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Wait, wait, wait. Relax, Doppo.
“Don’t make me laugh. I have nothing to hide. Dazai, ignore this kid. He’s bluffing.”
“…Hmm.” Dazai shoots me a meaningful glance.
“You don’t have to believe me. I’ll just sell the information to customers who do. I mean, I guess I could always dispose of it if you’re willing to cough up the cash, Four-Eyes.”
“Keep dreaming! No such information exists! Come on, Dazai! We’re leaving!”
I grab Dazai by the collar and quickly drag him out of the room, leaving the information broker’s hideout.
…One hundred and eleven thousand yen…?
There is not a soul to be seen in the old factory district. Dazai and I stand in the street, waiting for the taxi we called. Trails of light from passing vehicles come and go. A splash of yellow. A silver ribbon. The scattered crimson of brake lights. White headlights cut through the buildings’ shadows. The reflections of streetlamps flow across the car windows like water. The strong ocean winds slowly push the clouds away, allowing the moonlight to cast black shadows and white highlights over the port.
“He’s a good kid,” Dazai says with a grin as he looks up at the night sky.
“I made a mistake by introducing you two. I should have known it wouldn’t lead to anything good.”
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Why are you looking after him?”
I glance at Dazai, noticing his solemn expression.
“Why would you ask him for help? The agency surely doesn’t need any assistance tracing missing people. Plus, you could have just called him for that.”
I don’t say a word. It’s a difficult question.
“Would it maybe have something to do with this father of his you mentioned?”
I can’t help myself from turning to face him.
“Thought so.”
Dazai smiles, taking note of my expression.
“…Rokuzo’s father was an accomplished police officer before he died,” I begin to explain reluctantly. “Some time ago, the agency worked together with the police to track down a certain criminal. He was a big shot—as bad as they come. He destroyed numerous national and corporate buildings. Even though the police were doing everything they could to find him, they just couldn’t trace the guy.”
“Are you talking about the Azure Banner Terrorist?”
“Yes.”
It turned into a heinous case that shook the country, involving both the military and the police.
“After much time, our agency finally succeeded in finding his hideout, which we reported to the city police.”
“That’s amazing,” Dazai replies, impressed.
“Yeah, it was a big deal. However, at the time, the case was being handled by the military, the security police, and the city police as a joint effort, which caused mass confusion among the multiple chains of command. To make matters worse, the criminal got wind of what we were doing, so he barricaded himself in his hideout along with a large number of high-powered explosives.”
It’s all coming back to me. Conflicting orders coming from all directions—some telling us to arrest the target, some telling us to stand by…
“Because of the chaotic orders, only five detectives were able to promptly make it to the scene. They were told to rush in and neutralize the enemy at once… But what could five ordinary detectives, neither skill users nor special ops, hope to accomplish against the bloodthirsty Azure King?”
Not only that, but those on the ground have no way of grasping the situation in its entirety. If the higher-ups give orders to rush in, then that’s it.
