Bungo Stray Dogs: Gaiden

Chapter 2 (part 1): Before the Special Abilities Division's Secret Base

My bangs looked nice, I thought.

Reflected within the car window was myself, pinching and lifting up pieces of hair from my bangs. Because of my hair and eyes, I put a lot of effort into my appearance.

I'm alright. I'm perfectly fine. There's no way in hell a special ability criminal can oppose a frightening agent. I'm perfectly fine.

I was in the back-door parking lot of the library. It was deadly quiet. Aside from a few older people here and there, there was no one to be seen. This is natural. This is a top secret government facility. An information collection base under direct control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, my superior summoned me here to this facility.

Though publicly seen as just a library in the mountains, if you were to look carefully enough, the security was tight and every guard held a sub-machine gun hidden under their pouch.

I, Tsujimura, am a person formerly affiliated with this facility – a non-public organization of the Ministry of Home Affairs... and now, an agent of the Secret Military's Special Abilities Division.

Unlocking the car, I sit in the driver's seat.

Laboriously delivered from the U.K, it was a silver Aston Martin. A perfect car for an agent. A high powered 12-cylinder engine and a body made of Magnesium alloy, a machine born to run.

To be worthy of being an agent of a secret organization, it should be a requirement to have a tough, horse-powered car. Thinking of when I bought it, I realize I've never been blessed with the opportunity of a car chase

I turn the key to turn on the car. While driving down the quiet road that leads to town, I think about my situation. My mission is monitoring a detective. That detective, to bear the title as 'detective', must must resolve incidents and problems. In many cases, it's to helped troubled people. In other words, to put it in simple terms such as being a 'villain' or a 'good person', if they're closer to the side of the villain.

But the government's view is different.

As the government puts it, that detective is like placing a piece of a nuclear warhead on a street corner.

Where you are, what you're doing or thinking or about doing, the government doesn't always have a 100% grasp on this.

If they were to cause an accident or run away from the control of the government, it's inconceivable to imagine the damage that could be caused to the street.

The list of the most important regularly monitored.

An extremely dangerous ability user.

"Homicide Detective".

It is a common name given to that person, and he is the target I must manage as an agent of the Secret Military's Special Ability Department.

Complete failure is not allowed.

When my superior gave the command to me, I remember his cold gaze even now.

Along the way, I stop at a coffee shop and buy a sugarless latte. I put it in the drink holder of the car before resuming my operation.

Each time I make a full stop at a red light, I make sure to peek into the car's rear-view mirror to look behind me.

It doesn't seem like I'm being tailed today. When having a government job, you can never be too cautious or pay too much attention– Even for a rookie agent like me. However, I've never actually experienced being tailed yet either.

But.

A government agent. How I could be something so amazing, there are times where even I still can't believe it after two years of working on this assignment. It almost seems as if I'm talking about a movie or a novel. Until a few years ago, I was just a college student who didn't know anything. Nowadays, the only explanation I can give to close friends about this secret mission I'm doing is that it's 'the affairs of the import company'.

Of course, you need to have self-confidence. It is also required to pass marksmanship and martial arts with top class marks.

My motivation is second to none. That's why I was chosen for this important mission. The higher ups would never leave such a mission in the hands of someone without an ability.

... I think.

While thinking, the monitored building location came into sight.

Ayatsuji Detective Office.

It was an old brick building facing the street. On the first floor, you can see the narrow entrance. At first glance it seemed like a boring building on a boring street, but all of it – including the upper floor as well as left and right of the office – were bought and occupied by the government.

It is in order to ensure safety.

I park my Aston Martin some distance away in paid parking. While pretending to check my make-up in the side-mirror, I check to see whether or not any suspicious figures are there. I then reached into my pocket to pull out an earphone microphone, attaching it to my ear before pressing the call button.

"Calling to support troops, affiliation code 4048." Allowing the terminal to recognize my voice, I was automatically connected to my destination.

"This is sniper support squad one." The voice of a burly man responded.

"This is agent code 4048, Operation Officer Tsujimura. I will begin internal monitoring."

"Understood. We'll move to position D2 and continue monitoring. The target is in the building."

"Thank you for all your hard work." I speak into the earphone microphone, and the man gave a small laugh from the other side of the connection.

"You're late, Tsujimura. Were you receiving a sermon from your superior?"

"T-That's not it!"

"I'm guessing correctly, given your complexion."

Across the road from me, I direct my line of sight to the roof of a building. In the same moment, the gleam of a lens shined from the edge of the roof.

The detective agency is monitored twenty-four hours by sniper troops belonging to the secret military department. If Ayatsuji-sensei were to rebel against the government and used his ability without permission on someone, they are under orders to immediately shoot and kill 'extremely dangerous ability user' Ayatsuji.

"I know." The sniper spoke. "The building is the tiger's cage. Although our job is to gun down the tiger, don't shoot if possible. Right?"

"... It's alright. I'm an agent, after all."

"Right. I wish you good luck. Sniper team, out."

This was all that was said before the communication was cut.

I sucked in a breath, held it, then exhaled.

This is my wish.

I routinely tell myself this twice a night before I go to bed.

No matter what kind of heinous ability user it may be, so long as I'm here, I won't allow them to have their way.

I walk up to the front door of the office. Standing in front of the entrance, I dug into my pocket to pull out the key, turning it in my hands as I hold it diagonally against my shoulder. "It is your mistake to have been born in the same period as me."

It's a phrase from my favorite spy movie. With a woman actor in a biker jacket and sunglasses, it was the coolest movie.

For that hero, I must catch up as soon as possible one day.

I opened the door.

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