TRIGGER: CH 10

 Chapter 10

It is a quiet night, slightly chilly after a late afternoon rain. The neighbourhood is calm and somewhat removed from the noise of the city. The people living here prefer to mind their own business rather than mingle around. Situated some distance away from the city center but not completely traditional either. Just somewhere in the middle.

Perfect for when you need to escape the bustling city life and take some time for yourself.

This kind of night are rare there. It's a nice change. Just you, and the stray animals out in the streets. The orange light of the streetlamps provided some warm undertones to the cool surrounding.

Unknowingly, his feet brought him to a secluded part of the area. A three storey building at the crossroad with the ground floor is turned into a bar. Eh, why not?

It's pleasantly warm inside the bar. Not much people around here, either. A lady sitting alone at one of the tables, immersed in her own world. Few other customers scattered around the place in small groups, talking amongst themselves. The bartender's busy behind the counter. A man is sitting there at the counter, quietly drinking. Subconsciously, his eyes follow the bright amber of the drink.

To the hand reaching out, picking up the glass.

The soft tan of his exposed forearm visible even under the dim lighting.

 

Oh, he noticed.

 

For a moment, their eyes meet.

The warm shade of the other man’s eyes draw him in, captivated by the way the light reflecting in them, giving it a golden tint.

The man simply returns his gaze with a friendly smile.

The skip beat in his chest tells him what he needs to know.

And he smiles back.

 

 

 

---

 

Friday morning.

 

"So to make things clear, all of us will be dressed according to our roles. And seeing as I'm the best at this, I will be setting your outfits." Waves of confidence can be sensed coming off of Rian. In high spirits, as always.

 

The day started off quite early. The setting up for their temporary operating base had been completed two days before. After double checking everything, all that left is to finalize their respective roles. As their current suspect is rather elusive, they have to go just as hard at being stealthy.

Hence, here they are in their office dressed as their characters with various articles of clothing lying around on the meeting room table. Rian who is busy arranging them to a more sensible pile, dressed in a casual peach-coloured blouse. Aguri and Takeru are sitting nearby while sifting through the finalized strategy plan.

"Mine is simple enough, but Takeru's looks rather..elaborate." Having casted himself the role of the bartender, Aguri is simply dressed in a white shirt and a black waistcoat paired with a pair of black trousers.

"Supposedly I am a part of a..- local biker gang, or something. So, yeah." Takeru momentarily paused while flipping through the highly detailed guide handed to him by Rian. "Eh, I kinda likes it though."

"Well, you already looks like thug on most days. It's not even that much of a difference." Aguri jibed while leveling a look towards him.

"The fuck you mean by tha-" His minor outburst cut off by Rian.

"Okay, okay, enough of that. Both of you, behave!"

Silently, both of them heeded her command.

"So now that you two are done, we're left with just one person." She turned towards the storage room door - which is currently used as a makeshift changing room - and knocked twice. "Ryuga, you're done?"

Rustling of clothes can be heard coming from inside the room, followed by sound of something falling down.

"-Yeah, in a bit-"

More shuffling, more things falling.

"..Ryuga? Is everything okay there?"

"-I'm good. This place sure is messy..-"

His remark is followed by the sound of the door unlocking.

"It's kinda difficult to put on, but overall I think they look fine."

 

A loud, sharp intake of breath can be heard from Takeru, while Aguri is frozen speechless.

"So, how do you think?"

 

Silence.

 

"..Hey, guys, you're okay?"

 

*inside*

'Shit, fuck, what the hell is this?! I know he looks good but this is too much. I swear I'm feelin' things here!'

'.....WHAT'

 

"Takeru? Aguri?"

"Eh? Uh, yeah. We-we're fine. Heheh."

Takeru is visibly sweating and laughing nervously. Aguri remained speechless, but is gradually getting redder in the face. Needless to say, the impact of what they're seeing is overwhelming. Ryuga grows more worried over their apparent state while Rian continues to look incredibly smug over her achievement.

"Looks like it worked better than expected." Rian give him a long, appraising look while nodding to herself. "But I wonder what makes it so..effective?"

"The outfit, I guess."

"Dude, have you tried seeing yourself in the mirror once?" Came Takeru's remark after barely regaining his composure.

"..I look like a normal human..?" Ryuga answers, clearly confused.

Oh God. "..Okay..Though, I'm surprised that fits." Takeru, thoroughly exasperated, decides to steer away from the previous topic.

"Yeah, me too. It is rather tight on the upper part." Ryuga agreeing, tugging on his visibly tight leather pants. "But why leather?"

"Why, for extra effect of course." Says Rian while slapping his butt to drive her point across.

Takeru looks like he's in pain.

Aguri has long been out cold.

 

 

The costume preview ended shortly after to allow the members to sufficiently recover and collect the needed equipments. Despite appearing rather calm, the tension is quite high among the four of them this time. It has been long since the last time they get to work together, everyone's feeling quite excited.

 

Afterward, the four of them returned to the office to resume their session. Back to their usual work wear, they gather around the meeting room table.

 

"Before officially starting our operation, I'll give you an overall rundown of our strategy. I will be stationed behind the counter, while Rian and Takeru would come and go at random intervals. It'll be the best to avoid making a set pattern. Both of you will need to mix around with the locals, make it look natural." Both who were addressed nod affirmatively. Having noted their response, Aguri turns towards Ryuga.

"Since you will be directly is contact with the suspect, you'll have to be extra careful with how you act. We need him to be convinced." Pausing to nod towards Rian, "Throughout the mission, the two of us will be on alert. We might give you extra commands or changes things on the spot as we see fit."

"Got that."

"For ease of communication, we'll be using these-" On cue, Rian hands them a small box, "-These are compact in-ear comm unit with seperate mic unit. They're small enough to be unnoticed, unless if you stare really hard that is."

"Mine looks different, though."

"Because you'll be looked at. So I had it made to look like something you'd have to be wearing at all time, like a hearing aid. Yours have the mic built in as well."

"Other than that, it also contains a voice recorder, so we won't be missing any crucial evidence."

"This tiny thing is quite amazing." Turning the device, admiring it. Should be careful with this, just in case.

 

For the rest of the meeting, they are given a detailed lecture on how to properly operate and utilize the communication device by an enthusiastic Rian. By the end of it smokes can be seen rising from the other members heads. They wrapped up the day at that and returned home to prepare themselves for the mission the next day.

 

---

 

For the next week or so, he'd be leaving the house for a while. He'll be temporarily stationed close to the base of operation - to get him more acquainted to the area. It's not unusual for him to leave home for a period of time, given his job. It's almost a part of the job description.

Sometimes he have to watch and wait for days, holed up in his car or in a nearby abandoned building, waiting for the suspect to make their move. The Main Division sure does like to give him random assignments. They're either stupidly tedious, or dangerous enough that any lesser man would've literally died.

Those slave drivers.

Feels good to be out of that unit. For the time being, at least. While being a separate unit, the Violent Crimes unit is mostly active only once in a while. Often time, only the office is there, but the rest of them are off on different cases.

Being able to move on your own without having to adhere to orders is freeing.

There aren't much things that needs packing beyond the essentials. It doesn't even take him more than 10 minutes. Sitting on his bed, he goes through his phone for any messages. Coming across messages from a certain someone bring to mind something he'd been putting off for quite some time.

Subconsciously his eyes turn toward the thumb drive resting on the table. That reminds him, he hasn’t checked it out yet.

"You should find something interesting in there."

Something interesting, eh?

The only other thing that would interest him is what can give him the answers he'd been looking for. Otherwise, not worth his time.

 

(Despite having second thoughts about secretly working with Jinga, Ryuga can't help but feels that the man holds the key to that.)

 

Such a small thing..He's feeling reluctant - is it really fine to be doing this?

Useless thing to wonder.

He can see that infuriating smile in his mind.

Might as well use it.

He picks up the drive, plugging it into the laptop.

 

"..This is-"

 

 

 

"Mikage-sama, he's connected."

Ah, a pleasant news at such an odd hour. It didn't take that long at all.

"Good."

 

---

 

Present day, Sunday night.

 

All of their attentions snapped to one place the moment the man enters the bar. Discreetly, they kept their eyes and ears open, observing his every moves and listening to every word he spoke. Aguri silently studies him from behind the counter while preparing drinks without missing a beat. Rian who stays at the back quickly pulls up various notes saved in her phone, making confirmations. At the same time communicating with Takeru stationed in the opposite building. Thanks to his prior alert, they are already prepared.

Tall, young male, probably aged around mid to late 20s. Light brown hair with light skin, usually seen dressed in dark clothes. Not yet fully sure whether he's the one, but he does matches the description given by the witnesses. Finally, things seem to be working along after having spent the previous day in naught.

Immediately, he made a beeline towards Ryuga. So far, things are moving according to plans.

 

"Would you like a drink?" Aguri's question came out smoothly with practiced ease.

"Ah, whatever he's having, then. I'm feeling a bit adventurous tonight." The man replies daringly, gesturing towards whatever Ryuga is drinking.

 

Such a bold choice.

 

"Are you sure? You'll get burned, you know." Amused drawl came from Ryuga, already expecting the result.

"Hah, that shit burns like acid buddy." Takeru's interjection via the comm had her suppressing a laugh. It's true, though. Wonder how Ryuga managed to develop a taste for it.

"Hope you don't regret it."

The man picks up the glass set in front of him, moving to take sip. "Here goes nothing-"

Only to choke and cough on the first taste.

"'Said so."

"-Damn, this does burns." The man sounds raspy after a round of coughing.

His reaction elicited laughter from Ryuga. "Don't say I didn't warn you."