had said earlier. “An anti-bioterrorism security force will probably be deployed in Shibuya. This is no longer a simple kidnapping case. Our part in this is finished.” “No it’s not! We haven’t managed to resolve anything!” “Kano, I assure you everyone else feels the same as you do.” Kuze’s voice had a cautionary tone. General Tip – Bioterroism posted:Terrorism involving biological agents such as bacteria or viruses. Biological weapons are easier to acquire and transport than nuclear weapons, and because the rely on an organism’s natural ability to proliferate or infect, they can yield powerful results for low effort. For these reasons, recent years have seen widespread apprehension about the possibility that such weapons might be used by terrorists. In the event that a bioterrorist attack occurred in Japan, temporary quarantine and decontamination facilities would be set up in the area affected. “They’re still performing the autopsy on the body found in the blue minivan that exploded. I’ll let you know once we have a positive I.D. Kuze out.” “Director!” But the line had already gone dead.  Left at a loss, Kano gazed out at the cityscape. The site of the bombed vehicle had calmed down briefly, but now that the news networks had begun reporting, the herd of onlookers was growing. There was also a sizeable crowd gathered outside of a large home electronics store. The large LCD televisions on display were showing a press conference being held by the governor of Tokyo. 
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Sep 6, 2020 20:56
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Let's see what's on the broadcast. A.
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Sep 7, 2020 02:42
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Unrest. Kano might learn something new about the case. He decided to watch the broadcast.  “-rking closely with the administration, we are keeping a careful eye on the situation as it develops.” The governor’s expression was solemn as he spoke. The moment he finished his statement, the reporters bombarded him with questions. “This seems similar to the bioterrorist attack on Kasumigaseki two years ago. Is there any possible connection?” “What countermeasures do we have in the event that Shibuya is the target of bioterrorism?” The governor was visibly disconcerted.  “If this does turn out to be a bioterrorist attack, we will establish emergency shelters, with a large-scale quarantine station at Yoyogi Park. However, there are still many details that remain unknown.” The politician was clearly struggling to maintain his composure. “Can you comment on the rumors we’re hearing that Shibuya might be blockaded off?” “Don’t be ridiculous!” the governor barked. “What outlet are you with? Are you trying to start a panic when we don’t even know all the details? Besides, it wouldn’t even be possible to blockade the whole of Shibuya!” The press conference continued, the governor and the reporters locked in a belligerent back-and-forth. Kano left the electronics store and headed for the café where Rumi and Shizuo were waiting. He had to tell them both to get far away from Shibuya. Yum Cha. The café Lautrec seemed quiet when Kano arrived. Shizuo was sitting alone. Kano scanned the establishment, but didn’t see Rumi anywhere. One of the staff greeted him. “Welcome! Just one, sir?” “No, I’m meeting someone, actually.” “Of course, sir.” The hostess smiled, and then went on her way.  Shizuo was glaring at him. Kano walked over to him and bowed deeply. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’m Shinya Kano.” “You look like even more of a knuckle-dragger than I thought.” Shizuo maintained his appraising stare. “Rumi had something she needed to do, so she’s stepped away for a while,” he said after a long moment. Kano sat down across from him.  There was a laptop computer open on the table. The waitress came by to take Kano’s order, so he asked for an iced coffee. 428 Tip – Laptop computer posted:Right now, the laptop is in sleep mode, and there’s nothing on the monitor; but just before Kano came in, Shizuo was browsing an Internet forum. He takes his user handle from a nickname for the apples he grows on his own farm, which are pretty little things, and nearly as sweet as honey.
“What are you using the computer for?” Kano asked. “I’m on the Internet.” Shizuo’s voice was low and gruff. “This cafe has an Internet connection?” May as well start with a little small-talk.  “So what?” Again Shizuo glared at Kano. “Ah, I just...” The words wouldn’t come. No. Actually, this is no time to be making idle chit-chat. If they got infected with the virus, Rumi and Shizuo might die. “Um, look... Please, you need to leave Shibuya right away.” Shizuo’s face contorted with confusion. “What are you talking about? Why?”  Kano wasn’t sure if he should tell the truth or not. He was strictly prohibited from discussing a case with anyone outside the department. As a former policeman himself, Shizuo ought to understand full well the secrecy an investigation required. But it wasn’t like he’d just up and leave town without a good reason. 
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Sep 8, 2020 22:00
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A. Might as well be forthcoming with the man that might become his father-in-law.
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Sep 9, 2020 01:12
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I'm going to vote for B instead - let's get the point across without revealing info we shouldn't and possibly causing a panic in the cafe.
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Sep 9, 2020 09:11
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I'm torn on this. He's been a hardass so far, so if we reveal confidential information to convince him, he might instead get angry at us for breaking the law. On the other hand, will he believe us if we just say "trust me"? Leaning towards B here. If it's phrased right, he might take us seriously without further information.
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Sep 9, 2020 09:33
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Yum Cha. “It’s very important that you go, though I...I’m not at liberty to tell you why.” Even if this was Rumi’s father, Kano couldn’t bring himself to leak secret information. His mind spun with regret. “Hmph. Well, I don’t need your say-so,” Shizuo huffed. “I’m sick of this town, anyway.” Kano was a bit relieved to hear that. “Does this have something to do with the case you’re working?” “Huh?” “You telling me to leave Shibuya. Does that have something to do with your case?” “Yes,” Kano admitted.  “So why don’t you run off with Rumi, then?” Shizuo’s tone was frank. “Well, I mean...” When Kano didn’t have an answer handy, Shizuo let out a single, heavy sigh. “Is your work important to you?” he asked. Kano hesitated. “Is it more important than Rumi?” “Well...” Again, Shizuo cut Kano off as he waffled over how to answer. “Me, I used to put my work before my family. There was no question in my mind that combatting society’s ills and solving cases was worth any price. And because of that, I did some pretty reckless things. Almost wound up dead more than once.” Shizuo paused, a forlorn look in his eyes. “My wife did nothing but worry about me. So much that I didn’t even realize when she’d worried herself sick.” Devotion. “I was so caught up in my work that I wasn’t even there for her when she finally passed away. It was all so very absurd of me.” The waitress came by and set Kano’s iced coffee on the table. It sat there, untouched, until Shizuo looked at it pointedly. With a tiny nod, Kano brought the cup to his lips. The bittersweet liquid was a balm to his parched throat. “I told Rumi the same story,” Shizuo continued. “But I didn’t tell her how absurd it was. I told her that her father only did what he had to do.” He took a sip from his glass of water. “Rumi, she’s very much like her mother used to be. Their personalities are almost identical. And I don’t want her to suffer the same way my wife did.” Shizuo’s fist clenched in his lap. “What was it that made you become a detective in the first place?” he asked. “Well, at first, I got the job because I thought it would make Rumi happy. And then I guess also because I thought it’d make you like me, sir.” It was the truth, but Shizuo simply chuckled. “If your goal is to get me to like you, you may as well give up now.”  “I’m sorry, sir,” Kano said. “I can’t do that.” “Hmph. Are you this stubborn around Rumi?” Shizuo grumbled. “I love your daughter, sir. I want to keep her safe, to make her happy.” “And why is that?” “Whenever I think about her, I just feel so amazing. I’m sure that you or anyone can empathize with that. Everyone has someone they want to protect, who makes them feel that good.” “It’s an admirable thing, wanting to be a detective and protect the happiness of the people. But that doesn’t mean you need to ignore your own happiness in the process.” “What you say may be true, sir. Earlier today, my partner was stabbed. And today’s his wife’s birthday.” Shizuo arched his brow. “Is he going to make it?” “We’re not sure yet. Last I knew he was in critical condition.” “This is why I keep saying that the life of a detective is...is...” Shizuo’s words trailed off into a lamenting murmur. Even so, Kano was unmoved.  “Dick Dictum No. 1: Never lose sight of what you’re supposed to protect. Ever.”  “What’s that?” “Something that a senior detective I admire very much said. It’s the fundamental guiding principle I’ve stuck to as a detective. But I was wrong about the real meaning behind it. My partner was stabbed, there are people I want to rescue-so much has happened, and now I finally understand what those words mean. When you see someone in trouble, you help them. That’s not something a good detective does-that’s something a good person does.” Kano took a good, long look at Shizuo’s face. He had surprised himself, finding the words to speak his feelings so clearly, and he wondered what affect it had had on the older man.  “I’m sure that, from your perspective as my future father-in-law, my being a detective means that I’m putting my life on the line. But that’s not entirely true. I can only be myself. This is the kind of person I am; I care about helping people. Even if I were a baker, or a brewer, or a bookseller-I’d still act the same way.” “You’re being ridiculous. A baker and a detective don’t assume anywhere near the same risks.” “I suppose that’s true.” Kano fussed with his hair sheepishly. “Hmph,” Shizuo grumbled. “I think I see what kind of man you are, now.” He sounded oddly defeated.  “Which is why now is no time to just futz around.” Kano sat up straighter at Shizuo’s weighty tone. “A detective needs more than just passion. A detective can’t solve all his problems with sheer determination alone. But at the same time, he needs more than just the ability to coldly assess a situation. He needs the conviction to stick to a case when it might otherwise seem prudent to give up.” There was something new in Shizuo’s expression now, and a gleam in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Kano almost felt like he was being sermonized to by a senior officer. “You got that? You need a cool mind but a fiery spirit. A detective without both of those is worth nothing.”  “Do you mind if I write that down in my notebook here?” “Look,” Shizuo said, sounding suddenly embarrassed. “Aren’t you in a hurry? Don’t you have to get back to your case?” “Ah-yes! And sir, please, I need you and your daughter to leave Shibuya right away.” “Yeah, I hear ya, I hear ya.” Kano conjured up Rumi’s face in his mind. There was a chance he might never see her again. He forced the thought away as best he could.  “By the way, if I may ask...” Shizuo said, “What was it about Rumi that made you fall in love with her?” “What?” Where’s this coming from all of a sudden? “Was it her looks?” “No, it wasn’t just that...” Kano found himself tongue-tied again.  “I mean, she is pretty cute. Even if this is my own daughter I’m talking about.” Shizuo shocked him by grinning from ear to ear.  “Well, yes, she sure is!” Kano replied. “But it’s more than just that. She’s also very sweet and kindhearted.” “Ah, she is, isn’t she?” “Yeah, she really is.” For the first time, Kano and Shizuo smiled at one another.  “You’re a man who lets his emotions show on his face,” Shizuo said. “And for a detective, that’s... Actually, that’s not so bad.” “Thank you, sir,” Kano said. He bowed to Shizuo as he stood up from his seat. “Never lose sight of what you’re supposed to protect, huh? I like that. Wise words, indeed.” Kano turned to look back, and then bowed deeply to Shizuo one last time. No music. The ability to coldly assess a situation... Kano knew what he needed to do. There was one thing that was nagging him; no matter how hard he thought about it, it still didn’t add up. Why would Tateno let al-Karawan go free? He needed to get back to the precinct and get the truth from al-Karawan firsthand. As he walked along, he considered what he did know about the facts of the case.  Just what sort of plan had Alphard put into motion, here? It seemed that Tanaka and Osawa held the keys to understanding it. There had been relay handoffs of the phony attaché case-a relay that Tanaka had been complicit in. Then there was Hitomi missing, carrying the antiviral. Osawa had confirmed that himself. Kano was starting to form a vague picture of what Alphard was up to. If the mastermind’s goal was to acquire the antiviral, then obtaining the cooperation of Osawa and Tanaka was vital to that plan. After all, their fingerprint verification was required to physically access the drug. In order to overcome that hurdle, Alphard had presumably managed to win over Tanaka somehow, and had then kidnapped Maria Osawa to provide leverage against her father. No doubt that was how they’d gotten Hitomi to take the antiviral with her to Hachiko. While the police were distracted by following the attaché case, Alphard would then take the antiviral from Hitomi. That was the general plan, as far as Kano could surmise.  Just then, a call from Kuze came in over the wireless.  “We’ve identified the body found inside the blown-up minivan.” Kano’s hand tingled as it gripped the wireless. “Mamoru Tanaka, male, forty years old. An employee of Okoshi Pharmaceutical. Positive I.D. was obtained from the subject’s personal belongings...” Shibuya Scramble.“What?!” Kano gasped. If Tanaka was dead, it would now be almost impossible to access the antiviral drug in the laboratory. At this point, the only antiviral they had any chance of obtaining was whatever Hitomi was carrying. Kano thought back to what Stanley had said earlier.  “Even if we get Maria to safety, the mastermind is in possession of the Ua virus. If they want to, they can unleash a bioterrorist attack on Shibuya at any time. To put it bluntly, the lives of every man, woman and child in the city are in their hands.”  “No...” A chill ran down Kano’s spine. If someone did release the Ua Virus, there would be no way to stop it from spreading. If Alphard really was planning a bioterror attack, Shibuya would well and truly become a city of the dead. He couldn’t help but feel that the whole department was playing right into Alphard’s hands. Kano staggered, physically stricken by the realization of just how terrifying a foe they were up against. 
Setup.  No music.    “Mr. Osawa, ma’am...” Kajiwara shuffled his way over to them at last. “We’ve just gotten word from headquarters.” He hesitated ominously. Maneuvers.. Osawa braced himself. “Please, let’s hear it.” 428 Tip – Headquarters posted:Right now, the task force is in an uproar after a change in direction from the higher-ups. The detectives who were on the scene have been ordered to discontinue the kidnapping investigation. “It would seem that your daughter Maria is safe.” “What?” Osawa felt an unexpected surge of relief. “You mean it?!” “The case has been solved?!” added Ai. For a moment, they almost sounded like a happily married couple. It was only the stern look on Kajiwara’s face that gave them pause. “However, as of yet, we do not have her in custody.” “I’m...not sure I understand,” Osawa said. “You know she’s alive, but you don’t have her? How?” Deep furrows appeared in Kajiwara’s forehead. “I’m sorry, sir. The information we’ve received from up top is...complicated. We’ve confirmed that she was able to escape confinement. It’s just...” The detective gave every appearance of holding something back. “If there’s something you need to tell us, then just say it,” Osawa told him. “It would seem that Maria has been infected with a virus.” “Infected?” Osawa felt as if a taloned claw had just clutched his heart. “It’s not one I’ve ever heard of before, but... apparently it’s called the Ua virus.””    Osawa’s vision went dark. He felt as if he’d plunged into a black void of despair. “Darling...?” Ai asked raspily. She didn’t need to put her fears into words; Osawa felt them just as plainly in his own gut.  “You’re an expert on virology, aren’t you, Mr. Osawa?” Kajiwara said. “Are you familiar with this Ua virus?” Osawa held up a hand to forestall further questions. There was no time for that. “How many hours ago was she infected?” he demanded. “I wasn’t told that much. Is that important to know, sir?” “Depending on when Maria was infected, we may or may not still be...”  Osawa trailed off abruptly as the reality of the situation struck home. This wasn’t the same as when Hitomi had been infected. Right now, there was no way of getting Tanaka’s cooperation, which meant there was no way of accessing the antiviral storage. In other words, getting the cure to Maria would be impossible.  Osawa’s head swam. “Detective Kajiwara, I beg of you. Your people need to catch Tanaka as soon as possible. I...can’t share the details, but if you don’t, something terrible is going to happen.” No music.Just then Kajiwara’s cell phone rang. He picked up quickly. “Wh-What did you say?!” The detective’s shout shattered the anxious silence that had fallen. Ai shuddered visibly at the outburst. Kajiwara nodded sharply, still listening; more creases formed in his forehead. “Understood. I’ll let them know.”  He hung up. All eyes were on him. “That was headquarters.” Osawa swallowed the lump in his throat. He could feel himself quaking all over. “A minivan we believe belonged to the syndicate exploded near Jinnan in Shibuya. A body was found amongst the burning wreckage of the vehicle...”  “Who was it?” Osawa interjected. “Tell me!” Please, don’t let it be Maria. Please, don’t let it be Hitomi.  Kajiwara took a breath before speaking. “We’ve conclusively identified the remains as Mr. Tanaka’s.” Frenzy.  “Noooooo!” The cry was visceral, almost birdlike. Osawa looked around in surprise. It was Ai. “It’s not true! You’re lying!” Her shrill screams reverberated through the room.  Osawa felt like he wanted to scream, too. With Tanaka dead, there was no way to get to the antiviral. Which meant that Maria was going to die.  
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Sep 9, 2020 21:16
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We managed to impress and even find common ground with dad-in-law! Nice.
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Sep 9, 2020 21:39
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Boy, wife there is way too broken up about Tanaka's death considering she has no idea he's linked to the anti-viral. Welp that's affair confirmed.
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Sep 9, 2020 21:44
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Sorry, forgot to mention, please vote for our next character. Everyone is available.
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Sep 10, 2020 12:47
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Well, since Tama is no longer a valid option on account of becoming Maria, might as well go with someone more platable, like Minorikawa
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Sep 10, 2020 13:25
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Setup.   No music. Minorikawa needed to get back to the editing office right away. But despite the urgency, he barely stumbled along.  He was swaying on his feet, only half aware of where he was even going. “No...no, this is all some sick joke.” He just couldn’t accept that Toyarna was dead. He let out a lifeless sigh; a cynical smile crept onto his face. “The man always did insist on having his own way. But killing himself...” Cigarette Smoke. Back when he was still a novice reporter, Minorikawa had written a piece about a middle-school girl who’d committed suicide. The school had made a statement denying that bullying had been a factor, and so most of the media had reported that she had suffered a nervous breakdown over entrance exams. But something about the case had kept nagging at him. General Tip – Nervous breakdown posted:A period of mental illness manifesting as panic disorder, stress-induced anxiety, or the like. The term is commonly used to refer to serious health issues such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic depression), as well as the buildup of more minor stresses as part of everyday life. Because it is so broadly and vaguely defined, it is generally avoided in psychiatric contexts.  Had her death really been a suicide? The more people he interviewed about the incident, the more his doubts grew. The city news editor, however, would not allow him to conduct a follow-up investigation. And the reason why was simple:  This was the sort of thing that happened every day. They couldn’t waste time on a case that was already on the books. It was more important for a reporter to find new stories than to squander time engrossed in a case that was old news.  Minorikawa understood the editor’s decision well enough. But that didn’t mean he had to like it. He’d been sulking up on the roof, slowly nursing a cigarette, when the paper’s local news copy editor, Toyama, happened to drop by. “Did they say no to the follow-up interviews?” Toyama asked. “About that girl’s suicide?” “Yeah.” Minorikawa expelled a plume of his smoke along with his sigh. Nothing tasted quite as bad as a cigarette when he was down in the dumps. General Tip – Copy editor posted:At a newspaper, an employee who evaluates the quality and suitability of reporters’ copy and coverage. Effectively the boss of a group of reporters; however, the copy editor typically works under a section editor who has the final say about what makes the page. A middle management position, caught between upstart reporters and an angry section chief. 428 Tip – That girl posted:The name of the girl who killed herself was Chiharu Fuyutsuki. After reading her diary, Minorikawa became convinced it wasn’t an ordinary suicide. Six years from now, Minorikawa will run into a certain teacher, and the investigation into the student’s death will be reopened, but that’s another story, for another time. “So what are you going to do?” “I’m not going to do anything,” Minorikawa said. “Editor told me no.”  “Oh, ‘Editor said not to’? You sound like a child.” The rebuff made Minorikawa’s temper flare. “There are other interviews to do! I want to follow up on this but there isn’t any time!”  “You dumbass!” Toyama hauled off and hit him right across the face.  “What happened to ‘I write what I feel in my heart! That’s the one thing I refuse to back down on!’? What happened to the guy who used to bitch at me like that?!” Toyama’s words hit their mark with painful precision. “The interviews aren’t over until you have what you need! No, you refuse to let them be over! You go after the truth no matter what anyone tells you. Isn’t that what being a journalist is all about?!” Minorikawa scowled in chagrin. The man was exactly right.  Until you have what you need...T hose words had stuck with Minorikawa ever since. In fact, he’d quit the paper to become a freelancer because he couldn’t do his job the way he wanted while trapped in that hierarchy.  Now he wondered: What if Toyama hadn’t killed himself, but had instead been the victim of a terrorist attack? But after considering the idea for a moment, he thought bitterly: So what? The reasons and the details hardly mattered at this point. What mattered was that Toyama was dead. Minorikawa sat down listlessly and stared up at the sky. The blank swath of blue made him feel all the more worn out. Just what had all of the day’s running-around been for? He felt so empty, so hollowed out by loss. All his motivation had drained away. He had no idea what he should do next.  Hey. Minoru Minorikawa. What should you do? He tried to listen to his inner voice. 
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Sep 10, 2020 19:56
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A. Time to find that spark again, Minorikawa!
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Sep 11, 2020 04:10
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Doesn't Toyama have a daughter?? What happened to her?? Minorikawa, you can't let this sit. Find that passion!
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Sep 11, 2020 04:15
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Am I confused (probably) or have we had two separate identifications (Toyama and Tanaka) on what was reported as one body in the explosion? I'll throw in an A vote as well, why not.
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Sep 11, 2020 12:14
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P sure the Toyama one is false, as the police probably IDed it best. Might have been some genuine bad info fed to Minorikawa here.
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Sep 11, 2020 16:11
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Cigarette Smoke. You’ve forgotten your passion! You need to get that back!  Yeah. That was his only option, really. He needed to turn back the clock, to reclaim the fire that used to burn inside him. And he knew just how to do that. No music. Before he could, however, a young man stumbled across his path, taking a nasty fall on the pavement. “Owwww! Oh drat that hurts!” The youngster scrambled back to his feet and turned to Minorikawa with a snarl.  “What’re you lookin’ at, pal?” The young man clutched a piece of timber like a club; there was a nasty gleam in his eyes. “I’m not ‘lookin’ at’ anything,” Minorikawa sighed. “I just happen to be looking in your direction.” “Shut your yap! Apologize, bitch! Now!” The punk raised his cudgel. “What for?” “You tripped me, man. Ain’t you gonna apologize for that?” The kid had stumbled all on his own, but was probably too embarrassed to admit it. Guess he’s got to vent his anger at someone.  “Listen, kid,” Minorikawa said, “It’s not my fault you’re such a klutz.” “The hell you just say to me?! You got a death wish, pal?” With a murderous glare, the punk advanced on him, brandishing his weapon. General Tip – Klutz posted:“You know, like the pedal in a car that’s got a manual transmission Oh, that’s a clutch. Okay, so then like lumps of earth or clay. Those are clods, you say? Right, so then we’re talking about a sort of social get-together for coffee and conversation? Huh? Ah, right, that’s a klatsch. Is it when you try to fix something using stuff that isn’t really meant for that purpose? That’s a kludge? Okay. 
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Sep 13, 2020 20:26
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It's either going to get us killed or start a deep and meaningful conversation that turns this kid's life around, so I'm going with A.
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Sep 13, 2020 20:32
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 “Is it fun, hitting people with that thing?” The corner of the punk’s mouth curled up. “Aw yeah. Real fun. Only a dumbass beats people with their bare hands. You just wind up hurtin’ your fists. If you’re gonna enjoy some violence, you gotta have yourself a weapon.” “Aha. I see. In that case, maybe give it a rest with that stick, yeah?” “Huh? What for?” The punk scowled in irritation. “Don’t get me wrong,” Minorikawa said. “I’m just saying there have to be better weapons than that. Something that could take a man down in a single blow.” The kid stopped to consider Minorikawa’s words for a moment. “I get ya. Yeah, you might be right about that. And I think I have just the thing. May as well go with my usual.”  He tossed away the piece of wood on the side of the road. “Don’t you go anywhere till I get back. Got it?” “...yeah. Sure thing.” Minorikawa watched as the punk headed back the way he’d come. “Man,” he murmured. “What a dumbass.” Looking around, he spotted a taxi parked close by. Cigarette Smoke. It was Kimizuka. “Do you need a ride, sir?” Kimizuka asked, all politeness as he opened the back door.  “If you’re heading to that publishing office again, I can get you there in ten minutes.” Kimizuka’s driving was as smooth as always; he wove his way skillfully through a series of back streets. “There was some big explosion earlier,” he explained. “The main roads are all gridlocked.” “Yeah,” Minorikawa muttered. “I was there when it happened.” “Oh, wow. Really? I’m glad to see you’re not hurt, then. Still-what a terrible thing. That minivan-I hear someone was inside when it exploded. I’m not sure if you were aware.” “Yeah. Yeah, I’m aware.” “Oho. Nothing gets past a reporter like you, I see.” Kimizuka flashed Minorikawa an approving smile through the rear-view mirror.  “How much have you heard, then? Rumor has it that the person who died was a middle-aged man.”
“Oh. Huh.” “Heheh. We taxi drivers tend to hear quite a bit, ourselves.” Kimizuka chuckled, but Minorikawa just cast his eyes down forlornly. “You look tired, sir.” “Mmm. Yeah. I guess so.” His reply was barely audible. Suddenly, someone rushed out into the street right in front of the cab. No music. “Look out!”  There was a heavy thunk as the taxi crashed into the pedestrian.  Screeching to a halt, Kimizuka and Minorikawa jumped out of the vehicle to find a young man splayed out on the street. “Hey!” the driver called. “You all right?!” Doubt. The fallen pedestrian was practically still a kid-and he wasn’t moving. Kimizuka hunkered down and jostled his shoulder; then his expression stiffened in alarm. Minorikawa checked the young man’s pulse, but couldn’t detect any heartbeat. “Oh, no,” Kimizuka said. “This is...” Tears began to well up in his eyes. Minorikawa turned to him in surprise. “You knew him?” “I did.” Kimizuka cradled the young man in his arms. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find yourself another taxi,” he said.  “I’m going to turn myself in to the police.” Looking down at the boy’s unmoving form, Minorikawa felt a pang of guilt. “No,” he said, “I’m the one who’s been asking you to drive around so recklessly all day. This is on me, too.” “But-” “I’ll go with you to the cops.”  The two men decided to head to the station together to surrender themselves. There probably wouldn’t be time to work on writing articles while they were being interrogated. But that was just how it’d have to be. This was the right thing to do. Minorikawa just had to keep telling himself that, knowing that it was the truth.  
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Sep 19, 2020 21:50
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hey Achi what if we didn't run into traffic, just a thought.
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Sep 19, 2020 22:43
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BUT THEN WHY DO THEY CALL IT CATCHING A CAB 
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Sep 20, 2020 00:35
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Setup.  No music. Achi could hear ambulance and police sirens wailing on the main road. He looked down at Hitomi, slumped on a park bench beside him. “You’re sure you’re not hurt?” he asked quietly, offering her a bottle of water.  “I’m okay.” Hitomi took a sip from the bottle. “Thanks. I think I’ve managed to calm down some.” Some of the color had finally returned to her face. “So, um-” Achi began hesitantly. “Inside that minivan...”  “Maria wasn’t in there.” There was relief in her voice, but also a note of pathos. “I got a look in through the windshield. There was a man laid out in the back seat, but nobody else.” The dark cloud lifted from Achi’s face.  “So it...it wasn’t your sister?” “No. I didn’t see his face. Just that he was wearing a business suit.” Achi felt the tension ebbing from his body. “That’s good, then. That it wasn’t her. I’d been worried.” It was a shame about the poor devil who had been killed, though. Who was it, and why had he been there? “So...I guess now we’re out of leads,” Hitomi murmured. She hung her head. “We could try the surveillance center again for now,” Achi said. “It’ll probably give us better odds of finding your sister than just walking around.” “I guess you’re right. Shall we, then?” “Hmm. Hold on.” Achi had a sudden flash of inspiration. “My house is a lot closer from here. Maybe I should ask my dad if we can check the cameras from home.” “You can do that?” “We have the same system at our house. I’m sure my dad will let us use them.” The two got up and headed for Endo Electronics.  Achi decided to let his father know they were coming; he turned on his phone as they walked along. He’d had it off for a while, so first he checked his voicemail. There was one message. Wondering who might have called, he played it back. “Is this Achi Endo’s personal cell phone? This is Dr. Saeki from Shibuya Central Hospital.” Achi’s expression stiffened. He pressed the phone closer to his ear. 428 Tip – Saeki posted:Seiichi Saeki. Heart specialist and Suzune’s attending physician. A preeminent surgeon who has successfully performed the “Batista procedure,” wherein the left ventricle is reconstructed after a third of it has been removed. Echo.“There’s been a sudden change in Suzune’s condition. I tried calling your home as well, but got no answer.” Achi felt the edges of his vision growing dim. “As her brother, it would be good if you can come to the hospital as soon as possible. It’s...”  “Achi?” Hitomi’s voice was full of concern. “Sorry. I just gotta make a call here...” Fingers trembling, Achi dialed his house. The phone rang several times before switching over to the answering machine. “Dammit. Where the hell are you, dad?”  “What’s wrong?” Hitomi asked. “It’s Suzune. It sounds like things have gotten pretty bad.” “Well then we need to get to the hospital right away!” Hitomi said. She sounded as anxious as Achi was.  “We can’t go yet.” Achi shook his head quietly. “First we have to save your sister.” Hitomi bristled angrily at that.  “What are you talking about?” She grabbed Achi by the arm and shook him. “Right now you need to be thinking about your sister!” “I can’t. I made a promise to Suzune. A promise to help people, and see things through to the end when something important is on the line.” He struggled to get the words out. “If I break that promise...then I really am no good to her.” But Hitomi didn’t look like she was going to back down. Confusion. “Oi, get back here!” A threatening shout rung out from nearby. Achi looked around, startled, and saw a boy about high-school age bolting out from behind a building on a side street.  Several slightly older young men were hot on his heels. Achi knew their faces all too well: they were all members of S.O.S.  They caught their quarry just before he could make it out onto the main road. “Heheh. Gotcha, newbie!” So the kid they were after must have been a member, too. “Let me go!” “Oh, we’ll letcha go all right. After you pay up!”  One of the young men snatched the boy by the collar and shoved him against the wall of a nearby building. “Ow!” The boy’s face scrunched up. “What are you talking about?!” “Playin’ dumb, huh?” interjected one of the onlookers. “We told ya that members all have to pay monthly dues, yeah? The privilege of gettin’ to call yourself S.O.S. don’t come free, after all.” Achi felt his blood boil. S.O.S. was trying to pull a shakedown on this new kid under the guise of calling it ‘dues.’ It would have been unthinkable for them to do something like this back when Achi was running the show. General Tip – Shakedown posted:Slang for extortion. A full-fledged crime. Naturally, the direct shakedown (“Gimme all your money, punk!”) is quite unpleasant, but more roundabout ways of being shaken down can still leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Someone who was surrounded on the street by eight people in pompadours who said “Begging your pardon, but could you please hand over your money?” might suffer no physical harm, but would still be the victim of a shakedown.  “Hey!” he barked. “Let the kid go!” He marched toward the group. “Say what, now?” They turned to look, their faces immediately going pale. “Oh, uh, hey, Achi...” “Let him go.” Achi focused his glare on the fellow holding the kid until he released his grip. “You guys always go around doing stuff like this?” None of the gang members answered; they merely turned their gazes glumly to the ground. “Hey.” Achi turned to the younger boy. “Since when have they been doing this?” But of course, he realized, there was no way the newbie would be able to tell him. “Never mind-you can go.” Achi gestured toward the main road. The boy was quick to run off.  Achi waited until the boy was gone before turning back to the others. “Does Susumu know you’re going around collecting dues like this?” he asked. “Man, we don’t gotta tell you that,” one of them muttered. “Not since you deserted.” “What’d you just say?”  Achi leaned in close, getting right in the guy’s face; he was met with a defiant sneer. “This ain’t the old S.O.S. anymore.” Not the old S.O.S.?  Achi thought back to the other gang member he’d run into earlier, with the malicious gleam in his eyes.  That guy. Pretty sure he said his name was Kiryu?  Back when Achi had been with S.O.S., he’d never have let a guy like that get away with acting all high and mighty. Now, it seemed like all these young fellows were ready to follow suit-eager to take him down a peg. “You’re old news, pal.” “Ain’t your business to tell us how to do things.” Achi felt a confusing flood of anger and sadness that he couldn’t quite control. “I’m not messing around here, you guys.” He grabbed the nearest punk by the collar and hefted him up in the air. Then someone shouted from behind him. “Hey! What are you doing?!”  Achi put the guy down and turned around to see Susumu standing there. “Mind telling me just what’s going on here, Achi?” Susumu flashed his underlings a sharp glare. 
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Sep 22, 2020 21:50
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I get the feeling running after them will just lead to the bad end, so B.
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Sep 22, 2020 23:08
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We need to escalate this to a manager. B.
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Sep 23, 2020 00:45
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Confusion. Just what the hell was going on with S.O.S.? Achi needed to talk to Susumu.  “I asked what was going on here.” There was a threatening note in Susumu’s voice. “That’s what I want to know. What the hell’s happened to S.O.S., man?” Susumu’s face twisted with displeasure. “You’re an outsider now; that’s none of your business.”  “I don’t give a drat if it’s my business or not. When I left you in charge of S.O.S, I-” “You shut your drat mouth!” Susumu roared. “Yeah, that’s right. You left me in charge! So don’t you dare give me any lip now about how I run things!” His sudden ferocity left Achi at a loss for words.  “You’re not the one busting your rear end out here! I am!” Susumu stalked toward Achi, his face red with emotion. “I’ve had to work so hard to keep things going with you gone! Do you have any idea what it’s been like?! Do you know what I’ve had to put myself through to keep S.O.S together?!”  There was nothing Achi could say to that. He just kept his mouth shut, and let Susumu talk. “You were gone...I thought maybe I could do things like you did...”  All at once Susumu seemed to deflate a little; he hung his head, hiding his face. “And if...if I couldn’t be like you, then...” “Hey, man. I get it. And I’m sorry.” But Susumu kept his face averted. “Please,” he muttered. “Stay out of our business.”  Then he turned on his heel and headed off without looking back. Achi watched him leave, feeling a painful sting. No music. “Achi?” Hitomi asked after Susumu was gone. “Are you sure you’re okay leaving things like this?” Achi shrugged heavily. “Susumu said he’s doing what he can. It’s not my place to butt in.” He turned his back on Hitomi; he still needed a moment. “Achi, you’re being unreasonable.” “About what?” He felt like he’d been wounded to his very core, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. “You want to help people who are in trouble, right?” Hitomi asked quietly. “Yeah, I guess.” Achi’s voice was glum. “Well, I’m in a whole lot of trouble right now.” “Yeah, I know that.” “No, Achi. You don’t.” Hitomi’s tone was clipped and firm. “Please, go to your sister.” “What are you talking about? That doesn’t matter now-” Hitomi Osawa. “Yes it does!” Hitomi’s shout stopped him in his tracks. “Achi, right now, the thing I’m having the most trouble with is that you won’t go to the hospital. Don’t you get it? How can I possibly be happy with you helping me if you have to sacrifice your own sister to do it?”  Achi couldn’t answer that, and he knew it. “Please. Go to the hospital. I’m asking you to, and I’m definitely someone in trouble-so it doesn’t count as breaking your promise, right?” 
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Nov 11, 2020 21:08
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B Yay! It's back!~
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Nov 11, 2020 22:01
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Let's introduce the sister and new girlfriend. B.
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Nov 12, 2020 08:39
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Hitomi Osawa.  “So yeah, how about we drop by the hospital for a bit?” The emotions Achi had been trying to hide now came welling to the surface. “We’ll-we’ll go see Suzune, and-and after that, we can go look for your sister. Would that be okay with you?”  “That would be more than okay with me.” And at long last, Hitomi smiled at him. Back in sync with each other, Achi and Hitomi headed to the hospital. No music. Shibuya Central Hospital was one of the foremost general hospitals in Japan, outfitted with top-notch medical facilities and staffed by highly skilled personnel. Individuals like Suzune with rare blood types were sent to the hospital from far and wide because of its cutting edge hematology center. General Tip – Hematology center posted:The hospital division that deals with blood. Its goal is to provide high-end care to patients with blood disorders, including blood screening, treatments, transfusions, the management and supply of blood products, and other related services. Achi asked Hitomi to stay in the waiting area while he headed on into the hospital proper. From the visitors’ entrance, he passed by the nurses’ station, then entered the cardiovascular medicine section and walked along a row of examination rooms. General Tip – Cardiovascular Medicine posted:The cardiovascular system includes the heart as well the various blood vessels that circulate blood throughout the body. Cardiovascular medicine deals with heart and blood issues such as angina, heart attacks, heart failure, irregular pulse, and the like.  He walked by the first room as quietly as possible, catching sight of a mother and daughter sitting together in chairs in the hallway. The mother was crying softly. “Oh, Takuya...he’s only fifteen...” she murmured under her breath. The name Takuya didn’t ring a bell. It was the “only fifteen” that got a reaction out of Achi. Only fifteen... He couldn’t imagine anything good coming after that. To be cruelly taken away when one was still so young- Achi could feel the woman’s pain as deeply as if it were his own.  When he reached Suzune’s room, Dr. Saeki, the attending physician, explained her condition. The doctor did his best to keep his explanation simple, but Achi was too worked up to process much of what he said. He did manage to wrap his head around a few things: Lingering Heart. At around 10 o’clock that morning, Suzune had had a seizure. For a while it had been touch and go, but finally her condition had stabilized. However, since she hadn’t regained consciousness yet, she wasn’t allowed any visitors. That was the gist, as far as Achi could tell.  “What’s your father doing today? He still hasn’t come by,” Dr. Saeki said. Achi wasn’t sure what to tell him. It was certainly odd. There was no way his father wouldn’t have rushed right to the hospital if he’d heard Suzune had taken a turn for the worse. “I’ll give you a call once she’s woken up; for now, you can head on home for the day.” “All right. Please, keep a close eye on her, Doctor.” Somberly, Achi went to find Hitomi in the waiting area. No music. Outpatient reception had closed for the day, leaving the hospital quiet; his footsteps echoed softly in the corridors. Then as he walked along a peculiar sound drew his attention. It had come from over by the base of a nearby stairwell. Achi took a peek around the corner. Maneuvers. The sight that greeted him nearly made him gasp aloud. In the dim light up ahead he saw Canaan-and she had some white guy pressed against the wall, a knife to his throat. Achi quickly yanked his head back out of view. Could it be? Was this the man Canaan said she was after? Achi had to resist the urge to go charging out there. Some amateur heading in half-cocked might well be more of a liability to Canaan than any sort of help. He heard her mutter something to the man in English.  “We know nothing about Alphard’s background-nationality, sex, age...” Achi could just barely make out the words, but since it was all in English, he had no idea what they meant. “But we do know that whoever they are, they have connections to Langley.” Achi peeked out again, very cautiously, in time to see the man raise an eyebrow at Canaan’s words. General Tip – Langley posted:Slang for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), headquartered in Langley, Virginia. Similar to referring to the Japanese government as “Nagatacho.” The CIA has other nicknames, including “the Company,” “the Agency,” “the Second Government,” “the Invisible Government,” and “the Coupmakers.”  “Interesting. That doesn’t mean you need to threaten me at knifepoint, though.” He flashed her a thin smile. “It does, actually. Because I happen to know that you’re a CIA agent-” General Tip – CIA Agent posted:Technically known as “officers,” the CIA refers to its own spies as “agents.” Someone in charge of directing agents is called a “case officer.” Case officers are stationed at embassies across the world in the public guise of diplomats, soldiers, and the like. No music. No sooner were Canaan’s words out than the man grabbed her arm and tried to hurl her against the wall. Just before her head connected, though, she jackknifed her upper body forward, then planted both feet against the wall and kicked off with tremendous force. Contemplation. She used her momentum to launch herself forward, regaining her position with her knife against the man’s throat.  But during his brief opening, the man had managed to draw a gun from inside his jacket; now the barrel was pressed right against Canaan’s heart.  Achi swallowed the lump in his throat. “How about we call a truce?” Canaan said softly. She withdrew her knife. “Yeah. Sounds like you and me are both after the same thing.” The man likewise lowered his gun. With a faint smile, Canaan turned her back on him and vanished down the adjacent stairwell. Achi had no idea what had just happened. They’d stopped fighting, though, so this guy probably wasn’t Canaan’s ‘mastermind’ after all. If only Achi spoke a little English, he might have been able to follow their conversation. He found himself wishing he’d taken school more seriously. When he looked again, he saw that the man too had disappeared. No music.Hitomi stood up from her chair as Achi hurried into the waiting area.  “How’s Suzune?” she asked. “For now, she’s not in any immediate danger, they said.” “That’s good to hear.” “But more importantly, Canaan was here just now.” “What?! Why?” “I’m not sure. I’m not smart enough to figure that out.” Achi slumped his shoulders. “Huh? What? I’m not quite sure what you mean.” “Exactly. I couldn’t understand anything she was saying.” Hell, he couldn’t even figure out how to get through to Hitomi. “May I have a moment?” A voice spoke unexpectedly from behind Achi.  His breath caught in his throat as he turned around. Standing there was the man Canaan had been struggling with. “Uh, what’s up?” Achi asked. He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. But the man wasn’t looking at Achi.  “You’re...Hitomi Osawa, is that right?” “Ah, yes.” “Hey!” Achi snapped. “Keep your distance!” He stepped protectively in front of Hitomi. “This guy-he’s not what he looks like.” Achi clenched his fists and adopted a defensive posture. “Huh?” Hitomi seemed panicked. 
HydroSphere fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 21:54
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Let's not go ahead and reveal that we're in cahoots with Canaan. B here.
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Dec 13, 2020 22:05
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Agreed. B.
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Dec 14, 2020 02:31
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No music. “I don’t know who he is, but he’s not our friend.” The man calmly reached into his jacket pocket Fearing he might be about to draw his gun, Achi braced for action.  “My name is Jack Stanley. I’m a Security Assistance Officer with the U.S. Embassy.” Achi held back his punch as the man held out his I.D. Card. “Embassy?” General Tip – I.D. Card posted: “What does someone from the U.S. Embassy want with me?” Hitomi asked timidly. “You’re being targeted by a dangerous criminal. I’m here to take you into protective custody.” “Custody?” Achi’s temper flared. “Buzz off, pal. We’re busy here.” “Busy searching for Maria Osawa?” Stanley asked. Achi and Hitomi exchanged glances.  “I know the full details of the...trouble you currently find yourselves in.” “Well all right, then,” Achi said. “Then you should know we don’t have time to get taken into custody.” “I’m afraid you don’t understand the situation we’re dealing with. We’re up against a dangerous international criminal here. Taking reckless action is only going to put her life in danger. Don’t be a fool; this is no time to play the knight in shining armor.” “Hey!” Achi was infuriated, but he couldn’t think of a comeback. After all, it was true that Hitomi had run into danger time and again while she was with him.  “But I’m already safe,” Hitomi insisted. “I’m only here right now because Achi has been protecting me.” She eyed Stanley sharply. “I’ve got Achi with me; I don’t need your protection.” Achi felt a surge of pride that practically brought tears to his eyes. If Hitomi would have let him, he’d have given her an enormous hug. Stanley grimaced in resignation. “All right. In that case, how about I join your search for Maria? I can help keep you safe that way instead.” “I...I don’t know...” Hitomi grabbed hold of Achi’s sleeve. This Stanley fellow didn’t have the most trustworthy face, Achi thought. But he realized that he might be biased after being chased around by foreigners all day.  After all, if this guy really were after Hitomi, he’d probably have already made a show of force. Not only did he have a gun on him, he was sufficiently skilled in martial arts to hold his own against Canaan. He’d have no trouble taking down a single unarmed opponent like Achi. “Hitomi, I get the impression this Stanley guy’s not our enemy right now.” Hitomi gave a slight nod. “All right. I trust your judgment on this, Achi.”  “Now then, what’s the plan from here?” Stanley asked. “Not wandering aimlessly around town, I hope?” There was a trace of snideness in his voice. “You can just keep your mouth shut,” Achi replied. “We can wander around town all day if we feel like it.” Two can play the snarky game, he thought to himself. Poor Hitomi looked distressed. “Very well. If that’s what you want, I can stay quiet. But first, I need to inform the police that I have Miss Osawa in my custody.”  “Wait, hold on,” Hitomi blurted. “That...isn’t a good idea.” Stanley inclined his head. “Why’s that?” “Well-since you already seem to know most of the story-” Hitomi quickly explained the kidnapper’s threat and described the search for the minivan. Stanley remained quiet, listening with obvious interest. “I see,” he said when she’d finished. “Still, when that minivan exploded, didn’t that make your promise to the kidnappers a moot point?” Hitomi nodded. “I...suppose it did, didn’t it?”  “Let me ask just one more question. Do either of you know a detective by the name of Tateno?” “No. We haven’t run into any detectives.” “Yeah, exactly. The only folks we seem to run into are guys who’re after Hitomi.” “I see.” A grim expression crossed Stanley’s face. “Right. I’m going to get in touch with the investigation task force. I’ll have them contact your parents for you. Would you mind speaking with them so they can confirm it’s really you?” “Sure, all right,” Hitomi said. Stanley got on his wireless and described their current circumstances to the police.  “Mr. Endo, hold on!” Suddenly Dr. Saeki appeared, running down the hallway.  “There’s something I forgot to tell you, regarding your father.” “Oh?” Achi got a sinking feeling. “I got a call from him yesterday afternoon. And he asked me something rather odd.” Doubt. “Hm? Preparations for a transplant? I’m sorry, I’m not entirely sure I understand what you’re asking.” Saeki clutched the receiver. Daisuke Endo’s brooding tone was more than a little disturbing. “No, no, it’s all right,” Endo said. “This is all just difficult to talk about, Doctor. Please, forget I said anything. There’s just one important thing I wanted to let you know.” “Yes?”  “There’s going to be a brain-dead woman coming your way at...probably around nine o’clock this evening, I expect? Her blood type is Bombay.” Bombay was the extremely rare blood type that Endo’s daughter, Suzune, possessed. Any transplant donor for Suzune would also need to have the Bombay blood type. “Since she has the same blood type as Suzune, the transplant itself isn’t an issue,” Endo continued. “The only thing I’m concerned about is whether the procedure can be done within the limited time window. And I hate to trouble you, but I just called because I think it would be best to prepare for the surgery as soon as possible.”  The more Saeki heard, the more disturbed he grew. It felt like he was listening this man go on about some strange delusion. “Doctor, please, just take good care of Suzune.” With that, Endo hung up.  Achi kept quiet as he listened to Dr. Saeki tell his story. “Of course, that was yesterday, and I still haven’t heard anything about a brain-dead girl turning up. After all, only God would know when someone would wind up in a state of brain death. But still, there was just something very strange about what your father said. It was as if he was certain that someone was going to wind up brain-dead, or-” “Just stop right there!” Achi exclaimed.  Stanley and Hitomi turned in surprise; they were still in the middle of their wireless call to the police. “Don’t get me wrong,” the doctor said hastily. “I’m not trying to imply that your father would hurt anyone. What I’m worried about is your father’s mental state in-” “No!” Achi interrupted him again. “That’s not it!” His own words from earlier spun within his head.   The security cameras...  “I’m sure this is the place.”  The man with the cane...he’d been on the phone with someone... That didn’t mean anything. It was just a coincidence. It couldn’t be true. Achi searched desperately for some other explanation. That was it! Anyone from the downtown committee could have used the camera monitoring room.  “Yeah. No one’s been by to check, today. Nothing wrong with a little nap, yeah?”  No dice. No one from downtown had been by the surveillance room today. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t. Achi began to tremble.  “Is something the matter?” Hitomi asked. “Achi, you’re pale as a ghost.” Achi gazed beseechingly back into her face. With just one simple question, he could clear this whole thing up. Please, tell me I’m overthinking this. He prayed inwardly before asking. No music. “Hitomi, would you mind telling me your blood type?” “Hmm? Why do you ask?” “Please, just...just tell me.” “I...have a sort of weird blood type,” Hitomi said.  Despair. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place. There was no longer any room for doubt. Achi found himself facing a sad and painful truth.  “Why...Why?!” With an anguished scream, Achi punched the wall as hard as he could. But his fist still didn’t hurt as much as his heart. “Dad...why...?” 
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Dec 19, 2020 23:50
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 10:53 |
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Let's go with Maria.
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Dec 20, 2020 03:07
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