Armed

The building seemed ominous against the fog. Dark and tall like some haunted mansion. The silence was heavy. Passing by the café, Kath wondered if Lucy was doing fine. The elevator was out of order, everything in the building was, so they had to use the stairs. Kunikida took the vanguard, stopping by each round to scout ahead of them.

When they reached their office, they found it was turned upside down. havoc was wrecked as if an armed group came and assaulted it.

Kunikida directed them to the president's office as he was supported by Kath and Atsushi. The moment Atsushi opened the door, Kunikida rushed off to the desk, kicking it away.

A gentle reminder that Sensei ought not to be crossed.

Kunikida knelt down, pulled his detective ID, and slashed it through the crevice of the floor. The tiles moved apart, revealing a computer beneath it. Kunikida fiddled with it before a part of the wall fell outward, revealing a large screen.

Wow! Still learning about our Agency even now! Who could have thought that classic-looking office would hold such futuristic gimmicks?!

" We almost have a connection." Someone appeared on the screen, though it was noisy and glitchy Kath couldn't make out his appearance. " Keep this level steady." The gibberish voice ordered. " Can you hear me? President Fukuzawa, is that you?"

So the other side is experiencing troubles as well.

" This is agent Kunikida," Kunikida spoke in his calm and collected tone. " You're with the Special Operation Division, correct?"

" I'm Sakaguchi Ango of the Special Operation Division. " Almost on cue, the voice and picture gained balance. And before them, a lean man with large round glasses and parted black hair appeared. " Kunikida-san, what's the situation over there?"

" I'm here with Katherine Hanazawa, Nakajima Atsushi, and Izumi Kyouka. All other Agency staff are currently unaccounted for."

" Understood. Our connection isn't stable. I'll keep it short. The fog phenomenal has happened here in Yokohama."

I don't think being short means stating what's already obvious. She kept that thought private.

The screen changed into a map of Yokohama city with the area covered by the fog indicated with a red large dot.

Almost the whole city.

"... Yokohama is currently disconnected from the outside. Almost everyone in Yokohama is currently missing or has vanished. It appears that only the gifted are present. Which means you're in danger as well." Ango appeared before them again.

" We can confirm. Here in this fog, the gifted have been separated from their special abilities. The abilities attempt to kill the gifted they belong to."

Why? Did they anger their abilities in any way? She pondered on that.

" Fortunately, we've determined the locating of the gifted who is most likely responsible for this phenomenon." Back to the map. This, it zoomed somewhere over Yokohama. " He's in an abandoned high-rise called Mukurotorude in the center of Yokohama."

Kath let out a long whistle at the picture of the thing. " Some vampire lord castle, of course, the mastermind would be hiding there."

" Is it Shibusawa Tatsuhiko, after all?"

" I am making an important request of the Agency. Please eliminate the mastermind, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko. By any means necessary. Also, note that Dazai-kun appears to be with the mastermind."

" Huh!?" Kath didn't bother to hide her shock.

" Dazai is?" Kunikida seemed somewhat calm, a little taken aback but not that much affected.

" He's been captured?"

That man! No way! Unless he lets them capture him. Which means…

Ango didn't seem to want to dive more into the subject. " We need to act, before Yokohama is annihilated! You're our only hope!" And the line was cut.

The ground shook underneath them, like an explosion broke off just on the floor below. Then a second one.

" He's here." Kunikida stood up on his feet and turned around. " You go on ahead. I'll stop him by myself."

" I'll-"

" You'll go, Hanazawa!" He looked back at her, his voice stern and his eyes serious. Kath gulped.

" But, Kunikida-san… there's no way you're going to win against your own ability!"

" It's not a matter of winning." He stopped by the opposite wall. " It's a matter of having the will to fight. Prevailing against myself. That's what I've always done." He slammed his fist against the wall and a panel slid down.

Strapped to it were all kinds of weapons, ranging from pistols and clips to machine guns and missile launchers.

Ooooooh! I see why we're the Armed Detective Agency now! Under normal circumstances, the possession of such amount of weapons would be a crime. But the Armed Detective Agency was almost paired with the police, so it had its perks.

Hm, I still have my fox and my cat in my bag. A few more clips, so I don't need to restock. But've lost my teddy bear bomb… so… She approached the wall and snatched a grenade.

" Escape out the back door while I draw him in," Kunikida told them while readying a rifle. " Now!"

Kyouka was the first to move. Kath turned back to her teacher. " Please be safe." And with that, she went to grab Atsushi and drag him out.

✦ -─────────- ✦

They took the car and drove through the night. Kath was the one driving, breaking every speed limitation and steering the wheel violently as though in some race.

There was an explosion at the Agency building behind them. Kath speeded in response. She can't trust herself not to turn back if she slowed down.

Kyouka sat by her side, unfazed by the rough ride. Atsushi was sitting at the back, blue-faced and white-knuckled. " Turn left here." Kyouka pointed and Kath obeyed.

" Should we be driving with such a speed in this fog?" Atsushi questioned their will to live. Kath had to admit that it was getting harder to see, and if it wasn't for Kyouka's direction so far, she might have ended up ramming into a light pole or a wall.

" It's okay, I have all of Yokohama's roads memorized," Kyouka said placidly. " To the left."

" Alright then, navigation is up to you, Kyouka-chan." Kath steered them to the left.

Atsushi looked down at his own feet for a moment. " Kunikida-san's okay, right?"

" I know Sensei. He wouldn't be defeated easily." Her hands grasped the steering wheel so tight that her knuckles went white. " He will be fine."

" Our priority right now is to eliminate Shibusawa Tatsuhiko." Kath was amazed yet again by how calm Kyouka could be.

"... You say ' eliminate', but there's no need to kill anyone, no matter how bad they are."

Atsushi is truly a kind soul.

" We just need to capture him."

Very kind and innocent for his own good.

" I'm sure Dazai-san will help us once we get him out."

He doesn't even doubt those who need to be doubted.

" Yeah… We can manage if we can save Dazai-san. Dazai-san will know what to do."

Kyouka remained silent for the whole time, but Kath could get a good read of what she was thinking.

" Atsushi-kun…" Atsushi looked up when Kath finally called him. " You're putting too much faith in Dazai."

Silence engulfed them again, only the revving of the motor could be heard, disturbing the otherwise calm city.

Atsushi stared down at the gun he was given. " You know, when I first learned that I'd turned into a tiger and gone on a rampage, I wished my ability would disappear. I never thought I'd be attacked by that tiger one day."

" Demon Snow killed my parents." Kath's ears perked up at Kyouka's words. " I've never thought of her as a friend. If she opposes me, I'll defeat her."

" Kyouka-chan, you know…" Kath smiled softly. " I think we have more in common than loving Tofu and rabbits."

" Hanazawa-san…?"

" I, too, lost my parents because of my ability. I don't think the circumstances are the same but…" She turned to her. " I get how it feels." Her eyes narrowed when she caught a shape approaching them on the side mirror by Kyouka.

" It's here!"

A thud on the car's roof, and then a blade cut through the metal, aiming for Kyouka on the passenger seat. She managed to avoid it in the nick of time.

Kath tried to get Demon Snow off, but no matter how much the car swayed and swiveled, the spectral woman held tight. She then reared her sword.

" Jump!" Kath opened her door as she yelled. Kyouka jumped from her seat, back to Atsushi, and made an escape through the back door.

They rolled on the ground as the car slammed into a pole and blew up. Kath pulled up to her feet, cradling her head, just in time to see Kyouka engaging her ability.

As Atsushi shouted, ready to shoot the ability, a blur of black came slamming into her, and then fell on the ground gracelessly. Atsushi was about to shoot when…

" Wait! Atsushi-kun!"

Akutagawa struggled up and looked back at Atsushi and then the gun he was holding and pointing at him. A hint of annoyance crossed his face.

" What a pathetic weapon. No pea shooter is going to have an effect on him."

" Huh?" Kath questioned as she followed his look. From the fog came a silhouette that could be best described as a red mummy. The way the fabric twisted up at the head like some devil horns and ears gave it a demonic presence. Kath immediately recognized the ability. " Shoot…"

A roar came from their left, Rashomon was blocking their path, and Demon Snow approached them from behind.

The Master Puppeteer was nowhere in sight.

Rashomon made the first move, only to be attacked by the tiger. " Huh?!" Kath blinked twice. " Your abilities is just… like you two I guess…"

" Amusing. Let's see who comes out on top." Akutagawa was smirking broadly at the sight before him.

" Now isn't the time for that!" Atsushi retorted.

Demon Snow attacked, and Kyouka defended, parrying her blade from them. " There should be a secret passage nearby for the Mafia brass."

Akutagawa made a tsk sound before turning on his heels, getting her message. " Come, Jinko."

" Hey? And what about me!?"

" Shut up and hurry along."

Kath complained as she followed after him. Atsushi lingered back and only moved when Kyouka assured him she would be there...