IDENTIFY

[7] An Old Enemy

"We have a new case on our care so would you mind briefing it Yamada san?" Motome Shohei, their unit chief leader called Yuki out and took his place to brief about the case.

"Yes, Motome san. Earlier this week August 11, a woman and her boyfriend was attacked by a close friend of theirs, Ichihara Kaoru. He's attacked 13 people within these weeks and all of them are his close friends in high school. He's known for his criminal records in gang activities, robberies and assaults in the past. After his release on May 2017, he went quiet for a while and it seems he started being active early January this year."

"He went on with his original gang, the Nightmare gang and continued their activity. This was the first time he ever publicly assault any body without his group. He had went into hiding and I suggest every one to always have a back up because Sora and I have had our history with the gang itself. They... made our friend went into a coma before he passes away."

"I hope we can catch him before any other lives are in risks. The last time he had been spotted was around our area. A convenience store CCTV had captured his face and polices have been warned. He's started traveling from Hokkaido to many places so every force in every state are warned. That's the information we got so far. Thank you."

After Yuki had finished briefing, they went on to strategize a plan to bring him down. "What if, I become a bait for him?" Sora questioned her group as she was met with different opinion. "It's risky but it might work." Nakano Juro, the brains in their unit, agreed.

"No, once you're involved again with gangs, you'll never be free." Hiroto Iki, their technical analyst disagrees. "But she has been involved with them since the start, so knowing her manipulation skills, she may be our chance in making him take the wrong step." Yuki agreed. "Plus, Iki chan got the technology stuff and I can do back up in a far range." Zayasu Tsubasa, the expert of the unit's weapon agreed.

"I kind of agree with Iki on this matter because this is the risk being involved with these kind of gang." Shohei finally spoke up. "I'm ready to take the risk from the day they came into my life, chief so if you two would agree, it'll be great because I need all support that I can." Sora looked at Iki and Shohei with hopeful eyes.

"I'll think about this. We'll try and make other plans in the mean time." Shohei patted her shoulder giving her hope as she happily nodded. She was the best fighter amongst them so they don't worry much about her ability to keep herself safe. After their morning meeting, Sora stayed in the room, isolating herself to make a call to someone. 

"Maeda. I need a favour." She stated and he hummed signalling her that he's listening. "Can you give me Kitamura's number? After that I'll share you what I know."

"Takumi kun? I'll message you the number. Is that it?" Maeda asked but Sora quickly added "Can you arrange a meeting for the two of us? I want to talk to him alone. Tomorrow night would be fine." Maeda agreed reluctantly and hung up the call.

She went out of the room and grabbed her car keys on the way out of the station. "Oh, Hayama san. New info, try to be careful with the convenience store worker as well. Some suspected he might try to go on an under cover mission on his own." Juro advised her on her way out and she thanked him for it.

"Can't say I'm suprised you let me be the bait." Sora started the engine and Yuki raised one of his eyebrows at her. "Well, I know you can do the talk, so why not?"

"True. Ah, by the way did Nakano san gave you the info?" She asked while keeping her eyes on the road and occasionally look out for the potential gang member. "Yeah, he did. People can be scary these days. I wonder how much he had changed since we last met him." Yuki tried to imagine what he looks like but it's no use if he's undercover as someone else.

They stopped by at the convenience store which they last tracked him. Yuki went behind the store while Sora entered the store from the front. An uneasy smell greeted her face. Then it hit her, it was the smell of fire. She quickly covers her face and warned Yuki with the walkie talkie she had.

She didn't know where the source is located but she tries to walked in further in the store. What she sees in front of her was Ichihara Kaoru smothered in his own blood and his skin started to turn black due to the fire.

Yuki grabs her and pulls her outside as she was in a state of shock. Her body couldn't coordinate with one another. She finally had a lead to Mackeyu's case but he's dead. Somebody's pulling the strings, again. Ambulans arrived within 20 minutes of their arrival.

The news reporters had come within a few seconds after. When the crowd started expanding, Sora made sure the crowd stay behind the line before going inside the store to investigate. Yuki puts the gloves on her hand and she did the same to him. Juro walked inside and showed her something she had expected.

A tape with her name on it. "They've been expecting you." Juro's tone showed his concern so Sora patted his back. "Nakano san, I've been in their trap the moment I met them. You can put this aside and we can hear the recording after this." Juro nodded and kept it safely with other evidence that they have find.

They found a burner phone nearby in which was smothered with Kaoru's fingerprints so they knew this was more than a vengeance case. He might kill himself out of receiving orders from someone. The forensics told them that the fire just started this morning but his body had been stabbed since last night. Somehow, he dragged himself at the store and some one started the fire. It couldn't been because of any short circuit since the store was operating well before. 

The original worker took a day off that day which made the store manager as the suspect of the fire. After their team leader questioned the store manager, he was proven innocent. He showed the message between him and the original worker that he, himself didn't want to open the store. It was because he wanted to take care of his wife who just had her baby. 

The timeline made sense and it explained why the back door Yuki saw was wide open when he went the first time. The door knob was forced out and on the floor indicating whoever opens it, opened by force. After interviewing other people nearby, they too didn't notice any strange people coming by the store. However, they did notice a regular person who kept on going to the store everyday. Their description matched their profile on Kaoru meaning he had been eyeing the store for a while now. 

Iki puts the tape into the cassette tape player and they sat around her to listens to the audio. "Hayama Sora. It's been a while hasn't it? You know why I chose this store? I found you here. After 8 years, I found you again. You're a cop now huh? You're probably wondering why he's dead considering how he's the higher up in the gang. Come meet me and I'll explain. Don't bring company so I don't bring mine. You know where so I'm only going to tell you when. August 20, see you there." 

The tape ended and all eyes are on her. She didn't say anything but leaves the room to get a drink. "She'll go, right?" Shohei looked at Yuki and he nodded. "She'll do anything at this point so we have to trust her." Yuki reminded them and they went on to do their reports on the case. It was done for even though they couldn't manage to do anything besides investigating the scene. 

"Motome san, can I consider this as a personal thing and not my work?" She asked the senior sitting in front of her at their pantry room. "You have grudge and I can tell that but you're an officer. Our job is to protect people not to hurt. Don't let their gang puts you behind bars. You're a smart one so I know you will do what's right." 

"They killed my friend. I'll definitely punished them the right way, Motome san. Please don't report to the higher ups that I had history with them." Her eyes pleaded her senior while her senior acted like he didn't know anything about it. "Who says I know anything about that?" He smirked making her smile because he support her decision.

Yuki wanted to ask her about her whereabouts on that day but he decided you had enough pressure for the day so he will ask you another day.

She was nervous yet determined to take the No. 1 of Nightmare gang down. They suprised her in a way she hated, death. She won't hesitate anymore to pull the trigger when needed because they have pulled a trigger in her heart 8 years ago. No more words, all action.

[1600 words]