045 - Hey there, there's such tender wolves ‘round town tonight [round the town tonight]

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She's sitting at her old kitchen table, for once completely clean of its usual coating of papers. In its place, a bowl of popcorn, a bottle of sake and an itty bitty ochoko cup. She's sorting through a small stack of books with various work-related titles, finally picking out Experiments in Criminology and Law.

Misaki looks at the map of Tokyo that stands opposite her, still marked with red and blue pins, and a tiny, tiny smile twitches on her lips. She pours herself and ochoko full of sake and opens up her book.]

Comments

[contract_star]

[Bigger smile. He's not sure whether to tell her about Yin and about his plan.]

What are you going to do now?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Taps her fingers on the table.] Wait for the next case, I suppose.

[contract_star]

No celebration? No awards?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I got a commendation.

[contract_star]

Good for you. [Finally sits down next to her, pouring something for himself.] It's recognition you deserve.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[chuckle] Of course my dad was thrilled. I thought the commissioner was going to kill me.

[contract_star]

I'm happy for you. Something else will crop up eventually, but at least this is over.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

What about you?

[contract_star]

[Long pause.]

Who knows.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

...Hei?

[contract_star]

Hm?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

What's wrong?

[contract_star]

Sorry. I'm just thinking. [He really, really doesn't want to ruin her good mood.]

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Oh Hei. Haven't you learned?] Then you're thinking about something that has you upset. Please.

[contract_star]

I don't want to ruin the moment for you. Something really good happened last night. You should be happy.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

You helped make the moment. I'll be happy again. Right now what matters more to me is you.

[contract_star]

[He looks at her, a bit surprised. Cue tinyblush! After a moment he looks away again and sighs.]

The Syndicate took Yin.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[A moment for that to sink in, and her cop-face comes up.] Do you know where? It's a trap, I'm assuming?

[contract_star]

Of course it is. I'm to meet one of them at a certain street, then they'll take me to where she's being kept. If I don't come alone, they'll kill her. If I don't come in a certain amount of time, they'll kill her.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Of course. [Taps her fingers pensively against the table, setting her book aside.] And there's nothing I can do. [It's not a question or a plea, just a fact.]

[Tap, tap, tap, fingers.] They must have her somewhere where she can't use her specter. What's her medium?

[contract_star]

Well... [Honestly tries to think about it for a minute. Then he sighs and shakes his head.] I'm sorry.

Water.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

It's not your fault.

[Taps her fingers against the table.] So they're either in a new building or up high enough or sealed off well enough in an older building that she wouldn't be able to use the condensation from the cold.

[contract_star]

[Looks unconvinced.]

That or the snow melt. It's been snowing on and off the last few days in Tokyo. But you're probably right. I'm not sure she's ever been able to use just condensation, but...they'd want to keep her as far from water as possible. Which might...even mean that they're not letting her drink.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[And her hand curls into a fist.]

[contract_star]

I'll find her.