"Well, Miss Nakamura? What do you have in mind?" Detective Saito asked, settling back in his chair in the Chief's office.
The Chief of Police leveled a steely gaze at the detective, the look of someone who knew exactly how the cards would fall.
"If my calculations are correct, everything will happen tomorrow morning, at dawn. Someone is going to attack. They will likely try to eliminate Sabushi to seize the Requiem project, then they'll kidnap Kai to demand a ransom from his multi-millionaire family. That's a lot of money." Yuki Nakamura said, her eyes fixed on the city skyline outside the window.
"Yet, we expected them to move during the school festival. We were caught off guard, wouldn't you say?" Saito countered, taking a slow sip from his coffee cup.
"That would have been too obvious. And more importantly, acting in a city this large, in broad daylight, would be highly counterproductive. It will most likely be an infiltration mission. We just need to pinpoint the exact starting point." Yuki replied.
"So? What do you suggest we do?" Saito asked again.
"I thought you'd figured it out. We wait. I'm certain Sakura herself will call me. I know her far too well." Yuki said, pouring a little coffee into a tiny cup adorned with a kitten design.
"That is quite a peculiar mug for a woman as formidable as you," Saito joked lightly.
Yuki took a measured sip of coffee and then sighed.
"You never change," she muttered, almost allowing a smile to surface.
But that fleeting "playful" moment was abruptly shattered.
A patrol officer burst into the room, gasping for breath, forgetting to knock.
Both Yuki and Saito immediately spun around toward the intruder.
The Chief already knew something catastrophic had happened.
"Hah… hah… D-D-Director Nakamura…" the officer panted, his hands resting on his knees as he struggled for air.
"Hey, take a breath. What is it?" Yuki asked, her voice tight with immediate concern.
Saito's pleasant expression vanished. He felt a deep, cold dread.
The officer finally managed to catch his breath and looked the Chief squarely in the eyes:
"Kai Suzuki is missing! Unknown individuals came in to report his disappearance!"
Yuki's eyes widened instantly.
"Unknown? Did you get their details?" Saito demanded.
"Yes, but we just realized the documents were fake. They only reported the disappearance, left this letter demanding it be delivered to 'your supreme leader,' and vanished," he said, pulling out a sealed envelope and handing it to Yuki.
The Chief of Police immediately took the letter, dread pooling in her stomach, already sensing the contents.
"Thank you, Watanabe, you are dismissed," Yuki said, her voice strained but cordial.
The officer gave a quick bow before leaving.
Saito, consumed by curiosity and apprehension, stood up to approach Yuki.
Without a moment's hesitation, she ripped open the letter.
What she read sent a violent shock wave through her.
"I think you've figured it all out, dear Yuki. If you intervene when the time comes, we will kill the boy. I doubt you want trouble with the Suzuki family; you know they could easily have you fired with their influence. Ah! If you don't believe me, there's a lovely photo on the back!"
Yuki immediately flipped the sheet.
What she saw was truly sickening.
There was Kai, tied and gagged to a chair, bloodied, his fingernails clearly ripped out, his eyes vacant and lifeless.
The worst part was the smiling man beside him. His face was obscured, but his predatory grin and the pendant around his neck were unmistakable: the symbol of Rei's Vigilantes.
Beneath the photograph, there was one final line of text:
"Ah! We have already informed his family, too! They'll be paying you a visit soon! Kisses!"
The message was chillingly clear.
Everything confirmed Yuki's worst "fears." She had confirmation that they were all targeting Sabushi, and that far more people were involved than she had ever suspected.
The one thing she couldn't accept was the fact that Hina was working for Rei.
Her hands began to tremble.
Not from fear, but from a towering, blinding fury. She felt utterly helpless.
Beyond that, for some strange reason, she couldn't accept that an almost innocent boy like Kai had been dragged into this trouble.
"That boy had his whole life ahead of him…" Yuki whispered, her pupils contracting into pinpricks of rage.
Saito had almost the same reaction.
"Damn it…" he muttered, taking a few steps back.
In truth, the detective was already fully aware; he was Sakura's ally. All this time, he had been working behind the scenes, skillfully diverting the evidence.
Yuki remained silent, clutching the letter in her hands, staring intently at the photo of the bloodied Kai.
After a few tense moments, with cold clarity, she placed the letter on her desk and looked Saito dead in the eye.
"I have only made one mistake in my life, Saito. And that was trusting people." she said, her voice dangerously calm despite the blood-red intensity in her eyes.
Saito wisely remained silent, knowing anything he might say would expose him.
"I think I understand everything now," Yuki stated. "Ultimately, the blame always lies with that girl."
Then, she stormed out of her office with a ferocious energy.
"ATTENTION!" Yuki roared, seizing the attention of everyone present.
Every single officer in the building turned toward their leader.
"I want an immediate list of every person reported missing in the last two weeks, and I want it now. Furthermore, every single person in this building will not leave their post until I say so."
Yuki's voice cracked like a whip.
"I am 200% certain there is a spy among us."
And in that moment, Detective Saito's blood ran ice-cold.