[Kinnosuke's POV]
"You gave me a hard time chasing you back then, but I didn't let you completely escape," I told her with a slight grin and noticed that she freaked out a bit since the black steam came off her helmet.
"We can explain everything that happened this far, especially what happened in this place," the blonde spoke, seemingly impatient and rushing. "But please let us leave for now."
"You may leave," I told them. The Black Rider was astounded, but she didn't say a word through her device. "I placed a tracking device on your bike and that device happens to have a recorder."
The blonde didn't flinch, knowing every word has been recorded. He is confident that their conversation is faultless.
"I've heard everything from my earpiece. I don't need any explanation coming from you," I said before walking further inside the warehouse to explore it. The three of them made their way out, but before then can completely leave, I told them, "She needs to be attended so bring her to the nearest hospital."
"We'll do that. Thank you," the bartender retorted, then they left.
As I looked around, I noticed that the fight I heard from my device was more intense than I imagined. I could have gotten here earlier if I didn't have to attend another business. Or maybe, if I caught the Black Bike on the way, I wouldn't end up here.
The other police barged in as I gestured them. They went inspecting the place as well.
-
--FLASH BACK—
Right after I refueled my motor, I turned on my tracking device and saw that the Black Bike is trailing the same road back. I immediately got on my bike and rode fast to the main road.
Sooner, the Black Bike appeared. It was faster than me, so I was left behind. The riders didn't notice me. However, during the chase, my phone rang. I ignored a few rings since I don't want to wait for the capture longer, I left it so long that it stopped. Relieved, I was able to focus more on the chase shortly after it rang again several times over and over. It should be something important, if it isn't my wife's call.
I snorted as I parked my motorcycle and answered my phone without looking at the name of the caller. "Hello?"
"Answer your phone faster! Dammit!" The man from the other line shouted loud enough that I had to move my phone away from my ears. I was also temporarily robbed of my sense of hearing. His voice was screeching and deafening.
I was not relieved that my wife isn't the caller. The fact that I made the head commander wait for my answer tensed me.
"I apologize, chief. I was in the middle of chasing a traffic violator," I humbly explained with the most apologetic tone. "I will answer my phone faster the next time."
"Geez..." he sighed from the other line. "The other police have been gathered. It's only you who they're waiting!"
"What is it exactly about, sir?" I inquired.
"The gangs have been causing trouble at the Section B Road," he explained. "The people complained and asked for help since the crash caused by the gangs blocked the road. They're even using weapons against each other."
"Please tell the others to go ahead of me. I'll catch up on them," I told him dismissively.
"Be there in 15 minutes or less," he said, agreeing with my word. Then, the line was cut off.
I turned my motor the other way and started driving to the accident area. I looked back one last time while I was driving, and the Black Bike was already far away.
Just you wait. I'll come back to chase you after my business with my men is done.
-- END OF FLASH BACK—
-
"Sir, please come here," a police called out, putting an end to my thoughts. I came as he asked me. He was looking at the table, tracing his finger on it. "This table has fresh and dried blood all over it."
I traced my finger on it as well. "Yes. It seems to be that the girl they tortured has been kept since yesterday or earlier."
The other policemen took three passed out men within the warehouse. "These people have only passed out. We're sending them to the hospital for immediate care. Then, we'll proceed to interrogation."
"We've found two ladies unharmed over here," another group said. "But they seemed to be traumatized."
"Take them as well," I told the men.
As I look to the side, I saw a woman bent on the floor. She is pressing on foot to stop the bleeding. I bent down to look at her and talk to her. "You..."
She wasn't answering, so I called on louder, "You!"
She jolted and started crying all of a sudden. "I'm not a killer! I'm innocent!" She tried hard to bend on her knees and kneel before me.
"I'm not asking that," I said to her straight, not interested because I partially heard what happened in this warehouse while I was not around. "I want to know why you're the only one conscious."
Her eyes were dread filled and she refused to listen to what I tell her. "They're gonna get me killed!" She grabbed my arm as she pleaded, thinking that I'll believe her with just that. However, the evidences my recorder tracker provided are insufficient. "Why did you let them go?!"
"Please answer my question, mam..." I tried to gather composure as I handle her. "Your answer is very important..."
"Capture them for me! Put them to jail! I beg of you!" She went on with it. She's becoming mad and she's making it harder for me to believe. Is she hallucinating or what? "That blonde beat my boyfriend and my men! He even shot me with his gun! Help me! Save me!"
"It wouldn't be fun if you'll tell them your one-sided story, Ms. Angela Veron," a strange voice came from above. Sooner, a man broke into the old window and pranced inside the warehouse as if it were some kind of ballroom.
I stood up and said, "Mister, please do not think that this matter concerns you." I did not expect that the information dealer will be lending his hand to us in this case.
He stopped and walked to me with a smirk on his face. "Why not?" he asked, challenging us as if he's a better detective. "It seems that that woman lost control of herself and began making stories."
"Why? What proof do you have?"
He puts out his phone. "That woman is an assassin and a criminal," he began, showing to me the data he gathered. "I have made a brief research regarding your background shortly after we have conversed." As he said that, he walked to her, leaving his phone to me as I read her data. He held her chin up, teasing her. "You were pretty daring. You interest me."
"Shut up!" she nearly shouted as she swat his hand from her face. "I don't need your mercy."
He grinned. "Oh? I don't even have intentions of giving you mercy."
"Orihara Izaya, why? Even you... why do you care so much for (F/n)?" she asked as if pleading him, too.
He laughed. "How ironic is that? I don't especially care for her! I just find her way more interesting..."
As I browsed the page, I have seen every one of low caliber this Angela Veron has killed. Every one of them suffered brutal deaths such as ripping of throats, gouging of eyeballs, burning of flesh, and even feasting of animals on them. Thankfully they were described, not photographed.
At the same time, I checked the validity of the website. It is registered, although it cannot be accessed publicly. I even had access of it on my phone. However, the head of the assassins was not revealed. There were no data or contacts listed about him.
He began to speak to me again. "Please don't be fooled by this woman's words, but you are free to doubt me if you would." He walked back to me and was about to play recorded file. "Early in the morning, I received a call from Angela Veron. I've recorded it because I know it will be useful."
Angela Veron looked hopeless. For a moment, her dread filled eyes turned blank. She attempted to stand and grab Izaya, but she stumbled and fell.
"Don't push yourself too hard. You are... well... injured," he taunted her again. She didn't move anymore. He played the recording. "This contains the truth about what happened in this place. After hearing this, please do what you must."
-
[Shinra's POV]
It's already 12:00 noon. I was on the balcony watching for Celty, waiting for them to come. Few hours have already passed since they left. I'm really worried.
Sooner, I saw a black flash down the road. "Ah, Celty!" I ran as fast as I could so I could open the basement for them and be there on time.
As I picked the remote for the basement door, I jumped on the elevator, impatiently waiting for the door to open. I didn't check if it's really them, but I am very sure that I'm not wrong.
The elevator door opened and I dashed into the basement. I was panting when I opened the door. Celty have already parked her bike and behind her was Shizuo, carrying a battered lady in his arms. He lent his tuxedo vest to the lady he's carrying. My eyes shot wide as I recognize who it was. "(F/n)!"
She barely responded to my call. I ran to her and grabbed her wrist to check her pulse. I was a little relieved to know she's alive. "What did they do to her?!" I asked Shizuo, rather demanding. I never saw such injuries inflicted on a patient before. Even with the gangsters I took care of, no one has ever experienced any treatment as brutal as (F/n) did.
When I looked at (F/n)'s face, I didn't see any trace of agony anymore. It's like she's used to the pain. I looked at my friend and sighed secretly because he was bleeding from the head again and he even got shot in the arm.
"They tortured her. Even if I gave them the ransom, they've already tortured her," he replied stoically. I was glad he rescued her, and not kill her like he said. Shizuo can be really kind to people often.
"Anyway," Celty and her PDA butted in. "We should hurry! (F/n) needs to be attended!"
"Ah, yes. The operating table is always ready in the basement. Let's go!"
Shortly, we set up the operating room and table. It is not as fancy as the hospitals and I don't have a good facility either, but that is enough to take care of (F/n). As Celty and I gathered all the tools, disinfectants, and clean clothing, Shizuo set her down the table.
"We should hurry," Shizuo said. "They drowned her before we came. She wasn't breathing back then."
"What?" That made me panic more. "Did you take immediate response to her? Maybe a CPR?"
"Yes, since it was needed," he answered as he prepared an ice pack to put to his head.
After we have set everything, I told him. "Shizuo, can you please stay outside for the meantime? Celty and I will take care of (F/n)." I broke an awkward rushing smile, which I'm sure he understood.
"Not that I really mind," he said emotionlessly as he turned his back.
"I will take care of your wounds after (F/n)."
"Yeah," he said abruptly and left.
I took a deep breath and put on my gear, my mask, and my gloves. Celty put hers on and used some disinfectant on our gloves.
"Let's start," I said. She nodded fast and we started to take off the tuxedo vest Shizuo lent her together with her ragged clothes. Her body is filled with different kinds of wounds. I can barely see her good skin.
I started with the huge open wounds. As I touched it, I sensed that (F/n) start to breathe laboring. I bit my lip because we don't have anesthesia at the moment. "I'm sorry (F/n). Please bear with the pain..."
I removed rusty metal shards from her body and threw them on a tray. After I poured disinfectants on those wounds, Celty helped me clip the mouth of the wide cuts as I sew them. Suddenly, I felt static as if there was electricity running through her body. I unconsciously mouthed, "Poor (F/n)..."
Right after we finished dealing with the wide cuts, we dealt with the smaller cuts next. I saw her digits pressing at the sides of the table as we do the surgery. To finish her pain, we put cream on her bruises and more disinfectants on her wounds.
(F/n) acted really tough. She must have not wanted to look pitiful in front of her enemies, screaming in agony. She held her pride very high.
Celty covered her with clean blanket, then she took off her operating gear so she could talk to me. "(F/n) looked like she has nowhere else to go," she began. "Can we take care of her until she gets better, or even after she's fully healed?"
"That's fine with me. It's fun to have a female friend in the house, don't you think?" I tilted my head to the side as if I was smiling since she couldn't see my actual smile through my mask.
"Also... can we do plastic surgery on her?" she inquired. "Her wounds will leave awful scars on her and it will haunt her for life."
"Celty, she is an assassin. She's used to all the scars," I attempted to joke on her and she bought it.
"Still!" The way she typed it was like she was shouting. Then, she grabbed and shook me vigorously. "(F/n) may have gone through a lot of pain, but the amount of scars she could get can destroy her."
"(F/n) is a very strong person. She won't get traumatized, or affected by it." I winked. "But since it's your request, Celty, I'll do it for her."
Celty didn't react.
I went to check on my supplies and prepared for her plastic surgery. I talked to (F/n), not sure if it could get through her, but I felt like I need to. "(F/n), I will be performing a little plastic surgery on you. You will feel a little different when you fully regained strength, but you won't look very different because I remember your looks very well."
(F/n) didn't respond. Instead, she spoke something dreadful about her past in her unconscious state. It confirmed Celty's suspicion that (F/n) is all on her own.
After she spoke, we resumed her surgery. I'm not sure if she'll agree going through a whole body plastic surgery, but I'll still do it on her. Then, I will wait for her graceful thanks.
-
[Izaya's POV]
"Do you get it now?" I asked him and he didn't say a word. He just gave me back my phone and walked to Veron, putting handcuffs on her.
"What are you doing to me?! Why would you believe an insane person who enjoys leading people to their misfortunes?" She tried to put the weight on me as if she could sway the policemen who favored me.
"What are you talking about? Me... bringing misfortunes?" I laughed. "Come on! You're caught red handed, so why don't you just give up?"
She ignored me and pleaded to the policeman with scar again, "Please let me go! This aren't my doings! I'm innocent!"
"Angela Veron-san, please don't try to make false accusations on the witness. Just come to us to jail and face your punishment after your wound has been tended," he said as he helped her stand up. Another policeman stood to her side, helping her walk.
"Orihara-san," she called loudly, "You were not physically present when everything happened! Yet, you assumed that your information was right?! How dare you?!"
"Of course!" I grinned at her and moved in to whisper. "Because I've been studying all potential members I can recruit for my clients. I could have recruited you if you didn't fall into this mess."
"Your help is enough, Orihara-san. Please step back," the policeman said. Then, he told her, "You've been proven guilty for an attempt murder today. Your lies won't work."
Finally, the medical van owned by the police came. They placed all the unconscious in side together with the police medics. Then, the other police rode their motorcycles.
Veron couldn't move back anymore. With the sour face she's making, I can tell that the pain she's feeling is excruciating. I felt that I want to see more of that emotion.
As they put her in the front of the van, next to the driver, she sent me one last deadly glare, before completely entering. The police closed the door for her.
The police with the scar on his face walked to me and talked one last time. "Thank you for helping us solve this, Orihara-san. I assume we can have a good company."
"Of course," I replied, gratified. "I'll look forward for the time we'll be needing one another."
He bowed abruptly and left. I watched them all disappear. And after they are all gone, I searched my pocket for a piece of paper and found the check I prepared. I was hoping Shizu-chan would get it from me, but he was bold enough to rampage here without the ransom.
"Humans really exist in various emotions I never understand," I told myself as I shred the unused check into pieces. "Yet, they never failed to allure me."
Now, what will you do... Shizu-chan? (F/n)?