The Warehouse Case

Loyalty

[Yikes! This took a little longer because school started up again :( But I am here now! :D

Also... I'm debating taking this story in a different direction that I thought I would be taking it...? But idk I guess I'll just write and see where it takes me :') I thought I had it planned out but then something cool popped into my head and i was like I WANT THAT but.. I already wrote and gathered info for the original plot,,,,, idk I'll be just as surprised as yall]

Chapter 4: Loyalty

...

Malik's throat went dry. He didn't want to believe his eyes. Touzoku was helping them with the case! Why, out of all people, would he be the one behind all of it? Malik was puzzled, but at the moment wasn't at all focused on figuring anything out. He was only focused on the gun pointed at his face and the heavy breathing of his partner beside him.

"You fucking-"

"Ah, ah, ah," Touzoku interrupted all too happily, waving the gun from side to side mockingly. "No time for pleasantries. I have shit to do. Hand over your cuffs and I'll be on my way." Touzoku stared at Malik, waiting for him to comply. Though, Malik didn't look at all compliant. In fact, Malik's eyes were narrowed in agitation and hatred, and he made it clear that he was reluctant to perform the task. He threw the cuffs at Touzoku and his keys followed inevitably. Malik felt bile gather in his throat when he saw Touzoku grin.

"Excellent. You're much more easy to handle than your partner over there. You're not so.. Skittish. Isn't that right, Ryou?" Malik watched Touzoku's eyes flicker to the side to look at Ryou. Malik didn't have to look at Ryou to know that he was glaring just as much as Malik was. "Of course, it wasn't exactly difficult to get him here. Now Malik, if you don't mind, please move to your left and put your hands behind your back."

Malik, again, felt like he was going to vomit. This wasn't going to end well, he could tell, but he knew that if he didn't comply, it would end much sooner. He needed as much time as he could get, even if it wasn't much. Showing as much annoyance as possible, Malik crawled to his left and sat there, refusing to put his own hands behind his back if he could help it. Touzoku didn't seem to find that as an issue as he kneeled down and forced Malik's hands back, cuffing them with the chain of the cuffs attached to the pipe to keep him in place. "Perfect. See? That wasn't so bad," Touzoku hummed, their faces much too close for Malik's liking.

Touzoku stood up again and looked at the two investigators before him, smirking. He laughed then, seemingly unable to help himself. "This-This was just too easy! I knew I wouldn't have trouble with Ryou, but you too, Malik?" He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, tucking his gun away back into his holster. "I really would have thought it would have taken longer. But really this timing is pretty good." Touzoku smirked, his attention on Malik only now, even though Malik kept his head turned from him. "It wasn't just me you know."

Malik didn't budge.

"In fact, it wasn't even my idea." Touzoku paused, his lips curling into a malicious grin. "It was Ryou's."

Malik grit his teeth, looking at Touzoku again with hatred written all over his face. "You think I'm stupid? You're a fucking liar! Just shut up and go do whatever stupid fucking crime it is you do. Leave Ryou alone." When he mentioned Ryou's name, he glanced over at his partner, his expression softening considerably when he saw the way Ryou's head hung low and his eyes were shut tight. Malik wished he had come sooner.

"Yes, I may be a liar, and I'm certainly not saying you have to believe me, but it's true." To Malik's horror, Touzoku kneeled next to Ryou and held his face in one hand while he pushed some of the young man's hair back with the other. Ryou looked unwilling and afraid. Malik definitely took note of that, because Ryou wasn't easy to scare. "It was all his idea. He even came up with the plans to keep you from getting all the evidence. Just enough to make you think you solved it, but keeping that last piece of the puzzle out of your reach. Ryou's a very good actor. Did you know that Malik?"