Interrogation: Part 2

"So...am I going to wait in this room forever?" Kurayama asked.

His question was met with no response. After all, he was sitting alone in a windowless and dimly lit room with only a one-way mirror facing him, and a metal door for an exit.

Kurayama was sitting down on a metal chair with his hands cuffed to the metal table in front of him. The only other prop in the room was another chair in front of him.

However, despite how silent it was, five people were directly facing Kurayama from behind the one-way mirror.

The first one was a woman wearing an all-black formal suit with long brown hair. She was glaring at Kurayama with her arms crossed. She was the directress of the local HGA—Emilia Amari.

The person standing right next to her was an old man with white hair wearing a police chief uniform. Despite his tired expression, he still had an intimidating glare. He was the chief inspector of the police department—Hajime Yoshida.

Standing behind those two was officer Kenzo Hirono, still wearing his police uniform with a smile plastered on his face.

Standing right next to him was a young woman wearing a black formal suit with short brown hair and amber eyes. She had a nervous look plastered on her face as she stared at the floor. She was the woman Kurayama met at the HGA—Kiode Hirono.

At the far back of the room, Hinotori was sitting on a chair with his hands cuffed behind his back. He was anxious and nervous to the point of wanting to vomit. He didn't know what was going to happen to him. However, he was worried about Kurayama more.

"Kiode Hirono…did I say your name correctly?" Emilia asked the young woman.

The young woman simply nodded in response.

"Well, Ms.Hirono. As a member of the staff of the HGA, you should have reported the vigilante as soon as you saw him...yet, you didn't. Is there any reason for such behavior? You know that this makes you a partner in crime, right? You know that the punishment will be very harsh?" Emilia confronted the young woman.

"Directress, would you please refrain from that? We aren't interrogating Kiode or Mr.Hinotori now. Only Kurayama is guilty as far as we know." Kenzo calmly replied as his smile slowly faded.

"Hirono, don't talk to Ms.Amari like that. She is also your superior." The chief inspector spoke to Kenzo.

After a short silence, Kenzo replied in a dissatisfied voice, "Yes, sir."

"But, Kenzo is right, Emilia. Interrogating the young miss is not necessary. After all, we have the culprit himself right in front of us." Yoshida added.

"Any information is good information, but I'll refrain for now." As soon as Emilia finished her sentence, the metal door to the interrogation room opened, "Oh, why don't you look at that. ‘Mr. Big brain’ has finally decided to show up."

Startled by the sound of the metal door opening, Kurayama turned around to see a young adult male with black hair and a pair of brown eyes. He was wearing a light brown coat, white shirt, necktie, black pants, and black polished shoes. He had a friendly smile plastered on his face as he walked towards the empty chair that was facing Kurayama before placed his black attache briefcase on the metal table.

He pulled out a key from his pocket and proceeded to release Kurayama from the handcuffs.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you, Mr.Kurayama." He said as he extended his hand towards Kurayama for a handshake, "International special detective inspector of the HGA, Akira Fujimori."

"Not much of a pleasure to meet you." Kurayama nonchalantly replied as he shook Akira's hand, "So, how may I help you?"

"Well, I was hoping we could sit down, have a discussion, and maybe you can answer a few questions that I have for you. Is that okay with you, Mr.Kurayama?"

"Well, as you can see, I don't have much of a choice here. But, I'm happy to oblige."

"Wonderful. Would you like to drink anything during our discussion? Wine, beer, or any beverage of your choice? Or maybe you would fancy a cigarette, pipe, or cigar?"

"I don't drink or smoke, not my thing. But, I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee."

"With pleasure." Akira replied as he turned around to face the one-way mirror, "Kenzo, would you please bring two mugs of coffee for me and Mr.Kurayama? Thanks in advance." He said before he sat down on the chair, opposite of Kurayama.

"So, Mr.Kurayama. Before our discussion starts, I have to quickly give you a heads up. Our conversation will be private to some extent. But, there will be some spectators and witnesses to it. But, please don't suppress yourself from talking. You are free to say whatever you want in here."

"Sure, let us start."

"Wonderful," Akira said as he opened his briefcase, pulling out a notebook, "So, Mr.Kurayama. From what I can recall, police officer Kenzo Hirono has asked you a few questions regarding the 'vigilante' investigation. It appears that you have moved into your apartment four months ago, you're also currently jobless, living alone, and spend your nights either at a nightclub or at home. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

“You did have a job before, right?”

“Yes.”

“You said that the reason you no longer have it, is because you’ve quit? For the reason of it not being your thing?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“That’s…so strange. Your employer told us you’ve been fired due to sleep deprivation, was that because of the nightclub?”

“True, but I also have insomnia, you can see how hard it is for me.”

“But why did you lie about it, Mr.Kurayama?”

“I didn’t. I could’ve kept the job if I dealt with my insomnia, but I saw it as a chance to quit. So, I have told the truth.”

Seeing himself in a corner, Kurayama was lucky to have twisted a bit of the truth to his side, receiving a nod from the detective in agreement.

“You also defused a robbery a few days ago, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“The shop clerk that you saved from the robber told us that when you fended off the criminal, a dark mist emerged from your body as soon as your eyes turned black and red. Strangely, that is exactly what all the victims of ‘Reaper’ described to us too. What do you have to say for yourself, Mr.Kurayama?”

“…”

"Well, what if I told you, Mr.Kurayama, that you are you are the one that fits the criteria of 'Reaper' the most?"

"Well, no shit. I don't think any police officer in this world questions a normal civilian with professional snipers as a backup."

"I apologize for that, Mr.Kurayama. We had to take our precautions considering that you were the prime suspect far before officer Hirono questioned you."

"Oh, so I was already the prime suspect? Excellent! Would you care to explain to me how I was confirmed to be the vigilante from a simple handshake in the end? Considering that all the other questions aren't sufficient enough to get me arrested?"

"Well, those questions weren't of much significance considering the fact that we already knew all about them. You were arrested because you were confirmed to be the 'Vigilante.' And that handshake is what proved it."

"May I know how?"

"Well, officer Hirono isn't a normal police officer. He has an evolvement that grants him the power to detect lies. And his last question to you wasn't a funny one for comic relief, it was the most significant question, which you have unfortunately thought was a non-serious question and answered it with your guard completely dropped. Thus, enabling officer Hirono to detect your lie."

Kurayama was silent as he stared at the smiling Akira. His friendly smile was the thing that annoyed Kurayama most because he displayed his power through it.

"Well let me applaud the police department for such an amazing achievement. So, what will happen next? Am I going to be revealed to the public as the vigilante just because a walking talking lie detector confirmed so? Well, my apologies, Mr.Akira. But I have never heard this much bullshit in my life."

"Oh, no no, of course not. We have brought you here for interrogation for the sole reason of getting a confession from you. We do respect everyone's rights, even a vigilante's, Mr.Kurayama."

"And what happens if I don't give a confession? What happens if the evidence isn't enough?"

"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, you will be set free for the reason of not having enough evidence to support the fact that you are the vigilante."

Suddenly, Kenzo entered the interrogation room carrying two mugs of hot coffee. He placed the cups on the metal table and proceeded to make his way out of the room as quickly as he got in.

"Mr.Kurayama, before we continue, may I smoke my cigarette? Would it be of any problem to you?"

"Not at all, inspector. Please, go ahead."

Akira pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and proceeded to take a cigarette into his mouth. He then pulled out a lighter to light up his cigarette, taking a few puffs before he shoved the lighter back into his pocket.

"So, Mr.Kurayama. I'm sure that the question that is bugging you at the moment is how we ended up deducing that you were the prime suspect for being the vigilante, is that correct?"

"Indeed it is, inspector." Kurayama calmly replied as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Well, from what I recall, officer Hirono has arrested you—Ishigmai Kurayama— for allegedly committing illegal acts of vigilantism, multiple counts of first-degree murder, and multiple counts of assault. Is that correct?"

"It is."

"But, you were also—"

"Arrested for being the prime suspect in the murder of the Kurayama household that took place ten years ago...I still remember this line as clear as day."

"And, how do you think we assumed such a thing, Mr.Kurayama?"

"Because I disappeared ten years ago without any trace and suddenly popped back into existence four months ago?"

"Mr.Kurayama, to your deduction skills, I say, bravo! But, do you know why you were the only one we kept track of? Of course, people disappear for years with no track and pop back into existence every day. It isn't something alien to us. But, we never make such a big deal of it."

"Well, I don't know the answer to that, Inspector. Why exactly the Kurayama household? How are they special by any means?"

"Other than the fact that your father was a brilliant scientist, the murder of the Kurayama household is a mystery that piqued everyone's interest for one reason. Approximately a couple of hours before the murder happened, your father sent a voice recording to the National Japanese HGA." Akira said as he pulled out a tape-recorded from his briefcase.

He then proceeded to rewind the tape, and then play the voice recording to Kurayama.

"...This is it..."