Chapter Text
“You said they found who?” Mizuki snaps. “…I’ll be right there.”
The call ends with a click.
She walks over to her car. Since it’s raining, it’s a better choice, even if she really prefers her bike.
“Marco, navigate to Bloom Park.”
“Affirmative.” Marco overlays directions on one side. She drives over there. With the shutdown of the Kabasaki district, this place as a whole has been deserted for years. It’s not too surprising that some criminal’s decided to plant a body. But why the hell would he be here?
“Detective Kiyokawa. It’s good to see you.” Boss nods at her. It’s raining, so she has an umbrella. Mizuki’d been in such a rush that she’d forgotten. Her jacket’s waterproof, but it doesn’t have a hood. Her hair’s going to be soaked. “I’m sure you can see what’s wrong.”
Mizuki takes a deep breath. In front of her, mounted on top of one of the horses, is the body of Congressman Sejima So. She slowly approaches the body.
One of the eyes has been gouged out. Left side. Wounds on the chest indicate stabbing.
“It was likely carried out by some kind of long stake-like weapon,” Marco intones. “The depth and size of the wound indicate that.”
Mizuki nods. She circles around the body, but there’s no major blood splatters. Likely killed somewhere else and moved here. Storm would’ve wiped out any recent footprints…
“Any estimates on the time of death?” she asks hir.
“I’d suggest asking the forensics officer,” ze answers.
“Sure thing.” Mizuki makes her way over to the forensics officer. “Hello, Inspector. I’m Detective Kiyokawa Mizuki, and Boss has assigned me to head up this case—”
“Oh, you don’t need to tell me who you are, detective,” the inspector answers. “Everyone knows you big-shot ABIS agents…” He sighs.
“What’s your name?” she asks.
“Oh, I…” He flushes, just barely visible underneath his face mask. He coughs a couple times, clearing his throat. “Inspector Kagami, ma’am. At your service.”
“Alright,” she says. “I have a few questions for you.”
“Of course! It’s an honor to answer any questions you might have. Ma’am.”
“Do you have an estimated time of death for him yet?” She crosses her arms.
“Around six hours,” he answers. “It’s likely the eye was taken out before he died.”
“Marco?”
“I agree,” ze responds. “Based on the amount of blood, that is the most likely case.”
Mizuki looks back at the body. Multiple stab wounds…that means the killer probably wasn’t sure the first one would do it. Or maybe just that the first one wasn’t enough for as quick of a death as they wanted — any of those would’ve been enough.
“Thanks, inspector,” she says. She’s already forgotten his name. She frowns. She walks back towards the body, looking more closely at the way the body is tied to the horse. He’s been put in a reverse position, wrists tied to the pole sticking through the horse.
“What time did they say this was found?”
“About three hours ago,” Marco answers. “According to Boss.”
“Right.”
Just then, Mizuki hears a thump.
“Did that…come from the inside of the carousel?” she mutters.
Marco turns on hir x-ray function without Mizuki asking.
Someone’s inside. How did someone get inside? Is there a door?
Mizuki circles around the carousel until she finds the one panel that’s different from the others. She pushes against the door first, and then pulls on the handle.
“Locked. Dammit.” She knocks on the door. “Open up!”
She hears a latch move, and the door opens.
“Saito? What the hell are you doing here?”
It takes her a moment to get over the shock of seeing him to see the bloody ice-pick in his hands.
Fuck.
Saito is silent the whole way back to HQ. She had pried the ice-pick out of his hands with ease, but…prying answers out of him has been a lot more difficult.
She looks up at him from the rearview mirror. His arms are crossed and he’s leaning up against the door. Most people would probably see that as normal for a taciturn teenager, but Mizuki knows Saito. She knows he’s not fond of his parents. But she knows his father’s death is bound to have shaken him…especially if he was the first one to find the body.
She opens up the back door when they arrive. Saito climbs out with a characteristic glare.
“Look…I’m sorry I have to do this,” Mizuki begins.
“Just get this over with,” Saito grumbles.
“Where were you about three hours before we found you?”
“At your apartment,” he answers. “You know that.”
“Why were you at the crime scene?”
“No comment.”
“Boss wanted to take you to the hospital,” Mizuki admits. “I got down to business because I thought you would appreciate it. But…how are you feeling?”
“It’s the fate he deserved,” Saito answers, clenching a fist. “My only regret is that I wasn’t the one responsible.”
“It’s getting late. I don’t want to interrogate you right now. Are you coming with me?”
“I don’t want to have to see her,” Saito growls.
Mizuki knows who he’s talking about — his stepmother, Manaka. Mizuki’s known Manaka for a while — she considers her a friend, even. But Saito’s not fond of her — probably because of the usual stuff between step-parents and children. Especially since Iris was born three years ago.
…has Manaka heard the news yet?
“Alright. Let’s go home.”
When Mizuki wakes up, though, Saito’s already left.
“Where did he go?” Mizuki asks Marco.
“He left no indication of where he was going,” Marco answers. “I could track his phone, if you’d like, but I don’t think that’s a concern at the moment.”
Mizuki frowns. It’s clearly a pretty volatile time for Saito, but…hopefully everything will be fine. And she can always go find him later. Right now, she has to report to the office. More leads to follow on this death.
“Morning,” Boss says as Mizuki enters her office. “I noticed you didn’t end up taking Saito to the hospital.”
“He doesn’t want that,” Mizuki answers. “He’s already seeing a therapist. I expect, with his father being a public figure, said therapist will bring up the subject.”
“Alright then. You know better than I do. Now back to the case. We’ve managed to track down the person who called in the body. His name is Lien Twining.”
“Where is he now?”
“According to the records,” Marco answers, “he’s currently at an idol talent agency.”
An idol agency? What would he be doing there? Mizuki frowns.
“Alright. I’ll follow Marco’s directions and brief you later.”
“We’re counting on you, Kiyokawa.” Boss glares. “Don’t let me down out there.”
“I won’t,” she answers as she slips out the door.
Mizuki enters through the automatic doors. Seems like the guy she’s looking for is right there in the lobby.
“Hi.” She takes out her badge. “Detective Kiyokawa Mizuki, with the Metropolitan Police Department. You’re Lien, correct?”
“Uh…yeah,” he says.
“Mizuki, be careful speaking with him,” Marco warns. “Six years ago, he was released from a three-year sentence.”
“What was he sentenced for?” Mizuki asks.
“Petty theft and breaking-and-entering,” ze answers. “I suspect, as a result, that he distrusts police. I would advise against provoking him.”
“Got it.”
“I don’t think you did anything wrong. I just wanted to ask about the circumstances under which you found the body. What were you doing out there?”
“I work as a receptionist at this therapist’s office. One of the kids we work with was leaving when he got this text, and then it seemed like something changed with him. I got worried, so I followed him out all the way over to the park.”
“You work at Dr. Sagan’s office, then?”
What an odd coincidence that he works at the same office Saito goes to.
“Uh…yeah.” He frowns. “How did you know that?”
“Hitomi is an acquaintance of mine,” she answers. “I’m also familiar with the patient in question.”
“I was just…kinda worried about what kind of message would’ve had him rushing. Usually he acts like he doesn’t give a damn about anything.”
Mizuki knows that very well. Knowing Saito had been so spurred into action by the message…she wonders who it could have been from. Surely an unknown sender wouldn’t have done the trick…
Just another question to add to the list of things she needs Saito to tell her.
“I don’t catch the news much anymore, but I still recognized the corpse when I saw him. I walked away to call the police so he wouldn’t hear me, and then I lost track of him. I think…he might have taken the murder weapon out.”
It would explain what the pick was doing in his hands.
“Why do you say that?”
“I mean…there was something sticking out of his eye when I saw it. And then I called it in, and then I turned back and it was gone. And so was he.”
“Excuse me?”
A woman emerges from the back. She wheels herself towards the conversation.
“What are you doing here?” She directs her comment at Lien first. “I told the receptionist to…” She trails off as she looks at the desk to find said receptionist absent.
And then the woman looks at Mizuki. She blinks. “If I may ask…who are you?”
“I’m Detective Kiyokawa Mizuki,” she answers, showing her badge again.
“Oh. Strange coincidence, it seems.” She sighs. “Apologies. I’m Chieda Kizuna. Are you here on some kind of official business, then?”
“I am.” Mizuki frowns. “I’m currently investigating the death of Congressman Sejima So. I don’t believe you have any connection to the case…?”
“…no,” she answers.
“Miss Chieda is one of the managers for the idols under this label,” Marco declares. “She graduated from being an idol herself after she was paralyzed six years ago.”
“Oh.”
“If you’d like, I can take our conversation outside. But Lien and I were almost done here,” Mizuki says.
“I, ah…” Chieda looks around. “If it does help, I did see his wife recently.”
“I’m not sure that will be of relevance. But if it does turn out to be that way, I’ll contact you to ask,” she answers.
She’s not sure why she’s being so…delicate with her. Something seems kind of familiar about her — but she just can’t place it.
Has she met her before?
She dips her head. “If that’s all, then, I find myself rather busy these days. And I suspect you are as well, detective.”
“Goodbye, Ms. Chieda,” Mizuki responds, thoroughly unsettled. “Alright. Let’s take this outside.”
Lien narrows his eyes. “Do you have any more questions for me?”
Her encounter with that woman must have rattled her more than she thought, because she can’t think of anything.
“I suppose you can go,” she says. “We may contact you again if the need arises for the investigation.”
“Have a good day, then,” he answers, shoving his hands in his pockets. He managed to keep it pretty well together for their talk. She frowns.
Despite everything…she feels drawn to come back inside.
“Detective?” Chieda frowns. “Do you need something else from me?”
“I’d, um, like to know when you saw Mrs. Sejima.”
“Mizuki?”
“I just…I need to talk to her some more, Marco. Please.”
She just seems familiar. Somehow. Mizuki doesn’t know her. Has never met her before today.
“I thought it was a bit strange, actually. She was speaking with my father yesterday morning.”
“Chieda Riichi,” Marco narrates in her head. “He’s mostly retreated from the business world. Nowadays, he runs an orphanage.”
“An…orphanage?”
“It is known as AIOEN.” Ze projects the image for her. “He may be worth investigating, considering I doubt he had any prior connection to the Sejimas before this.”
“Got it.”
“Do you know what they were talking about?” Mizuki asks.
“Unfortunately, I do not. However, if you would like to ask him, I would be…happy to guide you there.”
“I have a good navigation system,” she answers, smiling fondly. “I’ll be alright. I took my motorcycle here, at any rate. It probably wouldn’t be the best for you…”
“Oh.” Chieda looks down at her hands in her lap. “My apologies, then. I wish you the best of luck with your investigation, Detective Kiyokawa.”
As she approaches AIOEN, she spots a group of kids playing on the jungle gym in the back. It’s cute.
“Hello?” she says at the front desk, presenting her badge. “I’m Detective Kiyokawa, with the MPD. I’d like to speak with Mr. Chieda regarding a current case I’m investigating.”
“Alright.” She presses a button. “Sir, there’s someone here to speak with you. A detective?” A pause. “Alright. I’ll send her up. Detective? Mr. Chieda will see you now. His office is upstairs. I’m sure it won’t be hard to find.”
Mizuki dips her head in acknowledgment and heads for the staircase.
She knocks on the door. “Mr. Chieda? It’s Detective Kiyokawa.”
“Come in.”
She enters the office.
“What would you like to speak with me about?”
He, too, looks familiar. But she’s never seen him before…
“I spoke with your daughter earlier,” Mizuki says. “I’m currently investigating the death of Congressman Sejima. According to her, you spoke with his wife yesterday morning.”
“I did speak with Mrs. Sejima, yes. She wanted to seek out an interview with me. I was rather surprised to see her, since I thought she had retired from reporting.”
Manaka had to leave the world of political journalism when she got engaged. Mizuki had been the one to encourage her to start an independent blog so she didn’t lose out on writing altogether. But Mizuki didn’t know she was doing any journalism — she doesn’t follow the blog or anything.
“She left the office she worked for, yes,” she answers. “Was that all?”
“Yes,” he answers. “What does that have to do with Congressman Sejima’s death?”
“It may have a connection.” But whatever that connection is, Mizuki doesn’t know it yet. It’s not as though she really suspects Manaka, but…
Looks like this was a dead end, too.
She supposes she’ll just have to track down Saito.
“Saito is back at home,” Marco says. Mizuki smiles — ze’s quite the reliable partner. She wouldn’t ask for anyone else.
Saito is lying down on the bed, flipping a knife, watching it go up and down as he catches it. Mizuki knows better than to stop him now, though she’d tried in the past. He’s safe enough about it — as safe as he can be with a sharp knife.
“Kiyokawa.”
Ah. Something’s set him off — even more than just his father’s death.
“How was your day?” she asks, sitting on the couch.
“As good as it could be.” He frowns. “Dr. Sagan called this morning. She said she had a free slot, if I was willing to talk to her early in the morning instead.”
“And what about school?” she asks.
“Said I didn’t have to go.” He smirks. “I cry a few crocodile tears, and they think I’m mourning.”
“So you went to Dr. Sagan’s office…”
“She asked me the usual bullshit,” Saito admits. “A little more than the usual bullshit, I guess. ‘Cause Father died.”
“And Manaka called.”
“I told her I was going to stay with you. And that I didn’t want to see her again.” He scowls. “I don’t regret it.”
“I don’t expect you to. You can stay here as much as you want. I don’t care.”
Over the last three years, her life has started to shift to accommodate Saito’s presence.
“So…what now?” he asks. He flips the knife again.
“I still have some questions for you. I’m not going to take you to the station to ask you. I don’t need to do that.” She sighs. “Marco, you’re recording, right?”
“I can if you’d like.” Ze pauses. “Recording functions turned on.”
“I heard some testimony from the person who reported the body today,” Mizuki opens. “He works as the receptionist for Dr. Sagan.”
“Ah. That buffoon.”
“He said you apparently received some kind of text, and was concerned about your behavior after you received it, so he followed you out to the park. What did it say?”
“It was from an anonymous number.” He catches the knife again and places it back into his pocket. “Here. You can take a look if you really need to see.” He unlocks his phone and opens up the messaging app, sitting up and handing it over to her.
It’s a show of trust he rarely displays. She’s not going to waste it.
But it’s an incredibly vague message. Bloom Park. Your father is waiting.
Mizuki frowns. “And you believed them?”
“I believed that if they were trying to lure me out to kill me, I would be able to get out of that situation.”
Saito’s capable of handling himself. Mizuki made sure of that when he first fell under her care. Proper weapon handling and safety was a priority of hers.
“And if one of my father’s agents was truly the one texting me, then I would face his disappointment if I didn’t arrive there. I had to go, regardless of if it was a trap.”
And it was a trap — though not one designed to kill Saito. Mizuki’s blood boils. What kind of heartless person would want to traumatize a teenager with their father’s body?
“I saw that thing sticking out of him. I took it out, just to see the blood flow. To know for sure he was dead.” Saito grips the sheets of the bed. “I couldn’t believe it. I’d been thinking about it for so long…and even when I saw the evidence right in front of me, I couldn’t believe that someone else had done it. I don’t care. I don’t care who did it. He deserved it.”
Mizuki can’t deny that he was a bad man. But it looks like Saito’s too emotional to offer any testimony of what happened.
“Kiyokawa…I know you have to look for his killer, because of what you are. But the only reason I would want to know is to thank them. I didn’t see anything.”
“Mizuki…”
“What is it?”
“Take a look at the thermograph.” Marco displays Saito in infrared vision. He’s red, despite his cold tone.
Lying. About what, though? If he saw something…she has to know.
“Saito…” She sighs. “You’re going to lie to me? Now?”
“I…it doesn’t make sense.”
“I didn’t want to do this, but…come on. We’re heading to the station.” She stands up. “Marco, ask Boss to authorize a Psync.”
“Of course.”
She takes a deep breath.
As to what she’ll see in his Somnium…well, she’ll just have to find out.