The Boy With The Blank Stare: Punishment Time

Chapter Sixteen: Fight

I stared at the small cassette tape. A single tape that had irrefutable evidence. The letter found with it was from Chiasa asking the person who found it to gather all of DICE to listen when she was gone.

After I took it to Ouma he immediately gave it to me.

-Earlier-

'Take it' Ouma told me and my eyes widened, I assumed I would have to pry it from him.

"Really?" I asked and he nodded, 'your trying to make things right too aren't you?' He asked.

"I'll try" I assured him and he nodded. I shifted uncomfortably "you should work with me to Ouma, we should work together on this" I offered.

He didn't say anything for a while.

'You have your way, I have mine' he eventually said. I wasn't satisfied with this "but Ouma-" I started.

"No" he told me. He sighed 'Saihara...you broke my trust and you know that, if you want to fix this fine but I'm not helping you' he told me.

"I know and I'm sorry but-" I tried to reason with him, "just go" he dismissed me. His eyes were red and puffy stull and he looked like he needed some time to himself.

But his eyes...they scared me.

-/-/-

I put all my findings and evidence, completely organized and headed downstairs to my Uncle's office.

I wonder how much he actually knows...he may have sent me here to begin with but he hasn't helped at all.

The only piece of advice he gave was to not say who I was to everyone. But...because of that I haven't gained anything. Just more questions.

Even now I still have questions. Who is the person who killed DICE? What was their motivation for what they did? What is Ouma planning to do?

And where is he. The Substitute. Why did they cover up a whole murder? Just for some pranks. It's ridiculous.

I reached the door and knocked on it. My Uncle opened looking confused at the boxes as he let me in.

"Shuichi what do you have there?" He asked and I held it out for him. I looked at him determined "evidence, we can bring it to my Father and reveal the truth about this town" I assured him.

My Uncle just stared down at the box as I gave it to him. He glanced up at me and the evidence.

Then he threw it into the fireplace.

"UNCLE?! WHY?" I asked running over as I tried to salvage whatever I could from the burning flames.

My hands burned when I felt somone pulling me back, "stop Shuichi" he instructed me.

"NO! Don't you get what your doing?! Why?! Why would you destroy the evidence?! Don't you want justice?! Don't you want that murderer to finally be found?!" I screamed at him.

"Enough" he silenced me as the rotten smell filled the room. I looked over to the remains of the tape and the burning letters.

"That was from Chiasa, that tape" I told him, "it was her last message...and you destroyed it...Ouma's been suffering for a long four years...and this is what you do when we can finally set it right?" I asked looking into his cold eyes.

"Why?! Aren't you a detective?! Aren't you her Father?! Why?!" I screamed.

"Shuichi...I admit I underestimated you by a long shot..." he admitted. I looked at him confused, "I'm sorry, but as much as I want that to it will never happen" he told me.

"I was a fool for getting you in this mess, I originally thought I understood the situation...how much of an idiot I was" he reflected.

"You're going home tomorrow" my Uncle informed me and my eyes widened.

"I won't let Themis claim you too"