Daybreak | F. Dostoyevsky

3 | The Enigmatologist's First Victim

Tying up her long, black hair, slipping off her red cardigan and putting on her white swing coat, Chiasa Kuse casually walked away from Queen's Square Yokohama's Starbucks Reserve Roastery.

Humming, she took out her phone and called the first person on her recent callers' list.

"Jōshi, you were right. Putting up that high energy act and following your plan worked. She seriously thought I was going to help her. Yes, she's as intelligent as you said she'd be, but your plans are too good. I can't wait to see how big of an asset she can really be to us!"

Meanwhile, Maya Castillo sped through the mall at the speed of light. Panting, she didn't pause to explain as she stopped in front of Kunikida, who was pissed as hell.

"Where on earth were you? You can't just miss an entire bomb check like this! You know what state this country's in already with the Decay of Angels and White Rose running around!"

Mayumi raised her hands in defense, "Bathrooms are basic human needs."

"It doesn't take 14 minutes to go to the bathroom!"

"You really wanna know? I was p—"

"No, I don't want to know. I'll let you off one more time. One more time, Mayumi."

The girl smiled, "Thanks, Kunikida! Now, to the problem at hand. We had a false bomb tip, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did. We currently have people trying to trace the call, and were waiting for you so we can go back to the Agency building."

Mayumi walked past her colleague, absentmindedly staring at the contents of a bookstore. "Good for you, now you don't have to wait. Go without me. I'll be there as soon as possible, but there's something I have to do." She didn't see how Kunikida reacted, but he sure wasn't pleased.

"Something to do? Something to do? Yes, there is something you have to do. Your job!"

A certain ex-mafioso suicidal maniac stepped in, "Kunikida, let the girl live, we won't get results about the call soon anyways." He gave her a knowing smile. As always, Dazai seemed to almost always know what she was going to do. Her plans and predictions, though already great, were no match to his. She had learned that in the early months of her employ with the Armed Detective Agency.

For example, she was made a fool out of by Chiasa Kuse, or rather, the mastermind behind Chiasa Kuse's actions, 'jōshi'.

The blonde man, not wanting to listen to his two problematic colleagues anymore, spun around and left. Mayumi, sharing a silent understanding with Dazai, turned around to the customer help desk. "Hello, as you know, I'm with the Armed Detective Agency. I'd like to check this mall's security footage, please."

The employee, a young woman with blue eyes and fluffy, short brown hair, answered, "Okay, sure. I'll take you to the surveillance room." the Agency member smiled, "Thank you."

The young woman, whose name tag read Yamashita, stood up from her chair, walking around the counter to where Mayumi was. "Just follow me."

The fawn haired girl dropped her smile as soon as the employee's back was turned to her. On her face was a cold and angry expression. Kuse, whatever her name actually was, had tricked her. Dostoyevsky probably did too. What did she expect out of trusting and accepting the help of a wanted terrorist?

For someone like her, that move was too naive. It didn't help that Kuse's act was perfect, the person behind it knew what they were doing.

After a few turns and going up a few escalators, they arrived in front of a door labeled STAFF ONLY in bold red letters. Yamashita opened the door, revealing surveillance monitors and 2 men. "Hello. This is Ms. Shimei. She's from the Armed Detective Agency, and she would like to check the security footage."