I get back to the Precinct having procured the horse I’ve been using for the rest of the day. The house secure, I send men to the Tokyo train station to look for suspicious travelers and to post pictures of the missing woman. I had to cut out one of our family pictures, so that we have the most recent photograph of her posted all over.
The other message I sent via telegraph is to her brothers. To inform them that Hide has gone missing and that the police is investigating. But just in case she is found safe, that they should telegraph back right away but I don’t immediately involve the Kyoto Police Department. What was it that I was told? To be more deliberate? Careful even? I can’t fire at all cylinders eventhough I sorely want to. If they’re in Tokyo I can get to them, if they’re not and I alert them in some way they’d have an advantage. But the bigger problem is Kawaji, he’s still upset that the Kyoto Police Department got involved and acted without the TMPD’s command.
I re-read the note. I admit I don’t have a lot to go on. There’s not much more to get out of the letter that Hide’s assailant left. Over the years there’s been a -lot- of Souji imposters and impersonators in almost every world we’ve moved in. I blow a long smoke to the side. What else?
But I can only get so far with that, so I work my way back. What happened before I came back from Kyoto. I killed Tanaka, could it be related to him? No, the events are too close. What was new before I left? I asked Uramura for help guarding the house… But he can’t be involved, he was with me later that evening almost begging that I go at least have dinner at the house. But still…
I call out to one of the clerks to get me a roster of men who were assigned by Uramura to “Yamaguchi’s house protection”. It’s not too long before I get it. I wasn’t exactly nice when I barked my orders.
3 weeks, 5 men alternating. Not too bad.
Itsuki
Musashino
Hiroto
Kaito
Minato
But who do I start with? The last one who guarded the house of course. Musashino. I go out again, shouting at one of the clerks, “Get Musashino to my office!” I smoke like a fiend. It’s still early in the morning but I feel the pressure of time ticking.
“Sir? You wanted something?”
“You guarded the Yamaguchi house?”
“Yes sir.”
“I’m conducting an investigation. A resident there was abducted just last night. I need to know if you saw anything peculiar while you stood guard? Or did any of your co-police officers?”
He looks away, “It was a rather boring job sir.” He sighs and shakes his head, “I’m not one to rat out one of the guys, because he’s a good cop…”
“Look just tell me. I’m here to bring someone back safely. Not get you or the police in trouble.” I say evenly.
“Well I went drinking last Friday at this Isekaya with Minato.” He shakes his head, “He was pretty upset with the assignment and dragged me drinking. He just kept going on and on about that we were guarding the house of a mistress, to this middle aged woman.”
I watch him. Does he even know it was -my- mistress? “Who was that woman?”
“I don’t know sir. She was middle aged black hair. The skin on her hands sagged, she seemed older but I’m not sure. I was pretty wasted. Then they disappeared.”
“Is Minato here today? Do you know where he is?”
“No. Most of the men took the week off. You know how it is, when the Shochou is away…”
I growl slightly. “I know.” We grow in number but not in quality of men. “Tell me, do you think this woman was an old acquaintance of Minato’s?”
“Oh no sir. You know this Isekaya is a favorite amongst the younger crowd of the TMPD. We’d know if she’s a regular.” He laughs, “That’s probably why Minato got farther with her you know? She was trying hard to fit in, kept asking him to tell her all about this mistress and Fujita Goro…” Suddenly his eyes grow wide, realizing who he’s speaking to.
I keep my face placid to not fluster him further. “Did she say what her name was?”
Shaking his head he answers, “You know for all the “conversation” they had, she never once told him her name. But I guess he didn’t care he just wanted to get… and he got it” He looks to the side.
My stomach turns even more. “You’re dismissed but I need you to send me a message if Minato comes back.”
“Yes sir.”
The door closes behind him and I consider whether I should track this Minato but I doubt he’d have anymore information that I can use. And time is not something I can waste right now. A woman… Black hair with sagging skin? That means she was trying to look young and dyed her hair. But was she really a she? Many of Okita’s impersonators had been women and this Minato managed to sleep with her. So either the assailant is another woman, or is using a woman to gain information.
Of course. What else is new? Even I did that many times. I should leave a Shindou a message, to keep guarding Aioi now that I don’t know how long finding Hide will take.
(OOC: To be continued)
I reach down at the bottom drawer and take it out. I told her I wouldn’t read it and I still can’t bring myself to. I put it in front of me unsure. Read it and this world ends, I was told. But that’s not my reason. I wanted her to tell me herself.
Standing up, I decide there’s no use sitting here. I need to pound the pavement instead but the door opens.
“Fujita-san!”
I turn, it’s Kawaji.
“What’s the status?”
I shake my head. “Fragments, nothing concrete yet.”
He dumps a bunch of papers on my desk. “Then I suppose that means you can’t work on these nor meet with Sir Vincent this week.”
With a frown, I can only shrug.
“Fine. I understand your situation but understand this…” He puts his hands behind his back, “I’m letting you do this but this is a drain on our resources, not only your time but the resources of our men at your house and those looking for your mistress in Tokyo. We need this over -quickly- before opportunity costs starts piling up.”
At one point I’d argue with him. But I do agree this needs to be over quickly, not because of how much it might cost my job but that I don’t know what kind of danger my wife is in.
“Do you need any further assistance?”
“Not right now but I’d appreciate if you can mobilize some resources should I need it.”
“Fine. But before you leave, make sure to at least assign some investigators on these open cases. They’ve piled up for you for the last 3 weeks.”
“Yes of course.” He leaves and I look at the pile. I gave my word… But he couldn’t really expect me to look through all these? I will try to do at least a few, just to say something was done.
So I sit and quickly go over just the top of the file. Almost pulling my hair out as I’m assigning police names quickly, with very little consideration. A lot of them were busy work.
What the hell am I doing?
Your job!
And it’s then that I decide to do the last one and I almost do a double take. “Report from the Kobayashi Clinic”.
I read through the report filed by the Nurse Hironaka, the same nurse who helped us a few times. The one whom I introduced myself as the Wolf. Apparently a woman (again!), Sato Nana has been accessing private files of patients and specifically stole Hide’s file from the clinic. Thankfully the Nurse if very detailed in her description of this woman, older with grey hair, middle aged likely close to being 50. Not too tall but not short. Shorter hair.
There’s no way this woman can pose as Okita.
I call another clerk telling him to send another message to the clinic asking if they can provide a photograph or better yet a drawing. I leave them my contact information as I know that may take a while since the employee is new.
But as I go back to my office, a thought hits me. The note was written crudely and yet this woman knew how to access a medical office personal records files. I am dealing with at least 2 people, one of which must be a well educated woman. Not only to read the files but to actually know where to look. She seems to know her way around. Maybe I should stop by that clinic and take a look for myself?
Crossing my arms, I puff on my cigarette and look at the time. I think I have something but something else is eating at me. An old warning or rebuke from that mad man Shishio. “You didn’t do enough research Saitou Hajime.”
And it’s dangerous I’ve been told to only go a one way path, even though the information is pulling me in one direction. I must explore other avenues. Who else is interested in Hide? Kano’s dead. Mikisaburo has gone in hiding… Who else but -him-… But how do I find him? Through the Battousai.
Quickly I grab my things including the diary. I can’t leave that lying around. I’ll decide what to do with it -later-.
(OOC: Saitou will go to the Kamiya dojo first. If you want to RPG Kenshin tom or just reply “no” and I’ll write Kenshin in. I also need to know if there is a point to RPG the Kobayashi office or I can easily bypass that tom.)
I will RP Kenshin, no need to RP the clinic.
After making a quick stop at the dried fish and vegetable vendor, telling him to make deliveries a few times to the house, I make a quick stop to Futaba to meet with Takimi. I didn’t tell him much, only that there’s an emergency that may take a week or two, hopefully no more. That the children will be home-schooling until then. I could see he wanted to protest but he already knows, from prior experience of Tokio and I that events like these are to be expected. She sometimes disappearing, our children found at the neighbors or left to wander around school. I appearing out of nowhere and pulling the kids out at times but I was inconsistent myself. That done I whip the horse quickly to another part of town, to Kamiya dojo.
Finally I’m at the run down dojo of the Tanuki. Wasting no time I get off the horse and start banging at the gates. “Battousai! Battousai! Come out!” I shout and bang some more. I really don’t want to be wasting time here. But like I said, I didn’t want to leave a stone unturned here in Tokyo.
(Kenshin)
“Makoto-chan! Makoto-chan! We’re going to see Makoto-chan!” Kenji-kun jumps up and down. Does he like playing with her that much, or is it the treehouse…?
“Well, we’re just going to stop by, perhaps.” It is Sunday, and Saitou is probably home, and the entire family happy and whole, and that weird feeling last night was just an old manslayer’s uneasiness in crowded spaces, and I will only aggravate Saitou-san. Certainly not stay for a … what is it Kaoru-dono calls it? A “play date”? But after all these years, it’s something this one cannot dismiss without knowing more.
Then there’s a banging so loud that it could have knocked even Sano from sleep…
Battousai! Battousai! Come out!
It’s him! Then – this one wasn’t just feeling something fleeting, last night. There really is trouble. I go and open the door to see Saitou, looking weary but … burning.
The gate opens and it’s the Battousai with his brat.
“Good you’re home.” I thought I was going to have to track him. “My wife was abducted last night and I’m conducting an investigation.”
I look him over and his brat, just in case. He doesn’t look too worst for wear. I blow a smoke to the side.
“One of the persons of interest is of course your Master, Hiko Seijuurou. Has he been back here lately?”
Of course I know what the behemoth said, he’d leave Hide and I alone but can anyone really trust a brute like that? I’m reminded of the night I was here at the dojo, where I felt like I was in a drunken stupor and yet drenched by this man in front of me. Well so what if he saw me humiliated by my wife and his master? I’m not here for that.
“Hurry up and speak! Where is your master and where can I find him?” I need to be able to eliminate the behemoth, his whereabouts and his motives so I can go on my way.
My wife was abducted last night and I’m conducting an investigation. One of the persons of interest is of course your Master, Hiko Seijuurou. Has he been back here lately?
“So are we going or not otouuuuuuuuuuuuu-saaaaaaan?” Kenji-kun whines, pulling on my hand.
“Kenji-kun, go back to the engawa – I need to talk to this police officer.” I hand him the box of treats I had prepared had we visited – “you can have these.”
“Goodie!” He scampers off.
Hurry up and speak! Where is your master and where can I find him?
Should this one be flattered that Saitou doesn’t consider me a suspect?
“He left… two days after you were last here. From Okina-san, we know he arrived in Kyoto a week later. The last we heard, he was heading north – it’s his time of year to prepare for brewing season.” Ever since the Shishio incident, the Oniwabanshuu sees to keeping their eyes out for Master – and while I’m certain he’s aware of it, I doubt he cares. Master is one who does as he wishes.
“Were you or your boy at the central train station last night?”
The boy scampers off as he’s sent away with the reward of treats. What is he a dog?
“He left… two days after you were last here. From Okina-san, we know he arrived in Kyoto a week later. The last we heard, he was heading north – it’s his time of year to prepare for brewing season.”
“What makes you confident he is heading north? Your proof?” I suck tightly on my cigarette. “Give me his address.”
“Were you or your boy at the central train station last night?”
“What? Are you changing the subject?” I scowl. “The boys nor I wasn’t there last night.” I was a fool tarrying around in my office when I should’ve been home.
What makes you confident he is heading north? Your proof? Give me his address.
“Okina and the Oniwabanshuu have their sources. Those mountains seem remote but there’s woodcutters, charcoal makers… and there’s no address. He lives in a hut in the woods,” I say.
But I was…. no, he’s holding it together well, compared to this one, when it was Kaoru-dono.
The boys nor I wasn’t there last night
I frown. “I thought I sensed… something like your ‘ki’ there last night, very faint.” Then that face finally connects. “Okita Souji. I thought I saw him, with some women, last night. But I -know- his spirit…”
“Okina and the Oniwabanshuu have their sources. Those mountains seem remote but there’s woodcutters, charcoal makers… and there’s no address. He lives in a hut in the woods,”
If he’s being watched by the Oniwaban group, then what Battousai is saying is likely true and easy enough to verify.
“I thought I sensed… something like your ‘ki’ there last night, very faint.”
Like my ki? So he means dark… But I wait some more until it finally connects in his wandering head…
“Okita Souji. I thought I saw him, with some women, last night. But I -know- his spirit…”
“How do you know it’s Okita?” I press. He hasn’t seen the wayward Okita since the wilderness, unless this one is just like Hide who insist Souji had died… “And give me a description of the women. Where do you think they were headed?”
I hate to admit it, but he maybe the only solid lead that could point me in -some- sort of direction. “Hurry Battousai. There’s no time.”
How do you know it’s Okita?
“Wasn’t he around here… a few years ago?” I frown, it all seems so -distant- all of that with Saitou’s wife… “And I knew him from the old days – this one crossed swords with the both of you many times, then. But it only looked like him.”
And give me a description of the women. Where do you think they were headed?
“He was wearing a straw cone hat,” I say, thinking back. Now I wonder, why would someone wear that one the train? It won’t rain on you there. “Two women – one short, she seemed ill – her face was wrapped in bandages and her head was covered, and they we almost carrying her. The other one wasn’t much taller, streaky hair… severe face.”
“The train was the overnight Kansai local – making several stops between here and Kyoto.”
But it only looked like him.”
Well I -know- it couldn’t be him, after all if it was there’d be no need to take her. She’d go willingly.
“He was wearing a straw cone hat,
Crossing my arms I look down and listen more.
“Two women – one short, she seemed ill – her face was wrapped in bandages and her head was covered, and they we almost carrying her.
That’s probably her, I think to myself.
The other one wasn’t much taller, streaky hair… severe face.”
“You mean streaks of gray in her hair.” And of course he means a sharp face. Musashino said this woman looked older so maybe slightly older than myself, perhaps closer to 50?
“The train was the overnight Kansai local – making several stops between here and Kyoto.”
That means it’s the slow train that takes 8 hours to Kyoto. Quickly I look at my watch almost 9AM. They’ve had a good lead.
“I need to leave.” I say and start untying the horse. “I left Eiji in charge of the house.” I don’t know why I’m telling Battousai this. Maybe it’s to ward him off.
(OOC: Saitou is exiting. Unless there’s something else you can close this thread if you want.)
You mean streaks of gray in her hair.
“Yes,” I nod. It sounds like he knows who this woman might be. Is this related to his work, then, that Yagi-san found danger?
I need to leave. I left Eiji in charge of the house.
“Saitou – once you leant this one your sword when it was my Kaoru-dono who was stolen.” I look at this man, with whom there will always be a complicated relationship. “I am ready to lend you mine, should you need it.” He said then it was for police purposes, but I didn’t see any other officer risking their lives when Yatsume attacked, or fighting one of the Four Gods on the beach at Enishi’s island.
“Saitou – once you leant this one your sword when it was my Kaoru-dono who was stolen.” “I am ready to lend you mine, should you need it.”
I stare at him for a moment. We’ve fought together once but never settled our old score.
“If you want to help, help Eiji.”
I know he knows where we live, but it wasn’t that. I just can’t invite this man who ruined Tokio and I.
(OOC: Saitou exits.)
If you want to help, help Eiji.
I nod. The one owes him that.
I turn back, to see Kenji-kun having eaten every bit of the treats in the box. “So, later, how about you go help Yahiko-kun at the Akabeko?”
(OOC – Close)