Bound by Fate *Psycho-Pass*(Kogami x OC)

The Promise

"What a moving performance," praised Ginoza in his usual monotone voice. Beside him stood Kunizuka and I fought the urge to smile at the pair happily. "If I didn't know any better, I might have actually believed her. Isn't that right, Inspector Shimotsuki?"

"Quite right, Enforcer Ginoza," replied Shimotsuki, appearing from the other side of the room with a smirk. I stared in shock at her playful banter with Ginoza as Inspector Tsunemori came into view beside her. "Lucky for us, we do know better, don't we?"

"Yes, we do," agreed Ginoza. He turned to glare at Ryder. "Now I suggest you put your hands in the air. Slowly."

Ryder stared at the team for a long moment, looking between each member carefully. Suddenly, he burst out laughing, surprising all of us. "You... FOOLS!" he screamed with a cackle. "How can you possibly expect to be a threat when you can't even shoot me?! According to your Dominators, I don't exist!"

Here, Ginoza smirked at Ryder, pushing his glasses up with one hand. "Well, now." As one, the four officers lifted their weapons, revealing not Dominators but .45 caliber revolvers, exactly like the one I held in my hands. "Who said anything about using Dominators?" Ryder's brown eyes widened and I could tell he was trying not to panic. "In case you're wondering where we got these from, you can thank Miss Otori over there." Ginoza nodded to me with a smile before correcting himself, "Pardon me. I meant Enforcer Otori."

I smiled as Ryder turned to see that I had shifted the gun away from Shinya and was now aiming it directly at his head. "It's over, Ryder," I told him. "Put your hands in the air and get on your knees."

Ryder put his hand up but remained standing. He smirked at me. "Over?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Not quite, sweetheart." Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, something moved. Someone shouted Shinya's name and I turned to see what the commotion was. Before I could react, Ryder grabbed my wrist, twisting the gun's barrel away from himself. I struggled against him, but he was too strong. Ryder turned me so that I had my back pressed against his chest. One hand was wrapped around my neck, holding me to him, while the other held the gun to my temple.

"Mariko!" Shinya yelled. My eyes immediately found his. It was the first time he had spoken since my little performance and at the moment, his expression was unreadable. His eyes only rested on me for a moment before landing on Ryder with a harsh glare. "Let her go, Harkness." I noticed that he too had a gun now. As I searched for the source of the weapon, I noticed a man dressed in a white hazmat suit lying on the ground. He must have attacked Shinya but was defeated while Ryder attacked me.

Ryder threw his head back in laughter. "Or what?" he teased. "You'll shoot me?" Another grating cackle. "You and I both know you're too much of a coward to try it with your little girlfriend in the way. Sure, it was easy enough killing Shogo while he was down, but do you really have enough faith in your aim to think you can hit me without hurting her?"

"Shinya," I called out. "Don't listen to him. Just shoot." I coughed as Ryder's grip on my throat tightened. "I'll be fine."

"Are you crazy?" he replied furiously, keeping his eyes on Ryder. "I couldn't shoot you that day, and I was aiming at you. What the hell makes you think I'd do it now?" My eyes widened. Shinya's eyes were glistening with tears, but there was fury in his eyes.

Ryder cackled at our exchange. "Oh, would you listen to these two star-crossed lovers? It's almost cute," he teased. "Well, listen up, kiddos. My demands are simple. I currently have a recording of the true nature of the Sybil System, courtesy of my dearly departed friend, Choe Gu-Sung. The video also shows one of your precious Enforcers being killed with a Dominator by your own Chief of Police."

I watched as the team's eyes widened in realization. Only Akane remained unfazed, much to my surprise. "He means Kagari," she explained grimly to Shimotsuki, who looked confused. "I saw the video. If that ever gets out to the public –"

"Mass panic," Ryder finished for her. He grinned maniacally. "The streets would be filled with riots. Japan would tear itself apart within months. That very recording is currently being uploaded from a secret location to the Sybil System's servers, where it will be played over and over again on every television and computer screen in the country. Pretty cool, don't you think?

"While I was going to barter for my life with that video and stab you in back once I was safe, I no longer need to lie to you, thanks to Nancy Drew over here." I fought a wince as Ryder's hand crushed my windpipe. "Anyway, now that I've got a hostage, I think I'll be making the usual demands: eight million yen, a helicopter, the whole bit."

Ginoza glared at him. "No chance," he replied firmly. "We don't negotiate with terrorists."

Ryder's grin only grew. "You will if you want to keep Mariko alive. Unless you think you can shoot me with hitting any of her vital organs." He laughed and pressed the barrel of the gun against my head. "You know," he said, speaking to me now. "I never did trust you. I always told Shogo that you weren't worth the trouble, but he insisted."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I spat angrily.

"Why, your little rescue, of course," he whispered in my ear. "Still don't get it, yet? Then let me spell it out for you: Shogo was the one who blackmailed your brother. He was the one who put you in that sex ring, and he was the one who sold you off to Ousawa so that he could play the hero."

My eyes widened and my breath caught as the pieces clicked into place. He planned all of it, I realized with a sick feeling. Every single moment was to get me to fall in love with him. "Why?" I managed to gasp out.

Ryder laughed once more. "Because he was bored," Ryder whispered in my ear conspiratorially. "How's it feel knowing that your first love is the reason your life was ruined? And now your second love is the reason your life is ending. Ironic, isn't it?"

I shook my head. "No," I breathed, keeping my eyes on Shinya. "No." Ryder laughed but I was no longer listening to him. Instead, I turned to look at Ginoza, who had his eyes on me. "You remember that promise you made me?" He nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. "I think I've hurt him enough Gino. So keep your damn promise already."

Shinya looked between the two of us as realization came over him. He shook his head. "Gino, no," he told his friend. "Gino, stop it!"

But Ginoza wasn't listening. He had lifted the gun and taken aim. Ryder cackled, thinking that he was bluffing. "Sorry Ko," he said. "But I've got a promise to keep." Shinya screamed, but it was drowned out by the sound of the gunshot. I felt a ripping sensation as the bullet passed through me.

Right into Ryder's heart.