𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐬

file 054 | a challenge to the detectives

Ran frowned, swallowing down her unease.

"I'm very sorry."

"Why?" Ayumi asked.

"Is Suzume-nee the 100,000th guest at this hotel or something?" Mitsuhiko wondered excitedly.

"Well, something like that."

Suzume clenched her jaw, no less tense as Ran put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Suzume, we'll see you later," Ran told her, trying to give a comforting smile. Then, within only Suzume's sightline, she signed 'danger?'.

In response, Suzume gave the smallest of nods, unnoticeable to everyone but the lovers.

Ran frowned as she left with the kids and Ai. The shrunken scientist gave one last glance over her shoulder at Suzume before going.

"Man, aren't you lucky?" Kogoro grinned at Suzume. "For the 100,000th guest... There's probably an awesome prize." He stopped as Takada shut and locked the doors.

"We don't want to be interrupted," Takada told them.

"Interrupted?"

"I'm not the 100,000th guest, am I?" Suzume asked, tilting her head. "There was confetti on the ground outside the hotel."

"Oh, really?"

Takada nodded. "Yes. The 100,000th guest came about an hour ago."

"Then why'd you make her stay?" Kogoro asked.

"That's what the client wants." Pulling a remote from his pocket, Takada pressed a button that shut all of the curtains.

"Hey, what's this?" Kogoro asked. "What's going on?"

The TV in the room turned on, showing a dark silhouette of a man sitting in a chair. "Thank you for coming," he said. "I am your client. Please forgive me, but circumstances do not permit me showing my face. The reason I called you here today is because there is a case I would like you to solve."

Kogoro leaned forward slightly. "What kind of case?"

"Figuring that out is also a part of your job. I will give you a series of hints. Use them as a basis for your reasoning and solve the case."

"But, why'd you choose me?" Kogoro asked.

"You are the fifth detective that I've hired."

"Then what about the other four?"

"One is investigating. Two quit. The last one could not solve the case...so he remains here."

The screen changed to show four camera angles, all of the same man that wore the same ID as Suzume and the others.

Kogoro's eyes widened. "Ryu!"

"You know him?" Suzume asked quietly.

"He's a detective that I've worked with before," Kogoro responded.

"I gave you the investigation report, didn't I?" Ryu said. "How long do you plan to keep me locked up in here? Let me out!"

"Detective Ryu, you were unable to solve the case," the client told him calmly.

"What'd you say?"

"Incompetent detectives have no right to live."

All of a sudden, a ticking started to come from Ryu's ID, making him look at it in panic. "What's this?"

"That ID is the same as ours," Suzume observed.

"Yeah."

"What's with this?" Ryu muttered, fiddling with the ID.