Prologue

11th May 2006, 3.20am; the Japanese Police Force had received a phone call regarding an insane man on the loose, who had randomly murdered a salary-man at the outskirts of Tokyo, as said by a witness. However, due to the lack of police officers on duty at such a time, only two were dispatched, who were within the vicinity to investigate the matter. Traces they received led the officers to a derelict building around Shinagawa. Doubt grew on the twosome before getting out of their Daihatsu Storia patrol car.

“Are you sure about this?” asked the female officer who sported shoulder length jet black hair. “We should really be calling more back up in this kind of situation.”

The male counterpart, who possessed a rather buff body and dark brown short flattop, shrugged before replying, “They told us ahead of time that they’re short of officers on duty. But no matter, I did pressure them to send in more back up if they can.”

Standing right before them was the said building the madman might have hid himself. The two-storey structure was dominated with major cracks even though the pillar supports stood well. Every windowpane was shattered, while its off-white paint the building initially had was now reduced to mere stains of grey and brown with moss growing on the edges of its flat roof. Sounds of glass cracking caught the officers’ attention.

“We’re going in,” the male officer implied, grasping his Glock 17 handgun while releasing the safety lock. “Back me up.”

“I’m still unsure about this,” replied the brunette, though she did tail along, covering her partner’s back.

Shoes squelched under the puddles of water and grease while the dark surroundings did little to assist them to get a better view ahead. The ground level they were on creaked, reminding them that they were walking on wooden flooring. The walls were literally made of mahogany, all rotten by the humidity and moisture of the place- a loud thud ensued the moment they reached a T-junction of the corridor. The male officer spun to the left, while his partner to the right. Barrels of their handguns aimed at the pitch black areas of the passageway, expecting something to jump out. Nothing.

The woman loosened after all that intense moments. She let out a sigh, as if expressing the redundant need to be alert- an audible metallic clang reverberated through the corridor they were on. It seemed that it came from the female brunette’s direction. The tall man paced his way nearer to the source before his partner tailed behind before finding themselves towards a rusty door. Poorly maintained hinges had left it ajar- several kinds of creaking ensued as the buff officer opened it. Mere moonlight from the shattered windows was the only light source they had for now; he had a torchlight back in the car, but had forgotten to bring it. Unused rusted out pipes were crudely stacked up near the walls while several chains hung from the exposed ceiling.

Doubt turned to suspicion for the brunette. Pacing ahead than her partner, she aimed her firearm towards any possible hiding areas where this… ‘lunatic’ might have gone.

“Don’t go too far ahead,” the tall officer warned. “He might be in here-.”

“Wha-?” sputtered the woman when she felt a hard thrust from behind, a sharp one-. “No!”

An audible crack before a faint splatter was heard. Fear kicked in. She knew she was being assaulted, but at that point of time, she could not bear to see what damage her body had taken. Her eyes rolled down as her body twitched twice by her movements. A gasp left her mouth before her partner rushed to her aid. A rusty pipe had impaled through her torso from her back. Blood turned from a mere trickle, to a constant flow. Unfortunately, that was what the woman had seen before everything went pitch black; lifeless.

“Damn it!” the man cursed under his breath, knowing that he can do nothing to save his partner.

He spun around while aiming his handgun towards the pitch black areas of the room. A clang caught his attention immediately; he dashed towards the source, located on the other end, just opposite of where his… deceased partner was.

“Get your butt out of there!” he swore, his right finger just waiting for the right time to squeeze the trigger.

However, it never came. Instead, another form of rusty pipe came piercing through his nape, literally killing him instantly as the thrust sent his body hurtling out of the window, hitting the hard asphalt outside. Silence soon dominated the area before faint shuffling of shoes dragging echoed within the building.

I’m perfect… not them! I’m on the right, they’re on the wrong!

Tokyo Battalions
By: Outlaw-2 Extreme

Life; blood that runs through a living body,
The heart; the muscle that drives them,
The mind; initiates the chaos,
The insanity; the mindless obsession of murder.

… … …

13th May 2006, 3.30pm

A search was conducted for the two missing officers after not reporting back to the police box for the on 11th May. They were found deceased in a derelict building around Shinagawa, after witnesses spotted an empty Daihatsu Storia police car with its engine still running. It is believed that they were murdered by the same madman that had struck Tokyo recently for the past week. The Police Force could have done the operations themselves, but due to the lack of personnel, they were only restricted to investigation while other operations have been passed to The Academy for further assistance.

… … …

1st Chapter
Lunacy

“And there the suspect strikes again,” said a blonde before adding her remarks. “We’ll be sitting ducks for the time being unless we get the order from Chief.”

“We wouldn’t want to simply accuse a random person for being the murderer, right? Time would get the answer for us. It’s a pity that the National Police Agency is having a hard time recruiting capable officers at the moment, so we’re quite strained,” the European responded calmly before resuming with her paperwork.

“So long The Academy is not deferred to the prefecture headquarters, I’m all right with it,” sputtered the blonde before tossing her pen onto the sheets of written work in a form of frustration. “It’s been two hours of paperwork, Raquel. Think it’s time for a break.”

“Give me a minute Claire; I’m almost done.”

The lass, Claire Everon, stood up the moment she was done stretching. At a height of 1.82 metres, she was the tallest female officer in The Academy. Blue were her eyes while long blonde of mid-back length was her hair that was tied to a simple ponytail while sideburns ends at her shoulders with centre parted fringe that ends above her eyebrows. Hailing from Zurich, Switzerland, the 26 year old sports an attire consisting of a white long sleeved shirt and black straight cut trousers with matching black leather shoes. The Swiss preferred simple clothing; she would have better flexibility. But of course, there was one thing she hated about herself. Even though she had gone past puberty, her bosoms still looked… petite. Several people had even mistaken her for a feminine man, in fact one too many.

Blue eyes glanced at her partner, who had just finished her paperwork, now compiling it into a file. Raquel Schmidt was the said woman’s name, who had been suffering from a minor amnesia. The 27 year old knew her birth date, but could not recall her origin. She stands at a height of 1.72 metres while grey were her eyes. Her hair was of long wavy silver tied to twin-tails, and side parted fringe that end above her eyes. However, her attire was somewhat different from other officers. Raquel wears a long black dress that ends right at her ankles with five to six brown leather belts fastened rather firmly around her midriff. Brown were her leather boots and her leather overcoat. Though, even with an appearance, she does possess rather broad shoulders for a woman. But that was not the issue. She had a reason why she was allowed to wear as such. Raquel has an old wound that seemed not to be healing properly; it was a scar that runs across her midriff.

“Well, we better do our patrol duty,” insisted the wavy haired lady before Swiss sputtered.

“What? You said we’re going for a break earlier on?”

“Our patrol duty is our break,” Raquel implied.

“Why am I paired up with a workaholic?” thought the blonde before letting out a heavy sigh.

Fortunately for Claire, a clerk had dropped by, notifying the duo that they were summoned by Chief Craken, the head of The Academy. It was a sign for them; an assignment. Without a word, they headed towards the Chief’s office.

It had only been three minutes’ worth of walking, but it felt ages for the blonde. She preferred doing something different instead of the boring patrol runs. Barging into the Chief’s office without knocking, a sudden sputter was heard before Claire and Raquel took notice at what had occurred. The middle aged man had choked on his cup of coffee when he was surprised by the sudden presence of the duo. It had him coughing to clear his throat for a moment before remarking.

“You two ought to know that you should knock first before entering my office.”

The 53 year old, Chief Craken Robinson, sported black hair that was of pompadour hairstyle while eyes were of brown. At a height of 1.85 metres, he was the only person in The Academy to tower over Claire. His attire consisted of crisp white long sleeved shirt, black straight cut trousers, and matching black loafers. Even though he hailed from Virginia, America, very much he hated the country he was born on. It was not the people he loathed, it was the government. Craken used to be a sergeant in the Vietnam War, and he did not like how they were handling the issue. Soldiers as young as eighteen years old participated the war; he knew they might have just registered into the army, hence inadequate training. It drove him to the point he deliberately went MIA during the war, and fled to Japan as a permanent resident. The only items that were the memories of the war itself were the two M1911 handguns he used in the conflict.

Claire could only laugh her way out of the matter while Raquel let out a sigh, knowing her partner’s nature. But even so, they were not here to chit-chat; the middle aged man, without wasting time, went straight to the point.

“All right, it seems that the investigators might have a gist to the madperson’s whereabouts. Traces now lead towards Minato, where a possibility the suspect could have sought refuge at a warehouse near Chuo. However, this is not verified by them, hence the two of you are to head there to confirm their assumption.”

“So, now the police are using the ‘trial and error’ method instead of the usual ‘bust-in and search’. Maybe the lack of personnel is getting a bit grievous,” commented the Swiss before Raquel’s voice came into the conversation.

“But even so, we have to treat it as a serious matter. There might be a chance that the madman might have sought refuge at the warehouse. As the saying goes, we won’t know until we head there.”

“Right this sums up the short briefing. Your objectives are to search the warehouse. If the suspect is there, subdue him immediately. If he retaliates, do not kill the suspect; aim for his/her legs to stop him as a last resort,” Chief Craken ordered his two officers before the duo left for their assignment.

… … …

13th May 2006; 6.30pm
Location: Minato, Storage Warehouse near Chuo – Tokyo Prefecture

“I’m starting to realize that the suspect could have used abandoned buildings to commit the murders, considering the pattern. Last week, a woman in her mid-twenties was found impaled in a run-down factory in Nakano while three days after that, an elderly man was spotted decapitated at the outskirts of Shibuya in a derelict detached house,” implied Raquel before getting out of Claire’s white BMW M3 E46 the moment the duo reached the site.

“However, there is one odd out; the salary-man who was killed by the suspect, did not occur at any such place; he was found in a dead end alley in Shinagawa. This also points out a possibility that the lunatic might have also done the killings in obscure places as well. But whatever it is, we better get our butts ready to sneak in that warehouse. We wouldn’t want to end up dead like the two police officers,” Claire replied before grasping her Glock 17 handgun. “Best we get going now before the sun sets.”

“It’s already setting for your information, blonde,” the fair haired woman stated while narrowing her eyelids as a response before producing an old Mauser C96 handgun from under her overcoat. “Let’s head in.”

Damp and fetid were the words the Swiss could describe the moment they entered the warehouse. Crates that originally contained preserved food were poorly maintained, hence the decomposition. Wood palettes and other similar woodwork looked aged and on the brink of giving way; a sign that the duo had to be careful when they are undergoing the search. However, the main problem was, lighting was lacking. The windows on the roof seemed to have been boarded up poorly, limiting the amount of illumination to the warehouse. That had Raquel grabbing her torchlight prematurely before the door behind them slammed shut. Claire swore under her breath before aiming a left index finger at her partner simultaneously.

“You had to let the door slam, idiot,” whispered the Swiss woman, though the twin-tailed counterpart had not been listening. “Hey, Raquel.”

Instead, the woman with the overcoat was fumbling with her torchlight in the near pitch black warehouse, literally trying to find the switch. However, even though it was unintentional, the way she was doing so felt as if she was molesting the torchlight. Claire planted her face into her right palm before she snatched the device from her partner.

She squinted her eyes, so she could find the damned switch in the midst of darkness. Claire found it; located at the base of the device. As soon she pressed it with the seemingly a bulb pointing towards her, the Swiss lass found herself blinded by bright light. She cursed under her breath, shutting her eyes tight. Raquel raised her eyebrows as she saw what had happened. The Swiss blinked her eyes repeatedly till it no longer hurt while passing the torchlight back to the shorter woman. But that did not prevent Raquel from controlling her laughter, now in short sputters and an unsteady smile.

“Serves you right,” she responded before waving her Mauser handgun to calm herself down, aiming the torchlight ahead of them.

… … …

Not a word left their mouths soon after as they weaved through the sprawling mess of broken crates and splintered timber. The cold concrete floor was littered with wood chips and dust while moisture in a form of used grease and water smeared on the surface. Silence was what both of them could only hear- an audible squelch ensued under the soles of Raquel’s boots. Claire’s head lifted upwards after taking note of possible ‘sound-making’ environments before aiming a finger at her partner, unintentionally poking Raquel’s right cheek rather hard while doing so. Twin-tails responded by sending a left back hand into Claire’s scalp before placing a finger on the blonde’s lips. The fuming Swiss held her breath just before she could swear at the silver haired woman- both of them paused.

They swore a foreign sound was heard. Raquel took the lead while her right hand that held her Mauser C96 gripped tighter than usual. Lighting the route ahead with the torchlight in a sweeping motion, she took notice of fresh footsteps that may have come from the suspect. But the question was, is it really the suspect? It could have been a worker dropping by into the factory. But that theory itself was doubtful; who would be crazy enough to get supplies of decomposed preserved food? A hard crunch from a distance alerted the twin-tailed lass. She spun to the left, looking in between two crates that was stacked in a pyramid fashion before Claire came up to Raquel to cover her back. Blue eyes from the blonde scanned the area around them, but could not help but notice the increase in humidity in the warehouse. Her forehead had broken out in sweat, but had not had the time to wipe them off. Claire knew her flaw when it came to situations like this; lacking attentiveness with the surroundings. That problem had been the plague for her, but she did try to improve… with little effect. A snap of fingers from Raquel caught her attention; most probably signaling her to take a look in between the two crates.

“Do you see something suspicious over the other side?” whispered the Mauser wielding woman while Claire took a peek.

Blue eyes strained while trying to figure out what Raquel had spotted. Using the torchlight at that moment would only alert the suspect is he/she was to see it. Fortunately though, she did caught attention of a certain something; a pair of legs seemed to be dangling or hovering in the air.

“Is it the hanging legs?” replied the blonde, though Raquel was already sensing something out of the picture at that moment.

Grey eyes spun to the right while shining the torchlight at that direction. Movements were seen just right beside her, dashing past the stacked crates. However, instead of chasing that ‘someone’, she literally pounced towards Claire, bowling her over. The stacked wooden boxes rocked just before Raquel had done the action. A hard thud ensued before a several cracks and crunches overwhelmed it. The said sounds reverberated for a few moments before faint drips of moisture dripping onto the surface of several puddles were heard. Twin-tails got to a sitting position after managing to get Claire out of danger before turning to look at the wreckage behind her. Yet again, it seemed to be even more puzzling. Rusty nails were seen spilling out from the broken crates instead of the expected preserved food.

The blonde, though stunned at the moment, took notice at what her partner had seen before sputtering, “Dang it. That damned suspect might have rigged the place beforehand.”

Everyone is in the wrong! They are flawed, I’m perfect! Even the police are corrupted!

The duo paused when they heard it. Raquel switched off the torchlight, knowing that the suspect might be nearby. Keeping their firearms close, Claire made her way deeper into the warehouse before signaling Raquel to head for the other direction in attempt to surround the felon. Blue eyes strained to navigate through the near pitch black darkness, though trying to take notice of her surroundings. A clang to the right- with her firearm, she spun to that direction, literally aiming towards the source. Only a spanner hanging with raffia string hitting a metal support pillar, she thought. But even so, she noted the poor, rusty condition of the structure; the storehouse could cave in should it give way. A glimmer caught her eye soon after that, spotted behind another form of stacked crates. However, judging from the event that happened earlier on, the blonde paced her way around it, with her right index finger literally touching the trigger of the Glock 17.

“A reflection from a broken mirror,” thought the Swiss before glancing at her colleague who was on the opposite of where she was.

Raquel had examined what were the hanging legs were, and it seemed that the suspect had struck once again. A middle-aged man, possibly a resident in the area, was found hung by several rusty chains that wrapped around his neck while his torso had been stabbed by what it seemed to be metal rods.

“The suspect seemed to have a penchant in using anything metal to kill,” she murmured before resuming with surrounding the criminal.

But it seemed hard for her to do so. Her boots squelched constantly whenever she stepped on one of the many puddles in the warehouse. She remarked with a faint ‘tch’, knowing that if the maneuver were to fail, it was her fault. Grey eyes spotted movements again at the far left. She intended to signal Claire to come over, but she could barely make out where her partner was. Frustration kicked in for a moment before she took the risk of going in by herself. Quickly, she paced her way behind a set of racks filled with crates, her back leaning against it. Edging her head towards a corner of the said items, she managed to catch a glimpse of the probable suspect, who had the back facing her. Raquel paused at that moment before spotting a metal rod in the felon’s hands, the ones similar that was used on the victim she saw earlier on.

Huh! The world is in the apocalypse! Everything that’s going on now is wrong! They have no idea what the true meaning of life is! Sevres them right to be killed by a righteous person!

Raquel backed off, just to prevent the suspect from noticing her presence- an audible crack echoed. She swore under her breath; she had stepped on chipped wood, which responded as such when her boots stepped on it by accident. Instantly, she knelt-.

Who’s there, another corrupted person waiting in line to be taught a lesson about the real freedom?

Silence was what twin-tails could hear. Cold sweat ran down her face. She inched forwards before wiping them off with the left sleeve of her overcoat- a hard crack rang into her ears, just missing her scalp. Raquel jerked forward before lunging away from her cover. She spun towards where the suspect was before raising her voice.

“Claire, over here!”

A hard right fist met Raquel’s torso the moment she finished her sentence. A gasp left her mouth before she went ahead with a rash swing with the torchlight, literally hitting the felon’s right temple. The said woman gagged at that moment, she knew what would happen if her midriff were to inflict more damage; her old wound might open up again. She aimed her Mauser C96 at the suspect and triggered it hastily. Bullets splintered off the ground as they missed the target, who had dived behind a metal desk before kicking it towards Raquel. Grey eyes widened when she saw it, and attempted to sidestep away from the moving object. She did so with a quick leap, but was seconds too late to clear it. Her left leg got caught by the desk, and soon found herself slamming onto the cold, moist concrete flooring front first. That sudden impact left her very much in a daze, allowing the offender to strike with a quick kill. A metal rod was seen raised from a distance, planning to hurl towards Raquel the moment she stands up. A wide leer was seen on the suspect’s face before a throw was executed.

Die, tainted officer!

A harsh right fist into the face overcame that, sending the felon several steps back. Blue eyes took notice of the said person’s gender and some facial looks while initiating another quick blow to the chin; a man, sporting a mullet and moustache, and of moderate build, she thought. Claire’s right fist met at the exact spot she wanted to hit, literally had the man stumbling to the ground with the metal displaced some distance away.

The hell I would lose to such atrocity!

The Swiss soon found herself caught off guard when the suspect head-butted her straight for her navel before a violent shove to the left ensued. The sudden movements did managed to relocate her position, but was not enough to make her fall. Claire winced at the impact for a short while- a faint yelp from Raquel overwhelmed it. Blue eyes spun to look. She thought her twin-tailed partner had been assaulted, but it was not. Instead, the woman with the overcoat had taken measures to restrain the suspect after getting up to her feet; behind the felon, she used her two arms to restrain him by the shoulders. Raquel knew if she were not to hold it before Claire could dash and subdue him, it would be for nothing- a hard left boot met her knee at high impact. A gasp was what she had sputtered before falling into a kneeling position, while both hands grasped at the affected ligament.

Claire dashed towards where her partner was before her eyes caught attention of the fleeing man. Dissatisfaction kicked in for the blonde, knowing that she had two choices to make at one spot; check on Raquel, or chase the suspect-.

“Don’t mind me, just get him before he escapes!” twin-tails yelled at the Swiss, getting up to her feet ever so slowly. “I’m fine here!”

That response was enough to trigger the tall lass into dashing towards the said felon. Unfortunately, as much as she could run, the moment she found herself out of the warehouse, he was no where to be found, except for fresh rubber marks just a few metres from where she stood.

“He escaped via vehicle, dang it!” thought the blonde before swearing in German. “Blutiger Verdächtiger!”

Raquel, who finally caught up after limping for quite a distance, seemed not amused by what had occurred, “He escaped, didn’t he?”

“Very much so; look at these tyre marks. The suspect might have a car with him all along,” replied Claire rubbing her scalp with her left hand, a little disappointed by tonight’s performance. “We might as well return back to The Academy and report about it. At least we now know how he kills.”

“Constant usage of metal rods,” said Raquel in a rather tired tone. “God my left knee hurts. This is going to affect my agility.”

… … …

The suspect; he might have escaped,
But tracking down; it has just begun,
Tyres squealing; it echoes through the night,
Waiting for one day; the suspect will be chased again.

… … …

13th May 2006; 9.30pm

Two officers from The Academy have returned from the search, and have reported that the suspect was there, and had murdered yet another victim. A middle-aged man who lives in the vicinity of Minato has been found hanged and stabbed in an abandoned storehouse where it was once used by a fishing company. The Police Force has been deployed to settle the matter while investigators are now working closely with The Academy in order to quicken the pace.

Engines; it shall roar,
Tyres; it shall wear out,
The chase; from the streets, to the highway,
A high speed pursuit through Tokyo.

… … …

16th May 2006; 2.30pm

Investigators have uncovered the suspect, though had not been successful at capturing him. Raito Musume, 38 years old, is responsible of the murders that had taken place in the prefecture. It is said that the suspect has a penchant of killing his victim by stabbing with metal rods, as examined by other bodies as well. The public population has been advised not to use secluded routes when going out, and remain in crowded areas as much as they can. Claire Everon and Raquel Schmidt has been appointed to assist with the matter, together with a new The Academy’s officer-in-training, now stationed at Shinjuku Police Station.

… … …

2nd Chapter
The Hot Pursuit

“It’s been three days ever since we last heard of this Raito. Maybe the media really had him on high alert, and could have sought using disguises if he were to head out,” the blonde remarked, tossing the newspaper she had been reading for some time onto her desk before crossing her arms. “This is getting cumbersome. Our patrol runs have been extended by an hour as well, yet no sign of the suspect.”

Claire’s partner, Raquel, however remained calm. That nature of hers was enough to fuel the Swiss with a witty comment.

“You seemed unfazed by the situation, like an ice cream stuck in the Arctic Circle.”

“Like I said,” the silver haired lass replied, busy with her paperwork, not taking a look at Claire. “Time will get us there. Keep worrying and you’ll more or less end up with wrinkles under the eyes, and being called an ‘old tart’ instead of your current mistaken position as a feminine man.”

“If breasts were removable, I swear I’ll steal yours. I don’t care if it hurts by back or get suffocated by them; I just want to have busts, not tiny road humps!” blue eyes glared at her partner before aiming a finger at her. “Unlike you, at least you have a decent ‘rack’; proportional at least.”

“It’s just a normal size ‘B’. But that’s not my main concern when it comes to my body; it’s the scar that gets me. It’s been years since I got it and it still can’t heal properly. Even doctors are stumped by their find,” Raquel countered without a change in tone before compiling her paperwork into a temporary hard back folder. “Now then, instead of yapping away about human anatomy, how about we best do some firearm practices? You seriously need to keep check on your poor accuracy.”

Claire stood up, annoyed by the fact that Raquel brought up about the blonde’s mediocre shooting skills. She knew the wavy haired woman had one of the best firearm talents hence the reason she loved using the old Mauser, even though she had the ability to even withstand the heavy recoil from an old FG42 rifle, even possibly an MG42. The tall woman stole a glance at the cool-headed Raquel. She really wanted to take the hike and simply get on with the boring patrol runs; Claire was better off at driving and close combat than shooting. But even so, the thought of Chief looming over her for not doing her firearm practices always get the better of the Swiss. A heavy sigh left her mouth, knowing that she would once again unveil herself in the rifle range as one of the least performing officers in shooting. However, a familiar presence in a form of Chief Craken himself came into view with a few pieces of paper in his hands.

“Just in time for me to give you the heads up,” the former American assumed before moving on straight to the main topic. “The suspect, Raito, as been spotted again, this time within the Chuo ward. I want you to get this over and done with quickly; he’s been running around for too long. The victim list by him is now tapping twelve, after digging deeper into the case.”

“You seemed to be rather uptight these days as well, Chief,” Raquel commented, grasping the papers her superior had handed over.

“It is obvious; for a suspect to have double digits in the number of murders, who would? And also, do note the C1 Inner Loop of the Tokyo Expressway. Expect a pursuit, if he spots both of you. I’ll contact your back up assistance to be on stand by at Chuo.”

Chief Craken’s deeper tone was an obvious sign to both Raquel and Claire that he was serious about the matter and needed to put an end to it, fast. Delaying it further on might affect the reputation of both the Police Force, and The Academy.

“We best get on ahead while we still can,” Claire’s voice broke the silence before her right hand rummaged through her trousers’ pockets to retrieve her car keys. “Let’s go, Raquel.”

… … …

16th May 2006; 4.30pm
Location: Somewhere in Chuo – Tokyo Prefecture

“There’s one thing I’ve been really meaning to ask,” the Swiss broke the silence in the white coupe, stopping before a red traffic light.

“I think I know what it would be,” grey eyes peered through the passenger side window. “Where should we begin?”

“Spot on. But I assume it’s just another typical patrol run, but at a specific ward, right?”

“I don’t even have to respond to your question; it’s obvious right from the start.”

A heavy sigh left Claire’s mouth as the traffic light turned green. Applying half throttle, she allowed the BMW to jump ahead from the other civilian automobiles hence she could lane-change to the extreme right; she had the intention to turn into another street in the upcoming junction after a tight left bend. Turning the indicator on, she applied lightly on the brakes, easing her BMW to a stop upon reaching the said junction. Raquel on the other hand was busy gazing at the surroundings of Chuo. Just like any other ward on Tokyo, everything seemed in perfect order; no problems spotted, with the exception of some senior high school students teasing each other physically to the point one of them received a quick backhand to his scalp. She could sigh at the moment, wishing that there would not be a need for them to be in search of the suspect, but the NPA’s current position was at its all time low, hence there was no choice.

“I really hope the NPA could deal with their manpower shortage quickly. The Academy’s been really beyond active these days,” thought the silver haired woman before the coupe turned to the desired street, that is, until Claire’s voice caught her attention.

“Consider us lucky today.”

Grey eyes turned to the direction where her Swiss counterpart had pointed to with her index finger. Raquel knew who it was; the suspect. That undoubtedly similar mullet hairstyle and moustache she had made out back in the warehouse incident, the wavy haired albino felt that they had to get him quickly- Claire floored the throttle of the BMW, literally had Raquel glued to her seat.

“What are you doing?” sputtered the passenger before noticing the felon taking flight towards what it seemed a black sports saloon; possibly a Mitsubishi.

“What do you think it is?” Claire reacted before turning on the police beacon. “He’s going to get away if I don’t chase him. It was a case of bad timing that he noticed our presence. Alert Chief on this. I have a feeling that he needs to know the current situation.”

Claire began chase of the fleeing suspect, finally recognizing the getaway car as a black Mitsubishi Lancer, an early 90’s model. Raquel grasped her cellphone to call Chief on their status. The driver of the white BMW swerved to the right-most lane to evade a truck before the black sedan was within sight, but at a distance of about fifty metres. Claire then assumed the suspect had modified the car, considering the gap it had managed to attain at such a short amount of time. The blonde floored the throttle the moment traffic became sparse. The suspect’s sedan took a harsh left hander at the T-junction before Claire followed suit. Slamming onto the brakes, she shifted the gear stick down to 2nd before turning the wheel hard. That maneuver had her BMW changing direction just before entering the turn, allowing a higher exit speed.

Blue eyes glared at the road ahead. It was an incline, then a moderate right bend. The Lancer was still ahead, but the distance separating them was shorter; Claire was catching up. She stole a glance at her partner, who was on the phone, in contact with Chief.

“Come on, pick up the phone,” thought Raquel before the line came through. “Chief? This is Raquel. We have spotted the suspect, and we’ve began the chase. Right now, we’re heading towards the Y-junction before hitting the Shutokou. I repeat, the Y-junction before the Shutokou.”

“Thanks for the Intel. I’ll alert your back up. Try to stop him at all costs. If it fails, follow your back up. Seems that ‘she’ has the info of the suspect’s home; a possible place he might be heading to,” Chief Craken responded after taking a while to digest the information given.

“All right, we’ll contact you once we complete the assignment,” the wavy haired woman replied before ending the call, turning her attention to Claire soon after. “Make sure the suspect, Raito, hits the Shutokou. The traffic on the other fork seems as bad as always.”

“He would obviously be heading there. What kind of felon would even think of that decision?” blue eyes took a short glance at grey ones.

“If I were the suspect, I would, with a motorbike instead of a car,”

“All right, put aside the ‘what-ifs’ for now. We got a suspect to catch,” Claire cut in before gearing up to 3rd, using the most potential out of her coupe.

… … …

16th May 2006; 4.45pm
Location: The Shutokou, ‘Inner C1 ShinKanjou Loop’ Rest Area

Within the sparely populated parking lot where drivers would take a breather from their long journeys stood a Nissan Cedric Patrol Cruiser, with its engine left running. Inside was a 1.6 metre tall female sporting a black medium bob hairstyle, in which the front ends at the collarbone, while the back just above the nape. Here eyes were of glazed deep crimson, often mistaken for black while her attire differed from what the usual police officers would wear. Very often, she would always be seen in a long sleeved white shirt, a brown skirt that ends just above her knees, and black kitten heel shoes.

She had been instructed by Chief from The Academy to be on standby for a probable police chase, or lead the duo to the suspect’s apartment should it fail through. No matter, that did not stop the North Korean from reading a novel to keep herself occupied while waiting, until her cellphone vibrated on the dashboard. Not uttering a word, she grasped the device, and replied, though her voice was a little soft to begin with.

“Hyun-Su here,”

“Get ready; they’ve just hit Inner C1 ShinKanjou. What’s the status of traffic?” Chief Craken’s voice came through, getting straight to the point.

“Sparse.”

“Right, get to it. If you see a black sedan being chased by a white BMW, it’s them. I’m counting on you.”

Hyun-Su did not utter another word before ending the call. There was no need for her to speak on. Book-marking the novel before keeping it in the gloves compartment, the petite brunette released the handbrakes before setting the Nissan into gear, exiting the rest area. The idea of assisting two members from The Academy seemed absurd to her; it is a typical car chase, and that was all. But there was another possibility; for Chief Craken to require assistance from a police station could be a sign that it might be just more than a car chase, considering that she has the info of the suspect. For some unknown reason, the moment her patrol cruiser hit the highway, the North Korean had been very much stealing glances at the rear view mirror. She already knew to expect two cars ripping down the same road as she is, but a sense of urgency had Hyun-Su on her toes.

“Two pairs of headlights, coming up fast,” thought the brunette, applying more pressure onto the accelerator before gearing up quickly into 3rd. “It’s them.”

Without a second thought, the North Korean floored the throttle and activated the police beacon the moment the two vehicles blasted past her at high speed. She bit her lip as a response; she could have sped up earlier on hence she would not need to lag behind at such a distance. Hitting 4th gear the moment the patrol cruiser was out of revs at 170kmh, the brunette went full tilt on the accelerator, knowing that she had to catch up as soon as she could.

… … …

“Wasn’t that our back up?” Raquel’s voice rang into Claire’s ears, annoying her in the process.

“Not now!” the blonde’s words were cut off when she swerved harshly into the outside lane, evading a white Toyota Chaser. “I can’t seem to catch up with that bugger!”

Frustration kicked in for the Swiss as she moved the gear knob to 4th prematurely, at least allowing having more grip on the two-lane highway on this particular section. A quick left hander was next. The suspect’s Mitsubishi cleared the bend with a swift steer, though tyres were squealing; a possible sign that it may wear out at anytime. Claire followed suit on the inside lane. She steered the wheel, hard. Minimal tyre squeal was heard before the Swiss gasped.

“Damn!” sputtered the blonde before tapping on the brakes before getting her coupe back to the same lane, missing the road divider by mere inches.

Gearing down to 3rd, Claire applied half throttle for the sharp incline before a swift right bend decline ahead. Blue eyes were still intent on spotting the black sedan that had disappeared from her view. Steering slightly to the left the moment her BMW reached the crest of the incline, she then went full throttle on the next section, even though knowing that another road divider was up next after the quick downhill bend. The Swiss then geared up into 4th, just barely after speeding past the said obstruction. The suspect’s car was within view, barely that is. Claire’s hasty stint moments ago had cost her to tail Raito. But no matter, all is left was a quick straightaway to an incline. The blonde had to make a mad dash in order to catch up with the felon; else the chase was for nothing.

“Come on!” she remarked, literally ignoring Raquel, who had been holding on for dear life. “Why can’t my BMW go any faster?”

The Swiss stole a glance at the speedometer; 200kmh it read, and that was tipping the end of 4th gear. She hesitated for that moment, considering a truck cab was on one lane, where it might switch lanes at any point of time. A faint ‘tsk’ left her mouth before she came up with a decision; she shifted the gear knob into 5th. Acceleration kicked in as speeds continue to rise. The black sedan was now clearer in view. 240kmh was the speed Claire’s coupe had tapped at the moment before overtaking the truck cab, just before it could switch lanes. The loud blare from its horn from the huge vehicle rang into the blonde’s ears, but she could not care less. The suspect’s capture was her top priority, possibly above her life.

The incline section was next; a dangerous place to speed, considering that beyond it is a three-way junction. The suspect’s sedan disappeared after clearing the crest of the incline. The Swiss hit 6th gear just before reaching that section. 260kmh was on the speedometer. All Claire wanted to know was what route the felon had taken, and that was it. The peak was near, and the blonde was ready to steal a quick glance on the road ahead-.

“Stop!” Raquel’s voice overwhelmed Claire’s attention. “Bus ahead!”

Those two words were already enough for the driver to react frantically. Brake lights lit up just before clearing the incline. However, at a speed of 250kmh at that point of time, it was enough to send the BMW airborne for a few moments while the said bus came into view.

“Holy sh- Hold on!” the blonde responded before she had the brake pedal floored while steering the coupe to the right, just before her coupe hit the tarmac.

That reaction literally sent the white car into a wild slide before spinning out, literally missing the vehicle ahead of them with just a scrape on the right fender. The BMW came into a full stop seconds later, with the duo gasping for air. Tyres screeching reverberated throughout that particular section of the Shutokou before it faded off by another overwhelming rumble from a patrol cruiser they had spotted few minutes ago. Claire, who was still shaken by what she had did to avoid a massive collision, stumbled out of her coupe, supporting herself by holding onto the door of the BMW. But even so, she was still frustrated, considering that she had failed to spot which route the suspect had taken.

“Raquel, what do you reckon; which route that Raito might have taken?” the Swiss asked before another figure coming from the Nissan patrol car interrupted.

“The name is Hyun-Su. I was instructed to lead you to the suspect’s apartment should the chase fail through,” the brunette replied, before adding in a specific info. “By Chief Craken.”

“Even though I’m still all shaken up by that blonde’s berserk driving stint, I still think we might have a chance to get the suspect as with your idea… err…” Raquel’s voice was heard before hesitating, knowing that she had not captured the brunette’s name.

“Hyun-Su,” the petite woman implied, though her voice came a little softer than usual.

“Right, Hyun-Su.”

“I rather not be picky at this point of time,” Claire barged in, a little uneasy about the brunette. “So lead us to where that goon is. I’m counting on you, even if this is on short notice.”

The North Korean did not utter a word soon after. Instead, she got back into her Nissan Cedric patrol cruiser before taking the lead, literally having Claire to catch up in the BMW. But that did not prevent the Swiss from remarking.

“That Hyun-Su is too quiet for her own good. What is she trying to be; The Stig?”

“Huh?” Raquel responded, pondering at that thought.

“Oh you wouldn’t know if you don’t watch that British car show.”

… … …

The suspect; he might have escaped again,
Pressure; building the duo’s blood to a boil,
Shaken; momentarily, yet necessary,
Weapons; the pull of a trigger, the swipe of a strike.

… … …

16th May 2006; 5.00pm
Current Status Of Assignment – Temporary Report By Hyun-Su

The car chase by the two officers from The Academy had failed through, due to lack of attention of the road ahead where a bus was in their way. However, it is confirmed that the suspect had fled in a modified black sedan, of Mitsubishi make, more powerful than the one the officer driving the white BMW had.

Currently, the two officers are a little shaken by their near-death experience when they evaded at bus at a possible speed of above 200kmh. But no matter, they still insist on subduing the suspect, Raito Musume.

Awesome action fic you got here. Quite an improvement over previous Tokyo Battalions IMO.

The news (and as in the last chapter, a report) appearing at the start and end of each chapter is quite a nice touch.

Gunshots; it shall echo,
Melee weapons; shall pierce a body,
A hard duel; a power struggle,
A battleground; in an apartment.

… … …

16th May 2006; 5.45pm

Current Status Of Assignment – Temporary Report By Raquel Schmidt

After the failed attempt of arresting the suspect with the car chase, we have been led by an officer from Shinjuku by the name of Hyun-Su, who was instructed by Chief Craken to lead us to the suspect’s possible whereabouts; his own apartment. We were somehow skeptical about the possibility of Raito Musume to seek cover at such a place, but we were proven wrong when the same black sedan back in the car chase was spotted near the stated apartment at the outskirts of Chuo.

Nothing has been executed as of yet; we are to organize our plan to infiltrate the apartment with minimal problems, and at the quickest possible time. We intend to delay our operations till 7pm, where night falls. This hence, as I have assumed, will decrease the chances of direct assault, and fully utilize the dark surroundings to our advantage. As of now, we are stationed in a secluded road adjacent of the suspect’s apartment.

… … …

3rd Chapter
Struggle

16th May 2006; 7.05pm
Location – Nearby The Suspect’s Apartment At The Outskirts Of Chuo.

“Raquel, it seems that either you have miscalculated your assumptions, or you’re just a blithering idiot,” Claire scowled, her right fist trembling with subdued anger.

“Why is that so?” the albino replied, cocking her old Mauser handgun.

“If you intend to storm into the suspect’s apartment after night falls, wouldn’t the suspect switch on the lights in order to see? Then hiding in the shadows to your advantage is deemed null,” the blonde implied, shooting a glare at Raquel.

“Stop trying to be a dumb blonde...” the wavy haired woman paused before continuing. “You blonde. A suspect would be stupid to signal his presence in the apartment by turning on the lights; they would rather lay low.”

“Stop yapping, cat and dog,” the North Korean broke the duo’s conversation all too suddenly. “We better head out. It’s dark enough.”

It had been almost two hours of waiting for the sky to turn dark, gaining to their advantage, as what Raquel has assumed, though had never used the theory till now. Hyun-Su took the lead with a TT-33 handgun in her hands while swiftly slipping through the shadows by evading the lit lampposts with ease. Claire followed suit behind, though not equipped at the moment while Raquel took the opposite side of the path armed with the Mauser. Since this particular section of Chuo was somewhat ‘quiet’, the trio had no problems about dealing with civilians, hence the urge to end the operation quickly before anything strikes to complicate the matter. The brunette paused, dead in her tracks the moment she maneuvered her way into the residence. The building was a typical two-storey flat with several apartments, each belonging to a different family. Deep crimson eyes stared at the one on the second floor, on the far right door; the suspect’s. Claire and Raquel took notice the moment the petite woman showed various hand signals.

“Follow me, be on standby for assault,” the albino muttered out the meanings of the hand signs.

Hyun-Su took the lead again, this time, cocking her firearm while doing so. Her eyes peeled for possible signs that could trigger the suspect from causing a ruckus, even a foreign sound like an audible footstep might even be a trigger. She gazed at the grainy tarmac, then at the low concrete fence; nothing worth mentioning. She turned around, stealing a glance at Claire- no one. Damn, she thought. Of all times, the blonde had to disappear from sight, when she was supposed to be on her tail. She swore under her breath before Raquel came into her sight, opposite of where the entrance into the residence was. The albino remained calm, though her forehead broke out in cold sweat. Her eyes turned to the gate, most probably trying to signal the brunette to enter first before Claire came into view, from inside. The two women outside gasped at that moment before shutting their mouths to minimize the noise they had made. Raquel aimed a finger at her partner, literally poking the blonde’s left temple on purpose. That had the Swiss retorting with a faint grunt and pinching her partner’s nose, literally ignoring the North Korean’s presence.

Hyun-Su paused at that moment, simply staring at the duo with her glazed, deep crimson eyes before she decided to something about it. Silently, she paced her way towards the tall lass, and gave a slight tug to Claire’s shirt, just enough to catch the blonde’s attention. The Swiss did respond by turning around, only to cease what she was doing. The North Korean simply stared coldly without uttering a word, all too similar like a spirit would do. Blue eyes gazed into deep crimson ones while Raquel simply froze, not too sure what was occurring.

“Idiot,” the brunette commented, just loud enough for Claire to hear.

The tall woman jolted in response by the sudden comment before Hyun-Su entered the residence. Raquel followed suit, passing by her stunned partner; the albino had to nudge her several times before the blonde took notice.

“Quit staring into space like a goon,” the wavy haired woman implied. “And get yourself armed. I hate to see my partner having gashes or holes on her body.”

… … …

The Academy

Chief Craken was busy as usual; most of it was simply notices about more assistance by other prefecture headquarters. The National Police Agency, on the other hand, seemed to be strained on recruiting more officers. They had intended to employ those who barely made the cut, but Chief had gone against it. He did not like the idea; it will only degrade the NPA’s outlook in the long run. His decision was often disputed, but it stood throughout.

“Damn it,” he cursed. “This is the first time I’ve felt so pressured to the point of breaking out from my calm composure.”

The middle aged man then glanced at the telephone; somehow maybe… maybe there might be another way to reduce the pressure on The Academy. However, that itself could be a controversy. But after all, ‘she’ was initially from The Academy, so there might be a chance ‘she’ would agree. Hesitation kicked in before Chief Craken dialed the number quickly; he did not want to change his mind halfway through.

“Hello?” a familiar voice from several years ago was heard on the other end.

“It’s been a while, partner,” the Chief replied, followed by a sigh of relief.

“I’ve been expecting your call actually, after all the yapping from the news about the NPA’s current poor status, and The Academy being the temporary support of nearly 80 percent of the time,” the woman implied before a faint chuckle was heard.

“So, I’ve heard about it. But no matter, I’m sure you know the reason why I called you, after a long time. You want in? I’m sure your presence would fire up The Academy again, especially from the ones from our generation, Kikyo Takayanagi,” the American went to the main point.

“Oh, so that’s your plan right now, even though I’m now a caretaker of a small Yakuza clan after my father passed on due to old age?” she countered, this time using her usual boyish tone.

“It’s ironic that your father can pass on, while you can’t in any way. All thanks to the constant blood transfusion, which literally altered your system in some way or another; you were always in a bloody mess after the missions we had. Sounds like science fiction, eh?” Chief implied with a monotonous voice, striking the nail.

“I’ve moved on from being such a stupid, emotional asshole. I’ve accepted this fact, you saw me change in behaviour, right?” Kikyo sputtered.

“Guess so. Anyway, let’s cut to the chase. How about it? Do you want to wreck havoc again with that… M1918A2 BAR, and nodachi of yours? I’m sure the small Yakuza clan is able to maintain on its own for now,”

“You got me there,” the Japanese sighed, before responding. “Is my room in the dormitory still vacant?”

“Untouched, and out of bounds except me,” the middle aged man replied, now grinning, knowing the outcome.

“Then I’m coming back from hell.”

… … …

16th May 2006; 7.15pm
Location- Outskirts of Chuo, Suspect’s Apartment

After that… meaningless stint back at the entrance of the residence, the trio resumed to their current operation; right now on the second floor, heading towards the felon’s public housing. Hyun-Su, who still led the way, kept her TT-33 close to her, though her fingers were not touching the trigger. Still without a word coming out from her mouth, her deep crimson eyes scanned the path ahead. For a two-storey flat, it seemed unusual to have an unlit corridor; a possibility that the lights were not replaced. The concrete flooring was bone dry with minor fissures; due to wear and tear several years after the flat was constructed. Faint dust and sand kicked up, as if making an obstacle in terms of vision. The North Korean took a glance at the other two officers that were tailing behind. Raquel was right on her tail, while Claire seemed to have a rather bothered look, and still not equipped with her handgun. Hyun-Su would have pointed out to that blonde to draw out her firearm right now, but being close to the suspect’s hideout, it was literally impossible.

“Idiot,” she murmured under her breath before turning her attention to the albino. “You, the other side of the door; the blonde as well.”

Raquel simply nodded in response before hand signaling her partner to follow suit while the brunette remained silent on her part. That had the duo from The Academy puzzled, but decided not to pester on what Hyun-Su might do next. Without a hint of sound, she paced her way in front of the door. By then, the albino had a thought that the brunette had the intention to kick the door open, and then storm in. It did not occur. Instead, the petite woman simply turned the handle of the door, swung it open harshly, then bursting into the apartment; all with minimal noise. Claire and Raquel gaped as a response; they never thought it would be possible, or was it?

The brunette, her fingers on the trigger, scanned the kitchen located just beyond the front door. No one, not even a sign of life. She spun around to the opposite direction. The main fluorescent light from the living room was lit, but no suspect in sight. The North Korean called out Raquel’s name, just loud enough for her to hear; the trigger for the duo to enter the apartment.

“I’m done here. Both of you take over while I be on guard outside; there will be a possibility that the suspect might have fled and to his car again,” the petite woman implied before pacing her way towards the main door with the same blank look as when the duo first met her.

Claire did not utter a word at that point; unusual for her to not respond. Blue eyes then took a glance at the albino, answering with a nod before they launched a search. The Swiss took her chances at the living room while Raquel went into the only other room; the bedroom. There was no possibility the suspect would have sought cover in the bathroom in the duo’s mind, considering the translucent, blue fragmented glass as the sliding door with the place lit was well. The blonde entered the verbena, assuming the felon might have left signs of escaping there. A pair of slippers was spotted but its condition was too poor to be worn recently. Turning away while leaving the sliding door to the verbena ajar, Claire turned her attention to the living room’s storage compartments. After all, for a suspect that desperate to be hiding from the police, it would have sought such areas- a gunshot was heard from the bedroom, followed by the albino’s rousing voice.

“Claire!”

That was enough for the blonde to respond with a mad dash into the said room before a hard right fist from the suspect came towards her direction, straight for her face. The blow came into contact, literally had the Swiss stumbling backwards before hitting the wall behind her, back first. Raquel reacted by aiming at one of the suspect’s legs, just hoping to prevent him from attacking, or fleeing. However, just before she could squeeze the trigger, as if he knew, the suspect, Raito, hurled a vicious backhand to her torso, then a boot at her navel. That had the albino trip up as a result, though landing on the bed, minimizing damage to her back. She winced at the searing pain that somehow shot through her midriff.

“Not now,” she thought. “My old wound; it’s opening up again.”

Raquel swore she felt blood streaming out from the scar, but she could not attend to it right now. Grey eyes stole a glance at the suspect, who now seemed to be holding a melee weapon. Judging from its traditional hilt and its short blade, it was a tanto. That was enough to get the albino moving, while withstanding the searing pain that surged through her midriff. Raito, not a word coming out from his mouth, swung the short blade, stabbing on the particular place on the bed where Raquel was. Swearing under her breath, the albino aimed for the suspect, this time for his right hand that held the tanto. She squeezed the trigger, twice. Raito missed the first shot, but received the second, though it was lodged into his right arm, near the elbow. A yelp left his mouth, but that was it. Fear somehow embedded into the albino’s mind the moment the suspect pounced over her, pinning Raquel down.

“You think a mere bullet is going to stop me?” his voice rang into her ears in a howl. “Never!”

A harsh left fist came into contact with the albino’s right cheek, literally had her facing to the left at such velocity to the point her left temple hit the tatami flooring, hard. She wanted to simply shove the suspect aside, and empty the magazine of her Mauser into Raito’s torso, but the rousing pain surging through her midriff literally had her frail in that current condition-.

“Raquel, lay low!” Claire’s rousing voice caught the albino’s attention before doing so.

Raito, though had heard the blonde’s yell, he had not have the chance to evade a wild right leg into his torso before a straight punch in the face. A crack was heard, but it was not sure whether it had the suspect’s nose broken. It was; the felon had used his unharmed left hand to grasp his nose as a natural reaction, leaving him open for assault. The blonde took that chance; she hurled a quick punch into his torso, then a quick right kick to the same spot- Raito’s left hand grasped her said leg without warning, and yanked, hard. The sudden force sent the tall woman towards the suspect, where her face, again met his elbow, enough to stun her momentarily. The albino, still on the ground, witnessed the whole event before her attention turned to the handgun in her right hand. There was a chance for her to lay a hit on the stubborn, hardy felon- she winced the moment a sudden piercing sensation ran through her midriff. Raquel swore under her breath, but she needed to react fast.

Using the iron sight of the old Mauser C96, she squeezed the trigger the moment she found the target, ignoring where she had aimed for. A bellow reverberated throughout the bedroom, as if like a sign of the end of a duel. Raito paused, just before he could swing his wounded right arm with the tanto towards Claire. He gasped at that point, before hitting the ground, realising where he had been hit; his bottom. His mouth remained gape, obviously a response to being shot at such a place on his body. A sigh left Raquel’s voice before Claire regained consciousness from her stunned stint- a yell was heard from Raito before his wounded right arm swung, releasing the short blade.

“Claire!” the albino hollered in order to have her partner’s attention.

It came too late. The Swiss was moments too slow to react at that point of time. The blade of the tanto dug its way into her right arm, at the deltoid. The blonde simply let out a faint yelp, as if used to such injuries. Blue eyes glared at the suspect at that moment before in an unsporting manner, kicked the daylights out of the suspect with her right foot.

“That’ll stop you from going ape-s**t mad like King Kong, buffoon.” The tall woman hissed before turning her attention to Raquel, who was still on the ground, though now sprawled, as if powerless. “Oy, quit making yourself looking like a corpse.”

“I’m already starting to look like one with this damned old wound of mine. Damn it hurts; as if a scalpel had ran across my midriff,” the albino responded, forcing herself into a sitting position just before the blonde decided to carry her in her arms. “Hey! Don’t forget your arm as well!”

“Screw it; I can last for a while with it still in me. I’ll get Hyun-Su to deal with the suspect for now. We almost ended up in a bloody mess,” Claire implied, pacing her way out of the apartment, noticing the North Korean on guard the whole time. “The suspect’s on the ground with a bullet lodged in his backside, and his right elbow. He’s knocked out for now. I’ll call for a patrol car in the vicinity to cover you while we get ourselves back to The Academy for treatment-.”

“Stay. I’ve already contacted the ambulance and back up the moment I heard the first gunshot. I’ll take over from here,” the brunette replied, as if ignoring the blonde’s intentions.

“Wha-?” stuttered the Swiss after the petite lass entered the apartment. “Now I don’t know whether she meant it, or just being cocky towards me.”

“You’re the one who’s cocky to begin with. Try not to be a dumb blonde, blonde,” Raquel replied ‘as a matter of fact-ly.’

“Want me to put you down with that open wound of yours?” Claire threatened.

“No,” the albino replied ever so quickly.

“Then zip it,” blue eyes narrowed, glaring into grey ones before the sirens of both a patrol car and ambulance rang into her ears. “They’re here.”

“We’ll report in after our wounds are tended. I’m sure Chief Craken is nervous on the status of the assignment,” Raquel implied, knowing her partner would agree after ‘Chief’ was mentioned.

“We better, and get this damn tanto out of my deltoid; else the wound would be big enough for a bus to park into.”

… … …

Chaos; brought to a minimum,
Contained; controlled in the apartment,
Wounded, stabbed; they expected to receive it,
The assignment; a success, a temporary victory.

… … …

16th May 2006; 7.45pm

The suspect, Raito Musume, has been successfully arrested by the group effort of The Academy and Shinjuku Police Station, located at his apartment, the outskirts of Chuo ward. He is guilty of several murder cases which involved the usage of metal rods and chains. However, it is still not known what had triggered him into committing the crime. Investigations will still continue, but without The Academy’s help this time round. Currently, investigations are now collaboration between Shinjuku and Chuo Police Stations temporarily prior to this case.

Another great chapter added to this story. Keep it up :)