DANGER ZONE | Kenzou Tenma

Chapter 15: Distorted reality

She kept surprising me over and over again. When I was treating my patient in the evening again, checking up on him, I watched the Detective and Dieter through the window, who were still playing football. It was then when I first saw a genuine laugh of hers, that she let down her guard completely.

"Watch out, Miss!"

"Hey, have mercy on me! I'm an old woman!"

She had many different facets. Some of them were masks, some of them were true. I found myself curious, wanting to know her more, because even if she told me important things about herself, I felt like I didn't know her at all. She barely looked at me when she confessed that she used to be part of the Stasi. Her honesty was blunt, but without any emotion, without showing true vulnerability. I knew what she wanted to tell me with her story - that I did the right thing when saving Johan - but she had to take a detour to convey this message to me. I felt like she was repressing a lot of her feelings. But who was I to judge? I didn't even know her, really. I just knew she wasn't a bad person. Otherwise, there was no way she would smile this genuinely at Dieter.

Later, when they came inside, she looked exhausted, but contented. Of course, Dieter was amazed by her because she played so much with him. Dieter went to take a shower, so it was me and her who were left in the kitchen. She was drinking a glass of water, lost in thoughts, until I decided to break the silence.

"You can stay here over night if you want."

She looked at me in slight confusion. "Why?" "Because Dieter trusts you, so I trust you too. Plus, my patient allowed it. Tomorrow, we can talk about Johan and exchange our knowledge. I think that might help us both." She thought about it, then nodded. "Why not? Thank you very much for the opportunity."

The same evening, we drove back to her hotel so she could get her things. Her staying with us wouldn't be for long, at most a couple of days, because I knew I would leave Füssen this week for sure. When we arrived back at the mountain, she got her own room and unpacked her things there, so I decided to get ready for bed. It had been a long day, after all.

 "Doctor, what you did was entirely right. You did your job out of the best intention."

Those words echoed in my mind. Maybe she was right. But even if she was, would that change the path I was going down? My goal remained the same. I had no other choice but to take Johan down - before anything worse happened.

The next day, while everyone else decided to have lunch outside, I was working as always, barricaded in my room, going through my notes to think about how to proceed with my current cases. Mr. Mueller was particularly interesting, but I didn't know what to do with him. Well, I had a lot of other things on my mind at the moment, and perhaps that wasn't the best precondition to work with.

Then, I heard the door opening.

"Detective."

Light came into my room when Doctor Tenma opened the door. He wasn't smiling, but he had a kind look on his face. "There will be lunch soon. Eat with us. Your work won't run away." "Thanks, but it's okay." I wanted to return to work, but he insisted. "You didn't eat anything today." I shrugged. "I just don't felt like having breakfast today. It's like that sometimes. Don't worry." When I turned back to my notes, I couldn't help but squint slightly due to the pain I was feeling. He noticed immediately.

"Do you have a headache?"

I didn't answer.

"That's not surprising if you work so much. I guess you and Inspector Lunge share the same workaholic tendencies." He sighed, stepping into the room. "I used to be like that as well, but it's harmful, Detective. Take a break. Please. You don't look alright."

I knew he was right, but I couldn't help it. I glanced through the open window, over the meadow, to the trees in the background - there was someone, a tall and broad man. Quickly, I pulled my gun, aiming at that particular place. The Doctor winced when I reacted so suddenly. I clenched my teeth.

"There is someone!" I squinted, taking deep breaths to calm myself, but to no avail. "That man... I know him. Roberto!"

Tenma peeked through the window, his eyes following the path down the mountain. In a strangely calm manner, he looked at Roberto, then at me. Then, again, at Roberto, and at me.

"Detective... there is no one."

I looked at him in confusion. That can't be...

I chuckled to myself, placing my gun on the table. "I'm losing my mind. This can't be true... I apologise, Doctor."

"No, it's alright. But don't you think you- Detective?"

I wasn't listening to him anymore. I stood up from the chair and stumbled towards the bed. "I guess I need to rest. Give me just a minute... I'll... take a short nap and-"

And then my sight faded to black.