Persona BLEACHED 2: Part 21

Chapter 21: A Cruel Smile
February 4, 2029
1 a.m. on the south side of Naruki. Two men in business attire conversed on the deck of a large cargo freighter. "So, Higashikata's really serious about this retirement business, eh?" one of the men asked.
"'s what happens when you shack up with a lawyer's daughter, I guess. Even when that lawyer was the most crooked shithead on the planet."
"Still ain't the easiest life to just walk out of. All the money, the connections, the respect that comes just from his name...dunno how you could just give all of that up."
The sound of footsteps. The men draw their guns. "The hell was that?!"
"Either ya got balls or you're just plain stupid, pal!"
"Fellas, fellas, calm yo' selves!" A lanky, disheveled man in a damaged orange jacket and gray pants stepped out of the shadows. His hair was long, and white, with red tips.
"You spyin' on us, buddy? You a cop?"
"I look like one of those pigs to you? Take it easy." He held his jacket open, revealing a tattoo of a snake on his chest. "I'm one of you guys."
"Whose clan are you from?"
"Who else? Higashikata's. Only club in town."
"Don't recognize yer face. What's up with the hobo getup?"
"Cops ain't gonna pay a bum no mind at one in the morning. Couple of knuckleheads in suits, on the other hand..."
The two men put their guns down. "What're ya doing sneakin' around here, anywho?"
"Aw, y'know, the usual. Seein' the sights, gettin' some exercise..." 
He suddenly disappeared. From behind the men, his voice echoed.
"...hunting."
With sharpened canines, he bit down on one of the men's necks. His eyes glowed red. The other man shot at the attacker, who released his grip and knocked the second man to the ground, disarming him. He looked at his hand, now with a small bullet hole in it.
"Spilled my blood...that's a real shit idea, dumbass. Ya wanna know why?" He gained a manic smile. "Cuz now I'm gonna need more!"
The suited man's screams combined with the sounds of ripping and tearing echoed through the night sky.
When the ragged man finished, he began laughing to himself. He continued to do so as he began to draw on one of the crates using the men's blood. 
In stark red, he drew the Death's Hand emblem. Inside the hand, was a smiley face, with cartoonishly sharp teeth.
The scent of the sea filled the night air. With it, now, was the scent of blood.
---
"After you, Your Highness." Sahir opened the door. Carrie, arm in a sling, stepped into her dormroom. She looked around. "Like nothing ever happened, right? Me and Kenny worked our bums off to get it fixed up."
"Normally I'm not the type to pull up my sleeves and go to work unless it's of the artistic variety. I made an exception for you, Caroline." Kenji said.
Natalia ran up next to Carrie. "The boys did a good job, right? I helped a bunch too with making sure they got everything exactly the way it was before. It's like that creep never stepped in here."
"Must feel great, seeing something other than those hospital walls. Now you get to sleep in your own bed!" Sahir added.
"I've kept your room nice and tidy, too. Don't worry, I just made the bed. Didn't go snooping around or anything." Natalia said.
"Caroline? Is everything alright? I would've thought you would be thrilled to be back home." Kenji asked.
"...sorry. Thank you, gentlemen. I do appreciate what you've done. I simply wish to lie down..." Carrie replied.
"Ah, right. Guess you would still be exhausted, huh? We'll just leave you to it. See ya 'round, ladies." Sahir said.
"You know where we are if you need anything." Kenji added, and the boys walked out.
"....."
"Hey...what's wrong? Aren't you happy to be home?" Natalia asked.
Carrie gave a light smile. "Of course..."
"Your face is smiling, but your eyes sure aren't. You know you can tell me anything."
"I'm fine, really...just need to rest..."
"Here, just lie down on the couch..."
Carrie moved to lie on her back. "Are you sure that's not gonna--"
Carrie winced in pain. "It's fine...old Boris taught me how to embrace pain..."
"Old Boris was born and raised to fight in a never-ending war, Care. You can't just expect to--"
Carrie punched the side of the couch out of pain. "I can't even lie on my damned couch! Can't I have five seconds where I'm not in perpetual agony?!"
Natalia watched as her friend tried in vain to keep from sobbing. 
"I live in a mansion in the most beautiful country in the world. I go to a prestigious school and have the most wonderful, understanding group of friends. Is that why I'm constantly selected for life-altering torture? Is this God's way of punishing me for being born into wealth? I would gladly accept poverty if it meant getting to live a life of happiness. I just want the pain to stop, is that too much to ask for?!"
She finally turned to her side, and buried her face in the cushion.
"I...I want my Mama...what kind of cruel God would let me see her, just to make it so I couldn't hold her without surrendering my life? I'll give anything...just give me my Mama..."
Natalia sat next to her, rubbing her shoulder. "Just because you have money doesn't mean you deserve to be in pain. It's okay to be upset about everything, because it is horrible. You're safe here, really. Do you want to tell me about your mom? Maybe that'll help you feel better."
Carrie sat back up. "Mama...everyone always tells me I look just like her. I get my love of fine stones from her...she was kind, easy-going, a wonderful cook. She always seemed happiest when we walked together on the beach. She would tell me everything that made up sand and salt...in a way that a young child could understand, of course. And no matter how much she and Papa worked, she would always tell me that I was the most important thing. While I lay on that bed, clinging to life...I could see her, hear her voice. 'My love for you surpasses even death'. That deep well of love...that is what I miss the most."
"I get what you mean. The most important thing my Mom always tells me is...well, what I'm doing right now. Making sure you let someone know that you're there for them. Before she opened the shop with Dad, she was a caregiver. I think that's why I want to help everyone around me. Whether it's making nice clothes for them, or just giving them a hug."
"Hey, here's an idea. When you're good and ready to go out into the world again, why don't we go down to the beach? We can bring everyone else along, or it can just be the two of us. Your best memories are with your mom at the beach, right? I was thinking..."
Carrie gave a light smile. "I understand. That sounds like a lovely idea. Just another thing on the growing list of things to look forward to." She sighed. "Thank you again, Natalia. I feel so guilty, keeping you away from the others. I can't just keep you to myself..."
"It's totally okay. I'm not gonna be happy until you're happy. Until then, I'll keep being your personal nurse."
A knock at the door. "Who could that be?" Natalia asked.
She got up to look, and saw Sahir on the other side, before opening. "Sorry to interrupt your rest. Keebs wants us to head over to his place, pronto."
"What's going on?"
"I dunno, but His Stuck-Up Hairedness made it sound super important. Might have to do with our cult buddies."
"You've got to be kidding, them again? Care, are you good to come with?"
"I'll be alright. Hampered as I am, I'm still part of the team. Lead the way, Sahir."
"You got it."
---
"To kill like this...what the hell..." Two detectives looked over the two bodies on the freighter.
Off to the side, Jugo spoke with Shūjo. "We know it's our pals, the hand freaks. The way they killed 'em, though..." Jugo began.
"Doesn't look like a human did it, huh? Almost like some kinda animal got to 'em..." Shūjo said.
"You know I've gotta ask, JoJo. What were a couple of made men doin' on your boat? I thought you quit."
"I did."
"So what, it's just a coinkidink that two yakuza boys showed up dead on one of your boats? C'mon, JoJo. I've known you long enough to know when you're spewing shit."
"You know this side of town's crime central. I don't know what they were doing on my boat."
"Right, and I was Wyatt Earp's ballet partner."
"Shouldn't you be doing something else? Like, I dunno, your job? I know y'all are gonna just file this away as another gang killing, like every other yakuza death for the last few months, but--"
"Hey, I already know it's the hand freaks. I'm not gonna just forget about it."
"Yeah, sure, you won't. Some of your brothers in blue, on the other hand..."
"Mind runnin' that by me again?"
"Just saying. They've got their fingers all over the city. Who's to say some of 'em aren't wearing badges and helping their buddies do shit like this?" Shūjo turned to walk away. "And hey. Who better to hunt down than people the cops don't give a shit about?"
"Tch. Asshat." Jugo glanced over at the other officers present. "....."
Away from the police, Shūjo pondered a plan. "Sorry, cowboy. I've got better cavalry in mind..." He began dialing his phone.
---
"Wow, actually being invited somewhere instead of sneaking in. We're moving up in the world, peeps." Kitty joked. The students had gathered in front of the Higashikata mansion.
"Wonder what could be so urgent he'd request our help..." Barbara said.
"Maybe they got an escalator installed and they want Kenny to try it out." Max joked.
Kenji growled.
"Oh! Hello, all." The students looked over. "JoJo said you all would be over." Hiyoko said.
"Oh, hi, Ms. Hiyoko!" Natalia ran over and hugged her.
"Hello, dear. Did you do something with your hair?"
"Ahehehe, it's a long story..."
"Push him."
"Huh...?" Carrie pondered where the voice came from.
"To your left. Danger approaches."
Without thinking, using her free hand Carrie pushed Kibō out of the way. "Hey! What's going--"
A small, round object came flying past at rapid speed, right through where Kibō had been standing. It bounced off the ground, and Hiyoko grabbed it out of the air. It was a golf ball.
"Ugh, Kaido!" she yelled.
"Sorry! Sliced it a bit!" Kaido yelled out, holding a golf club.
"'A bit'? You nearly hit someone, you careless doof! You can't find an actual course to practice?!"
"Carrie...how did you know that was coming?" Kibō asked.
"Not even a day out of the hospital and her reaction time's that good. You are CRAZY!" Sahir exclaimed.
"I...I don't know what happened. I just had this feeling--" Carrie responded.
"There you are." Shūjo emerged. "We havin' a party out here or what?"
"JoJo, could you please talk to your assistant for me? One of his golf swings nearly took Mr. Ishimaru's head off!" Hiyoko asked.
"Oh for--Kaido!"
"I already said 'my bad'! I'm just improving my swing!" Kaido protested.
"Dude, I've seen your golf swing, not even Tiger could fix that shit! Now take it inside before you kill somebody!"
"Ugh. Sorry about that. Come inside. We've got shit to go over..." Shūjo said.
---
The students all sat in the living room. Kibō was looking at an image of the bloody hand and face from the boat. "Lord. That's rather grim." he said.
"That's as much as I'm gonna show. Take my word for it, the actual scene is about a thousand times worse." Shūjo replied.
"Found right on your boat. After you said you quit." Barbara asserted.
"Ugh, this again? It's like I told Sheriff Asshole, that side of town is a hotbed for organized crime. Gangsters turning up dead around there isn't uncommon. Matter of fact, it's been getting worse for months now."
"How much are we talking about?" Max asked.
"In the last seven months, I've counted 24 of my clan's people turning up dead. You won't hear much about them getting reported or investigated. Cuz hey, who gives a rat's ass when a career crook dies? Just another thug getting what's coming to 'em."
"You think they're all Death's Hand's doing?" Kibō asked.
"Most of 'em have the same kinda brutality to 'em. Like some kind of animal got to 'em. This is the first one where the bastards left their calling card."
"I'll let y'all know that I didn't want to have to ask you for help. But unless you're really out of the loop, me and the police don't have the best relationship. How's it gonna look, a former clan head walking into a police station begging the badges to help? Not only that, but I'm about 99.99999% sure the hand freaks have people in the police."
"It isn't a nice thought, but it's one I've had." Kibō said. "How have these people gone unnoticed and unprosecuted for this long? Ever since starting this group, we've seen just how deep the corruption is throughout this city. Hospital ownership, TV personalities...who's to say that the corruption doesn't extend to law enforcement?"
"But...what about Officer Oda? He's not a bad guy. He's helped me and Care a lot." Natalia said.
"As much shit as I give Jugo--and believe me, I've given him shit--I don't believe for a second that he's dirty. Hell, you don't even have to take my word for any other cop in this town being dirty. Could just be the tinfoil ramblings of an ex-yakuza. This isn't even really you kids' problem. These are my people getting massacred. But I can't leave this to the cops. It's victims the public doesn't mind seeing dead, and a police force that could have their share of rats."
"I saw how bloody these scenes were. Whoever's killing my men is closer to a monster than a person. If Red finds out I sent you all to get killed by a demon, she'll have my head. This is my worst idea..." Shūjo explained.
"We'll do it." Kibō assured. "We made a promise to weed out the corruption in this city. Death's Hand is the root of that corruption."
"We can't just let one of their flunkies run around slaughtering people, no matter who they might be. A guy this crazy could start turning on other people whenever he feels like." Sahir added.
"I must be out of my mind to ask you this. If y'all pull this off, I'll be in your debt. And I live by two rules: never forget your grudges...or your debts."
A short while later, the students were back at the academy, in Carrie and Natalia's dorm. "So, boss...we got a plan of attack?" Max asked.
"The way I see it...I'm looking at two possibilities. The killer is able to get close to hardened gangsters and overwhelm them. The brutal way they dispose of them tells me that we're dealing with someone who possesses a profound hatred for organized crime. Based on that, and their ability to avoid detection thus far, the possibility that this could be a member of law enforcement doesn't seem too outrageous." Kibō began.
"On the other hand...there is someone else that could get that close to a yakuza without alarming them. One who wouldn't hesitate to use brutal tactics like that. The other possibility is that our murderer is another yakuza."
"That would make sense. I could believe a yakuza being that violent over a cop." Barbara said.
"Wouldn't eliminate the police corruption angle, either. Imagine a yakuza mutilating other yakuza. Solving your problems for you. Why put a stop to it? Especially if you and the murderer share hand cult brotherhood." Kenji added.
"Something about this really bugs me, though." Sahir said. "Mr. Yakuza said that the victims had puncture wounds on their necks. And all these murders happen in the dead of night. Given the amount of blood, it's almost like we're dealing with a...you know..."
"Kicks, please tell me you're not about to suggest we're looking for a vampire." Kitty said.
"Well what else am I gonna think?! Everything we've seen up to now, is a vampire really so far out there?"
"The resemblances to a vampire are rather obvious. Could be someone dedicated to mimicking one. I leave nothing outside the realm of possibility where these people are concerned." Kibō said.
"Fantastic. I'll ask Mrs. Mirai for some extra garlic." Kenji joked.
"Whatever nature the murderer has, their brutality is unquestioned. We should take this...mmf...seriously." Carrie winced.
"She's right. We do need to take this seriously. That's why..." Barbara looked over at Carrie.
"Barbara. Don't. I want to help."
"If we're dealing with--of all things--a vampire or some kind of bloodthirsty lunatic, we can't put you at risk. You're still nowhere close to 100%."
"Care, it's okay. I know it's tough but we can't have you getting yourself killed." Natalia added.
Carrie looked dejected. "I'm a warrior who can't fight. An artist with a broken hand. What use do I even have...?"
"Aw, c'mon, Care Bear, don't look so gloomy. There's more ways to help out than running around getting your hands dirty. I'm sure we can think of something." Kitty assured.
"We aren't doing this to be cruel. The fact that you're even standing now is miraculous. You know it's in your best interest to stay out of danger. We can't have you getting hurt." Kibō added.
Carrie didn't respond. She got up, and with a huff, went to her room and shut the door.
"Care..." Natalia uttered.
"I despise seeing her like this. But there's nothing to be done. Putting her in the path of a bloodthirsty psychopath as she is now would be ludicrous." Kenji said.
"Should we go talk to her?" Barbara asked.
"Give her time to cool off and think. I can't imagine how she must be feeling. There are only so many ways you can comfort somebody..." Kibō replied.
Inside her room, Carrie lied on her bed, somberly chanting to herself.
"רוח ... מלח ... חול ...רוח ... מלח ... חול ..."
About an hour later, there was a knock at her door. "Hey, Care? You doing okay?" Sahir asked. "I just wanted to say my piece before heading out. I'll just stay out here if it's alright. I might have a...reputation, but I'm not bad enough to barge into a lady's room uninvited."
"Okay, so...I know you're in a bad spot right now. What happened to you sucks. Yeah, major understatement, I know. It's scary, and confusing, and you don't know what your future's gonna look like. You're probably thinking to yourself, 'how would this guy know that'? Well, truth be told...I know exactly what that feels like."
"Y'know how I said the reason why I came here instead of taking up a soccer career was cuz I didn't want to grow up too quick? Well...that's not the whole reason. Not even the main reason, really. See, a couple of years back, me and my older bro decided to go through with a 'proof of manhood' challenge, AKA a 'what stupid thing can we get away with' challenge. So we went down to the river. Yeah, the crocodile and hippo-filled river. And that's when we saw him. A real monster of a bull hippo. And so we made the ingenious move to throw a rock at the porker."
"Fun fact: hippos are a lot faster than they look. And it doesn't take a whole lot to set one off. Soon as he caught sight of us, we bolted. Mr. Hippo wasn't too far behind. And then...it happened. Being so focused on escaping the very large, very angry river monster, I didn't notice the rock pile in my path. Soon as it hit the ground, I could just feel something snapping. It's the something every athlete is afraid of snapping. Thank the gods that my bro was there to grab me and take me the rest of the way. Otherwise...well, I don't really like to think about the otherwise."
"Once I got back, and after the royal tongue-lashing I got from my Pops, I found out that the thing I couldn't afford to tear, was very much torn. No football for a good long while. Back then, that was all I had. If I couldn't do the one thing I was good at--running around and kicking a ball--then what was I good for? It was my uncle that finally talked me out of my slump. 'While you wait for your injuries to heal, you have two options: either keep sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, or find something else that you're good at'."
"So I started refocusing on my studies. If running from 3000 pounds of muscle taught me anything, it's that everything can be taken from you in an instant. It took the threat of losing the thing I was best at to make me see that I needed to be good at more than just kicking a ball around for ninety minutes. My leg eventually healed back up, but even now I feel the occasional twinge of pain. Before that happened, I had some major clubs clamoring for my signature. But I know myself, and I still don't feel the same."
"So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...as bad as it is right now, there could be a silver lining. Not being able to do what you're good at is rough. But maybe that just means there's something else you're good at that you don't even know about yet. You're a tough girl, Care. You've survived Hell, not once but twice. I know you can find a way to help the team, one that doesn't involve punching. Just a matter of finding it. Well, I'll stop jabbering and let you get some rest. Don't worry, we're not gonna head out anytime soon. Don't even know where to begin..." Sahir trailed off.
Carrie lay on her bed, thinking.
"Something else I could be good at...something to help the team...but what?"
She gazed around her room. Her eyes fell onto her laptop.
Suddenly, an idea.
As the other students prepared to head back to their respective rooms, Carrie's door opened up.
"Care? Is everything alright?" Natalia asked.
"I...I want to help. If I can't fight anymore, then I want to help some other way. I'm not going to sit around feeling sorry for myself. So I thought about what we could be missing, and I had an epiphany. Most groups like ours have a dedicated information broker and computer specialist. Someone who can dig up information and provide support from the sidelines. A navigator, of sorts." Carrie said.
"So you want to be our Barbara Gordon, is that right?" Max asked.
"Y'know, Care Bear, it's not a bad idea. Just one teensy little question, though. Do you actually know the first thing about hacking or programming?" Kitty asked.
"Um...well, while I was bedridden, I did watch a few TV specials about hacking. As far as practical experience goes...not exactly..."
"Figured as much. I know a little bit about it, but nothing too extensive. What you're talking about would take a whole lot of know-how and experience. More than anyone here has."
"Even so, that doesn't mean I can't learn! If I'm going to be relegated to the sidelines for the foreseeable future, then I need to use that time to better myself. If that means going far outside of the fields of expertise I'm accustomed to, then so be it. Whatever it takes to be of help."
"Well...I can see the benefits to what you're suggesting. Still, given the urgency that we're dealing with, if you're really serious about this, then you'll need the tutelage of an expert." Kibō said.
"Your parents are in techie country, Keebs. Got any master programmers that could help us out?" Sahir asked.
"I'm sure Akihabara has its fair share of hackers. Most probably wouldn't be so open about it, though. It would have to be someone trustworthy, which, given the world they'd be part of..."
Barbara had a realization. "What if it was someone the Professor trusts? One that designed a system that lets people talk using brainwaves?"
"The man that made the watch that Mr. Mirai uses, correct? Certainly possesses the technical skills." Kenji said.
"And if he's cool with the Professor, we won't have to worry about him spilling our secrets." Natalia added.
"It's definitely promising. I'll give the Professor a call. See if he's on the up and up." Barbara said.
"First we get brave girl Hoodsie, now we're gonna get Care Bear the Oracle. Next thing you know, I'm gonna take up tap dancing." Kitty quipped.
"Hey..." Carrie uttered. "Thanks for the pep talk. It really did help. I'm glad you weren't eaten by an enraged hippopotamus."
"Heh, don't mention it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's seeing a pretty girl down in the dumps. And to be technical, hippos are vegetarians. It wouldn't have eaten me. Rip me to shreds, sure, but not eaten." Sahir replied.
"Regardless, you have my thanks. I hope the Professor's programmer friend can help..."
---
February 5, 2029
"Guess this is the place." Carrie, with Max and Kitty tagging along, stood before a computer repair shop in Akihabara.
"Couldn't Prof give us a better description than 'the dude with the glasses'? She knows we're in the nerd capital of Japan, right? That description fits me and Sparky as much as it does Mr. Hax!" Kitty griped.
"You really sure about this, Care? I'm not against learning new things, especially if it helps us out. But this is like if I decided to take up weightlifting." Max asked.
"That'd be kinda hot, not gonna lie." Kitty quipped.
"I know how ridiculous this must look. An heiress whose specialties all involve rocks trying to learn about hacking. This is far beyond my element. But it isn't like I'm completely unfamiliar with technical knowledge. Papa was all about using technology to help preserve the environment. I've sifted through his surviving notes countless times. Even if it's a different realm entirely, I can at least say I have a foundation. I'm positive I can do this." Carrie assured.
"You really amaze me, Care Bear." Kitty began. "You could be sitting poolside in your multi-million dollar mansion, getting a foot massage from some ripped butler named Jacques. Instead you're gonna learn coding just to help us out. Broken arm and scarred back be damned. You're exuding serious queen energy right now."
"Not to mention it'd take some pressure off of me and Kitty when it comes to making and sending the warning messages. Honestly, Care, just you wanting to help out after everything that's happened tells me a lot about you as a person. Sorry if this is going a little overboard, but...if your folks were here, I think they'd be proud." Max added.
"I...thank you, Maxwell. And you, Kitten. Having friends like you makes it easy to keep going. Okay, enough prolonging it. Let's go meet our hacker." The three stepped inside.
The lights inside the store were dim. The latest computers, laptops and assorted accessories lined the walls and shelves. The students approached the counter. "Um, excuse me..." Carrie uttered. "We're looking for Shinji Sarada? Our Professor said he works here."
The employee, a skinny young man with a green checkered shirt, glasses, a goatee and a grey beanie cap turned around. "That depends. האם הפרופסור שלך הוא המלכה האדומה?"
"יש לה כתר שיער אדום, כן." Carrie answered.
"Hunh. She said one of you spoke Hebrew. Where'd you even learn that?"
"My childhood chauffeur was Israeli. What about you?"
"Well, when you're in the business of password breaking, you've gotta adapt to peoples' ways of hiding their secrets. Changing up the language is just one of those tricks. But, to answer your first question, I'm the Shinji you're looking for. Kubo-san told me about what you're looking for. But, uh, out here's not the place to talk about it." He motioned for another employee to take over at the register. "Come with me."
The students followed Shinji to the back. "None of y'all are wearing wires, are ya?" he asked. They all shook their heads. "Not like you'd admit it. Guess I'll just take Kubo-san's word for it." He flipped a light switch on the wall, and a floor tile rose up slightly and moved away, revealing a set of stairs heading down.
"Cops, gangsters, Olympic fencers, hackers...Prof has the craziest friend list, I swear." Kitty quipped.
"Good thing Kenji's not here. He'd be having a heart attack right now." Max added.
"After you." Shinji gestured.
"I'm not walking into some nasty love dungeon, am I?" Kitty asked.
Shinji sighed. "You must be Kit So-yin. Kubo-san told me...a lot."
The group descended into a room filled with computer equipment, as well as a corkboard with numerous images posted onto it. These included the Death's Hand logo, as well as Shōta Kagami's mugshot.
"...how much did the Professor tell you?" Max asked.
"Not as much as you'd think. I'd been following these weird hand symbols for months now. Thought it was some bōsōzoku thing until they started popping up around murder scenes. Latest thing they're being linked with is the uptick in yakuza deaths going on around south Naruki." Shinji replied.
"That's what we're looking into. This group's been targeting the Professor and everyone around her for months now. We still have no idea why." Carrie said.
"That much she told me about. I'm just chalking it up to another case of 'Trouble finds Rin Kubo'. Even in the Academy days, strange events would follow that girl like a thunderclap follows lightning."
"You went to school with the Prof, too?" Kitty asked.
"Oh yeah, I was in the class above hers. She and her posse would come by the café I worked part-time at all the time."
"Class above, huh? So you were with Officer Oda, then." Carrie said.
"Oh, you all know good ol' Jugo, do ya? He worked at the café with me. Those were the days. Just me, Jugo and..." Shinji trailed off. "Anywho, we're getting off track. Kubo-san already filled me in. So, the notorious Ashen Artisans need a lesson in hacking, huh?"
"You...already know who we are?" Max asked.
"Don't freak out. Your secret's safe with me. Anyone wanting to screw with the establishment is okay in my book. It's about time someone in this town had enough with the rampant BS. Shame it has to be a bunch of kids like you cleaning up the mess we all made."
"You'll help us, then? You'll teach me about hacking?" Carrie asked.
"I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm perfectly fine with teaching you all the tricks of my trade if it means putting away the assholes that deserve it. But you're really gonna need to hunker down and be willing to learn. I can give you a week-long crash course on everything I know. It's not gonna be easy, I'll tell ya that much."
"Doesn't matter. I'm more than willing to learn as much as I can. I'll even come back after school to learn more. I'm truly serious about this. Please, teach me everything you know...Sensei."
"Heh. That doesn't sound half bad. It's Carrie, isn't it?"
"Yes, Sensei. Carrie Blackthorne."
"Blackthorne...you wouldn't be related to Rodrigo Blackthorne, would you?"
"Well, yes, he is...was my father."
"Guess that's why you're drawn to tech. Your dad had some crazy ideas for preserving nature with technology. Cutting edge, really. My condolences."
"Thank you. I didn't think I would hear someone mention my father so far from home. I've studied his notes and designs for years. I may not have his technical skills, but I at least understand the basics. I'm willing to learn."
"That's the first step to mastery, kid. You're gonna need that attitude for what I've got to teach. Before I get started, you need to promise me one thing. You only use this info to bring down the freaks running around this town like they don't have to follow the rules. Nothing trivial like changing your grades or hacking into someone's Twitter. Power and responsibility. Applies to everything."
"I promise, Sensei. I'll only use these skills for the good of the world."
"Good. So uh..." He glanced at Max and Kitty. "You two just gonna stand around watching, or...?"
"We can't exactly leave the girl with her arm in a sling to walk back home by herself, can we?" Max asked.
"Especially with Kool-aid drinkers running around trying to kill us." Kitty added.
"Ah, right. Fair enough. Just, make yourself comfortable in the corner. And don't touch anything."
The following hours were a combination of a history lesson and the establishment of the basics.
"The most basic part of hacking you have to understand is that our main job is to find a weakness in a system. Movies and TV'll tell you we're only there to break the system open, but there's plenty of us that work for the government to help find weaknesses that need fixing."
"Is it really so easy to find weaknesses?" Carrie asked.
"About as easy as using spellchecker. All it takes is one little mistake in a code to throw the whole thing for a loop. You ever hear of a game called Aliens: Colonial Marines?"
"Oh, GOD!" Kitty exclaimed.
"Yeah, she knows what I'm talking about. So, in that game, you're supposed to be fighting off ravenous hordes of xenomorphs--the aliens, if you're not aware. Except, most of the time...the aliens just sorta bumble around, not paying you any attention. Someone found out later that the reason for this is because one single word in the code is misspelled. The word 'tether' was spelled 'teather'. That extra 'a' was enough to reduce a bunch of murderous aliens to being as harmless and aloof as a herd of cattle. Most screw-ups in code won't be as blatant as that, but it's the kind of thing you have to look out for."
"I mean don't get me wrong, that game's problems go way deeper than just one line of code, but, y'know...moving on."
---
As the week wore on, the students all took turns accompanying Carrie to the underground hideout. "You're catching on quick." Shinji said one day. "I want you to get into your pal's phone. On your own."
"Okay..." Carrie replied, her arm now out of the sling but still bandaged. She typed away at her laptop.
Off to the side, Barbara was looking through her phone. 
"'Angel, my angel, shall I sing of my love for thee'?" Carrie said.
"Huh?"
"I hadn't realized dear Kibō was this kind of poet. Your back and forths are adorable, Barbara. You really are a real-life Disney princess."
"S-stop that! What are you doing?!"
"Oh, your mother calls you 'Moonbeam', that's so sweet!"
"Please stop it, this is a breach of privacy!"
"As you wish, Moonbeam." Carrie said with a giggle.
"Wasn't breaching privacy the whole point of this?" Shinji asked.
Suddenly, rave music began blaring out of his phone. "The hell...?" He tried putting in the code to unlock his phone, but his password wasn't working. He noticed a sly grin on Carrie's face. "...did you change my password?"
"I've spent the last couple of days analyzing it. You keep it very well-encrypted. I only managed to find a weak spot after staying up all night looking through it."
"Oy vey. I might've created a monster. Y'all better thank me for this. I've gone and unlocked a very dark power..."
---
The day after, February 10, Natalia was accompanying Carrie. "It's unreal. She's a natural. Whatever higher power that poked her in this direction deserves an award." Shinji said. "I've got her working on multilayered encryptions. The kind a lot of government agencies and businesses use nowadays. If she can get through those, she'll be golden. I didn't think I could get her this far in just a few days, but, she's proving me wrong." Shinji said.
"She's been staying up late every night, studying and practicing. She keeps telling me, 'I spent weeks in that hospital bed doing nothing but sleeping and resting. I relish being awake.' I'm happy her confidence is back. I feel like she's really found her calling." Natalia replied. "Say, Mr. Shinji. You said you used to work with Officer Oda, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. And he was as much of a Boy Scout back then as he is now. He was part of the Academy's Disciplinary Committee. His parents were a soldier and a detective. Being a cop was pretty much destiny. Which always helped considering our other coworker was a, uh, well..."
Shinji scratched his head. "So, you know who Jin Mirai is, right?"
"Mr. Mirai? Yeah, he's the Professor's neighbor. You're the one that programmed the watch that lets him talk, right?"
"That'd be me. He wasn't always...the way he is now. Kubo-san had a stalker back then. His name was Nobuhiro. He's the one that did that to Jin. Comparatively, he got off easy. Nobuhiro killed a lot of people. First was his own father. And that list includes Hiyoko Kagetora's mother, and Rin's older brother Tohru. Well I say he 'killed' Tohru, but nothing about that guy was ever what it seemed. Not even his death."
"But see, I knew Nobuhiro by a different name. I knew him as Kamiya. He was my classmate and coworker, and I guess you could say my best friend. He never came off as being anything but a jokester. All the time I knew him, I never saw any hint of what he really was. This was a guy that I would give crap to over a dumb joke. Then to find out he's a complete psychopath...that's the stuff that keeps you up at night."
"Part of me thinks I should've seen something. Guess that's why I'm still trying to give Jin some semblance of a voice back. Every time he comes for maintenance I just see the look in his eyes. People think this kind of thing only happens to soldiers coming back from war. Here's a guy with his own business, a tough-as-nails wife and a new baby. Guys like that shouldn't have as much despair as I see in his eyes. And all I can think is, 'my friend the serial killer did this'."
"Ohhhh, that's awful, Mr. Shinji..." 
Natalia moved in to hug him. "Ummm...what are you doing?" he questioned.
"She's a proponent of hugs as a healing tool. It's where her magic comes from." Carrie replied.
"Oh, don't tell me you already got through...I'll be damned." Shinji looked through the laptop. "Are you some kind of genius or something?"
"I've simply had sublime tutoring, Sensei. I don't know why, but, everything just clicked. It all just feels so natural. It helps that I'm actually enjoying myself doing it. It's like...like I've found my calling."
"Do you think she's ready to start helping, Mr. Shinji? Like actually cracking databases and stuff like that?" Natalia asked.
"After seeing this? I'm about ready to have her update my security. I knew Kubo-san had herself a bunch of prodigies, but this...I'm speechless. I'm more than happy to set you up with whatever you need. For safety's sake, I'll recommend you some joints I trust that have the best tech available. Don't want to get everything in one spot. That would just scream suspicious. But yeah. I think she can pull this off."
Carrie looked ecstatic. "Thank you, Sensei..."
"First and foremost, you're gonna need a reliable laptop. One with a dynamic IP so no one can track what you're doing. There's this one shop close by, owned by a married couple..."
"Mr. and Mrs. Ishimaru, yes?" Carrie asked.
"We're, uh...already acquainted." Natalia added.
"Well, damn. That makes it easier. Let me just put a list together. Say, who are you trying to break into, anyway?"
"Classified." Carrie said.
"Close to the vest. You'll do just fine. I'll get to that list." Shinji left the room.
"I don't believe it. A genius hacker, and you never even knew it!" Natalia exclaimed.
"Suppose an aptitude for technology really was hereditary. Now if only Mama's cooking talent was the same way..." Carrie joked.
"I'm so happy for you, Care. Now promise me you'll get some sleep? You know it isn't healthy to be awake for this long."
"Now where have I heard this before? Ahehe, don't worry. Once I have everything set up, we can get to hunting down our local nosferatu. Without opening ourselves up to danger. Oh, I'm filled with a renewed sense of purpose. This will make our work so much easier."
"You've got that right--" Carrie embraced Natalia in a surprise hug.
"Thank you, Natalia. For being a shining example of being a better version of yourself. What would it do to wallow in self-pity after all you've done for yourself and for me? You're the best friend I could ever ask for."
Natalia motioned to hug her back, taking care to avoid causing her pain. "Heehee. Aw, I missed this feeling." Natalia hummed.
---
February 11, 2029
"If this ain't an image, I don't know what is." Kitty quipped.
Covering the desk was an assortment of accessories and wires connecting to three separate laptops. Sitting at the desk, a girl garbed in a purple hoodie, wearing slippers and with her dark hair tied up.
"Do I look the part, at least?" Carrie asked.
"Not really sure what looks have to do with cracking security..." Barbara replied.
"If you're asking if your tired bum is still drop-dead gorgeous, then yes." Kitty said.
"You're sweet, Kitten. But I was talking about my computer setup." Carrie replied.
"Certainly looks like every hacker setup I've seen in the movies. Must've cost a pretty penny. Even with Keeb's parents' generosity." Barbara said.
"The price tag was rather high, not going to lie. Thankfully Sensei called in a few favors. Plenty of like-minded people throughout Akihabara. I'm thankful that everyone's been so supportive of this mad experiment I've devised." 
"Well, what grand endeavor ever came without a few crazy risks?" Kitty said.
"Let's get to business, then. What do you need me to do?"
"We're going to try to catch the killer in the act. We already know they strike late at night, during organized crime meetings. It's always against one or two people. Things is, we don't know how to predict when such a meeting will happen. What's more, it's highly suspicious that out of all these meetings, none of them were interrupted by police patrolling the area. What we need you to do is hack into the NPD's system and get us a list of officers on-duty during the times and dates when the murders occured. Think you can do it?" Barbara explained.
"Let me work my magic. Do you have a list of the murder locations and dates?"
"Certainly do." Barbara took out a sheet of paper with the locations and times on it.
"Beautiful. I'll cross-reference it with the officers on-duty at those times. Leave it to me." Carrie said confidently.
"You got this, Queen. We'll leave you to it." Kitty said. She and Barbara left the room.
Carrie took a deep breath. "You can do this, Caroline. This is what you've spent all week grinding for. Lives are depending on this." She began typing away.
The remaining students waited patiently outside her room. "Hopefully this gamble pays off. Can she really break into a police database after a week of practice?" Kenji questioned.
"She can. She's been laser-focused all week on getting better. Eating, drinking and breathing coding. Even Mr. Shinji was impressed with how quickly she took to it. She'll come through for us, I know it." Natalia assured.
"Your confidence in her is as apparent as ever. Where does this belief come from?" Kibō asked.
"Just knowing that we can keep being better than we were before. She saw something in me that I never did. And I know she's strong enough to do anything. If we just sit around feeling sorry for ourselves, that means the bad guys won. No matter how sad she's feeling, I always knew she would bounce back stronger than before."
Inside her room, Carrie plugged away. "And there...and right there...hmm. That looks suspicious. Very suspicious indeed." She resumed typing. "Well, now. You've been a naughty boy, haven't you, Officer..."
A few moments later, she knocked on her door. She creaked it open. "I may have something. Please, come inside."
"T-to your room? Well, I, um...you know..." Sahir stuttered.
"What's this? Is our resident Casanova suddenly feeling shrewd? Never thought I would see the day." Kenji said with a smirk.
"I'll have to pass on that, too. Out of...principle." Max uttered.
"Aww, Sparky! Playing the bashful game with me around, are we?" Kitty teased, causing him to blush.
"I guess that means I'll be staying put, too. For decency's sake." Kibō added.
"Ohhh, someone's learning~." Barbara chimed.
"I had hoped inviting you all in myself would erase any awkwardness, and yet..." Carrie shook her head. "Very well, then. Please, come in, ladies."
The girls walked into Carrie's room as the boys stood around awkwardly. Kenji put a hand to his face, and began wheeze-laughing.
"Okay, Care, what did you find?" Barbara asked.
"As close to a smoking gun as you can find, dear. So I cross-referenced the list of shifts with the times and locations of the killings. I was thinking I might end up with a list of about three or four officers to look into. Lo and behold, however, our job won't be so difficult. All of the killings were under the surveillance of one officer." Carrie explained.
"Whoa. Either this guy is the single most incompetent cop in the world, or he's a card-carrying member of the Lonely Hands Club. So whose badge are we plucking off?" Kitty asked.
Carrie brought up the profile of the officer in question. This man was relatively unassuming, with thin black hair and a thin moustache. "Say hello to Iruka Hirano. 37 years of age, 10-year veteran of the NPD."
"Oh, jeez. This guy looks the part of a cult member." Natalia uttered.
"So what kinda scummy crap has this guy been accused of? Excessive force? Fraud? Bet he's got disciplinary reports out the wazoo..." Kitty asked.
"Here's the first of several twists involving Officer Hirano: his record is spotless. No disciplinary issues, no formal complaints. I haven't even found evicence that he's so much as fired a gun while on-duty. Not exactly who you would accuse of being a violent murderer--much less an emissary of the living dead."
"This can't all be coincidence, but...you would expect this level of violence to come from someone with a history of that kind of behavior." Barbara said.
"Looks can be deceiving, love. Death's Hand's most dangerous attribute is their ability to blend in. They say a successful predator is able to camouflage themselves within a community. They put themselves in a position where no one would ever believe that they could do anything deplorable. This may be another example of that. A police officer with a spotless record. Who would ever believe he murdered at least 24 people?" Carrie explained. "Of course, if that doesn't convince you, perhaps this next fact about Officer Hirano will."
Carrie pulled up an article. "Five years ago, Iruka Hirano was dead for several hours."
Kitty blinked a few times. "You mind winding that back a bit?"
"February 2024. Officer Hirano was shot in the back by a robbery suspect. He was declared dead on the surgery table. He had been clinically brain-dead for three hours. Then, when the coroner walked into the room to collect his body, he found Hirano sitting upright, alive and well. Like nothing ever happened."
"Hmm. HMMMMM. Just got up like nothing, hm? I'm guessing that's when the Hand Brigade came in and sprinkled some magic vampire dust on him."
"And what's more, ever since then, Officer Hirano has only ever been on night patrol. Officially due to an 'aftereffect of being clinically deceased'."
"This has to be the guy. When is his next patrol?" Barbara asked.
"Let me check..." Carrie resumed typing. "It's going to be...the area surrounding the parlors. Tonight."
"Bingo. We can start setting the trap. We'll hold off on sending the warning message. If we let people know too early, he could be taken off patrol, or he'll find a way to avoid us. We've got the element of surprise on our side. You did awesome, Care. We might've never gotten this info without you." Barbara said.
"Your praise is unnecessary, love, but it's appreciated all the same." Carrie said, a pleased look on her face.
"Let's go let the boys know. I'll bet you they're still standing around like goofs waiting for us." Natalia said.
"While we do that, I do have one more thing for everyone..." Carrie began.
After explaining everything to the boys, Carrie presented what she had been hiding: a box filled with dark-colored earpieces. "Communicators, so we can keep in touch while you all are out in the field. Courtesy of Sensei."
"Boy, now we really look like we're in Criminal Minds. I love it." Max said.
"We'll be sure to put these to good use. Thank you for pursuing this route, Care. This is going to change how we operate completely. One small thing, however." Kibō said. "While we're out in public or around someone suspicious, it could be dangerous to call you by your real name. That might be the quickest way to exposing our identities. Any ideas for a code name?"
Carrie began to think it over. 
"It can be something pertaining to you. Something few people would connect to you."
"Hmm..." After a moment to think, her eyes jolted open. "I...think I have something. There was a nickname my Mama always called me by. 'The stone I find the most beautiful, that represents keeping a calm mind.' I want to honor the love she had for me. So, while we're communicating, I want you to call me 'Amethyst'."
"As good a reasoning as any. We'll put everything into effect starting tonight. Just to remind everyone, this is going to be extremely risky. But now we have a distinct advantage." Kibō dictated.
"Steel yourselves, team. Tonight, we're going vampire hunting."
---
February 12, 2029
2 a.m. on the south side. The parlors and nightclubs of the area had long since emptied out. The only sign of life to be seen was a single, roving patrol car.
Iruka Hirano parked his car. He whistled to himself, and twiddled his thumbs. "Friggin' hungry, man..." he grumbled.
His radio sprang to life. "This is a notification for all squad cars in the vicinity of South Naruki. We have received reports of suspicious individuals loitering by the Kame-Daichi nightclub, over."
Hirano licked his lips. He pushed the radio button. "Dispatch, this is Unit #2473, I am within walking distance and am currently on route. Over."
"Appreciate it, 2473. Proceed with caution. Over." Max switched communication to his earpiece. "Hook, line, and sinker. Nice job, Amethyst."
Inside of her room, one of Carrie's laptops had multiple camera displays from around the nightclub. "My pleasure. Careful, everyone." she said.
Hirano, whistling to himself again, stepped out of the car. He popped the trunk open, and peered inside. There was a ragged jacket present, along with a white wig. "Hmmmm...nah. Think I'll stick with the ol' blue for tonight..." He shut his trunk, and began walking in the direction of the nightclub.
"Target is headed your way, Doll." Carrie communicated.
"I'm hidden away. I see him now." Barbara replied.
"Hang on, how are you seeing him on camera? I thought vampires didn't show up on film." Max asked.
"Some do, some don't. Depends on the culture." Kenji replied.
"See he's not using a flashlight. Almost like he can see fine in the dark..." Kitty pondered.
Hirano peered into the alleyway next to the nightclub. "Hellooooo. Any rough and tumble types partying in here? I'm up for a good time..."
He entered the alleyway. "We playing hide and seek in here? Fine by me. Thrill of the hunt, and all that shit." A small pebble fell at his feet. He gazed up and caught a glimpse of something moving atop the adjacent building. "Swear to God, if this is some rabid cat, I'm gonna be pissed..." 
Taking notice of a ladder leading up to the roof, Hirano headed upward. There was no one to be seen. He walked over to the edge, peering out. "Really trying to out-bullshit a bullshit artist, huh? Where the hell did--"
A recorded message began to play. Both from behind Hirano, and on the radios of every officer within a five-mile radius.
"This is an all-points bulletin to the Naruki Police Department. Your ranks have been infiltrated by a monster. One who is responsible for the deaths of 24 men over the past several months. This is not a crusade of righteousness, but an attempt to satiate a sick hunger. You will find details of how these crimes all occurred under his watch in the files sent to your personal accounts at this very moment."
Elsewhere, Jugo sat in his vehicle, listening intently. "JoJo, you sneaky bastard..."
"This individual has brought shame to his position--and yours--by his indulgence of wanton violence while on-duty. And the identity of this man, this monster of deceit: it is none other than 10-year veteran, Officer Iruka Hirano."
"Wait, what?! Hirano?" Jugo repeated.
Hirano himself just smirked, and shook his head.
"We do not discriminate based on the crimes perpetrated by his victims. Murder is murder. We shall take justice into our own hands, and force this monster to reveal the full extent of his gruesome deeds to the world. This bulletin has been brought to you by the Ashen Artisans."
The broadcast cut out. Hirano slowly turned around, finding Kibō standing behind him, wearing the Artisans disguise, his face covered by a dark veil. "So how long did it take you pricks to come up with that?" Hirano asked.
Kibō summoned forth his sword.
"Heh. Not in the mood for banter? Just wanna get to the violent stuff?"
"You're with Death's Hand, right? What's the point of words? You're just a mindless monster, killing for fun."
"Kehehehehehe..."
"What's so funny?"
"Y'all can't even see it, can you? Just how full of bullshit you really are?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I won't lie, tearing those street rats to pieces gives me that nice, fuzzy feeling. But are people like that really worth fighting me over? They were all yakuza...all of them stole, hurt, maybe even murdered. If you brats really cared about fixing society, you wouldn't be gunning for me. Y'all should be thanking me!"
"Thanking you? You've massacred 24 people--"
"24 criminals, kiddo. 24 blights on the world that this city's better without. I mean, think about it. Say they're arrested. Trials cost a shit-ton of dough. Then they'll be thrown behind bars where they can live like kings off the paychecks of the rest of us. And they can always get out and go straight back to being crooks. But once I'm done with 'em..." He motioned with his hands. "Poof. Gone. They're no one's problem except Izanami, now. I've cleaned up the shitty shit system in this town way more effectively than you lot."
"That's...that's wrong. You haven't cleaned up anything. You've just answered violence with more violence. People won't change their ways through making a climate of fear. We want to change them for the better. You people...all you want is power and control."
Carrie was listening in, when a familiar feeling overcame her.
"Tell him to move, or his life is forfeit."
"Kiddo, I've already got power to spare. A spotless record and a schedule where I can feed off thugs to my heart's content! Good or evil, I don't give a shit!" An aura of darkness began erupting from Hirano. His eyes blazed red, and he bared his fanged canines in a manic grin. "Cuz it all tastes the same to me!"
"From behind. Warn him now!"
"Behind you, Kibō'!" Carrie yelled out.
In an instant, Hirano dissolved into the ground, and appeared behind Kibō. "Persona!" Percival appeared and blocked Hirano's attempt at biting Kibō. The spirit took a swipe, sending the officer flying back, landing on his feet.
"Kehehehehehe...woulda been disappointed if ya didn't fight back a little. Lucky guesswork only gets ya so far--"
A giant arm constructed out of water rose up from behind Hirano, punching him away. He landed on his head, and a distinctive "crack" could be heard, and he fell over limp.
Barbara emerged from the water. "Are you alright, Keeb?"
"Yeah, yeah...lunatic would've got me if Care didn't warn me. Is he...?"
Barbara looked over to the unmoving Hirano. "Oh...oh, God...I was trying to get him away...did I..."
"Urrrhhh..." Hirano began twitching, and got to his feet, head still out-of-place. "Fuckin' bitch...this shit still hurts, y'know!" He put his hands to his head, and forcefully cracked it back into place. "Assault and attempted murder of a police officer...not cool, brats."
The aura around him intensified. The multicolored robe and sharp-toothed mask manifested over the undead officer. His eyes blazed red behind the mask.
"So you know who's about to rip you in two, let me get proper introductions out of the way. I'm Iruka Hirano, Polynices of the Theban Elites. Y'all bit off way more than you could chew, cornering me here. When I'm done pickin' you shitstains clean...they won't know whose bones are whose."
"Now enough bullshit. Time to die!"