Matai Itsu Ka (We'll Meet Again) (ON INDEFINITE HIATUS)

9. Stalemate

Akane stands on the looking side of the two-way glass. Inside the suspect sits reclining in the plastic chair picking at his nails. His olive green jacket fits snugly to his body and the worn black shirt beneath is has several noticeable rips around the neck. His medium length dark hair is a controlled mess on his head and he has a short bright red scar beneath his left eye. Inspector Mori enters and joins Akane with a few files in hand. He adjust his glasses and straightens his suit before addressing her. 

"Tsunemori-san," he asks requesting her attention. She turns to him. "Will I be following your lead?" 

"You can take this one." 

"Inspector, I--" 

"It's time you take one on your own." He nods curtly and walks in to the room. He takes a seat at the table, opens the file and lays out several pictures on the table facing the suspect. Just as Akane showed him, Mori starts out with a question, which not to her surprise the man doesn't answer. He pushes the photos across the table and watches as the man's eyes fall on each photo. His reactions are small, but even the slight ones are taken notice of. A hand rubbing the ear, the darting of eyes, the twitch of the nose or faux relaxed movements such as crossing the arms over the chest. When the interrogation is complete, uniforms come to take the suspect to confinement and Akane and Mori walk side-by-side out of the room with files in their hands, neither one says anything to the other until they reach Division One's bullpen. The Enforcers are seated at their terminals deep in their work and seem to barely notice the entrance of their superiors. Akane sets the files on her desk and walks right back out, Mori follows closely behind. He clears his throat. 

"I apologize, I wasn't able to get much out of him."

"None is necessary," Akane replies quickly. "He wasn't going to give up much."

"But I could ha--" She stops mid-step and looks up at her young silver-haired partner. She smiles warmly. 

"You did well," she turns and begins walking again. The words wash over him and the tension in his chest seeps out of his body like air after holding your breath. He tosses his head to the left and his long bangs slip off to the side out of his face. He picks up his pace to match her's. The two soon arrive at Shion's lab where she is typing furiously but seemingly casually at her terminal. On the large screen along the wall are two columns of ID cards opposite each other. As the blonde analyst types the cards organize themselves and when she finishes, several disappear completely. 

"These are the names that have come up more than once. They have some suspicious activity but nothing to write home about," she says. "You brought this one in today, correct?" 

"Yes," Mori replies. "I wasn't able to get much out of him. I plan on letting him sit before trying him again." 

"These are the others that you should look at." The ID of the suspect in custody slips itself into a file folder and the remaining 5 ID's become larger. 

"Maybe we can get the one we have to flip on some of the others," Akane says putting her right hand to her chin. Shion informs the Inspectors of what she knows about each suspect and they plan the new interrogation for tomorrow. With that the Enforcers turn in for the evening and the Inspectors head home.

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Akane walks out of the parking lot and up to her apartment. She opens the door, greets the man at the desk as she always does and takes the elevator up to her floor. She slips her arms out of her coat, throws it over her arm and carries her briefcase in her opposite hand. She makes her way down the hall but just as she is about to reach her place, the hairs at the back of her neck stand on end. She slows her steps and continues on, listening closely. A set of keys rattles nearby, she looks over her shoulder but no one seems to be present. She reaches for her hip instinctively but, quickly notices that she is without a weapon. She takes a silent deep breath, sets her things down by her door and slowly walks back the way she came, she takes her time, checks every corner of her floor but finds nothing which results in her turning in. Stepping inside, she removes her shoes, hangs her coat and case. She has dinner, changes her clothes and puts on a pair of shorts and a loose top. She brews a pot of tea and picks up her current read from the coffee table in front of her. She has a sip of her tea then she sets the cup down and lies down on the chair with her legs bent and pulled in close. She closes her eyes and her mind drifts. Tea settles in the pit of her stomach warming her form the inside out as she feels as though she is sinking into the couch cushions. Cars on the street below, TV commercial voices trying to convince you to purchase things you don't need and an undertone of music plays out in the crisp air. As a breeze blows a chill runs up Akane's spine but she doesn't move. She pulls her legs in tighter. Thoughts of him flood in.