-~*~-
On the same day at the side of another pair, Kazuto is heading towards the direction he would usually takes every morning. Now days, he had been quite the frequent visitor here as he would often accompany a certain lady back and forth from her workplace back home. The sky is in brightest color and the cloud is clumping into an incoherent shape that still, looks fluffy.
It was around lunch time and he had something to ask of his companion. Making his way to the newspaper station that she worked at, he saw her coming out of the door alongside her colleagues. With how she is only bringing in her handbag they are going out for lunch -Good! I'll invite her to one.-
"Irene!" He called from a far which brought in all of her colleagues attention. Without saying anything he smiled and grab onto her wrist. Seeing this, she figure that he need something from her and make an excuse to persuade her co-workers to go on with lunch without her. They suspiciously look over to the two while they walk away from the station.
She had no clue as to where he is bringing her but demanded to be fed with something to learn. "Why did you drag me away?" Not answering her question he change the topic to suggest them have some lunch together. To be fair, she had only had lunch with him when everyone is together. They had never had lunch alone.
Plus~ She could buy any food she wants with the Marquess's son here. Use your resources to your needs and contempt. He is loved throughout Kinsel, getting a table at a busy place would be a piece of cake. "Okay. But. I want to eat at this one famous restaurant and you have to pay." "Whatever you say, hungry journalist."
.
*Clang* *Clang*
They are currently munching down on their lunch at one of the famous restaurant around the most busiest street. Her tactic works! By having Kazuto, they are able to be seated at a table even when the line outside is quite long. Truth be told, none of the people outside actually give any mind. They all agree to it willingly. He must be loved by all, really loved.
Oh! Aside from being seated inside, they receive a rather private room on the second floor overlooking the busy street. That is not on her part but on him. He had specifically ask for a private room and got it right away. "So. What do you want to ask me?" She tell after cleaning her dry throat with a glass of apple juice. Real apple juice, okay.
Kazuto place down his utensil and slip his fingers in between each other before placing his elbows on the table. "Is anyone in your station covering any missing children incident?" Irene's eyebrows starts to scrunch down, trying to remember if she had any recollection. Snapping her fingers, she remember how she had heard someone from the social departments talk about wanting to cover the case.
Apparently they brought the case up to the supervisor for an approval but got rejected. The supervisor said that unless there's concreate materials they can't cover such dangerous topic. After all, the something as serious as this cannot be taken lightly. The entire nation's safety is at stake if it is based on rumors or word building only.
Irene — "In the end, she didn't get to cover the story at all. She had already gather all the information she can get to have a little bit of it. At last, something so severe can't be covered without concreate material."
Kazuto — "Do you know the materials they had?"
Irene — "I've heard that she got to interview a few people from the north west city people. In this time, interview is not enough for concreate materials even when many agree to the statement or question."
After saying her parts she continue to eat while across from her the man start to furrow his brows in discomfort. His fingers starts tapping her table and his breathing becomes more heavy with more sigh than before. Irene has the gene of advance hearing which did not escape her ears. "What's the matter?" She ask, concern that something she had said had bothered him.
Kazuto had dragged her all the way to this point, what's there to hide anymore. He let out a big sigh and tell everything to her. Apparently, he had been tasked by his father, Marquess Ryuichi, to investigate the case. There has been multiple reports of missing children. He had thought that it only contain within the main city territory but something didn't sit right with him which prompt him to ask Irene.
He further explain how Luyao hadn't come home for the past few days. Even for the last two weeks he had been adamant for his dinner to be sent to his study instead of having it together. This has worries the Marchioness quite a lot. When he had ask for his demeanor, the Inspector brushed it off like it was a matter at work.
"Weird. Yanyi didn't seem to skip our meal at all. She had been perfectly normal." The statement makes Kazuto wanted to slap himself in the face. Only now did he understand what his brother had done to himself. He not only adamant to finish his work but also to do it on his own instead of asking someone else. Someone whose job is to not only help him but also assisting his job as the second in command. "That brother of mine is so stupid."
Irene had just finished her plate while Kazuto didn't have any appetite to finish his. His worries go so deep that he declare the following. "I'll go to the archive to search for information."
Irene — "I'll go with you."
Kazuto — "This does not concern you, Irene. Don't get yourself involve."
Irene — "Something as serious as this is bound to be in the national trial. We both know She is getting involve as well. As a friend, I have a duty to help her."
Kazuto — "You sure? You might get in a possible danger for this."
Irene — "Any danger for the empire sake, I don't mind to take."
With such determination, Kazuto didn't do anything to dissuade her. They make their payment for the lunch, well he made the payments, and hitch a carriage to the archive.
.
Arriving at the massive building, the guards greeted him and let him inside where he was met with the person in charge. Adan Saltant. He is put in charge by his father around 15 years ago. All those times there hadn't been anyone who'd been able to pass through the security. Either the security is so good or Adan is someone who can break someone's bone with a mere snap. Kazuto lean more towards the later speculation.
"Young Marquess, what can I help you today?" He smiles in delight while adjusting his glasses. Kazuto place down his notebook where he had written down all the victims name. From all cities. Seeing the long list, Adan call for more than 10 workers to find the related files of these children. "Please have a seat at our lounge, Young Marquess. We will do our best to provide you with all the information."
It didn't take long for them to wait as only within 5 minutes the first out of four batch of files are place in the room. Kazuto and Irene starts to look through each of them while more are coming in. Specifically a new batch every 5 minutes. "What are we looking for exactly?" Irene ask while she scroll through the first file. "Their address. See which central square are they near to. You know the location of all central square, right?"
"Show me once and I'll remember it to the next life!" Kazuto did as she said and true to her words, she did not forget where they are in the slightest. In fact, she had a rather quick way to locate the closest square than him. She would mark down where the district is and only guessing it based on the district which, surprisingly works 90% of the time.
And with her quick way, where Kazuto starts to implement as well, they managed to finish everything within 3 hours. Irene had even write down each of the children's features and date of when they went missing. "You really are an expert in this."
Irene — "I had been walking around looking for materials for long enough. I know that though it may not look important some info are crucial."
Kazuto — "Which cause you to jot down almost everything?"
Irene — "Perhaps."
Kazuto — "That's great and all but the disappearance is all but neat. Some date reports does not align with my information."
Irene — "What do we do?"
"To further have a complete tree it's best to be the bird. Let's head over to the Kinsel LC HQ." Irene's eyes starts to bug out with the sudden proclamation. She shakes her head in disbelief. She knew what the LC HQ is and knew that everyone are not allowed there even if you are related by to the guardian of the state.
"You can't just go to the LC HQ without permission! What happens if you get reprimanded by the Marquess?" A hand falls onto her head and pat in gently. The man that propose the idea is gently smiling while patting her head. He doesn't seem to be bothered by the consequences much as her. "Don't worry about that. I've plan to call my father anyway. Figuring it out without the help of national tool is nearly impossible. We don't have much time to waste so something like this is bound to happen."
He went out to where Adan is while Irene stood where she is dumbfounded. Moving her hand to the top of her head, she starts to crease the area slowly. It had been so long since someone pat her like that. Reminiscence of her brothers popped into her brain. Her heart felt tight with such absence of love.
On the other hand, Kazuto had just reveal his plan to Adan and ask him to call the manor for his father. Calling the company may resulted in someone else picking it up and if possible, he didn't want anyone outside of the family to know about what he is doing. Well more people than now.
The phone rings for a couple of times before it clicked, showing that someone had pick it up from the other side. "Hello, Adan." The voice of an old lady came through the other end. The one that had picked up the call turns out to be the head maid of the manor. She had been observing the other servant to see their job be done when the phone rings.
Adan — "Madam Rosalyn, may I ask if Marquess Ryuichi is available?"
Rosalyn — "I'm afraid not. The Marquess had gone out for some business. May I know why you've asked?"
Adan — "Ah... the Young Marquess is currently here and had ask me to make a call to the manor for a -certain- permission from the Marquess."
Rosalyn — "I see... Though Marquess is not at home, the Marchioness is currently inside. I will give the phone to her and if you could, please pass the phone to the Young Marquess. It'd be better for him to ask himself."
"Very well." He takes the phone off of his ears and handed it over to Kazuto who is waiting for an approval. Face shown with sudden surprise Adan explain everything that both him and Rosalyn had discuss over the phone. Nodding his head he put the metal item against his ears.
"Hello?" His mother's voice rings through the device which leads him to shoo away Adan. He didn't want to have anyone listening in on their conversation even when he knew what the content is suppose to be. "Good afternoon, mother."
Marchioness — "Kazuto? What are you doing over in the archive?"
Kazuto — "It's a long story. I believe you'll known more by asking father."
Marchioness — "*sigh* I'll do that once he is back. My question is, why would you need the access to -that place-? Couldn't you have done something with the LCTV center instead."
Kazuto — "I would if that involves only the main city. Unfortunately, this involves the whole state of Kinsel and there's no other way but to be granted access to -that place-. Can you help me, my dear lovely mother?"
Marchioness — "Don't try to sugarcoat you word, young man. I can kick you to sleep in the barn, you know."
Kazuto — "Sorry, sorry... Sorry..."
Marchioness — "Very well, I'll send in an immediate invoice to -that place- to grant you temporary access. Anything else?"
"Could you also allow for a copy access?" He covered his ears before it blows into pieces from the yelling of her mother. It is not a good thing for a pregnant woman. The mother sighed heavily and give a reluctant agreement to his son. Not without a set back though. This copy data will need to be delete in the span of three days after getting it which means they must work quickly.
"Thanks, mother. I'll make sure to buy you whatever you crave before coming home today." "Then ready your pocket money for this little sibling of yours." The other side put down the phone where the young man did the same. He gives a thanks to Adan call for Irene to go to the Kinsel LC HQ.
.
.
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-~*~-
-~ At Kinsel LC HQ~-
The door to the carriage is slam shut while Kazuto paid the coachman some amount they owe. Irene pan her head up and is in awe with the massive futuristic looking building she see before her eyes. But contrary to what they are looking for, the sign says a random technology company name. Not the Kinsel LC HQ.
"Giving out the name of it would make it harder to protect. This is only a gist for disguise. Come, we have to move." He lead the way into the lobby where the front desk lady happily greeted him. He said something along the line of "certain appointment" which the front desk lady smile turn slightly upward.
She happily ask for them to follow her into an elevator to the top floor before switching the elevator to take a certain floor located somewhere hidden. Irene did not make a noise nor a comment afraid that she might get kicked out. The front desk lady smiles turn serious and gives out a command from her ears.
"Get the following footage ready for observation deck." She showed Kazuto a panel where he input to look over the past three weeks worth of footage. The woman, with a sturdy and composing aura lead them to the said 'observation deck' where only both of them are in. She soon leaves and from all the empty screen played various footage from the past three weeks.
"Now we can start our work." He declare and delegated they would observe the main city first before moving to the other. Irene starts to read from her note and Kazuto would look for the victims location from all four square. As he had suspected, some of the victims are no where near their home address and instead had opt to go to a much farther central square.
They first observe the first week, second week and then the third week. Irene written down all the location and find a rather disturbing pattern to this case. She tapped onto Kazuto which prompt him to stop the recording and look at her. "Look at this." She showed her notebook for which she had not only written down the incident location but had drawn out a diagram.
There are 12 case of missing child every week and it all happens in the same order by week. It start with west and east, east and west, south and north, north and east, east and south, south and west. The weird part is that the pattern varies from city to city.
"What are we supposed to do with this? There's nothing here that can point to anything." Irene starts to panic the moment she re-read back all the pattern. Though there is a pattern, it was way to random and has no connection what so ever. These sort of thing is best in the hands of Yanyi.
Irene — "Should we wait for tomorrow? Yanyi probably know more about this than us."
Kazuto — "Why is that?"
Irene — "I don't know why, but before coming here she had been studying many different things. Even cryptic book. Perhaps she can remember back what she read and solve this."
Kazuto — "More information can also be gather by having her with us. Alright then, we'll talk to her tomorrow."
At last, the clock had struck 6 in the afternoon and both decided its best to leave it for now. Before leaving the room he ask Irene one request. "Tomorrow, bring Yanyi to the manor. I will drag Luyao away from going to the station. We need their expertise in this situation." Irene agree and they part ways by the lobby. Tomorrow is going to be a hectic one.
.
.
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-~*~-
-~ Marquess Ryuichi Household~-
*Yawn*
The maiden that had been dragged here starts to stretch like a cat from a nap. She was woken up 2 hours before her alarm and was forced into a warm bath alongside being dressed into her attire by her roommate. Irene had just paid the carriage coach and walk up to where Yanyi is. They are entering the main gate of the house where a car is waiting.
"Why did you drag me here so early? Can't we wait until breakfast?" The culprit shake her head vigorously. To her punctuality is everything even if it means getting killed by your friend in the process. Though, she wasn't aiming for work when she woke her up. It's the breakfast.
The long separation from home had made her long for a good breakfast. It is not to say Yanyi's cooking is bad, in fact she would rather die by poison than saying that to her friend. Her cooking is amazing but the environment of their house isn't fit for her vision. Talk about a spoiled kid. At least she's not a brat. Maybe.
"You guys came early today." Kazuto who came out from the door greeted them once they went off the car. They are about to raise the step when Luyao came out with his official police attire. Yanyi had been told that he'd also be staying for investigation so why the dress up. "Aren't you staying for investigation?" She question while ascending the steps.
"I will. It's just that I have something that needs to be settled personally. None of the people Uncle Ryu put in charge are able to do." By passing her, he stop for a while. Locking his gaze to her mane. The style she had yesterday had unintentionally exposed her back much more than a normal ponytail. He had the urge to touch her hair but refrained for the sake of his mind.
"I'll get going then. I'll be back around lunch if possible." He bid farewell and enter the car in which Yanyi and Irene had just gotten off. Irene and Kazuto enters the house while Yanyi waited for the car to be out of view. Truth be told, she had no idea why she felt like it was appropriate for her to wait. She is not in any sort of romantic relationship with him. They're just partners at work and friends off work.
She touch the back of her hair feeling a sense of tingling from that particular place. She had felt his gaze from behind but didn't comment anything as it may result in both being in awkward position for who knows how long. She went inside without realizing that the tip of her ears are turning a light shade of pink.
Luyao, the culprit of her tingling sensation can't help but look outside the window to the side view mirror. He saw her standing by the door just waiting for him to be sent off. His hands that is resting in the rim of the window is now laying out to cover his mouth and cheeks. He has no clue why he gaze at her so suddenly. Sigh, let bygones be bygones.
.
After breakfast with the Marchioness they all bid farewell and went over to Kazuto's study. There he put on the copies he had received and played it for Yanyi to see. She was shock herself to know that a total of 12 kidnapping cases happens in a week. In one city mind you. "What are they doing with this many children?!" She shouts in anger.
Irene place her notebook in her hand and she flipped it to the last written page. There is written the sequences that she had noted based on each city and week. "We have no clue what this sequence means. You had been studying many things in your life, can you transcribe it?"
Yanyi — "I don't think this can be transcribe right now. Kazuto let me look over all the victims' file."
Kazuto — "Sure. I have to warn you though, there is more than 100 of them."
Yanyi — "I just need a few of them."
As she had suspected after just flipping through 10 files. These children are indeed the same case that they are trying to investigate. But who would need so many children in a month?
Kazuto and Irene only looked over to her waiting for a respond. Yanyi flick from her chair and start to write down onto the blackboard that Kazuto had in his room. She had written down all the pattern and had put down four lines in total. "Irene, read the sequences to me." "Okay."
With each sequence she read, Yanyi drew a line going from one point to another. After finishing the sequence for the capital city a symbol emerge. Though not a complete one at that. A kite with a missing side emerge from the picture. "What does this symbol means?" Irene question to her friend.
Yanyi shakes her head. She had no clue or any to point out what is going on. She hadn't read anything about such thing. She then remember that there is a book of ancient cryptic that she had seen yet overlook. "Kazuto, where is the manor's library?"
Kazuto — "Back down the hallway. The farthest one. Why?"
Yanyi — "You guys continue with "this". I have to do some research. It might take a while."
Irene — "But Yanyi -!"
Before she can reach her friend she had close the door shut. Irene sigh in confusion. Aside from creating the symbol from sequence what else is there to do. Kazuto one the other hand open up a map and look over through a bunch of abandoned looking facilities. "What are you doing?"
"With this many children in their tow, they must have a hidden base somewhere. Preferably an abandoned building. I'm trying to search and point down our culprits possible hideout. After Yanyi solve the message, we can know where to look." Irene felt intrigue and ask him how to do part of the job. He teaches her the basic and what to look out for. Thus they continue their research.
.
*flop* *flop* *flop*
"Not this one either. Where is it?" Yanyi has been standing on the ladder of the library for a good 45 minutes to search for that one specific book. She had spent 2 hours scouring through the bottom and middle section and found nothing. Yes, it had been three hours since she gets here and still didn't find the book.
That is until she notice a piece of paper sticking out of one of the book at the top shelf in the corner. Pulling the said paper she realize that the book is the one that she had been searching for. "Found you!"
"What did you find?"
"Ahhhh!"
*catches*
closing her eyes Yanyi thought that the destination is suppose to be as hard as the floor. To her surprise, she didn't feel anything and instead felt like she is still floating with her feet not touching anything, even the ground. Opening her eyelids, she saw the shelf and ladder from which she fell.
Turning her head, she saw a pair of blood crimson eyes staring at her. His arms is underneath her torso and in between the back of her knee. Luyao had catch her just in time. But she didn't forget that he is also the person that cause her to fall in the first place.
Smacking his shoulder she glare to him. "Knock before coming in, blockhead." The man didn't disregard nor be insulted by the insult as it is his fault. Yanyi open up the book in her hand while Luyao walk over to the sitting area. He ask, "What have you been searching for?"
Yanyi — "A book about cryptic symbols. I have seen the cover before and figure that it must be here somewhere. Seriously though, top shelf and in the corner? Who use this library?"
Luyao — "Aunty Vaiden. Most of the books are pick by the previous head. When a new owner came, those books will either be discarded or be put elsewhere."
Yanyi — "Talking about studying."
She flipped through the book while Luyao sets her down onto the couch. Her head and eyes moved rapidly which arouse his suspicion whether she is reading them or skimming through. He opens his mouth and was met with the answer immediately. "Yes, I am reading them. I have been reading books for ages already and my mother is a famous writer, of course I have to adapt quickly."
"Talk about book smart." She ignored the insult and stop her reading when she finds a piece of the pages were torn apart. She look over to where she had fallen and saw the piece of paper on the floor. Her command Luyao to take the said piece is met with an annoyed eye roll.
Placing back the piece she finally found the symbol they've been looking for. The incomplete kite symbol. Although there are a total of four of them with each side missing. Those side however is met with a needle like line protruding outside the said space.
Luyao — "What are you looking at?"
Yanyi — "This symbol. We decoded it when we were investigating. Though, it isn't a complete one."
Luyao — "What do you mean not a complete one?"
Yanyi — "You see this line. It wasn't present in any of the symbol we have. At first I thought that it could've just been a kite. But when you have a pattern in something, there must be a reason behind it. Which led me to suspect that it is a cryptic message."
"Did you find anything that can attest to these claim?" He shakes her head. Unfortunately she hadn't thought that far through. What could possibly attest to these cryptic be the key? Maybe it could've just been a kite. Heck, it could've been just a coincidence.
Seeing her down, Luyao proclaim that it is enough for her to dwell here longer. He for some reason carry her yet again and told her to continue reading the book to him. She abide and explain how the symbol is used in star navigation at see. The star in the sky not only confirm the non-existence of turbulence but also to see whether the next rest destination is close or not.
It is also use in map-mapping. Particularly in construction mapping. This is as according to the ancient times, ease the direction of people. Not a lot of people knew about their direction and only remember the basic north, south, east and west. By having this they can further learn about the location of their destination as well as further enhance their mapping skills.
He let her down by the door and open it for her to walk while reading. By the time she had finished, she was met with two pair of confuse eyes. Holding up the book she had been searching for, with nonchalant she said. "I found the book."
Kazuto — "You took three hours there to search for a book?!"
Yanyi — "Hey! Don't blame me when the previous owner place the book on the tallest motherfucking shelves in the library! And in the corner, you illiterate buffoon!"
Irene — "Okay! That's enough. What did you find?"
"The possible symbol to our problem. We just have to find the way." Luyao eyes is plastered on the map where Kazuto had left open. Without further thinking and only based of what had been said and the current state of the house, he suggest. "Have you guys put the symbol on the map yet?"
...
-Idiot-
-~*~-