Crowds stared with dumbfounded faces, only seeing the outside of the club. Inside however, a different story iold a grim tale. Blood-soaked booths; spttered on the floor; painted across the walls, barely a surface left untouched by crimson viscera, nor a body left. Only the remai in their wake were a colle of discarded ons, belonging to their poor souls, as if no life was ever taken here.
The RCU arrived on the se just as the st light left the horizon. The ward 4 local ingled amongst themselves without a care for the se iired and frayed from many a sleepless night this week, they khis was the work of the viginte niamed 'The Reaper'.
Or just a general disdain to the victims of the crime.
"Who’s in charge here?" Captain Shimada announced, drawing looks of ire from the officers.
"The big leagues finally show their pretty faces, aye?" A squat man shouted out to the arriving members of the RCU.
"I asked you a question, go a someone who matters," Shimada shouted back, frown pulling his scarred face even lower.
"Yeah, yeah ya cueball, o get your feathers all ruffled." He shuffled away to the side, shrugging off the stern expression of the captain.
All the remaining, cops stood around; snickering to each other, eyeing the unit paying particur attention to the half Japaective and the youalian man. An amusing sight it was, seeing them in a fn try an in-joke to their clique.
"All right, I'm in charge here, what ya want?" A fat erged from the alleyway, white shirt barley keeping his protruding stomach tained in his straining button down. He adjusted his hat which covered his thinning hair before lig his teeth with his tongue, an unsightly sight of yellow aovers. Cholesterol persohe ht officer shuffled into the middle of the huddled officers, an amused smirk on his face as the department stiffened under his stare.
"Captain Shimada of the RCU." Outstretg his hand to which the officer pointedly ignored, grasping his belt.
"You call me Takuma, and to what do we owe the pleasure of the fancy suits?" His eyes skimmed the detectives in turn, lingering on Mai and Akiko.
"Our...Your serial killer has left you a lovely crime se ihis establishment," Takuma barely cast a look towards the entrance.
"We had to take the crimson bandit to hospital. You know a bit unwell." He smirked.
"However, we've got some witnesses as well," He finished, strolling away back toward the alley, lighting up a cigarette as he finished.
The team had seen many crime ses before; but this, this was different. Blood coated the indigo floors; from one end of the room to the . A st of death a usual apa for murder ses but this pce cked it. As the officers, filled the room; sileook a hold. Unmoving, Captain Shimada began.
"Where are the bodies?" Luca spoke first. "The ell, almost like these men weren't even killed-"
"We got here nothing was here, only the blood and the lone survivor waiting for us." A younger officer chimed in from the other side of the bar.
"My, my. They had t in new cops just for us." A oke from the bar. Mei Jiao stood behind the bar washing gsses, still dressed in her revealing outfit. By the bar, sat Jun and the Akari on each side, back fag the team.
Her outfit drawing the eyes of the men of the RCU, even a subtle gnce from their captain.
"Good evening miss...?"
"Mei Jiao, you call me Mei."
"Okay Mei, I'm Captain Shimada. You- would you kindly put on something more appropriate before we tinue." Shimada walked towards the trio with the R tow. "Not much point now you've all been ogling my goods." She slinged a wet towel over her shoulder, gesturing with her hand.
"Besides your boys seemed more... preoccupied with something else." Akiko gred at the men of her unit, mainly her partner, Kenji, whose face turned beat red. Luca desperately tried to avoid her revealing attire, Takeshi seemed to enjoy it, as did Mai.
"Everyone who 't be professional please go explore the crime se." Captain Shimada ordered. Kenji, Takeshi, and Luca walked off quickly as to not cause a se. Mai even joining them still glimpsing at the sight.
"Now then." The captai off an exhausted sigh. " you tell me what happeonight?"
Jun spoke for the leash. "I was enjoying a drink with my sister; helping her set up for tonight. Then, six bandits barged in..." He gestured to the main floor.
"Demanding we open early, we couldn't say no. So, we went out back to start moving out the drink barrels thehe sister chimed in.
"Screaming started, and before we k... the reaper had e and gone."
"Lights were off and blood everywhere, we immediately called the cops; as we all know they are quite fast to arrive for our... establishment." Mei followed through, giving a side eye to the cops at the main door.
Jun and Mei were in syn this lie, like two parts of a whole. Their demeanours trasted one another, however; with Akari, she was less... calm. An unease g to the air. Her leg bounced in tandem with her fingers. Restless, agitated as if she wao leave as soon as possible.
Shimada gave the nod to Aki.
"Hello, are you all, right?" Akiko reached out to her haly and spoke softly. Only for a moment she saw through her eyes. Ere appeared like a phantom before disappearing pletely. Akari yanked her hand away.
Eren had informed Jun of a certaiives’ abilities. Who in turn cocted a pn with his sister to avoid her prying eyes.
'He was here.'
"Mr. Jiao. was there anyone else in the premises during this attack?" Jun tilted his head, p the question.
"My master."
"Who is he and where is he?" Shimada demanded. Ju silent, drinking his beer.
"Mr. Jiao; must I remined you that withholding information is obstru of justice." Jun didn't care, he was ready to go to jail for a man he seldom knew.
"Oh, don't mind my brother. He thinks of his master like a sed farther and holds the same loyalty as ooo." Mei answered in his stead, giving a dagger to her brother.
"Ere." Jun mumbled.
Aki and Shimada gave each other knowing looks. "And was he here during the attack?" Shimada pressed.
"He left well before." He returo his beer, ign further questions.
"Well, by the fates, we have been brought back together." A voice from the main door spoke with ing glee.
Reiji entered with a wide grin across his salesman spread, "Good evening my friends." Hiro followed close behind, while Shinya moved to the main bar; not wanting to talk to the people below his rank.
"Excuse me this is a crime se, you 't-" Captain Shimada protested.
"Don't worry about that. Your friend Takuma sends his regards." A smug grin joined his ing glee.
*Phhht*
"Quite a mess you have here." Reiji tinued the room.
"You must be Captain Shimada, Kenji Mori, Luano, Takeshi Yamanaka and Mai Kaizaki; and of course, the ever-lovely Akiko Be." He smiled wide, stretg his hand only to Aki. She was relut but extended her own to Reiji's. Fshes of the abuses from earlier flew in her mind, making her snatch her hand away in disgust.
He smirked at her disfort. He knew what he was doing. "What do you want Mr. Kikuchi." She fired back.
"Let's not be so formal detective, just Reiji. We are just here to ensure proper justice is brought to these fine men who were so savagely butchered in my club-"
"My club." Mei interrupted. Reiji turning to see the trio behind the bar.
"Ah, of course mistress my mistake. Your establishment that uild kindly supports and maintains for you and your... brother." Reiji gave Jun a dangerous look, and with a raised brow and curled lip in respoo Mei.
Jun however, was in a staring test with the bandit’s young ward Hiro. If daggers could be thrown with looks aloh would have siher.
Reiji tinued. "You know growing up I wao be a cop." Reiji reminisced with a false nostalgia as he sauntered between the blood trails.
"Reiji, you don't seem to grasp what 'stay outside' meaher ply with that or you will be charged with obstrug an official iigation!" Akiko kept her gre on him as she passed to the bar.
"Cops had too many rules. Not enough moher, but I found my passion and-"
"Oi, do we o pce you under arrest." Kenji stepped forward, as Hiro and Shinya in turn stepped forward, cutting him off from their leader. Reiji smirked at Kenji from behind his barrier.
"Rules? I bet you struggle to abide by them." He added fuel to the fire of then tension filled room.
"Oh, you are such a tease Mr. Kikuchi." Mei flirted. Dang through the growing tension with a step. Experienced in breaking up maed events in the clubbing se.
"e now the boys and girls in blue are just doing their job as you are as well. After all we're all here t justice to your butchered men as you so kindly pointed out." Mei glided over to Reiji, one hand brushing across his chest as she passed the smiling face of Reiji.
"My dear of course, please I apologize for my intrusioives, please five my rudeness, I will leave you to it." Reiji smiled towards the unit before returning to the entrance.
"Hold on Mr. Kikuchi. Before you go, we’ve had to close club Eden... Could you perhaps pay for our missed ine. Please." Mei requested with a sweet smile and csped hands in her begging. A master at work to match the slick talker, Reiji.
"How I saw no to such a beautiful woman? Shinya will be in touch for your pensation." Shinya was annoyed by his leaders’ orders, but he nodded all the same.
"Thank you, Mr. Kikuchi." Mei hugged tightly with a gleeful smile on her face.
Reiji retur however, after a moment his face dropped, skin turned a pale pallor, his hands shook slightly letting go of the women. Holding his e tight behind his back as they left.
"Bye, Bye." With that the crimson bandit leader departed club Eden with a grim expressioched onto his face.
And the RCU returo their business of cheg out the se, in hopes of finding anything linking the victims to the reaper or his identity.
"Reiji... what's wrong?" Shinya questioned.
He kept silent, leg tappiically. Leaning heavily on his right hand holding his head.
"Shinya... the payoff money. Do you, have it?" He was irely there. Eyes peering through a haze, gzing over with each blink, far removed from his own mind.
"Yes. But why?" Shinya frow Reiji's appareal distress.
"Go a. We're going to deal with him tonight."
<7 Hours ter>
Night's embrace fully enveloped the ward; long dark shadows cwed over every building; Not a moonlit guide could save those lost souls who traversed it now.
Reiji had paced up and dowreet many times, in fact, any who may have viewed him in that state could have likened him to a rabid dog, chasing its own tail.
Hiro y in the car taking a nap, whilst Shinya was busy on his phone. Both men had bee aced to long nights w for their boss, with Shinya far more acclimated than Hiro. Even the occasional sporadic behaviour wasn't incredibly out of character.
Bad forth, up, and down, twisting, twirling; Reiji had been spooked by somethi his fa was he wiser.
He stopped... Looking up into the alleyway across from his limousine. Azure eyes gl the dark. A shiver ran down his spine; breath steaming the air.
"He's here..." Hiro leapt awake from his dream.
"Shinya, the case." Both men removed themselves from the vehicle, joining their leader's side as he stood transfixed; watg those eyes. It's what waited within the dark, past the veil of night.
"You... have caused uild great trouble as of te." Reiji decred to the figure. The reaper fully arose from the shadows, form of shadoitch, mask of bone glowered at the trio as they held their collective breath.
"I have an offer for you... a great deal of money" Reiji poio his right-hand man; the ever-cold eyes of Shinya gred at the reaper. He walked forwards opening a suitcase with a several rows of golden s to the reaper.
The gates currency, useful for buying gear, skills, perks, and adva within the dungeons.
"..."
"This is your starting bonus... e work for us and the real money rolls in." Reiji offered the case. "You will make more than that in one week with us."
"..."
"Alright... We'll double it!"
'Double it!?' Shinya thought looking at his leader. They could barely offer what Reiji put forward initially but to double it? The amount was beyond any worth they could've sged together.
"So, what do you say?" Reiji waited.
"..."
The Reaper unfurled his bone whip, jagged hook nding with a thud. Eyeing up his targets.
"No... no! No!" Reiji roared, eyes turning a crimson fire.
"You dare refute us!" With a flick of his wrist a wave of crimson fire sprayed towards the dark. It screeched with an ear-ringing pitd colpsed to the ground.
The reaper was gohey gazed at the ground below. Embers dying out as the crete sizzled.
"NO!"
*Fwoosh*
Aiming high above his head a crimson fme illuminating the street below. No shadow fled its form on the surrounding walls or roads.
another wave at the alleyways entra's light swallowed up by the dark. It held a cavernous density; even the most determined light to vehin its form to only be rendered defunct.
"Boss?!" Hiro grabbed his shoulders; shaking him. Reiji's eyes returo normal, back to his human form.
"Boss what's wrong?" Reiji shook his head, rec from his episode.
"Back at the club. What did Mei say to you." Shinya observed closely his leader’s unstable demeanour.
"...Five days... She said the reaper has given us five days until he burns us all."