The office smelled of freshly brewed coffee and cold tobacco. Kaito was standing by the window, gazing out, when Reiko, his boss, dropped a thick file onto the desk.
'We'll need more than good intentions to take on that gang,' he said, without taking his eyes off the street.
Reiko adjusted her glasses.
'You want better weapons?'
Kaito nodded.
'Something to give us an edge.'
Before Reiko could reply, the young assistant, seated in a corner going through some papers, lifted her head with excitement.
'An AK-47!' she exclaimed, almost as if she were asking for a birthday present.
Kaito shot her a half-smile, tinged with irony.
'If you tried firing one, you'd be sent flying backwards.'
She puffed out her cheeks, feigning offence.
'It's not that bad.'
Reiko ignored the small squabble and folded her arms.
'I can get you something… but you'll have to pick it up yourselves. I'll make a call and give you the address.'
Kaito nodded.
'Fine.'
Reiko took her phone and left the office. The young assistant stood abruptly.
'I'm going to fetch my things and get ready,' she said as she headed for the door. 'And you should do the same.'
'I'm already ready,' he replied calmly, leaning back in the chair. 'I'll wait for you here.'
'Suit yourself,' she muttered, and left.
Elsewhere in the building, Reiko was speaking on the phone in a grave tone.
'A man and a woman will be coming to your place. They need weapons for serious business. Give them the best you've got. I can't afford to lose more people.'
Almost half an hour later, Reiko returned to find Kaito leafing through a file without much interest.
'It's all set,' she said, handing him a small card with an address written on it.
'We'll handle it,' he replied, slipping the card into the inside pocket of his coat.
'Where is she?' Reiko asked.
'She went to get ready.'
It wasn't long before the young woman appeared, dressed in a long dark overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat that concealed part of her face.
'So no one recognises me,' she explained.
Kaito sighed.
'Time to go.'
In the car, the initial silence was broken by her voice.
'I'm sorry for getting upset earlier… when I insisted on helping go after the gang.'
'It's fine,' Kaito replied, not looking at her. 'I didn't think much of it, and neither should you.'
She bit her lower lip, as if hesitating to speak.
'It's just that… when I was a child, my father was a gambler too. Like that man we saw earlier. He borrowed money from gangsters without my mother knowing… and spent it all betting.'
Kaito listened in silence, not interrupting.
'One day, I saw him come home with a lot of cash. Without thinking, I told my mother… and that led to their separation. I haven't seen him since.'
'I'm sorry,' Kaito said.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
'What about you? Do you have a story like that?'
He lied without blinking.
'No. I always wanted to be a detective.'
The address took them to a busy street. Among modern buildings and neon lights stood an old house, discreetly converted into a restaurant.
'Are you sure this is the place?' she asked.
'Yes. We go in and ask for the name Reiko gave us.'
They entered. A smiling waiter approached.
'Table for two?'
'No. We're looking for [contact's name],' Kaito replied.
The waiter's smile faded, and after a brief pause, he murmured,
'Follow me.'
He led them down a corridor to a door at the back.
'He's in there,' he said before leaving.
She swallowed hard, nervous. Kaito turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Inside, a man in his fifties lay sprawled on a sofa, accompanied by a young woman in a tight dress and heavy make-up. The man raised an eyebrow.
'And who might you be?'
'We're here on Reiko's behalf,' Kaito said.
The man smirked and told the woman to wait in the room next door. Then, with deliberate calm, he stood and adjusted his shirt.
'I've got a few things ready for you.'
He stepped behind a desk and pulled out an AK-47, placing it on the table. The assistant's eyes lit up.
'It's gorgeous!'
'Something simpler,' Kaito requested. 'A submachine gun, easy to handle.'
She pouted in disappointment.
The arms dealer arched an eyebrow and walked over to a large cabinet. When he opened it, an array of weapons came into view.
'Here you go,' he said, pulling out two MP7 A1s. 'Perfect for the two of you.'
Kaito took one, gripped it, and tested the hold.
'We'll take them.'
'I'll put it on Reiko's account,' the man agreed.
Before they left, he handed them a case.
'Smoke grenades and special goggles to see through it. You'll find them useful.'
Kaito and the young woman thanked him and left.
Their contact had given them a second address. When they arrived, they found a nightclub, lit in purple and throbbing with bass-heavy music.
'Shall we go down there and shoot everyone?' she asked, almost gleefully.
'No. We're not going after innocents. Just the mafia boss.'
'And how will we know who he is?'
'The contact said he always wears a suit and hat, and is flanked by two taller men in suits. All we have to do is wait for them to come out.'
She groaned.
'Boring.'
Hours passed. She eventually dozed off in her seat. Kaito woke her with a gentle nudge.
'There they are.'
'Can we use the weapons now?' she asked, rubbing her eyes.
'No. There are still civilians.'
A man was waiting for the trio. Once they met, they began walking.
'We'll follow them,' Kaito said. 'Keep some distance.'
The group turned several corners before entering an abandoned factory. Kaito parked the car a bit further down the road to avoid suspicion.
From the boot, he handed her a pistol.
'Tranquilliser rounds. The submachine guns are only if it's absolutely necessary. I'm not the kind who kills for the sake of it.'
She nodded.
They walked in silence until they reached the entrance, where a guard stood watch.
'This is what they're for,' Kaito murmured, raising the pistol and firing a dart that struck the man in the neck.
The guard collapsed without a sound.
'Let's go,' Kaito said, and together they stepped through the door into the factory's darkness.