"How's it going, Takagi?"
Inside the police box, Miwako Sato asked Wataru Takagi, who was sitting before the monitors, retrieving footage.
"We've already listed nearly 20 suspicious targets."
Takagi, red-eyed with a notepad in hand, slid his notebook towards Sato for her to see.
Looking down, Sato saw the recorded contents—license plate numbers, entry/exit times, and vehicle models—repeated for 17 vehicles.
"Seventeen suspicious targets? That's a massive undertaking."
Sato thought of colleagues already checking nearby shops' CCTV along the tunnel, then considered the road sections these vehicles had traversed and the additional footage required. Her scalp prickled at the scale.
Meanwhile, Takagi paused the footage, rubbing his sore eyes as he turned to ask:
"Where's Inspector Megure?"
"Getting an earful." Sato jerked her chin towards the window.
Looking up at the corridor window, Takagi saw Inspector Megure on the phone, repeatedly bowing in apology. The apologies were almost audible during lulls in their conversation.
"Rest assured, Manager Kuroda, I, Juzo Megure, guarantee we'll have answers within three days."
"Don't worry, I'll handle this kidnapping case properly."
"My deepest apologies for this incident!!"
After hanging up, Megure wiped his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief from his jacket before entering the monitoring room:
"Takagi, progress report? How many suspicious targets from the 317 identified?"
"Seventeen so far, with twelve already being tracked by other teams."
Takagi responded, then asked curiously:
"Inspector, was that just now..."
"Manager Kuroda." Megure sighed mournfully. "Apparently, Minister Fujiwara called the Metropolitan Police Department and gave Director Matsumoto a proper dressing-down. Then Director Matsumoto took it out on Manager Kuroda, who in turn came to vent on me."
"Rank really does crush people! Getting scolded for no reason and having to apologise too."
"This was supposed to be the Public Security Bureau's responsibility!!"
"What about their side?" Takagi inquired.
Megure's expression immediately brightened:
"Even worse for them! Manager Kuroda used to be their superior. Reportedly gave their undercover agents and handlers a half-hour tongue-lashing - took considerable heat off me."
"Heard the Police Superintendent personally called to berate them too. They've probably been bowing and apologising non-stop for over an hour now."
"Well..." Takagi didn't quite know how to respond to Megure's schadenfreude.
"Right, Sato, send our findings to Public Security to verify the evidence chain and movement patterns."
Despite mocking his colleagues, Megure remained professional:
"Though Public Security's already confirmed that Gin and Vodka's whereabouts. We're just supplementary at this point."
"Our responsibility should lighten considerably now. Tell everyone not to stress - we can take our time investigating."
Hearing this, Wataru Takagi was overjoyed: "Really? Inspector Megure, I'll notify Ota and the others right away."
Juzo Megure nodded in response, then suddenly heard his phone ring. Picking it up, he saw the name 'Manager Kuroda' and his heart skipped a beat.
Noticing this, Wataru Takagi and Miwako Sato fell silent immediately, watching as Juzo Megure answered the call.
"Manager Kuroda, it's me, Juzo." After just a few words, Juzo Megure froze:
"What? Director Luo Shu is inquiring about the situation? How did even someone like him get involved?"
"Ah? Director Luo had dinner at Minister Fujiwara's house yesterday? And had a pleasant conversation with the eldest daughter... I see, I understand. Rest assured, I'll deliver a detailed report by tonight."
"Yes, yes, yes. My deepest apologies, truly my deepest apologies!!"
After hanging up, Juzo Megure wore a look of utter despair and muttered gloomily:
"Takagi, cancel that notification. We're working overtime tonight. The results must be ready by midnight."
"The big shots above us are all waiting for updates!"
"Uh..." Wataru Takagi stared at his phone, torn between sending the message or not. In the end, he could only sigh and say:
"Yes, Inspector."
...
Tap tap tap!
Somewhere in Tokyo, near a remote warehouse.
Gin, hiding inside the warehouse, stared at his beloved car riddled with bullet holes and nearly lost his mind:
"Damn it, how was our location leaked? Who's the mole?"
At that moment, Vodka ran over with a grim expression:
"Boss, we're surrounded. Looks like the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Operations team."
"Quiet!"
Gin raised a finger, listening carefully, and immediately picked up the sound of rotor blades amidst the gunfire.
His face instantly darkened:
"Damn it, they actually deployed an attack helicopter!"
"How dare they use that in the city centre!!"
Beside him, Vodka turned pale and cursed angrily:
"For just the two of us, plus the peripheral members—eight people at most—they send three squads, thirty fully armed operatives? Fine, I can accept snipers, too, but an attack helicopter? Are you kidding me?"
Gin's expression darkened further, resembling a burnt pot.
Just then, the phone in his chest pocket vibrated.
Realisation dawned on him. He took out the phone, glanced at the number, and answered with a cold tone:
"Bourbon... So you're the traitor!!"
On the other end of the line, Bourbon—Rei Furuya—sighed:
"Gin, stop struggling. Aside from a full squad of special operatives and the attack helicopter, the Metropolitan Police Department's secret unit, the Bujin-shū, has also been mobilised. Not to mention, the Onmyou Agency has sent their people too."
"I think you know what these... special individuals are capable of."
"Surrender."
"If you cooperate, I guarantee you'll live to see parole."
"Don't mock me!!"
Gin's voice was icy as he glanced coldly at his beloved gun. He raised it and pressed the barrel against his temple:
"You'll learn nothing, Bourbon."
The next moment, Gin's pupils contracted, his eyes rolled back, and before he could react, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
At that moment, Vodka picked up his phone nearby, cleared his throat and said:
"This is KGB senior agent Vodka. I need to contact my superior."
There was a long silence from Bourbon on the other end of the line before he responded:
"We need you to provide some information. Don't resist what comes next."
"Understood!"
Vodka took a deep breath, glanced at Gin, whom he'd knocked unconscious, discarded his gun, and crouched down with his hands behind his head.
Soon after, fully armed tactical team members stormed in, surrounding both Gin and Vodka.
...
Meanwhile, five kilometres away on the rooftop of a building, Rei Furuya sighed and dialled Manager Kuroda's number:
"Manager Kuroda, we've got them. Vodka's situation is somewhat special - it involves the Russians. Understood. I'll begin the interrogation immediately."
After hanging up the phone, Rei Furuya took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit one for himself, and muttered gloomily:
"After all these years undercover, ruined in one move... What kind of joke is this?"
...
Meanwhile, at the Metropolitan Police Department, Hyoue Kuroda finally let out a sigh of relief:
"We've finally caught that damned core member of the Black Organisation."
"Better explain the situation to Matsumoto quickly."
As he spoke, the phone before him suddenly rang.
"Hello, this is Kuroda. Ah, Matsumoto? I've got good news—we've caught the one who kidnapped Minister Fujiwara's daughter—"
"What?! The Foreign Minister's daughter has been kidnapped?!"
"Bloody hell..."
Kuroda's scalp went numb.