Marble || Edogawa Ranpo

Case 17

The facility that was in the case file is handled by the current Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The massive building stretches up to the blue clear sky. You crane up your neck to look up as you enter the building with Kyouka trotting behind in her silence and stealthy steps. For some reason, she seems to be very on edge, as if she was ready to bring her weapon out at any moment given without hesitation. She skimmed her eyes attentively left and right in caution. Your sort of wonder if this was really a good idea to bring her along, but nevertheless did not question your doubt as you already have a good talk with her before. Maybe she was just nervous since this was her first escort task, you assured yourself.

'Nothing bad going to happen, nothing bad going to happen.'

In the lobby, you went up to the clerk, showing your prosecutor badge and inform that you were here for inspection as part of formal procedure. The clerk seems tense but managed to compose herself with an amiable smile.

"You are here for inspection in Quarantine Technical Research Organization, right? It's at the fourteen levels, do you wish to have a guide?"

"It's fine. I can manage on my own." You smile back, assuring the clerk and leave, heading to the elevator, pressing the level that you intend to go. You glance at Kyouka who seems to be burned in determination.

"Do you know the standard procedure of interrogation?"

"First... we threaten them with a knife under their throat and force them to spill up their secret?"

Well, that really escalate thing. She said with such an innocent face for a young girl her age, contrary to what bizarre thing she was saying, it is really unmatched.

"No, we don't do that here." You said nervously, taking it as a joke. But for her, it probably wasn't. There's really a huge difference in the 'interrogation' procedure between a prosecutor and... a former assassin of Port Mafia. "Although I am not a real detective, but at least the procedure still stands similar during the investigation. You were there when I first meet with Ranpo-san right? We question the suspect and people who involved in it. Observed them, any slight change in their body language is a crucial clue. And..." The elevator door opens, revealing the floor and all the workers in it. "Anything that you see here can be used as evidence."

You have talked to the supervisor of this place and noting every little hint he let on. The more you pressed on him about the rumors and the underlying suspicion of involving the illegal drug syndicate, the more he tried to spin the story about by acting that he had no idea about it. But of course, with your ability, if was easy to tell what he was hiding by reading the truth that he unknowingly let you know. You questioned several people in charge, and their look of discontent did not miss from your observation. They are mostly older men, from mid-twenty to fifty, and women as well wearing a white coat inside their laboratory. And since you were a young prosecutor who disturbs their workflow, the answer you get from that are rather prudent. Although not all of them were rude, just some of them were really uncooperative.

They did not let you two inside the quarantine lab, as you two have to get vaccinated first to protect their product from getting contaminated by exterior pollution factors such as from your harmful gems (supposedly). And although it didn't seem apparent, there's undertone threat that beyond that point, you no longer have authority to trespass since you need official permission from the cabinet itself. True to their words that the place was kept clean for the utmost hygiene. Even the floor seems to sparkle. Asking what they were processing inside, the supervisor in the charged answer that it just regular medicine that was mean to be dispersed around general hospitals throughout the country. Which it was the truth and not a lie (from what you detect).