Chapter 2 – The Incident
The streets blurred past in streaks of neon and headlights. Sato gripped the wheel of his black sports car, his expression steady, unreadable, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his focus. The call from Sheng still echoed in his ears—an incident, classified urgent. He didn't ask for details over the phone; Sheng never wasted time with explanations when seconds mattered.
The engine purred beneath him as he turned sharply onto the main expressway. The city stretched endlessly, a patchwork of glass towers, dark alleys, and glowing billboards. Somewhere out there, something had gone wrong, and he was being sent to fix it.
He pulled up outside a narrow street where Aoi was waiting, hopping impatiently on the curb. Her silver hair caught the passing lights as she leaned down to the passenger side.
"Took you long enough," she said, sliding into the seat without waiting for him to unlock it. "What's going on?"
"Incident," Sato replied.
"That's not an answer."
He kept his eyes on the road. "I'll know when we get there. Sheng didn't explain."
Aoi groaned, buckling in. "Figures. The old man loves being dramatic. Couldn't just say, 'Hey, people are dying, hurry up.'"
Sato didn't respond. He shifted gears, the car roaring forward.
---
Arrival at the Scene
By the time they reached the site, the area was already sealed off with yellow barriers and the flashing lights of patrol cars. Officers directed traffic away, pushing back curious onlookers who crowded the sidewalks with phones raised, desperate to capture the chaos.
Sato parked just beyond the line and stepped out. The air smelled of cordite and gasoline, sharp and heavy. His boots crunched over broken glass as he surveyed the scene.
An armored van lay tilted on its side in the middle of the road, riddled with bullet holes. Blood streaked the pavement where bodies had been dragged out and covered with sheets. The metallic tang lingered in the night air.
Aoi's playful expression faded. Her hand instinctively went to the sidearm holstered at her hip as she followed him. "This… this isn't just a robbery."
"No," Sato agreed. His eyes traced the bullet patterns, the precision of the ambush. Whoever did this knew what they were after.
They moved deeper into the cordoned zone. A shaken officer, his uniform stained with dirt and blood, tried to block their path. "Restricted area. Agency clearance only."
Sato held up his ID. The man's shoulders slumped with relief. "Thank god you're here. It was chaos… they came out of nowhere. Heavy firepower, military-grade. We tried—" His voice cracked. "We tried to stop them."
Sato glanced at the covered bodies lined near the curb. Two of them wore the same uniform as the officer.
"Survivors?" Sato asked.
"Barely." The man gestured toward an ambulance. Inside, a paramedic was working frantically over another officer, pale and shaking. His lips moved weakly.
Aoi stepped closer, crouching. "He's trying to say something."
The medic looked up. "He's fading. Whatever he has to say, get it now."
Aoi leaned in, brushing silver strands behind her ear. "Who was it? Who attacked?"
The man's eyes fluttered open. His voice was broken, raspy. "Mark… black mark… left side of his neck…"
Aoi frowned. "Mark? What kind of mark?"
But the man's breathing hitched. The medic cursed, pushing her back as he worked to stabilize him.
Aoi stood, shaken. "That's it? Just a mark?"
Sato's gaze was already distant, scanning the wreckage, committing the detail to memory. "It's enough for now."
---
Unwanted Resistance
While Aoi was still processing, Sato's attention caught movement near the shadows of a collapsed storefront. A figure darted, trying to slip past the police barricade.
"Stay here," Sato said, already moving.
The man bolted, shoving through officers. Sato sprinted after him, the world narrowing into motion. His feet pounded the pavement, every stride efficient. He caught the man by the collar just before he could disappear into an alley, slamming him against a wall.
"Talk," Sato ordered.
The man spat, pulling a knife from his sleeve. He slashed, but Sato twisted, catching his wrist and wrenching it until the blade clattered to the ground. The man screamed, then tried to kick free.
"Coward!" he spat. "You don't know what you're up against. None of you do!"
Sato's grip tightened. "Then explain it to me."
The man only laughed, bloodied teeth flashing. "You'll see soon enough. We're already inside."
Before Sato could press further, officers swarmed in, dragging the man away. He kept laughing, the sound manic as they hauled him toward custody.
Aoi appeared beside him, out of breath from catching up. "What the hell was that?"
"Confirmation," Sato said simply.
---
Back at HQ
The agency's headquarters was alive with noise when they returned. Dozens of agents moved through the lobby, some with fresh wounds patched hastily, others rushing to deliver reports. The gleaming glass walls reflected the chaos like fractured mirrors.
Sato and Aoi headed straight to the upper floors. Sheng's office door was ajar, and inside the old man was already waiting, arms crossed. His smile faded as he studied their faces.
"You saw it," Sheng said. Not a question.
"Convoy hit. Multiple fatalities. Survivor mentioned a man with a mark on his neck," Sato reported.
Sheng nodded grimly. "I expected as much."
Before he could continue, the door slid open again.
A tall woman entered, her long pink hair striking against her dark uniform. She carried a folder under one arm and a half-eaten burger in the other, taking another bite without breaking stride.
Aoi's eyes locked instantly on the food.
"Oh no," Sato muttered.
But it was too late. Aoi crept behind the newcomer, hand reaching for the burger like a thief in training.
The pink-haired woman tilted her head lazily, dodging the grab without even looking. She smirked as she took another bite. "Nice try, rookie."
Aoi flushed, glaring. "H-hey! That's not fair."
"Neither is stealing," the woman shot back, sliding the folder onto Sheng's desk.
Sheng chuckled. "Rena, one of these days she'll catch you off guard."
"Doubt it," Rena said with a shrug, licking sauce from her finger.
Sato rubbed his temples. "Can we focus?"
---
The Briefing
Sheng flipped the folder open, his expression hardening.
"The stolen tech wasn't just hardware. It's experimental. Dangerous. If gangs are playing courier, they're working for someone bigger. We need to put an end to this."
"Any leads?" Sato asked.
"Only that mark your survivor mentioned. We'll run scans, cross-reference tattoos and symbols across syndicates. Until then, you two will work the streets. Find connections. Pressure the gangs."
Aoi saluted half-seriously. "So basically, go make some trouble until someone talks."
Sheng smirked. "I knew you'd understand."
Rena leaned casually against the wall, finishing her burger. "Don't die out there, rookie. I don't like training replacements."
Aoi stuck out her tongue. "Like I'd lose before you."
Sheng clapped his hands once, snapping the mood back to sharp. "Enough. Get moving."
---
As they left the office, the city waited for them again—alive, dangerous, hiding answers in its shadows.