Requiem

VS Prodigy

Detective Minoru's office was a mess. A disastrous catastrophe designed for torture would probably be the way to put it, but Minoru insisted that it was a personalized work of art which allowed for thinking out of the box with his cases.

“Ah, so that's where you got your defensiveness from.” Mika raised an eyebrow at Akito as we entered the room, cowering next to the door since the other option would be to wade across the sheets of photographs and paper. Akito looked as if he were about to throw a remark back at Mika, only to decide that it would prove her point. He turned his attention to an office chair in the far end of the room instead.

“Ugh, you again.” The man in the office chair swiveled around, lighting a cigarette whilst he was at it. He was anything but youthful or remotely concerned about it, but he did seem to be of the stern, hardworking type. “What do you want now?”

“Well, good afternoon to you too.” Mika produced a piece of notebook paper from her messenger bag, handing it to Minoru. “First things first, bounty hunting. Colby Jespersen and some guys going by the name of the Prodigy and the Masterprick; I need to interrogate them.”

“So that's how it is...” Minoru eyed the small piece of paper, running the end of a biro across the page. “Ten dollars per day, per man on the job. Personally, I think it's a stupid idea. Even the FBI are unable to glimpse the shadow of the Prodigy or the Mastermind. I mean, those who have had ended up in a state similar to death and its minions.” He pulled out a bobby pin, pinning the list onto one of the cork-boards by his working desk.

Mika frowned. Having her intelligence insulted in such a candid manner definitely rubbed her the wrong way. I glanced at Akito and he gave me a small nod as if to indicate that it was normal. “Just Colby, then,” she negotiated.

Minoru laughed. “Alright, same price. I'll try to get the informants up and running quickly, but there's no saying how long it'll take. That kid could be overseas for all we know. You've still got to pay up, yeah?”

Mika drove her fist into the wall with a loud slam. Ten dollars per day, per person was evidently too much for her as a college student working only part time. “Are you really the one I call 'father'?”

“Well, I ain't your mother.” He took a puff of his cigarette, unfazed. Mika lowered her fist again, unclenching it as Minoru spoke again. “By the way, who's that?” He pointed his biro at me in a demanding way.

“This is Sage,” I replied as I raised a hand in greeting. Mentally, I kicked myself for the stupid self-introduction. I saw Akito give an amused look out of the corner of my eye.

“Right...”

“Minoru, it's about Sampson's death.” Akito took a giant stride over a fallen collection of folders, handing it over to the detective. He handed the pamphlet over, and Minoru scanned through it like he did with the short list of people. “Not sure how legitimate this thing is, if at all. Either way, there are fifteen photographs inside, with a four digit number beside each one. But with the first picture, the bridge at Rimona and the four numbers directly correspond to Sampson's date and location of death...” Akito trailed off. “And the page is titled Crime Scenes.”

“So you think the second picture would bring you to the second victim?” Minoru questioned, holding the pamphlet up to the light. “If you were to assume it, then the said date would be today.”

Mika glanced over at Akito and Minoru, worry on her face. “'Anneke's note' clearly said that the bodies would be found on the bridge, you know.”

“Well whoever's killing the people probably kills the people and dumps the bodies there afterwards! Hell, do you really expect the victims to all walk to the bridge of their own free will?” I shot back. Mika glared at me in such a way that if looks could kill, I'd have traveled to hell a few times and back.