Ending the Omnipotence Paradox

Chapter 2

Once the plane landed in Tokyo, the process went quickly and before Kogami knew it, they had made their way through customs and were headed to the MOFA headquarters downtown in an unmarked black SUV. Taking a second to get his barings, he glanced out the window at the passing cityscape - nowadays more hologram than it was true architectural facade. The city still looked the same despite his absence, much as it had for most of his life before he became a latent criminal.

Perhaps it wasn't a change that society had undergone while he was gone, but in him that caused him to recognize the emptiness and despair hidden haphazardly in the somber faces they drove past. He shook his head slightly to dissipate that thought, quick to remind himself of how hard the fall of his own pride had been to recover from. Why accuse strangers of masking their true selves when he had been running from his for nearly a decade? He could feel the weight of Hanashiro's gaze on him again as he ruminated, deciding to change the subject before she had a chance to ask whatever was on her mind.

"You want to give me a run down of the plan for today?" He asked tersely, the set of his jaw hopefully telling her that he didn't want to talk about what was really consuming his thoughts. She closed her laptop and sighed dolefully.

"Sure, I could do that," she replied tersely. "I don't think for a second that's what's actually on your mind, though. But I'm happy to serve as a distraction."

Kogami's eyes narrowed in contempt, causing Frederica to roll her eyes dismissively at him before continuing.

"When we get to the consulate, we'll set you up with Personnel Security and give you the information concerning your living quarters. Once you have your badge and clearance secured, you'll have the evening to settle in before we meet at the SAD office tomorrow morning. Our day begins at 0900," she explained as she pressed a few buttons on her wristcom. "I just sent the information and tentative schedule to your account, which you'll have access to once Security has completed your on-boarding process. Just look those files over prior to our meetings and they should get you further up to speed on our agenda."

Kogami nodded as he took in the officer's instructions.

"And who's our first meeting with?" He questioned, wanting to get a heads up in regards to his audience.

"We'll introduce you to Director Yabuki first and then we'll be meeting with the counsel for the Ministries of Defense and some agents from your former employer, the MWPSB," she explained succinctly.

Kogami couldn't miss the way her gaze was analyzing him, almost baiting the reaction she thought he'd have to her revelation. He took a measured breath before continuing to make sure he didn't seem too eager.

"Day full of bureaucracy, I see. Should be entertaining," he acknowledged dryly with what he hoped came off as an unaffected nod. Frederica pursed her lips to keep an obvious smirk of awareness in check as the SUV pulled up to a curb in front of the towering building that housed their employer.

"Entertaining. Yeah, we'll go with that," she acquiesced, sliding her laptop into her bag and moving to get out of the vehicle.

Kogami's eyes slid closed as he sighed, willing his nerves away once again before opening the door to this new daunting endeavor.