Edited by: Waning_Crescents

Files scattered on the desk, notes scribbled on papers, a coffee on the side and in the midst of that, a troubled investigator.

Cal turned the pages of the files by now the third time, his eyes narrowed in deep concentration while he analyzed all the files available of Shuri Town: the known crime records, the registered people, conditions and so on.

Once again, he fixed his gaze on the photos of the citizens of that area. The ones that had been registered and the ones that had been taken into custody for suspicion. He even found pictures of deceased criminals, obviously killed by the Conciliators if they refused to cooperate.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he just couldn’t find what he was looking for; the man that handed Sigal the note. Even if he only caught a glimpse of him, he clearly remembered that man’s appearance: short brown hair, green eyes, around five foot eleven, clothes not as ragged as the people he saw that day and even his overall health appeared far better. At that time, he had no time to spare to think too much about it, but by looking back, this all seemed suspicious from the start.

Cal kneaded the space between his eyes in exhaustion, he had been on it for a few hours after all.

Of course, it would have been too easy if there was any data about that man.

Besides not being able to find any clues, something else bothered him. Before the corps division had appeared, Sigal asked him a question which he just couldn’t make any sense of.

Just what did he mean by that?

The door swung open and a tall man with mid-long red hair tied into a tiny ponytail stepped inside; his appearance more orderly than usual. He wore a black half-sleeve shirt, putting his tattoos on his lower arms on display —It was a dragon on the right side and a tribal on the other— and white pants.

“Yo! I knew ya would still be here!” Kristian walked up to the young man.

Cal put his hand down and looked up. “Yeah, but I found nothing so far.” Then he blinked. “What are you all dressed up for?”

Kristian’s lips curved upward, showing his white teeth. “We are going out.”

“We?”

Kristian nodded. “Yup, we. Yar have been sitting on this since ya came back. A change of scenery might clear yar head and let ya approach this from another angle.”

Cal raised an eyebrow.

“I won’t accept a no by the way. So complain as much as ya want, I’ll drag ya along if I have to.”

As long as Cal worked in Section 1, Kristian took it upon himself to keep an eye on the younger one. Showed him the ropes, encouraged him, listened to him and in a short amount of time they became rather close friends. Seeing Cal in a pinch once again he couldn’t help but want to cheer him up.

Cal let out a sigh. “I appreciate your effort, but…” His voice lowered. “I wanted to check on Sigal later.”

After Sigal had been brought to the hospital, he received treatment right away. The bullet only grazed him and the wound wasn’t too deep either, but it still needed to be stitched up. However, the blood loss left Sigal quite fatigued, so the doctor wanted to monitor him for a little while, thus, Cal returned to headquarters alone.

“He is fine, isn’t he? He also just got discharged from the hospital.”

Cal nodded. That’s why I wanted to see him…

“I am sure whatever it is ya want to talk to him about it can wait until tomorrow.”

The man persisted without a pause.

“Go, get yar jacket and let’s go. I know the perfect place.”

Another sigh escaped through Cal’s lips. “You won’t give up, right?”

“As I said, I will drag ya along if I have to,“ Kristian remarked with a wide smile.

“Fine.”

Vince sat at his desk, brows creased in concern and his eyes narrowed. He held the note Sigal received in one hand and stared at it in silence. He had gotten the overall report from Cal, but this detail was more crucial, so crucial that Sigal even withheld that information from his partner.

Vince looked up from the note and gazed at Sigal’s still slightly paled face. That man just returned from the hospital and if it weren’t for him barging into his office, Vince hadn’t even received him. He wanted him to rest up and talk the next day, but Sigal just wouldn’t have it.

“Are you sure you are ok?”

Sigal rested on the couch with his back against the soft cushion and his legs straddled. “Don’t worry about me, I am fine. This matter is too important to be postponed.”

Vince scrutinized the other’s expression for a while. The investigator’s eyes brimmed with determination as well as concern; no trace of backing down could be discerned in that gaze. Under these circumstances he was certain that his subordinate wouldn’t leave until they discussed the matter.

Vince let out an audible sigh and gave in. “Alright. As of now we can be certain their target is mainly you, but as of why, this still remains unclear.”

Sigal nodded. “My main concern is how far they will go though.”

Vince understood. Not only did they target him, but also Cal this time. “We definitely need more information, but our hands are tied for the moment.” Vince kneaded the bridge of his nose. “The corps division also still didn’t find the man who handed you the note and the shooter is unknown as well.”

“Disappeared into thin air...” Sigal leaned forward and put his arms on his knees. “There is something else I wonder about.” His expression darkened somewhat. “How are they able to be one step ahead of us every time? Something is amiss here.”

Vince nodded. “Indeed.”

None of them wanted to say it out loud, yet their eyes met, and their minds connected, a tacit understanding.

“Possible?”

Vince frowned. “I hope not.”

***

Live music played on stage, women danced, and men cheered from their seats. The waiters hustled from one customer to the next to bring them their drinks and meals. At this time of the year —warm spring evenings— this place always had a rush of customers. People either took their seats inside the pub or enjoyed their time outside under the red evening sky.

Cal and Kristian, who arrived rather late, could only snatch two seats at the counter. Cal let his eyes wander around, fascinated by the decoration. Lights hung from the ceilings and tiny red lanterns also brightened up the place. The stage sparkled with flowers and other decorations that set the tone for the upcoming summer, while the terrace reminded of a vacation spot in a foreign land.

“They really put a lot of effort into this,” Cal remarked, his eyes wide open in awe.

“Yus! I love this place, it’s the best, especially at this time of the year.” Kristian’s eyes formed into crescents as a smile tugged at his lips, satisfied with the other’s reaction.

“Good evening, Mr. Velvet.” The barkeeper greeted the red-head. “And this is?” The man’s eyes shifted to Cal.

“This is my good friend and colleague Cal Vaughn.”

The barkeeper welcomed Cal with a smile, but then turned back to Kristian. “The usual for you, Mr. Velvet?”

“Yes, please. And for my friend—“

“I will just take something light, non-alcoholic, please.”

“No, no, no, that won’t do.” Kristian cut in. “We are here to have some fun, let loose, enjoy the evening!”

“I’d rather not.” Cal smiled helplessly. “I am kinda weak to alcohol, it’s best to stay away from it.”

“I can offer a cocktail with different fruits, which has just a bit of rum in it for the taste,” the barkeeper offered.

“He will take that then for starters.” Kristian decided before the other could even open his mouth to refuse.

“Very well.” The barkeeper gave a nod.

Cal let out a sigh. “I really shouldn’t.”

“What’s the harm?” Kristian laughed. “Come on, don’t be so tense!”

“I can’t help it,” Cal replied, “Too much has happened and there are things that just don't make sense. Thing’s I want answers for.”

Kristian tilted his head. “I guess we are not only talking about the case now?”

Cal shook his head. “No, but also this case gives me a headache. Do you remember when I asked you to give me the file when I wasn’t able to attend the investigation?”

Kristian nodded. “Yeah, what about it?”

Cal’s eyebrows drew together, and he gazed at Kristian with a stern expression. “This mark from the victims…when I saw it the first time, I knew I had seen it somewhere before, but—” He narrowed his eyes. “I just can’t remember where!”

Kristian’s eyes slightly widened. “Are ya serious? Hmm…” Kristian fell into silence for a brief moment. “Maybe ya have seen it somewhere on the street or on a criminal from that time? The tattoo? Or came across the drug?”

“Maybe,” Cal said, “But I have a feeling that this isn’t it. I think it was somewhere else.”

“Like?”

“I don’t know. I just can’t remember and it’s bugging me ever since.”

Kristian gazed at the other for a moment, but then put one hand on Cal’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe ya will remember sooner or later and if not then maybe ya were mistaken. Either way, no use dwelling on something ya can’t change for now.”

Cal nodded in hesitation. While Kristian’s words held truth, the feeling that this could be an important segment in this case lingered deep inside of him. Like a lost puzzle piece that needed to be found.

“Here you go.” The barkeeper interrupted their conversation and put their drinks on the counter in front of them. After both of them thanked him, he gave a slight nod and went off to take orders from other customers.

“Anyway.” Kristian lifted his small glass with pure rum in it. “Let’s forget this for now and have some fun! Just enjoy the evening for tonight!”

Glasses clinked together. “Cheers!”

With one gulp the red-head emptied his drink and let out a loud and joyful sound. “So good!” Then he ordered another one right after.

Cal, on the other hand, hesitated to even take a sip from his cocktail. He stared at it with knitted brows as if this was some math to be solved, some poison to be avoided or some kind of death trap.

“What ya staring at?” Kristian eyed him in amusement. “It is not poisoned. Drink!”

Cal took a deep breath and gave in. He took the straw in his mouth and let the liquid run down his throat. His eyes widened in surprise at its flavor: fresh and fruity, the alcohol not discernable at all.

“And?”

“It’s really good. It’s refreshing!”

Kristian grinned in satisfaction. “I knew ya would like it.”

Cal nodded and took more sips right after, emptying half the glass in one go.

Kristian laughed out at that sight, while he received his second glass of rum. “Slow down. We are in no hurry.”

Cal let up of the straw for a moment and glared at Kristian intensely. “You know whatsh bot…botchering me?”

Kristian blinked at the young man who only drank half of a cocktail with barely any alcohol in it, but already slurred in his speech. Can someone be really that weak to alcohol?

“Are ya okay?”

“Nooo! And you know why?”

Kristian smiled helplessly. “Why?”

“Cause that idshiot Shigal ish an ishiot.” Cal put the straw in his mouth again and gulped the rest of his cocktail down before he put the glass back at the counter by almost putting too much force into it. “Anotsher good shir!”

Kristian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as Cal swayed in his seat from one side to the other, reaching for his second cocktail.

He eyed the young man for a brief moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Why is Sigal an idiot?”

Cal slurped on his drink, gazing through blurred vision at his friend. “Caushe…he…trushinghmeand…”

He talked with the straw still in his mouth which made it impossible to decipher what he was trying to say.

Kristian chuckled. “Try again?”

Cal let out an annoyed sigh, but eventually put the cocktail down on the counter. “Caushe he makesh no shenshe…and…”

His eyes dampened as he stared at Kristian. “He doeshn’t trusht me…hidshe tchingsh from me…”

“Ah…” Kristian’s lips twitched, not sure how to react. Then he reached out and tousled the other’s hair. “Come on. That knucklehead is a pain in the ass most of the time, but he treats ya better than the few partner’s that got assigned to him before ya.”

Cal tilted his head in confusion.

Kristian let out a sigh, retracted his hand and said, “Look, I heard he stayed late into the night at yar place that one day.”

Cal blinked.

“The day before ya called me to give ya the case files. Is yar drunk brain comprehending that?”

Cal put his index finger on his chin and thought hard about it for a while. Then his eyes shot wide open as it hit him. “Ooooh, that day!”

Even in his drunken state, he could remember what happened that day and his face flushed red all the way to his ears. “I-Ish…that sho?”

Kristian scrutinized the young man’s face and narrowed his eyes. “Did something happen?”

“Wha…?” Cal almost fell from his seat as he wildly shook his head.

Kristian burst into laughter. “I am just kidding.” Then he cleared his throat. “Though the part where he stayed at yar place was true. Claire saw him.”

Without reacting to that, Cal grabbed his drink from the counter and sucked on his straw in silence; his heart beating violently.