Psycho-Pass: Coping Mechanisms

Part 16 : Deviant Tendencies

PART 16 – Deviant Tendencies

Ginoza was the first one to reach the crime scene. He exited his vehicle, slamming the door with a loud bang. He pulled his Dominator out, aiming it at the person his team went to deal with. Paddy wagon with enforcers parked at bigger distance, in tactical maneuver to surround the target before it realizes. The door opened, releasing the hounds of Division I.

Kogami and Kagari took the left side, while Kunizuka and Masaoka approached from the right. But, Ginoza was the closest one to the criminal, who was just on the way of getting out of his own vehicle... but stopped when he saw a CID member.

He tried to get back and close the door, but Ginoza already aimed his weapon.

"Gino, wait!" Shizuka exited her own car, arriving at the same point minutes after Nobuchika. The display served to keep target's attention until the enforcers surround him completely. Akibara rushed towards the inspector, who was trying to measure the Psycho Pass of the suspect, but couldn't get a clean visual.

"Hamakira Azusa. Step down from the vehicle, raise your hands and come forward," Gino demanded.

"Gino!" Shizuka stood between him and the Hamakira, still feeling the sharp air tearing her lungs from running. She lifted one hand in front of Hamakira, and the other in front of Ginoza, gasping for breath.

"Well, well. Another inspector. I think I prefer her... if you know what I mean."

"I don't. Move, Akibara. Move at safe distance, and let me handle this," Ginoza was about to measure the car instead of Hamakira. He was about to activate Destroy Decomposer, and entirely obliterate the vehicle. It would also eliminate the target along the way, so he could end it in one blow.

But, Shizuka turned to Gino. She didn't say it out loud... yet, her lips formed the words.

Hostage situation. Thermal reading..

Ginoza's eyes widened. The glass on that car was too thick... and too dark. He couldn't get visual confirmation, but if Shizuka came in between, there had to be a hostage in there. Karanomori must have caught thermal reading of the body while tracking the car.

"Listen, Public Safety Bureau. On what grounds are you targeting me?" Hamakira asked, ready to get at his seat and step on the gas.

"I will try to keep it brief," Ginoza kept his sarcastic composure. "The illegal use of virtual reality domain. Spying onto multiple online users, hacking into their accounts, recording their intimate sessions and blackmailing them into sexual relations with you in real life. Buying illegal suppressants for hue treatments. Buying illegal drugs for disabling your victims. The list goes on."

"Oh... all of that? Haha! Based on what evidence?"

Gino didn't bother to respond. Akibara did.

"One of your victims succumbed to hue deterioration, demanding immediate help... then decided to reveal all. You drugged her, used her... and threatened you'd upload her 'session' on the web. After her testimony, our lab analyzed all your VR logs... and we discovered quite the collection."

"And... did you enjoy it, inspector?" Hamakira mocked, hiding behind the glass and metal to avoid hue detection. He was looking at Shizuka in a way that was very suggestive. "Did you watch my collection for investigation purposes?"

In Sibyl area, explicit pornographic contents were banned. But, in order to encourage healthy sexual development in new generations and healthy sexual activity among the established partners, there was an approved VR simulator. It allowed teenagers to get sexual education through VR experience and explore their sexual fantasy without engaging in real sexual act.