Inside the large office of the Third Unit of the First Investigation Division at the MPD, the personnel on duty today were still the Onizawa Group.
After all, they had recently set their sights on the large yakuza organization Nisan-kai. Yesterday, they had dismantled an arms-smuggling operation, forcing everyone to work overtime around the clock to finish their reports.
"Ahhh, finally free!"
Having gone an entire week without proper rest, Takagi collapsed face-first onto his desk. He didn't even feel like driving home. If possible, he'd rather just sleep right there until morning.
"You'll catch a cold if you sleep here, Takagi-kun."
The moment he heard that voice, Takagi felt energy surge through his entire body. Straightening up immediately, his face turning slightly red, he looked toward the woman standing beside him.
"Officer Sato! W-What are you doing here?!"
Miwako set down the hot milk she was carrying and smiled. "Have you all been so busy that you've forgotten the time? Our group's shift is about to start."
Smiling warmly, she handed the last cup of milk to Ritsu, who was tidying up his desk. "Inspector Onizawa, you've worked hard."
"Thank you."
Ritsu accepted the hot milk and took a sip. Then he shot Hayasaka a look. Understanding immediately, the two quietly left the office, giving the pair some private time.
They had discovered long ago that Takagi liked Miwako. As coworkers and friends, lending a helping hand every now and then counted as a good deed.
Taking small sips of her milk, Hayasaka asked curiously, "Do you think those two will actually hit it off?"
"How would I know?"
A statement so utterly straight-man that it completely killed the conversation.
Hayasaka wore an exceptionally resentful expression. After a long pause, she sighed and complained,
"Heaven really is fair. It gave you brains and good looks, but not a mouth."
"Huh?"
Ritsu touched his lips in confusion. "If I didn't have a mouth, how would I be talking to you?"
Hayasaka rolled her eyes.
"What I mean is, it'd be even better if you were mute! Seriously, I have no idea how you managed to get a girlfriend. You should be grateful your girlfriend hasn't killed you yet."
Ritsu pursed his lips and said nothing.
He felt guilty because... he didn't have a girlfriend at all.
After taking the elevator down to the first floor, he reached into his pocket for his car keys, only to discover they weren't there.
That was when he remembered he'd ridden to work in Takagi's car today.
"Um, Hayasaka, today I—"
His words abruptly stopped. Looking up, he noticed a man dressed entirely in black standing across the street from the MPD.
Wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night and dressed like a crow...
Who else could it be besides Vodka?
"Hm? What's wrong today?" Hayasaka asked curiously.
"Nothing. I was going to ask you for a ride home, but I just remembered I have something to take care of."
"Ooh~~ Your girlfriend's picking you up, isn't she?"
Hayasaka immediately switched into gossip mode and looked around eagerly.
"Where is she? Let me see if she's a beauty."
Ritsu noticed that Hayasaka's personality was gradually reverting to its original form. She wasn't even bothering to hide her true nature anymore.
With a bitter smile, he said, "She probably hasn't arrived yet. You should head out first."
"Onizawa, when you get the chance, bring your girlfriend out to have dinner with us. Anyway, I'm off~"
"Yeah. Drive safely."
After watching Hayasaka leave, Ritsu turned toward Vodka standing across the street and twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"Heh. Girlfriend."
If a giant brute like that were his girlfriend, Ritsu's opinion was simple,
'Sorry. Being single is the truth. Eternal bachelorhood is the way.'
He didn't approach Vodka directly.
This was still within the vicinity of the MPD. If someone who knew him saw him talking to a suspicious man dressed in black, it would create unnecessary trouble.
After a brief exchange of glances, Vodka took the lead.
Only after walking for five minutes and reaching an alley with no surveillance cameras did Ritsu quietly slip into the Porsche parked by the roadside.
The moment he opened the door, he was hit by the strong smell of tobacco. It immediately triggered his nicotine cravings.
Sitting in the back seat, Ritsu lit a cigarette and frowned.
"Gin, coming to the MPD to see me isn't exactly a good idea. If someone discovers Onizawa meeting a suspicious man in black, I'll lose my job."
"We were passing by, so we waited here. Augier, there's a new mission."
Taking the white envelope Gin handed him, Ritsu opened it and discovered evidence proving that Murakawa Lumber Corporation was smuggling firearms.
There were even crystal-clear photographs of the transactions.
"Another blackmail job? Couldn't you just assign something this simple to someone else?"
"Remember the bombing case I had you handle?" Gin asked.
Stuffing the evidence back into the envelope, Ritsu nodded.
"Of course I remember."
"This was what Chivas uncovered."
"Chivas? Oh, that rat who got blown to pieces?"
Ritsu raised an eyebrow. "That's surprising. A codename member, huh? Come to think of it, the Organization has had a lot of rats lately... makes me want to get a cat."
At those words, Gin's brow furrowed. He had always despised traitors and informants.
With a cold snort, he said, "Precisely because he was the one who investigated it, we need to take precautions. There could be a trap."
"Gin, you're still the same as ever. Even simple missions get the full cautious treatment."
Vodka suddenly spoke up.
"Still, I don't understand why that company president specifically chose such a conspicuous location for the transaction."
"He thinks that in a place like that, we won't be able to cause a disturbance."
Gin patiently explained, "And if he brings backup, it'll be easier for them to hide among the crowd."
"So there really is a scheme behind it? Bourbon mentioned that the president has connections with the Nisan-kai."
At the mention of Bourbon's name, Ritsu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
"Bourbon, huh?"
Gin let out a disdainful snort. "That brat's still as sharp as ever. Whatever. Let him do as he pleases."
As far as Gin was concerned, he didn't have much affection for Bourbon.
Because Bourbon was too much like that woman. Both of them loved playing mysterious little games. The tiny bit of goodwill Gin still had toward Bourbon probably stemmed from one thing.
Bourbon had treated Macallan fairly well.
After all, Gin knew that after the incident, Bourbon had gone to the laboratory and taken away the black cat Macallan had been raising.
Slowly exhaling a ring of smoke, Gin said in a deep voice,
"We already know why he chose that location, so there won't be any problems. If anything, he'll only end up hoisted by his own petard."
"Heh."
Ritsu laughed briefly and shrugged. "You two love speaking in riddles. You've been talking this whole time and still haven't told me where the mission is taking place."
"Tropical Land," Vodka explained. "It's being built in the Tokyo suburbs and officially opens the day after tomorrow."
An amusement park?
Ritsu immediately gave them a deadpan look. The image of Gin and Vodka walking around an amusement park appeared in his mind.
For some reason, it made him feel slightly nauseated. These two simply did not belong in a place like that.
"So what exactly do you need me to do?"
"You'll take Chianti and Korn and find suitable sniper positions, just in case."
So he was babysitting the two problem children.
"Got it."
"One more thing."
Gin paused before slowly adding, "Buy tickets for me and Vodka."
"..."
Ritsu had never imagined he'd one day be responsible for purchasing amusement park tickets for the Organization.
The worst part was...
The day after tomorrow is Tropical Land's grand opening. Tickets would definitely be difficult to get.
Sure enough, after returning to his apartment and checking the official website, he discovered advance ticket sales would begin in just a few minutes.
No matter how fast his hands were, one person could only purchase three tickets.
"I'm still short two tickets. What am I supposed to do?"
After thinking it over, a certain person's figure appeared in his mind.
That's right.
If he asked her for help...
It just might work.
----
bonus chapter every 20 PS
read ahead on my p4tr3on.com/Siamus404