Ending the Omnipotence Paradox

Chapter 8

Things between he and Akane improved drastically after their conversation that morning, with even Ginoza's attitude toward him returning back to some semblance of normal in the days following. Kogami knew they still had a long way to go in repairing the damage that had been done to their relationships, but he realized that now, with a looming mission and nerves on edge, was not the time to make headway on that front. The relief he felt in being on the same team with them once again, albeit indirectly, still sometimes threatened to overwhelm him; he'd forgotten how much peace it could bring you to truly trust those around you and he didn't take having that renewed sense of security lightly.

It was evident there were still things they weren't sharing with him, especially Akane, and he wasn't sure if that was due to simple difference in protocol or because she still didn't completely trust him again yet. Either way, he saw no need to pressure her, nor could he afford to be overly concerned with it now. His days were filled with strategic plans, tactical drills, and making sure he was physically prepared for the impending hell they would soon face with the Peacebreakers.

Leaving his office two nights before the raid, he was pleasantly surprised to see Akane waiting for him when he walked out of the towering building. A small smile lit up her face when she saw him, a demure hand raising to gesture hello as he closed the space to where she stood.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here, Inspector," he remarked warmly in place of a greeting.

"I thought maybe we could go grab dinner together," she suggested with a slight shrug, no hint of malice or hesitance in her gaze as she looked up at him. "You know, catch up a little before things get hectic."

"Well, we do both need to eat..." he concurred with a furtive grin.

"Great!" She replied, obviously pleased with his consensus. "Come on, I know a good place nearby."

They walked closely together for a few blocks, exchanging easy small talk; both acutely aware of what topics were off limits in the bustling crowd around them. He couldn't help but notice again how much she had matured in the time since they'd met, the confidence in the way she now carried herself in comparison to the rookie he'd befriended. Hardened in some ways due to the stressful and dangerous career path she'd chosen, but yet somehow still undeniably human.

She stopped in front of a crowded eatery; the tall, arched windows showcasing green, cascading succulents and delicate, muted projections of tempting European dishes. He gestured for her to enter the building first, taking a moment to look around in routine precaution before following her through the glass doorway. The attendant sat them at a cozy table near the bar, the lighting dimmed to a comfortable level above their heads and throwing contrasting shadows across the neutral wood furniture.

"I don't remember the last time I ate in a place like this," he told her once they'd ordered some drinks.

"I would love to say it's the norm for me, especially with working in the business district every day, but I think my last time out was a few years ago with some friends of mine," she commiserated from across the small table, smoothing the napkin over her lap. "They're supposed to have some of the best beef croquettes in Tokyo."

"We should get an order of those then," he volunteered. "It'll be nice to have something fresh and not synthetic again."

The server returned, setting a bottle of chilled plum sake between them, before taking their food order and leaving them alone. Kogami poured some of the dark liquid into each of their glasses and pushed one across the table toward her.

"Thank you," she replied as she took it from him, bringing it to her lips as he watched her. "Mmm, that was a good choice... So why don't you fill me in on what you were doing when Foreign Affairs found you? Surely, you weren't just in hiding all this time."

He breathed a small chuckle at the knowing skepticism in her tone.

"I was sheltering with a tribe in the Tibetan-Himalayas when Officer Hanashiro tracked me down," he told her, leaving out the unnecessarily gory details. "I'd given up on freedom fighting long before that time; leaving the SEAUn behind with the restructuring of Shambala Float. Being a guerilla had lost its appeal, if you could call it that, and I had this desire to do more with the rest of my life than just fight for the freedom of others."

"And coming back here to be a pawn of another of Japan's Ministries was the means for you to do that...?" She questioned, an obstinate glint in her eye as she sipped her wine again.

Well, that caught him off guard.

"You really have changed, Inspector," he remarked, trying and failing to hide the astonishment he felt.

"In some ways, I had to," she asserted before tipping her glass back and completely draining the thick, dark liquid. "I'm going to need a lot more where that came from."

She delicately raised her hand in the air, gesturing for the server once again, who hurried over immediately to make sure everything was alright.

"The sake was very refreshing," Akane reassured her. "But when you get a moment, please bring us a round of whiskey doubles on the rocks."

The server nodded, walking away just as briskly as she had come over, leaving Kogami staring at the woman across from him in surprise.

"Whiskey, huh? Since when do you drink?" He asked sharply, his narrow gaze meeting hers protectively.

She surprised him further by leveling the same narrowed gaze back at him before answering, any hint of warmth now gone from her dark eyes.

"Since about four years ago."