A and K Chapter 68: Warrant

After a few hours walking, and with Kana in tow, the gang enters back into the police station. Nick motions towards them to stay put as he walks forward from them.
Nick: General Sui.
The police force comes to a halt. The door opens from a corner office.
Kana: (Thinking) Okay, here comes the General. Good thing he’s not in my list.
A man twice as tall as Nick comes out, he wore full police garb including the hat. His sharp dark blue eyes stared at the entire group as he walked towards them. The police force could only watch as the spectacle took place in front of them.
Sui: You called?
Nick: I am asking for special permission sir.
Sui: Special permission? For what?
Nick: To take down Kira Kotagawa.
The force erupts into loud conversation. Talk of Kira was almost taboo. Sui puts his gloved hand up to silence the conversation.
Sui: And for what reason, detective?
Nick: For his role in ordering the hit of the parents of Kana and Josh Arai.
Sui: Hmm. A very interesting hypothesis. If you can prove this is true, you may have your warrant. Prove it false, and I will strip you of your rank.
Kei: (Thinking) They mean business.
Nick: Deal. Get me the file on Kira.
A police officer grabs the file and brings it to Nick.
Nick: (Taking the file from the officer) You all are aware of the name Kira. Besmirched for not taking a more active role in the special project that Josh and Kana’s parents were doing. Kira had a visible distaste for murakumo. Putting him in direct conflict with what their parents were doing.
Sui: That’s all fact, Nick. Not enough to garner a warrant.
Nick: I’m not done, sir.
Kana: (Thinking as she puts her hand on her face) Huh… what an interesting piece of work… this police dick.
Nick: The police force originally operated under the idea that the assault and deaths of these two loving parents were a result of a mugging. But the person who handled the case blew one critical piece of information. They looked at it like a mugging. And yet, even years after the supposed ‘mugging’ of these two, plenty of things didn’t add up. If it was a mugging, why was there stuff left over? Stuff that would’ve obviously fetched a decent price on the black market. We found a rusted ring, that in its best days, would likely have fetched a pretty coin on that market. So why would a mugger leave it behind?
Sui: And your reasoning for believing this was a professional hit?
Nick: With the talk of the finishing of the project not too far away, there was talk of putting more security, more bodyguards around their home and around them. The one who made sure this didn’t happen was Kira. He refused to order more security for the parents and scientists. Especially because it would be in direct conflict of what he wanted.
Sui: You prove your motive, that Kira indeed could’ve cared less if the scientists were murdered or not, but you do not have proof that he ordered the hit.
Nick: And what if I did?
Sui: Explain yourself.
Nick ruffles through Kira’s file, and pulls out a piece of paper.
Nick: This right here.
Nick hands the paper to Sui and he begins reading it.
Nick: Kira was investigated for all wrongdoing, his activity on his account, his history, a full overhaul of everything Kira did in his tenure as a police chief. In the days leading up to their murders, unexplained amounts of money were withdrawn from Kira’s accounts. Upwards of three thousand per day. The money seemingly vanished. No one could find out what happened to it. In total, Kira spent fifteen thousand dollars on something no one had an idea what for.
Sui: You’re talking yourself into a corner very quickly.
Nick: However, It is my belief that money went to a professional hitman.
Sui: And you have yet to prove your point, detective. Until you show you can…
Nick: I’m not quite done sir.
Sui: Hmm?
Nick: Do you remember the professional hitman that was arrested just last year?
Sui: Well now, you’re talking about him now, are you?
Nick: Yes sir.
Sui: I’m listening.
Nick: Asano was arrested for being a professional hitman. For his role in the murders of several people, he was put to death. A vigilante brought him to the NOL. The NOL executed him without mercy.
Sui: And?
Nick: All of his records were seized. Including, at the same exact time as when the money went out of Kira’s accounts, exactly the same money was coming into his accounts. A total of fifteen thousand. And his hitman was just as organized as you might think. He kept tabs on his employers. In his list of employer’s names, Kira was mentioned. And a total of fifteen thousand was paid to him. The information was never made public because he was already fired from his role as a police commander, and the NOL was already on its way into disbanding. The information came to us when the remainder of that information was stored here for safekeeping.
Sui: And you looked at it without permission?
Nick: Incorrect, sir. I had permission, from HJ, himself.
Sui rubs and scratches his chin as he stares into Nick.
Nick: From this I can conclude, that Kira ordered the hit on the parents of Josh and Kana, in order to force a project he wanted stopped at all costs. Kira made sure there was no security around them so the hit man would have no issue taking care of his targets.
Kei: (Thinking) That’s...kinda impressive.
Josh: (Thinking) Huh… so that makes the picture whole.
Sui: Well now, you’ve certainly taken the time and have put the puzzle pieces in place. If I give you this warrant, you will be responsible for whatever happens to Kira. Whether you bring him back alive, or you are forced to kill him, are you willing to bare that responsibility?
Nick: Yes sir.
Sui: I will write up your warrant.
Sui returns to his office and the entire police force seemingly stares at Nick. The police force began happily talking and cheering over the idea of Kira’s end coming near.
Nick: (Thinking) My nerves are shot.
Rin: Huh, seems like the police force is happy over the idea of Kira going down.
Nick: Told you they would be.
Kana: (Claps sarcastically) Congratulations, detective. You almost put me to sleep, and that’s an achievement.
Kei: I wouldn’t be mocking him. You basically got your free pass to kill the man who ordered the hit on your parents.
Kana: Yeah.
Rin: And with that warrant in hand, we have every right to bring Kira to justice. Let alone if he refuses to be brought in, then we have our justification in killing him.
Nick: The NOL would have eliminated him without mercy, but with the end of the NOL incoming, it was swept under the rug.
Kana: Okay, so I get to rough him up a bit. No one will complain if we bring him here with a couple of bruises.
Nick: No one would shed a tear if he was brought back in a body bag.
Kana: Good.
Elsewhere, the gang of four reach the closed waterpark. Intentionally closed, anyway. As they approach, someone unlocks the gates and lets them in.
Yui: Thank you guys
Workers: You’re welcome Miss Yui!
Aria: ‘Miss’ Yui?
Yui: (Laughs) We’re on good terms here. I treat everyone here with respect, because this place stayed open because of me.
Alexandria: Really? Did you save this water park?
Yui: You could say that.
Athena: So what’s first?
Yui: First, is swimming lessons.
The three of them find themselves in the pool, each respectively giving it their all. Yui sits poolside, deciding to just rest in the sun. She made sure to put on sunscreen and took every necessary precaution as the employees worked to help them. Alexandria seemed to be doing the best out of the three. Aria was struggling but doing alright. Athena was simply just flailing.
Worker: Not going to swim today, Miss Yui?
Yui: Maybe later. I’m here for support right now.
Athena: (Thinking) Support? Yeah right.
Each tries their hardest, but it is clear they still needed more time to learn. As they take a rest on the side of the pool. Yui stands up and stretches.
Athena: (Playfully) Oh? Is Yui going to get her tail wet?
Yui brandishes a blue swimming cap and tucks her hair underneath it. She stands on the long end side of the pool, and jumps in as if a gun was shot. She immediately puts her all into swimming back and forth to each end. Athena, Aria, and Alexandria are all impressed.
Aria: Its almost...effortless.
Athena: I thought she was a dog not a swan.
Alexandria: So...cool…
As she finishes, she reaches her head out of the water and pulls the cap off as she sit back on the side of the pool. Her long hair floats behind her, still dry.
Athena: Impressive…
Yui: I already know how to swim, Athena. I was the strongest swimmer in my class.
Alexandria: I want to swim just like Yui!
Yui: Keep trying, and you can!
With a renewed energy, as Yui goes back to lie down, and soak up some more sun, the three work even harder on learning how to swim. An hour passes in all. Seeing how hard Alexandria had worked, and how she was now swimming on her own in the shallow end. Yui decides to reward her. Yui comes over to the side of the pool, and motions to her to get out.
Yui: Follow me.
Alexandria nods and the two reach a circling set of stairs.
Alexandria: What are we doing?
Yui: You mean you don’t know? (Smiling)
Alexandria looks at the big slide next to the ladder, with water running down it.
Alexandria: (Excitedly) We’re going down the big slide?!
Yui: (Nodding) Yep!
The two reach the top, and a trained worker sits there. Yui sits first and Alex sits right in front of her. This was for safety purposes since Alexandria was not that tall yet. The two lay back and start making their way down the slide happily hollering as they enjoy the trip. With each twist and turn, the two have their fun and land with a big splash at the bottom. As they come up from under the water, Alexandria is able to tread water on her own. Yui smiles happily.
Yui: See! Look how much better you are!
Alexandria: Yeah! Thank you so much for all of this Yui!
Yui: Want to go again?
Alexandria: (Excitedly) Yeah!
Meanwhile, Aria and Athena still work on their swimming techniques with Aria having made more strides to Athena.
Aria: (Confidently) I can do this...I can do this…
Athena: (Sobbing, but still trying) Cats don’t like water...
Category:A and K
Category:Novel Chapter